‘Even if I don’t attend like this… Aspeiran will surely protect me safely.’

If I refuse to attend, I won’t have to face the endless slander and hostility directed at me, and I can also escape from the unbearable gaze of suspicion.

Aspeiran always keeps his word, so unless I commit a clear crime, he will never cast me out of his fence.

I will be perfectly safe.

However, if I hide behind Aspeiran, I will become a permanent outsider to the Roakin people.

Even if we smile and converse in front, they will endlessly doubt and feel anxious behind my back.

‘I don’t want that.’

And the moment I hide behind Aspeiran, I will forever lose the opportunity to become his closest confidant.

Because I will be imprinted in his mind not as a ‘trusted vassal’ but as a ‘being that needs to be protected’.

“I…”

I want to become a member of Belloi. I want to become a true friend to these people.

I don’t want to be someone who only receives protection. Like the other three closest confidants, I want to become someone who can firmly support Aspeiran from behind.

Therefore, my choice is…

“I will also attend the conference.”

It was a head-on breakthrough.

“When you enter the conference hall, the seats will likely be divided on both sides with His Majesty at the center, seated at the highest point directly ahead.”

Kiara explained in a calm voice. I could only nod my head, my throat choked with tension.

We were now heading to the grand conference hall on the 1st floor of the north building of Prinzia Palace.

Kiara, who came to take me from the Matap, explained a few things I should know about this conference on the way.

“To the right of Lady Shuria are people who are relatively favorable towards you. On the other hand, those on the left are neutral or uncooperative with His Majesty.”

“I see…”

“The closer they are to His Majesty, the more neutral they are, and the closer to the door, the more they oppose His Majesty at every turn. Just let their words flow past you.”

“How dare they oppose His Majesty.”

“The southern regional lords are somewhat like that.”

“The southern region? Why the southern region?”

Kiara fell into thought for a moment. She seemed to be considering exactly how much and how to explain it to me.

Soon, she spoke again.

“During the reign of the Deposed King, the southern part of Roakin, far from the capital Belloi and with no door opening to Beltraum, was hardly reached by the Deposed King’s hand. Thanks to that, they were able to lead peaceful lives.”

“Then, they wouldn’t have been cooperative with His Majesty who was planning a rebellion.”

“That’s right. Rather, they ridiculed His Majesty. Some even tried to report him to the Deposed King.”

“Those wretches. Are those people still alive?”

“Of course, after His Majesty ascended the throne, they were all executed. The ones remaining now are the lords who closed their doors and kept silent at the time. Ambiguous figures, difficult to punish or embrace.”

Kiara, who had been talking softly, chuckled.

“They still hold their positions for now, but they seem anxious, not knowing when their necks might fly off at this rate. Seeing how they’re desperate to undermine His Majesty’s authority in any way. They don’t even know that it’s a path that will only hasten their demise, how stupid.”

Kiara’s expression as she coldly spat those words was terrifying. Enough to make me shrink back without realizing it.

Before I knew it, we were in front of the conference hall. Before going inside, Kiara grabbed my hand.

“In the last conference, there was a lord who argued for Lady Shuria’s death sentence and spoke ill to His Majesty. He has now been stripped of all his positions and imprisoned.”

Speaking ill to Aspeiran? What a crazy person.

As I trembled with anger, Kiara patted my hand as if to comfort me. She seemed to think I was overcome with fear.

“There will be no occasion for Lady Shuria to be executed, so don’t worry. However, the remaining lords will try to make you a criminal in any way possible. Because only if Lady Shuria is guilty can they justify their opposition to His Majesty’s decision.”

“What should I do at the conference?”

“Don’t cower and be dignified. There’s no need to listen to their words. They’re all nonsensical arguments anyway.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

Kiara, who squeezed my hand before letting go, nodded to the knights guarding the door.

The knights pulled the huge, heavy doors. Soon, a blindingly bright light poured down from above.

I took a deep breath and turned to Kiara with a smile.

“Well then, shall we go fight now?”

“…Let’s do that.”

Kiara smiled quietly. I moved my steps beyond the door without hesitation.

My seat was in front of the tall table in the center of the conference hall.

The high-ranking officials and lords seated on both sides all looked down at me at once. It was an immense pressure.

But I never bowed my head. Rather, I held my chest high and looked straight ahead. Aspeiran was there.

Although he didn’t say anything to me, Aspeiran’s gaze as he looked at me was as gentle as ever. So I was able to remain even more composed.

Aspeiran seemed to have no intention of directly involving himself in today’s meeting. He gave a glance to the chairman standing below him. The chairman tapped the desk with his gavel.

“I hereby begin the 2nd emergency conference of the 452nd year of the Peace Calendar.”

I swallowed hard. The fight that would determine my fate had now begun.

The chairman continued.

“The topic of discussion is the ‘treatment of the monster tamer Shuria’. First, we will hear the presentation from the 1st Matapju, Romier Gordo.”

Romier, who was seated on the right, stood up from his seat.

At the same time, one of the officials waiting next to the chairman took out a recording sphere. It contained the footage of me stopping the plant-type monster ‘Toothed Pouch’.

