Edgar leaned back in the heavy rosewood chair of his study, his gaze calmly fixed on the concealed door before him. The fireplace crackled with a steady flame, its orange-red glow casting shifting shadows on the oil paintings adorning the walls. A faint scent of burning wood lingered in the air, yet the warmth of the fire failed to dispel the underlying chill in the room.
His voice was unhurried, carrying a detached indifference. "You saw and heard everything yourself. I have no reason to stop Livia from temporarily taking charge. And besides, Livia is my daughter, after all. I've warned you already—you are not to harm her."
Eryx let out a low chuckle, laced with both mockery and disdain. As he approached, his black-gloved fingers idly rubbed against his palm, his tone dark and slow. "No need to worry. I won't harm her. No matter how capable she is, Livia is not Marcellus. As long as Marcellus isn't the one leading the expansion project, it won't be too much of a problem for me."
Edgar raised an eyebrow slightly, his gaze lingering on Eryx's face. After a brief pause, he sighed softly, his voice carrying an undertone of meaning. "I advise you not to underestimate Livia." There was an unmistakable hint of pride in his tone—an unusual sentiment for him. "I used to think of her as just my darling daughter, but after today, I see now—she is worthy of Celesta's and my bloodline. She is no ordinary person. Furthermore, she has the support of the Marcellus family and Allen… If you're not careful, you may well end up losing to her."
A flicker of coldness flashed through Eryx's eyes, but instead of fading, the smile on his lips deepened, carrying a dangerous edge. He took a step back, his movements as smooth and measured as a serpent slithering into position. "I am in the shadows while they stand in the light," he murmured, his voice cool and composed. "I have no intention of openly waging war against them. As long as they remain unaware of my true role and position in this game, I will always hold the advantage." His gaze lingered on Edgar's face, narrowing slightly as he shifted his tone—probing, testing, with a hint of veiled threat. "Or perhaps… you're reconsidering your stance? Did seeing Livia's potential suddenly make you want to play the role of a good father?"
Edgar let out a short laugh, his expression calm and unreadable, his eyes dark and fathomless. "Of course not," he replied, his voice low, carrying a quiet yet undeniable pressure. "It's merely the satisfaction of a father witnessing his daughter's growth." He paused for a moment, a sharp glint flashing in his gaze, his words steady but carrying an undercurrent of warning. "My goals have never changed. Otherwise, I would have sought out Allen to stabilize everything from the beginning—not you."
Eryx's smile faded slightly, his eyes darkening.
Edgar gave him no time to respond before continuing, his tone subtly tinged with restrained anger. "But you—while I never explicitly forbade you from targeting Marcellus, you nearly made Livia a widow this time. Don't you think you've gone too far?" His voice carried the weight of an impending storm, his fury buried beneath a thick layer of composure, yet dangerously close to breaking through. "Your methods are becoming increasingly ruthless, Eryx."
For a moment, Eryx remained silent. Then, he gave a light shrug, his tone devoid of the slightest hint of remorse. "That was an oversight on my part." His fingers tapped against the wooden surface of the desk, as if in thought, before he continued slowly, "Based on my calculations, Marcellus should have suffered, at most, minor injuries—enough to require rest for a week or two, which would have given me ample time to take over the expansion project's details and arrangements." His voice paused slightly, his eyes narrowing in contemplation, tinged with a trace of irritation. "Yet somehow, the timing and range of the explosion exceeded my expectations… Regardless, it's about time Marcellus was given a proper warning. If he had cooperated with us fully from the beginning, things wouldn't have dragged on this long. The 'Grail' should have already been found by now."
Edgar listened in silence, as if weighing his thoughts carefully. Only after a long moment did he finally speak. "After all, his goals differ from ours."
He rose from his chair, stepping toward the fireplace, the flickering flames casting deep shadows across his sharp features, making his expression all the more inscrutable. "But no matter," he murmured, tilting his head slightly as a faint, enigmatic smile graced his lips. "I just hope you're prepared to face my daughter in this game."
The fire crackled softly, its glow shifting and wavering, sending restless shadows dancing across the study walls—like unseen currents beneath a seemingly calm surface, waiting for the moment to surge into an unstoppable storm.