“This is impossible. Why would such a being…”

Respond to my summons?

I knew about Lerrhagen’s abilities.

How powerful he was, how great a being he was—my father, my sister, my brother, the nobles, commoners, and even other races knew this.

Honestly, I took it for granted that he was stronger than me.

But I never knew his strength would be to this degree.

Lerrhagen simply stood there until the last of the black energy disappeared.

His cold blue eyes contained not a hint of warmth, and he looked down on everything like a god observing insignificant creatures. I couldn’t help feeling my pride wounded.

It was an allure born from absolute strength, and simultaneously, a composure I didn’t even deserve to envy.

Realizing this, I let out a hollow laugh.

Just what kind of terrifying and magnificent being had I brought in as my father?

When the final trace of energy vanished, Lerrhagen leisurely turned his head and glanced at me.

Perhaps confirming I was safe, he spoke.

“Those who have fallen victim to black magic are more susceptible to its attacks.”

“……”

“And among those attacks, mental ones are the most effective.”

“…Are you trying to comfort me right now?”

“I’m informing you. If you consider it comfort, take it that way.”

I merely let out a hollow laugh at words that would have sounded absurd in the past.

Soon, I slightly tugged at the coat draped over my head.

But Lerrhagen’s voice stopped me.

“Keep it on.”

“I feel better now.”

“This is just the beginning.”

“What do you mean?”

My face tensed again.

“What else is coming?”

This time, no answer came.

I turned my gaze toward the balcony. What enormous thing was coming next?

Just as I was thinking this, something fell onto the balcony with a tremendous boom.

Hasis blocked me with his arm.

Thud!

Crash!

Expecting black energy or an even greater attack, I narrowed my brows at the unexpected development.

Unlike before, I couldn’t sense any magical power.

Instead, all that blocked my vision was dust, and even stones were rolling around the room.

‘An explosion?’

While I was pondering this, I frowned at what appeared through the slowly dissipating smoke.

What I saw was a man with long, wavy platinum blonde hair.

“What is that now?”

With a faint groan, the sprawled man stirred and raised his head.

“Ugh.”

The man looked to be in his early twenties.

Though covered in ash, his face—which must have been fair originally—was quite delicate.

His refined features gave off a gentle and elegant impression.

Looking at the platinum-haired man, I tensed up, unable to identify who he was.

Soon, the man fully rose and opened his eyes.

Beneath his fluttering eyelashes were emerald-green eyes reminiscent of actual emeralds.

I held my breath, and as he regained his senses and slightly frowned, he suddenly jerked his head up.

At that moment, our eyes met directly.

And then.

“Hello, young lady?”

The man who spotted me murmured with a gentle smile.

His greeting was friendly, sweet, and even relaxed.

Had I not witnessed the earlier commotion myself, I might have suspected he had been granted an audience to see me.

But surprisingly, this man had indeed fallen onto my terrace, and judging from Lerrhagen’s words, he was clearly connected to the black energy.

Yet he displayed such a cheerful attitude.

Looking at the man smiling gently despite his dirty face, I inadvertently exchanged glances with Hasis.

Apparently, I wasn’t the only one who found this absurd. Hasis frowned and then asked me:

“Do you know him?”

Instead of answering his question, I contorted my face.

Seeming to have gotten his answer, Hasis nodded in understanding.

He seemed to realize how nonsensical his own question was.

I turned my gaze back to the man.

Lerrhagen’s back naturally came into view as he blocked my path.

Normally, I would have interrogated the man myself, but since he was involved with black magic, it was better to leave it to Lerrhagen.

My pride was hurt, but I had enough sense to judge that this was the best course of action.

However, Lerrhagen showed no reaction.

During the continued silence, the man looked between us and smiled with gentle eyes.

“Ah, please don’t misunderstand.”

Yeah, right.

“I’m not a bad person.”

Sure, sure.

“I just happened to fall here by chance.”

Really, sure.

His statements, which insulted the intelligence of myself, Hasis, and Lerrhagen, left me completely deflated.

After some time of all of us remaining silent, Lerrhagen finally spoke.

“Name.”

At that brief command, the man smiled.

“Ilian. I have no surname. I have no parents.”

