To the west, far beyond the blades’ path, the grand entrance to the ceremony hall opened at that very moment. A young girl clad in the ceremonial robes of the House of Nurturing stepped inside. Unlike the other guests, she bore no void band, leaving her mana unrestrained. Her gaze swept the room, and the sight of the assassin’s attack sparked recognition—and something far more primal.

Lightning crackled in her eyes. The energy coursed outward, dancing along her arms and pooling at the soles of her feet. She moved. In the space of a heartbeat, she vanished from the doorway, her form streaking through the hall with the speed of a thunderbolt.

Ren, however, had no time to rely on others. Despite knowing the blades were flimsy compared to the power of those present, he couldn’t afford to gamble his life on their intervention. Instinct and logic merged as he identified the skill he needed. Without hesitation, he activated it.

Meanwhile, the duke shook free of his paralysis. Before the duke could plan a precise move, he saw his son safe in the embrace of his wife, the threat averted in an instant that felt like eternity.

Void Step – 10 Mana Consumed.

The room fell silent as three pairs of eyes turned toward the source of the impossible. The assassin, the duke, and the rabbit-eared girl streaking through the air all froze, their gazes locking onto the same astonishing sight.

A baby had teleported. A one-month-old baby had teleported.

The assassin’s pale complexion betrayed his realization: his carefully laid plan was unraveling. But just as quickly as panic had set in, his confidence returned. The blades he had launched toward the capsule shuddered in midair, their course correcting. The homing runes etched into their steel activated, tracking their target’s new position.

The assassin’s lips curled into a sinister smile.

The first blade streaked toward Ren’s head, but before it could land, the duke’s fist intercepted it. With a deafening crack, the weapon shattered into hundreds of fragments, scattering harmlessly across the floor.

The second blade, however, was already too close for the duke to stop in time. Fragments from its impact could still harm Ren if shattered, forcing him to consider another tactic.

He didn’t need to.

The rabbit-eared girl moved with blinding speed, her instincts honed by lightning coursing through her body. A fraction of a second was all she needed to assess the situation. With a well-placed kick to the blade’s hilt, she redirected its path downward, embedding it harmlessly into the stone floor.

But the third blade was already upon them, its tip aimed unerringly at Ren’s eye.

Void Step – 10 Mana Consumed.

Ren vanished once more. But this time, he didn’t need to.

The third blade faltered, falling harmlessly to the ground just before it could pierce his eye—a near-miss measured in mere milliseconds. How?

The answer lay in the blood streaming down Princess Ilana’s right hand. A jade hairpin, glinting faintly under the chamber’s light, was buried in the assassin’s neck. Her intervention had come in the final moment, swift and lethal.

Yet the sight cast a shadow over the event.

A guard from the royal entourage, revealed as an assassin, was a scandal of catastrophic proportions. No house in the empire would dare subject the royal family’s emissaries to a security check, a breach of protocol that would be seen as an insult. But that same trust placed the onus on the royal house to uphold their honor and dignity, especially when visiting another noble’s estate.

Stolen novel; please report.

Today, that trust was shattered. The royal house’s spotless record now bore a stain.

And the princess’s choice—to end the assassin’s life before he could be interrogated—had only complicated matters.

What should have been a day of celebration had veered into chaos, with events spiraling both right and wrong in unexpected directions.

“There was no other choice, Duke Kal. Your son’s life was at stake,” Princess Ilana said, her voice calm and measured as she sought to soothe his anger with logic.

“I understand, Your Highness,” the duke replied, his tone even but taut with restraint. He was no fool; voicing his frustration here, in front of witnesses, would only worsen matters. And despite his emotions, he couldn’t deny that her decisive action had likely saved Ren—teleporting or not.

"The ceremony is officially over in light of today’s events," Duke Kal announced, his voice heavy with authority. "For the safety of my son and to handle this... mess, the dinner and night party are canceled. I trust everyone will understand."

The gathered guests exchanged uneasy glances before filing out of the hall, murmuring among themselves. Only Princess Ilana, the rabbit-eared girl, and the duke’s immediate family and knights remained behind.

Kal turned to his head knight, his expression steely. "Borgen, I want this investigation completed by tomorrow morning. Spare no expense, offend whomever you must—I don’t care. I need answers."

Borgen nodded sharply. "Understood, my lord."

The duke’s gaze shifted to the princess. "I expect the royal house’s full cooperation in this matter."

"Of course," Ilana replied, her tone composed but firm.

Borgen stepped aside with the princess, their expressions grave as they began discussing the assassin’s identity. The knight carefully gathered the corpse and the remnants of the enchanted blades before leaving the hall.

Meanwhile, Vritta knelt beside the rabbit-eared girl, her face lighting up with gratitude. "Kara, my dear, what a help you’ve been! Gods above, bless this sweet little rabbit for being here to save our son!"

Kara flushed, her ears twitching furiously as her aunt pulled her into a warm hug. "No, no, no—stop doing that, Aunt Vritta!" she squeaked, squirming in embarrassment. "I’m not a kid anymore! I’m Tier 1 now, a true Arcane! Of course I’d protect my little brother!"

Vritta laughed, ruffling Kara’s hair despite her protests. "True Arcane or not, you’ll always be my little niece."

Kara huffed, her indignation melting into a soft grin. But her brow furrowed a moment later as she turned to Ren, still cradled in his mother’s arms. "Wait, wait, wait! Did I just see... the baby teleporting? From the capsule to Aunt Vritta and back? Is that even possible?"

Kal let out a low sigh, running a hand through his hair. "That’s a question plaguing all our minds, Kara."

The family approached the capsule carefully, their steps measured. Kal began collecting the scattered Rune stones, his expression a mask of concentration. Once he had gathered them all, he separated nine that seemed to stand out, placing them into a separate pouch.

Ren lay there in the capsule, his little arms flailing joyfully as he giggled, completely caught up in the excitement of the moment. It was as if he were having the time of his life, acting like a baby who couldn’t stop reveling in the newfound sensations. His family watched, amused, thinking that if he could stand, he might even start dancing with joy.

"I did it!" Ren thought, his mind racing with exhilaration. He pumped his tiny fists in celebration, activating all the skills he had learned. The feeling was surreal—being able to move from one point in space to another in the blink of an eye.

And having a 3-dimensional map of his surroundings constantly in his mind? That was just incredible. He had done it. All the choices he had made, all the skills he had tried, had come together perfectly. He felt a rush of satisfaction.

One of the onlookers—his sister Raki, perhaps—looked down at him and chuckled softly. "Do you think he can talk yet?"

A small, amused smile spread across Duke Kal’s face as he glanced at her. "He’s still a one-month-old baby. How could he talk?"

But another voice chimed in, a little less sure. "Well, he just used a teleportation skill. That kind of throws the whole what a one-month-old can do out the window."

The duke nodded thoughtfully. "He’s something special, no doubt about it. A savior. We don’t know the full extent of what he can do yet."

Vritta, who had been quietly observing, added, "What about the information we requested from the House of Shadows? Has it come through yet?"

Borgen, who had been standing nearby, shifted uncomfortably. "We have it. But after reviewing the documents, Duke Tenno said he needed to report to the emperor first. A full report should arrive any moment now."

Ren, though still too young to communicate in the usual way, understood every word. His mind was sharp, and though his vocal cords were developed enough to form sounds, they still felt unfamiliar to him. It wasn’t time yet for him to speak aloud.

Wait... he thought suddenly. If I can read their minds, can I project my voice into theirs? Is that possible?