G6 stood in the center of the dressing room, surrounded by enough pastel silk, satin, lace, and ruffles to offend her on principle.
Her right hand twitched at her side, fingers searching instinctively for a trigger that no longer existed.
A low sound of genuine revulsion escaped her throat as her gaze swept across the endless racks. Every dress seemed worse than the last.
She turned toward Tina with an expression that suggested the entire wardrobe had personally insulted her.
"Tina."
Her voice dropped into a dangerous calm.
"Bring me a match."
Tina stared.
G6 looked back at the offending garments with complete sincerity.
"I will burn all of this."
"Lady Reise, these are all your clothes," Tina said, disbelief breaking through her composure. "What, precisely, is wrong with them this time?"
"What do you mean? You cannot see what is wrong here?"
G6 gestured toward the room as though the answer should have been obvious.
Tina drew a slow breath.
"You never objected to them before, Lady Reise. In fact, most were chosen according to your own preferences. You once said such garments properly suited a noble lady destined to become Grand Duchess."
G6's brows drew together.
"Are you not a servant? You have got some nerve to keep talking back."
Tina frowned.
Lady Reise had always possessed a temper, but at least the old Reise's moods followed rules Tina understood.
This one seemed to invent new ones by the hour.
"I beg your pardon, Lady Reise. Please forgive my impertinence."
She lowered her head.
The immediate submission irritated G6 more than the argument had.
Fucking stupid.
She really does act like a doormat. Tsk. This world is sickening.
"Forget that. Starting from now on, I do not like these kinds of clothes."
Her voice remained cold, though some of the edge disappeared from it. Whether consciously or not, she seemed to be trying to blunt the force of what she had just said.
Tina hesitated.
"Then… perhaps there is something else you may prefer."
G6 looked at her.
"I brought several garments from the Estate that you once instructed me to discard. However, Duchess Worthon forbade me from doing so because they were gifts from your cousin in the Elora Kingdom, to the north."
"Show me."
Tina crossed toward a large wardrobe tucked into the far corner of the dressing room and opened its doors.
The difference was immediate.
Where the rest of Reise's wardrobe drowned in delicate pastels and layers of propriety, these garments favored dark velvet, black, grey, and deep crimson. Their cuts were equally rebellious by the standards of the kingdom—bare shoulders, lower necklines, fitted silhouettes, and skirts split high enough to reveal far more movement than noble fashion usually permitted.
G6's eyes lit.
The clothes looked less like Reise Worthon's idea of a future Grand Duchess and far more like something Akira Gemstone might willingly wear.
"Perfect. The best thing that has happened to me ever since I woke up in this ridiculous place," she muttered. "Why hide such beautiful clothes? And you dared to throw this away?"
"First, you were the one who ordered me to throw them away, Lady Reise," Tina replied, defending herself. "You also forbade me from showing them to you again."
G6 looked toward her.
"You said you did not wish to resemble your cousin, who wore such clothing openly. You believed she exposed herself merely to invite attention, and you said a woman who behaved that way had no self-respect."
G6's posture stiffened.
The air around her seemed to drop several degrees.
"Who said that trash?"
Tina's expression carried the exhaustion of someone who had been dragged through too many impossible conversations in too few days.
"You did, Lady Reise."
Silence followed.
Recognition crossed G6's face.
She had answered as Akira.
Not Reise.
Again.
Rather than dwell on it, a slow, smug smirk spread across her mouth.
Her hand moved between black and charcoal gowns before stopping on one made from blood-red fabric.
She pulled it free and handed it to Tina.
"I will wear that," she said, her tone returning to its usual calm.
Then she turned away as though the previous exchange had never happened.
Tina accepted the dress and released a long breath.
The fabric was soft beneath her fingers but carried enough weight to fall cleanly against the body. Its rich crimson alone would draw attention, but the daring neckline and high side slit turned it into something more provocative than anything Reise had willingly worn before.
Tina looked toward G6.
This would not merely be a change of clothing.
The entire palace would notice.
❈.❈.❈
Lilia hurried through the gilded corridors with the determination of someone entrusted with her first great mission.
Finding Edmund should have been simple.
