Inside the eerie estate, a bedroom had been tidied up for the Little Princess Sudiya's use. Though the cleaned room still bore traces of neglect, Sudiya paid it no mind. She sat on the bed's edge, one hand holding a mirror while the other traced patterns on its surface.
Her appearance shifted with each stroke, gradually transforming into an unfamiliar face. By all logic, she should have chosen a plainer or even less attractive disguise, but for some reason, she couldn't bring herself to do so.
Soon, a new face—different yet still strikingly beautiful—gazed back from the mirror. She studied herself with satisfaction, a slight smile tugging at her lips.
But then her brow furrowed. She whipped her head around, only to find a woman standing behind her!
"Who are you?!"
Sudiya's right hand slipped into her clothing, grasping a magical artifact. If things went wrong, she was ready to teleport away.
"No need to panic," the green-haired girl said with a smile. "I'm Night Star, a friend of Lucille's. He sent me here."
"Lucille?" Sudiya's gaze grew even more wary. "Lucille's not here. He left."
"Of course he left. That's why he sent me to protect you," Night Star replied, tucking a bottle of potion into her pocket—a pricey purchase. "Right now, he's using your token to seek Duke Campbell's help, isn't he?"
This was something only Lucille and Sudiya knew.
Sudiya relaxed slightly, but her eyes locked onto Night Star's, darting with suspicion. Suddenly, she asked, "What's your relationship with Lucille?"
Night Star glanced at the princess, her tone casual. "That's not your concern. If you're really that bored… maybe think about how to save the world."
"Save… the world…" Sudiya murmured, dazed. Honestly, she still couldn't grasp the reality of it. Why was she suddenly entangled in something so dangerous, so grand?
"Can we really save the world? What… what should I do?"
"Sudiya," Night Star said, her voice softening, "you're the last heir of the royal family. Your role is far more important than you realize."
"Like what?"
"For example, only you can unlock the royal palace's secret vault and retrieve the treasures inside."
"So everyone wants me for the treasures in the palace? Is that why you're protecting me—just for the treasures?"
"That's my reason," Night Star said, idly examining a white "gem." "As for Lucille's motives, why don't you ask him yourself?"
Sudiya toyed with a few strands of her hair, lost in thought. When she snapped back to reality, she heard Night Star say, "It's time."
Looking up, she found Night Star had vanished.
A servant quietly approached Duke Campbell, whispering in his ear.
"We have bad news," the Duke said, his expression darkening. "According to reliable intelligence, the Little Princess has been marked with an assassin's sigil. Escaping their pursuit will be difficult. Three assassins are chasing them."
"The city's entire guard force is mobilized, but finding them before the assassins… it's not looking good."
The room erupted in murmurs of despair. Some even stood, eager to search for the princess themselves.
After a while, another servant approached the Duke, whispering again.
"Now, we have good news," the Duke said, his face brightening slightly. "According to reliable intelligence, the mysterious green-haired figure defeated all three assassins and escaped unharmed. It seems the Little Princess is still safe."
The room burst into cheers. They hadn't expected the mysterious figure to be so powerful, turning the tables against three assassins.
Moments later, the same servant returned, whispering once more.
"And now, we have bad news again," the Duke said, his expression souring. "According to reliable intelligence, the mysterious figure just appeared at an underground tavern—without the Little Princess. The tavern's name… Half-Legged Lamb."
The room exploded into chaos. Someone slammed the table, roaring, "Damn that mysterious figure! What are they planning to do with the princess?!"
Another shot back, "Damn it, Brook! Have you forgotten? Without that mysterious figure, the princess would already be dead!"
Brook didn't back down. "Do you know what kind of people hang out at the Half-Legged Lamb? She's probably planning to sell the princess!"
"We need to find that mysterious figure! No—storm that tavern and arrest everyone inside!"
"No way! Have you forgotten who's behind that tavern? Our enemy is the Shadow Cult! Do you want to spark a civil war in the kingdom?"
The Duke's mansion descended into a shouting match. If not for seeing it firsthand, no one would believe the kingdom's elite would gather here, bickering like this.
After some time, another servant appeared, approaching the Duke.
This time, he whispered for a full half-minute.
Duke Campbell's expression brightened again. He gave the servant a few instructions, and the servant nodded before leaving the room.
Knock, knock!
The Duke rapped on the table and shouted, "Quiet!"
As the room's leader, his command gradually restored order.
"Ahem," he cleared his throat before continuing. "Someone has come to us with the princess's token. He claims to know her whereabouts."
"Whether he's connected to the mysterious figure or not, we now have a lead."
"Stay calm. My people have already invited him in."
As soon as he finished speaking, the door was knocked twice. It swung open, and a man stepped inside.
"You're the one with information on the princess?" Duke Campbell scrutinized the man, but his face was obscured by a coat and hood, concealing his features.
"That's right," Lucille said, producing the princess's token—a simple piece of paper bearing a fresh palm print.
A servant immediately stepped forward, taking the paper to verify the palm print within five minutes.
Then, no one paid Lucille any further attention. The room resumed its heated discussion, as if he'd been forgotten entirely.
After all, he wasn't nobility.
Only a maid approached, offering him a cup of tea. As Lucille reached for it, she stumbled, and scalding tea splashed out.
"Ah! Watch out!" the maid cried in alarm.
Splash—
His coat was soaked in an instant.