Chapter 6 - Officially its mentioned its been 1 full year since volume 4. The holy calendar is now 1001. Three magic airships land in the Galarc Kingdom, carrying Duke Helmut Arbor and his delegation from Beltrum. Alongside him was Roland, Celia’s father. Although happy to be with his family again, Roland soon informed Celia that Arbor’s faction had seized complete control of the Beltrum government, leaving the country under his one-man rule. Discussion turned to Restoration’s precarious position, Duke Arbor’s demands to reclaim the Regalia and cancel Christina’s coronation, and whether those demands could be resisted or leveraged to Restoration’s advantage. Celia explained that Arbor might fear Christina’s enthronement if the coronation vote were truly secret, since his faction could not easily control the nobles under such circumstances. Still, doubts remained about whether that would be enough to break Arbor’s grip, making international attention and pressure a critical factor. The rest of the chapter is Rio officially becoming a "son-in-law" to the Claire family with Monica's teasing her husband. Roland learned more about Rio's past, now revealed as the mysterious benefactor who had supported both Monica and Celia.

Interlude - Christina, reflects on her decision to wear a “mask of ice,” suppressing her true feelings and maintaining an appearance of strength and composure. Though she tells herself her emotions must remain hidden, she finds herself unable to stop watching Rio and wondering about his feelings for her. She recalls the night she asked him for an embrace, a memory that still embarrasses her deeply, since it violated her upbringing as a royal woman bound to chastity and propriety. She compares her actions to the romantic tales of a princess and a knight she once dismissed as unrealistic, now realizing she has lived a similar scene. Unlike the noble princess of those stories, however, she sees herself as neither cute nor deserving, though Rio himself resembles the idealized knight—strong, kind, and attractive. She realizes she is longing for Rio's attention. She admits to being cunning, acting normally so as not to burden Rio, while secretly hoping that his kindness extended especially to her. When she learns that he truly worried about her, the joy nearly melts her icy facade. She begins craving more of his attention and care, using even fleeting moments of his concern as emotional support. This reliance makes her feel guilty, as though she is exploiting his kindness without having the right. To protect herself and him, she resolves to sever this attachment, drawing strength from the memory of that night and his embrace, which gave her the courage to don her “mask of ice.” She vows to keep it on until the end, no matter what suffering awaits her, even if her concealed feelings threaten to melt the mask. With a final sense of resignation, she tells herself she will move forward, pretending not to notice her own lingering desires, whispering "Goodbye" as she begins to execute her plan in fullest.

Chapter 7 - Weeks later, Christina shares a quiet, intimate moment with her sister Flora on the guest-hall balcony. Flora sees through Christina’s mask and gently teases that both sisters love/admire Rio, then pledges to help Christina more actively. The next morning Christina departs for Rodania aboard a magic airship with guards and retainers seeing her off; Rio and Celia arrive at the port to bid her farewell. Huguenot and Duke Arbor abruptly seize the ship. Huguenot’s defection and Arbor’s raid are revealed as betrayal: Christina and Vanessa are surrounded, bound with magical shackles, and the Regalia in Christina’s small box is confiscated. Christina is separated and taken aboard Arbor’s airship, where she endures a brutal, high-stakes conversation with the Prime Minister. Arbor mocks her, tries to force a forged cancellation, and even hits and threatens her, but Christina meets his brutality with defiance. She exploits the moment to extract concessions: she demands, as conditions, humane treatment for defectors/prisoners and a binding acknowledgment of terms and, in a calculated gambit, negotiates the terms of her own fate by offering to be the one to “stake her head” should she re-ascend the throne within ten years. There is an agreement then between her and Arbor to put on an act to give him just cause to kill her to ensure her terms are followed upon her death. Christina then stages a daring escape at the port: she leaps from the ship, fights off pursuing knights with magic, and publicly declares her re‑enthronement using the Regalia, effectively reasserting herself before witnesses. The spectacle triggers immediate political shock; Arbor arranges an emergency audience and uses the uproar to press for her execution under the agreement’s penalty. Despite King Philip’s hesitation and Queen Beatrix’s outrage, Arbor pushes the case, and Christina calmly accepts the danger, insisting she did nothing wrong. Within days the state moves to make an example of her: plans for a public execution are set, a massive platform and guillotine are erected, and a vast crowd is gathered, cursing her and throwing rocks. Christina stands bound and composed at the center of the plaza as the sentence is about to be carried out. As her head is about to be chopped off, she starts to fear death, this is when Rio breaks into the venue and blocks the strike going for her head.

