The place I pointed toward stood at the end of a narrow, crooked street—a mansion so old it looked like it had crawled straight out of a nightmare.

Its walls were cracked and covered in ivy, the windows dark and broken, and the iron gate leaned to one side as if it had long since given up on doing its job. Even from a distance, the place radiated an eerie stillness.

A gust of wind brushed past, rattling the rusted fence and creaking the warped wooden sign that hung beside it.

Anna turned her head to follow my gaze, and the moment her eyes landed on the mansion, she flinched.

"…That's where we're going?"

I gave a short nod.

Her face froze for a second, and I could almost hear her thoughts: Why there, of all places?

The expression didn't suit her usual poise—it was almost… human.

The mansion had a reputation in the capital. Locals called it the Ghost House.

Rumors said people heard whispers if they passed by at night, or that strange lights flickered in the windows. Of course, none of that was true. There weren't any ghosts—just a lot of imagination and an old building no one bothered to tear down.

Still, I couldn't blame her. From the outside, it did look like the perfect setting for a horror story.

But right now, it was also the perfect hiding spot.

No one sane would think to search for the Imperial Princess in a place like this.

"…Are we really going in there?" she asked again, her voice a mix of disbelief and hesitation.

I glanced at her but didn't answer, just started walking toward the gate.

"Seriously?" she muttered under her breath.

I nodded once more.

For a brief moment, Anna stood there, her expression caught somewhere between resignation and mild annoyance. Then, realizing she didn't have much of a choice, she sighed softly and followed.

Her delicate boots crunched over the gravel as we stepped through the broken gate and into the shadow of the mansion.

The air grew colder, heavier—the kind of silence that made you instinctively lower your voice.

Creeeeak—

The old door groaned as I pushed it open, the sound echoing through the still night like a warning. The hinges, long rusted and untouched, protested every inch of movement until the gap was just wide enough for us to slip through.

The air inside was stale and cold.

Broken windows lined the walls, letting in streaks of pale moonlight that scattered across the cracked floorboards. The wallpaper was peeling, the once-grand walls split and weathered with time. Dust floated lazily through the air, glowing faintly in the silver light.

It was the kind of place people whispered about but never dared to visit.

I could see why.

The silence was heavy—too heavy—and every shadow seemed to move just slightly when you weren't looking directly at it. The faint wind that slipped through the cracks in the walls made the wooden beams creak like a living thing.

If ghosts actually existed, this would be their ideal home.

No wonder the locals avoided it.

"...Gulp."

The soft sound broke the silence. I glanced sideways just in time to see Anna standing close beside me, her golden eyes darting around nervously. The faintest tremor ran through her shoulders.

She was scared.

Not that I could blame her. Most people would be unsettled in a place like this.

Still… compared to everything I'd gone through lately, this barely registered as creepy. After surviving magical ambushes, cursed artifacts, and monsters lurking in the dark, a haunted mansion was almost relaxing.

Experience really did build courage.

I stepped inside first, the wooden floor creaking beneath my boots. A cold draft slithered past, brushing against the back of my neck.

"Eek…!"

Anna let out a small yelp, instinctively moving closer.

I froze for a second.

'She's… too close.'

Her shoulder brushed against my arm. Through the thin layers of fabric and armor, I could feel her trembling just slightly.

For someone usually so composed, she seemed almost fragile now—like the weight of the eerie silence was pressing directly against her.

"…It's just the wind," I said quietly, my voice low and steady through the helmet.

She blinked up at me, then gave a faint nod, trying to compose herself.

But even as she did, she didn't step away.

She probably didn't even realize how close she'd gotten to me.

At some point, her hand had found its way to the edge of my sleeve, gripping it lightly as she followed behind. The touch was so faint I almost missed it—but it was there, trembling just slightly.

The closeness made me a little uneasy.

Having the Imperial Princess clinging to my arm like this wasn't exactly part of the plan.

But what was I supposed to say? "Please keep your distance, Your Highness"?

Yeah, that would go over well.

So, I said nothing and kept walking.

Crack.

"Ugh…!"

Something crunched under my boot. It sounded like glass—or maybe brittle bone. Whatever it was, the sharp sound echoed through the empty hall, and Anna flinched hard.

Before I could react, she jumped forward and pressed herself against my back, her fingers tightening around my sleeve.

I froze for a moment, feeling the faint tremor in her grip. Then, slowly, I turned my head to glance back.

Her expression was stiff, her gaze darting away almost immediately.

"…A reflex," she muttered under her breath, as if to justify herself.

I almost laughed. The cool and composed princess of the Empire… scared of broken glass?

In the stories—and even in person during the academy inspections—Anna had always been the picture of poise.

Sharp, confident, untouchable. The kind of woman who could silence an entire council chamber with a single look.

But this side of her… was different.

Almost human.

Shaking my head slightly, I turned back toward the corridor and kept moving. Her hand remained on my sleeve, though she loosened her grip a little.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.