It had been a few hours since the last of the daily serum had been distributed to the people of the Katshin Empire. As the crimson moon cast its light upon the sharp rooftops and wettened cobblestone roads, Emperor Katsuki found himself pacing back and forth in his quarters. He had already done his tasks for the night—giving Izuku his serum and ensuring nobody had broken into the palace.

  Now, he found himself restless, pacing back and forth in nothing but a robe with the sash untied. He was thinking about what had occurred earlier with the worm, how it had mutated and tried to attack the man and his dog. While the apples were multiplied, the worm wasn't—it was only transformed into an unimaginable horror.

  He suddenly turned his head, looking to that strange book that had gravitated in his direction earlier that day. Of course, he hadn't read the contents yet, as the countless operations and duties of being a ruler subjugated his schedule in an inundated, restless lifestyle. Emperor Katsuki treaded over to the bed, picking up the book and reading its cover.

  The Essence of Courage — A Rulers Manuel for Courage and Stryfe

  The book was covered in a faint sheen of dust that managed to cling to it even after Katsuki had held it by his side most of the day. The words on the cover were blood-red, the type of color that lunged out at the reader rather than faded into obscurity.

  Katsuki's heart sped up a little as he opened, but his attention shifted to something else the moment he did so. Something had slipped from the book, falling to the carpeted floor of his quarters—a hand-written note. When he bent down to pick it up, a sound suddenly startled him.

  Knock, knock, knock.

  Three gentle knocks sounded behind the door, followed by a familiar voice.

  "Your majesty, the research team would like a word with you."

  Emperor Katsuki huffed and ran a hand through his stubble. First, he tied the sash of his robe to obscure his lower regions. Next, he shuffled over to the door and slipped on a pair of woven loafers. Finally, he opened the door to find Demetruis standing in the center of the hallway, a look of curiosity on his face. The vulpurs' tail slowly swished back and forth.

  "They already finished research with that worm?" Emperor Katsuki pressed on, walking down the hallway beside the vulpur.

  Demetruis nodded his head. "One team dissected it and analyzed its insides, the other collected samples of its bodily fluids."

  "And what'd they find?"

  They both stopped before a wooden door at the end of the hallway. Demetruis stepped back from the door, offering the emperor a polite smile.

  "Ask them yourself."

  Emperor Katsuki dismissed the vulpur servant, turning back to the door and opening it. Inside, he saw countless work benches, vials of unknown liquids, and a research team clad in protective gear working on the dissected worm. The emperor adjusted the sash of his robe as he entered, trying to seem as professional as possible whilst maintaining a casual appearance.

  One of the members of the research team, a woman with pink hair, eccentric eyes, and dawning a pair of wide goggles, looked to Emperor Katsuki, then to the worm on the dissection table. The worm—bloodied and black—was pinned down by thick wooden nails, with numerous incisions lining its slimy, almost silk-like surface.

  "We removed its insides and have begun testing them. Now, how did this lil' rascal end up in your palace?"

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  "It's complicated," Emperor Katsuki said as he leaned in, eyes narrowing as he gaped a better view of the organism.

  "I was handing out the food enhancing serum when a man with his pet canine walked in. When I utilized the serum to yield better fruit, this worm—which was inside the apple—expanded in size and acted violently towards me and the people. Luckily, before it could do any damage, I had disposed of the creature."

  The pink-haired girl cackled. "Sounds like a fun time."

  She looked to the corner of the lab, where another figure was analyzing the worm's remnants under a microscope-like device.

  "Now, we're analyzing this baby's internal organs for any problems."

  The both of them approached the analyzation table, curiously peeking at the contents before them.

  Countless jars lined the table, all carrying labels like 'Intestine, 'Mouth', whilst others were largely complicated scientific labels that the emperor couldn't bother deciphering. The figure at the microscope was a woman with neatly combed hair, a broad forehead, and amber eyes.

  "I'm looking at the enzymes of the organism, and they look like they're consuming each other." She stepped back from the microscope, letting the other woman gaze at the presumed anomaly.

  "Damn, they are."

  "What does that mean?" Emperor Katsuki—lacking scientific knowledge—asked with curiosity.

  "It's a normal process, but this is different. The enzymes aren't just eating each other, they're cannibalizing the rest of the internal systems."

