Spatial Manipulation.
It's the trend of this age, though only those with more money than they know what to do with actually invest in it. It's one of the latest discoveries from the magitech department—incorporating spatial magic into buildings to expand their interiors multiple times over. That was exactly the case for this castle.
"Just how many floors are there?" I muttered, glancing around.
The grand hall stretched before me, filled with nobles engaged in conversation. It was reminiscent of a lavish banquet, melodic tones drifting through the air and adding to the grandeur. This was the sixth floor I'd reached so far, and with each level, an eerie sense of déjà vu crept over me. The halls all looked identical, like someone had just copied and pasted the same design over and over. I hadn't seen a single room yet, but given the sheer size of each floor, there were probably around ten per level.
"Why the mask?"
"Perhaps a royal?"
"No, I doubt it. But it can't be a lesser noble—or, goddess forbid, a commoner. No one of that status would be able to enter."
The whispers had followed me from floor to floor. At this point, I was THIS close to ripping off the damn mask.
"Just stop following me for a minute!"
A voice rang out, exasperated. I turned to see a young lady dressed in an elegant off-shoulder almond gown paired with pristine white gloves. A delicate veil—likely enchanted—concealed her face, but I could see her eyes, a striking crimson. Her hair was white, not the dull aging kind of white, but a vibrant, almost luminous platinum that seemed to glow under the hall's lighting.
"Come on, you know I can't leave you on your own," a young man said, his entire demeanor practically screaming 'I am an ass!' That sneer on his face made it worse.
Ugh. Well, whatever.
For a moment, I thought the girl was Nora, but it couldn't be.
"Haah. You are really getting on my nerves." I could sense it—she was trying desperately to hold herself back from doing something, something probably crazy, and that was definitely not something I'd sense from Nora.
"I won't, no matter how much you beg me. I am quite sure your mother would appreciate that. Perhaps I would even be given your hand in marriage." He grinned as he held her hand and kissed it.
She yanked her hand away immediately, her brows furrowed. "Keep dreaming," she said coldly.
He then turned around, scanning the area as if searching for someone, and just as one would expect, her eyes met mine—or rather, my mask. She couldn't really see my eyes through all the lightning crackling around it, right?
"You're here?"
Suddenly, her furrowed brows softened, and so did her voice.
Okay... what is happening here?
Without warning, she rushed forward and tried to hook her arm around mine. Tried—because I moved just a step too fast.
"What?"
"Heh?" She looked up at me, and I could tell she was grinning behind that veil.
I think it would be best to stay away from this girl altogether. I don't know how she did it, but my thoughts tangled for a split second. I wanted to move away from her, yet somehow I found myself moving toward her instead. In fact, I was the one who let her hook arms with me.
"Let go, or I'll break your arm," I muttered quietly.
If push comes to shove, I'll just revert my mana veins to their reversed form. It would hurt like hell, but at least I'd regain my power. I feel safer with that power active.
"Shh. Just pretend. I promise to reward you after this," she whispered.
And in the next second—
"What is the MEANING of this?!"
It was the bastard. His whole demeanor had taken a complete 180-degree turn from what I'd seen from afar.
"I think that's enough. You can leave now," she said calmly.
I tried to pull away, but she actually reinforced her arm with mana, forcing me to stay put. This is going to be problematic.
"S-So?! He's the boyfriend you keep talking about? His ma—I mean, your father must hear of this!" he stammered, his face red as hell.
"Don't bring my father into this. And get out of my face before I lose my patience with you," she said, her expression darkening.
As much as I was tempted to do something, anything really, I decided against it. Let's just see how things play out first.
Suddenly, the young man turned his enraged self toward me.
Ugh. I can already feel the headache coming on.
"Let go of her, you imbecile! Do you even know who she is?!" He raved, to which I just kept my peace.
"Longris. Leave," the girl said, and my eyes widened.
Longris? Like... THAT Longris?
Wait. But if he's Longris, then...
I looked at the girl glaring at him and frowned internally.
Fuck.
"I cannot leave you. Who knows what this... imbecile would do to you if left alone with him," he said, glaring daggers at me.
At this point, the idiot wasn't even the problem anymore. It was the girl beside me.
Jenica. The sister of Angelica.
What are the odds? I still haven't taken care of her troublesome sister, and now I encounter her? Now it makes sense. I was wondering what was happening back when she approached me and I seemed to lose control of my body. It's her damned ability, the worst thing I could encounter at such a time.
Mind control.
She could have even accessed my thoughts for all I know. No, I can't stay too long with her. It's too risky, especially since I'm yet to find a protection against it.
"Are you deaf?" I asked, to which his face turned to one of confusion.
"What did you just say?" He asked, and I felt it—the sudden surge of mana. It seems he was just waiting for me to say something so he could use that as a reason for attacking. Let me guess, he would use the cliché excuse of disregard for a higher noble's authority. That was why.
"I asked if you're deaf, or just plain stupid," I said once again, to which a spear instantly manifested in his grasp.
"I see, you have some balls," he said. "It's funny actually, calling me stupid when it's you who doesn't know who's standing before you. It's you who—"
BOOOM!
Well, that was simple.
"Haah," I sighed, turning to look at Jenica, whose mouth was hanging open from pure shock.
While the idiot was giving his monologue, I had done the best thing I could do, and that was to utilize Anna's affinity through our connection and summon a humongous fireball thrice the size of my head to send him flying all the way over the railing, tumbling down to the lowest floor.
That should shut him up.
"He's not dead, right?" she asked, her eyes moving to meet mine.
Is she worried about him?
"Let go," I said, glancing at our hooked arms.
She didn't.
"Wait, don't leave yet. How about this—you keep me company until this whole thing is over, and as a reward, I'll give you a thousand imperial gold. How about that? I can even give you an upfront of three hundred now, and then the rest later," she said with an excited expression.
What the hell? Wasn't she just fearing for that idiot's life a moment ago?
That aside, as shocking as the amount of money she's throwing in my face is, it's not even an offer worth considering. I am by no means lacking financially and won't be anytime soon. Plus, this girl is too dangerous to remain close to for a long time. If she hasn't started intruding in my thoughts yet, she would at some point.
So...
"No. Let go."