Trade.

Gadiel and the others seemed utterly at a loss for how to respond to my words, frozen in place, eyes wide with surprise.

"Elan... are you sure about this?"

"Sauvel-sama, I'm already called 'princess' all over the place, aren't I? What difference does one more 'princess' make to how people see me?"

The little princess of the Vanklyft Family, the healing princess, the spirit princess... Ah, right, Sauvel suddenly remembered that I was already known as a princess to everyone around me.

"And besides, His Majesty already knows. He called me that himself, didn't he?"

I glanced at Gadiel, and his eyes snapped open—something had just clicked for him.

Right, Lavisel had called Elan the "Princess of Spirits," hadn't he?

"Really... you're serious about this?"

If His Majesty was worried about me, that’d be the main reason. He places great importance on spirits. Maybe he feared I’d get caught up in some trouble—worried we might be separated from this land.

I’m the daughter of a hero. His Majesty knows full well that if anything happens to me, my father will inevitably move.

Ah… so that’s how it is…

Finally, I get it.

If the rumors keep spreading like this, trouble’s bound to swarm around me.

The more I understand about the drug’s effects, the higher the odds.

So they slip in someone from the royal family. If the investigation they’re doing is the root of the problem, there’s a near certainty I’ll end up crossing paths with them.

Right now, the drug’s concentrated in one place—like a magnet for all the trouble. And if there’s someone perfectly suited to solve it, to spread it out… well, His Majesty’s already figured I’d use them to my advantage.

"…Just as His Majesty intended, isn’t it? This might actually mean Raffilia’s truly one of the royal blood."

Gadiel stiffened at my words.

"What on earth are you talking about!?"

"Because the current situation suits His Majesty perfectly. If Raffilia really is of royal blood, you’ll need to prepare yourself accordingly."

"I said I don’t know, didn’t I!?"

"No need to explain anything to you, Prince. He’s the type who’d do that."

Gadiel faltered at my words—realized, perhaps, that he’d been given orders not as a noble, but as the King. If there was a twist behind it all, he wouldn’t dare speak. His Majesty thinks of the nation. It’s easy enough to stage a scene to draw out information that’s useful to the country.

"...So I was used."

"Once we find Raffilia, the truth will be clear. So help us find her."

"You expect me to help after all this… pretense?"

One of the guards raised his voice at my words.

"Your mission is already a failure. Shall we report that to the king?"

"...We have no choice."

"The king will surely sigh in disappointment. But if rescuing Raffilia can make up for that, what then?"

"...Why would it come to that?"

"It's a deal. If you help us, we'll give you some details and a sample of the medicine. But only if Raffilia is rescued safely."

"What?!"

"The king wants it. The details, the sample, and control over the medicine from now on. Bring those back, and the mission won't be a failure, will it?"

"...Can you guarantee that?"

"I am the daughter of the Spirit King. I swear it on the pride of my mother, the daughter of the First King."

"The First King..."

The goddess hailed as the origin of all things in this world.

Her eyes, fixed straight ahead, boasted a beauty so far removed from mere humanity it bordered on the divine. Gadiel and the others nodded in silent agreement—she was no mortal.

"...I understand. I’m worried about my friend Raffilia, too."

Gadiel looked straight at me, and gave a slow, firm nod.

But Father looked annoyed.

"...Elen, why are you involving them?"

To answer his question, I turned to the guards.

"Prince’s guards should already be trained for emergencies like this, shouldn’t they?"

"...Why bring that up?"

"Isn’t the Prince himself someone easily swept up in trouble? We don’t have time to be picky. Lives are at stake."

The guards stared at me, wide-eyed. Father just murmured, “Ah, I see…”

"We've been gathering information using the spirit wind's power. It's fine outdoors, but once someone enters a building, the walls block the wind, and we can't pick up the sounds anymore. So we need you to pinpoint buildings where the kidnapper might be hiding the child."

"Using the wind's power to gather information...?"

"Oh! That's what I was seeing all along!"

I blinked in surprise at Hume's words. So that's what she'd been perceiving.

"You... noticed it?"

"I thought there was a higher spirit of wind. So that's how it can be used?"

Hume kept muttering in admiration, and I just blinked back at her. This Hume woman was definitely unusually in tune with spirits.

