Last time, it was the group of brothers who had come to our estate.

‘What were their names again?’

I hummed softly, trying to recall.

‘Ah, that’s right.’

There was Wuel Langro, president of the Archer Club.

Cassian Germo, son of Duke Germo.

Ted Madillo, the youngest inductee of the Imperial Magic Research Society.

It was those three.

Then, Wuel Langro, president of the Archer Club, came up to me with an “Ah!”

“Oh, here you are.”

Ted Madillo pushed up his glasses and said,

“Of course, you’re the Western Wonhwa and granddaughter of Duke Astra. Not to mention, the daughter of Viscount Deimond Astra.”

Prince Germo nodded.

Wuel Langro smiled faintly and said,

“That means he’s glad to see you.”

“Nice to meet you, Your Highness.”

When I said that, he narrowed his eyes and leaned forward.

“Really?”

“Of course.”

“Hmm, sounds like a lie to me.”

“Pardon?”

“Well, who would try so hard to avoid someone they were glad to see?”

“Avoid...?”

I asked as if I didn’t understand, and he widened his eyes.

“You turned down the request to join the Western army, didn’t you?”

“Excuse me?”

“What, you didn’t know? You said you’d join as a volunteer in the Wonhwa army before the year-end festival.”

Wuel blinked and looked at Ted Madillo and Cassian Germo.

“Ted, you too, right?”

“Yes. I heard there was a shortage of holy knights, so I volunteered.”

What?

I was surprised.

‘Could the Western army soldiers have been blocking information from me?’

If so, other information probably hadn’t reached me either. I need to find out quickly...

“That’s strange. I told Balzak to pass the message!”

When I heard Balzak’s name, I paused.

I looked at Ted Madillo.

“Did you also inform my brother Joshua?”

“Yes, I spoke to Lord Joshua.”

“...”

So it wasn’t the Western army soldiers who blocked my information, but my brothers.

As I was silent, they both asked, “My lady?”

“Yes, now that I think about it, I believe I heard something. At last year’s year-end festival, the Wonhwa had agreed not to accept volunteers, so they must have forgotten to mention it.”

“I see.”

“Ah, then...”

Wuel smiled at me and continued.

“So it means you didn’t avoid it?”

“Yes. If they’re friends of my brothers, they’re also precious connections to me.”

“In that case, if it’s alright, how about joining me—”

At that moment,

“Kyaa—!”

An irritated scream came from the side.

Hera, former Central Wonhwa, grabbed my neck and hid behind me.

“Guys, don’t come into my sight!”

“Ugh, you’re here too?”

Wuel frowned and said, and Hera completely hid me behind her as she replied.

“Where the cute little kittens are, that’s where I am. Move aside, move aside!”

“What did I do?”

“Today, I planned to soak in the beautiful sight of cute little kittens!”

“If you don’t like it, you can go!”

“That’s true. Shall we go, little kitten?”

“Leave the Viscountess of Astra here! I have something to say!”

Hera flapped her hands, covering and uncovering her ears, with a droopy smile.

‘Wow...’

Such behavior in the capital’s social scene.

If it were back in Yuhye-min’s days, it would be like showing up at school in a Young Dress.

But the kids here weren’t even embarrassed.

They just nodded kindly as if they were used to it.

“So, you’re Hera.”

“Today I’m quite calm too. People really do become more mature with age.”

“Right, Miss Leviya.”

Wuel Langro shouted,

“You crazy woman...!”

Hera laughed heartily as if nothing happened and took me away.

Then Sebastia followed.

“Where are you taking Erilot, sister?”

“To the lounge, of course. I’m not taking her to the restroom or anything.”

Hera smiled brightly, completely different from her expression in front of the boys.

Sebastia sighed deeply.

“It’s the Root. There aren’t many chances to experience this kind of blessing.”

“Hmm. Today’s blessing doesn’t seem like it’ll mean much.”

Hera muttered discontentedly.

“More like disgusting.”

“Pardon?”

“Hm? No offense.”

Hera chuckled and gently stroked Sebastia’s cheek.

“Don’t you want to come to the lounge too, little kitten? They have delicious dacquoise there.”

“I’ll stay here.”

“If that’s what you want. Little kitten, do you want to stay here too?”

Hera and Sebastia looked at me.

I hesitated for a moment, then stepped toward Hera.

“I’ll go to the lounge.”

“Good idea~.”

Sebastia reluctantly stepped back.

Hera and I left the hall and walked down the corridor.

After some walking, we entered the lounge, and Hera slammed the door like throwing it as soon as I went in.

Then she trembled as if feeling bad.

“I can still feel that energy here. Ugh, disgusting.”

“Um...”

“Hmm? Why would our little kitten start so carefully? What were you going to say?”

I asked Hera.

“Isn’t the blessing an incredible power that strengthens the blessing (gaho)? Why do you find it so disgusting?”

“I really like real blessings too. They feel really good.”

Hera clasped her cheeks as if overwhelmed by a pleasant memory.

“It’s like being gently stroked by my late grandmother. Like being wrapped in a cat’s soft newborn fur.”

“Real blessings? Then is that a fake blessing?”

“I can’t tell you that...”

Hera rested her chin on her index finger and groaned softly.

Then she shrugged and looked at me.

“But since you’re such a cute little kitten, I’ll give you a hint. A very special one.”

“...?”

“Real blessings can’t be compared to things like that. If the flow of the ‘real’ is strong enough, it can even cure any illness.”

“...”

“Actually, you shouldn’t receive fake blessings... No, I can’t say that even for the cutest little kitten.”

She spoke vaguely, but the point was clear.

‘That blessing is fake.’

How could I tell if it was fake or not?

‘Today is the first time I’ve received a blessing, so I don’t know.’

