THE VILLAIN'S POV

—Castlevania Province – The Emperor's Castle—

Inside a grand hall carpeted in red, its golden walls gleaming faintly—

The air was thick with tension. And the woman who kept tapping her foot against the ground was doing nothing to help.

"Calm down, Carmen."

Ada spoke with a frown, visibly annoyed by the constant noise.

"Sorry, sorry... I just don't feel well."

Carmen sighed and leaned against the wall.

Both women were dressed in the official black-and-white military uniform of House Starlight.

"Why are you the one this anxious? I'm the inexperienced one here, remember?"

"You only say that because you don't know the Iron Emperor…"

Ada glanced at Carmen with growing curiosity.

A woman of Carmen Starlight's age didn't get shaken easily. She had lived long enough to witness and endure much. Seeing her like this raised a question in Ada's mind—

"What kind of person is Sir Alon?"

"He's an ancient monster. A heartless tyrant. A mad dictator…"

"Is he really that terrifying?"

Carmen nodded without hesitation.

"Many call me an old woman now… but Sir Alon was already old when I was still a baby lying in a cradle."

"To see him again, with the same face… the same arrogant presence… it rattles me."

Carmen became lost in thought, recalling the Iron Emperor—the very man who had once united the great noble houses.

She forgot for a moment where they were. But then, too late, she remembered.

"Ah… sorry, Ada. I shouldn't be passing my anxiety onto you. Especially now that you're about to meet him."

"It's fine… I'm okay."

Ada also exhaled deeply, doing her best to stay composed.

Sir Alon had kept them waiting for a full hour since summoning them.

Ada was certain this was one of his psychological tactics—an intentional show of dominance.

She refused to crack under it.

Then, at last, the doors opened, and Oliver Khan returned.

"The Emperor is ready to see you. Please follow me."

The moment of truth had come.

Ada rose with a simple nod and followed behind Oliver—Carmen at her side.

Step by step…

They walked down the corridor leading to the imperial throne room, the pressure growing heavier with every step.

That suffocating aura ..

It pressed especially hard on Ada, who found it harder and harder to remain calm.

Especially knowing that the man awaiting them was a monster who had lived since her ancestors' time.

"No need to panic… Ada Starlight."

Just as the pressure reached its peak, Oliver Khan extended his own aura—

Shielding Ada, covering her from the Emperor's overwhelming presence.

"You're the Lord of Starlight now. You have every right to stand here before the Emperor... You've already come a long way."

As soon as he said those words, Carmen released her aura as well, enveloping Ada in its warmth.

"Ugh... I should've done that before he did. Damn it."

Carmen scratched her head in mild irritation at how Oliver had handled the moment.

"Whatever… Ada, I'm terrible at motivational speeches. Just keep doing what you've been doing. That alone is enough."

"Carmen…"

Seeing the people who believed in her, remembering the path she'd walked and the one she wanted to save...

Ada smiled once again, stepping forward with renewed resolve.

"Thank you… both of you."

Once Oliver Khan confirmed Ada was ready, he stepped aside and opened the grand door before them.

Inside. .seated atop the throne once occupied by Maekar Valerion ..was Sir Alon.

The chamber was dimly lit, and the shadows only made the Iron Emperor's golden, glowing eyes stand out even more.

The moment they laid eyes on him, everyone in the room bowed in unison.

"We greet the Emperor!"

All eyes were on Sir Alon—but his gaze was fixed solely on Ada.

"So you're the current Lord of House Nova Starlight? …I must say, I'm a bit surprised."

He spoke with casual disdain, but Ada raised her head confidently, unfazed by the mockery.

"That's right. I am the fifth Lord of House Starlight. Ada Starlight."

She declared her name firmly, trying to assert her position before the Iron Emperor, who clearly scoffed at her meager strength compared to her title.

"Hoh? Is that so?"

Sir Alon chuckled, leaning on his cane and striking it against the floor, releasing a gust of wind that surged through the chamber.

"Tell me then… Lord Starlight—why is it that your house was the only one to survive while all others perished? Did you deliberately avoid sending your forces to the war?"

Despite his confrontational tone, Ada simply nodded.

"That's correct. House Starlight refused to take part in this war from the beginning. We chose instead to provide support from behind the lines."

