Dia visited Tellulah and Tiempel's home the day after.

The house was by no means harmonious. Tellulah and Tiempel tried to mix steamink and cottagecore, but gave-up halfway through. At least it added "character" to the house.

They had brunch inside, Dia telling them what she learned.

"Umbrum is considering a divorce. His relationship with Urainia seems overall very strained."

Tellulah nodded. "Good! She can do better than Umbrum."

"Can she? Philiana isn't half as good of a matchmaker as she thinks she is. She tried to set up Urainia with Verdant-when she knew he was gay!"

Tiempel chuckled. "If she messed up with Urainia, she'll be hopeless with Umbrum! I bet my favorite grandfather clock that she thinks that Manx and Umbrum would be a good match."

Dia almost spit out her tea. "Manx? His second-in-command? The guy who was answering the door at the ball dressed as an owl. That Manx?"

"Yes, is there any other? Philiana should just stick to being a military advisor."

Tellulah tilted her head. "Hold on, I thought Umbrum only liked women."

Tiempel adjusted the time on his pocket watch. "I've heard whispers that's not entirely true. But there's no way I'm asking him to confirm it."

"Well, I'm sure Umbrum knows all about it already." As Dia reached for another pastry, Tellulah asked "How will this affect Noctave, you think?"

"Um...Well, she does seem to be making an effort to bond with him. I don't think this'll be a welcome surprise."

Tiempel shook his head.

"Never mind Noctave, imagine the effect it'll have on Umbrum! You know what happened the last time he left his family!"

The thought sent chills up Dia's spine.

Around this time, Noctave was walking through the halls of Eventide Castle when she overheard an argument between Urainia and Umbrum in a nearby hall.

"Nothing I do ever seems to work. I tried being nicer, I tried ignoring them, I tried apologizing. At every turn, they feared me, insulted me and my family, and tried to "avenge" this or that by making my life miserable."

"It's not hopeless."

"It is."

"You can't control how others act, but maybe you can tell them how it affects you."

"That's pointless. They never listen when I say something they can't take offense at."

Hopeless? What's he thinking of doing? Hopelessness can make one do rather awful things.

"Umbrum, you know that-"

"DON'T "UMBRUM" ME! I know I burned bridges the first couple of years we were here. I know that everyone initially looked at us in suspicion. I know that I'll never be as popular as Cumulus despite him arguably causing more deaths than me. I know all of that! I also know when to retreat-"

"No, you know when to abandon us.And this would make it the second time."

"Don't worry, I have no plans to return."

Urainia and Noctave froze thinking the same thing: Did he really say that?

Umbrum didn't see the problem.

"What? If you ever need to see me, just ask Noctave. She knows."

Noctave stepped into the hallway to meet with her parents. "You can't leave! I'm just getting to know you! I don't want things to go back to the way they were."

Umbrum's expression softened, reaching out to touch her.

"Noctave..."

"You can't leave, Dad, you just can't."

Umbrum stepped back in shock. "Did...did you just call me 'dad'? You realize that's the first time you did, right?"

Noctave's response was a weak "Yeah," Her eyes seemed to glisten with tears.

Urainia put a hand on Noctave's shoulder. "Are you alright?"

Noctave shook her head.

"You can leave if you want."

Noctave hurried out of the room.

Once Noctave was gone, Urainia pointed at the direction she went. "There. That's your reason."

"Well, thanks, Urainia. That's the best one you offered."

Despite her face being behind a sparkling veil, Umbrum still felt the full force of her glare.

"...I'm just gonna go and talk with my high priests on how we can get more followers..."