Hera smiled and pointed behind me.

“How about some dacquoise? They’re really delicious.”

On a plate on the sofa table were colorful dacquoise.

“...I like them.”

“Good~! Let’s eat them all!”

Hera grabbed my shoulder and quickly walked toward the sofa.

Hera poured tea brought by the servant and glanced sideways.

Erilot was eating the dacquoise deliciously.

Her cheeks puffed out like a chipmunk and wobbled plumply.

“Cuuute~!”

Hera sighed with affection.

“...?”

Erilot looked at her, puzzled, and Hera shook her head.

“No, eat more. If it’s not enough, I’ll ask for more.”

She chuckled and wiped Erilot’s mouth.

Every girl is cute, but this one is special.

Beautiful flowing golden hair.

Eyes shining like pure gems.

Every finger joint and eyelash seemed crafted by a master.

‘I wouldn’t get tired of just looking for ten years.’

As Hera looked at Erilot with a dreamy expression,

There was a knock, tap tap.

A servant seemed to have come with a message.

“Miss Biferi is looking for the Western Wonhwa.”

Erilot quickly stood.

“It’s time to go home now.”

“Really? That’s a pity.”

“See you next time.”

“Really? Really?”

“Of course.”

Erilot bowed deeply and hurried out of the lounge.

The door closed behind her, and Hera sighed, wrapping her arms around herself.

“Cute. So cuuute~!”

Then,

[Su-hur-masi.]

The air subtly moved, and a dull voice sounded somewhere.

Hera frowned.

“I know.”

[Continue the mission.]

“Got it. So please don’t talk to me, okay? I don’t like men’s voices.”

Then another gruff voice said.

[I’m a man too, you know.]

Hera’s eyes grew cold.

“I told you not to say that in front of me, Mashtabva the First.”

Soon black smoke rose from beneath Hera’s feet.

It wrapped around her entire body and then disappeared with the wind.

Out of it appeared a long-haired man in leather pants.

[Your “lady form” is disgusting as always.]

“You have plenty of time. You even have time to judge others without being asked. Oh, maybe you failed the last mission and were excluded from the next one.”

The voice was the perfect voice of a man.

[You...!]

[Stop!!]

The dull voice shouted.

[Stop the pointless fight and focus on the real battle before you.]

“Yes, yes. I understand.”

[Listen, Suhurmasi. This is the order from the ‘Creator of the Messiah.’]

Hera frowned.

“No matter how much it’s Kumal’s order, I’m uneasy. Is he really the Creator of the Messiah?”

[Kumal represents our Messiah. His word is the Messiah’s word. We should avoid unnecessary doubts.]

“It’s because it’s our precious Messiah’s matter.”

Hera grumbled.

“If that Messiah isn’t really his daughter, then we’re risking our lives for nothing.”

[...]

“Ah, when will our Messiah arrive in this land?”

[You...]

“Why don’t we just make that little kitten the Messiah?”

[Suhurmasi!]

Hera shrugged.

[It’s certain our Messiah will be born carrying Astra blood.]

“Hm...”

Hera’s expression changed.

She had inspected all the third-generation Astras but couldn’t find the Messiah.

‘In the end, the Messiah must be that person’s daughter.’

That person said his daughter was the Messiah and that the Messiah’s womb had disappeared with the precious child.

The blessing trace he showed to the 12 Stars was definitely that of the ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ Messiah’s guardian star, ‘Seilon.’

‘But still, I find it suspicious.’

It wasn’t hard to understand Kumal working with that person.

‘Since there’s no other clue to find the Messiah, we have no choice but to trust him.’

Hera clicked her tongue with folded arms.

The dull voice said.

[We need permission to send our intelligence disguised as merchants to various regions.]

“...To find our Messiah.”

Hera and the voices murmured in unison.

[All for the Messiah.]

[For the Messiah.]

“For the Messiah.”

Hera’s eyes chilled.

Back in the hall, I quickly grabbed Sebastia’s arm and said,

“How’s your blessing?”

“Hm?”

“Your blessing. Has it grown stronger? Hmm?”

“Since we received the blessing, it probably has. Let me see...”

Sebastia clenched and unclenched her right hand repeatedly.

“Yeah, it definitely got stronger.”

“I see...”

“Why? Curious about blessings?”

“Yes.”

“Then you should have received one.”

“Lady Leviya’s face looked truly displeased. I thought something was up.”

Sebastia hummed softly.

“That person has a frighteningly sharp intuition.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, she notices a typhoon coming a week in advance. Even meteorologists can’t do that.”

Something definitely felt off.

Real blessings and fake blessings.

One shouldn’t receive a fake blessing.

‘Is something wrong with my body?’

They said the blessing definitely got stronger.

‘If real blessings are that powerful, if I could get real land of blessing...’

It means I could make even my father’s already strongest blessing even more powerful.

Of course, mine too.

“The second level was that powerful. If I go to third or fourth level...”

While I was lost in thought, Sebastia said,

“By the way, what about that task you were supposed to do here?”

“Huh?”

“Finding your father’s academy classmates?”

“Oh, right.”

There were many famous people who were in the same class as my father.

They were also powerful figures.

But I couldn’t find even two.

“You said you were looking for Cainrod, right? Then there’s someone here who can connect to him.”

Sebastia pointed at Ted Madillo while holding me.

“Cainrod is the illegitimate child of the Madillo Marquis family.”

“...?”

“And he’s called the strongest magician in the shadows.”

“The strongest magician?”

I looked at Sebastia in surprise.

“The Magician of the Wasteland. His real name is Cainrod.”

I glanced at Ted.

He was the youngest member of the Imperial Magic Research Society.

If he had the help of my third uncle...

I recalled that word.

‘A jackpot.’

I found the jackpot!