Huff! Huff! Elowyn raced down the echoing halls of the castle, her breathsing in ragged gasps. Her heart pounded in her chest as she made a beeline for her sister''s room.


    "Princess?" The servants she passed called out to her; their voices tinged with confusion as they tried to make sense of her disheveled appearance. Elowyn paid no heed to their calls; her mind was consumed by a singr purpose.


    As she sprinted through the castle''s corridors, she felt a wave of nausea threatening to overtake her. The sudden teleportation had clearly taken a toll on her body, but she pushed through, her determination unwavering. Her mother''s words reverberated in her mind, and the urgency of the situation fueled her.


    Elowyn understood that gathering their people was crucial, but right now, her sister''s safety took precedence. She had to ensure Iselia''s well-being above all else. When she reached her sister''s room, she flung the door open.


    "Iselia!" she cried, her voiceced with worry, only to be met with the perplexed gaze of a servant who had been tidying up the room.


    "Your highness?" the servant inquired, bewildered by Elowyn''s sudden entrance.


    "Iselia, where is she?" Elowyn demanded; her urgency evident in her voice.


    The servant stammered, uncertain about the princess''s exact location. "P-Princess Iselia is currently out ying in the gardens right now," he replied, having heard from the other servants that the youngest princess had been seen in the garden.


    Without wasting a moment, Elowyn left the room and hurried toward the gardens, her heart racing as she hoped to find her sister safe and sound.


    ....


    Kaksan''s senses heightened, and he released his magical signals, like a dark, otherworldly beacon, searching for his intended target. A sinister smile curled upon his wolf-like face, an expression of satisfaction as he zeroed in on the person he had longed to encounter.


    However, his tion was short-lived as an abrupt surge of mana emanated from the vicinity of his target. It was a distressing feeling, an undeniable sign that the person he sought was in pain or danger. The malignant atmosphere in the corrupted forest amplified, an unsettling reflection of Kaksan''s tumultuous emotions.


    In response to this unexpected development, Kaksan let out a piercing, guttural roar of pure abomination. The sound reverberated through the twisted trees and tainted foliage of his newfound territory, echoing like a harbinger of doom. He leaped into action, moving with a sense of urgency and determination as he raced toward his target''s location.


    As he advanced, dark clouds gathered above him, trailing in his wake like ominous shadows. The verynd and nt life withered in his proximity, drained of their vitality by his ominous presence. Despite his enigmatic and malevolent nature, Kaksan prioritized the safety of his chosen target above all else.


    …..


    "Iselia!"


    Upon reaching the garden, Elowyn let out a relieved shout as she spotted her sister. Iselia was happily ying with some flowers, herughter and carefree demeanor momentarily easing Elowyn''s anxiety. Iselia held a crown of flowers she had lovingly crafted.


    "Sister Elowyn! Join us," Iselia eximed with delight, offering her sister a warm smile along with the floral crown.


    Elowyn began to approach her sister, ready to immerse herself in the joy of the moment. However, her heart sank as she noticed the presence of the person standing beside Iselia, a man she just saw moments ago. Her excitement turned to shock, and fear gripped her as she beheld him.


    "Come and join us, Princess. Princess Iselia here has been really enthusiastic about telling me stories about you. Haha," the mysterious man beckoned with a casual smile.


    "Iselia, get away from him," Elowyn''s voice quivered with worry and concern as she issued the urgentmand.


    "Sister?" Iselia questioned with innocence, her head tilting slightly to the side.


    "Iselia, stay away from him and get out of here right now!" Elowyn''s tone grew louder and more insistent. The abrupt outburst bewildered Iselia. Her eyes welled up with tears, and her efforts to introduce her new friend to her sister had suddenly led to these unsettlingmands.


    Before Iselia could burst into tears, the man''s hand gently caught a teardrop that threatened to fall. He turned his attention to Princess Elowyn.


    "What''s wrong, Princess? Why do you seem so agitated? Maybe we started off on the wrong foot, but I assure you it was just a misunderstanding," he said with a disarming smile. Although the smile appeared innocent on the surface, Elowyn knew that the man before her was a monster concealed beneath human skin. Her worries and fears deepened as she watched him carry her little sister to calm her.


    The two servants who apanied them were also perplexed by Elowyn''s sudden outburst. They found her actions confusing and unexpected.


    "Princess, why don''t we have a little chat? It seems we''ve had a misunderstanding, and I''m sure the Queen would like us to resolve it," Adrian suggested, maintaining his pleasant demeanor.


    Mention of her mother sent a fresh wave of anxiety through Elowyn. She realized that she hadn''t yet understood why Adrian was here, what had happened to her mother, and whether she was okay. Adrian gestured for Elowyn to sit on the garden grounds, bringing Iselia along with him as she carefully handed the floral crown she had crafted to her sister.


    "I''m sorry, sister. I don''t know what I did. You can have this," Iselia said, offering her sister the flower crown she had made.


    Elowyn''s heart melted as she gazed at her sister''s innocent plea, her eyes softening as she epted the flower crown Iselia had lovingly crafted. However, as she took the delicate circlet from her sister''s hands, something caught her eye – a subtle, hidden mana string delicately woven into the flower crown. Her eyes traced the path of the concealed connection, following it from Iselia''s neck to its ultimate destination on Adrian''s index finger.


    A shiver of fear coursed through Elowyn as sheprehended the sinister intention behind this hidden link. She looked at Adrian, who met her gaze with a disarming smile.


