The next morning.

Jeanne woke up early to help me prepare for my assignment.

She even draped a robe over my shoulders and said,

“You look very dignified.”

“It’s the color of the Western Army.”

Each army had its symbolic color.

The Central Army wore white.

The Eastern Army, deep navy.

The Southern Army, a muted green.

The Northern Army, vivid purple.

And the Western Army...

“Red.”

“It suits you best, Young Mistress.”

Jeanne ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) poked my cheek lightly, then lowered her body to meet my gaze.

“Do your best, but be brave without overdoing it.”

She meant courage that does not fear death.

To try your hardest, yes.

But not to the point of breaking yourself.

Her words made me smile.

“As much as you can... without going overboard...”

I understood that I didn’t have to push myself to the point of damage.

“What did I say yesterday?”

“That I am my father’s treasure, the precious family of my older brothers, and the most precious person in the world to Jeanne.”

“So?”

“So my worth isn’t decided by just a competition! It’s my heart that determines my value!”

“You’re quite smart.”

Jeanne hugged me, rubbing her cheek against mine.

I giggled.

‘Is this what a mother feels like?’

Just being near her put me at ease—no fear at all.

‘Wow. Being loved by a caretaker feels amazing.’

My father loved me deeply too, but he wasn’t someone who expressed feelings so well with words like Jeanne.

But then I felt a strange gaze from behind.

“Lost in their own little world again...”

A gloomy voice echoed.

I glanced back and saw my older brothers staring darkly at Jeanne.

‘...Even Dad?’

Their expressions were sinister, like concubines whose favor had been stolen.

“Dad?”

Startled, Dad strode forward.

He gave Jeanne a fierce look and then gripped my shoulder firmly.

“Try to do your best and act brave, but don’t slack off.”

“...Huh?”

“You are my treasured sword.”

...He oddly plagiarized Jeanne’s words?

But his eyes blazed too fiercely for me to point it out.

I smiled awkwardly and nodded.

“I’ll be back.”

“I and the family will watch over you in the palace.”

“Yes!”

My older brothers wore anxious expressions the entire time.

Balzac frowned.

“Are you sure you should go? You said some terrifying guy attacked you.”

“Yeah, Erilot.”

“We don’t know what could happen during the ghoul hunt.”

The news of the attack spread throughout the empire overnight.

‘After all, some intruder got into the Outer Palace.’

The Emperor and Grandfather were both furious.

The Emperor was angry about the royal family’s dignity being compromised, and Grandfather was angry that I was targeted.

Joshua tried to convince me kindly.

“Missing the assignment because of an attack isn’t strange.”

“Some might think I’m making excuses to avoid the competition.”

Richmond spoke up.

“But Erilot—”

“It’ll be broadcast through the magic arena. No fool would attack twice.”

“...”

“And if there’s trouble, they’ll come save you, right?”

Dad cleared his throat.

My brothers looked somewhat pleased.

“Of course I’ll be the one to save you...”

“I’ll be the one to save you...”

“Jeanne!”

I smiled brightly at Jeanne.

She smiled back warmly.

“Of course.”

“Good, I feel safe!”

She appeared like a hero again just in time yesterday.

But something was strange.

“...”

“...”

Another fierce aura came from behind.

I glanced back and saw Dad and my brothers wearing the same sinister concubine-like expressions.

If they had handkerchiefs, they’d be biting them.

And so began the assignment .

The Imperial Palace.

Nobles gathered to watch the highlight of the festival—the elite troop competition.

A noble whispered to a lady beside her while looking around.

“My goodness, the level of guests invited to watch this is quite impressive.”

“Besides the empire’s highest nobles, there are also guests from foreign countries.”

“The crown prince of Aligiosa, dukes of Laontra and Palasa’s magic tower lord... all six dukes of our empire have gathered.”

“This year’s elite troops are unusually the sons and daughters of great families.”

The Central Army had Silin, daughter of Duke Chateaubriand.

The Eastern Army had Sebastia, granddaughter of Duke Biferi.

And the Western Army had...

“That Erilot Astra.”

“The Duke Astra’s specially favored child.”

“The girl who has a dragon.”

The lady waved her fan and glanced around.

“It’s a stage where you can gauge how impressive the heirs of each family really are.”

