I let out a long breath and opened the door again to enter.

The thought that uninvited guests could barge in at any moment dominated my mind, urging me to move faster.

As I hurriedly advanced deeper inside, numerous items placed in the center caught my eye.

‘They said he was a madman for collecting magical artifacts, and indeed……’

The warehouse was full of countless precious items that I had only seen in pictures, despite being active as a great magician.

While moving my steps, looking at things that could not be obtained with money alone, I noticed magical artifacts used as military supplies here and there.

Things made under the name of bombs and gunpowder were clearly tools that could kill many people.

Such things are strictly forbidden in the empire.

My head was spinning.

According to Marianne’s report, Snowfel had built such warehouses not only here but everywhere.

‘It’s uncertain where and how he might raise an army as well.’

Remembering seeing Viodel, the human weapon, before, even cold sweat formed.

However, there was no time to let my gaze linger on such things for long now.

As I hurried my steps, I saw the magic mirror located in the center.

The telescope-like shape I had seen before, the perfect rounding, even the seal engraved on the bones.

‘This is definitely the real magic mirror……!’

My attention was captured by the magic mirror only for a moment.

I quickly grabbed the magic mirror.

The plan was clear.

If I had to hand over the magic mirror to Casius, I could switch it with a memento.

But then…….

Suddenly, a strong light burst forth from the hand holding the magic mirror.

As I twisted my hand at the strong light that made my eyes ache, I saw something touching the magic mirror over the clearer scene.

It was an item I had carried for a very long time, an enhancement stone.

Discovering the color of the light, I recalled the explanation of the magic mirror and froze in place.

‘……!’

*

The next day, Duke Diarob, who was heavily drunk, moved his steps to have a meal, waking up later than usual.

Looking at the table prepared for the meal as usual, he stared fiercely at the empty seat.

“Where has that Viodel gone?”

One of the servants who had been only watching nervously came out, closed his eyes tightly, and reported.

“The young master drank excessively yesterday……”

Diarob put down his fork as if he had lost his appetite.

“Bring Viodel here immediately!”

Despite the order being given, the servant showed signs of restlessness.

Seeing this, Diarob noticeably furrowed his brow.

“Where is Viodel now?”

At Diarob’s sharp question, the head butler finally came forward reluctantly.

“Well…… Actually, since the young master was heavily intoxicated yesterday, he is sleeping in the pigsty.”

Raising his eyebrows, Diarob immediately got up and headed straight for the pigsty.

The pigsty, located farthest from the center, was built long ago following a fortuneteller’s words that raising pigs in the mansion would bring in money.

Of course, while the servants managed it, Diarob had never set foot in such a place even once.

‘How could he be so careless in such a place, that pathetic fool!’

His striding steps were dripping with anger.

The steps that reached the pigsty stopped abruptly at the entrance.

Diarob, holding his nose against the stench vibrating through the space, soon saw Viodel quickly appear before him.

Viodel, covered in filth, stood there in a miserable state.

Diarob could not suppress the anger rising to the top of his head.

“I told you to maintain noble dignity, yet how can you act so pathetically like that! How can you claim to be the next head of Snowfel!”

At Diarob’s voice, cold as ice, Viodel knelt down, pale-faced.

His father, who usually valued dignity, would not overlook this incident.

“Father, that……”

If he stayed like this, it was clear that a terrible confinement punishment would be handed down.

Viodel quickly racked his brain, but nothing came to mind.

No matter how he thought about it, it was unfairly unjust.

Although he had drunk more than usual yesterday, it certainly wasn’t enough to be this intoxicated.

Yet when he opened his eyes, he was in a strange place he couldn’t even remember.

When he turned his head and saw a pig approaching and sniffing right next to him, how startled he was.

Viodel still felt weak in the knees just thinking about it.

‘I came to the pigsty on my own feet?’

Then suddenly, something flashed through Viodel’s mind like lightning.

It was Vivian Snowfel.

Although he couldn’t remember properly, one thing was certain.

‘That wench was definitely there.’

Of course, Viodel didn’t think Vivian had done this to him.

He couldn’t remember due to magic, and Vivian was always just a girl beneath him to Viodel. In both magic and battles of wits.

However, in this situation, the fact that Vivian was there was a good card for Viodel.

‘If I pin it on her, she’ll just take it without being able to say anything, like before, heh heh’

Viodel tried to approach Diarob, who was holding his nose, but was stopped and pleaded from where he stood.

“There were circumstances, Father.”

Seeing Viodel’s ridiculous appearance, Diarob barely suppressed the urge to throw him out right away.

“Circumstances?”

“The one who did this to me was none other than Vivian Snowfel.”

Diarob held his head.

“Are you saying that Vivian, that thing, knocked you out and moved you here?”

The voice telling him to say something that made sense was tinged with even greater anger.

There was even weariness mixed in.

Viodel was not unaware of how cruel his father could be when he turned away.

For now, there definitely needed to be someone to divert his father’s anger.