Unfortunately, Edmund had apparently spent nearly three days perfecting the art of disappearance.
A cluster of servants stood inside a recessed alcove ahead, whispering among themselves with the focused enthusiasm of people who had discovered fresh gossip.
Lilia slowed.
A whisper factory.
Perfect.
"Excuse me!"
Several heads turned.
"What is it, Lilia?" one servant asked.
"Have any of you seen Sir Edmund?"
"Edmund?" another repeated. "Not since yesterday. Why?"
"Lady Reise needs him to escort her to Her Majesty."
The murmuring stopped.
"The Lady?"
"You mean Lady Reise herself?"
Lilia's expression tightened.
She is the only mistress in this villa.
"If none of you know where he is, I need to keep looking."
She turned, but one of the servants caught her lightly by the arm.
"Wait. Did Miss Tina send you?"
"No."
Lilia lifted her chin.
"I offered it myself. To the Lady."
That earned genuine silence.
"You volunteered?"
"And Lady Reise allowed it?"
"She did not become angry?"
"I am in a hurry," Lilia insisted, slipping free. "And for your information, my lady did not yell."
Her entire face brightened.
"She gave me her scone."
The triumph in her voice made the announcement sound considerably more important than a pastry had any right to be.
She took two steps before another thought struck her.
Lilia turned around.
"And… I am her new assistant personal maid now."
She gave them a mischievous little smile, then hurried away before anyone could question her further.
The servants remained where they were.
Only days earlier, another maid had attempted to wake Lady Reise and ended up pinned beneath someone whose eyes had carried all the warmth of a drawn blade.
Yet somehow, little Lilia had walked into the same lady's chamber and emerged with a scone, a new position, and apparently all of her limbs intact.
The rumor would not remain inside that alcove for long.
Lilia eventually reached the rear of Annex-Uno, where the corridors narrowed toward the less-traveled service areas.
She knew this part of the Villa.
More importantly, she knew Edmund.
Whenever the bustle of the main residence became unbearable, there was one place the dramatic old butler was suspiciously fond of disappearing into.
The liquor storage.
Lilia pushed the door open.
Cool air carried the scent of old wood and aged spirits. Shelves lined the walls from floor to ceiling, holding bottles worth amounts Lilia preferred not to imagine.
"I am pretty sure he is here," she muttered.
She stepped farther inside.
"Edmund…? Edmund, I know you are here."
"What is the brat doing here? Did I not tell you this room is off-limits?"
The booming voice came from behind her.
Lilia turned and smiled.
"Edmund! Hurry, you need to get to the main building—"
"You are wasting your time."
Edmund stepped forward with one hand pressed dramatically against his forehead.
"The Lady… she hates me."
Lilia stared at him.
"You have barely spoken to her since she arrived."
"That is precisely the tragedy!"
His dramatic expression faltered enough to reveal genuine frustration beneath it.
"I was delighted when Her Majesty appointed me to oversee the youngest Worthon, particularly after spending so many years around her elder brothers. Yet she arrived, frightened half the servants, locked herself away, and never once summoned me."
Lilia sighed.
There were days when dealing with Edmund required the patience of a saint.
"Old man—"
"Watch your mouth, you brat!"
"Lady Reise is going to kill you with her gaze if you do not move. She was asking for your attendance."
Edmund froze.
"She—"
The despair disappeared.
"Let us go! Our lady is waiting!"
He turned so quickly that Lilia nearly stumbled trying to follow.
For approximately three steps, Edmund maintained the dignified stride expected of a palace butler.
Then he began walking considerably faster.
Lilia rolled her eyes and hurried after him.
This pain-in-the-neck, dramatic old man.
The irritation was familiar.
So was the affection beneath it.
「ROYAL COLLEGIUM OF SORCERY & STEEL」
Prince Dio crossed beneath the arched stone entrance of the Royal Collegium.
The courtyard beyond was cool and quiet, broken only by water spilling steadily from a grand fountain. At its center stood a statue of God Eldrin, stone hands extended in blessing over the basin below.
Eliza stood nearby with her head lowered.
For a moment, she appeared to be praying.