For now, I shoved the shock aside and kept going.

"We know there are three perpetrators. Could you help us narrow down places where one child and three adults might hide—or where they might be moving?"

The guards exchanged glances, then nodded.

The inn room had suddenly become a meeting hall.

We all huddled around the map of the territory I’d pulled out, tossing ideas back and forth.

“What’s the motive?”

“From what the spirit told us, they were talking about medicine. They said the people were forcing the spirit bound to the girl—or the alchemist—to make medicine. Probably holding the girl hostage to make them produce it…”

“…So they’re not just demanding the mansion prepare medicine, are they?”

“If they do, we’ve already stationed spirits in the mansion so we can contact them immediately. But producing medicine will take time, no matter what. There has to be a hiding place somewhere.”

The guards stared at me, wide-eyed.

“…You’re awfully familiar with this sort of thing.”

I flinch at the quiet whisper. I’d been relying on memories from before, but I hadn’t expected to be looked at like that.

But Gadiel looked at me with such sorrow.

“Elen… you’ve been swept away too, haven’t you? It must’ve been hard. You don’t have to force yourself to remember.”

I’m stunned by Gadiel’s words. Apparently, I’ve been mistaken for someone who’s been through it.

And now, with the guard saying I “seemed familiar,” they seem to realize I’ve been targeted before. They mumbled an awkward apology, like they’d just made a terrible mistake.

“Ah, no… it’s fine…”

I keep going, not wanting to dredge it up, when suddenly I catch my father’s eye.

He’s got that mischievous, delighted look—like he’s just caught me in something. Then, quietly, he whispers to me.

"He's just reading ahead with that cleverness of his, you know. Honestly, how could I possibly mess up and let someone steal my precious daughter?"

I could only respond with a polite, "Yes, indeed," as my father said it, his eyes twinkling with amusement—like he'd caught me red-handed.

(You’re not exactly spot-on yourself, Papa…)

Oh well, I sighed.

＊＊＊

One of the guards, Vogel, had been scowling with a deep frown between his brows.

"Escape route secured... three adults and one child..."

Muttering to himself, lost in thought. Then, finally, he seemed to zero in on the right spot, placing his finger on a point on the map.

"This is it."

The location he pointed to was a woodcutter’s rest stop, nestled just off the path from Vanclift, deep enough into the woods to be unnoticed.

No one ever came here. A few steps out, and you’d be back on the road. Perfect for hiding—just slip into the trees and vanish. Exactly what we needed.

I rush to call the other spirits.

"Hoze, Shuto, Vilber!!"

Three spirits, taking human form, appeared in my words.

What’s wrong, Your Highness?

I’ve got a request. Go take a look from above at that little cabin up there. If there’s a girl trapped inside, please save her! And if there are grown-ups nearby, keep them under magic restraint for me!

I asked the spirits, pointing at the map.

"Something easy, really."

With a bow, the spirits vanished into thin air.

"...Higher Spirit?"

They're great spirits. Only great spirits can take on human form.

Father was explaining the Hume's words to me.

Hume and the others stared wide-eyed, utterly dumbfounded, words like "Great Spirit..." tumbling out in stunned silence.

"First, we wait for the spirit's report. Uncle, you'll be fine, I'm sure."

"Ah... sorry... thank you, Elen."

Sauvel clearly wanted to dash straight to the scene. His eyes kept flicking toward the hallway.

But waiting for the spirit's report before teleporting was, without a doubt, the fastest way to move.

He knew it was efficient—still, you could practically feel him holding back his eagerness.

The room was thick with heavy silence. I couldn’t help but pray, silently, for her safety.

If only I or Father had seen Raffilia before… we might’ve used the spirit’s mirror to track her.

Back then, due to old grudges, we’d gone out of our way to avoid her entirely. We didn’t even know what she looked like. So searching was impossible. And without a face, how could we be sure it was her?

As I sat there, wallowing in that regret, Gadiel called out from a little distance.

"Elen… if Raffilia comes back safe… please… listen to what I have to say."

I stared at Gadiel. I’d always known I’d have to talk to him one day.

That report from the stone monument won’t go on forever.

……Yes. I understand.

Gadiel smiled—like a flower unfurling—so happy it hurt.

And I couldn’t look away from that smile of his.