I sighed, lifting my gaze to Julietta.

"Tell me—how did this happen?" I asked. "How did that guy get hold of your ring? Very few people even knew what it was for, and it was in my room, where only trusted people had access. Not to mention the orc guards stationed right outside!"

Julietta crossed her arms, giving me a pointed look.

"Well, if instead of eating him, you had just killed him, maybe—just maybe—you could have used your ghoulification spell on the corpse and questioned him, like you did with that peasant. But no, you had to eat the poor bastard!"

She tapped her chin mockingly, then smirked.

"I wonder… should we wait for it to come out the other side? Would the spell still work then? Or would someone need to, I don’t know, separate what used to be horse from what used to be him before we try?"

I snorted and rolled my eyes at her nonsense.

"First, just tell me what you know!" I demanded, jabbing a finger at her chest.

She sighed.

"It was Durham who took it," she explained. "He had access to your room, and maybe he already suspected something about me—probably because of all the times I asked Alice to help me go somewhere, and she always stopped by your room first. We got careless with that." She shrugged, as if it couldn’t be helped.

"Oh well. He was waiting for me on the stairs. And then, suddenly—I felt the ring by him."

Her expression darkened.

"He looked at me and said: ‘Shhh! Don’t talk, just follow me, and I’ll lead you to your freedom. I have the cursed ring. Act normal. If someone asks you anything, answer briefly—then follow me.’"

She shook her head, frustration twisting her features.

"What could I do? It all happened so fast!" she continued, her voice rising with the memory. "He must have had the ring in his hand, and just like that day when we first met—I had to obey! The idiot ordered me to keep silent unless spoken to. He ordered me to follow him! I was desperate—somebody must have fed him a story!"

Her eyes flashed with anger.

"Then he said: ‘Your family is organizing your escape. Soon, you’ll be able to join them. Just do as I say.’"

She lifted her shoulders in a shrug.

"In the yard, the children stopped me for a while. I tried to answer their questions in a way that might relay a message, but while I was distracted, that idiot handed the ring off to the other human. And the moment he ordered me into the coach, I thought I was done for."

Her voice wavered slightly as she continued.

"And then—I saw you."

She clenched her fists.

"I hoped you’d save me. I thought you would. But you didn’t say anything! You just looked at me and let him take me away! I was so afraid! I didn’t know what to think! I—I feared you might have sold me!"

I recoiled, utterly dumbfounded.

"How could you even think that?!" I protested.

She huffed.

"What else was I supposed to think?! It was your paladin who took me! And he knew exactly what to say. Ugh, I’d love to have a few words with that idiot!"

I hesitated.

"Ahm… that might not be possible anymore…"

She narrowed her eyes.

"Why? Did he leave?"

"Well… ahm… no."

She kept staring at me expectantly, waiting for an answer. I had no idea how to explain the accident—but after a deep sigh, I decided I had to try.

"Okay, so… you know how I promised to give everyone an inventory spell, like I did for Sid? It’s cheap for me but incredibly useful for them."

She nodded, still waiting.

"Well… when I cast the spell on him, he just… ahm… how do I put this… he didn’t explode exactly, but…" I exhaled sharply, rubbing my temples. "The room where I cast the spell? It’s gone. And he… well… he got spread all over the ruins."

Julietta blinked. I could see the gears turning in her head as she tried to process my words.

"It was a fucking disturbing experience," I muttered, shuddering at the memory. "I’m getting sick just thinking about it. He was… he was—"

"Shhh, calm down."

She patted my back, entirely too unfazed for my liking.

"You ate one poor bastard and found that completely normal, and now you’re making a scene because the other one… exploded?" she asked, her tone half amused, half scolding.

I opened my mouth, but she kept going, tapping her chin thoughtfully.

"We really should have seen this coming," she mused. "You can’t layer a higher-level spell onto a lower-level surface. It’s like trying to enchant a cheap sword with high-tier magic—it’ll just break and ruin both. Or how you can’t place a portal spell on a low-level scroll—it’ll burst. You placed a high-level dimensional spell on his too-low-level body, and… well, catastrophe."

I stared at her, still reeling.

"But… but… I was only level twenty-six when I first placed it on myself!" I protested.

She shook her head.

"No," she corrected. "You were level one-oh-four, demoted to the equivalent of level twenty-six. If you had already had the inventory spell before the demotion, do you think it would have just killed you? That’s not how it works. In cases like this, your true level carries through."