Prince Dio intended to pass without interruption.
"Good morning, Your Highness."
He stopped.
A practiced smile settled over his face.
"Likewise. Prince Dio will suffice."
Eliza approached with two attendants following several paces behind.
"Are you headed to the Bastion?"
"Indeed. Now, if you will excu—"
"I heard there was a commotion at Lady Reise's villa last night."
Prince Dio's expression changed.
"How did such news reach you? Surely the disturbance was not loud enough to carry across the grounds."
The politeness remained.
The sarcasm beneath it did not.
Eliza gave a small scoff.
"Fortunately, no. My servants heard of it."
She glanced toward the two women behind her.
One stepped forward and bowed.
"Forgive me, Your Highness. We happened to overhear something while returning to Annex-Duo."
Prince Dio's gaze cooled.
I was right.
It has scarcely been a week, and already she is returning to her old ways.
The second servant continued.
"It sounded as though Lady Reise were searching for something, Your Highness. Her chamber was being turned entirely upside down."
Eliza's attention sharpened.
"What do you mean?"
"She had locked herself inside and was not receiving anyone. Miss Tina also appeared distressed when she visited the kitchen this morning."
A small spark of concern entered Prince Dio's expression.
"Is something amiss with your lady?"
"We do not know, Your Highness. Miss Tina does not discuss Lady Reise's private affairs with us. We only know that she has been distant from everyone."
Prince Dio's face hardened.
"Then I suggest you follow Miss Tina's example."
Both servants stiffened.
"You serve Lady Reise. Whatever occurs within her private chamber is not material for idle conversation, regardless of the rank of the person listening."
His gaze shifted briefly toward Eliza.
"Now, excuse me."
He walked away.
Eliza remained still for only a moment before gathering her skirts and hurrying after him.
"Your Highness, if you do not mind, I shall accompany you. We are going in the same direction."
Prince Dio offered no response.
He simply continued toward the Bastion.
The moment they reached the building, Prince Dio ascended toward the second floor before Eliza could begin another conversation.
He opened the door to his office.
Keith stood behind the desk that absolutely did not belong to him, lazily manipulating droplets of water above one hand.
"Get out," Prince Dio said, walking inside.
Keith grinned.
The suspended droplets burst into a fine mist.
"Getting rather friendly with that commoner this early in the morning, are we?"
Prince Dio dropped into his chair.
"As ever, your manners remain appalling. We already share a residence. Must you also invade my office?"
Keith collapsed onto the couch.
"How cruel."
Prince Dio looked at him.
"What do you want, Keith?"
"A new toy."
Keith crossed one leg over the other.
"I require compensation for sharing a household with your newest fascination."
"There is nothing going on between Miss Eliza and me."
"Truly?"
Keith's grin widened.
"Then why can you not ignore her with the same astonishing dedication you have shown Reise?"
That landed.
Prince Dio's expression hardened.
"Miss Eliza is a prospect for this kingdom. Her magic is the kingdom's lost signature."
"And Reise is not?"
Keith laughed, though little humor remained in it.
"We have survived two centuries without Benedictio."
"Do not be absurd. That blessing shaped this kingdom. It is regarded as a direct gift of God Eldrin."
"And yet it disappeared for two hundred years."
Keith leaned forward.
"The kingdom did not collapse."
A pause.
"The Three Pillars ensured that."
Prince Dio frowned.
"Why are you determined to be insufferable this morning?"
Keith's expression changed.
The teasing disappeared.
"I just do not want you hurting Reise with another woman," Keith said, completely serious.
Prince Dio looked at him properly.
"Reise may be difficult, but we grew up together."
Keith rested his elbows against his knees.
"You did not even notice her standing on the balcony the night Miss Eliza arrived."
Prince Dio's eyes sharpened.
"What do you mean?"
"You were too occupied to notice."
Keith's voice carried something close to pity.
"Reise saw you."
Silence.
"Perhaps that is why she could barely be bothered with you at the tea gathering."
Another pause.
"Perhaps she finally realized you are not worth chasing."
Keith stood.
At the door, he stopped and glanced over his shoulder.
"I do not care if you continue ignoring Reise."
