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The Hanna that she met earlier seemed off. She couldn’t pinpoint what it was, and she didn’t have time to observe the Quinzel Princess more. Fortunately, she wasn’t the only one who noticed that something was wrong.

“It’s not the real Hanna Quinzel.”

It was Rubin Drayton.

[To be precise, it’s Dilan talking.]

“It was a clone made from Hanna Quinzel’s shadow,” Dilan said while handing a glass of champagne to her. “And I guess Hanna Quinzel’s friend has a power related to creating clones.”

“Sandie Morrisley,” Regina said, scoffing. “I knew that darn nerd is troublesome.”

Right now, Hanna was on the balcony of the hall with “Rubin.” It wasn’t strange to be alone with him, since people thought they were dating each other anyway.

[It’s just creepy because it’s actually Dilan who I often meet.]

.....

And Dilan was her half-brother.

“Where did the real Hanna go?” Regina asked curiously. “And why did she have to make a clone if she was just going to leave the banquet?”

“Didn’t you see her expression earlier?”

“I was mesmerized by the Spirit Queen’s beauty.”

Dilan scoffed, then he caressed her face with the back of his gloved hand. “You’re prettier than the Spirit Queen, though.”

She rolled her eyes at him, sipping her champagne before speaking again. “Stop being disgusting, Dilan.”

“Hanna was about to cry when Prince Nero got basked in Moonglow earlier,” he said, dropping his hand to his side. “It was as if she realized that Emperor Nikolai could already be dead.”

“How did you even come up with that conclusion?”

“Then why did Hanna Quinzel look like she was grieving while looking at Prince Nero?” he asked back. “If anything, she should have been happy since that meant her position as the future empress was already secured when the throne chose Prince Nero. But no. She looked broken. Almost as if she was mourning for the former Emperor Nikolai.”

She knitted her eyebrows. “Even if Hanna Quinzel remembers the former emperor, were they close enough for her to mourn His Majesty’s death?” She tilted her head to one side. “Well, that girl is too soft-hearted, so it’s possible.”

“If that’s the case, then we have nothing to worry about,” Dilan said. “But what if the former emperor isn’t the only one Hanna Quinzel remembers?”

Dilan’s words sent a shiver down her spine.

Her crazy half-brother actually made sense.

[And the fact that Hanna Quinzel snuck out of the banquet by using a clone is really suspicious.]

Moreover…

“The poison that I’m feeding her doesn’t seem to be working the way we want it to,” Regina said, now feeling a bit anxious. She sipped her champagne to soothe herself. “She’s getting weaker day by day, but she should have been bedridden by now.”

“See?” Dilan said, shrugging. “Hanna Quinzel is suspicious. I actually sent crows to follow her. Do you know where the crows are at the moment?”

“Where?”

“In the slums,” he said. “To be precise, Hanna Quinzel is near a famous information guild. The crows can’t find her exact location, but she’s somewhere there.”

“Then I’ll go,” Regina said firmly, then she finished the remaining champagne in the glass in one gulp. “I’ll catch Hanna Quinzel.”

Dilan grabbed Regina’s wrist, then he raised her hand until the glass of champagne she was holding was grazing his lips. To be precise, his lips touched the part of the glass with her lipstick stain on. “Bring me with you.”

***

“LORD JASPER, we must go separate ways here,” Hanna said in an urgent voice. “The crows are everywhere, and it’s only a matter of time before they find us.”

She was using her shadows to hide both herself and Duke Jasper Hawthorne.

But she couldn’t use her ability to the fullest to avoid alerting the crows who could detect Mana. Hence, the two of them were moving very slowly in the dark.

“What are you saying, Lady Hanna? I can’t leave you alone here,” Lord Jasper whispered. He didn’t have to whisper because Hanna’s Shadow Veil was soundproof. But the duke was very cautious. “Moreover, Princess Neoma asked me to escort you back home safely.”

“But the crows will find us if we keep moving together,” Hanna said firmly. “Lord Jasper, listen to me carefully. The fact that the crows followed me here only means they’re already suspicious of me.”

She wouldn’t be surprised if the crows already knew that she didn’t forget Neoma.

[Lord Ruto also warned us that the spell he used to protect our memories would weaken eventually until it becomes ineffective.]

