Within Count Roswaal's territory, in the forest.
Shendu brought Felt there. After arriving at an open clearing, she pointed at the area before them, making arrangements thoughtfully.
"Felt, train here. Continuously imagine different elements and release them."
Shendu had brought Felt out alone precisely to let her practice freely and improve her strength.
At the very least, Felt was likely one of the royal candidates. If other factions had spies watching before they returned, it was highly probable that news about her would spread.
Felt was a good chess piece. As the one playing the game, Shendu would not allow this piece to remain insignificant.
"Got it, Sister Shendu!"
After receiving Shendu's instructions, Felt immediately began playing around.
From time to time, she released fireballs, then condensed the flames igniting the trees into ice, switching elemental attacks back and forth, thoroughly enjoying herself.
In truth, the reason this magic tool allowed ordinary people to use magic was that a spirit-gathering array composed of runes was engraved on the surface of the ring. It could naturally absorb magical elements from the air.
It had a similar principle to Emilia's use of spiritual arts, so it was not strange for Felt to be able to cast spells.
After practicing for quite a while, Felt finally stopped. She felt her mental energy had been heavily drained. Casting magic through sheer imagination was truly exhausting.
"Phew! I'm so tired, Big Sister."
Lowering her hand, Felt spoke with a weary expression. "Let's walk around a bit more."
"Sure."
Shendu had no objections. With Emilia not by her side, having this lively girl accompany her was not a bad thing.
Walking to the edge of the grassland, Felt sat down directly on the ground, her bright eyes fixed on Shendu.
"Sister Shendu, that so-called noble feels really strange. I don't like him."
Felt was innocent at heart, yet having grown up in the slums, she had seen plenty of human ugliness. She possessed a woman's intuition toward such people.
When she met Roswaal, a natural sense of disgust had arisen in her heart.
"I feel the same."
Shendu nodded as well. After thinking for a moment, she said calmly, "But as long as we ignore that guy, it'll be fine."
To Shendu, dealing with him was simple. As long as Roswaal did not cause trouble for them, it did not matter.
Recalling the 5% mission completion rate, she felt she needed to put in more effort and could not afford to appear too slack.
"Alright, let's wander around. After some time, we'll head to the royal capital together."
Shendu narrowed her eyes. A faint glimmer shimmered within her crimson pupils, as though she were calculating something.
...
At that moment, inside Roswaal's private bedroom.
On the fifth floor, Roswaal stood by the window, gazing at the scenery outside. His mismatched eyes flickered with contemplation as he pondered something unknown.
The room was furnished with all manner of expensive décor. Even the carpet was made of real silk, and a faint floral fragrance lingered in the air.
It was clear that this noble count greatly enjoyed life. As a grand aristocrat who governed the borderlands, he naturally possessed immense authority.
At the same time, Roswaal's strength was second only to Reinhard. As a mage, he commanded formidable magic, which was also one of the reasons the kingdom granted him such generous privileges.
As long as Roswaal did not overturn the table, the other forces within the kingdom would not dare act rashly. This was precisely why he was entrusted with guarding the frontier.
Knock knock!
Just as Roswaal was deep in thought, a knock sounded from outside, interrupting him.
"Come in, Ram."
As if he had long known who it would be, Roswaal turned around and sat directly in a chair, speaking calmly.
The door opened, and the pink-haired maid walked in slowly. Upon seeing Roswaal, she bowed deeply.
"Lord Roswaal, we may begin."
Ram nodded to Roswaal and spoke solemnly.
"Good. Tell me about the silver-haired girl called Shendu. What has she been doing during this time? Tell me everything."
Roswaal's gaze sharpened as he looked at his maid, his tone serious.
"Yes."
Ram did not refuse. After composing herself, she began her report.
"That woman called Shendu is very mysterious. She seemed to have appeared suddenly in the outskirts of the kingdom. Furthermore, she is extremely powerful. She has revealed only the tip of her strength on three occasions."
As Ram spoke, a trace of wariness appeared in her eyes. She had already learned the details of those battles from Rem, and she had personally witnessed one of them.
"Oh? That sounds interesting. Continue."
Roswaal's smile deepened. The sudden appearance of a silver-haired girl, overwhelming strength, and a mysterious identity—all of it piqued his growing interest.
Ram continued her account.
"The first battle was against the assassin known as the Bowel Hunter. With only two moves, she forced that woman to flee in panic."
"The second battle occurred when they encountered bandits on the road. With a single move, she turned more than three hundred bandits into stone statues. She even created a stone giant and destroyed their mountain stronghold along with them."
"The third battle happened before your return. The woman called Shendu fought Puck in an intense confrontation. The result was a draw. It is evident that although Puck concealed part of his strength, that woman must also have hidden tremendous power."
"In conclusion, that woman's strength is terrifying. She may rival Reinhard, and she is certainly no weaker than you."
Ram's conservative assessment did not surprise Roswaal in the slightest.
After hearing these brief descriptions, a smile curved Roswaal's lips, though the thick makeup on his face made the expression appear somewhat unsettling.
"What impression do you have of her?"
Suddenly, Roswaal shifted the topic, studying his maid carefully as he asked softly.
"My first impression was not bad. Her demeanor is elegant and composed, like the daughter of a noble house. She handles interactions with great refinement. However, her personality is far too arrogant. She shows no reverence toward certain matters."
"Rem also suspects that this woman may possess another identity."
Ram wore a puzzled expression. When it came to evaluating this person, she simply found her exceedingly strange.
"I see. With such power, she certainly deserves attention."
"Or is it her sudden contact with Emilia that makes you feel even more suspicious?"
Roswaal asked with a faint smile. He was quite satisfied with his maid's investigation. It was sufficiently detailed, and with Ram's loyalty, he knew she would never deceive him.