I spun around in an instant.

There was no particular sign of presence.

‘I don’t even feel any magical power.’

I tilted my head in confusion and kept walking.

Moonlight streaming through the window seeped onto the high-quality marble floor.

Thanks to the magic tools floated around the hall, it wasn’t so cold despite it being winter.

But something was strange.

The deeper I went toward the darkness, the more peculiar the wind felt.

I stopped abruptly in the corridor.

As I shifted my gaze, a huge window was wide open.

The curtains on both sides of the window did not move.

The curtains did not... move.

Damn it─!

I jumped back quickly from where I was standing.

Immediately after,

Shhh, shhh, shhh!

A fierce wind blew in.

The breeze cut across my cheek like a sharp scratch. When the scratch started to bleed—

“I heard you can’t do anything without monsters, half-baked mercenary. Looks like I need to raise your fee.”

A chillingly hoarse voice echoed in the darkness.

Then the wind seemed to take shape and calm, and from there appeared a man.

The man wore an ashen hooded robe, his spine hunched like a mountain.

He slid off his hood with long, sharp, skinny fingers like skewers.

A horrifying sight.

One eye was completely distorted; the other was bloodshot, all white of the eye vivid red.

More important than that...

‘His aura is no joke.’

Even to me, who doesn’t have a sacred lineage blessing, a fierce evil energy was strongly felt.

‘This is a terrifying powerhouse.’

Blessings of the Wind element were common.

Most famous archers had blessings that allowed them to read the wind.

Some wielded blessings that directly controlled wind.

My own Kendall from the Egritz army had the blessing.

‘But if someone can let their body merge with the wind like that, they should be at least Level 2, no, maybe Level 3.’

That meant a skill level comparable to my father.

I grasped my bracelet tightly, my face tense.

The man raised both hands with an “Ah, ah.”

“It’s no, no use. ‘We’ have someone who can disrupt the magical tool’s waves.”

You mean someone that skilled?

“...Who are you?”

“We are the . The salvation of this world─ Kuuut!”

Suddenly, the man grabbed his head in pain.

“You talk too much, Girtab.”

I flinched and looked up.

I definitely heard a voice above, but there was no one anywhere.

‘That presence is even stronger than the hunched man.’

An intense energy prickling my skin.

Just as I froze, the hunched man bowed his head, face pale blue, begging for forgiveness.

“I-I’m sorry, sorry, sorry, s-sorry...!”

“Complete your mission quickly.”

“Yes, yes!”

Only after the man repeatedly bowed did the voice vanish.

Then the man’s eyes glinted fiercely.

“Because of y-y-your woman, Kumal is angry.”

“You fool? Why is that my fault? Your boss got mad because you blabbed.”

The man gritted his teeth.

“I’m not a fool. Kumal gave me this name. I’m not a fool. My name is... Girtab─!!”

Crack─!!!

As he shouted, the wind shattered the corridor window and surged violently inside.

‘Ugh...!’

The wave was so strong I could barely breathe.

‘Nobody’s coming.’

No one could have missed this commotion.

Yet no one came, meaning we were completely cut off from outside.

“Ugh... Ombre...”

I squeezed out the words as Ombre popped out with a hiss from my shadow.

Only after Ombre wrapped around me could I breathe.

My whole body was covered with scratches like I’d been slashed by knives.

“Ombre, can you get us out of here?”

Ombre moved quickly but soon stopped with a hollow sound.

It seemed blocked by a wall of wind created by the man.

Ombre, enveloping me, began to collapse like pus dripping down.

‘I was so scared I fully materialized.’

That’s the trait of a shadow monster.

Ombre only materialized once before.

When it got excited while playing and injured me, my dad got furious seeing my wound.

It never materialized except then.

‘This man must be a powerful opponent comparable to my dad’s wrath.’

Now I couldn’t even trust Ombre.

I gritted my teeth.

‘What should I do? What can I do?’

Magic tools are unusable.

If I can’t call for outside help...

“Sorry!”

I shouted loudly.

The man flinched.

“I’m not a fool. I made a mistake. I apologize.”

“Y-you... apology accepted.”

