Since I didn’t answer, his eyes widened slightly.

“Young lady?”

“Oh, nice to meet you.”

“Yes. I’ve heard much about your majesty. It pleases me greatly that someone your age commands respect.”

I flinched.

“I have always wanted to meet your majesty.”

“......Me?”

“Yes. Because I respected how diligently you attend to your family’s affairs.”

It reminded me of my previous life.

Vincent smiled gently and approached.

“Next time, perhaps—”

Clang.

Alexis touched Vincent’s foot with the tip of his sheath.

“Do not come any closer.”

“......And you are?”

“None of your concern.”

Vincent frowned.

“I will remember you as someone not so polite.”

“Entering someone’s space without a lady’s permission isn’t very polite either.”

Alexis and Vincent’s gazes fiercely clashed in the air.

Vincent sighed lightly and bowed to me.

“Excuse me.”

“......Yes.”

When I answered, he smiled gently and spoke again.

“There is a reading club in Hwangdo. Representatives from the Eastern and Southern armies also attend. If you like, your majesty—”

“I’m busy, so I’ll pass.”

“Pardon?”

“Do your work.”

“Ah... yes.”

Vincent, seeing I was eager to end the conversation, looked puzzled.

Regardless, I quickly left.

Only after reaching the lakeside did I take a deep breath.

‘Why did that annoying guy come here...?’

Did Vincent come at this time in my first life?

‘Hmm, I don’t remember.’

Back then, I had just entered the palace and studied hard to catch grandfather’s attention.

So I wouldn’t know who came to the palace.

I frowned and looked at Alexis.

“Why did palace people come here?”

“Probably because you showed off Lagon at the border city. Your grandfather is using every means to pressure the Sun Society, so it might be that woman.”

“......When did they come?”

“I don’t know. Ask Conrad.”

I sighed deeply and connected the communication stone.

[Yes, miss.]

“Palace people came today.”

[That’s correct.]

“When will they leave?”

[They plan to leave after negotiations conclude, but since the duke shows no intention of agreeing to the emperor’s conditions, it’s hard to say.]

“What negotiations?”

[There are many details, but the main point is that you must pledge in writing to consult the palace whenever you move the dragon.]

Grandfather would never agree to that.

That meant Vincent might not leave anytime soon!

I frowned sharply.

“Understood for now.”

[Yes. We will inform you if anything changes.]

“Hmm......”

After ending the communication, I crouched by the lakeside.

‘I’m doomed.’

Why of all people did Vincent have to come?

Alexis quietly watched me slump as if shocked.

“What happened with that guy just now?”

A lot happened.

A lot...

I liked him, but he liked Dalia.

Vincent, a truly devoted youth, tried to help Dalia even using me...

‘I was foolishly manipulated.’

But more important than that was this.

“Alexis, tell Hilda and Greta to watch Vincent’s every move.”

Hilda and Greta, senior employees at the palace, would be good at surveilling palace people.

Alexis asked,

“Is he worth that much?”

“Rather than worth, he’s a high-risk individual.”

“What?”

Because of Vincent Edrope’s blessing.

His blessing is from the Divine Realm, with a very special power.

Blessing .

He is a man blessed to read the past of others.

‘Even Ice.Black.Hand used that blessing to find out that Dalia is a dimensional traveler.’

That meant he could know about my reincarnation.

‘He’d know I reincarnated and that, foolishly, I obeyed him in everything...’

The best thing is to avoid entanglement.

My three older brothers and I stayed at the Astra manor for a while.

The official excuse was “Erilot’s condition is still unstable.”

But in truth, it was to guard against the palace and foreign powers trying to approach me for the dragon’s power.

No place was safer than the manor under grandfather’s protection.

So I ended up attending the {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} 3rd generation class again after a long time.

‘Today is a joint class of intermediate and advanced education rooms, right?’

When I entered the main classroom, other 3rd gens stared at me.

“Why is Erilot here for class? She always skips, using excuses about parties in Hwangdo.”

“Maybe she thinks it’s time to suck up to grandfather.”

“She’s such an annoying kid.”

Other cousins whispered, glancing at me.

I sat pretending not to care.

Ignoring them, their expressions only soured more.

“Why didn’t you wear those fancy accessories?”

“Accessories?”

“My older brothers. They always proudly wear them.”

Loreina, eldest daughter of Uncle Balderic, twisted her mouth.

I opened a book and said,

“My brothers went on missions.”

“Oh, grandfather doesn’t assign missions to you? Well, no one can know where you might run off to.”

Loreina propped her chin and continued.

“It’d be a disaster if you got unstable and brought a dragon.”

“Exactly~.”

I smiled brightly and nodded.

“Maybe they worry our Lagon will destroy even Balderic’s jurisdiction?”

“......What?”

“It’s a divided jurisdiction, but without it, he might really fall to a loan shark.”

I smiled cheerfully, and Loreina shivered.

The whispering cousins giggled, looking at Loreina.

“I’m worried about you, no need to be so sensitive!”

“Thanks. But maybe you should worry about yourself first? I heard you barely made the 7th rank and your place is shaky.”

“You...!”

“Cheer up.”

I lightly clenched my fists and gave a playful laugh.

Loreina’s face flushed red.

‘She’s messing around.’

As she was about to say something, a quiet snicker came from nearby.

Turning around, I saw Selene, who had participated with me in the Western Reserve Infantry Drill.

“Hi, Erilot.”

“Hello, sister.”

“May I sit beside you?”

“Ah... yes.”

When Selene sat next to me, the cousins murmured.

“What? Selene and Erilot were close?”

“A world where the elites hang out together, disgusting......”

Loreina also let out a bitter laugh.

