Chapter 8: The Princess’s Peril and the Truth Unveiled

Kaito stood on the balcony of his room, staring at the starry sky as he processed Nova's report. An enemy had been spotted—an enormous black dragon soaring over the northern forests. Without hesitation, Kaito launched himself into the sky, propelled by wind magic. As he approached, he activated his analysis function.

"NOVA, predict all possible abilities of the dragon."

"Understood," Nova responded. "Analyzing… Possibilities include: Dark Flame Breath, Draconic Regeneration, High-Speed Flight, Abyssal Scales, and Magic Resistance."

Kaito narrowed his eyes, strategizing. He needed to act before the dragon could attack the nearby settlements. Drawing upon his knowledge of non-elemental magic, he activated two spells he had personally created.

"Gravity Prison!"

A powerful force erupted around the dragon, rapidly increasing the gravity in a confined space. The beast roared as it was crushed under its own weight, its struggles growing weaker until it finally perished. Kaito exhaled, his spell proving to be more effective than expected.

"Storage."

A rune appeared beneath the dragon's corpse, absorbing it into Kaito's personal inventory. With his mission complete, he flew back to his room, deciding to rest for the next day's hunt.

The morning sun cast a golden hue over the forest grounds as Kaito, Amelia, and Lilia set out on their hunting quest. The forest was dense, with the scent of dew still lingering in the air.

As they moved through the trees, Nova suddenly interrupted. "Alert: Hostile activity detected. Distance: 5.6 kilometers."

Without hesitation, Kaito activated Fly and soared toward the location at full speed. As he approached, he spotted a group of men surrounding a girl with malicious intent. She was wounded and barely able to stand.

Kaito extended his hand. Telekinesis.

The attackers were lifted into the air, their weapons falling uselessly to the ground. With a flick of his fingers, he slammed them into the nearest trees, knocking them unconscious.

Kaito landed near the girl, assessing her injuries. "Miss, are you alright?"

The girl weakly looked up at him but collapsed before she could answer. Acting quickly, Kaito used Light Heal, watching as her wounds closed. Though she had stopped bleeding, her body was still exhausted.

He turned to the unconscious assailants. He had questions, but there was no time for interrogation. Instead, he activated Prison, sealing them inside a magical barrier. Then, lifting the girl carefully, he flew back toward Amelia and Lilia's location.

Upon arrival, Amelia and Lilia were shocked. "Kaito, who is she?" Amelia asked.

"I found her being attacked in the forest," Kaito explained. "She was badly injured, so I healed her. She fainted before saying anything."

After a few moments, the girl stirred. Slowly, she opened her eyes, taking in the unfamiliar faces around her.

Lilia kneeled beside her. "You're safe now. Can you tell us who you are?"

The girl hesitated before answering, "I am Princess Althea of the Kingdom of Eldoria."

Kaito's eyes widened slightly. A princess? What was she doing out here without an escort?

Seeing the confusion in their expressions, Althea took a deep breath and explained. "I was returning to the palace when we were ambushed. My guards were killed, and I barely managed to escape. Those men… they were trying to assassinate me."

Kaito frowned. "Any idea who could be behind this?"

The princess hesitated before nodding. "It… It could be the queen. My stepmother."

"The queen?" Amelia echoed in shock.

Althea looked down. "I have no interest in succeeding the throne, but a few days ago, she proposed a marriage between me and her nephew. He is forty… I am only fifteen. I refused. Since then, I have felt uneasy, but I never imagined she would go this far."

Kaito clenched his fists. He had read about corrupt nobles before, but to plot against one's own stepdaughter was despicable.

"If only there was a way to expose the truth," Althea murmured bitterly.

Kaito thought for a moment before an idea struck him. "Actually… there is."

All eyes turned to him.

"I have an ability that allows me to see into a person's memories."

The princess gasped. "You… you can do that?"

He nodded. "If you allow me, I can extract the memory of your attack and project it for others to see. That way, we can have undeniable proof of who was behind it."

Althea hesitated. "Will it hurt?"

"No," Kaito reassured her. "It's completely safe."

She took a deep breath before nodding. "Alright. Please… help me."

Kaito placed his fingers lightly on her forehead. "Memory Projection."

A shimmering light appeared as the scene of the attack played out before them like a floating screen. The group watched as the princess's convoy was ambushed, her guards slain, and her attackers sneering as they revealed that they were acting under orders from the queen.

Amelia and Lilia's faces darkened.

"The queen really was behind it…" Lilia muttered.

Kaito deactivated the projection and turned to Althea. "With this, we have undeniable proof. But getting it to the right people is another challenge."

Althea's eyes burned with determination. "I know someone. My father's royal advisor—he is loyal to me. If we can reach him, we can stop my stepmother's plans."

Kaito nodded. "Then let's not waste time. We'll escort you to the capital."

Althea looked at him with gratitude. "Thank you… all of you."

Amelia smiled. "You're safe now, and we'll make sure it stays that way."

With their course set, the group prepared for the journey, unaware of the dangers that awaited them in the capital.