“But the crows aren’t suspicious of you yet,” Hanna continued. “Hence, you have to escape and conceal yourself. It will be bad if both of us are caught here now. Princess Neoma needs at least one of us to manipulate the empire.”

It seemed like the duke was about to protest, but he prevented himself from doing it when he realized that she had a point.

“Lord Jasper, please have faith in me.”

“Hanna Quinzel, will you really be alright alone?” Lord Jasper asked. “Like you said, the crows are everywhere.”

“I’ll be fine, my lord,” Hanna said, smiling to assure the duke that she was really fine. “See you later.”

***

[I’M GLAD I already sent Lord Jasper away.]

That was Hanna’s first thought when she found herself floating in the air when a huge shadow hand grabbed her by the waist.

The next thing she knew, she was already facing Regina Crowell.

[This wench…]

Regina Crowell was standing on top of a three-story shabby inn.

The shadow hand that was squeezing Hanna’s body was connected to the crow’s own shadow. Thanks to the clear and bright moon, their shadows were stronger that night.

“Fancy meeting you here, my dear cousin,” Regina said, crossing her arms over her chest while raising an eyebrow at her. “What are you doing in a place like this when you’re supposed to be celebrating with Prince Nero?”

Hanna smiled at the crow. “I’m not obliged to answer your question, dear cousin.”

After saying that, she summoned her Shadow Beast.

Nathaira, the shadow of an Imoogi trapped in the Black Ocean, emerged from Hanna’s shadow. Then the Imoogi hissed loudly before biting the giant shadow hand that was grabbing Hanna.

Just like that, the hand shadow combusted and turned into dark ashes.

Hanna then landed on her feet gracefully.

“I don’t want to fight you, dear cousin,” Regina said in a taunting voice. “If you answer my questions honestly, I’ll pretend this confrontation didn’t happen.”

“How curious,” Hanna said calmly. “I wonder what you’re so curious about that you have to stalk me here.”

“Oh, dear. I’m just worried about you,” Regina said in a fake, sympathetic voice. “After all, your body is weak. You should be by home at this hour.”

“Stop beating around the bush, dear cousin.”

“Neoma de Moonasterio.”

Okay, she didn’t expect Regina Crowell to be that straightforward.

“You didn’t forget Neoma de Moonasterio, did you?” Regina asked, laughing. “You fooled us for five years, huh?”

It looked like there was no use in lying anymore.

After all, even if Hanna denied Regina’s accusation, it wouldn’t change the fact that she was already suspicious of her.

[This place isn’t safe for me anymore.]

Hanna could tell that Regina was planning to get rid of her for real.

“It’s a shame, really,” Regina said, the shadow behind her starting to take the form of a beast. But the form was still too vague to realize what kind of beast it was. “The crows have chosen you as the future empress because of your noble lineage. But if you’re going to get in our way, I have no choice but to do this.”

Hanna scoffed, maintaining a composed smile on her face. “Are you going to kill me?”

“Later,” Regina said, her green eyes glowing menacingly. “For now, I’ll extract your Beans because we need your noble lineage to create the next Crown Prince.”

That was absolutely horrible and disgusting.

[The crows are really using stolen Beans and Seeds to create lives!]

She had already heard about the crows’ experiment from Neoma a few years ago. But to hear it straight from Regina still gave her the chills.

It was also frightening to think the crows were targeting her Beans.

[I’m not a baby machine!]

“Nathaira,” Hanna said sternly. “Kill that arrogant wench.”

Nathaira hissed before moving to attack Regina.

The crow also summoned her Shadow Beast this time, but Hanna didn’t get to hear what Regina said because she got distracted by the presence she felt behind her.

When Hanna turned around, she was taken aback to see a dagger headed her way.

Unfortunately, she couldn’t move.

She belatedly realized that Regina’s shadow had shackled her ankles, causing her to get stuck on where she stood. Just when she was about to summon another Shadow Beast, someone suddenly appeared right in front of her.

.....

CLANG!

It was the sound of a blade hitting another blade.

The tall and lean man who appeared in front of her blocked the dagger that was about to hit her with a sword.

[This back…]

“Are you alright, Lady Hanna?”

And then that person turned around.

Silver hair.

Golden eyes glowing beautifully.

And that unbelievably gorgeous face?

[He has the face that could rival Rubin Drayton’s...]

The young man in front of Hanna was both familiar and strange to her.

Hanna was mesmerized. “Is that you, Lewis?”

***

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