"Mira... is a princess...?", Veridith asked.

  As the question hung in the air, a figure slowly emerged before them. It was a small, zy-looking girl with the same sky-blue hair as both Aeroxia and the fallen Barol, her features bearing a striking resembnce to theirs. However, her face was now contorted with rage.

  "Well, well. So, you’ve decided to show yourself. I thought for sure you’d keep hiding. The runaway princess, are you?"

  "......"

  Mira, her eyes fixed on the masked figure, tightened her grip on the wand in her hand and gave it a swift wave.

  In an instant, a spell shot towards the masked figure—but midway through its flight, it suddenly veered off course, striking Barol instead.

  "…cough! Cough, cough..."

  Barol, who had been on the brink of death and had a gaping hole in his chest, found himself bathed in both Mira's magic and her presence. Gradually, the damage began to heal, and the wound on his chest began to close.

  "…sister…"

  Barol, his voice weak, managed to utter a single word as he looked up at the newly arrived Mira.

  "Sorry… I…"

  "That can wait. Step back," Mira commanded, her tone firm.

  Seeing Mira’s expression full of murderous intent, even the stubborn Barol, who had once stood so defiantly in Aeroxia’s eyes, lowered his head and obediently stepped behind her, to join the others.

  "…Ah! As expected of someone we hold in high regard! Even wounds of such magnitude can be healed with but a single spell!" the masked figure remarked, mockingly.

  "Shut up," Mira replied sharply, casting another spell. This time, however, it wasn’t a healing spell, but a direct attack aimed squarely at the masked figure.

  Yet, as expected, the figure emerged unscathed when the smoke cleared.

  "Careful now, Grand Princess. Such anger might damage your liver, don’t you think? Oh, but of course, being the Head of Healing Magic, you’re likely aware of that."

  The masked figure’s words trailed off as their gaze shifted to Aeroxia, who stood behind Mira, looking bewildered.

  "Ah, the second princess of the Lidolu Kingdom. You look quite confused. Would you like me to enlighten you?"

  "I told you to shut up."

  "Oh, but now I must speak," the masked figure continued, as though deliberately provoking Mira, spinning the tale of old.

  "You must have realised by now that your memories are incomplete, or rather, strange, right?"

  The words struck Aeroxia like a bolt of lightning. There were indeed scenes from the past that didn’t align with her understanding of events. And now, coupled with the masked figure’s words...

  "About twenty-four years ago, in the Kingdom of Lidolu, a girl was born. As the daughter of the then King, she should have been beloved by the people. However, there was one thing that made all of that impossible. She was born as a bastard."

  Not only was this a serious issue in itself, but the king was also on the cusp of marrying his fiancée when this illegitimate child was revealed. The situation was nothing short of scandalous.

  Despite this, the girl, being the king’s flesh and blood, was accepted by the soon-to-be queen, and was allowed to live in the pace in secret, hidden from the public eye.

  "You know the rest. The first and second princes were born, and they learned of their half-sister from their mother and father. It was a time of warmth and harmony back then!"

  At this point, the masked figure’s expression shifted, adopting a false look of sorrow.

  "But who could have predicted that, with the birth of the fourth royal child, the girl’s own mother would die? And after that, this once harmonious family began to unravel!"

  "…!"

  Aeroxia’s eyes widened in shock, her face registering disbelief.

  "I... it was because of me…"

  "Enough! I told you to be silent!"

  Mira’s voice thundered, filled with a rare fury as she unleashed a barrage of magical attacks at the masked figure.

  But this time, no smoke obscured the figure, and the magic vanished inexplicably before it could even touch them.

  "Ah, the runaway princess, once so eager to avoid her responsibilities, now wants to return and help the family she abandoned?" the masked figure mocked, their voice dripping with scorn.

  "Don’t think I don’t know! You’ve been pulling the strings behind all of this, haven’t you?!"

  "What a grave accusation. Do you have any evidence to back it up?"

  "…"

  Mira fell silent. She had suspected someone was behind the events, controlling things from the shadows. But she had no proof to confront them with.

  "Let’s return to the matter at hand. The newborn princess was clueless, but after the queen’s death, the hidden eldest princess began distancing herself from her brothers and sisters. And when the youngest princess turned three, she abandoned everyone and left the kingdom..."

  "She didn’t abandon us!"

  It was not Mira who spoke this time, but Barol, whose voice was weak but filled with conviction. He had only just recovered, and his body was still frail.

  "She left to protect us! She left so we could be safe, not because she was heartless! And I... I failed to live up to her expectations. I didn’t fulfill my responsibilities..."

  "Indeed, a minor temptation was all it took for you to harm your own family and start a war. Truly, a negligent older brother!"

  "…Hmm... But surely, there was someone influencing his mind?"

  It was then that, after remaining silent for so long, Veridith spoke up.

  "You... you don’t mean...?"

  The masked figure’s brow twitched ever so slightly, but they quickly regained their composure, feigning calmness.

  "I’ve felt something was off for a while. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, but after hearing what was just said, I finally understand."

  Veridith pointed at Barol.

  "There’s something familiar about him, something that reminds me of the way people’s minds were maniputed when I saw it before. It’s almost identical."

  Veridith continued, her posture striking, hands pced firmly on her hips, a proud smirk on her face.

  It could be said that Veridith was a genius, even if her emotional intelligence was still maturing due to her age. But when given the right circumstances, she could be incredibly reliable.

  "…Tch, whatever. Bored now."

  Seeing their pns unravel, the masked figure seemed disinterested. Despite their mask, the change in expression was palpable, as they visibly grew frustrated.

  "I was hoping to shatter your spirits mentally, but to be thwarted by such a brat—how boring!"

  However, the masked figure then paused, a new thought crossing their mind.

  "…Wait. If words won’t do, then let’s see how you handle pure power… yes. Power is the only truth."

  The atmosphere around the masked figure shifted dramatically. Their previously suppressed power was unleashed, radiating outward and pressing down on those around them, forcing both Veridith and Aeroxia, who cked the strength to withstand it, into boured breaths.

  "…Veridith..."

  "…Mm."

  Feeling the oppressive force, both Mira and Veridith tensed. Both were now at the sixth rank, but this individual far surpassed their level.

  "Looks like… we’re in for a tough fight."