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Truly, ever since she entered this mansion, nothing had gone her way.
"...Don't get the wrong idea. You don't have many days left to be so unscathed."
"Not many days left?"
Ayla frowned and asked back.
"You're quite confident for someone locked in a cage, aren't you?"
"Ha."
Rosia twisted her lips into a sneer.
"You don't know anything. Why I came to this mansion, how it was possible..."
"Well, you brought it up."
Ayla raised her eyebrows and continued.
"Just how grand is this conspiracy that you've been trying to drive me out like this? Who's behind you?"
Rosia smiled with satisfaction at her reaction.
"Who, you ask? People you couldn't even imagine in your wildest dreams. You'll never live in peace."
"I asked you who it is, Rosia."
"If you're so curious, go find out yourself. Of course, by then, your life won't be safe either. Just you wait. Even if you're so confident now, someday you'll be kneeling before me in misery."
"...You still have a lot of energy. Do you really think I know nothing?"
Rosia flinched at the other woman's meaningful question. Soon, she scoffed.
"What do you think you know?"
"..."
Ayla fell silent for a moment.
Before she knew it, she was recalling a conversation she had long ago with the Dragon.
'Greedy humans who covet the Dragon's power. Because of them, we distanced ourselves from humans. It's all the humans' fault.'
'Thinking about it carefully, perhaps you too have suffered greatly because of those humans.'
The moment Ayla heard Debens' words, she vaguely realized.
'People who covet the Dragon's power...'
Both in the novel and now, Ayla had been a target for someone.
To spend a long time and effort to bring her, the Princess Consort of the Duke Blanche's Noble house, to the bottom, it would be difficult without a corresponding reward.
Ayla soon realized what the enemies wanted from her.
She lowered her gaze and looked at her wrist.
'Perhaps what the enemies want from me is this. The blessing of the Golden Dragon flowing through this bloodline.'
Ayla opened her mouth calmly.
"I know that the person behind you covets the Dragon's power."
"......!"
"I don't know how you planned to steal the power from me, but... well... ancient Magic often makes things that defy the laws of the world a reality. That's why most of it is forbidden."
As if her words had hit the mark, Rosia's eyes visibly shook.
Ayla pondered for a moment, watching her.
Since her conversation with Debens, Ayla had been tirelessly searching for clues about the people he had mentioned.
But the information was as scarce as stories from the time when Dragons coexisted with humans.
'I expected it, but... it seems the force is bigger than I thought. There's almost nothing left.'
And now, the only witness who knew about the organization was standing before her. Rosia.
So Ayla wanted to coax her in any way possible and dig out the hidden secrets.
"You said that people I couldn't even imagine are targeting me. That means the opponent is quite powerful... Is it perhaps related to the Imperial Palace?"
She could see Rosia biting her lip at her words. Shock was written all over her face, as if she had been hit right on the mark.
"...What are you? How do you, a commoner, know about that organization?"
Ayla smirked, watching her become anxious.
"Do you really think I've been avoiding your countless obstructions simply because I'm lucky? No, Rosia."
"Wh-What are you talking about?"
"I can actually see the future. Thanks to that, I knew you were a fake from the moment you entered the mansion."
Rosia's eyes narrowed at Ayla's words.
It sounded like a lie to anyone, but because the other person was Ayla, she became doubtful.
Rosia hardened her face and tried to deny it.
"Th-That's a lie. There's no way someone with that kind of ability exists in this world."
"Why do you think there isn't? You even used Magic to brainwash people."
"...! H-How did you know that?"
Ayla chuckled and then leisurely strolled around the prison for a moment.
If she wanted to get as much information as possible from the other person, she couldn't be underestimated by Rosia.
She had to show that no matter what the enemies did, she could stop them.
Soon, Ayla, having organized her thoughts, tilted her head and opened her mouth.
"If I had continued to be stupidly still, yes. It would have really been as you said. I would have been kicked out of the Noble house, expelled from the academy, wandered the streets, and met a miserable death."
"..."
"But what happened now? Rather, you were exposed as a fake Princess Consort and ended up locked in this prison. In a way, you've become a useless piece."
Despite the relentless words, Rosia bit her lip, unable to refute.
Watching her, Ayla leisurely continued.
"Shall I give you another prediction? I wonder if those scary people you mentioned will eliminate me first, or kill you to silence you first?"
"You...! Do you think I'll be swayed by such words?"
"I'm saying this for your own good, Rosia. You want to keep that meager life of yours a little longer, don't you?"
As if her threat had worked properly, Rosia's eyes shook uneasily.
Ayla smiled with satisfaction, watching her.
"Keep in mind. The only way for you to survive is to confess all your sins as soon as possible and reveal who's behind you. Then I'll get rid of them for you."
"If you... can really see the future, why would you bother asking me who's behind it?"
"Hmm, unfortunately, this isn't such an omnipotent ability. Whether you believe it or not is up to you."
Rosia glared at Ayla, gritting her teeth.
Her eyes were suspicious of what she was up to. But at its base, there was clearly a subtle anxiety sprouting.
'It's not good to push too hard, so should I stop here for today? Cedric is worried upstairs too.'
That's what Ayla was thinking as she was about to end her interview with Rosia.
Rosia, who had been staggering from the shock, soon struggled to hold onto the bars. Her hands could be seen trembling.
"...Don't get cocky, Ayla. Even if I die, I will never beg you for mercy!"
Only hatred was seething in her eyes.
It was as if she was firmly drawing a line, saying that no matter what, she would never be on Ayla's side.
It was a reaction that Ayla, who had been trying to persuade her in any way possible, couldn't help but find strange.
"I don't understand."
Just what about her made her so angry?
"You simply infiltrated the Duke Blanche's Noble house under someone's orders. If the mission failed, you should be thinking about saving your life, so why..."
Ayla shook her head and continued.
"Why do you still hate me so much? What good is it to be disliked by me in this situation?"
Ayla could inflict all sorts of pain on Rosia with just a flick of her hand here.
It meant that Rosia's fate was in her hands now.
Nevertheless, Rosia was showing only sharp hostility towards her until the end.
"Why do you hate me so much? Is there a reason?"
Ayla was genuinely curious.
"Why do I hate you...?"
Rosia stared at Ayla's face without a word for a long time.
In fact, even she didn't know the exact source of her emotions.
At first, she was just annoyed that she was occupying Kadin's side without any effort.
But the more she observed her, the more her insides began to twist.
Ayla had everything she had dreamed of, but she had a face that showed she wasn't happy at all.
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