"I'm not entirely sure about him either."
Livia lowered her gaze slightly, her fingertips unconsciously rubbing the fabric of her skirt. Yet her voice remained unexpectedly firm. "He has his own motives, but he never talks about them… Still, I believe he wouldn't hurt me."
At that moment, a faint glimmer of defiance and trust shimmered in her eyes, unfiltered and honest—an expression of her understanding of Marcellus: complicated, yet unwaveringly loyal.
Emma looked at her, silent for half a second, then suddenly smiled, her tone lightening a little.
"Indeed, I can tell—he loves you. Of course he wouldn't hurt you."
That unexpected tease stirred a ripple across the still surface of their conversation. Caught off guard, Livia blinked in surprise, her cheeks quickly tinged with pink. She bit her lower lip lightly and turned her face away, a bit embarrassed.
"You're teasing me again…"
Emma chuckled, shaking her head as she continued flipping through the notebook and diagrams in her hand, her voice returning to calm.
"Still, all jokes aside, he's bedridden and injured now, and he can't be of much practical help. You haven't really been involved in family affairs before, so now… the only hope is for you and Elias to join forces and carry the Marcellus family's influence together."
Livia gave a small nod, her gaze growing firmer.
"Mm. It's fine. Elias will help me—he's always been on my side."
"Of course."
Emma looked up again, a sly glint in her eye, her tone meaningful.
"He loves you too."
The bluntness of that comment, almost playful, caught Livia off guard once more. Her eyes widened as she looked at Emma, the flush on her cheeks deepening to the tips of her ears.
"What's gotten into you today? Why do you keep saying these things?"
Emma arched an eyebrow, her voice still laced with amusement, but her words carried a hint of genuine emotion.
"Looks like you really are Celesta's daughter. Not only did you inherit her wisdom and courage, even her charm is impossible to hide."
Livia let out a helpless sigh, her face caught between bashful and amused. She wasn't used to being flattered or teased like this, but somehow, Emma's playful affirmation lit a quiet warmth and confidence in her chest.
Even though the path ahead was still shrouded in fog, she knew the people around her—little by little—were becoming a power she could rely on.
Emma, seeing the remaining blush on Livia's cheeks, was tempted to tease her a bit more, but in the end, she held back. Her expression grew serious.
"Back to business," she said as she tore a rough sketch from the stack of notes beside her. The page was filled with dense markings—military positions, code names, and arrows of all kinds.
"This is all the power we currently have at our disposal."
She pointed to the paper.
"First, the opposing side—Eryx. He's our biggest threat at the moment. Not only is he exceptionally strategic, he also controls the main forces of the Second Legion. Compared to that, the Seventh Legion, which I used to lead, is severely outmatched in both combat power and resources."
Though Emma's voice remained steady, she paused slightly at the words "severely outmatched," a shadow passing through her eyes. She was clearly aware of how stark the difference was.
"The Seventh Legion is now under General Allen's watch. I've planted a few of my loyal subordinates there, but overall… if it comes down to a direct confrontation, we don't stand much chance."
She finished speaking and looked up at Livia. There was no fear in her gaze—only a clear-headed sharpness, the kind that came from calmly assessing a dangerous situation.
"As for your father, Edgar…"
Emma paused, her expression growing complicated, as if the words were difficult to say. In the end, she simply shook her head and murmured,
"I can't read him."
Livia lowered her head as well, a faint crease forming between her brows. Though her expression was mild, there was a quiet tension behind it.
"I don't know either. I've always known… Father's plans are far-reaching—perhaps even more unfathomable than Marcellus's. It's like he's playing a game far larger than all of us, seeing things from a much higher vantage point."
She exhaled softly and continued.
"I don't think he really cares about me. He's always been distant… But I also can't be sure whether he's cooperating with Eryx—or to what extent."
Emma tapped the table lightly, thinking for a moment.
"Then let's temporarily list Edgar as a 'third-party force.' Currently leaning toward Eryx, but we can't rule out the possibility that he has a different agenda."
She glanced at the sketch again. Suddenly, her brows furrowed, as if something had just clicked.
"Wait… Something doesn't add up. If Eryx's forces were the only ones hunting the Holy Grail, and Edgar was just assisting him, the logic doesn't quite hold—"
Livia raised her head, catching the shift in her expression.
"You mean—?"
Emma slowly nodded. Her eyes sharpened, growing darker and more intense.
"I suspect there's another force. A deeper, more hidden one working from the shadows. They don't command armies like Eryx, nor do they openly manipulate the board like Edgar… But behind every key intelligence leak, every clash between powers, their shadow seems to linger."
Livia's heart skipped a beat. Her eyes widened.
"Who do you think it is? What do they want?"