Azrean and Sumi had finally managed to sit back properly on the couch after pushing some of the gifts aside. Azrean was busy opening a few more packages while Sumi continued staring at her new sword with a happy, dreamy expression.
"This looks so cool!" she whispered softly, turning the blade slightly so the silver light caught on its edge.
Azrean pulled out a small box of chocolates. The moment he opened it, the sweet smell hit him and his mouth started watering instantly. He picked up one piece and was about to put it in his mouth when he felt something.
His eyes widened a little. He turned his head slowly. A man was walking toward them. He looked middle-aged, with neatly combed dark hair streaked lightly with gray at the temples. His face was sharp and aristocratic, with high cheekbones and cold eyes. He wore elegant, high-quality clothes— a long dark coat with silver embroidery along the collar and cuffs, a deep burgundy vest underneath, and a heavy gold chain resting across his chest. The fabric looked expensive and perfectly tailored, giving off an air of high nobility.
'I'm getting a strong sense of magical energy from this person... who is he anyway?' Azrean thought.
The man stopped in front of them and slowly bowed his head with practiced grace.
Sumi finally looked up from her sword, tilting her head curiously. The man straightened and spoke in a smooth, polite voice.
"My name is Barque Martel, and I am a marquess. I came to offer my congratulations on your birthday."
Azrean studied him for a moment, then put on a polite smile.
"Oh, thank you for coming today. I hope you will enjoy the party!"
Sumi nodded beside him, still holding her sword carefully. The marquess smiled and reached into his coat. He took out a small, elegant box that easily fit in the palm of his hand.
"Here is a gift from me."
Azrean and Sumi looked at the tiny box, then at each other. In a small, relieved voice, they both said almost at the same time,
"Finally... a small box."
Sumi gave him a bright smile.
"Thank you very much!"
The marquess nodded gracefully.
"You are most welcome."
He turned around and began walking away. As soon as his back was to them, the polite smile on his face twisted into something weird and unsettling.
Azrean stared at the marquess's back for a long moment as the man walked away. Then, in a small voice, he muttered,
"Looks like noble people are quite strong in this world..."
Back in the dark corridor far from the main hall, the intruder quickly pulled out a small bottle filled with glowing green liquid and gulped it down. The moment he swallowed, his severed hand rapidly regrew— bones, muscle, and skin knitting together in seconds.
When he looked up, Invanne was gone. He spun around, eyes darting everywhere.
"I have the power to sense magical energy... and I couldn't sense that maid at all. That means her mana capacity is way beyond what I can detect... She really is the Thirteenth Star Magician."
A twisted smile spread across his face. He reached into his coat and took out another small bottle, this one filled with deep red liquid.
"That means I can use this, right?"
He downed the entire contents in one go. His body instantly began to glow with violent red energy. Veins bulged across his skin as power surged through him.
"AHHH—!"
But before the scream could fully leave his throat, Invanne appeared right in front of him. She bent slightly at the waist, then swung her leg upward in a brutal arc.
Her kick connected with his face with terrifying force. A loud sonic boom exploded outward as his body was sent flying backward through the air.
"Keep quiet," she said softly. "You'll disturb the others."
She vanished again before he even hit the ground. The man crashed into the wall, cracking the stone. Blood dripped from his broken nose. He pushed himself up with a snarl, eyes wild with rage and the effects of the potion.
Invanne reappeared a few steps away, standing perfectly still. The man roared and slammed his hands on the floor. Earth erupted— sharp stone spikes shot up from the ground, racing toward her like spears.
Invanne moved like flowing water. She dodged left, then right, her body twisting gracefully between the spikes. Every time one came too close, she punched it mid-air, shattering the stone into harmless dust before it could damage the walls or ceiling.
She leaped high, flipping once in the air.
"How did you get inside?" she asked calmly while descending.
The man didn't answer. Instead, he thrust both palms forward. Massive chunks of rock and swirling sand blasted toward her like a storm.
Invanne didn't slow down. She punched forward rapidly— each strike so fast it created afterimages. Every rock and grain of sand exploded into fine powder the instant her fist touched it. The hallway filled with a cloud of dust, but not a single speck touched the walls or floor around her.
She landed lightly and walked forward without hurry. The man kept attacking—more spikes, more boulders—but she moved through them like they were nothing. One moment she was there, the next she was behind him. Her fist drove into his side with bone-crushing force. He flew sideways, slamming into another wall.
Before he could recover, she summoned a single crimson rose in her hand. The flower shot forward like a arrow, its stem turning into a razor-sharp thorn that stabbed straight into his left eye.
"Do you think taking a strength potion was enough?" she asked quietly.
The man screamed in agony, clutching his face. Blood poured between his fingers. In blind rage he charged again, swinging wildly with enhanced power.
Invanne grabbed his incoming fist with one hand. Using his own momentum, she spun and smashed him straight into one of his own rock attacks. The stone shattered against his body.
Suddenly, her expression changed. She felt something else.
"Looks like I cannot waste my time here asking questions... someone else is here."
"First you have to kill me!" the man roared, lunging one last time.
Invanne raised her hand. Spiky vines erupted from the floor and walls, wrapping around his entire body in an instant. The thorns dug deep, slicing through flesh and bone. With a sharp twist of her fingers, the vines tightened and cut him into pieces.
She punched the air once. A powerful gust of wind exploded outward, launching the severed body parts far away into the night, disappearing into the darkness.
Invanne stood still for a moment, then looked back toward the main hall.
"I have to hurry."
She vanished without a sound.