Vianden. A room in the Saxon mansion.

"Glad you could come, Selena. How long has it been since I could be alone with you?"

"It’s an honor to see you, my dear brother Helbrandt."

Selena lifts up the edge of her black mourning dress and bows respectfully.

Helbrandt―― the eldest son of the previous Count of the Saxon family and first heir to the house―― nods contently.

"Because we’re in the middle of mourning, I can’t provide you with a fancy reception but I can at least give you tea."

"Thank you very much. I also brought some sweets to go with the tea."

Both individuals are noble, however the busy heir Helbrandt doesn’t have the closest relationship with the only heiress Selena who only participated in a handful of ceremonies.

To begin with, there is a large difference in their ages.

The late count did not have any children during his final years, but being over 90 years old, his eldest son Helbrandt is already on the verge of passing 50 years old.

On the other hand, Selena will be 17 this year, making their difference in age similar to the difference between parent and child.

"After father passed away, I was worried when I heard you locked yourself up in your room. Father treated you with much affection after all."

"Yes…… well I can’t stay sad all the time. As nobility, we have a duty to guide the country to bright tomorrows."

Selena smiles woefully.

"You’re right. Still, those foolish younger brothers…… they seem to be devising a plan to usurp the title."

Helbrandt clicks his tongue, having said something inappropriate as the next head of family.

"Could it be a misunderstanding? They would never do something like that."

Helbrandt smiles wryly when Selena states with slight surprise in her tone.

"Haha, you might not be aware seeing as you’re still innocent. I also hope that what you say is true……"

Helbrandt tosses one of the sweets in his mouth before sitting next to his much younger sister and wrapping an arm around her shoulder.

"Selena, won’t you rally up Saxon together with me? I have heard about your circumstances from rumors, but father is no longer here. Let us, as royals, join hands and keep the younger brothers in check."

After saying that, the man gently rubs the girl’s shoulders, then brings his face close enough where both parties can feel each other’s breaths.

Helbrandt’s gaze is directed towards Selena’s nape and the mounds on her chest.

"My dear brother……"

Selena is 17 years old, a child born rather unnaturally when the previous king was over 70 years old.

The girl’s mother was a young prostitute, who soon died from illness after giving birth, leading to rumors circulating about her being a child born of another man’s seed.

work.

"Become mine. If you do, I can give you strong noble blood."

Helbrandt takes Selena’s hand and lightly strokes it.

A flame of lust clearly resided in his eyes.

"Milord... milord  Helbrandt……"

There was a knock on the door. Helbrandt quickly separates from Selena.

With loud yelling not permitted during mourning time, the individual was speaking almost like he was whispering, but he could not hide the panic in his voice.

"What is the matter?"

Helbrandt sits himself opposite to Selena and allows the person to enter.

The man who rushes into the room was slightly taken aback when he saw Selena, although he still proceeds to whisper to Helbrandt.

"What? Benoit got assassinated!?"

Helbrandt forgot about the ban and shouts out unintentionally.

Benoit is the second in the line of succession.

"Yes…… in the post station where the feudal lords were with a crossbow."

"That idiot, what is he doing wandering…… no, nevermind."

Helbrandt looks at Selena.

She silently holds a hand to her mouth and tears began to accumulate in her eyes.

"Who on earth…… the one who benefits from his death would be the third in line to the throne, so Gaston? No, Benoit is close with him. Assassination is out of the question because they joined hands! The dangerous one would be fourth in line, Henri.. would a coward like him do something so drastic……"

"Dear brother."

"You be quiet. For now, summon Henri here so he can be questioned. After that, conduct an investigation on everyone around the servants. The suspect killed Benoit, so he will obviously come for me as well."

Before the order could be carried out, another man comes rushing in.

"Milord, terrible news."

"Henri died you said!? He fainted while he was eating…… so he was poisoned!?"

Another report comes into the dumbfounded Helbrandt.

"L-look through the window! Fire is coming from Lord Gaston’s mansion! The well-being of His Excellency is unknown!"

When the window is hastily opened, thick black smoke can be seen billowing up into the sunny summer sky.

The mansion is already engulfed in flames.

Everyone seems to not care about the mourning restriction and are all screaming loudly.

"I have information that the fifth heir His Excellency Yves was also in Lord Gaston’s mansion."

"W-what did you say……"

Helbrandt collapses on the spot.

His four brothers who were prepared to fight for their right to succeed the family are gone in a single day.

Selena is no longer covering her mouth and is gazing at the burning flames through emotionless eyes.

"In any case, gather the army! This is no time to continue mourning."

The subordinates remain in their bewildered state.

"The thing is, I can’t seem to find the captain of the imperial guards Marc who was supposed to be stationed in the palace or Baron Alain……"

"Then get the vice captain! Use your head a little!!"

Helbrandt finally yells angrily and gets everyone moving.

He closes the door and secures the double-layered lock.

Any ruffian would have a hard time getting to him through the thick door and sturdy lock.

The two of them are left alone in the room once again.

"How could this happen…… who would do this…… a minister? Or maybe a great feudal lord…… no, would he do something so ridiculous after coming to the capital? All four of them dying at the same time, this is just awful――"

The 50 year old man paces around the room uneasily like a sick bear. That is when Selena speaks up abruptly.

"If all of them were done in at the same time, doesn’t that mean time was given for the culprit to prepare?"

Helbrandt looks at his way younger sister in shock.

"Dear brother Helbrandt, how ignorant and dim-witted."

The girl is―― smiling.

"Selena?"

The girl tilts her teacup and crosses her legs in a composed manner as she continues speaking.

"I said, our other dear brothers can’t usurp the position now, can they? They’re all dead after all."

Her tone made it seem like she was having fun.

"Don’t tell me it was you!? No, impossible. A mere girl like you killed four nobles!?"

Selena quietly places her empty cup back on the table.

"There were more I believe? The captain of the imperial guards was in the reservoir pond and Baron Alain may have been in a field on the outskirts."

As soon as the girl lifts her eyes up, Helbrandt falls on his ass.

The 50 year old man’s hips gives out after looking at the girl’s eyes. It is a strange sight.

"Why would you!?"

"Does the strong need a reason to eat the weak?"

Selena takes small steps to get close to the 50 year old man before she bends down to his level.

"My dear brothers were all mediocre. They didn’t have the ability to lead a country. That’s why they were eaten up."

The girl bites down lightly on the man’s ear.

"A-a girl like you becoming the lord of Saxon won’t―― gyaa!"

Violence cut the man’s words short as his earlobe is torn by the girl’s teeth.

"I’m not interested in becoming the count of Vianden or Orlais. What I desire is much bigger…… the entirety of the Thedas……"

Selena’s face scrunches as she looks the map unfolded on Helbrandt’s desk.

It is a map of only the southern Thedas continent.

"A small man like I thought. The position is too much for you."

After tearing up the map, the girl walks casually in the room.

Even if he wants to scream, his voice would not reach the other side of the thick door means to keep secrets within the room.

But more than anything, the inexplicable pressure being emitted by the girl renders him unable to do anything except stare blankly.

"This world is dictated by natural selection, meaning the strong survive, besides you wanted to live as a soldier anyways, right?"

The girl is walking as if she is skipping across grasslands.