I lifted my head, surprised.

"True. I hadn’t thought of it that way. But that means I can’t fulfill my promise to give them inventory spells—their levels are too low for it." I frowned. "I wonder why Durham was so eager to be the first to get it?"

Julietta shrugged.

"Probably because he knew that after pulling this stunt, he wouldn’t be welcome here anymore. He must have thought really badly of you if he actually believed that story about me being forced to stay with you. He was probably going to leave as soon as possible."

I sighed. That made a disturbing amount of sense. But there was still the second human—the one who had taken her into the carriage.

"Who was that guy?" I asked. "How did he look? And how much did he actually know about the ring?"

Julietta’s expression darkened.

"He knew way too much about the ring. The way Durham spoke to me, it was obvious he’d been coached beforehand, making sure I had no loopholes to escape his orders. Durham himself might not have known everything, but someone did."

Her voice dropped slightly, thoughtful.

"I don’t know who he was working for, but the fact that he was heading toward the orc lands makes me suspect K’hordock. Very few knew about the ring. A few more might have suspected something, but they wouldn’t have known exactly how it worked. Yet Durham had that speech prepared."

I clenched my fists.

"That means K’hordock knows you’re here. And that means you’re still in danger!"

Julietta exhaled, then smiled—calm, and undeniably free.

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"Yes, the risk was always there," she admitted. "But now, I am free. That makes all the difference."

She stretched, then gave me an expectant look.

"Let’s go home and talk there?"

As we flew back to the castle, I followed Ju’s suggestion and cast an illusion of myself riding the dragon.

"Why make it easy for others to figure out who the real dragon is?" she had said with a smirk.

Back at the castle, I barely had a moment to rest.

As I was summoned to the emergency meeting called by Drackar and Hew, I couldn’t help but envy Sid. He was still curled up in his hoard room, peacefully digesting and radiating good vibes through our link.

Meanwhile, I was stuck here—dragged into yet another crisis—while the weight of all that horse meat (and extras) started settling uncomfortably in my stomach.

I barely had time for a quick shower and a change of clothes.

At this rate, I’m burning through my wardrobe way too fast. If this keeps up, I’ll have to go on another shopping spree soon.

Maybe Fiona’s party would be a good opportunity—word had it that plenty of traders would be there, eager to sell their goods.

With that thought in mind, I entered the meeting room.

It was dim, the room facing east, and with the twin suns now sinking toward the horizon, only the last traces of daylight filtered in. The lamps had yet to be lit, and the faint glow from the fireplace cast strange, flickering shadows along the walls.

Soft murmurs filled the space as those already seated around the large table exchanged quiet words, the atmosphere thick with unspoken tension. The only other sound was the steady crackling of the fire.

There were fewer people in the room than usual, but it took me a moment to realize why—I had fewer people.

Of my own followers, only three remained: Moran, Loretta, and Tenessar. They sat at the far end of the table, engaged in discussion with Drackar and Alice.

In the middle, Hew, Tom, and Mike were talking with Tina, another girl, and Michael. As I entered, Tina and Michael got up and left. That made sense—they weren’t regular participants in our board meetings.

I sighed, already irritated.

"What’s so urgent that it couldn’t wait until tomorrow?" I demanded, aghast that my precious evening—my chance to relax and sleep—had been stolen from me.

Hew, looking as exhausted as ever, didn’t flinch at my bad mood. He simply lifted his tired gaze to meet mine.

"I need your confirmation that we can operate as a bank for the peasants," he said.

I rolled my eyes. For this he dragged me here?

"You don’t need me for that. You already have the treasury!" I protested.

He shrugged.

"Yes, but this means you’ll have less money available for yourself. I’d have to cut it from the funds reserved for your trip to Fiona."

I snorted in indignation but didn’t argue further.

That’s when my eyes landed on the Xsoha girl sitting beside him.

"What’s this Xsoha doing here?" I asked bluntly.

The girl visibly tensed, looking like she was about to bolt under the table.

"She’s my assistant," Hew said, unfazed. "I couldn’t have managed things without her help so far—and she’s agreed to stay in the domain with us."

I glanced at the Xsoha girl as I finally took my seat, Mike gently pushing the chair behind me.

From the side, a maid rushed in.

"A drink, Lady? Coffee? Some refreshments?"

