Rosha had always thought of Froy’s ability as an illusion, but she had never felt its bone-chilling reality as vividly as this very moment.

‘I thought we’d be transcending space to go somewhere else again…’

Yet this time, it was slightly different.

With wide eyes, she surveyed the vast mansion corridor stretching before her.

Leaving aside its width, where four people with outstretched arms could comfortably walk abreast, or how the opposite end wasn’t visible.

What caught her attention were the arched windows lining the corridor walls.

“How…”

“Whoa, quite an interesting ability indeed.”

Sticking close by her side, Koko peered at the windows showcasing vastly different scenery.

One displayed a bright daytime garden, another a night lake’s reflection. A bit further, one window appeared to be a dead-end wall.

‘Just how did he create such a place?’

Indeed, this grand mansion was a space manifested by Froy’s ability.

No matter how endlessly abilities could evolve, this was an overwhelmingly powerful application, unlike anything she had ever witnessed. While some with spatial abilities existed, she had never seen anything like this before, making her curious about the true extent of Froy’s talents.

“Well, done sightseeing? Then let’s head this way.”

With a faint smile at Rosha’s astonished expression, the man led her to a nearby room.

A massive white canopied bed, a solid wood table that could seat eight, and a leather sofa large enough to lounge upon.

It was far grander and more luxurious than the room she had occupied in the imperial capital. Moreover, the deep blue forest and star-filled night sky visible through the windows were breathtakingly beautiful.

While she was unable to tear her eyes away from the captivating view and admired the scenery, Froy made a peculiar remark.

“You’ll be staying here for the time being.”

“…For the time being?”

His phrasing seemed rather odd.

As she turned to face him, meeting her gaze, he stated matter-of-factly:

“Yes. I’m the kidnapper, and you’re the abducted victim, are you not? But given my reputation, you’ll have to endure being kidnapped for a few days at least.”

“…But what about the trial?”

“The trial? You’d only be attacked for being the target, so what’s the point?”

With an expression of spouting nonsense, the man gestured towards the diamond mark hovering above her head.

However, Rosha shook her head firmly in response.

“Still, I have to go.”

Though prompted by the blue window’s trickery, the Hardmode she had returned to this world for had ultimately led to the trials unfolding. Hence, she felt a tinge of guilt regarding the trials occurring here.

‘Moreover, I’m the only one who knows the contents of the third trial.’

Of course, from an outsider’s perspective, it couldn’t help but seem foolish.

After attempting to cajole and reason with her for a while, Froy eventually let out a low sigh and muttered,

“…Ah. How did I end up tangled with someone so righteous?”

He then proceeded to manipulate something in midair, altering their course towards the Atica Kingdom.

Explaining that this mansion was akin to a ship navigating the ‘crevices of space’, Rosha found it unsurprising by this point.

“It’ll take a few days to arrive. Since I’ve never been to the Atica Kingdom before, this is the fastest way.”

“Thank you, Froy.”

“…Very well. Let’s have a meal first. You didn’t get a proper one during the monster hunt today, did you?”

Come to think of it, she had only eaten jerky and water during the hunt.

As if on cue, a growl emanated from her stomach, prompting the man to promptly procure a meal from somewhere – a steaming beef stew and soft bread.

“Oh my.”

The sight of food made Rosha’s hunger intensify, and she quickly grabbed the bread. Froy watched her with a warm gaze.

However, after she had eaten about half, he furrowed his brow and remarked:

“Please, have more. When I abducted you earlier, you seemed notably thinner than before.”

Unexpectedly, he was a rather attentive kidnapper when it came to portion sizes. Reluctantly picking up her spoon to nibble some more, Rosha asked:

“Than before when?”

“Month of Abundance Banquet.”

Ah, she recalled. During their rendezvous on the banquet terrace, Froy had embraced her, concealing them with his ability.

‘It hasn’t even been a couple of months, yet it feels like a distant memory.’

Reminiscing about that time, Rosha responded:

“That was my healthiest state.”

“…You’re kidding.”

“I’m serious.”

Of course, back in South Korea, she had diligently trained to build muscle, but in this world, that was her peak condition.

While Rosha leisurely stirred the stew, Froy didn’t insist she eat more.

Instead, he employed a far more effective method.

“If you promise to leave no leftovers, I’ll explain my ability to you.”

The moment his words left his lips, Rosha immediately took a spoonful. Though unspoken, she was immensely curious about the ability he possessed.

Amused by her transparent reaction, the man slowly began:

“My ability has been with me since the very start of my memories. While it now manifests as this grand mansion, initially, it was barely a small area where I could stand alone.”

A minuscule personal space, whose existence was unknown to anyone but him.

Yet his ability knew no bounds, rapidly evolving until that meager standing room eventually expanded into this vast mansion.

“With a few exceptions, every door in this mansion leads to an ‘exit’ towards somewhere else. Naturally, I must use these exits for spatial travel, but until now, I’ve never revealed the mansion’s appearance to the outside world.”

“…Is that possible?”

“This is a space under my dominion – my ‘mansion.’ You’re the first I’ve shown it to.”

At Froy’s words, Rosha looked up at him.

According to what she had heard so far, this mansion was the embodiment of his ability.

He must have realized divulging such information could expose vulnerabilities in his power, yet the man appeared perfectly serene.

‘…Does he trust me that much?’

A mixture of gratification and warmth washed over her. