A chilling sensation creeping up from behind.

Because of this, Dust was frozen in place, staring straight ahead.

“Th…that is… um…”

“Hmm… It seems it’s hard for you to answer? Then, shall I help you a bit more?”

“N…no! I…I’ll talk! I’ll… goooh!”

Dust was gripped by fear like nothing she had ever experienced before, as if her heart was being squeezed.

Yet, even in this situation, she had to muster her mental strength and continue speaking as best as she could.

It was… an utterly horrifying sensation radiating from her skin in that moment.

A sticky, mushy feeling, along with the cold, sharp touch of some being lurking within.

Every time she hesitated to speak, that presence would slowly glide along her nape.

Its caress was bizarrely eerie, and the palpable malice flowing from it made it impossible for her to lose her grip on her sanity, pushing her to keep talking.

In the thick veils of confusion and fear, Dust squeezed out all she knew.

In the process, she had no choice but to divulge everything about the incident…

All of Estelle’s conjectures and her own reactions and actions related to it.

‘W…what on earth is happening? Why did it come to this?’

Just a few minutes ago, she had been feeling triumphant over capturing Polena.

She thought the obstacles blocking her brother’s path would disappear in tears and screams, believing that Estelle would pair with Santana and form a perfect family.

However, in this moment, it was not Polena but Dust herself who was emitting silent screams along with tears.

Even Dust, a mid-level mage confident in battle, was utterly helpless against the overwhelming power.

She couldn’t even grasp the true nature or form of it.

The opponent had never told her not to look back.

Yet, even so, Dust didn’t have the courage to turn around.

Simply feeling the sensations and instincts crawling under her nails, her sanity was fraying.

In such a situation, the moment she caught sight of whatever was there…

She knew very well that she would receive an enormous shock, one she could not handle.

And… it was only at this moment that she finally realized.

She had quietly touched the slumbering whiskers of a dragon.

*

“Is that so? So that’s how it was…”

“Y…yes… um… that’s… correct…”

Dust answered Polena’s calm voice with a voice that sounded like it was dying.

Right after grasping all the facts that had piqued her curiosity, Polena withdrew the mixed magic power she had been emitting.

Right after that…

“Haah… Haah… Haah…”

Dust gasped, almost desperately.

The presence that had been pressing down on her just moments ago had vanished, yet its lingering echoes had not completely faded, leaving a distinct sense of fear in her heart.

Thus, while trembling all over, Dust could not even cry out due to the overwhelming pressure, letting tears trickle down.

Watching her, Polena donned a bright smile again and slowly moved her steps.

And then…

“Eek!”

The next moment, Polena gently placed her hand on Dust’s shoulder.

At that action, Dust let out a strained groan without even realizing it.

Though that touch did not carry the dreadful sensation from before,

Knowing that the owner of this hand was the one who graciously enlightened her on the depths of hell, Dust could not possibly endure the situation with her sanity intact.

Thus, she began to tremble like she was having convulsions.

To that trembling Dust, Polena spoke in her usual bright voice, not the chilly presence from earlier.

“Thank you for your hard work. I’m really delighted that you were able to resolve all my queries like this.”

“Uh…uhh…”

“Honestly, I felt somewhat bewildered, but it seems this is quite an interesting story. I never thought I might be misunderstood to be having such a relationship with Mr. Santana. How amusing… As a maid serving my master, I’m not sure whether to be happy or to apologize.”

With that said, Polena tightened her grip just slightly on Dust’s shoulder.

“Guhh!”

Although the strength was not very strong, merely a slight bend of fingers,

That action alone was enough to apply pressure to Dust greater than being stabbed by a knife.

Thus, Dust was once again seized by near-convulsions.

Towards her, Polena whispered softly into her ear.

“However… misunderstandings like this should be avoided, right? It doesn’t really concern me, but we cannot let my master suffer because of this.”

“Uh…y…yes!”

“So, in that regard, I would appreciate it if you could keep an eye on this matter. Everything is a misunderstanding, and I’m just a servant serving Mr. Santana. Surely you understand what I mean?”

“Y…yes! I…I’ll do my best to make sure this never happens again!”

“…Hehe… Yes, you ought to. We don’t want any strange stories circulating that could disturb my already busy master.”

With that remark, Polena lifted the heavy hand that felt like a mountain to Dust.

And with that, she turned and moved down the corridor until she vanished from Dust’s view.

However, even after Polena had disappeared, Dust was left trembling on the floor, unable to take a single step.

Even after the person had vanished, the impression she left was enough to keep Dust from turning around.

For the next few hours, Dust trembled and remained rooted to the spot.

And finally, after regaining a bit of composure…

Dust squeezed out the courage she had gathered and timidly turned around.

What she saw next…

There lay soldiers, completely unconscious, just as they were armed, utterly defeated.

Confirming once more that Polena had completely departed,

Dust was finally able to calm her trembling heart and laboriously rise to her feet.

Her mind, still soaked in fear, made her shiver all over,

Impairing her ability to think normally.

Yet, despite that, she had to make her way to Estelle after settling herself.

Of course, this wasn’t to tell Estelle the truth about what she’d experienced.

Even though she had disappeared right in front of her eyes, Polena was undoubtedly lurking somewhere within this castle.

To survive against that creature, which clearly surpassed even her father, Dust had no choice but to speak as instructed.

That all of this was a misunderstanding…

Polena was merely her brother’s servant, and her brother, Santana, didn’t think of her as a woman.

Whether that was truly the case or not didn’t matter.

What mattered was that the monster named Polena had instructed her to speak like this.

Thus, feeling as if a blade were aimed at her back even in this moment,

Dust did her best to fix her disheveled appearance before heading toward Estelle.

And she said,

That everything was a misunderstanding…

A tale she had to weave so the other side would believe it without a doubt for her survival…