His expression remained unusually serious.
"But do not force her to stand there while you openly entertain another woman."
A beat.
"That is hardly becoming of a man, Dio."
He left.
The door shut behind him.
Prince Dio leaned back and turned toward the window.
Keith—the jester of their group—had spoken without a trace of amusement.
His words should have been easy to dismiss.
Instead, they remained.
「WEST VILLA — G6'S BEDROOM」
G6 stood before the gilded mirror while Tina completed the final adjustments to the crimson dress.
The transformation was impossible to miss.
The garment left her shoulders exposed and followed the shape of Reise's body rather than hiding it beneath layers of fabric. The high slit gave her freedom of movement, while the dark red looked almost severe against her pale skin and rose-gold hair.
For the first time since waking in this world, G6 looked at the mirror and seemed genuinely pleased by what she saw.
Tina, meanwhile, was caught between reluctant admiration and the terrible certainty that Duchess Worthon might personally blame her for this.
"What do you think, Tina? Do I look stunning?"
Tina sighed.
"I dislike admitting it, but yes, Lady Reise. You look remarkably beautiful."
G6 smiled.
Genuinely.
A knock sounded at the door.
"Forgive me, Lady Reise. May I enter?"
Lilia stepped inside.
She froze almost immediately.
"You… You are so beautiful, Lady Reise!"
G6 smirked.
"Tell me something I do not know."
A gasp rose behind Lilia.
"It looks so… rebellious!"
An older man stood in the doorway.
G6's expression immediately flattened.
Boomer?
Then Edmund placed one hand dramatically against his chest.
"But you look like a goddess descended from the heavens themselves. The gown is audacious, certainly, yet the effect is nothing short of elegant."
G6's smile returned.
"You know your style. Who are you?"
The man straightened.
"Allow me to reintroduce myself, my lady. Edmund Saiden, butler of the West Villa and the servant assigned most directly to your attendance."
He bowed perfectly.
"I like you, Edmund," G6 said, turning back to the mirror. "Keep it up, and we will have no problems."
She paused.
"And drop the 'my.' I do not like the sound of it."
"As you wish, Lady Reise."
Edmund's smile warmed.
"Whenever you are prepared, we may proceed to Her Majesty's residence."
G6 turned.
"I am ready. Let us go."
She strode through the doorway.
The other three followed.
Servants throughout the corridor stopped what they were doing as Reise Worthon passed.
For years, they had known their lady through pale fabrics, delicate silhouettes, and the careful image expected of the future Grand Duchess.
This woman wore crimson like a challenge.
Her heels struck the floor in a steady rhythm as she walked.
"Goddess Nyxoria," someone whispered.
The deity of temptation.
G6 ignored it.
"Edmund, how far is the Queen's chamber?" she asked, calm as she walked.
"No more than ten minutes, Lady Reise. Her Majesty's private residence lies beyond the gardens in front of Annex-Uno."
G6 acknowledged the answer with a brief glance.
I just need to talk her into giving me a Professional Card.
Her thoughts sharpened.
Right. She is the Queen. Political authority.
I need to play my cards right.
A faint smile appeared.
The open corridors of the West Villa stretched around her, all polished stone, carved arches, high ceilings, and carefully arranged greenery.
This is more like a palace than a villa.
A breeze passed through.
The slit of her dress shifted.
Tina stiffened.
Edmund discreetly redirected his attention toward the architecture.
Lilia's face turned red.
G6 did not notice—or simply did not care.
In her old life, G6 was what people called a baddie for her style. She hated anything suffocating.
Practical did not have to mean ugly.
And attractive did not have to mean helpless.
Here, surrounded by noble fashion designed around modesty and rank, she stood out effortlessly.
They crossed the connecting bridge into Annex-Uno.
The moment she entered, G6's attention changed.
Her gaze moved over doorways, staircases, corridors, windows, and intersections without lingering long enough to make the assessment obvious.
Possible routes. Blind corners. Access points.
Stored automatically.
The annex was quiet, but the furnishings made the status of its residents obvious.
At the grand staircase, Edmund stepped forward and offered his hand.
