After dispersing the nobles at the entrance, Celitia hurried through the crowd and rushed straight into the VIP hall without hesitation.

Count Berendil happened to be nearby and immediately moved to intercept her:

"Who goes there? Stop!"

Celitia completely ignored him, her eyes focused only on Sophia.

At that moment, Sophia had already opened the box and saw the gold silk ribbon and letter paper inside, breathing a huge sigh of relief.

Thank goodness, this black velvet box was not the gift Celitia had returned to her.

Then Sophia heard Celitia's voice.

"Lily?" A flash of wild joy appeared in Sophia's eyes. "Are you here to find me?"

Since Celitia hadn't returned the gift to her, then her appearance here should be for...

Sophia's anticipation grew even stronger.

Berendil finally recognized Celitia and couldn't help but frown:

"You're Princess Sophia's friend? But regardless, barging in suddenly like this is far too rude."

Celitia had no time to explain to them and rushed over in three quick strides.

The mithril bracelet for detection had already been destroyed by the mysterious woman.

But for some reason, looking at the black gift box in Sophia's hands, Celitia felt a certainty arise from her heart.

Yes, that's the one.

"Don't touch what's inside."

Celitia snatched the box from Sophia's hands and forcefully closed the lid in front of everyone.

"What are you doing?" Charlotte's face flushed red as she angrily cried out, "Have you gone mad, acting so rudely in front of so many distinguished guests?!"

"I should be asking you that, Charlotte."

Celitia shot her a cold glance. "Don't bring just any random junk to give to Sophia, understand?"

Hearing Celitia's accusation, Charlotte was stunned, a look of disbelief crossing her brow, though she stubbornly denied it:

"What does this have to do with me? I just came in with Sophia and we discovered this box together. Everyone saw it! On the contrary, you're the one trampling on someone's good intentions - truly unbecoming of noble etiquette!"

"Still refusing to admit it—"

Celitia was about to retort when she suddenly felt a burning pain like fire in her right hand holding the box.

In places Celitia couldn't see, the gold silk ribbon inside the box was emanating a mysterious, eerie glow.

Runes faintly appeared, floating and rotating counterclockwise, rippling outward from around the ribbon, passing through the outer box and penetrating Celitia's fingers and palm.

Her entire right hand burned hot, and alarm bells rang in Celitia's mind.

What's happening?

Could it be that just touching this box would cause her to be affected by the mysterious power inside?

Celitia instinctively raised her hand, aimed at the window gap, and threw the black velvet box far out the window.

"Ah!"

Charlotte was nearly hit by the box Celitia threw and crouched down with her head covered, barely dodging it.

She angrily turned to complain to Marianne:

"Your Majesty! You saw it too—Celitia has been acting crazy and throwing tantrums since she walked in!!"

Celitia ignored Charlotte.

Enduring the severe pain in her hand, Celitia anxiously asked Sophia:

"Sophia, are you experiencing any abnormal sensations right now?"

Sophia instinctively shook her head: "No... no..."

She was completely confused by the argument between the two.

What was inside the box looked like just an ordinary envelope and an ordinary ribbon.

What on earth was happening?

"That's good—"

Celitia had just breathed a sigh of relief when her inner wrist sent another wave of intense pain, making her almost cry out.

She tightly covered her wrist, slowly opened her fingers, and saw a mysterious symbol appear on the inside of her wrist.

The symbol emitted a deep purple glow, as if branded onto her pale skin.

Yet the people around Celitia, whether Charlotte or Sophia, seemed to see nothing abnormal.

Could only she see it?

It was a strange symbol composed of radiating lines and interconnected circular rings, with an inverted eye in the center.

Celitia watched as the eye slowly opened, revealing a six-pointed star in its pupil.

"Ugh...!"

The moment she clearly saw the inverted eye, it felt like her head had been struck hard with a heavy hammer, and Celitia involuntarily let out a muffled groan.

Celitia seemed to see countless fragments of information, but couldn't connect them into readable information.

Her brain buzzed with sharp, piercing pain, and she clutched her head in agony.

Noticing Celitia's abnormal reaction, Sophia immediately panicked: "Lily? What's wrong?"

Rushing to Celitia's side, Sophia tried to support her.

"Don't come near me—"

Clutching her head tightly, Celitia retreated two steps backward, resolutely avoiding Sophia.

Something was wrong.

Very wrong.

Rather, from the moment she encountered that mysterious shadowy woman in the corridor, she had already begun to feel off.

Celitia's first instinct was that she absolutely couldn't let Sophia touch her.

All eyes in the VIP hall fell on Celitia.

"Celitia?"

Sophia pursued her forward, Ariel approached from behind, and even Marianne and Ileana stood up with concern.

Having no time to explain to them, Celitia immediately turned around and ran out the door.

Ariel tried to reach out and stop her but couldn't hold her back.

Her arm ached from being knocked by the girl, and Ariel wondered in confusion—when did Celitia become so strong?

"Lily?!"

Sophia watched helplessly as Celitia knocked Ariel aside and ran out, disappearing from sight in an instant.

"What on earth is going on?!" she shouted at Charlotte.

Charlotte was also completely bewildered: "How would I know?"

Sophia stamped her feet anxiously and also rushed out: "I'm going to find her!"

Celitia's sudden intrusion and equally sudden departure threw the VIP hall into chaos.

Both Sophia and Ariel ran out, and Marianne also instructed the guards to search for Celitia's whereabouts.

Only Ileana sat back down in her chair, looking deeply thoughtful.

Avoiding the crowded masses, Celitia ran out through the side door of the ballroom, left the main hall, and ran along the corridor, focused only on getting away from the crowds.

Her strength gradually depleted, her steps forced to stop, Celitia could no longer hold on and slowly slid down against the wall behind her.

Holding her head tightly with both hands, Celitia gasped for breath.

"Ugh...!"

Her head continued to throb with intense pain, as if something was pulling and distorting her brain, and Celitia was in such agony she nearly screamed.