In a flash, a scene flashed through Viodel’s mind.

“Actually, I saw that Vivian lurking around the underground storage yesterday.”

The only scene he remembered clearly was Vivian standing in front of the underground storage.

But the flesh was quickly added.

‘What could that wench do even if I corner her like this? Besides, there’s no way she would have gone to that underground storage without some scheming.’

Diarob, who had been indifferent to the story about Vivian, immediately changed his attitude when the underground storage was mentioned.

It was natural since his father was overly sensitive about anything related to magical artifacts.

Viodel, having caught onto something, continued with a smirk full of derision.

“I think she might have been trying to steal something.”

“Foolish talk!”

Diarob, who took pride in the sealing magic circle, exclaimed roughly.

But Viodel still had a brazen face.

“Now that she’s become empress, wouldn’t she be different from before?”

“What does becoming empress have to do with that!”

“Vivian might have broken through the sealing magic circle by some illegal means.”

The evidence Viodel presented was excellent.

It was said that in the deep magical archives of the imperial palace, there were truly strange things that ordinary people could not even know about.

Diarob’s suspicion gradually sprouted.

‘Did that wench really……?’

Seeing his father narrow his brows, Viodel pressed on with shining eyes.

“Then when I caught her, she struck me with something hard and left me in this state.”

“……”

“She must have thought I wouldn’t remember because I was drunk and committed such an act.”

“Is that statement true?”

A chilly air swirled over Diarob’s face.

“If you go into the underground storage now, you’ll see that something is missing.”

Diarob immediately moved towards the underground storage.

Viodel also tried to quickly follow behind but was soon stopped.

“You go and wash up.”

Viodel checked his appearance and then sat back down on the floor.

His father’s retreating figure filled his vision.

After that, Viodel carefully retraced the events of yesterday.

Of course, he couldn’t remember anything at all.

The only thing he recalled, the more he thought about it, was that wench’s mocking face and an unpleasant feeling.

‘She became empress and went crazy enough to disrespect me?’

Viodel, now intoxicated by his own lie and believing it to be true, twitched his mouth.

Vivian, that thing, must have really gotten full of herself.

‘This ungrateful bitch, I’ll show her what happens when she messes with her elder brother.’

It was clear that she had lost her mind after being let loose for so long.

A while later, Viodel, who had washed several times to remove the smell, faced Diarob.

There was no warmth felt in Diarob’s approaching steps.

As usual, he had an emotionless expression, but Viodel was certain.

‘Father has come all the way here to praise me….’

But then.

Slap−

With a loud sound, Viodel’s cheek turned to the opposite side.

Belatedly feeling the stinging sensation, Viodel grabbed his cheek with one hand, wearing a surprised expression.

Diarob’s gaze looking down at him was filled with contempt.

“Pathetic fool.”

“Fa-Father?”

“I never had a son like you.”

“What do you mean? That wench definitely stole something from the underground storage……”

“Shut up! Nothing was missing from the underground storage. I’ve been too lenient, and now you’re insulting and framing your sister who has become empress?”

Viodel stared at his father in shock.

Until now, even if such things happened, he had never once taken Vivian’s side.

That stupid girl was nothing more than a doll who always got pushed around by him, unable to even speak up.

Just a doll with a somewhat pretty face that was put into the imperial family.

But why…….

Diarob, taking his eyes off the dazed Viodel, gestured.

“Lock him up in the Cold Palace immediately.”

The dry tone, as if clearing away trash, contained not a shred of affection.

“Father. I-I’m sorry!”

Diarob turned his body without even pretending to hear Viodel’s wails.

*

“And so, young master Viodel was confined to the Cold Palace.”

I couldn’t hide the smile that naturally came out from hearing such good news first thing in the morning.

What a stupid fool.

On the other hand, a long sigh of relief was breathed out.

That day, if it weren’t for the enhancement stone, I was planning to take that magic mirror out of the underground storage.

The sensation felt by my fingertips was especially soft today.

‘Stone, you’ve done a great thing.’

As I smiled, Marianne also had an expression as pleased as mine and hummed a tune.

“I’m so happy. Didn’t the young lady suffer a lot from young master Viodel?”

“Indeed.”

There will never be such mistreatment from that kind of guy again.

While smiling contentedly, the grooming was finished.

“I always feel that Her Majesty the Empress’s beauty shines more with each passing day.”

“It’s all thanks to Marianne.”

The mirror truly reflected my image shining more than before.

It was the result of various efforts made when meeting Casius.

While the news of Viodel delighted me from the morning, thinking of Casius made me sigh again.

‘When we meet today, Casius will immediately ask if I brought the magic mirror….’

I don’t have the magic mirror in my hands.

Of course, I had both how to speak to Casius and a practical plan.

But on the surface, it was clear that I had broken the promise for now.

It was obvious how Casius would think.

Carrying the deepening sigh, I quickly moved my steps towards the Emperor’s Palace.