“They all want to watch with burning eyes.”

“So even the social elites have gathered.”

Just as their conversation ended,

“The Emperor arrives!”

The massive gate connected to the Imperial Palace opened.

All guests rose respectfully at once.

The eldest duke, Duke Isiron, led the chant.

“Endless glory to Kalsoye!”

The nobles echoed,

“Glory!”

“Glory!”

The Empress and Empress Dowager followed the Emperor, smiling as he took his seat of honor.

The Emperor raised his hand lightly.

“Please, be seated.”

The guests sat down at once.

After the Emperor’s brief opening speech, a giant spherical magic tool appeared in the center.

It was a special device that displayed a 360-degree broadcast.

Duke Isiron laughed kindly and said,

“It’s been sixty years since the sacred relic Tantila (Mirror of God) was last used. Expectations are high for this festival.”

“The dukes sent outstanding talents to the elite troops, so we can only expect the best.”

The Emperor smiled and looked at the dukes.

Duke Chateaubriand bowed.

“It’s an honor, Your Majesty.”

Dukes Biferi and Astra also bowed lightly.

The Emperor laughed and raised a champagne glass.

“I look forward to seeing who will be the winner. Activate Tantila.”

The mages promptly moved to operate the device.

As preparations proceeded, the nobles whispered.

“The Emperor’s gaze lingers long on Duke Chateaubriand.”

“Surely the winner will be the Central Army’s elite troops?”

“It’s thanks to Silin Chateaubriand’s leadership that this usually lousy group is surviving.”

“Sebastia Biferi is also highly anticipated.”

“How about Erilot Astra?”

Someone’s question made the nobles pause.

Their eyes shifted to the Astra family quietly watching Tantila.

“She’s proven her skill within the family, but outside? Isn’t she too young?”

“She lacks experience commanding troops.”

“The blessing to tame monsters is special, but monsters won’t be allowed in this hunt.”

Ghouls take over monsters and control their bodies.

“No fool would use monsters.”

“And the famed dragon won’t be useful here either.”

“If she summons a dragon while the Emperor watches, it’s tantamount to declaring war...”

Despite individual talent, many restrictions applied.

No way she could beat the other elite troops with years of command experience.

“Will we finally see the Duke Astra’s face twist in rage?”

“Oh my, how cruel.”

The rumors about Astra’s third generation being excellent were just gossip.

Those who had actually fought alongside them called it nonsense.

‘How could family training compare to the education in the capital?’

The Astra third generation frowned at the chuckles.

“Those brats...”

Adam frowned and Loreina said,

“Do you intend to look foolish before Grandfather?”

“But sister...! Tch, aren’t we disgraced because of Erilot?”

“No one here really thinks she’ll win... It’s the content of the match that matters.”

At that moment, Tantila activated.

The noisy crowd instantly focused on the screen.

On the screen, the elite troops gathered at Azolde Plateau, the newly designated imperial burial ground.

Behind many young soldiers wearing different colored armbands fluttered military flags.

The Emperor’s knights, who oversee the festival’s missions, appeared before them.

Then,

Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!

The young soldiers stomped their feet and shouted in unison,

[Glade Ma Gus! (All glory beneath the empire’s feet)]

[Glade Ma Gus!]

[Glade Ma Gus!]

Amidst the loud and magnificent sounds, girls wearing armor and robes appeared.

They knelt before the Emperor’s direct knights and shouted,

[Infinite glory to Kalsoye!]

A middle-aged man watching the screen said,

“Look at the armor of the Central Army.”

“Each soldier’s armor is different.”

“They aren’t divided into units. The armor was custom-made for each soldier.”

Indeed, Silin Chateaubriand.

The thoughtful protector of the Central Army.

Han Ji-hyuk frowned watching the screen with Daymond.

“It’s only because the Central Army has money overflowing.”

If we had time and money, we could prepare armor like that too.

“The Western Army barely has armor fit for the ghoul hunt.”

The voice of the Emperor’s direct knights continued through the screen.

[Your blood, flesh, sweat, and tears are the path to the empire’s future─]

Then,

[Ki ki ki ki ki ki ki ki ki kik kik......!]

A chilling sound distorted the screen.

