Spending time talking about various things with Luca, time passed quickly.

As the signal announcing the end of the hunting competition detonated, and participants began to return, people around us started buzzing.

“It seems there’s a participant who caught an incredibly large number of monsters this time. It’s not a wizard, right? They say he doesn’t flinch even when covered in monster blood, and he’s just a young boy.”

“He bathed his whole body in monster blood, and he didn’t even blink. They said he’s still a young boy, but he really has an extraordinary strong heart.”

Among the participants this time, there were only two boys with outstanding skills at a young age.

Raven, who had entered the knights as the top-ranked, and Cain, known as having the best swordsmanship among the young nobles.
Noticing that there was no way to mistake the successor of the Fernan family, I urgently called Sione after becoming convinced that the protagonist of the rumors was Raven.

“Bring some clothes and water for Raven to change into. If there are any injuries, treat them as well.”

“Understood. I’ll take care of it right away.”

Sure enough, at that moment, I saw Raven, covered in crimson blood, in my line of sight.

The magician I had sent with him was nowhere to be found.

Most likely, they had lost each other while chasing after Raven, who had swift footsteps.

A little later, Raven, who had returned in a neat appearance thanks to the person Sione sent, stood on the stage prepared for the awards.

The result: 1st place.

The news was that he won, narrowly beating Cain.

“I’ll have to try harder next time, Raven. Losing to you feels worse than I thought.”

“Next year, I’ll win by such a significant margin that you won’t be able to make such comments. Cain.”

Hey, are you guys openly fighting even in a place like this?

Watching the awards ceremony near the stage, I tilted my head.

Those guys, they’d probably be doing the same even after they became adults.

After all the events of the hunting competition were over, I boarded the carriage with Sione.

Raven decided to return separately by riding a horse, and it seemed like he was concerned that the smell of monsters might linger on his body.

“Don’t be like that. Let’s ride the carriage together and go comfortably. You must be tired right after the hunting competition ended.”

“It’s okay. I’m perfectly fine like this.”

You’re being stubborn. Okay, Raven, see you later.

If it were before, due to the influence of the dependency spell, we would have had to move together. However, recently, my magical power had increased significantly, and the distance at which I could operate separately had also expanded.

After Raven, who was on horseback, left first, I started the carriage and sat facing Sione, engaging in a casual conversation.

“How was the hunting competition, Lady Bella? It was a more eventful event than you expected, right?”

“Yeah. It was a bit disappointing not to see Dad, but other than that, it was fine.”

“Lord usually attends as an award recipient every year, but this time, he had busy matters and entrusted it to Lord Balter instead. It’s a shame, but it can’t be helped.”

Looking out the window at the peaceful scenery flowing by, I thought about Mom and Dad’s faces.

How would Dad react if he found out that I had met Mom’s soul?

Maybe he would demand to see her immediately.

“But according to Mom, she can no longer appear in the real world.”

Mom, a fairy, possessed a power so strong that her soul remained even after death, but now it was gradually entering a stage of fading away.

According to Sione, there was no particular way I could summon her from my side, so it might be better for Dad’s mental health to treat it as if nothing had happened.
“However, is it because of my mood? The sound of the carriage seems a bit strange.”

It happened when I thought the sound of the carriage wheels rolling on the ground had changed slightly.

A large circular magic circle appeared beneath my feet, and in an instant, a swirling smoke engulfed my body.

“Bella!”

Surprised, Sione reached out towards me, but it was already too late.

Being sucked into somewhere through the magic circle, I was falling continuously downward, as if plunging into an endless well.

“Save meeee!”

Thud.

Did a god grant my wish?

I found myself sitting on the ground in a stable pose, shouting so loudly that it could make one dizzy.

‘Where the heck is this? Is it inside a barrier?’

The space around me, filled with pitch-black darkness, emitted a gloomy atmosphere.

As I attempted to use magic to illuminate the surroundings, I sensed a great danger.

Rather than candles, not even the light of a single match appeared, and it soon disappeared weakly.

“…This can’t be. A place where magic doesn’t work?”

It was the greatest crisis of my life.

Since I had always relied on magic and neglected training in martial arts.

‘Even Sione seems to be completely unaware of manipulating magic to this extent. Who the heck orchestrated this?’

Recalling that the first assassin had used an artifact to control space, I ground my teeth with frustration.

Like back then, even things that were hard to notice without paying attention were similar.

I didn’t know if the space I was in matched with the outside time, but if someone had planned this deliberately, it would take quite a while for Sione to rescue me.

‘I have to endure somehow until then.’

Where could the enemy be?

While scrutinizing my surroundings with extreme tension, not even life force could be sensed.

Carefully taking a step forward, at the moment I did, I felt the touch of a cold blade on my neck.

“I’ve been waiting for you, Princess. Today, you must give me your life.”

After the half-sister Vichen was taken away by someone, Charlotte became extremely sensitive.

She selected only the best talents under her command to guard the hiding place, but all that remained in the hideout were their corpses.

Survivors gathered and testified that they had not seen anyone, and all she could do was quietly wait for the returning blade.

“Surely, you didn’t rescue my sister, Gallio, just to pin all these crimes on me.”

“I have no interest in that person at all, Charlotte. I would have killed them early on. There’s nothing good that can come from having more survivors.”

“Do you think I’m as ruthless as you? No matter how foolish I was, they are my blood. I can’t kill them with my own hands.”

Gallio looked at her with an expression that clearly showed he didn’t understand.
Having grown under such a fragile mother, there is undoubtedly something wrong with Prince Wilhelm. He thought to himself that he should later brainwash Wilhelm according to his taste and sneered at her inwardly.

“Who are the ones causing such trouble? Vladie? Or the royal knights? If it’s not your doing, then who is tormenting me so much?”

“Well, I don’t know either. They handle the aftermath quite cleanly, so I haven’t been able to identify them yet.”

“I feel like I’m going to die of anxiety every day. How on earth can I escape from this pain? I… really don’t know anything.”

Hmm.

Gallio looked down arrogantly at Charlotte, who was wiping away tears while touching her cheek.

It seems it’s about time when this woman’s utility has diminished.

Originally, he planned to entrust the position of the head of the Council to Charlotte and focus on the affairs of the Shadow Society. However, seeing her mentally collapsing to this extent, it seemed better to get rid of her and personally manipulate Wilhelm.

“There is a way to feel at ease, Charlotte. You just need to get rid of the person you fear the most.”

“What… do you mean?”

He smiled faintly and drew a sword from the summoning circle.

It was a very special sword that could separate the soul from the body.

“Use this to kill the princess. Just bring me her soul, and that will be enough.”