Lila readily accepted Emma’s suggestion. The Grand Duke had mentioned that they had met as children. Not only that, but he had even said she was his first love.

Of course, Lila didn’t believe everything he said. Still, since yesterday, fleeting images and voices had been surfacing in her mind, only to vanish like a mirage.

Lila had a feeling those fragments were tied to her memories of Grand Duke Eustace. The hazy and indistinct recollections were likely pieces of the childhood she had lost.

She wanted to see what the Grand Duke had looked like as a child. Perhaps seeing his younger self might jog her memory.

“He must have been beautiful even as a baby, right?”

“He’s lovely now, but as a child, he was truly doll-like,” Emma answered with a face full of pride. She had been his nanny before becoming his housekeeper.

“People used to joke that he wasn’t a human baby but an elven child. No, even elves couldn’t have been as adorable as he was. Some of the staff even fell lovesick over him.”

“Really?”

“His hair and eyes sparkled so brightly that he looked like a jewel-carved statue. Whenever His Grace toddled around holding a milk bottle, everyone couldn’t help but gasp in admiration.”

As Emma chatted away about the past, Lila toyed absentmindedly with the ends of her own jet-black hair. Imagining the Grand Duke’s golden locks shimmering like sunlight and his sky-blue eyes made her feel unexpectedly small.

“And when he smiled, oh, it was even more… Ah, the steps are a bit steep here, please watch your step.”

“Got it.”

Emma, lost in reminiscing, suddenly remembered to caution Lila as they began to climb the stairs. Lila gave a slight nod, pretending not to notice the faint presence she could sense nearby.

She heard hesitant footsteps approach and then retreat hurriedly. Almost instinctively, Lila drew on her internal energy, expanding her senses. Through the overwhelming magical aura of the Grand Duke that blanketed the mansion, she could discern other, smaller traces of magic hiding as if playing a game of hide-and-seek.

“Hmm.”

Her eyes narrowed. Countless individuals were moving about stealthily, holding their breaths. It seemed as though the Grand Duke or Emma had instructed the staff to be cautious around her.

How long could she remain here? Her dark eyes grew somber. Although the Grand Duke had asked her to stay, Lila had already resolved to leave the estate soon. She couldn’t hide indefinitely in the Grand Duke’s mansion.

There’s no such thing as a perfect secret. Every time she roamed the estate, the effort to keep the staff away would reach its limits. No matter how thoroughly the Grand Duke tried to maintain silence, rumors were bound to spread.

Lila didn’t fundamentally trust people. It made sense—most of the individuals she had been tasked to assassinate had sworn loyalty to the Emperor, only to betray him later.

Even if she trusted the Grand Duke, she couldn’t trust his retainers. Sooner or later, information about her would leak. Lila intended to leave before that happened.

Of course, staying under the Grand Duke’s protection was the safest option. Even if the Emperor discovered she was alive, he wouldn’t dare touch her.

But Lila didn’t want to spend the rest of her life hiding like a criminal. Living that way would be no different from her days in the palace. Since she had decided to live, she wanted to wander freely in the world outside.

“Not as a Raven trapped in a cage, but as a Raven that flies freely in the sky, even if only for a single day.”

That was Lila’s current wish. To make it a reality, she needed to leave the Grand Duke’s estate.

“Miss Emma.”

Lost in thought, Lila had just reached the fourth floor when a voice called out from below.

“Hans?”

Emma, who had been walking ahead, stopped and turned toward the source of the voice. Lila also halted, looking down at a timid-looking young man rushing up the stairs from the first floor.

“The tailor has arrived and is waiting in the first-floor parlor.”

“Oh my, is it that late already?”

Emma seemed surprised by the time as Hans, who had climbed to the fourth floor in one breath, caught his breath. After straightening his appearance, he offered Lila a polite bow.

“Good day, Your Highness. I’ve been informed by His Grace about your presence. I am Hans Fillman, the second steward. My apologies for the delayed greeting.”

“Nice to meet you, Hans. I’m Lila.”

For the first time, Lila spoke her name without hesitation. It was a significant change from just the day before when even introducing herself had felt awkward.

“Did you inform His Grace?”

“I was on my way to do so, but it seems that won’t be necessary.”

Hans gestured with his eyes toward something behind Emma. Following his gaze, Lila was about to turn her head when pale, neatly clean fingers gently rested on her shoulder. A sweet voice murmured near her ear.

“Lila.”

“The Grand Duke?”

She hadn’t noticed his presence climbing the stairs, let alone felt him approaching. How was that possible? Lila was inwardly startled to see Grand Duke Eustace suddenly appear behind her.

“Hmm? Why are you looking at me like that?”

