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A heavy silence fell over the room. No one could move, or think. Even breathing seemed to be taken away from them.

The Queen, a hand on Mercy's left shoulder, looked at the Rift with annoyance, then cast her orange eyes on the group of Guild emissaries, who were unconscious.

"These imitation warriors are the most ridiculous things in this Kingdom. Them, S-rank? If I had more time, I would put all these soul stones into circus animals. Speaking of circus..."

She looked at Candace with disdain.

"I see you took your job seriously, at least these can withstand so little pressure."

She caressed Mercy's neck, sending a shiver down her spine.

All the Holy Knights were already on their knees, Peters glancing desperately at Mercy several times.

Agiel, also on one knee, addresses the queen.

"Your Majesty, we never expected to greet you here today."

"Expecting? Do you think there is anywhere in this Realm I can't go? My limits begin and end when I choose, engrave that somewhere in your mind."

"I will never underestimate you, my Queen, forgive my clumsiness."

The queen sighed and looked at Midgard.

From the snake woman's perspective, it was as if she was in the hands of a gigantic monster.

She knew that the Queen was hostile toward her, she also knew that if she decided to kill her, she would kill her, no fight, no resistance needed.

"Good, now you look more presentable than the mop you were before. Fear of death sure changes a person."

Midgard looked at her out of the corner of her eye, unfazed, and looked away frowning.

Gloria turned then toward Dora.

The boy remained motionless from the moment she appeared.

She walked slowly toward him and raised her hand to put it on his head, as she came closer, Midgard's anguish grew bigger.

The Queen's hand was now a few centimeters above Dora and stayed there, frozen, or rather as if it was about to vaporize him.

"I wasn't mistaken, you seem less human than last time. I suppose the failure did a great job."

She retrieved her hand and walked away, leaving Dora almost melting in anguish.

All this time, she never took a look at her own children, seemingly the last of her concerns.

The two trembled in great fear, head lowered.

"My Queen, if I may ask, why are you here? I might be wrong but isn't it the first time you get out of the castle?"Agiel asked.

She stopped and waved a fan, staring at the Rift.

"I've forgotten how annoying it was to feel pressured, so I've decided that I don't want to see this thing anymore, get rid of it today."

A slight silence fell, followed by a general exclamation of astonishment.

"What?" Everyone wasted at the same time.

"My Queen, I might be mistaken again but, you're not asking us to lead our raid right away, are you?"

Peter also came forward and got down on one knee next to Agiel.

"Your majesty, it's... it would be almost impossible for us, we severely lack preparation."

The Queen glanced at them with disdain and agitated her fan.

"This isn't a request, I'm ordering you all to get rid of it now. Consider this the moment you pay back every favor you benefited from the position I gave you all."

The Holy Knights looked at each other, while Candace, was clutching her arm.

"Always so inconsiderate..." the dean whispered.

"And speaking of lacking preparation, I'm not counting on any of you for this task, those who can barely stand have no purpose there. I've already given you the best weapon you need." She ambled towards Dora.

"I hate wasting time so let's get to the point, are you ready?"

She stopped right in front of him.

The pressure in the room started to increase again.

Everyone looked at the young boy with great fear.

The Queen spoke, and an answer had to be given, but they all knew that only one answer was possible.

Dora took a deep breath, trying to speak, but no words could get out of his mouth.

Candace walked hesitantly next to him.

"It should be enough, we've been training nonstop stop everyday, and as you predicted he is beyond any people I've brought in my Rifts. These people there are his followers, so I took them too to his training. Their potential has greatly increased, probably due to synchronization with Greed's soul, thus they can stay awake even under your pressure."

"Is that so?... Ah, I should feel satisfied for my offspring, but concerning the part of staying awake, it's only an outcome if I allow it, do you understand?"

Candace groaned and looked away.

The Queen glanced indifferently at each noble, beads of sweat appeared on Mercy's forehead, Freya's lips were tight and she stayed focused on the ground. Finally, Zuri, shaking, looked away.

"Good, seems like we won't need to wait until your parent dig their graves to teach you what skeletons lie in the closets.... I don't recall another boy though... Eryl, isn't the blonde one supposed to be dead?" she stared straight at Cid confused.

The maid, with a little grimace, bowed.

"It was another blond man, my Queen, this one is a worthy Knight."

"Worthy? A knight? What a joke. Anyway, it doesn't matter right now, as long as Anesidora is ready all of you mean nothing."

She turned her back and walked toward Dora, but right after her declaration, Cid, furious, took one step forward, making the Holy Knights panic.

(...This idiot!)

(What the...)

But just before he could open his mouth, Elizabeth sent him to sleep with a single tap on the neck.

"You should have let him go, if I had turned him into a corpse it would mean that he's worthless." The Queen said.

She reached Dora, looking at him head to toe.

"Alright, enough waiting, stop hiding your power, I want to confirm your level."

Dora flinched momentarily and clenched his fists.

He was about to try letting his power flow but Candace quickly patted his shoulder.

"He won't be as strong as you wish, Queen."

"... What?"

"I mean, not enough to take out the Twilight of Gods by himself. Dora is very strong, a true genius, but in order to keep his Sin under control we could only train him while restricting his power. He is incredible... but not enough yet."

A silence plane in the room, all paralyzed eyes falling on the dean.

The Queen observed her all this time with strange eyes.

Her gaze wasn't filled with anger, but rather curiosity. The curiosity of knowing why Candace would lie at that moment.

She glanced at Midgard who was sweating profusely, eyes shaking, and as if understanding that she was on her radar, she looked back at her.

"... Are you kidding me?"

The whole building started to shake, sending everyone on the ground.

The ambient atmosphere became orange, and the air was hard to breathe.

The Holy Knights struggled to remain on their knees, while the nobles were losing the ability to think little by little.

The Queen, like a grim reaper, was standing in front of Candace, lying on the ground.

"I'm not sure to have understood, you were supposed to answer yes, so why the long speech?"

Candace was moaning on the floor. She tried to push the ground to stand, but the Queen's pressure forced her to the ground again.

"Who permitted you to restrict his power? Didn't you hear me say that I wanted him as strong as possible? I asked you a simple question, and I'm waiting for an answer. It's easy, just one word: is greed ready to go, Yes?"

"... Aah... He... Aagh..."

"See? You can pronounce three words, I'm only asking you one, so go ahead: Is Greed ready, Yes?"

She put her foot on Candace's head, but suddenly, a powerful shockwave shook the room.

"Don't touch her!"

The Holy Knights flinched, Midgard, Eryl, And Elizabeth trembled as they all realized that Candace was no longer under the Queen's foot but a little farther away, next to Dora, eyes shining.

"... My, what a bad gentleman. She is underestimating you so I am just convincing her to open her eyes."

Dora gritted his teeth furiously. The Queen increased her pressure, making him increase his instinctively.

He took a look at the dean who tried to catch her breath, then looked back at the Queen.

"Sir Anesidora," Eryl called him, understanding too well his psyche.

"Dora... no..." Elizabeth managed to stand up.

The Queen gave herself wind with her fan, lowering her pressure.

"Don't stop him, any powerful retaliation is welcomed, if they can convince me that you're ready for the task."

"... Unfor