The video I had watched countless times unfolded before my eyes once more. Romier pointed to the video with his hand.

“After the 1st emergency conference ended, an investigation was conducted to uncover the secret of Lady Shuria’s ability. That is the result.”

When I said “sit”, golden mist rippled around me. And the Toothed Pouch buried its head in the ground.

Flustered voices erupted from the left side.

“Good heavens, how dreadful.”

“To be able to handle monsters so violently, it is indeed a dangerous ability.”

Those people seemed to be the southern lords Kiara mentioned. Romier lightly ignored them and continued his explanation.

“Lady Shuria’s ability is based on the dense world mana gathered around her. It is that powerful mana, imbued with her will and moving, that the monsters submit to.”

“Why is the world mana enveloping Lady Shuria? Why does it obey Lady Shuria’s words? I was under the impression that only transcendents could manipulate world mana.”

Someone asked. It was a question that couldn’t be answered precisely yet, but Romier replied without hesitation.

“Further investigation is needed regarding that. But what is certain is that Lady Shuria’s ability has absolutely no connection to the Deposed King.”

“How can you be so sure of that?”

One of the southern lords stood up from his seat. Romier narrowed his eyes.

“What are you implying, Lord Edith?”

“Didn’t you just say you don’t know exactly why that so-called world mana is gathered around that woman? Then it could be the Deposed King’s doing. As we all know, he was a transcendent.”

Several people burst into laughter. Romier was the same.

“There are two things wrong with your statement. First, the Deposed King was a powerful mage, but he was not a transcendent.”

“…Ahem, ahem!”

“Second, world mana is the power that constitutes the world. Even transcendents can at best slightly manipulate world mana, it is impossible to freely control it outside the laws. Therefore, this case can only be a natural phenomenon, not an artificial one.”

Romier spoke, covering his mouth and wearing a clear sneer.

“In the first place, a mere mage being able to gather the power that constitutes the world next to a person and make it move according to that person’s commands? Does that seem possible to you? If one could manipulate world mana to that extent, they could be called a god without shame.”

The person called Lord Edith turned red in the face. As if his pride was hurt, he began to act out of spite.

“I know you are an excellent mage. But you are not versed in all the magic in the world, are you? Cameloium may have used magic that you are unaware of!”

“Don’t make absurd arguments, Lord Edith.”

“Anyway! I can never believe it until I see it with my own eyes! Yes, how about reading that woman’s memory for once?”

The atmosphere in the conference hall turned chilly. Aspeiran’s eyebrows twitch. I ground my teeth.

I heard from Rumel and know. Magic that touches memories is very dangerous, and if done carelessly, it can even turn the other person into an idiot.

Seeing the vile smile that appeared on Lord Edith’s face, he definitely said that knowing that fact.

Lord Edith chattered excitedly.

“If she’s innocent, she will gladly cooperate with the investigation. If she doesn’t, it means there’s something suspicious. You there, isn’t that right?”

Lord Edith pointed his finger at me and threw out a provocation. Those around him gleefully joined in.

“As expected, Lord Edith is wise.”

“If she is confident, she should naturally comply.”

Everyone except them had a face as if looking at someone who suggested building a house out of chocolate in the middle of a desert.

Romier, who had barely regained his senses, moved his lips as if to say something.

But the person Lord Edith picked a fight with is me. So I should be the one to respond.

I raised my hand high.

“Chairman, may I also say a word?”

“Permission granted.”

Good. I widened my eyes, put on an innocent expression, and stared at Lord Edith.

“Lord Edith, are you stepping forward so actively out of concern for Roakin’s safety?”

“Of course!”

Lord Edith retorted with a look that said what is this girl trying to say. I narrowed my brows, just as Aspeiran often does.

“But how can I believe those words? Could it be that you want to execute me, and thereby criticize His Majesty’s decision to appoint me?”

“Wha- How dare you make such an absurd slander!”

Lord Edith shouted. I shrugged my shoulders.

“Even if you say that on the surface, I don’t know what other thoughts you have inside. I can’t believe it until I see it with my own eyes. Yes, let’s do this.”

I lightly hit my palm with my fist and smiled brightly.

“We’ll read Lord Edith’s memory with magic. If you are confident, you will gladly comply, right?”

Lord Edith’s thick double chin trembled. You won’t have anything to say. Because I just turned the absurd logic he used right back at him.

With a face filled with rage, Lord Edith slowly sat down. The southern lords’ side was now quiet.

That’s when a person seated closest to Aspeiran on the left raised his hand. He was a middle-aged man with a tall stature and a sleek physique.

“I have a question for Lady Shuria.”

He stroked his fine white beard. Thanks to that beard, I could quickly remember who he was.

That man was none other than Alexei Zest, the Minister of the Imperial Household. I had never spoken to him directly, but I often heard from the maids that he was an extremely strict person.

The Minister of the Imperial Household spoke.

“I understand that Lady Shuria’s ability has no connection to the Deposed King. However, regardless of the origin of that ability, the power to control monsters is just as dangerous.”

The Minister of the Imperial Household’s cold gaze scrutinized my entire body.

“How can we be certain that you will not harm our Roakin?”