"No need, Edmund," she said, voice clear. "I don't need such modesty."
She descended without difficulty.
Edmund looked toward Tina.
Tina gave him a small nod that clearly said "do not argue."
He understood.
The path beyond Annex-Uno opened into another stretch of palace gardens.
Trees shaded the walkways, flowering vines climbed over stone arches, and carefully maintained greenery seemed to occupy every available patch of ground.
"Why is this place full of greenery? It is like the whole palace is a garden."
"It assists the circulation of natural mana throughout the palace grounds, Lady Reise," Lilia answered happily.
G6 looked toward her.
"Mana?"
Edmund glanced at her, but Lilia continued before the question could become awkward.
"The gardens hold a great amount of it!"
Edmund nodded.
"Natural mana gathers more readily in places rich with living growth. The palace gardens were designed partly for that purpose. Their presence benefits the many mages who reside and train within the capital."
That much, at least, fit what G6 already knew.
The book had mentioned mana repeatedly. Characters used magic as naturally as people in her old world used electricity.
But it had never bothered explaining what mana actually did when no one was casting a dramatic spell.
"Your body absorbs it unconsciously, as it recognizes mana," Tina added, voice full of pride.
"Ah… so that is why I feel a strange sensation when I am closer to nature?" G6 asked, confused.
Edmund's brow creased.
"A distinct sensation?"
He considered it.
"For most people, natural mana produces only subtle physical effects. Improved circulation, reduced fatigue, eased tension. One experiences the result rather than the mana itself."
G6's brows drew closer.
"Perhaps it was simply hunger, Lady Reise," Tina suggested lightly.
G6's head turned.
Is she trying to be funny?
"Lady Reise, are you hungry?" Lilia asked, innocent concern.
"I am not," G6 stated flatly, eyes pinned on Tina. "And Tina, do not make it sound as if I am hearing or feeling things that are not there."
Tina looked away. I would not be surprised if you really did.
Lilia, apparently sensing danger, hurried into a new subject.
"Lady Reise, did you know? I always find it fascinating," Lilia chirped. "The four major elemental affinities belong to the great bloodlines!"
G6's attention sharpened.
Edmund and Tina exchanged a look.
Of course Lady Reise knows. She is one of that great bloodlines. Their thoughts.
"Really?" G6 said, genuinely surprised. "'What else?"
Edmund glanced at Tina.
Tina glanced back.
Both looked faintly confused.
The four great affinities were not obscure knowledge. Worthon children learned their own lineage before they were old enough to properly control mana.
Tina's eyes moved toward Lilia.
Then toward G6.
A possibility occurred to her.
Is Lady Reise playing ignorant merely to encourage the child?
Considering the strange patience Reise had shown Lilia that morning, Tina could not entirely dismiss it.
Edmund seemed less convinced.
"But it was discussed in education, no?" Edmund asked carefully.
Tina said nothing.
G6 merely looked at them.
"Is it not that everyone has mana? Then everyone can use magic."
"Oh!"
Lilia brightened with immediate understanding.
"Lady Reise must be speaking of General Magic."
The child hurried to explain before either adult could interrupt.
"Everyone may possess mana, but elemental affinity is inherited differently. House Worthon is renowned for Wind, House Nocturne for Earth, House De Lune for Water, and the Royal Family for Fire."
That matched the book exactly.
Worthon. Nocturne. De Lune. Royal Einston.
Wind. Earth. Water. Fire.
So far, nothing contradicted G6's source.
Lilia continued.
"But those affinities are not all magic. People without one of the great inherited elements may still learn General Magic—PhyEn and Utility Magic."
G6 listened without interrupting.
There it was.
New information.
Not contradiction.
Omission.
The book had told her which family threw which element around during dramatic scenes. It had never bothered explaining what ordinary people did.
Which, she supposed, made sense for a romance novel.
Still—missing intelligence was missing intelligence.
"Most commoners rely heavily upon General Magics," Edmund added, evidently accepting whatever explanation Tina had silently chosen for G6's behavior. "Nobles may learn it as well, alongside whatever affinity their bloodline carries."
G6 processed the distinction.
Elemental affinity was hereditary.
