I passed through the long corridor and headed towards the building entrance, but I froze stiff.

About ten imperial knights in red cloaks were standing in a row, blocking the entrance.

Wh-what? After being quiet for days, have they now sent subordinates to capture me?

As I shrank my shoulders at their intimidating appearance, Ruben took a big step forward in front of me.

“Please step back.”

Fortunately, the imperial knights took a step back at Ruben’s words.

Even so, their intimidating aura remained the same.

The knights bowed their heads politely to me and then looked at me as if they had something to say. Under their stares, I cleared my throat lightly and asked.

“Were you looking for me? What is this about?”

“Lady Latieana Merigold.”

“Yes.”

The knight in the center approached me and held out a white envelope.

The envelope, with gold-lined edges, was sealed in the middle with red sealing wax.

“It’s an invitation from Crown Prince Killian.”

An invitation? What kind of invitation between us? Think about what you did to me!

No, maybe he’s thinking of apologizing… Is that possible?

Despite being filled with so much doubt that question marks were floating above my head, I maintained my composure as much as possible and opened the envelope.

Don’t be late.]

It was a message so blunt that it was ridiculous, let alone cold.

I looked up at the knight, and he added an explanation.

“He said to make sure to bring you to the dinner.”

He seems to know how his arrogant master sent the invitation.

I let out a hollow laugh.

Isn’t this a notification rather than an invitation?

I looked up at the clock tower of the temple, and it was still 3 o’clock.

One might think there’s plenty of time. But the other party is the Crown Prince. I clearly need time to prepare, but such a sudden invitation? It doesn’t even say where to come.

“…What if I refuse?”

Sending ten knights was a sign that they would bring me no matter what. So I deliberately threw out the words, knowing I couldn’t refuse.

“You must go unconditionally.”

“Can’t it be another day?”

“No, it can’t.”

“Why today of all days?”

“…”

Thinking it was an unnecessary question, the knight closed his mouth.

I carefully examined him and narrowed my eyes.

If he really wanted to have dinner with me, he could have sent a polite invitation to the Grand Duchy, right?

Of course, there would have been some friction with Edan, but if he had been courteous, it’s the Crown Prince’s order, so I couldn’t refuse to go.

Killian Dietrich. Extremely suspicious.

He hid from the imperial family that I was the Grand Saint, and sent the invitation through his subordinates as if he had deliberately waited for me to come to the temple.

“Wait.”

I had them wait in the garden and then turned around sharply to head to the library where I was originally going.

Ruben and Maxium quickly followed.

“La-Lady Latieana, are you really going?”

Maxium asked, glancing back nervously.

“I have to.”

“But considering what happened last time, it might be better not to go…”

Remembering the last moment Killian and I met, Maxium trailed off with a worried voice.

“I don’t want to go, but in this situation, it’s difficult to refuse. Right, Sir Ruben?”

Ruben, who was walking calmly beside me, nodded slightly.

“It seems he planned to prevent Lady Latieana from leaving the temple straight for the Grand Duchy by sending the knights.”

“So it’s useless to resist and refuse. So I have to go. What can I do?”

“Before we leave, I’ll send someone to report the situation to the Duke, and I’ll accompany you.”

“Good, Sir Ruben.”

It was a problem I had to face eventually anyway.

It just happened to be today. No need to feel intimidated. As long as he knows I have the power of the Grand Saint, Killian can’t treat me carelessly either.

I deliberately walked down the corridor with a brave stride.

But one corner of my heart felt bitter.

It was because the unresolved questions about the relationship between Ciela, Killian, and Edan that I had heard last time were tangled in my mind.

Does Killian know that Ciela lied?

Looking at the current situation, it’s likely he doesn’t know.

“Lady Latieana. This way.”

I was walking ahead when I heard Maxium’s call from behind, guiding the way, and I shook my head lightly from side to side.

Let’s forget it for now.

The place we arrived at was a space located in the farthest corner, past the center of the library.

“It’s a place made for the Grand Saints to freely look at books. The previous Grand Saints loved to read books. Though Ivy, that witch, only went shopping because she liked jewels and dresses, so she never used it at all.”

A moderately cozy space with furniture matched in bright white colors, including the desk.

There was a desk under the window, and bookshelves with a few neatly arranged books on both walls. And in the middle of the room was a square table.

It’s well-maintained for an unused place. The desk was clean without a speck of dust, and even had fresh flowers in a glass vase.

I lightly smelled the fragrance of the flowers and then turned sharply to look at Maxium.

“By the way, Maxium, what’s that you’ve been holding?”

The mysterious paper that I had meant to ask about earlier if it weren’t for Killian’s subordinates.

“Ah! This!”

As if he had forgotten about it himself due to the chaotic situation, Maxium looked down at the rolled-up paper he had been clutching to his chest and opened his mouth.

“Lady Latieana, look at this.”