“What? An error in the broadcast of the sacred relic Tantila?”

“Impossible... Amatol─!”

Amatol, a bat-shaped monster that distorts magical waves.

“Though it lives in darkness... is there really Amatol here too?”

Not only ghouls to deal with.

Nobles watching were shocked, as were the young soldiers on screen.

[Amatol can’t be harmed by iron! Silver weapons! Silver weapons...!]

The Southern Army’s senior general shouted.

But Amatol was as fast as the Steel Raven monster.

Before the elite troops could prepare defense, it struck first.

[Kraaaak!]

“Damn, bitten! Abandon the bitten, they become Amatol’s thralls!”

Amatol’s physical power wasn’t great.

Its special ability to control a body by sucking blood was the nuisance.

The large size meant the tanks at the back got bitten.

“Damn! Get a grip... aagh!”

Red-eyed heavy armor soldiers swung massive weapons and charged.

Eastern Army’s elite Sebastia shouted,

“Scatter! Spread out! If bitten by Amatol...!”

Then,

Shick, shick, shick!

Silver arrows began piercing Amatol’s wings.

“What? ...Huh? That’s!”

“Western Army?”

The Western Army, often called the trash of the Imperial Guard, was precisely shooting spear-like arrows at Amatol’s wings.

“Those frail-looking boys, what strength do they have to shoot spear-like arrows...”

“Look! They’re magic soldiers! Magic soldiers are supporting from the rear!”

They used wind magic to compensate for their lack of strength.

‘Is that the Western Army?’

The dukes focused on the screen with shocked expressions.

The Emperor, well aware of his own troops, looked grim.

[Amatol. Lives in darkness. Its power grows stronger as darkness thickens...]

[Its weak point is its wings. Its left fang secretes a special fluid...]

[It injects the fluid into human bodies to control them...]

The Southern Army muttered darkly.

The Duke Astra looked at the Western Army’s direct line guests invited as guests.

“What is going on?”

“I was told to teach Erilot so she could recite everything about monsters living in darkness even in her sleep.”

“...What?”

“The assignment is soon, isn’t it? Shouldn’t she be resting? What if she collapses from exhaustion...?”

“People don’t collapse easily. What are you doing? Open your books.”

“That’s what she said.”

The nobles gasped hearing Liantin’s words.

‘So they predicted Amatol would appear?’

‘Since she was taught, even though they’re distracted, they have to act first...’

On screen, Silin gritted her teeth.

[Central Army! We need archers!]

“Yes!”

It was indeed the Central Army.

At command, they moved flawlessly.

Tanks shielded the archers, and those who read the wind gave orders.

But then,

[Guhk─!]

An archer aiming his bow suddenly began coughing up blood.

[G-Ghoul... ghouls are swarming...]

The Southern Army’s elite Rika Delpre muttered, pale-faced.

The back was ghouls; the front was Amatol.

“Monsters are attacking in coordination...?”

Duke Biferi muttered, flustered.

Balzac hurriedly asked Daymond,

“Has something like this happened during monster hunts before?”

“Impossible.”

Just then, a loud voice echoed.

“Surprise?!”

It was a loud voice... Erilot Astra’s.

The Southern Army reflexively shouted,

“Death─!!”

The Western Army, panicked by the monsters’ coordinated attack, stiffened and straightened their posture.

Erilot leapt swiftly and grabbed Amatol’s wing.

Startled, one Amatol hurriedly flew up.

[Ki ki ki ki kik!]

Using Amatol as transportation, Erilot charged into the ghouls.

“Whoa?! She’s going to be attacked like that!”

“Too hasty!”

The watching boys shouted.

But then,

[Gwaaaaaaah!]

When the ghouls attacked, Erilot pulled Amatol down to block.

Bang!

The ghouls’ dark energy struck Amatol directly.

When one of their own was attacked, Amatol’s gaze turned toward the ghouls.

“Alright, you two, fight it out.”

Han Ji-hyuk, watching the screen with his mouth agape, recalled,

‘Right, that guy...’

He had been a political aide.

A master of manipulating public opinion.

A master of sowing discord.

In the first life, he was the main villain of this world—a political schemer.

“Erilot─!”

Daymond clenched his fists and jumped to his feet.

“Go!”