  "So... this 'thing' is self-destructing, slowly eating itself into nonexistence?"

  Hearing the emperor's question, both women looked at him and nodded.

  "Your majesty?" A voice suddenly sounded behind him, startling Emperor Katsuki.

  He saw Hazel standing in the doorway, her freckle-peppered face laced with an intangible expression.

  "I'd like a word with you."

  ...

  Creak.

  The large stone doors opened outwards, revealing the massive underground library. The bookshelves, mottled with dust and debris, stacked up high into the darkness. The library for the most part was insufficiently lit, except for a few torches Hazel had tended to before she left to consult the emperor.

  "I assume it's your first time down here?" Hazel turned back to look at Katsuki.

  "I've never seen so many books... why didn't my mother tell me about this place?"

  Hazel sighed. "Maybe she did, but your muscle brains were too busy suffocating within their armor."

  Instead of lashing out, Emperor Katsuki rubbed his glabella, huffing as his brows furrowed. "Tell me why we're down here."

  "It's about Kael," Hazel continued, sitting down at the dusty table stacked high with books. She looked up at Katsuki, her brows clenching.

  "What could possibly be happening with him? I heard he's doing charity work for impoverished territory."

  Hazel picked up a large, thick book, flipping through it as she kept speaking.

  "Before Crylla left to help Kael with his goals, I asked her about the Cavendish bloodline. I thought she'd know something of interest, but her knowledge ran on dead tracks."

  "What's this have to do with anything important?" Emperor Katsuki folded his arms. "Are you attempting to sabotage, jealous of my head-advisors' grandeur within this palace?"

  "I mean... perhaps I am. When he strolled into my life, kneeling down and kissing my wrist like the gentlemen I thought he was, I was deeply flattered. But now, even amidst our lovemaking and whatnot, he's secretive... the kind of secretive where you know he's hiding something."

  "Everyone hides the secrets they don't want others to find out about. What within this godforsaken library could possibly hold anything against Kael?"

  Hazel drew a deep breath, pushing the book back. "A few nights ago, Felonuous informed me of an informational channel that supposedly knew that my fathers condition would only worsen, giving an approximate date of..."

  She didn't finish the sentence, guessing Emperor Katsuki could piece everything together.

  Katsuki's fists clenched so hard he swore he'd snap his fingers off. "Why not tell me sooner? Give me names, and I'll take their heads!"

  "If I had more names, I would most-definitely tell you them, but all leads on identities stem to Kael. Felonious said he's allied with them to an extent."

  "So Kael's a part of an underground network that knows of Izuku's illness, and they have a date when he'll die? And Felonious knows of it too?"

  Emperor Katsuki stormed over to Hazel, sitting down at the table across from her and slamming a fist. "Those vulpur bastards are stationed in Seraphis Kingdom at the moment to deal with the issues they're facing. I want you to head over there, snatch Felonious, and drag him back here so I can personally question him."

  "Why not talk to Kael?" Hazel arched an eyebrow. "After all, he's your closest advisor."

  "That would be rash. He's known me and my mother for over five centuries—if I were to question him so suddenly on matters he's personally involved in, he'd have no choice but to question his emperor for prying into his private business. That's how you shatter trust, Hazel."

  Just then, an idea seemed to flicker through Emperor Katsuki's mind, making his eyes widen slightly.

  "How about you ask him? He's closest to you, and he'll surely tell you anything."

  "Why would he reveal matters related to my father? He knows how powerful I am and how powerful my father is even while ill. If he assumed it was my first time knowing of such information, who knows how'd he react—what if he assumed I'd kill him right then and there, or come running straight to you?"

  "Good point..." Emperor Katsuki huffed.

  Now, only one thought ran through Hazel and Katsuki's minds—Kael was a smart man, a dangerous man, who could flip the scale of an entire landscape in a matter of a few words.

  "It's late, so I'll depart in the morning when the sun is fresh," Hazel yawned as she stood up from her chair.

  "You forgot to mention those books." Emperor Katsuki pointed to the open book on the table.

  "Well, I hope your mother educated you on your reading. You have given me an assignment, so I leave literary matters in your hand."

  As Hazel departed from the underground library, Emperor Katsuki sat down at the table, grumbling softly. He suddenly remembered something, diving into the pocket of his robe, taking out the 'manual' he had found in his quarters.