After He Leaves
Vermouth — Alone with Her Thoughts
The moment Keith's presence disappeared beyond the mansion gates, Vermouth stopped pretending.
She stood motionless in the corridor, her usual playful smile gone.
"…You really grew up," she whispered.
Her fingers tightened slightly around her arm, nails pressing into fabric.
She remembered a boy who used to smile gently at her, who trusted her without question.
Now that boy had walked past the Black Organization, past Gin's killing intent, past Rum's calculations—
and treated them all like pieces already accounted for.
"He didn't even look back," she murmured, half amused, half aching.
Vermouth leaned against the wall, exhaling slowly.
"Still kind… still dangerous… still too gentle for this world."
A faint, sad smile curved her lips.
"Two months, huh?" she said softly.
"Alright, my angel… I'll be there."
For the first time in years, Vermouth felt something unfamiliar stir in her chest.
Hope.
Chapter: Preparations for the Runcandel Vision HQ Launch
France became restless.
The Runcandel family, known for moving the world's economy with a single decision, released official invitations—
not through the media, but directly to the world's most powerful families.
Private seals.
Encrypted channels.
Handwritten confirmations.
Among the confirmed attendees:
Suzuki Family — international finance and luxury empire Ōoka Family — old-money nobility with political influence Several unnamed European royal-backed conglomerates Medical, tech, and energy dynasties who rarely appeared together
The invitation carried only a single line:
"Witness the beginning of a new era — Runcandel Vision HQ."
Inside the Runcandel estate, preparations were precise and relentless.
Security systems layered with AI assistance.
Private air routes cleared.
Entire districts locked down discreetly.
Darius Runcandel personally oversaw international coordination.
Clara handled diplomacy and guest relations.
And at the center of it all—
Keith.
He reviewed everything calmly.
Not once did he ask for extravagance.
"This isn't a celebration," he said.
"It's a declaration."
The elders smiled.
They understood.
Chapter: The World Reacts — Early Leaks
Despite extreme secrecy, something leaked.
Aerial images.
Not complete—just fragments.
Enough.
The world saw:
A colossal single-HQ structure, unlike any corporate building before Modular design blending medical, entertainment, defense-grade tech, and AI infrastructure Energy systems that made experts question current physics limitations
Stock markets trembled.
Tech analysts panicked.
"This isn't a headquarters," one anonymous expert said.
"It's a self-sustaining city."
Rumors exploded.
"Runcandel is building something beyond corporations."
"This replaces entire industries."
"This will erase competitors overnight."
Governments demanded reports.
Tech giants went silent.
Smaller companies rushed to align themselves before it was too late.
And when one blurry internal schematic leaked—
showing departments labeled:
AI Development Medical Longevity Advanced Communication Entertainment & Virtual Worlds Automobile & Energy Systems
—the world understood.
This wasn't a company.
It was a foundation for the future.
And then the final shock:
A name surfaced.
CEO & Founder: Keith Argus Runcandel
Age: 16
Silence followed.
Then chaos.
"Impossible."
"A prodigy?"
"A puppet?"
"No—this is deliberate."
Inside Karasuma's mansion, Renya watched the news quietly.
He smiled.
"They still don't understand," he murmured.
"He's not entering the world."
"He's replacing it."