AN: Sorry for the delay, I was honestly feeling a bit fatigued, but we are back! One question, the views on the last chapter were crazy high, did something happen haha? Also, on another note, pls dont feel shy to just like, say anything! It's always really great to see people are still on board even when a story has been ongoing for so long

Juraki V – Werewolf Island, 9th February, 12:00

Juraki was surrounded by his documents, a sour expression on his face. "This is..." He groaned in frustration and tossed the folder aside. The scent of the food Mirai was preparing distracted him too much to focus anyway. "I am grasping into thin air with this bloody investigation."

"You really haven't been able to find anything?" By now, she'd have thought the culprit would become obvious.

"No. Gayare is still a suspect, but the Lord said I should not incriminate any of the warriors without concrete proof. Ignes is guilty of something but I am not sure what. And his girlfriend. ...well. ...it was rocky. I don't think she did it. She has a motive, but that's about it."

". ...Then isn't Ignes the best person to incriminate?" She was their lead scientist, to be sure, but it wasn't like there was any love lost between her and the warriors.

"No. I can't incriminate his lead scientist and lover without proof. He said he wants someone disposable if I can't find a real culprit."

". ...Lover? What?" Since when?

"The newest rumour. And from what I know, she spends more time in his chambers than her own."

Well, at least he wasn't calling for her anymore, she supposed. Though, with how bad the man was in bed, she really wouldn't have wanted to go anyway. "So. The girlfriend then?"

"I'm afraid I'll have to. I'll have to incriminate her lover because of who they argued as the accomplice." Even though everyone knew two civilians couldn't overwhelm a warrior.

It left a bad taste in her mouth. "Disposable. I know we were making sacrifices for the good of our people, but..." This wasn't a sacrifice. This was slaughtering an innocent for the sake of appearances.

"..." Juraki sighed. He felt as though he'd aged by a hundred years in these past couple of months. "I'm tired of this."

Mirai carefully stirred the stew. "Tired of what?"

"This investigation. The sacrifices. The atmosphere."

"I am too," she admitted.

". ...We almost lost when the nobles invaded." Her sister had died. "But all of this. ...This isn't right.'

"But what are we supposed to do about it?" He knew damn well what happened to all traitors.

"Nothing." He said. "There's nothing."

". ...Stew's done."

Quietly he placed his arms around her from behind. "At least I still have you."

She smiled weakly. "And I, you."

Gently, Juraki kissed the back of her neck. "We'll get through somehow. We'll have to believe things will get better."

Mirai's smile grew a bit, as she ladled him a bowl. "Yes." She turned and kissed him as she handed it to him. "Here. Eat."

"Thank you." A brief kiss. "I will go see the Lord after this."

She got herself a bowl to eat, and both finished in short order. Sending him off with a kiss, Mirai bade him to stay safe.

Juraki did not enjoy his walk after lunch. The Lord's castle seemed more imposing these days. Juraki had no idea if it was the atmosphere, or if it had been rebuilt that way. "Lord. I bring news of my investigation."

He shifted on his throne just slightly. From the reports in between, it seemed as though Juraki would present himself a strawman, essentially. "I am listening."

"It seems that Uhzir had a rocky relationship with his girlfriend. She's the culprit here. Her lover is a craftsman. A weaver, specifically of rope." So he was the accomplice.

Maduke nodded. "Good work. Everyone, leave the throne room. No. Not you, Juraki." He waited for everyone to leave until it was just the two of them. "Step closer." This was a private conversation now.

Juraki approached the throne. "Yes Lord."

"I assume they are civilians, this girlfriend and her lover."

"Yes." He could admit that freely here.

"So you found no proof of any of the warriors having done this?"

"None."

". ...It would put everyone at ease thinking this was just a lover's quarrel, and nothing else."

". ...That it would." Going unsolved would be better for everyone, but the Lord was the Lord.

"You did good, thorough work with this investigation," he praised.

"Thank you, Lord." It was starting to feel like lines off of a script.

"As you know, I held Kentas and Lunark both in very high esteem until they turned out to be traitors."

He swallowed. "Yes, Lord."

"You too have a bright mind full of talent. I hope you will not disappoint me like my previous two protégés."

He was. ...being promoted? Somehow, that news didn't feel as good as he thought it should. "I'll try not to, Lord."

"When we take Lukedonia, I will need someone with your experience and trustworthiness." He hoped that the gist of his words would be clear enough. This was more than just a promotion in name only.

