I swiped the blue screen away, ignoring the System's nagging tip.
"Ignore that," I mumbled to myself, turning my attention back to my knight. "Go on, Kael. You were saying?"
Kaelen nodded, picking up right where he left off.
"Magic Force is not a singular experience, My Lady. Everyone feels and interacts with it differently."
"What does that mean?" I tilted my head. "Do you mean sensing the magic itself?"
"Precisely," he replied, his voice taking on a lecturing tone. "Magic Force exists everywhere—in nature, in the air, and within living beings. But the internal experience... varies."
He held up his gloved hand, clenching it into a fist.
"For me, it feels like a second pulse. Like hot blood flowing through my veins, always humming just beneath the skin."
"And for others?"
"For some, it is faint—a whisper they can barely hear. For others, the 'Sensitives,' it is a roar. They can sense the flow of mana in the air as clearly as they can smell smoke or feel the wind."
He looked down at the knights sparring below.
"And then there is the matter of control. Every living being possesses a core of Magic Force. Most must learn to suppress it—to keep it tightly coiled within to hide their true potential."
"Hide it?"
"Yes," he said gravely. "If one does not learn control, the magic keeps emitting from them constantly, like a beacon. It bleeds out into the world. It is a presence that does not fade... until death."
Talk about being useless.
I slumped back in my chair. So, magic force is literally everywhere—in the air, in the dirt, in the veins of every random guard down there—except in me? Great.
I looked down at the arena, watching the knights flashing their powers and creating shockwaves with their swings.
If I can't do that... what is my actual purpose in this world? Am I just here to be a decorative vase?
I gritted my teeth. No. I refuse.
I turned to Kaelen, a sudden spark of determination in my eyes.
"Say, Kael," I asked seriously. "Can you teach me swordsmanship?"
He didn't even blink.
"There is no need, My Lady."
"What?"
"I will always be by your side," he stated, as if it were a universal law. "You do not need to dirty your hands with a blade. My sword is yours."
I stared at him. That sounds romantic, but it's actually really annoying. I want to defend myself, not be babysat!
"Yeah... never mind," I sighed, standing up and brushing off my dress. I'll figure something else out later.
"Come on. Let's go eat something. And then I'm going back to the library."
We walked down the endless, polished corridor toward my chambers. The silence was deafening.
"Say, Kael," I asked, breaking the quiet. "Why is it that no one ever eats together here? It's a family, isn't it?"
Kaelen didn't miss a beat. "Everyone is occupied, My Lady. His Imperial Majesty, Her Imperial Majesty, and My Lord... they dedicate every waking hour to the Empire and its people. Duty comes before dining."
I sighed, kicking at the hem of my dress.
"Yeah, I know. Duty calls and all that. But still... it feels like I'm completely alone in this massive palace."
I gestured to the passing maids and guards. "Everyone else is talking to someone, working with someone, doing something. Meanwhile, I just sit here with absolutely nothing to do."
I rubbed my temples in frustration.
Ugh. This is torture.
In my last life, I was a social worker. I was used to chaos, constant movement, and helping people. I was always on my feet. Being forced to be "free" and stay in one place like a decorative doll is driving me insane.
Kaelen stopped walking. He turned to me, his expression earnest.
"I am always with you, My Lady," he said firmly. "You are not alone. If you feel anything is amiss, tell me."
I looked at his stoic, serious face.
Yeah... I smiled weakly. My knight really doesn't understand what I mean.
I don't need a bodyguard, Kael. I need a purpose.
As we walked, Lucian passed us coming from the opposite direction.
He paid absolutely zero attention to me or Kaelen. He just swept past, his eyes cold and dead, looking like he was ready to murder the next person who breathed too loudly in his direction.
Kaelen didn't stop. He didn't bow. He didn't even acknowledge him.
"Kael?" I whispered, looking back at the retreating figure. "You didn't bow to him. And he completely ignored you."
"That is my Lord's clone," Kaelen stated calmly, not breaking stride. "The real Lord Lucian is working in the Library. That one is merely wandering the halls to maintain an appearance for the Court."
Wow.
I blinked. So this world has Naruto abilities too, huh? Shadow Clone Jutsu?
I looked up at Kaelen with stars in my eyes.
"Kael... can you do this magic too?"
"Yes, My Lady."
"Do it."
He didn't even stop walking.
Suddenly, his shadow seemed to flicker. Without a sound, a figure stepped right out of his body. Then another. And another.
In the span of three seconds, four identical Kaelens split off from the original. Two moved to walk perfectly in sync ahead of me, and two fell into step behind me.
What the hell?!
"Wow, wow, wow!" I spun around, looking at the identical knights surrounding me. "You made four! Do they all have separate minds??"
"They possess autonomy," the real Kaelen (I think?) explained from beside me. "They can make decisions, think, and act on their own to protect you. However, they are ultimately clones. They are restricted to my will."
I eyed him suspiciously.
"Wow... no, wait." I narrowed my eyes. "Hey. Tell me the truth. Have you been using clones to guard me while the real you goes off to eat or sleep?"
Kaelen looked offended.
"No. I do not, My Lady. The one standing beside you is always the true vessel."
I smiled, poking his metal arm. "Aww. You are really a green flag."
Kaelen tilted his head, his brows knitting together in genuine confusion.
"What does that mean... 'Green Flag', My Lady? Is it a military signal?"
"Haha, nothing. Just put them ba—"
Before I could finish my sentence, the world tilted violently on its axis.
The polished marble floor beneath my feet vanished. The stone walls dissolved. Kaelen and his four clones evaporated into mist.
Blink.
Suddenly, I wasn't in the hallway anymore.
I was standing in the middle of an endless, vibrant green plain.
I spun around in a circle. There were no walls, no ceiling, no palace. Everywhere my eyes looked, it was just miles and miles of swaying grass meeting a crystal-clear blue sky at the horizon.
The air was fresh, smelling of rain and earth. A soft breeze tugged at my hair.
I took a deep breath, checking my hands and feet.
Okay. I nodded to myself. At least it's not the nightmare void this time. No laughing lights, no creeping darkness.
The System said I would "learn to handle" the price I paid. Is this it? Is this another one of those mental realms?
I planted my feet firmly on the soft earth and narrowed my eyes at the horizon.
"Fine," I said aloud, my voice carrying clearly in the silence. "If I'm stuck here, I might as well explore."
I picked a direction and started walking.
"Let's see what this place is hiding."