Childish yet malicious.

Such behavior toward a seven-year-old could leave lifelong trauma.

They knew this perfectly well, and if they wanted to provoke me, they could have simply said, “Princess, you seem bored with our conversation.”

Honestly, if I were them, I would have considered the possibility that I might run straight to Lerrhagen to complain. And they must have thought about this too.

Yet they behaved this way, likely thinking, “Even a Dragon Lord wouldn’t act so unreasonably over something this trivial. We just need to respond appropriately.”

While their behavior was despicable, fighting with them didn’t seem worth my time.

I stood up from my seat.

“Princess? Where are you going? Was our conversation boring you?”

“Yes.”

“Oh, I apologize. We should have been more considerate, but we fell into our usual patterns of conversation.”

“Is this the boring drivel you always talk about? How pitiful.”

“…But where are you going?”

“I drank too much water. Please excuse me.”

“I could—”

“No need. I’ll ask a butler for directions. Please continue enjoying yourself, my lady.”

Let them gossip about me behind my back and fret about how to report this to their parents when they get home.

After speaking, I signaled to Hasis and Ilian with my eyes.

Whether they understood my intentions or were simply bored themselves, both immediately left with me.

As soon as we exited the garden, Hasis spoke in a disgruntled voice.

“Where’s the butler?”

“What do I care where the butler is? I’m going to wander around alone anyway.”

“Is that allowed?”

“Of course not. But it doesn’t matter. I noticed most servants were in the garden, and even if we run into someone, I’ll just say I got lost. Who would dare scold a princess?”

With that, I spotted a door leading into the mansion and headed toward it.

A knight opened the door when I said I needed to step inside for a moment.

No one in this mansion could deny the princess entry, which was quite convenient.

Once inside, I smiled at the surprisingly empty corridor.

Hasis, who had entered with me, spoke up.

“So, what are you trying to investigate in the mansion?”

“Ilian, do you sense anything suspicious here?”

At my direct question, Ilian exhaled a long “hmm.” But he shook his head and replied.

“Nothing. At least not from anyone we saw in the garden earlier.”

“Then is there any trace of the energy we felt in Death Gorge, or any unusual magical flow, or anything even slightly suspicious?”

“Well, I don’t think so. The mansion itself doesn’t give off any unpleasant feeling. It’s quite ordinary.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

Ilian nodded gently, seemingly trying to reassure me.

I sighed lightly.

From the moment Margrit came out to greet me, I had suspected that the Marquis Adler’s only goal was to keep me in check.

If they were truly responsible for my transformation or in league with the culprit, they wouldn’t have arranged such a petty power play.

It was somewhat expected—or rather, almost certain—but still disappointing.

Nevertheless, since we were already here, it would be good to look around.

I concentrated magical power at my fingertips, then released it in a stream so subtle it would barely be noticeable.

Without forming a spell pattern, no magic manifested.

Instead, the ring Lerrhagen had given me, previously quiet, began to shimmer gold in the jeweled part, detecting my magical power.

No matter how well hidden, magic always leaves traces.

If someone using black magic were nearby, this ring would show at least some reaction.

Of course, the ring could only detect forces directly targeting me, meaning by the time it reacted, it might be too late to dodge—but it could still provide clues.

I gave the two a look to follow me and slowly crossed the corridor.

Walking as normally as possible, looking straight ahead in case someone approached, when Ilian suddenly asked:

“Is the Adler Marquis family quite powerful?”

“Indeed. They rank sixth in the Senate. From the top, it’s Duke Kelliard, Duke Elvierts, Duke Delmen, Duke Shat, Marquis Anerose, then Marquis Adler. With the Duke and Elvierts positions currently vacant, they’re effectively fourth in power.”

Even so, there remained a significant gap in influence and authority between them and houses like Duke Kelliard, Duke Elvierts, and Duke Delmen.

But that didn’t diminish the fact that the Adler family was quite prestigious.

Ilian responded to my answer with an ambiguous “Hooh” of admiration.

“No wonder. The mansion is quite lavish.”

“You’ve been living in the imperial palace and now you’re impressed by a mere marquis’s wealth?”

“Just because the palace is magnificent doesn’t mean this place isn’t impressive.”

“Envious? Should I grant you a title when I return to my adult form?”