"I understand."

"Good. I expect you tomorrow afternoon." A crash-course in ruling, so to say.

"I'll be there." Because of course he would be. You didn't tell the Lord 'no'.

"Good. Finish this investigation affair in an appropriate way."

He nodded. "I'll have them both arrested then." An out-and-out execution. ...that'd probably make things worse right now.

Another pawn sacrifice, inconsequential on the greater scheme. Maduke merely nodded to give his blessings for a quiet procedure that would not draw too much attention. There was no need to unnecessary agitation.

Frankenstein IX – Werewolf Island, 10th February, 09:00

The days were too long and her anxiety grew. Did M-21 reach anywhere? Did he contact the Union? Would they help? The wait made her feel like she was going mad and she was too scared to go and see Raskreia. Instead, she returned to Frankenstein's cell, in a quiet corner of the labs. "Hey." She dropped a chunk wrapped in paper on the floor within arm's reach from the bars. "Oops. It seems I dropped food." A sandwich one of the assistants brought her for some reason. Which would probably be miles better than whatever Frankenstein was getting here.

He took the sandwich with a quirked brow. Ignes knew better than to drug him this way, so it was safe, but he couldn't quite figure out her intentions.

With an exhausted sigh, she sank against the wall and down to sit. "Enjoy. One of the apprentices brought this for me."

Biting into it, he chewed that bit and swallowed. "So you don't eat then?" Most nobles didn't need to, but they still tended to eat what was given to them to be polite.

"No. It makes me sick." She shook her head. "Not really worth the trouble."

"Huh. Master generally looks healthier and happier after a bowl of ramen." Or looked. He needed to investigate that.

Ignes just shrugged. She did not care.

"If you're not going to do anything with me here, I'd like to go check that out."
"Check what out?
""Lord Raskreia claims that Master isn't dead. Well, the Clan Leaders would know that best, wouldn't they?"
"Wait. You want me to bust you out? No no no no. I just about got out of that murder investigation!"
"And? You can just claim I died. Didn't you do the same with M-21?"

"I did." She lowered her voice to a whisper. "But we also had to kill a warrior who wanted to escort us. I am under total surveillance everywhere except here!"
"So just weaken things and I'll get out myself."

Ignes shook her head. "This is ...absolutely mad." She rubbed her face. But. ...Raskreia had said so herself. Frankenstein would make a better messenger. "Fine. And make sure you annoy the everloving shit out of anyone who breathes on Lukedonia until they come and bust us out of here." With a shaky hand, she took her keys out of her pocket.

"Got it. Make sure they ally with the Union, right?"
"Or whoever else will let them win. But you see how things are going. Some half-baked clan leaders will have a hard time here on their own." She dropped the keys on the floor where he could reach them easily. ". ...wait until nightfall. There is a second exit if you go downstairs, left, and then second on the right. It's less well known."

He memorised the instructions. "Got it."
With a sigh, she got up. "I better go and find some keys to steal."
"I can leave these so that you can have them back later." Or would he need them for his return?

"No. I don't know. I don't know. If you are found, you got away because you stole them.. ...shit. Or no one left their keys lying around and I don't have any. ...shit. I don't know!" Her voice cracked slightly. She was not good with pressure.

"Ignes. Calm down." They could work this one out. "Steal someone else's keys and then give me those. As long as you have yours, no one can say anything."

". ...right. Okay. Okay. I will. ...go find other keys ...and then give you those."

He reached for hers and tossed them back, the angle letting him see some bruising on her wrists. Oh. Well, that explained why she'd switched sides. "I'll be waiting then."

Ignes nodded and got up. She only returned in the afternoon - insisting she would have a look around the labs before quitting for the day. Frankenstein's cell was last, pretty remote and isolated. A nervous smile. "Catch." A pair of keys she grabbed during a break. One of her students had left them on a counter.

He caught them easily. "Good work." A bit of praise never went amiss with an ally, no matter how loathsome they might be. Her movements had revealed dark spots on her neck as well. She'd run into a bigger bully, and that's why she was helping. He could have laughed.

"..." Ignes shuffled. "Here." Three sheets of paper, folded neatly. ". ...They took Garda with them when they retreated, so ...if you run into her. ...she might want these." Profiles with pictures and basic data. Gaura. 778 years. Red hair, chestnut eyes. Warrior. Status: fallen in combat. Zyanya. 547 years. Ashen hair, chestnut eyes. Recruit in training. Mailk. 312 years. Red hair, yellow eyes. Recruit in training.

