I kept biting my nails and thinking.

    If Kiaros finds out I’m an experimental subject... he’ll kill me...

    And honestly, if I were Kiaros, I’d kill me too.

    There’s no telling what kind of experiment those Modification Faction lunatics might pull on someone like my mom. And if I turned into some kind of monster or a human weapon? Then what?

    That’s why the Master of the Magic Tower kept saying it over and over.

    [Don’t tell anyone about what makes you special.]

    Even when he reported my mother and the Modification Faction to Kiaros, he never mentioned me.

    He was doing everything he could in his own way to protect me.

    But there’s just one thing that doesn’t add up. If they knew I was a successful subject, wouldn’t the Modification Faction have approached me already? They wouldn’t just leave me alone like this, right?

    I couldn’t figure it out. All I could assume was that the Modification Faction had no idea I even existed. Maybe they still don’t know the results of experimenting on a pregnant beast-human.

    Wait a second. Maybe dying wouldn’t be so bad?

    Better to die than live as a puppet, not even knowing what my life will become.

    Kiaros said he completely trusts me now, but what if I lose control of my body and become one of the Modification Faction’s puppets? That’d be the worst.

    Of course... there is another path.

    If I were to reveal that I’m Aran’s daughter and a successful experiment, I could probably become a high-ranking official in the Modification Faction. sea??h thё novёlF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    Maybe I could even rescue my father and live with him.

    Still, I don’t want to cooperate with them. Because...

    As logical as that decision might be for me personally, the conviction struck me hard.

    It’s not right.

    I didn’t want to join such a despicable, lowly group.

    I hated the idea of using living beings as test subjects. I hated the temples that sought power by sacrificing others and starting wars.

    Damn it...

    I let out a heavy sigh.

    In the end, I really was my father’s daughter. Maybe it was all that early moral education, but somehow, I ended up just {N?o?v?e?l?i?g?h?t} as ethical as him.

    If it comes to being used by the Modification Faction, I’d rather die. But still, for now...

    I wiped away my tears.

    Let’s catch the High Priest first.

    Even in the midst of everything, I wanted to finish the job. Whether I lived or died, the Modification Faction had to be destroyed.

    A plan started forming in my head—step by step.

    An opportunity to arrest the High Priest.

    This would be my final gift to Kiaros.

    Even so...

    I wasn’t afraid of death—but that didn’t mean I had no desires left in life.

    Before I die, I want to see Father and the Master of the Tower one more time...

    The memories of those who cared for me passed through my mind.

    Father’s warm smile as he always hugged me tight when I was little. The Master of the Tower’s letters, worrying about me until the very end. And...

    Kibon’s broad back, the way he picked me up without hesitation.

    The lingering look in his eyes we shared in this very room just a short while ago, full of nervous excitement.

    The way he gently expressed his heart, using the night air as an excuse—those feelings floated up once more.

    [I like it.]

    [I like it too.]

    Tears I’d held back started to stream down.

    ***

    The next morning.

    Kiaros had woken at dawn and was working when a page entered with a letter from Namia.

    Your Highness, I hope you had a restful night.

    Would you be able to come to my room while I’m meeting with the High Priest today?

    The letter was polite but short and dry.

    As he wrote a short reply of agreement, Kiaros asked habitually,

    “Any other unusual details?”

    “Ah... yes.”

    The page glanced around nervously and said,

    “She briefly went out last night. Said she couldn’t sleep and took a walk.”

    “Namia did?”

    “Yes, Your Highness. Since you didn’t give orders for surveillance, we didn’t interfere. She went out through the back path near the temple and returned shortly after.”

    Kiaros frowned.

    He’d told her to call for Kibon whenever she went out, but maybe she skipped it because it was nighttime.

    And to go near the temple, even within the palace grounds—still too dangerous.

    He resolved to scold her about it. She must call for Kibon, no matter what...

    Or maybe not.

    Kiaros rubbed his forehead, lost in thought.

