-cough-

The Stygian Mansion

At the dining table, Veronica, Serena, Meroda, and Lucas are having dinner together.

"Serena, Where is Achlys?"

"Where the hell do I know?"

Serena.

"Language, Meroda, and Lucas are here."

"Forgive me. Where the hell do I know, ma'am?"

"!!"

"He's sick, very sick."

Veronica.

"..."

"Tell Achlys, he should come home to help him here."

"Aren't you the one helping him right now, ma'am?"

"Don't play your tongue with me, Serena. We have to take him away."

"Away?"

"He needs a cure."

"The doctors?"

"They are useless, we need a new one, a new team."

"Where?"

"I'll manage it. But you tell Achlys to stop wandering with business on his own."

"He's doing his job."

"I am doing my job helping the business going for your father's sake. He's just doing what he wants."

"*Sigh."

Serena knows from her brain that the one who helps the business for father's sake is Achlys and Veronica is the one who is doing what she wants for her own sake.

"If I see him I'll tell him."

The office.

Veronica in the black outfit pacing around the room back and forth.

"What the hell is happening?!"

She's on the phone

"Don't worry!? We have the most clients in Keithland!"

"You what? hehe, right…move all of the supplies in that place and lock them there…how many?"

"Heh, more than a hundred?"

"Tell-"

"What are you doing here Serena?"

"I came here to ask you about my father?"

"I'll call you back."

Veronica puts her phone down on the desk.

"..."

"What about him?"

"Where do you plan to take him?

"The hospital with the most professional doctors…because here are the bunch of brainless"

"You should realize sooner with Lady Catalina."

"..."

"Why did you bring her up?"

"Well, it's kind of...similar situation here."

Serena provokes her. Veronica walks toward the door where she's standing.

"Speaking of which, I need to see your father. And you should rest, honey."

Veronica walks toward Serena, forcing her to step back, and Veronica shuts the door.

Veronica walks to her husband's room with her trolley, which has a set of teapots on it. 

"Knock, knock."

"..."

"Honey, it's time for tea."

Veronica.

"Mmm."

"You've been sleeping all day?"

"I don't have the energy to do anything."

"Here, honey."

Veronica sits on the edge of his bed, pulls him up to sit properly. And gives him a cup of tea.

"Mmm"

 He sips the tea.

"Where is Achlys?"

He asks.

"There's something I need to tell you…honey."

Veronica gets up.

"What is it?"

"We…can't find him."

"What?"

"...He's so devastated because.."

"Because of what?"

"Zephyra…"

"...Why?"

"The marriage of course… after that day he's not himself and gone for days, doing something…"

She explains while pacing in front of him.

"..."

"He's probably trying to get her back."

Veronica.

"What! cough, cough!"

"Honey…"

She holds him.

"What the hell are you talking about, Veronica?"

"...Your son...loves Zephyra. He's in love with her, Charon."

"!!"

"Ha. what...That's impossible...ha..."

"Well, to be honest, I could feel that since they were young…but he knows now that…she doesn't have your blood."

"!!"

"I know you've been doubting that for so long…but you must admit that Catalina lied to you and used you for all these years."

"Ha…Ha…coug-cough. And where is he!?"

"We don't know, Charon."

Veronica sits at the same place holding Charon.

"If he takes her back, that means he is calling for a war with the Takaki. and He will have her as his woman who is Catalina's daughter…We can't have that...right? you can't have that.."

"Ha...That's…Ha...Urg!"

He tries to get up, but he's dizzy and falls and sits on the bed again.

"I need to talk to him."

Charon.

"Honey, let me handle this…I'm concerned about your health right now...The business is falling apart because of him…no, it's because of Zephyra..."

"..."

"But we can stall back up again honey... like when you…on the hunt for the first step of our success…Let's do the Dirtline…like you used to. It's the only way. And I don't think Achlys will change his mind…He will get her. You know your son, he's very determined…And he's going to make everything that you built fall down. If he's going to create a war with Takaki, why don't we join and let them pay for everything...They are one of the reasons, Catalina is one of the reasons, and now her daughter is."

"..."

"Dirtline is the only way to rule once again…I know that the North Mountain has a lot of beautiful targets…"

"!"

"Just like when you found them."

"...Ha...cough...cough...cough...ha..."

"What do you say?"

"Fine…Do your things."

Charon.