“Keep some dignity, will you? If it were me, I’d never associate with someone I’ve humiliated. No sense of competition?”

“We two, ranked 1st and 2nd, will handle competition ourselves.”

Her expression said: ‘It’s funny you say that when you don’t come close to our level.’

Loreina clenched her teeth, and I stifled a laugh.

I whispered to Selene,

“I thought you were very mild-mannered.”

“Really? Misunderstanding. I’m also Astra blood.”

The rough temperament of the Astra bloodline is famous.

I nodded.

“Oh, but Aunt Bastina won’t just let me hang out with you.”

“She probably doesn’t like it. But I’m a teenager. I want to rebel.”

“Good idea.”

“I don’t think I properly thanked you for removing the last time.”

“No problem.”

“If it’s alright, can I also claim a place as your ‘sister’? I heard you became sworn sisters with Sebastia Biferi and got competitive.”

Selene smiled brightly.

I was surprised, eyes wide.

“Is this how you are?”

“Hmm, maybe because I don’t like Sebastia much.”

That made sense.

Sebastia and Selene were regarded as rivals in Hwangdo.

Sebastia in the east.

Selene in the west.

Some even called them that.

“And I like smart girls.”

“Me too.”

I giggled, and Selene smiled softly.

But I saw Liantin hesitating over there.

She seemed to want to sit next to me, but Selene was already there.

“Liantin sister.”

When I called, Liantin’s face brightened.

“Can I sit beside you?”

“When did you ask that?”

“Dione always sat first, and today...”

Dione had dropped to the beginner classroom due to her exam scores, so she couldn’t come today.

Liantin slid over and sat lightly next to Selene.

“Why is Selene sitting here?”

“If you don’t like it, you can move back.”

“I didn’t say I don’t like it. You weren’t very close to Erilot.”

“I was touched that you protected me even after I made all those awful mistakes.”

“What?!”

“Erilot, last class we studied this far.”

“I took notes.”

“Do you think that will help?”

The two started bickering, and I chuckled.

‘I never imagined this in my first life.’

Liantin disliked me because I only tarnished Astra’s honor, and Selene was too high-ranking for me to approach.

While thinking this, the auditorium doors opened and teachers began entering.

‘Hmm?’

Was this the class where Marquis Debussy was coming in?

He was the chief supervisor and only appeared at important exams.

Marquis Debussy looked around at the 3rd gens.

‘Something’s wrong.’

His usually smiling face was stiff.

As if something was going on.

“Today’s class will be replaced by practical training.”

Surely, something was up.

It was the first time for such an urgent notice.

The 3rd gens all exchanged tense looks.

Marquis Debussy said with a cold face,

“There is a traitor among you.”

“......!”

“......!”

“......!”

Everyone in the auditorium froze.

Including me.

“Information about Astra has been leaked to the royal family. It is first-class information accessible only to direct descendants. Since no second-generation left the manor this month, it is judged that the traitor is among the third generation.”

Marquis Debussy continued, grinding his words.

“You are to identify the traitor’s identity and find out who they conspired with.”

“What is the time limit?”

Loreina raised her hand.

“By noon, four days from now.”

“That fast?!”

“Identify the traitor before negotiating with the palace officials. Also—”

The marquis’s eyes were fierce.

Meeting the gaze of the 3rd gens one by one, he muttered lowly,

“Branches of the 12th Tower will also be involved in this test.”

The auditorium erupted into chaos instantly.

After the announcement, the children gathered in groups chatting.

“How are we supposed to find the traitor that quickly?”

“What happens if we fail?”

“I just heard from my father......”

A kid swallowed dryly.

Everyone focused on his mouth.

“They’re closing the main family’s education room and merging direct and branch family education.”

“No way! The main family education strengthens the direct line. If branches get involved, we’ll be...!”

Selene, arms crossed, said to me,

“A few generations ago, direct and branch education merged.”

“I know.”

“And a duke came from the branches in the next generation.”

If grandfather lost all trust in the direct line and considered branches for the dukedom candidate...

‘Everything built so far would be for nothing.’

If the succession battle intensified, power would quickly concentrate in grandfather’s hands, but it was dangerous for me.

‘There are already many competitors; I can’t afford more.’

Just as everyone was confused, unfamiliar people entered the auditorium.

“Oh my, this is the main classroom.”

“Wow... The main family’s classroom is on a different level from the 12th Tower.”

“If you make the ranks, they give you a room!”

The branch families.

Liantin’s expression stiffened.

“How dare you enter the direct family’s classroom?!”

When she shouted, a blonde girl with straight hair smiled gently.

“Didn’t you know? As of today, the main family is open to the branches.”

“......What?”

“Tests have to be fair, right?”

Loreina chuckled bitterly.

“This is so sudden...!”

“It’s the duke’s order.”

“Even so!”

“I heard the direct line doesn’t know up from down lately, apparently true.”

“What did you say?!”

“The duke’s order is above all else.”

Soon, more branch members flooded in.

All wearing arrogant expressions.

‘Grandfather gave them a chance.’

A chance to stand on equal footing with the direct line, something they never dared dream of.

They wouldn’t want to miss it.

Above all, the direct line who reigned just because they were the duke’s grandchildren must feel inferior.

A blonde branch girl, arms crossed, approached me.

“Hello, young lady.”

“.......”

“I’ve always wanted to meet you. I was curious too.”

“.......”

“I also have the blessing of beast taming.”

“.......”

“I wonder whose ability is greater, yours or mine?”

The girl laughed and tossed her hair.

Then she clapped her hands.

“Where are the three princes of Daymond jurisdiction? I want to get close to them. For the future. The duke has high hopes for me!”