Ibnel answered nonchalantly, then looked at Shuher with an expression indicating it was now his turn to answer her question.

“This is my reason, but why did Your Majesty show this to me?”

“It’s simply a decision made for the subjugation.”

She nodded, understanding that there was no other meaning beyond that. From his perspective, it wouldn’t be bad if she could be of help.

“So it’s for the same reason as mine after all.”

Ibnel said with a bland smile, then hurriedly tried to snatch her book back as Shuher held it. She felt embarrassed to show it to others as it was messily scribbled with various notes.

“Don’t look.”

But he lightly avoided her grasp.

“This was originally my possession.”

“Emil gave permission to use it freely.”

“Did you not think that I was the one who gave that permission?”

As he countered each point, she felt frustrated but had nothing to say. There was nothing wrong in his words.

“More importantly, what’s this?”

Shuher pointed to a star mark, and she answered.

“It marks parts I don’t understand. I plan to look up related books later. Especially the parts about magical beasts are not easy to comprehend.”

True to the term ‘unknown beings’, it was difficult to fully grasp just from text alone.

“The energy contained in a magical beast’s core…”

“Oh? Wait a moment.”

Ibnel realized Shuher was about to explain a part she didn’t understand and hurriedly snatched the book he was holding.

“Please say that again.”

And she focused on his words, pen in hand.

Shuher found her behavior absurd, but continued his explanation. Having dealt with magical beasts the most and leading investigations, he had no trouble explaining.

“Ah, I see. Then what about this part?”

Eager for the opportunity to resolve her questions, Ibnel stepped closer to him. Focused solely on the content before her, she didn’t notice their proximity at all.

“I don’t quite understand the criteria for classifying magical beast ranks.”

As she asked with sparkling eyes, Shuher found himself caught up in her pace and earnestly answered.

‘Why is she acting so normal?’

Honestly, he thought she was just putting on airs in the archives. He expected her to end up discouraged or resigned. Yet here she was, approaching him as if nothing had happened.

Moreover, she even seemed to be enjoying it.

“I understand completely now.”

Shuher’s explanation sank in so clearly that even a child could understand it instantly.

It was unexpected, if anything. He thought she would just ignore him, but here he was, helping her like this.

‘Well, I suppose this is also for the sake of the subjugation.’

Realizing the late hour, Ibnel gathered her books and materials and stood up.

“Thank you so much for today. It’s late, so I’ll be going now.”

Shuher mulled over her words of gratitude several times. He couldn’t understand for the life of him what she found so pleasing to smile like that.

[This is the timeline separator]

On the vast training grounds, there were only Ibnel and Demil. More precisely, Demil was watching her ride a horse.

“I don’t think you need any more lessons now.”

“Really? I’m glad I could match the schedule.”

At first, even mounting the horse was awkward, but now Ibnel was galloping vigorously across the wide open space.

Soon she stopped in front of him and lightly dismounted.

“This is all thanks to Sir Demil’s rigorous training.”

There was no response to Ibnel’s smiling words. She had grown accustomed to his lack of reaction and no longer minded.

As their private training ended, somehow they ended up leaving the training grounds together, engaging in conversation.

“So in a few days, will only His Majesty’s knights be going on the subjugation?”

“That’s correct.”

“Why is that? Wouldn’t more people be better?”

“We can’t leave other knight orders absent from guarding the imperial palace and capital. Moreover, His Majesty said it’s better to have no help than unhelpful assistance. Facing magical beasts is on a different level from ordinary combat.”

She nodded as if understanding that part. After all, the emperor’s knights were gathered as an elite force specifically to deal with magical beasts.

“But I didn’t expect His Majesty to move personally. Usually, people try to avoid such dangerous places, right? I thought those around him would try to stop him.”

If something were to happen to Shuher, the entire Caries Empire could be thrown into chaos.

“His Majesty is stronger than anyone. Such a thing won’t happen.”

Ibnel had seen his power firsthand once, so she naturally agreed.

“Certainly, if His Majesty goes, it would be reassuring.”

On the other hand, Demil couldn’t understand Ibnel’s behavior of speaking to him so casually. She must surely know that he didn’t view her favorably.

“Why are you looking at me like that? Was there something strange about what I said?”

“No.”

At that moment, spotting Shuher approaching from afar, he stopped walking and bowed his head. Ibnel also noticed him.

Then, suddenly remembering something she wanted to ask, she approached him first.

She had been worried about not having time to meet him, so she couldn’t miss this opportunity.

“Looking at the records, when you went to subjugate magical beasts in Perti territory last year, there was more damage despite fewer magical beasts compared to the year before. Was there a special reason for that?”

Shuher, now accustomed, answered her question.

“Unexpectedly, rocks crumbled down, making it difficult to deal with the magical beasts.”

“Is that a frequent occurrence in Perti territory?”

Demil stared blankly at the two people conversing. It looked so natural.

“Thank you for telling me. I’ll be going now.”

As soon as Ibnel got what she wanted, she left without lingering. Watching her retreating figure, Demil unknowingly voiced the thought he had been holding.

“She really is a strange person.”

True to those words, she was an unpredictable person. What was so good about going on a subjugation that she could smile like that?