    "Why don''t you take a seat, Princess? Let''s y. I''m sure the jelly bean over here would like that as well" Adrian suggested, while putting Iselia on hisp and affectionately patting her head. He praised the young girl for her effort.


    Elowyn hesitated, she couldn''t believe the absurdity of the situation. Slowly and with trepidation, she seated herself, her heart heavy with worry and fear for the safety of her beloved sister.


    Elowyn initiated the conversation with a mix of worry and confusion, her voice quivering slightly with concern.


    "How are you here? What happened to mother?" Her thoughts raced as she pondered her mother''s actions. Elowyn couldn''tprehend why her mother had attacked Adrian, but she was certain that there must have been a good reason for it.


    As much as she longed to grab her little sister and flee from here, getting as far away from Adrian as she could, she couldn''t.


    The ominous, glowing purple thread wrapped around her sister''s neck, glistening subtly in the dim light, kept her rooted in ce.


    She wondered why the other servants in the room hadn''t reacted to this strange sight, but when her gaze met Adrian''s once again, his usual calm smile firmly in ce, she realized that she was the only one who could perceive the enigmatic thread.


    As Elowyn and Adrian continued their conversation, a subtle and purplish barrier formed around them, creating a protective circle. Surprisingly, neither her sister nor the servants outside seemed to react to the presence of this peculiar barrier. They went about their business as if it didn''t exist.


    "Now they won''t hear us," Adrian remarked casually. He seemed unfazed by the situation. "Oh, and please, act as if you can''t see the barrier, Princess. Only you and I can perceive it. It might look rather odd to your servants if you keep ncing around like that."


    Elowyn couldn''t hide her curiosity and concern. "What did you do?" she inquired.


    "It''s nothing extraordinary, really," Adrian exined. "It''s a sound-altering barrier. Specifically, it transforms the words of those affected by the barrier into something different for those outside and inside the barrier. So even though we''re having this conversation now, the servants outside and your sweet little sister are likely hearing somethingpletely different"


    "Brother, why are you suddenly talking about eggs?" asked Iselia with a look of pure innocence, her curiosity piqued by the unexpected topic of conversation.


    "See"


    Elowyn was astonished by theplexity and effects of the barrier. Not only had Adrian made it visible solely to her, but it also had intricate effects on those both inside and outside the barrier.


    Barriers like this were typically challenging to create and master, and their effects were usually simpler. The underlying magical concepts behind such a spell were hard to achieve, even for high-ranking mages.


    She gazed at the purplish barrier and marveled at the intricate and beautiful markings that adorned it.


    Adrian returned to the question Elowyn had initially posed. "Her Majesty is fine, Your Highness," he reassured her. "She''s currently resting on her bed due to exhaustion. It appears our unfortunate sh took a toll on her."


    Elowyn couldn''t fully believe Adrian''s words, but her emerald eyes'' unique ability to discern the truth found no deception in his statement.


    ''So, everything truly was a misunderstanding?'' she thought, still grappling with the surreal turn of events.


    Elowyn''s suspicions grew stronger as she processed Adrian''s words. If he was telling the truth about her mother''s condition, why was he using Iselia as leverage in this situation? Adrian had a hidden agenda, and Elowyn could sense it. She wasn''t a fool; something significant must have urred to her mother for Adrian to arrive so promptly after the attack.


    She couldn''t contain her rising anxiety. "Don''t lie to me, human! What happened to my mother? And let go of Iselia right now," Elowyn demanded, her mana swirling around her, ready for action.


    Adrian sighed, his gaze unwavering as he continued to pat Iselia''s head. "


    [Authority: Touch of the Crying Doll: {Activated}]


    Suddenly, Iselia''s eyes drooped, and she fell into a deep sleep. "Iselia!" Elowyn cried out in horror. "What did you do to her?"


    Adrian merely smiled as if this were a routine urrence. "Oh, it seems the little jelly bean fell asleep. Perhaps you should take her to her room," he suggested, rising to his feet and carefully handing Iselia over to the servants. "Make sure she has a peaceful rest."


    Elowyn couldn''tprehend why the servants were sopliant with Adrian''s directives. She protested, "Why are you listening to this man?"


    The servants responded with eerily hazy eyes; their voices unnaturally cheerful. "Don''t worry, Your Highness, we''ll take excellent care of the princess"


    Elowyn''s unease deepened as she watched them carry Iselia away, unable to shake the feeling that something was seriously amiss.


    "Tsk" Adrian clicked his tongue "He''s here huh?"


    "Although I wanted to fix our misunderstanding without using my authority, I had no choice this time, Your Highness. I didn''t want to resort to forceful means, Your Highness. Your sister is still young you see, and my sister''s authority can be kind of dangerous for the mentally weak. But we have no time, you see."


    Elowyn was baffled by his cryptic words. "What are you talking about? Authority? Sister?"


    "Princess, gather up your troops and alert the whole city to evacuate," Adrianmanded with an air of urgency. His words snapped Elowyn out of her stupor.


    Suddenly, the skies darkened, and an eerie, bone-chilling wind swept through the garden. Something was unmistakably wrong, and Elowyn could feel it in her bones.


    Then, a monstrous, otherworldly roar echoed through the air. It was a sound so grotesque, so otherworldly that it defied description. Fear raced through Elowyn''s body, and her skin erupted in goosebumps. Her hair stood on end with terror, and she was paralyzed with fear, unable toprehend what was happening.


    "Princess!" Adrian''s voice cut through her paralysis. "Do as I tell you if you want to survive," he insisted. In the distance, a dark miasma loomed, creeping closer and closer to their sacrednd, bringing an imminent and ominous threat.