    If I reveal everything today, then Kibon disappears. So should I tell her to call me instead? But knowing Namia, she’ll never actually do that.

    Bringing in another guard wasn’t even on the table.

    If we’re together too much, we’ll end up falling for each other.

    Spoken like someone with firsthand experience.

    Just as he was agonizing over the situation—

    Another attendant rushed in.

    “Your Highness. The High Priest has entered the Minister of Scrolls’ quarters.”

    Time to play along with the flimsy little trap Namia had laid.

    Kiaros didn’t think anything too serious would happen. The High Priest wasn’t insane—no matter how well the stage was set, he wouldn’t dare attack the Crown Prince.

    “I see.”

    Kiaros quickly pulled out a mirror and nodded.

    “Let’s get ready.”

    Namia had definitely said she preferred the ‘Kiaros’ version over the ‘Kibon’ one.

    It was the only advantage he could count on now—so he had to keep leaning into it.

    [Really? That outer shell was better than this?]

    [No matter how good-looking that intern is, he can’t compare to the Crown Prince, a Dragonblood...]

    When she found out Kibon was Kiaros, well—something had to be worth the shock.

    ***

    I ended up staying awake all night.

    Weirdly, my mind still felt crystal clear. Guess I powered through the emotional trauma with sheer mental strength.

    And first thing in the morning, I summoned the High Priest.

    “Agh, I’m so tired, I couldn’t sleep at all with so many thoughts swirling around... My condition’s a total mess.”

    I sighed deeply, looking at myself in the mirror.

    Normally, I’d be with Kibon. But today, I just didn’t have the courage to see his face. So I deliberately hadn’t called for him.

    In fact, I was planning to ask him to stay hidden, just in case the High Priest attacked.

    But now... just imagining his face might make me cry. So I’d come up with a different plan altogether.

    I stared at my reflection and muttered with dissatisfaction,

    “My skin’s rough, and I’ve got dark circles under my eyes. Don’t you think so?”

    “That is correct.”

    “You really had to answer honestly, huh? Wow, your social skills are the worst...”

    I rolled my eyes dramatically, imitating Oson, and folded my arms.

    “Well, anyway, could you please give me a bit of divine energy? I think I’d feel better with some.”

    The High Priest gave me a look that said, ‘If you’re tired, just sleep—why take it out on me?’ but he didn’t voice it.

    I yawned and lazily swung my legs.

    He must be similar to me.

    The suspicion I’d held onto was now certainty.

    Nausea, vomiting blood, then suddenly recovering... It’s got to be a side effect from the experiment.

    In the original novel, he never aged. So I was sure it was some kind of experiment to prolong life.

    And when he vomited blood, he got stronger.

    According to Luka, during the banquet, the High Priest had vomited blood.

    That meant he’d gained some kind of supernatural power.

    Kiaros doesn’t know the High Priest is an experimental subject. So he probably thinks I’ve just made some sloppy plan and is humoring me.

    But if the High Priest used his inhuman power to try and kill Kiaros—and we caught him immediately afterward?

    It’d be a huge blow to the Modification Faction.

    That’s why I hadn’t run away yet, even knowing Kiaros would kill me the moment he found out.

    “Then I shall begin the prayer.”

    The High Priest immediately summoned divine energy. Instantly, my condition improved.

    Even after pulling an all-nighter, my body and mind felt amazing.

    Oh, this is great.

    I’d gone through all this just to lay a trap, but receiving divine power felt like I’d been given a huge gift. The look of satisfaction on my face made the High Priest sigh faintly.

    “Wonderful. Wow, if you stayed with me forever, I wouldn’t even need to sleep.”

    “Um... About that promise from last time... I trust you’ll keep it.”

    Of course. That had to be his real reason for coming. He must’ve been dying to say it.

    I stretched and gave a relaxed smile.

    “I know. And in that spirit, High Priest—would you like to stay for a cup of tea?”

    “...Pardon?”

    “His Highness the Crown Prince will be joining us soon, you see.”