Maxium, who put the paper down on the table, began to unfold the well-rolled paper.

“Remember when I told you about the story related to the magical beasts that I found in the Archmage’s book when you were captured by the witch?”

“I remember.”

I nodded. It was the reason Maxium had come to the castle to meet me on the day I was captured by Killian.

“This is it.”

As Ruben held the edge of the paper that kept trying to roll back up, and Maxium spread out the bottom, a large, old map with parts turned brown was revealed.

What map?

As I tilted my head, Ruben spoke.

“It’s a map of the Empire. It’s been a while since I’ve seen one drawn this meticulously. Where did you find this?”

“I was reading all the books I brought from the secret space, and when I closed the last one, the back cover was too thick. So I examined it, and you know how covers can be double-layered? When I peeled it off, this came out.”

I approached closer to examine the map.

It was a detailed map showing not only the capital but also small villages and mountain locations that were not usually noticeable. As I looked carefully, I saw markings for the Unbreakable Wall in the north and the location of the Grand Duchy, which are rarely found on existing maps.

And the most noticeable thing was.

“What’s this?”

X marks scattered irregularly throughout the Empire, starting from the Ice Mountains in the north to the center of the desert in the south.

“I was curious about that too, so I looked into it. And…”

As if trying to build tension, Maxium looked at me and swallowed hard, and Ruben calmly continued.

“It’s the locations where magical beasts appear.”

What?

“…Yes! Those are the locations marked down.”

Maxium nodded vigorously, looking disappointed as if he had missed a good timing.

“And that’s not all. Look here.”

Ruben and I looked where Maxium’s finger was pointing.

“The Archmage’s mark?”

“Yes.”

Ruben and I looked at each other once and then turned our eyes back to the map.

In the middle of the southern desert where Maxium pointed, there was a shiny square mark drawn alone.

The south is the city that the Archmage loved.

Thanks to that, magic was much more developed there than in other regions of the Empire, and when the northern wall collapsed, the help of Dante, who brought the artifact protecting the southern city walls, was quite significant.

What could this mean?

“But this map, I feel like I’ve seen it somewhere.”

I looked at Ruben.

“Where?”

Ruben, who was frowning and looking at the map, thinking deeply, squinted one eye.

“I can’t remember exactly, but I’ve definitely seen it somewhere. The Duke might know if we ask him.”

“Alright. Maxium, can I take this map?”

Maxium nodded vigorously.

“Of course!”

The map was neatly folded and tucked into the inside of Ruben’s jacket.

We left the temple and boarded the carriage prepared by Killian.

“It’s the Imperial Palace.”

The Imperial Palace…

We, who had ridden the carriage sent by Killian and moved through the portal, let out a small sigh looking out the window.

There were enormous castles so magnificent that they seemed overwhelming in their splendor.

The carriage, which had entered through the multiple castles layered so densely that it was hard to count how many there were, passed through the central garden and arrived at its destination.

“I’ll wait in front of the carriage.”

“I’ll be back.”

Leaving Ruben, who was prohibited from entering the Imperial Palace, I walked alone following the servants.

Although the interior of the Grand Duchy wasn’t simple and was quite splendid, this place was on a different level.

They say the Emperor and Empress are likened to the sun and moon, and the Imperial Palace where they reside truly seemed like the center of the world.

The time when the world turns all red as the sun disappears beyond the mountain ridge.

Even the sunset spreading through the windows seemed like lighting just for this place, making the Imperial Palace incredibly beautiful.

“Lady Latieana Merigold is entering.”

As the servant opened the door, I saw Killian standing with his back turned, looking out the window of the dining room flickering with light.

As soon as I entered, the door closed immediately.

Click. Hearing that insignificant sound suddenly made me feel as if I was cut off from the world.

How should I put it? It felt strange because there was no noise at all. It was like a sealed room where the words spoken here could never leak out, as if specially soundproofed.

I glanced briefly at the closed door and then straightened my head again.

In that brief moment, Killian had turned to face me.

The sunset light settled on his well-combed jet-black hair.

That face vaguely resembling Edan. Looking only at his appearance, he’s an incredibly handsome man, but maybe because his personality is so bad, he doesn’t look handsome at all.

I lightly grasped the hem of my dress with my fingertips and lowered my shoulders.

“I greet the Star of the Empire, Your Highness the Crown Prince.”

“You’re late.”

This man, really.

“Someone suddenly invited me, so I was in a hurry to prepare.”

I raised my head sharply and answered Killian coldly. You’re the one who threw away manners first and made an unreasonable invitation! …is what I meant to say, but this arrogant and haughty Crown Prince didn’t even care.

“Sit.”

“Yes! Let’s do that!”

Who do you think will lose? I’ll eat all these gorgeous and delicious-looking foods as greedily and unattractively as possible so that you’ll never call me again.

Just as I sat down following Killian and grabbed a piece of bread with my hand,

“I want to make a deal with you.”