Though Eugene couldn’t tell, Ravenna was internally screaming—fangirling, even.

  She had read Light’s Conquest more times than she could count, poring over every twist and turn of the story. The protagonist, Eugene, had always fascinated her with his sharp mind and ruthless pragmatism. And now, here he was, sitting in front of her in the flesh, completely unaware that the person he was speaking to wasn’t just Princess Ravenna Solarius, but also Joy Cha Kim, a devoted fan of the novel.

  Of course, none of her excitement showed on her face. The imperial princess carried herself with effortless poise, her sharp demeanor a perfect mask for her inner turmoil.

  Eugene, on the other hand, had completely shifted from his usual courteous tone to something far more serious. His eyes held a guarded intensity as he finally asked, “What is it that you want, Your Highness?”

  Ravenna's lips curved into a faint smile, one that didn’t reach her eyes. She leaned forward ever so slightly, letting the silence stretch before answering.

  "I know you're on edge. And, understandably, anything I say will likely be perceived as a threat or a trap."

  Her voice was calm, almost lazy, as she reached for her tea. Taking a slow sip, she then without hesitation, lifted Eugene’s cup and took a sip from his as well. A subtle act, but one meant to disarm him.

  Eugene narrowed his eyes. The princess was a known schemer, but she wasn’t reckless. He had expected vague threats, veiled insults, or even a demand for allegiance. Instead, she was taking deliberate steps to lower his suspicions.

  "However," Ravenna continued, setting the cup back down, "I believe that if I am to defeat William’s faction and inherit the empire, I must keep it intact."

  Eugene raised an eyebrow, confusion flickering across his face. "What do you—"

  A sharp tap of Ravenna’s fingers against the table silenced him instantly. Her expression darkened, and a cold glare cut through the air between them.

  "Is William so friendly with you that you think it is your right to interrupt an imperial family member while they speak?"

  Eugene clenched his jaw, recognizing the provocation for what it was. He had no desire to test this notoriously volatile princess over something so trivial.

  "I apologize, Your Highness. Please continue."

  Ravenna’s smirk returned, satisfied with his submission.

  "As I said, I have been keeping a very close eye on things. I know that William has control over the dungeon in the Morgen Dukedom of the Estra Kingdom."

  Eugene remained silent, his expression unreadable. This information wasn’t particularly alarming—Duke Morgen had already met with Ravenna upon arriving in the capital, so it wasn’t surprising that she had learned about the dungeon.

  But what she said next sent a ripple of unease through him.

  "Unlike him or the others, I know exactly what’s inside that dungeon."

  Ravenna leaned forward, her smirk widening as she spoke the words that would change the course of their conversation.

  "An Abomination."

  Eugene’s breath hitched for the briefest second. His mind instantly raced to one conclusion: the mages in William’s faction were compromised.

  Had someone talked? Had their security been breached?

  Then, regaining his composure, he let out a dry chuckle, feigning nonchalance. "So? You think we intend to use our experiments to annex parts of the empire?"

  “It must be a misunderstanding,” Eugene thought. If Ravenna was merely jumping to conclusions, she might believe they were planning some grand conquest. But in reality, the experiments had nothing to do with warfare.

  Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  Their true purpose was something far more crucial—stopping the Absolute Being from reviving.

  That was information only he knew, and he intended to keep it that way but how can he know that Ravenna was the reader of this world's story.

  "No," she said with a knowing smirk. "What I’m saying is that your precious dungeon won’t be yours for much longer. Nor will the Morgen Dukedom."

  Her gaze sharpened as she let the words sink in. "It will be occupied in the coming days."

  Eugene’s eyes darkened. His mind snapped into high alert.

  "Is this a threat, Your Highness?"

  The abomination experiments were critical. The lab hidden within the dungeon held the key to making genetically distant flowers crossbreed without dungeon spawns—an essential breakthrough for countering the magic of the Witch of the West. If Ravenna was implying she intended to seize control, that was unacceptable.

  But Ravenna simply shook her head, her tone almost amused.