Sir Alon raised an eyebrow at the honesty of the frail lord standing before him, pressing further:

"And what was your reason? Know this—your answer will determine the fate of your entire House."

The Iron Emperor's words came with an immense wave of pressure. Even Carmen, an SS-rank powerhouse, struggled to withstand the crushing force.

Let alone Ada, who was the main target of that wrath.

Ada braced herself, gathering her will before she finally began to speak.

"With all due respect to the ruling family… House Starlight became involved in this chaos not to wage war on the Ultras, but to rescue those who were abducted from the Temple ten days ago."

"Blindly charging into war and taking the bait thrown by the enemy would've been pure foolishness—especially when the lives of the abducted were hanging in the balance. When my reasoning was rejected, I had no choice but to pull back my forces. I refused to let yet another family fall victim to the trap laid by the Ultras."

She paused briefly to catch her breath, prompting Sir Alon to take over again.

"So what you're saying is... you have a plan to rescue the abducted, don't you?"

The Emperor rose from his throne, suddenly roaring with fury.

"Foolishness!!!"

Ada flinched as another wave of terrifying pressure crashed over her.

"I've heard your only brother is among the abducted. How do you plan to save him when he could be anywhere on an entire continent you know nothing about? For all you know… he might already be dead."

"He's alive!!"

This time, Ada was the one who shouted back, causing Sir Alon to narrow his eyes, demanding an explanation.

Ada turned to Carmen, who nodded and pulled out a magical device shaped like a crystalline orb.

The moment it was activated, a detailed 3D map of the planet shimmered into the air, illuminating the entire hall.

"Life has forced me to live with a strange brother—one who hides many secrets from me."

Ada stepped closer to the map, her eyes focused on a specific location.

"He would always come home covered in wounds, with a soul weighed down by burdens... His hair turned white before he even reached twenty."

"All of this happened while I was away, oblivious to his pain. So, as his sister, I had no choice but to take action—to ensure that the day never comes when my brother dies somewhere I can't even reach him."

She pointed to a blinking red marker glowing persistently on the western edge of the Ultras Continent.

"My brother is alive. He's somewhere in the western region of the Ultras Continent."

After his return from Londor, Ada had forced Frey to implant a magical device linked directly to his heart .. allowing her to track his life signal in real time.

That was Ada Starlight's only assurance—the reason she had kept her composure through all this, despite Frey vanishing into enemy territory.

"I can also confirm that the Ultras are not holding him. He's been moving non-stop throughout the continent for the last ten days!"

"They're alive out there, fighting to find a way back home, my lord! So how can you expect me to join a doomed war instead of gathering every ounce of strength I have to try and save them?!"

Seeing a young girl standing before him—a fragile figure not even a quarter of his age—speaking her mind with such courage, accomplishing what even the strongest had failed to do...

Sir Alon couldn't help but laugh.

His deep laughter echoed through the chamber, leaving everyone around stunned.

It was the first time the old man had laughed since his return to the Empire—a realm that had brought him nothing but burdens.

"Very well done, Lord Starlight!"

Sir Alon sprang from his seat, each step punctuated by the thud of his cane against the ground.

"I never expected to find someone worthy amidst the pile of trash my son left behind…"

Glancing over the map Ada had presented, along with the valuable intel she'd compiled, Sir Alon nodded in approval and stepped forward with swift strides.

"Follow me… Lord Starlight."

Passing her by, the Iron Emperor commanded Ada to walk behind him, catching her off guard.

"Where are we going, my lord?"

"Your plan is excellent, Lord Starlight."

Without even looking back, Sir Alon continued, clarifying his intentions.

"You've done well. But you lack the combat power needed to go and save your brother yourself, do you not?"

She nodded silently.

As the current head of House Starlight, Ada had intended to rely on Emperor Maekar Valerion and his explosive power in battle. But he had vanished—leaving for war without a word.

And now that Sir Alon had returned, she hoped this time things would be different—and they were.

"What I mean is… your plan is worth executing, Lord Starlight."

"But in order to see it through… we'll need to awaken those who laid down their arms long ago."

Sir Alon exited the hall, followed closely by Carmen, Ada, and the masked Oliver Khan—heading toward an entirely different place.

"It's time to awaken the entire Old Oath."