I could easily create a position for Teresa. Even if it was a non-heir viscount position, no one could ignore her.

“So, I don’t plan on having an engagement ceremony.”

“No engagement ceremony?”

I dropped the cookie I was holding at the subsequent announcement.
Originally, it was a discreet engagement, so they didn’t even have an engagement ceremony. Since they might not get married in the future, I wanted to celebrate such an event in a splendid manner.

“Yes. I’m thinking of just quietly exchanging engagement documents and going down to the Duchy together.”

“Why go to the Duchy?”

“It seems like the capital will be noisy for a while.”

“Hmm… I see.”

Considering that the two of them had a quite elaborate divorce and, as a result, I got married, what if they were to get engaged again?

Certainly, going down there would be better for mental health. It was regrettable, but I could understand.

“Viscountess, I apologize for not being able to stay by your side for a while. I still have a lot of work.”

“No, that’s okay. Lately, the Empress seems to be working very enthusiastically.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yes. Thanks to that, the things I used to handle have been transferred to the Empress again.”

As if regaining her youth, the Emperor’s enthusiasm was remarkable.

As a result, Na and Nathanael had significantly more leisure time. We focused on creating a village in the place where the transformed people stayed.

“So, our couple will soon go to the hot spring village in the Winter’s Duchy.”

“A hot spring village?”

“Yes!”

The most important thing in the village where people transformed into monsters were hidden was security. So, with Nathanael’s help, we decided to set up a barrier around the area.

To do that, we had to go there ourselves, and we remembered the honeymoon we had postponed until now as an excuse.
Fortunately, there was a quite famous hot spring village nearby. It was a bit far in terms of distance, but with Nathanael’s magic, there would be no problem moving there.

“So, Theresa, come and visit around that time.”

“I will.”

As we moved on to a light topic, the atmosphere became much softer. After chatting for a while, it was already evening.

Theresa stood up, bid farewell, and left. It was probably more regrettable because it seemed difficult to meet for a while.

As I watched the carriage that carried her disappear into the distance through the window, I felt a presence behind me.

“Nathanael?”

When I turned around, there was no one in that spot. A creepy feeling came over me. Something was strange.

I tried to calmly move mana according to the method Nathanael had taught me.

The magic he taught me consisted of three things.

Detection magic, hiding one’s body magic, and a one-shot kill magic.

‘I can do at least detection.’

I slowly spread mana along the floor. The delicate spread of mana reacted to someone in a corner.

‘I need to pretend to know them, right?’

The opponent was a skilled person who boldly infiltrated even the Imperial Palace. As a beginner who had just learned magic, I had almost no chance of winning.

‘Someone, someone please…’

Where is Nathanael? He said he would go on an inspection today.

First, I felt like I had to call someone, but my body was stiff, and my mouth wouldn’t open.

At that moment, a maid knocked on the door.

“Lady Vi.”

“Come in.”
A sense of relief flooded over me instantly. Soon, the door opened, and a maid entered.

“Princess Anais and Commander Kilian have come. They say it’s urgent. What should we do?”

Their sudden and unexpected visit was a great intrusion. However, in the current situation where my life was at risk, it was much appreciated.

“Tell them to come in.”

I tried to move the muscles of my face to smile as naturally as possible. I was worried that a seizure might occur.

Soon, Kilian and Anais entered. Suspicious tension vanished from the room.

In a moment, the tension eased, and my body felt weak.

“Lady Vi!”

Anais quickly approached and held onto me. Kilian, after scanning the room briefly, shrugged his shoulders.

“He escaped.”

With his brief words, I realized that he sensed the presence of an intruder and came up to inform me.

I managed to compose myself and sat down.

“Thank you for coming, Commander Kilian.”

“I’m relieved that you’re unharmed.”

Only Anais seemed not to understand the situation and blinked her eyes.

I took a short breath and continued speaking.

“I never thought the palace would be breached. I was careless.”

“If His Imperial Highness had been here, I’m sure you wouldn’t have thought like that.”

Anais, who belatedly grasped the situation, had a frozen expression.

This place was one of the most secure locations in the palace.

I had spent money to install magical detection devices throughout the area, and the fact that an outsider had infiltrated unnoticed was astonishing!
“Is it true that someone has infiltrated the Imperial Palace?”

“Yes, Princess Anais. But you don’t need to worry too much. They haven’t been caught because of the peculiar magic they use.”

Kilian smiled reassuringly at Anais. Then, he began boasting with exaggerated gestures.

The things he said were so insane that one couldn’t bear to listen…

“Look at this?”

Anais, who always showed a prickly reaction to others, now had a noticeably softer attitude.

The girl who was anxious until a moment ago was now even smiling faintly.

“Hmm…”

Watching them with narrowed eyes, a sound slipped out. Anais and Kilian, only now realizing my presence, awkwardly averted their gaze.

An unnatural silence lingered for a moment.

“Anyway, with this great sorcerer Kilian here, you don’t need to worry too much.”

In the end, Kilian, unable to endure the silence due to his condition, confidently boasted, pounding his chest.

I wonder why.

There’s a sudden feeling of a sharp decline in trust towards Kilian within me.

“Haha, even though I may seem like this, I’m the highest authority in this field… I can say that much.”

A burst of laughter escaped as he blurred the end of his words while looking at my expression.

It wasn’t entirely unbelievable considering the prophecy of the Tower of Fate.

‘And it’s quite an amusing situation, isn’t it?’

I shrugged my shoulders at Kilian.

“Alright, I’ll believe you for once.”

After Kilian and Anais left, I sat in the room, reviewing the notes on the defense strategy Kilian had suggested.

“Jaina!”

With a bang, Natanie entered, swinging the door open. His usually pale face looked even whiter than usual, as if drained of all color.

“You’re here?”

He frowned at my calm response.

Isn’t this unusual?

While pondering what to say, he walked towards me and then, as if collapsing, sank down at my feet.