When Lila narrowed her eyes at him, the Grand Duke responded with an innocent smile, his expression practically glowing.

“Did you use magic?”

“Who knows?”

Eustace brushed off her suspicion with a playful glint in his eye before turning to Emma and Hans.

“I’ll escort Lady Lila to the drawing room. You two go and lend Elvin a hand.”

“Understood.”

“Now then, shall we?”

After sending reinforcements to Elvin, Eustace naturally extended his hand toward Lila. However, she didn’t take it, instead staring at him intently.

“Lady Lila?”

The Grand Duke tilted his head, blinking in confusion.

“How did you get here just now? I didn’t sense a thing.”

When she heightened her senses by drawing on her internal energy, Lila’s perception became extraordinarily sharp. Ever since reaching the highest level, she had been able to detect even the faintest movements or whispers within her range. But just now, nothing—absolutely nothing—had registered.

“Hmm, even if I told you…”

“You used magic, didn’t you? What kind of magic? Silent magic? Invisibility magic? Even using both at once wouldn’t have hidden you completely.”

Lila didn’t let the matter drop easily. To her knowledge, neither silent nor invisibility magic could conceal someone so perfectly.

Eustace wasn’t sure whether to be amused or disheartened by her interest in such a topic. Watching her black eyes sparkle like stars as she scrutinized him, he couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Do you really want to know?”

“Yes.”

She nodded emphatically, the strongest reaction she’d shown so far. Lila felt she had to know. Her pride was at stake.

Even if Eustace was a more powerful 6th-circle mage than she was, it didn’t make sense that he could approach so closely without her detecting him.

“May I have your hand?”

“Here.”

Sighing as if he had no choice, Eustace held out both his hands. Lila immediately placed hers in his. Eustace gently took her small hand in his and pulled her closer to him.

Lila didn’t resist, following his lead without complaint. Now nearly nestled in his arms, the Grand Duke leaned back slightly.

“This is how I came here.”

Leaning against the staircase railing, Eustace grinned mischievously and pulled Lila’s hand sharply. Startled by the sudden force, her small frame staggered forward.

“Your Grace…? Ah—!”

Before she could process what was happening, Eustace tilted back and leapt gracefully off the stairs, pulling her with him. Their bodies plunged into the air.

“What…?!”

Lila’s eyes widened in shock. She could feel herself falling, her body weightless and hurtling toward the ground.

Even for someone with a trained body, falling from this height unprepared was dangerous. Instinctively, Lila began drawing on her aura to brace herself, but Eustace tightened his grip on her hand, stopping her.

“It’s fine. Relax,” he murmured, his voice calm and reassuring, a smile still playing on his lips.

Though they were plummeting, his confidence was oddly contagious. Bewildered, Lila hesitated, blinking at him. Just then, their descent halted, and their bodies floated gently in midair.

“Oh…”

The sensation of hanging in the air, moments away from crashing to the ground, left Lila gasping in amazement. She looked back and forth between Eustace and the floor below, her expression one of pure astonishment.

Eustace chuckled softly at her reaction. Her wide, startled eyes and slightly open mouth were so endearingly round, he couldn’t help but find her adorable.

“Shall we go down now?”

Still holding her hand, Eustace moved his feet leisurely, as if walking on invisible stairs. With each step, their bodies descended gracefully through the air.

Lila swallowed dryly, marveling at the sensation. Being carried by someone else’s magic in the air felt entirely different from moving her body with her own aura. Eventually, their feet touched the marble floor.

“This is how I got up,” Eustace said with a soft smile, landing noiselessly like a drifting dandelion seed. He glanced at Lila, who was still stunned, and his eyes curved with amusement.

“What kind of magic is this?”

“Hmm, let’s call it a hybrid of flight and stealth magic. A combination of the two,” he explained casually.

“Is that even possible? Didn’t you create stealth magic by combining silent and invisibility spells?”

Wouldn’t that mean he hadn’t just mixed two spells but had actually combined three to create something entirely new? Unlike Grand Duke Eustace, who spoke lightly as if it were no big deal, Lila was amazed by the incredible magic he had displayed.

“If I can use it, it must be possible, right? It wasn’t something I set out to create—it just came to me while I was sneaking away from work to avoid it.”

The Grand Duke shrugged as though the astounding revelation were nothing significant, though any other mage would have been astounded to hear such a story.

“That’s… such an irritating thing to say,” Lila remarked bluntly.

“Ha ha, is it?”

Eustace chuckled briefly at her candid observation. Then, glancing toward the drawing room, he suppressed his laughter and turned to Lila with a more serious expression.

“Lady Lila.”

“Hm?”

“Before we visit the tailor, there’s something I’d like to ask for your understanding about.”