The chapter is told entirely from Trystan's (The Villain's) perspective the morning after Evie quit. He paces his office expecting Evie to return with an apology and a reasonable explanation for the letter, having spent the night convincing himself he was justified in distrusting her. He reflects that wanting to trust someone was his own vulnerability—not Evie's fault—but still clings to the belief that she must be the one to make amends.

Without Evie, the office rapidly falls apart. Three interns nearly brawl because no one knows how to assign them properly. A weapons shipment arrives that only Evie's meticulous notes could identify. The magical filing cabinet breaks, and every employee tells Trystan the same thing: "Ms. Sage usually knows" how to fix it. Even his morning brew is wrong—Evie had been secretly adding sugar so the ogre baker Edwin wouldn't learn Trystan disliked his recipe. Trystan also visits Tatianna to fish for incriminating gossip about Evie, but the healer shuts him down with a look of withering disdain, leaving him feeling embarrassed.

Blade Gushiken approaches Trystan, first asking permission to name the dragon. Trystan suggests "Fluffy"—a name Evie once proposed—revealing how much she occupies his thoughts. Then Blade confesses: the King Benedict employment letter was his, not Evie's. Blade explains his background in the kingdom's capital, his father's political career, and how the letter was a personal keepsake reminding him he chose to work for The Villain. Evie had found it and gave Blade the chance to confess on his own because she is kind and loyal.

The confession hits Trystan like a blow. He recalls Evie's words about wanting to give someone else a chance to tell him first, and how he had called her a hypocrite when the true hypocrite was himself. He recognizes he punished her for his own past betrayals rather than trusting her. Trystan warns Blade never to lie to him again on pain of death but ultimately allows him to keep his job. As Blade leaves, he quietly asks, "Sir…what about Evie?" Trystan offers no answer, but the question haunts him as the chapter closes.