The story got really confusing from there. In order to allow Ves to take Gloriana's place as the lead designer of the classified design project, something needed to happen to Gloriana.
Not only that, but the transition had to be done with such haste and priority that his status as a male foreigner should never have an opportunity to hinder his promotion!
Calabast laid out an elaborate scheme that involved misclassifying the classified design project, taking advantage that the mech designers were 'stationed' in the distant Ylvaine Protectorate instead of somewhere in the Hegemony.
After all of this preparation and more, a critical step had to be made.
"Gloriana must die."
"What?!"
Ves almost jumped out of his office chair! What was Calabast talking about?! He would never allow his girlfriend to come to any harm!