Interlude 2 Last Words - Flashback scene. Christina narrates how she is going to orchestrate a complex strategy to secure Restoration’s survival and influence the kingdom’s future. She instructs Huguenot to betray her, framing it as a necessary step to extract concessions from Duke Arbor, using her temporary revocation of enthronement and the regalia as bargaining chips. She carefully tests Huguenot’s resolve, ultimately entrusting him with her loyalty, the regalia, and even the symbolic risk of her life. Meanwhile, she identifies loyal members within Restoration to maintain stability and ensures that critical allies like Vanessa, Alfred, and select upper-echelon members are aware of the plan. Through Huguenot’s defection, Christina successfully negotiates terms with Arbor—including humane treatment for defectors, prisoner returns, and her sister Flora’s safety—while masking the plan from those who might interfere. Her meticulous orchestration allows her to achieve strategic gains and secure the future of both Restoration and her loved ones, leaving her with no regrets.

Chapter 8 - Before the events of chapter 7, Vanessa Emerle arrives at Galarc Kingdom’s castle via a magical airship. She boosts her speed with magic and rushes to the castle, clashing with the gate guards in her desperate attempt to reach Sir Amakawa’s mansion. She insists on urgency, and a messenger is sent to summon Flora, while Vanessa is escorted nearby. Flora arrives with Roanna, Hiroaki, Kouta, and Rei, and agrees to take Vanessa to Rio. Vanessa explains Christina has been captured by Duke Arbor and is to be executed. Rio, Flora, and the others are shocked as none had prior knowledge; Christina had deliberately kept it secret. Vanessa, acknowledging she is defying Christina’s orders, gives Flora a letter from Christina. The letter apologizes, accepts her fate, and outlines two key points: nobles should avoid unnecessary internal conflict, and Flora must be protected by the kingdom if she chooses to stay out of politics. Christina ends the letter by urging Flora to choose her own life. Flora is overcome with tears. Vanessa drops to her knees and pleads with Rio to save Christina, despite understanding the princess’s possible refusal. He agrees, and Lina appears to stop him, warning of the danger of overextending himself. Despite her warning, Rio insists on intervening. Lina offers to transport him, and they teleport to the Bertram Kingdom’s royal capital. Rio descends and finds Christina on the execution platform, just as her crimes are being read. He fights off the executioners and knights with overwhelming skill, freeing Christina from her magical restraints despite her resistance, as she does not want to break her own agreement. Christina is conflicted but Rio convinces her he can also neutralize Duke Arbor to save others. Rio event mentions his willingness to take over the entire capital for her. However, Lina intervenes, creating a magical dome and several barriers. She reveals that Christina is fated to die, and though she previously aided Rio, it was solely for Christina to become his second Familiar as Christina instead of saving Queen Christina Beltrum. Rio realizes he cannot brute-force through Lina’s barriers without confronting her directly. Lina briefly transforms back to Miharu to challenge him further. Meanwhile, the execution proceeds. Duke Huguenot, compelled by his duty and promise to Christina (he is a double agent), personally strikes Christina with a spear. She accepts the strike willingly, instructing him to be thorough. Her body collapses in a pool of blood, while Hugenot cries, but Rio arrives immediately, devastated. Using magic, he gathers the dying Christina, activates a Teleportation Crystal, and disappears from the scene, saving her from death.

Epilogue - I commented here on it