"What did you just say?"
'!?!'
It was not even a millisecond since I had uttered those words while looking towards the palace, which was still far away.
I hadn't even reached its entrance where the metal gate was located, yet a voice came from just beside my ear—she was behind me without me sensing it.
'Not again.'
But in that moment, the sigh that left my lungs was one of control.
At that instant, due to fear or some unknown emotion, I instinctively felt like using my ability to kill her, sensing her as a threat due to the surprise.
It made me realize how I needed to control the repulsive thoughts of casually killing others, as it would only delay my own death.
Considering this woman had just arrived so close without me sensing her, if individuals like her were determined to kill me, it would not even take many seconds for me to realize that I was dead.
Composing myself, I slowly turned to face her, keeping my mind calm.