  "I’m not threatening you, Ser Eugene. I’m merely telling you something your information network failed to pick up."

  She leaned back, casually swirling her tea before delivering the final blow.

  "In a few days, the Conley Empire will be advancing into the Estra Kingdom’s territory—starting with the Morgen Dukedom."

  Eugene stiffened.

  This… wasn’t possible. His network was flawless. There had been no whispers of an invasion. No troop movements. No diplomatic tension that would justify such an act.

  But if it was true…

  If the Conley Empire did invade and seize control of the dungeon, the experiments would be exposed. And once the imperial court caught wind of the research, every faction would scramble to claim it.

  His fists clenched. He could not afford to let that happen.

  Ravenna, watching his reaction with barely contained amusement, couldn’t help but smirk internally.

  Of course, she had no proof that the Conley Empire would attack.

  This was merely something she knows from Light’s Conquest.

  In the original novel, the Conley Empire’s invasion had been a planned event, orchestrated along with the Hercule Crime Syndicate. While the empire’s focus was drawn toward the chaos unfolding in the capital—caused by a magical beast attack during Princess Serena’s wedding—the Conley Empire launched its offensive.

  And due to the empire’s bureaucratic inefficiency, reinforcements were delayed.

  The Council of Vassal States kept sending requests for aid. But without the imperial court’s approval since they were preoccupied with finding the mastermind behind the magical beasts attack, no official military action could be taken.

  By the time the empire finally responded, it was too late. Duke Kevin Morgen had been killed.

  The Morgen Dukedom had fallen.

  And when William and Eugene finally joined forces with Aria Morgen, the Duke’s daughter, they were forced into a desperate counteroffensive against an enemy that had already solidified its hold and win gaining them more influence.

  Ravenna had no idea if history would repeat itself exactly as it had in the novel. Since Duke Morgen was no longer in his territory during this time, and many things have also changed.

  But if it did… Then Eugene had a choice to make.

  And she was enjoying every second of watching him contemplate his next move.

  “Why should I believe you?” Eugene finally asked, his piercing gaze scrutinizing her every move. He wasn’t a fool—far from it. He understood that Ravenna was deliberately trying to send him to the Morgen Dukedom. If what she said about the Conley Empire’s attack was true, then stopping it would be his natural course of action. But that would mean leaving the capital.

  And he knew better than to think that was a coincidence. This had to be a trap.

  Ravenna merely smiled, her expression composed as ever. “I knew you wouldn’t believe me so easily.”

  Of course, Eugene was correct in his assumption—she did want him out of the capital. If he remained here when the magical beast attack occurred, then all her carefully laid plans would crumble. She had spent too much effort planning to ensure that the beasts would be funneled through a single entrance at the venue. A grand display where she, alongside Duke Morgen, would face the creatures in battle, demonstrating her power and strategic brilliance before the imperial court.

  That moment was meant to be her triumph, her way back into the succession race.

  But if Eugene were present? He would steal the spotlight.

  No matter what she did, his overwhelming strength would overshadow her completely, making her efforts meaningless.

  That was something she could not allow. So she had devised a way to remove him from the equation.

  By forcing him to use his overpowered abilities to deal with the Conley Empire’s invasion, she could secure her own victory in the capital while he played the hero elsewhere. The thought alone made her want to laugh, but she suppressed it.

  Instead, she reached for a book beside her, flipping through its pages before carefully pulling something from between them.

  A single strand of brown hair. She held it up for Eugene to see before placing it onto the table between them.

  Eugene frowned, confused, but picked it up nonetheless. The moment his fingers brushed against it, his entire body tensed.

  A surge of energy coursed through him—an unmistakable presence. It was faint, but even in its dormant state, he could feel it.

  The power of all twelve gods. The realization hit him instantly.

  His fingers curled tightly around the hair, his expression darkening as he looked up at Ravenna, who was watching him with a knowing smirk.

  “You want to meet the Saintess, don’t you?” she said smoothly, her voice laced with confidence.