“Yeah, sorry. Girtab, that’s a pretty name, isn’t it?”

“It was entrusted to me by Kumal.”

“Giving a good name means he trusts you. Right?”

“Trust...”

The man’s face grew hazy.

He chuckled nervously and nodded strongly.

“K-Kumal trusts me...”

“You’ve done something big in your organization, huh?”

“Y-yeah. I always work hard...”

“You can do bigger things.”

I said quietly to him.

“Bigger things...”

“Deal with me. If you save me, I’ll double your fee.”

The wind stopped completely, and I cautiously stepped forward.

The man flinched but did not avoid me.

‘Looks like this is the first ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ time he’s received an apology.’

A monster-human hybrid?

No, it’s more likely an experimental subject somewhere.

Only nobles can use blessings.

‘Maybe a noble’s experimental subject.’

He’s sensitive to being called a fool, so he must have been in a pretty lowly state to be mocked like that.

‘So let’s be polite.’

Politely...

I spread my skirt wide and bowed lightly.

“I wish to make a deal with you.”

“......”

As expected!

My guess was right.

When I acted politely, the man’s anger remarkably faded.

“I stake the name of Erilot Astra, the 23rd descendant of the Astra, granddaughter of the great Chronos Astra, and daughter of Daymond Astra, on this deal...”

“As... Astra.”

Huh?

The man stared blankly at me.

“A-Astra.”

“......?”

“Astra, Astra, Astra, Astra, Astra, Astra, Astra, Astra... Uranos Astra─!!”

Eek!

The waves grew rough again.

‘Uranos Astra was the former duke.’

My great-great-grandfather, the former duke who was pushed out by grandfather.

‘My goodness. Could that man be an Astra experiment subject...?’

At that moment,

Bang! Something flew behind me with a loud sound.

“Ombre!”

Ombre was slammed against the wall by the man’s wave.

Because it was fully materialized, green blood was dripping.

I held Ombre and looked at the man.

He was even more excited than before.

Like a monster completely losing its mind.

“Ombre, snap out of it!”

I couldn’t leave this kid behind.

No, without Ombre, there was no way to escape that man.

‘Damn that ancestor. That old man’s no help!’

Not helpful at all.

Of all things, they made that man an experimental subject...

‘What should I do? Should I call Lagon?’

Since Lagon is an ancient monster, even if cut off, he would notice my ‘voice.’

But this is the Outer Palace.

Meaning it belongs to the Imperial Palace.

The Empress will come soon, but if the Outer Palace gets destroyed...

‘I’d be trapped in the palace and never get out.’

It would be as if giving the emperor a reason to own me.

‘That’s no way to live. But I can’t just die like this...’

At that moment,

Crash─!!

With the sound of something breaking, someone leapt and blocked the man.

Long navy hair blowing in the wind.

A silhouette shining in the moonlight.

A soothing, gentle scent.

“Stand back, intruder.”

“......”

“Are you alright, Young Mistress?”

A pleasant voice rang in my ear.

“Jeanne!”

The woman I had chosen as my nanny.

Jeanne Massif.

“How did you come here?”

“I’m your nanny. Shouldn’t nannies accompany their young ladies to parties?”

She smiled warmly.

‘Saved...!’

Jeanne was from a humble family, yet she became a formidable commander of the emperor’s knight corps assault squad—even as a woman.

Also, a genius knight who raised her blessing to Level 3.

‘So that arrogant superior only went to jail after she beat him up.’

Besides, Jeanne’s blessing was .

She had a special ability to erase blessings.

‘Without blessings, it’s hard to deal with that man.’

But she didn’t bring a weapon...

Even Jeanne, I wondered, could she handle him unarmed?

Worried, I watched Jeanne look seriously at the man.

“Are you the one who injured my Young Mistress?”

“...Huh? Yes! That’s him!”

Jeanne picked up a candlestick lying on the floor.

“Don’t leave my side.”

“Okay!”

I clung tightly behind Jeanne.

“The dogs of Astra, such as you...”

The man said, but Jeanne replied,

“Watch your mouth. It won’t end with just tearing you apart.”

Truly a hot-tempered woman who beats her superiors!