Moreover, she worked incredibly hard, enough to make even the knight order marvel. Sometimes it made even the hostility they held feel futile.

“She certainly is strange.”

Shuher actively agreed with that opinion.

“Is the training progressing well?”

“Yes, today was the last training session. She learns quickly in general.”

Though Demil didn’t show it outwardly, he was a bit surprised inwardly. Given her marksmanship skills, it would be more convincing to say she was originally a knight rather than a noble lady.

“For you to say that, it’s quite unexpected.”

“I merely followed Your Majesty’s orders, there’s no other reason. Rather, her compliance is so ready that it’s suspicious.”

Shuher too had not let go of that suspicion. He always kept in mind that, like Aodin in the past, she could be putting everyone at ease before plotting something else.

“In any case, we have a firm grasp on that woman’s weakness.”

“You mean that maid?”

Ibnel still seemed unaware. She had made the huge mistake of openly showing what she cared about.

[This is the timeline separator]

Time flew by quickly, and the day before departing for the subjugation soon arrived. Just as Ibnel was about to leave her room, Lia entered.

“Are you awake?”

“Yes, I was about to go to the training grounds.”

Having been so busy recently without a moment to breathe, even when they met, they only exchanged brief greetings.

“I’m sorry, I’ve been so busy lately.”

“Of course I understand.”

“How have you been lately? Are you adapting well?”

“Of course. I’m working hard too.”

“But you seem thinner than before?”

Ibnel placed her hand on Lia’s cheek, which seemed more gaunt than when she first came to Caries.

“I think it’s because the environment suddenly changed.”

This time her gaze fell on Lia’s hands. They were quite swollen, with small wounds here and there.

“And why are your hands like this?”

Lia pulled her captured hand away as if it was nothing.

“I must have gotten hurt a bit while working. I always had this level of injuries before too. You should hurry and go now. Tomorrow is the day you leave, right? Go on.”

“Alright, I’ll be back.”

Watching Lia who had come to see her off at the palace entrance, Ibnel headed to the training grounds. And as soon as she disappeared, Jena and several maids approached Lia.

[This is the timeline separator]

“Let’s stop here for today. We shouldn’t overdo it for tomorrow’s sake.”

Ibnel lowered the gun she was holding. As a result of training, she had fully regained confidence in her shooting.

She felt worried about tomorrow, but also excited. It would be her first time going outside after being in the imperial palace all this time.

As she was cleaning up, the knight order entered the training grounds. They hesitated briefly upon seeing her but soon began preparing for training without even glancing her way.

She was being treated as completely invisible.

From Ibnel’s perspective, she would like to become close enough to exchange opinions since they were going on the subjugation together, but it was too delicate to approach carelessly.

That was greatly influenced by her recent encounter with Caries’ history in the archives.

‘I don’t know either. How I should treat them.’

Leaving the training grounds, she headed straight for the palace. Lia’s face from this morning kept bothering her even during training.

From tomorrow, Lia would be alone in the palace, so she felt uneasy for some reason.

“I should have a proper conversation with Lia.”

But Lia was nowhere to be found in the palace.

‘Where could she be?’

Just then, spotting some maids, she was about to approach to ask about Lia’s whereabouts when their conversation made her stop in her tracks.

“That girl Lia must be really suffering right now.”

“Her hands won’t survive if she has to wash all those clothes every day. Jena is really working her to the bone.”

‘What?’

Ibnel doubted her ears for a moment. What did she just hear?

The two maids, completely unaware that she was listening behind them, were busy gossiping about Lia.

“It’s good for us since our workload has decreased. But she’s so stupid, she does everything she’s told without question.”

“But what if we get caught somehow?”

One maid shook her head confidently, as if that was impossible.

“She’s from the Aodin Empire, and this is Caries. So this much is deserved. Besides, who would take that woman’s side?”

“True. She’s nothing but an enemy here.”

Ibnel’s hands trembled with anger. At the same time, she recalled Lia’s hands covered in wounds this morning.

“Honestly, I wanted to teach that woman a lesson too, but I was wary of the head maid. It is His Majesty’s palace after all.”

With those words, she instantly understood why they hadn’t openly provoked her beyond being unfriendly. They had been taking it all out on the powerless Lia.

She felt pathetic for believing Lia when she said she was fine. If she had looked just a little closer, she could have known.

“Jena has really gotten a taste for bullying lately. The other day she didn’t let her eat, and yesterday she deliberately messed up the area she manages. What did she say she’d do today?”

“Ah, she said she’d pretend to accidentally spill dirty water on her. We have to see that sight.”

Ibnel barely restrained herself from grabbing them by the collar right then and there. Finding Lia was the priority now.

‘Where on earth are you?’

Her heart raced, fearing she might be too late.

“Lia, Lia!”

Just then, she spotted a familiar figure in the distance. It was Lia.

But at that moment, she saw Jena approaching behind Lia, who was walking with her arms full of luggage.

Ibnel ran quickly towards Lia and without hesitation, tightly embraced her in her arms.

Unaware of this, Jena splashed the dirty water from a wooden barrel, and contrary to her plan, Ibnel was soaked from head to toe.