“Before that, I have something to ask of you. Until now, we’ve been able to move the sacred beasts without difficulty, but Naxos is far away and we need help.”

He continued the conversation naturally, pretending nothing had happened. Only Margharita seemed confused. Hari slowly steadied her breathing.

“Yes, please tell me.”

“Els with cubs refuse to leave the protection zone. They display highly aggressive reactions, so first we need to monitor their movements…”

Only after her pounding heart calmed could she properly hear his words.

“Are you listening properly?”

“…Yes.”

She answered with a faint smile. An inexplicable agitation made her nerves stand on edge.

“I’ll do as you command.”

Hari picked up the lyre rolling on the carpet. It was time for a performance to restore the languid and peaceful atmosphere from before she fell asleep.

* * *

Plunk, the pearl earring dropped from her hand and rolled across the floor. Having failed to put on accessories for the third time, Selina stared anxiously at her trembling hands. Fourteen days since stopping the drug. Withdrawal symptoms were beginning. After the sacred beasts moved to the protection zone, House Karnos’s secret business took a direct hit. With the supply of El, the most important ingredient for hallucinogens, cut off, they couldn’t manufacture the drug. Setting aside having to return vast sums of money to wealthy buyers who had paid in advance and waited for their drugs, addicts whose supply suddenly stopped even sent threatening letters. Selina was no exception.

Yesterday, she had spilled an inkwell while writing letters to appease buyers. Had she now lost the use of her hands too? Giving up on wearing earrings, Selina instead pulled out a necklace with a pendant from deep inside her drawer.

“The weather is nice, so I’m going for a walk. I’m warning you, if you follow me, you’ll regret it.”

“Yes, miss. Have a good walk.”

After shaking off the maid with an empty threat, Selina headed to the small animal enclosure in the Sacred Beast Protection Zone. Academy students on summer break could be seen here and there, with the Pythian Festival just three days away.

‘Just one animal…’

Avoiding the annoying children, Selina reached the deserted back of the enclosure and pulled out a knife from inside her clothes.

“Mom, look at that! A cute rabbit. The rabbit is sky blue! It’s so pretty. Just like a doll.”

“Anasha, that animal is called a sacred beast.”

A small girl came running with a limp up the hill path, followed by Antor’s wife Madalena and a nanny. Selina expressionlessly watched the affectionate mother and daughter.

“You once said I was more precious in the palace than Madalena! Are you saying she’s allowed but I’m not?”

“Madalena is a proper princess. Is your standing the same as hers when you don’t even have a title? Don’t mistake my holding you in high regard for others doing the same.”

Her body moved before her mind could decide, when Madalena greeted a servant from the Sun Palace with a troubled face.

“Your Highness, Prince Antor says he urgently needs to discuss the opening ceremony of the Pythian Festival with you. It would be better not to bring Princess Anasha… Prince Antor’s expression wasn’t good throughout the meeting he attended.”

“…Nanny, please take good care of Anasha.”

“Don’t worry, Your Highness.”

Madalena nodded with an anxious face and left, leaving only the nanny and Anasha behind. The nanny yawned slightly behind Anasha, who was distracted by the blue rabbit.

Without taking her eyes off the small, white girl who looked like a soap bubble, Selina opened the lid of her necklace. The ochre-colored powder contained inside scattered on the ground. Selina lit the powder that lured beasts.

“Oh my, did I pour too much?”

After creating smoke, Selina leisurely hid behind the bushes. Since quitting the drug, this was the first time her heart had raced with such intense excitement.

‘The more red a festival is, the more splendid it becomes.’

Rumble-rumble-

A malevolent energy gathered with a faint vibration. When what she wanted finally appeared, Selina twisted her lips in ecstasy.

“P-Princess!”

“Nanny?”

‘I poured a lot of powder, so a fairly large one came out.’

It was Orthros, a monster in the shape of a dog with two heads.

“Kyaaa…! Princess, it’s dangerous!”

Just as she waited for the little brat to be devoured in a bloody mess, her expectations shattered. Someone ran up with quick steps and picked up the fallen Anasha.

‘Hari?’

After recognizing the intruder, an even more unbelievable situation followed. In front of the woman who tightly held Anasha in her arms, that mountain-sized dog couldn’t move and just bared its teeth.

