Mandira furrowed her brow, visibly confused. "What are you even talking about?"
She turned to Shennong, hoping for some explanation.
"Do you know what she's talking about?"
Shennong simply shrugged. "No idea."
Princess Maria stood by the doorway, her expression unreadable. Without saying another word, she raised her hand slightly, and the guards around her dispersed without protest. The doors clicked shut behind her as she stepped fully into the room, her boots making soft thuds against the polished stone floor.
"I can feel it," Maria muttered. "Something's going on here."
Mandira stiffened, preparing for confrontation, but Maria's gaze remained locked on Shennong.
"But that's not what I'm interested in," Maria added, eyes narrowing. "It's you."
She marched forward, closing the distance between her and Shennong in an instant. Her eyes scanned him, intense and focused, traveling from his face down to his boots as if measuring every inch of him.