General Magics was trainable.
And society had apparently built part of its class structure around the difference.
What a way to distinguish class.
"Yes!" Lilia said enthusiastically. "You can learn it with physical training! I do not have it yet because I am only eight."
"Well, you are simply usele—" Edmund's words were cut-off when Lilia suddenly ran off.
Something farther along the path caught her attention.
Lilia darted ahead.
"Lilia—!"
Tina moved to stop her.
G6 raised one hand.
"Let her be."
Tina stopped.
G6 continued walking.
"What about you two?"
"I am proficient in both PhyEn and Utility Magic," Edmund answered.
G6 studied the older man more carefully.
I could have guessed that. You move like someone who knows how to handle themselves.
"I possess Utility Magic," Tina said. "My aptitude for Physical Enhancement is considerably poorer."
G6 looked forward again.
"Are not most adventurers commoners? How can they conquer monsters and such with sheer PhyEn?"
That question earned no suspicion.
It was practical.
And Edmund seemed almost pleased to answer it.
"You are correct, Lady Reise. Many adventurers come from common families. Physical Enhancement, however, should not be underestimated. With enough training, its practitioners may strengthen speed, endurance, reflexes, and physical force far beyond ordinary limits."
He smiled faintly.
"An experienced adventurer may possess no elemental affinity at all and still be extremely dangerous."
G6's interest sharpened.
Now that was useful.
Before she could continue questioning him, Lilia returned.
She gently tugged at G6's dress.
"Lady Reise."
The child held out a small purple flower.
"I wished to thank you again for this morning."
G6 accepted it with a faint smile.
"Do you know what this flower is called, Lilia?"
Lilia shook her head.
G6 bent down until they were closer to eye level.
"This is Belladonna. Some call it Nightshade. In an old language, its name means 'beautiful lady'."
She turned the flower carefully between two fingers.
"But it is also highly poisonous. It could make you sick… or worse."
Lilia's eyes widened.
"Lilia!" Edmund stepped forward. "You must never pick unfamiliar plants and offer them to Lady Reise."
Tina moved closer as well.
"It is alright," G6 said, tone leaving no argument. "She did not know."
The adults stopped.
G6 looked directly at the child.
"I told this to someone before: not everything beautiful or interesting is meant to be touched."
Lilia's head lowered.
"I am sorry, Lady Reise."
"See that you are. Now, raise your head."
Lilia obeyed.
G6 stood and resumed walking.
Behind her, Edmund immediately began whispering something stern to Lilia while Tina quietly added her own warning.
Their hushed argument grew increasingly animated.
G6 looked back once.
All three stopped instantly.
She faced forward again.
"And take this as advice," G6 said with her usual cold monotone voice. "A thing could look so beautiful and tempting, but it could also… drive you to your death."
Then she continued down the path.
The three behind her exchanged looks before following.
❈.❈.❈
The immaculate garden path eventually opened before another private residence.
It was smaller than the West Villa, though the architecture made its importance unmistakable. Elegant arches framed tall windows, pale stonework rose toward delicate spires, and royal guards stood at a respectful distance from the entrance.
G6 slowed.
"I thought we were going to a chamber?"
Edmund offered an apologetic smile.
"Her Majesty refers to this entire residence as her chamber."
G6 looked at the building.
"What a fancy one," G6 said flatly.
The grand doors opened.
A butler waited inside.
His poised expression faltered the moment he saw Reise's dress.
Only briefly.
Training restored it almost immediately.
"Greetings, Lady Reise Worthon," he greeted, bowing. "Her Majesty has been expecting you."
G6 glanced toward Tina.
"I sent a message ahead while you were dressing," Tina explained.
G6 turned back.
"The pleasure is mine," G6 replied, tone brisk. "Please, lead the way. I would not want to keep Her Majesty waiting."
The butler stepped aside and guided them through the residence.
They ascended a grand staircase toward a set of ornate doors.
The butler knocked.
"Lady Worthon has arrived, Your Majesty."
The doors opened.
The room beyond carried the same disciplined luxury as the rest of the residence. Nothing appeared excessive by royal standards, yet every object had clearly been chosen because someone powerful could afford to choose exactly what they wanted.