“Are you a mage?”

“An alchemist. I get by making various things.”

I became even more confused by his bright smile.

How could he act so relaxed after appearing in my room in such a violent manner?

I was beginning to wonder about his true identity. But before getting an answer, Lerrhagen’s next question made me tense up again.

“How did you escape from the Death Gorge?”

What?

The loosened string of vigilance suddenly tightened again.

I narrowed my eyes and stared at the man, Ilian.

The face that had been smiling smoothly until now seemed to crack slightly.

So he was indeed hit in a vulnerable spot.

While waiting for his answer, Ilian smiled again.

“I escaped by taking advantage of the magical fluctuations.”

“……”

“I’d been waiting for a chance to break out, and today the Death Gorge exploded. So I stole a magic stone from the prison…”

“……”

“…and came here?”

“A magic stone, you say.”

“Yes. Would you like to see it?”

Saying that, Ilian rummaged through his clothes.

Soon, he pulled out a jewel about the size of my thumb.

It was evident even from a distance that the magic stone had no magic left in it.

However, I couldn’t believe his words at face value.

Because…

“How did you get here? You must have known what coordinates were imprinted on the magic stone.”

A childish voice echoed through the room.

When I deliberately spoke in a baby-like, somewhat shrill voice, the young man turned his gaze to me.

Soon, he smiled kindly again.

“I don’t know that either, little miss.”

“That’s impossible. How could you not know?”

“I couldn’t help it. My goal was just to escape.”

“So the magic exploded, and you escaped using the magic stone? Thinking you’d land anywhere?”

“That’s right, exactly.”

“So, you didn’t know this was the emperor’s room?”

“That’s right.”

Ilian acted extremely pleased, clearly delighted that I understood his thinking.

I gave him a bright smile in return. Ilian smiled back, gently closing his eyes.

With that pretty face smiling like that, I could understand why people get bewitched by foxes.

Looking at Ilian, I slowly removed the coat draped over my head.

This time, Lerrhagen didn’t stop me.

Even if something happened, Lerrhagen and Hasis were beside me, so there wouldn’t be any major problems.

Thinking this, I smiled brightly and murmured.

[Parsiet (Binding).]

Whoosh.

At that moment, iron chains appeared in midair and instantly wrapped around Ilian’s body.

Startled by my sudden action, Ilian flinched and then gave me a troubled look.

“What are you doing, little miss?”

“The price for lying.”

“Oh my. Lying? I’ve never lied…”

Shing-.

As Ilian was speaking, he flinched, seemingly realizing the gravity of the situation when a sword was pointed at his neck.

Hasis, who had somehow approached him, was aiming his white blade at Ilian’s neck.

Ilian raised his eyebrows and asked me:

“Little miss, what is this…”

As his words fell, I erased the innocent smile I had been wearing from my face.

And coldly murmured:

“This is not the emperor’s room.”

“…Huh?”

“The emperor’s room is elsewhere.”

“……”

“So, who exactly is the emperor you’re looking for?”

At my question, Ilian made a strange face.

It looked like disappointment at first glance, or perhaps awkwardness.

But it lacked a certain emotion that should be present in this situation—fear.

I slightly narrowed my brows and moved forward.

Passing by Lerrhagen, I approached the young man and slightly bent my waist. His fresh green eyes came into my view.

They were quite pretty green eyes.

“In a situation where you’ve fallen in a strange place, with obviously formidable opponents being wary of you, you weren’t nervous.”

“Ah.”

“Even when told you landed in the emperor’s room, you weren’t nervous. At this point, you seem determined to announce that you’re suspicious.”

“……”

“You know who I am, don’t you?”

It was a scene that anyone would find bizarre.

A child who looked barely seven years old was interrogating an adult using adult speech patterns, and neither the man nor the boy was stopping the child.

Nevertheless, Ilian merely looked troubled.

And that trouble was certainly…

“Haa.”

That’s when it happened.

Ilian, who seemed to be thinking about something, let out a light sigh and opened his mouth.

“You’re right. I know the little miss is the emperor.”

At that moment, I smirked.

The eyes of Hasis, standing beside me, seemed to sharpen.