Indeed, the Balak Guild operated by Elvitor was there.

Only through the Balak Guild could one meet Frigia.

‘I must meet her somehow.’

Besides my agreement with Kashar, there was no one as suitable for my plan as the princess.

As my thoughts deepened, the blue jewel on my neck jingled.

It was the magic stone necklace that Kashar had given me.

‘It can contain magic. It’s quite intriguing.’

The fog surrounding the palace was a barrier made by a magical circle.

If an unauthorized person intrudes into the castle, they will wander the fogcovered forest forever, unable to get out.

‘… It’s a bit scary.’

Is this really a magic stone? Is the magic properly contained?

As I crouched in the corridor checking the necklace, a dark shadow loomed over my head.

“Aileen?”

Kashar’s voice.

Startled, I sprang up from my sitting position.

But.

“Ah, a cramp, a cramp…!”

I had been crouching so long that the blood in my calves wasn’t circulating.

I put saliva on my nose and forehead, and it felt a bit better.

I gave an awkward smile.

“…You’re here?”

“Did you want to be a mouse?”

Kashar kindly asked. The fact that I was crouched made me treated like a mouse. Innocent questions can be cruel sometimes.

“No. That’s not it. I was just thinking!”

I leaned on Kashar and hit my legs for a long time before I could stand properly.

“The cramp is taking too long to go away.”

“…My blood circulation isn’t very good!”

How did he know I wanted to lean more?

‘That’s why I don’t like sharpeyed handsome men.’

While I was grumbling inside, Kashar took my hand and led me.

“There’s something we have to do before we go out.”

“Huh? Where are we going?”

“You’ll know when we get there.”

The place we arrived at, taken aback, was the training ground next to the garden.

“Haap!”

With the clash of the battle flags, a shout resounded.

Naturally, the training ground was full of knights. But the problem was that they were not ordinary people.

“You can’t beat me!”

“You big, dumb brute!”

Gigantic knights who seemed to be at least 3 meters tall were dueling with large swords.

‘They say there is giant blood among the Myins.’

Among the demons that existed in the past continent, there were giants.

Since Myins themselves were a hybrid race of demons and humans, it was not strange that there were those who inherited the blood of giants.

“Stop.”

Thump!

At Kashar’s command, the giants’ duel stopped.

With the ensuing silence, all the eyes in the training ground were on me.
The one at the front, the biggest one, seemed to tremble as if he didn’t know what to do. Eventually, the biggest one, overtaken by curiosity, addressed me.

“Are you by any chance the Lord’s lover?”

“Ah, yes.”

My sudden response caused the armored figures to all stir.

‘…Even those giants must be Mine, but they’re not running away?’

I had become used to the Mine running away at the sight of me these past few days, so this kind of gaze felt rather strange.

Being so tall, those surrounding me felt like a fortress wall.

Then the humanlike walls let out a resonant cheer toward me.

“We admire you! Just how strong must you be to have become the Lord’s lover?!”

“……Yes?”

What is this about?

When I asked in astonishment, the knight answered as if it was obvious.

“A woman stronger than oneself is everyone’s ideal.”

“Right. A woman who controls me, just the thought sends shivers down my spine!”

Something about this conversation was getting weird.

‘Come to think of it, the Mine do worship strength.’

It was a natural structure where the strong became the ideal.

But even those who pursued strength were bound to have some level of power.

‘The weak among the Mine would somehow avoid the strong.’

In other words, the weak Mine could only be despised.

‘Could it be, they think I control Kashar and that’s why I became his lover?’

Now I understood why the Mine who were staring at me in the restaurant had run away.

“Choose your escort. They will be responsible for accompanying you from now on.”

Kashar didn’t even pretend to listen to the knights’ words.

Instead, his words made only the knights excited.

“Me! Please pick me!”

“Choose me and give me a chance to duel!”

……It was a cheer where I couldn’t tell if they wanted to escort me, or if they wanted to kill me.

I slowly looked around the armored figures.

‘They’re all big people.’

Even if they were not part Mine with giant blood, the people themselves were all tall.

My gaze stopped on a particularly small figure.

‘That person is…….’

The man had his green hair tied back, his expression impassive.

Though his physique was lean, it was a solid body. His golden eyes, matching his white skin, resembled a deer’s.

I realized who he was.

‘Could it be, Rudvion?’

Elemental Swordsman Rudvion. He was a traitor to Kashar.