‘What the… f*ck, is she shooting laser beams from her eyes? Why is it just raising its tail like an idiot instead of tearing her to pieces!’

Growl.

When saliva dripping from Orthros’s massive fangs splashed onto her shoes, Selina backed away in shock. She couldn’t understand the situation. Selina watched the tense standoff without being able to make sense of it. If she hadn’t heard Anasha’s loud crying, she wouldn’t have believed what she was seeing with her own eyes.

“Back away.”

Orthros only glared at its prey with blazing eyes, unable to attack Hari as she backed away with the child in her arms.

This stupid dog bastard…

“Anasha…!”

“Mommy!”

By the time Madalena returned with the nanny and soldiers, all the commotion had subsided. Staring blankly at the spot where the monster had disappeared, Selina burst into incredulous laughter.

“…What? What is this?”

Bewildered, Selina immediately went to find Antor.

“What are you talking about?”

After hearing the situation, Antor frowned, pausing as he picked up his fork. A short tea time with Madalena, followed by lunch with sports association officials. Taking a bite of cake that still maintained its perfect form among the messy remains on the plate, he seemed to feel a little less tired.

“A beast looked into the Galate slave’s eyes and ran away? Are you still dreaming? No matter how shocking Hela’s death was, you need to come back to reality.”

“Don’t treat me like a fool. I clearly saw a strange light coming from that woman with my own two eyes.”

“Why did you go there in the first place? Don’t tell me your medicine is a hallucinogen? I hope the reason Els are disappearing indiscriminately has nothing to do with your family’s business?”

“That’s… just part of it! That’s not what’s important right now.”

“Right. That’s not immediately important.”

Antor’s face hardened.

“Were you trying to kill Anasha?”

“Why does it matter? You said she was your blemish and that any concern for her was unnecessary regardless of what happened to her, didn’t you?”

How far are you planning to go with this madness?

Antor gave up on having a human conversation.

‘But if what that drug addict says is true…’

It wasn’t entirely believable, but it didn’t seem like complete nonsense either. After all, Selina Karnos wasn’t particularly imaginative. Light emanating from Margharita’s body. A retreating beast. A scene reminiscent of a confrontation with a sacred beast.

‘Is it related to the hunting festival?’

Such suspicion suddenly arose when he recalled that nightmare of a day when Achilleon claimed victory. Antor’s face slowly darkened.

* * *

“Waaaah!”

The stands of the massive circular stadium packed with no room to set foot. People from Hitais as well as from the four allied nations including Isthmia and Eleus had gathered to witness the festival opening after four years. The horn signaling the start of the chariot race, both the beginning and highlight of the festival, split the sky.

The festival, also a symbol of peace, mandated a compulsory truce period while it was held. Even Hitais, troubled by the long-standing raids of the Alans rebels, welcomed a truly rare moment of tranquility.

‘Though the inside story might not be so peaceful.’

Hari looked at the stadium outside the tunnel. The inside of the stadium, where the purification flame burned, filled with hot cheers and excitement. Madalena and the royal women’s dances followed one after another. Hari adjusted her attire as she waited for her turn.

“Do as you wish. There are no set rules.”

There had been a change to the Pythian Festival opening ceremony. The traditional custom was to ride a chariot around the circular stadium, but this year’s festival changed to a dance performance because Princess Madalena’s physical condition wasn’t good enough to ride a chariot.

It was a few days before the opening ceremony when Achilleon, who had been observing Hari’s lessons, made the sudden proposal.

“How about showing the traditional sword dance of Lagonia?”

“…Are you serious?”

“I have no reason to joke.”

A traditional Lagonian dance at a festival hosted in alliance with allied nations to commemorate victory. Hari looked down at her elaborate peplos mixed with blue and gold colors. The dress of the woman who had danced before her was red, symbolizing the Hitais royal family. The one before that, and the one before that too. Dresses like blooming red roses designed to emphasize the symbolic color of Hitais more than the women or the dances themselves.

‘To perform a Lagonian dance in front of nobles immersed in national supremacy. What is that man thinking?’

Hari’s turn came. Taking a deep breath, Hari took a large step out of the tunnel. The heat filling the stadium cooled for a moment when Hari fully emerged from the dim tunnel.

“That… How outrageous!”