This was clearly a joke.

I’d have to be insane to place a title in Ilian’s hands. Sparing his life was already my greatest mercy.

As soon as I finished speaking, Ilian’s voice, tinged with laughter, reached my ears.

“No. I have no interest in such disgusting positions.”

At that moment, I stopped abruptly.

Turning to look at Ilian, I found him watching me with a gentle smile.

His slightly curved eyes appeared kinder and more relaxed than anyone else’s.

Yet I easily read that his gaze was not so simple.

His green eyes, cold and detached, were filled with nothing but contempt.

I narrowed my eyes slightly at this and spoke.

“Interesting.”

“Hmm?”

“You dislike nobles?”

“Someone who committed crimes against nobility wouldn’t exactly be fond of them, would they?”

“Not necessarily. Killing people doesn’t mean you hate their entire class.”

“Ah.”

“Do you hate nobles?”

The investigation into Ilian had been completed through Rigan the day he arrived in my room.

An alchemist from the Kingdom of Balchetter who disappeared two years ago.

Once cherished by the king, he was suddenly imprisoned in Death Gorge for wiping out an entire noble family.

If it had been a simple case of killing nobles, he wouldn’t have been sent to Death Gorge.

The kingdom’s laws would have been sufficient for punishment.

The real reason Ilian was tried by the Magic Tower and sentenced to life imprisonment was that he had created “mana poisoning” using magic stones.

“Mana poisoning,” which only the most skilled alchemists could induce, was essentially a technique that used magical power to consume a person from within, leading to death.

Since most victims died in a manner resembling poisoning, it was called “mana poisoning” and had been completely banned by the Magic Tower.

I had actually heard about this incident vaguely a few years back.

But I hadn’t paid much attention then.

Afterward, the Kingdom of Balchetter, already declining due to corruption and extravagance, reached complete ruin after losing its royal core and nobles.

Of course, the royal family was already rotten and headed for destruction even without Ilian’s actions, but that didn’t justify what he did.

“Did the nobles do something terrible to you?”

“Well. Something terrible… Not particularly.”

It clearly wasn’t the kind of thing one would dismiss with “not particularly.” But perhaps not wanting to answer at all, Ilian simply shrugged nonchalantly.

Finally, I turned my head away. However, I kept my gaze behind me as I spoke calmly.

“Well, that’s fine then. But.”

“…”

“Whatever your grudge may be, I will never tolerate anything that stands in my way.”

After speaking, I turned my gaze completely forward and continued walking.

I could sense Ilian smirking behind me.

I didn’t need to see his expression to imagine it, and it soured my mood.

He definitely harbors resentment toward nobles.

Muttering this to myself, I continued walking until I reached the end of the corridor where the hall I had entered earlier came into view, and I sighed.

“Should we go up to the second floor?”

“Isn’t that problematic? The first floor is one thing, but the second floor? Wouldn’t that seriously violate etiquette?”

Even Hasis, who seemed least likely among us to care about etiquette, pointed this out, confirming that going up to the second floor was indeed a different matter.

We had entered through a side door leading to a long corridor, and most servants were in the garden, but we couldn’t predict what might happen if we went upstairs.

‘But since we’ve come this far, it might be worth going up.’

In my current mood, I wanted to thoroughly search the entire mansion.

Sensing my thoughts, Hasis warned, “Don’t get too greedy. If we get caught…”

Hasis suddenly stopped mid-sentence. At the same moment, I also halted abruptly.

‘Someone’s here?’

The surroundings, quiet until now, suddenly revealed a subtle presence.

Confirming this, just as Hasis and I fell silent, Ilian muttered, “Well, well, we have a little eavesdropping rat.”

“Eek!”

As soon as he finished speaking, the sound of someone gasping loudly echoed.

Whoever it was, they weren’t particularly skilled at eavesdropping.

‘Who could it be?’

I kept my mouth shut and slowly moved toward the source of the sound.

Click, click.

The sound of shoes striking marble reverberated through the hall.

They didn’t know how to conceal their presence and seemed quite careless, but I gathered magical power just in case I needed to silence them immediately.

As I approached the pillar slowly and then took a decisive step forward, I was about to cast a spell when I froze upon seeing the identity of the person trembling before me.