Queen Euphelia sat upon the central couch.
Pristine posture.
Measured expression.
A woman who looked entirely at ease inside authority.
Her eyes moved over G6.
Surprise appeared for only an instant before a warm smile replaced it.
"My dear Reise. You have finally freed yourself from your bedchamber. I cannot tell you how relieved I am to see you well."
So, this is the Queen.
G6 approached and offered a carefully measured bow.
"Thank you for sparing the time for my sudden visit, Your Majesty."
The Queen's eyes lingered on her for half a second longer than necessary.
"I was delighted to hear you wished to see me. Please, sit."
G6 took the chair opposite and crossed her legs.
The movement shifted the slit of her dress.
The Queen's composed expression the scene made her brow twitch.
Leo abruptly developed great interest in a painting across the room.
Small hands appeared beside G6.
Lilia carefully spread an embroidered blanket over her lap.
"To preserve decorum, Lady Reise," she whispered.
Then she hurried backward.
G6 glanced down at it.
Ah, right.
Noble society.
"So," The Queen began, "I see your taste has undergone a rather striking transformation."
"I prefer to think of it as finding my comfort, Your Majesty. This feels more like me," G6 replied, smoothing the blanket.
"It is certainly daring."
The Queen examined the gown.
"The style reminds me of your cousin from the Elora Kingdom. Such cuts are far more common among certain northern courts."
Oh, the one Tina mentioned? I should visit the North—they have good fashion sense.
"A gift from her, years ago," G6 confirmed smoothly.
"It is outrageous," the Queen said.
Then smiled.
"Yet irritatingly flattering."
"You are too kind. I will delay no longer. I am here to request a Professional Card."
Genuine curiosity crossed the Queen's face.
"A Professional Card?"
She leaned back.
"How unexpected. I confess, I anticipated that your first question would concern Prince Dio."
Prince Dio? Oh. Right. The Prince.
A new idea arrived.
Reckless.
Convenient.
Why not?
"Would you allow me to dissolve the engagement, then?" she asked, casual as inquiring about the weather.
The room froze.
Tina's breath caught.
Edmund straightened.
Lilia looked as though she had forgotten how lungs worked.
For one full second, the Queen's composure broke.
Then she laughed.
Lightly.
Too lightly.
"Oh, my dear. You must be jesting. You have been promised to my son for ten years, and the official announcement is only months away."
G6's eyes instantly lost their interest.
Boring.
"Which is precisely why I am asking you, not him. You see… I am not really a fan of commitment," she stated bluntly.
A shadow crossed the Queen's expression.
"Has my son's cold behavior finally exhausted your patience?"
"This is about maturity, not pettiness. Ten years ago, I was eight with no right to object. I was vulnerable, made to believe I liked someone."
Silence pressed across the room.
The three servants remained still.
The Queen watched G6 for a long moment.
Then she smiled.
Not warmly.
With understanding sharpened by politics.
She stood and moved to the chair beside G6 before taking both of her hands.
"I understand, Reise. More than you may think. And I am relieved to see you speaking for yourself."
Her fingers tightened.
Suddenly.
Hard enough to surprise even G6.
Her eyes widened slightly.
The Queen's hands looked delicate.
They were not.
"But," The Queen continued quietly, "there are consequences neither you nor I can ignore."
Her gaze flicked briefly toward the crimson dress.
"I will tolerate changes in fashion. I may even tolerate a few wounded egos."
Her grip tightened once more.
"But I will not permit a scandal capable of destabilizing two houses."
The ring upon her finger glowed faintly.
The pressure disappeared.
"Your parents would never forgive me if I simply allowed their prized daughter to run free without considering what follows."
Interesting.
G6's eyes narrowed.
"I see what you are trying to say, but calling me a prized daughter is somehow degrading. Are you trying to put a certain value on me, Your Majesty?"
The Queen's brow twitched.
Her smile remained.
"Forgive my unfortunate choice of words. I meant only that you are deeply treasured by your family."
"None taken," G6 replied.
The Queen released her hands and returned to her seat.
Leo approached with tea.