"And these are?" It would be good to know. Profiles, sure. But what for?

". ...her children," Ignes replied, face and voice emotionless.

". ...I see." He'd get them to her then. "Ignes," he called out to her as she left. "Don't let the big bad wolf eat you."

Third Elder V – Rio de Janeiro, 10h February, 15:45

The Third Elder lead a quiet, nice life in the outskirts of Rio - the good part of the city, of course. While he was gone to negotiate for the future of the Union, and therefore all of humanity, the First Elder stayed at his lover's manse, anxiously awaiting his return. He has been pacing up and down in the living room ever since he was notified that he'd landed - and he barely contained himself when he finally returned home. With the three members of the royal Guard who'd accompanied him. Good. "And?"

"Crombel attacked."

"That. ...son of a bitch!" But first things first. ...He approached him in wide strides for an almost furious kiss. He has been worried, even if he would not admit it.

Third wrapped his arms around his lover, accepting the kiss. "Missed me that much then?" He teased.

"Shut up!", he growled into the kiss.
"I'm fine. You can take me to bed if you'd like to look me over?"
"Yeah. Yeah, I better do a thorough check-up to make sure you are fine."

He hummed, letting First pick him up to take him to his room. Sex usually worked when he got like this.

Even though Third brought news of utmost importance imaginable, they could wait - and half an hour later, they were sprawled out in bed. ". ...I am glad to see you are fine." First grinned mischievously as he propped himself up on an elbow. "So?"

"Lukedonia is indeed weak. Seira J. Loyard confirmed that the two strongest are out of the running. The one who killed our Elders is dead." Well. The human ones, anyway.
"Really?" He raised an eyebrow.

"If I had to guess, he died to the werewolves." They didn't really say anything else about it, so they must have died in the initial invasion. "Apparently, he was human too." Not a noble.

". ...Could it be the one who betrayed the Union, long ago?"
"He'd be dead by now, right? He'd have to be over a millennia old if he were alive."
"Frankly, I have no idea." First shrugged and dropped back down. "What do you think?"
"It's impossible. Even vampires only live a couple hundred."
"I mean about the whole alliance thing."
"It would be good. A united front is better when we've got two enemies breathing down our necks."

" ...what about Crombel? How did he attack?"

"Aris. Seems Second wasn't the only one hiding a dead scientist."

A groan. "And Crombel had Ninth hidden up his sleeve?"

"I hope Ninth is still dead at this point."

". ...So who is it?"

". ...I said it was Aris." Did First just not listen?

"..." He blinked. "Shit. You mean, Dr. Aris? The one who served under Twelfth?"

"Yes. That one."

"Ah. I thought you said Ares. Like. The God."

"Aris is also a goddess of the same pantheon."

"Ah. Huh. Well. Anyway. So she was the one who attacked you?"

"Yes. She was rather easy to take down. She was only focused on a couple of Union escapees in Miss Loyard's group."

"Union Escapees ?!"

"Two DA-5 members, to be exact." Which is what Aris was after. "And an M Series survivor. Miss Loyard assures that they have no intention of compromising secrecy, so I've given the go ahead to leave them be."

"..." First sighed. "The Union is falling apart regardless. Even if we win, we will have to change tactics eventually."

"Yes." Necessary sacrifices were necessary sacrifices. If they kept them up when they were already on top, they could not say they were the protectors of humanity.

". ...The world is changing. We barely keep control of it anymore. Especially with Fourth and Second having been the grand socialites."

"We will find replacements." They would rebuild.

First sighed. "With who? It's harder and harder to control this world."

"I know." He covered his face with his hands. "Make Haydn an actual Elder?"

" ...Yes. It's about time, I suppose. Since there will be no Elders but us after this."

"And then we'll have all of our friends ruling with us." No more Royal Guard. Just a bunch of Elders.

First smiled. "Sounds good. They all did good jobs. They deserve that."

"They do." He leaned over to kiss First. "This alliance will be good, I think." The weakened nobles would help them take out the werewolves and Crombel, and then they could easily conquer what was left.

The kiss was returned with gentleness. Third could really make him melt at times. "And everything will be good." He shifted and reached for his phone.

"Hey, Haydn." Because he did not want to shout through the entire mansion. "Call Crombel and tell him we accept the alliance with the Nobles. Tell him to keep working and producing results in preparation. He will be informed once there is news."