An ability that flexible is bound to be incredibly valuable someday. So Noah expresses his appreciation and tells the owner he will pay whatever price he asks, as long as he continues searching for rare artifacts like this one. The man eagerly agrees.
Not long after, Byron arrives unexpectedly, catching Noah off guard, since he never requested any deliveries and certainly did not expect this haul. Byron explains that it is simply his way of showing gratitude, because thanks to Noah, Ada secured a servant position within the palace and has already been promoted to attendant status, meaning she now shares the emperor's bed, which is considered an immense honor.
Noah immediately notices that Byron went all out with the gifts, estimating their value at roughly thirty thousand ren. Byron is stunned that Noah calculated the worth so precisely.
Inside the palace, consorts are ranked in four tiers: attendants, concubines, standard wives, and above them all stands the emperor's lawful spouse, the empress. Since there can only be one empress, Noah warns Byron that Ada's highest realistic position would be that of a regular wife. Even though Byron already understands this limitation, his only wish is for Ada to secure as much of the emperor's favor as possible.
But Noah makes it clear that affection alone will not ensure her safety or position. The other consorts will not quietly watch someone climb above them, and they would certainly resort to underhanded schemes to pull Ada down. The palace is ruthless, so Noah advises Byron to give Ada as much financial support as needed, making sure she can defend herself in that battlefield of ambition. Byron nods in agreement and leaves to take care of the matter.
As soon as he leaves, Noah calls Zoe over, because he has something important for her to handle. He asks her to personally deliver a letter to his mother, one of the emperor's official consorts. Zoe looks puzzled, since carrying messages like that is usually Dylan's duty. Noah is well aware of that, but no man is permitted to enter the inner chambers where the palace women live, and that restriction applies to him as well. Because of this rule, he only gets to see his mother once each year.
The letter explains that he has taken on the role of Ada's guardian, and would like his mother to keep an eye on the girl and make sure she remains safe. Zoe cannot help asking whether he truly intends to involve his own mother for political advantage. Noah calmly replies that this is simply how things work inside the palace. Besides, it is not as though he shares a close bond with her anyway, considering he has only seen her a few times throughout his life.
He then changes the subject and casually asks Zoe how her mother has been lately. Zoe replies that her mother is doing well and feels incredibly grateful that Noah gave her a position here in the capital. However, something has been troubling her. She hesitates, because she is unsure whether it is serious enough to mention, but Noah insists he wants to hear it.
Zoe then explains that part of her mother's duties involves locking the gate every night. Recently, while performing that task, she noticed someone wandering around the grounds. She did not see the person's face clearly, so she has no idea who it was, but the whole situation felt suspicious.
Noah immediately suspects what might be happening. He thanks Zoe for telling him and instructs her to tell her mother to keep the matter to herself for now.
That same night, as Zoe's mother goes to secure the gate as usual, Dawn suddenly appears behind her and strikes her neck with a poison needle, killing her instantly before slipping away into the darkness.
However, at a distance, Noah, Zoe and her mother are quietly observing everything. Noah had already predicted this move, because he knew the only person wandering around at such an hour would be Dawn. And if Dawn believed Zoe's mother had spotted him, he would certainly return to silence her and protect his identity as a spy. But thanks to Noah's careful planning, the person Dawn just killed was not Zoe's real mother at all, but Huawa, perfectly disguised in her form. Huawa's power allows her to produce a completely lifelike corpse.
Noah then has Zoe carry the body back to her hometown so it can be properly buried. Naturally, this is only a temporary cover, to ensure Dawn does not realize that Zoe's mother is actually still alive. If he discovered the truth, he would definitely attempt to kill her again. Noah also frames it as a reason to give Zoe a few days away, so she can stay with her mother. The two of them are deeply grateful for how considerate he is.
Some time later, Dawn is shown heavily wounded and wrapped in bandages inside a small forest cabin, with Noah sitting beside his bed. When Dawn finally regains consciousness, Noah calmly tells him to rest, since he nearly lost his life.
Apparently, after Dawn informed his handler that he had eliminated the witness who saw him wandering around, he was labeled a liability for acting recklessly as a spy, and was immediately stabbed. Noah explains that he witnessed everything, because he had ordered Huawa to follow Dawn's every move. If he had not intervened at the right moment, Dawn would certainly be dead.
Dawn is stunned that Noah discovered his identity as a spy so easily, and finally understands why people call him the wise prince. Truthfully, Dawn admits he would have preferred to serve under Noah from the beginning. But since he had already sworn loyalty to Gilbert, he had no choice but to obey.
Noah tells Dawn to stop speaking as if redemption is impossible. As long as he sincerely pledges his allegiance, Noah is completely willing to accept him as a true subordinate. Dawn is shocked and asks if Noah truly intends to accept someone like him, after all the harm he caused. Noah reassures him that he will not discard him the way Gilbert did. However, he warns that if Dawn ever betrays him, the consequences will be far worse than death.
Dawn nods and immediately swears loyalty to Noah. This time, Noah notices his loyalty stat rise slightly, proving that Dawn's sincerity is genuine. However, since Gilbert believes Dawn is already dead, he will need to disappear for a while under a different identity to avoid suspicion. Noah instructs him to relocate to a secluded area within Almaria for the time being.
Dawn is deeply moved by how much Noah is risking for him, and insists on repaying the favor. Although he doubts it will equal Noah's generosity, he reveals that he possesses critical information about a gift Gilbert had been presenting to the emperor. The moment Noah hears the details, his expression turns serious, and without hesitation he demands an immediate meeting with the emperor.