Within seconds, the room outwardly resembled any other royal conversation.
"So," the Queen said, "you truly intend to enter the Royal Collegium?"
G6's attention sharpened.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The Queen studied her.
"Hmm. Very well. I can authorize the Professional Card, but palace protocol requires an appraisal before registration."
She looked toward Leo.
"Have the appraisal orb brought here once we finish."
A flicker of satisfaction crossed G6's face.
Progress.
"I also heard about yesterday's tea gathering," The Queen added.
G6's expression shifted.
"Keith came to see me afterward. He apparently considered the entire affair the greatest entertainment he had witnessed in weeks."
G6 rubbed the side of her neck.
"I… may have woken on the wrong side of the bed."
The Queen laughed.
This time, genuinely.
"Oh, do not apologize. Keith had me laughing until my sides hurt."
Hmm. Her attitude is the same as that blue-haired fool.
G6 studied her.
Warm. Amused. Easy.
Yet something beneath it felt deliberately arranged.
But I can sense her being deceitful.
The Queen's smile faded slightly.
"If only the King's brother had produced an heir, Prince Dio would never have needed to inherit the Grand Duchy."
G6's attention sharpened.
"And perhaps neither of you would have been forced into this arrangement."
The Queen lowered her cup.
"I am sorry, Reise. Truly. You were placed in a gilded room long before anyone thought to ask whether you wanted an exit."
The King's brother?
G6 filed the information away immediately.
The book had never mentioned him.
Neither had Reise's diary.
Another gap.
Not yet proof of anything except what she already knew: romance novels were apparently terrible intelligence reports.
"The Three Pillars already hold extraordinary political influence," The Queen continued. "The Upper House watches every shift among them. Adding the Grand Duchy to that balance was never a simple decision."
For the first time since their conversation began, fatigue showed beneath the Queen's composure.
"Try to understand Prince Dio as well."
G6 said nothing.
"He is not heartless."
The Queen's gaze lowered.
"He is drowning beneath expectations he did not choose any more than you chose yours."
Before G6 could decide whether that information mattered—
the doors opened.
Leo returned carrying a crystal orb upon a velvet cushion.
"Your Majesty."
The Queen gestured toward the table.
"Place it there."
Leo complied.
The orb itself was clear and colorless until faint runes appeared across its surface.
"The appraisal is straightforward," the Queen explained. "Simply place both palms against the crystal."
G6 obeyed.
The orb responded immediately.
Soft white light appeared inside the crystal.
Not around G6. Not beneath her skin.
Inside the appraisal tool itself.
The glow brightened as the runes activated.
Then it intensified.
The room gradually filled with white radiance.
Heat gathered beneath G6's palms.
Her brows furrowed.
It became hotter.
Then hotter still.
"Shit! That is fucking hot!" she yelped, yanking her hands back with a hiss of pain.
Every shred of noble decorum disappeared.
Tina rushed forward and immediately began inspecting G6's reddening palms.
Edmund and Lilia hovered nearby, equally alarmed.
The Queen stood.
"Dear child, are you quite alright?"
G6 glared at her.
"Do I look alright to you?" G6 asked back, giving her a glare as if the Queen had just asked the stupidest question.
The Queen blinked.
Then reached for G6's hands.
Her ring glowed again.
A cool sensation passed over the reddened skin, and the pain disappeared almost immediately.
"How strange," The Queen murmured.
She looked toward the appraisal orb.
The white radiance had already faded.
The crystal was dormant again.
"It has never reacted so violently."
"Your Majesty…"
Leo's voice came out barely above a whisper.
The Queen looked toward him.
Runes remained suspended across the orb's surface.
Leo stared.
Then leaned closer.
Read them again.
His face slowly lost color.
"The appraisal…"
Silence settled over the room.
"It reads: 'Mana Reserve: Immeasurable.'"
Nobody moved.
Tina looked toward the orb.
Edmund did the same.
Lilia stared openly at G6.
The Queen's expression became unreadable.
And at the center of it all sat G6—
hands newly healed, surrounded by people who suddenly looked as though the laws of their world had stopped making sense.
—To Be Continued…—