It was late, but if my brain was expected to function, I needed fuel. "Coffee," I ordered without hesitation.

Turning back to Hew, I arched a brow. "How much money will I have for the party?"

"About fifteen gold," he replied. "But that’s the upper limit."

I sighed heavily. So much for shopping freely. That budget would seriously limit the number of clothes I could buy—and the fun I could have.

"Was that all?" I asked, hoping for a quick end to this meeting.

Hew shook his head, and Mike picked up the conversation.

"There are three new priests that need your certification, since the official ones have left. If you agree, we can hold a small ceremony for them tomorrow morning."

I nodded. Fine, easy enough.

"There's also the priest in Orcmound," he continued. "He wants to know if you’d offer him protection if he stays."

"Protection from whom?" I asked, frowning.

"From his superiors," Mike explained. "They want him gone. But he likes the place, the community, and would gladly stay—if you guarantee his safety."

I exhaled, closing my eyes for a brief moment.

We came here to relax while figuring out a way back to our world, and now I’m working full-time and then some. Who knew being a baroness was basically a full-time job plus overtime?

"Yes, we can do it," I said, resigned.

This whole priest situation was getting tricky—and it had the potential to create real animosity with the major religions. But what choice did I have?

"What else?" I asked, bracing myself for more.

"Sorry for being late!" Ju announced as she entered the room, taking a seat opposite me.

I just shrugged. Considering she’d been kidnapped, she had the best excuse for tardiness.

She looked effortlessly lovely in a simple, fluffy house dress, the firelight casting a warm glow over her skin, making it look as smooth as silk.

Drackar cleared his throat, bringing my attention back to the meeting.

"The first orcs have started arriving," he reported. "They’ve settled by the lake and begun building a settlement there—but they’ve found something… disturbing in the water."

I raised a brow. "What disturbing things?"

"Moas eggs," he said grimly.

I blinked. "And that’s a problem?"

Drackar and Alice exchanged a look, but before either of them could answer, Ju raised her hand like she was in a classroom.

"Moas are a semi-aquatic species that reproduce through eggs," she explained. "A family of three adults can lay hundreds of eggs in a single toss. Much like frogs, they have two developmental stages—the first few years, they live in water and resemble common eels. Once they mature, they lose their tails, grow limbs, and move onto land."

I frowned. "So what’s the issue with finding a few eggs here?"

"There have never been Moas on this side of the mountains," Drackar said, his tone serious. "But with Nok'Torsa’s fall, they might be migrating more easily now."

I exhaled heavily. Of course this would somehow be my fault. I sighed.

"Yes, and? So a pair of the damn frogs showed up and laid some eggs. Why is everyone so worked up about this?" I asked, unimpressed.

Ju grinned. "Well, technically speaking, it wasn’t a pair—Moas have three parents, so it was more of a triplet that did the deed."

I rolled my eyes. Great, a family drama.

She leaned forward, her expression turning serious. "The problem is that Moas are a terrible foe. Once they establish themselves in a territory, getting rid of them is nearly impossible."

I thought back to Cala’s memories. She had done some Moa extermination jobs before, and they hadn’t seemed that dramatic.

Ju must have noticed my skepticism because she continued, her voice more insistent.

"Moas have genetic memory. The moment they step onto land, they already know how to speak their language, make arrows and spears, use their clan markings, and probably much more. Imagine hundreds of them suddenly emerging from a lake or river—already able to talk, coordinate, and fight against you. And all of that could come from just one family settling here a few years ago."

That… was concerning.

"And worse," she added, "in their aquatic form, they can survive being frozen. If multiple Moa groups are roaming the area now, their offspring could grow, get trapped in the ice, and then—when everything thaws—we’d suddenly have to deal with thousands of bellicose, starving Moas all at once."

I frowned. Okay… maybe this was a problem.

Drackar nodded. "That’s why we need to conduct cleanup raids—to make sure we eliminate all the adults and as many eggs as possible."

I frowned. "Is there no way for peaceful coexistence?"

Both Drackar and Alice shook their heads immediately.

"No," Ju added firmly. "Remember, they’re hardwired this way. They multiply at an exponential rate, and once they eliminate all other humanoids, they just turn on each other for resources."

I sighed.

"Okay. Anything else?"

Moran raised a hand. "Are we going to get an explanation about what happened today?"

I exchanged a glance with Ju.

Oh, well. They deserved some kind of explanation.