‘Awesome, Jeanne.’

Until now, I only kept fragile men who I had to protect.

But now, such a cool nanny is protecting me.

In my mind, I pictured Conrad, Han Ji-hyuk, and Mikellan shrinking and bowing to Jeanne.

‘Good job, me!’

I’m so glad I secured a nanny in advance.

“Come, trash.”

Jeanne’s words excited the man.

“I’m not trash─!!”

The wind blew fiercely again.

But when Jeanne swung the candlestick, it vanished like a spring breeze.

The man was utterly flustered.

“The power given by the stars... my power.”

Is it his first time facing blessing destruction?

People with special blessings are rare, and blessing destruction is even more rare.

Jeanne kicked the ground hard and lowered her body, lunging at the man.

In an instant, she slashed his collarbone with the candlestick’s tip.

‘Good, good!’

I was excited, of course.

Ombre, now finally coming to its senses, also moved its body happily.

Jeanne’s attack was fiercer than the man’s wind.

No wasted movement, precise and swift hit-and-run.

The man was dazed.

I could see our surrounding intangible barrier slowly breaking.

And finally.

Crash─!

The barrier completely broke.

At that moment, the man collapsed with a thud.

“What was that sound just now!”

“Yes?”

“Check immediately!”

I heard a guard’s voice from afar.

The man who collapsed was panting.

“I-I won’t lose. I won’t lose...”

His pupils gradually turned red.

Just as the back of his hood raised and tore like a shark’s fin—

“The barrier’s gone. What will you do if they break the restraining stone?”

“Foolish.”

Two people appeared from somewhere.

Their faces were hidden, but judging by their silhouettes, they looked like teenagers around 14.

The boys wore the same hooded robes as the man.

The boy on the right grabbed the back of the man’s neck and pulled him up.

“Ma, Mashitabva (Gemini)...”

As the boy bowed, silver hair spilled out from beneath his hood.

His hair was dazzlingly radiant, almost melting.

When he raised his head, I caught a glimpse of his eyes—terrifyingly beautiful and a transparent sky blue that seemed to chill the whole body.

Then the sound of marching boots grew nearer.

“Hey, who’s there!”

A guard’s voice.

The boy glanced at me.

Then he winked slightly.

“You’ll see me again.”

“...I really don’t want to.”

The boys chuckled softly.

“Interesting.”

“Yeah, interesting. And I like pretty and fun beauties.”

A soldier came running.

“No, Western Army elite!”

At that moment, the boys and the man vanished with a shh sound.

Jeanne asked me,

“Are you alright?”

“Mm... but...”

“Yes, they are not easy opponents.”

The boys said,

“What will you do if they break the restraining stones?”

─meaning the man had shown that tremendous power even while restrained.

‘If there were more of them...’

Terrifying.

One alone was as strong as an army.

‘Jeanne wouldn’t stand a chance.’

If the others were also Astra’s experimental subjects...

“Grimy.”

They must be his soldiers.

‘We need stronger soldiers.’

I have to raise the Egritz army to their level.

“Young Mistress?”

“Hm?”

“Shall we go?”

“Mm.”

I looked toward where the man and boys disappeared and followed Jeanne.

Those who saw Erilot return to the party hall stirred loudly.

‘Wounds? You’re injured?’

Before returning alone, I had received treatment from a healer, but since the wounds were caused by blessings, they couldn’t fully heal.

Among the nobles whispering, another gaze focused on me.

Silin gritted his teeth.

‘What? Didn’t you say you’d handle it alone?’

Those idiots!

At that moment, a Northern Army elite near Silin’s side opened their eyes wide.

“Hey, Jeanne Massif?”

The nobles stirred even more.

“Massif? Lady Massif? Wait, isn’t that the nanny’s insignia?”

“Could she really be Erilot Astra’s nanny?”

“I thought she was in prison? How did someone from the imperial knights become a nanny...?”

“Fools. Jeanne Massif’s name was completely erased from the imperial military. Since she was expelled, she could work for other families.”

My goodness.

People gaped, staring at Erilot.

‘She made Jeanne Massif her nanny?’

Just how far does that girl’s ability go!