Navia's eyes snapped open the moment she regained consciousness, like someone startled awake.
Her red pupils focused on the unfamiliar, ornate ceiling above.
"...Was my room's ceiling like this?"
She soon realized she was in the Emerald Room.
It was a room she had only spent a few days in throughout her life, so its unfamiliarity was inevitable.
She turned her head to check the clock on the bedside table.
9 AM.
Navia frowned.
She couldn't tell how many days it had been since it was 9 AM.
"Ah... Damned Wood."
Had she missed the golden opportunity she had originally planned during her unconscious state?
Navia covered her eyes with her palm, then looked down at Black Moon with half-lowered eyes.
Seeing the calm Black Moon reminded her of the white water storm that had risen violently.
In the midst of that, Navia continuously, relentlessly drew magic from Wood.
The image of the red blood flowing from his lips came to mind.
"Let me go-!”
His expression, trembling with fear, was vividly etched in her memory.
"Brother, do you remember what you said when I begged you to stop hitting me, saying it hurts?"
"Let go! Let me go!"
She bound the struggling Wood with water streams and tied his limbs.
And she told him.
"Why?"
His violence had no special meaning.
Just because.
Because I feel like it.
Because I want to.
Because you're of lowly birth.
Navia got up from the bed with a dry expression.
First, she needed to grasp the situation.
She pulled the bell rope, and a maid entered.
"Did you call for me?"
But it wasn't Charlotte.
"Where is Charlotte?"
"Charlotte has been demoted for failing to serve you properly. From now on, I will be serving you."
Was the kidnapping incident related to such a harsh punishment for Charlotte?
Navia thought there must be some other reason.
"Then where is the nanny?"
The maid replied carefully.
"...She's in prison."
'So Charlotte pushed Philippa too hard and aroused the Duke's suspicion.'
That's why she was told not to expose Philippa's crimes early.
But it must have been difficult to think of a better plan while being framed for embezzlement.
Navia quickly understood the situation and asked the most crucial question.
"How long have I been unconscious?"
"One day."
'If it's one day, then today is the exact day to carry out the contract.'
What could Edward be doing now?
9 AM was early, but it was the time he usually went to the Duke's residence.
Navia looked at the new maid with a calm gaze.
She read quite a bit of information from the maid's attitude.
Firstly, Wood would be safe.
"How is my brother?"
The maid answered.
"He caused a magic outburst while saving you, but fortunately, he is safe."
'Wood must have been doing something, knowing that I could use magic by siphoning his.'
Navia frowned at the perplexing situation.
'Anyway, the kidnapping is now as if it never happened.'
This was too obvious a measure to be surprising.
However, the punishment of Charlotte was somewhat curious.
"What position was Charlotte demoted to?"
As the question was asked, the maid felt a strange discomfort.
It was as if she wasn't answering a child's question.
"She's in the laundry."
The amount of laundry from the Duke's residence was enormous.
Not only washing and drying it but also ironing it with a hot iron was no ordinary task.
Continuously working in the laundry would wear out her body.
"Is that so? It's not too hard, right?"
Navia asked innocently, and the maid was momentarily speechless.
It was a question so naive, or rather, so foolish, that she was slightly flustered.
"Ah... yes, well. A little."
The thought crossed her mind that staying here would mean enduring more such silly questions. Dealing with a child was a nuisance.
Just then, a knock came from outside.
"Miss, Mr. Spencer requests to see you."
Navia spoke calmly.
"Please come in."
The door opened, and Edward entered.
His expression looked refreshed, as if the tension he had been carrying was now relieved.
It must have been about successfully curing his younger sister's illness.
Navia asked the new maid.
"What's your name?"
"Kate."
"Alright, Kate. You can leave now."
Kate left the bedroom, relieved to no longer have to deal with the child.
As the two were left alone, Navia's expression turned cold.
"Did you manage to cure your sister's illness?"
Edward responded in his usual calm expression and tone, dryly.
"Yes, thanks to you."
"I'm glad to hear that."
Edward gazed intently at Navia, who had been kidnapped and remained unusually calm, and then asked her.
"Are you alright?"
Navia replied with a strange expression as if to ask why he would question such a thing.
"Yes."
Edward knew that Navia viewed him strictly as a business partner, nothing more, nothing less, which made him anxious.
He finally broached the subject he had been wanting to ask.
"Why today of all days?"
Why did Navia choose to heal Vivian's illness precisely on the fifth day?
There must have been a reason.
"Aren't you going to the imperial palace with Duke Agnes?"
"…Yes, I am."
"When adults are away, it becomes a lawless zone for children."
At those words, Edward guessed that Navia was planning to turn the place upside down again.
Navia, standing at the center of the Ducal house, had become a massive storm, causing all kinds of incidents and accidents.
Despite getting hurt, broken, and facing incredibly dangerous moments, she never stopped.
She swept everything up. Swallowed it all.
'I can't understand how she survived the magic outburst unscathed.'
The realization that an eight-year-old girl had manipulated everyone around her to create the current situation sent shivers down his spine.
After curing his sister's illness, Edward completely revised his assessment of Navia.
Her power was far from over.
It was uncertain how far Navia's plan extended, but it would surely be perfect.
Even if it wasn't perfect, it didn't matter.
It was okay to fail.
That would only make for a greater epic.
And Edward dared to think.
'If I could be a part of her epic.'
If there was Edward Spencer by Navia's side, if only!
He had no desire to be recorded as a teacher out of his league.
He just wanted to be noted as an advisor or a colleague.
Navia was the first to inspire such intense hope in the usually cynical Edward. And she would definitely be the last.
Edward, who would have remained a bystander, shared what he knew for Navia's sake.
"By the way, I heard that Wood lost his memory of the water storm."
Navia's eyes widened at the unexpected news.
'So he forgot that I can extract magic just by touching.'
This made escaping much easier - a piece of good news.
Knock, knock.
A servant knocked on the door and cautiously asked.
"Lord Spencer, are you busy? The master asked if you needed more time."
Edward sighed faintly at those words.
"…Take care."
With that, he left.
Navia glanced at the door for a moment and then shook her head.
'I don't know what he's thinking.'
Edward, acting as if he were her colleague.
Navia dismissed the idea and looked out the window.
The sky was filled with ashen clouds.
'Is this a climate change caused by the water storm?'
The day that marked exactly one week since her return always brought a gloomy rain signaling the onset of winter.
The half-frozen raindrops dirtying the streets seemed to signal the failure of that cycle.
But she felt that this rain might come a day early this time.
This rain seemed likely to help her.
'If it rains, Nikan's return will be delayed.'
Navia confirmed that a carriage was waiting outside and quickly began preparing to leave.
She changed into her clothes and neatly combed her hair.
She didn't touch any of the items from the Ansier Boutique.
Then she noticed a pearl hairpin on the table.
She thought she had lost it after stabbing a servant's thigh, but there it was, intact.
Navia silently looked at the hairpin and then clipped it into her hair.
There was still work to do inside the mansion, so it was best to look like a pitiful, shabby fake princess.
There was no sign of Nikan or Edward below the window.
'I should go to Charlotte.'
