"But you? You want the money and the control. That's shameless." The faces of the projected officials twisted instantly, as if someone had stripped them bare in public and torn every layer of pretense away. The administrator in the crisp uniform snapped back, flustered and furious. "Y-You're slandering us! Everything we've done is for the Empire. We're preventing core technology from leaking out." "For the Empire?" Calum let out a short, derisive laugh and rose to his feet. His height and presence suddenly filled the room with pressure. "I've killed more Chitinid than you've ever seen," he said. "My soldiers bled for the peace you enjoy in the Empire. They didn't die so you could sit in comfort and play your little power games." He stepped forward, eyes flashing with lethal intent. "Save your pretty excuses. I'll make this simple—NexusPrime Tech is no longer your concern. From today on, you don't get a say in any of its affairs. If any of you stick your nose in again, then I'm afraid you'll have to explain yourselves to the Beast God." "Y-You… Calum… You wouldn't really kill us, would you? You know you'd be court-martialed for that, right?" The administrator went pale. The raw killing intent radiating from Calum made his voice crack, and even his projection flickered. They were the Empire's upper echelon—men accustomed to unquestioned authority. No one had ever threatened them so plainly. Calum laughed softly. He lifted his hand, long fingers curling slowly through the air, as if closing around an invisible thread of fate. "Kill you?" He tilted his head, studying the man like prey. "I've executed traitors and purged infiltrators. The law gives me emergency wartime authority." His tone chilled further. "And right now, your actions are destabilizing the front and undermining the soldiers fighting out there. In my eyes, that's no different from treason." He swept a glance across all of them. "You can try your luck. See whether I reach the military court first—or whether your heads roll before the day's over." A piercing hum sounded. One of the projections couldn't take the pressure. It flickered twice before shattering into scattered light. The remaining officials turned pale. They finally realized they weren't bargaining with a negotiator. They were trapped in front of a predator—one who would truly tear them apart if pushed. And Calum was a man who always followed through. He looked at their terrified faces and lost interest. He lifted a hand and casually dismissed every projection. In an instant, the room went back to normal, and the suffocating pressure vanished. They should've counted themselves lucky he was still willing to talk. Once his patience ran out, they wouldn't survive the night.After swatting away those nuisances, Calum let out a quiet breath. But the moment he turned around, he froze. At the doorway, Emma leaned casually against the frame, watching him. Wait… she's here? His heart skipped a beat. Seconds ago, he'd been pure menace—cold, lethal, untouchable. The kind of presence that made men forget how to breathe. Then his eyes met hers, and everything inside him caved. The murderous edge dispersed like smoke caught in the wind. He stiffened instinctively, broad shoulders tightening, spine straightening. His clenched fist loosened, fingers curling uncertainly, unsure where to rest. I know she's awake… but how did she get out here so fast? Did she… see everything? Did she see it all? Did I frighten her?She's already uneasy around me, and now she's watched me threaten to kill people. Perfect. She must think I'm some kind of monster. In an instant, a flood of guilt and worry crashed over Calum. The same man who had just commanded the Empire's top brass with unshakable authority now looked uncharacteristically tense. He looked at Emma and spoke carefully, trying to make his voice sound gentle. "E-Emma… when did you get out here? Are you hungry? D-Do you want something to eat?" But the effort backfired—his words sounded stiff, awkward where he had meant gentle. Edric, watching from the side, couldn't help but groan and rub his forehead. What's he so worked up about? Did he not see how excited she looked? Emma stared at Calum, frowning slightly at his tense expression. Why is he acting so tense? Does he think I was intimidated by his domineering presence earlier? With a smile, she stepped closer and wrapped her arms around him. "You were so cool just now, Calum!" she exclaimed. "Huh?" Calum froze, his body stiff as a board. His mind went blank, scrambling to process what she'd just said.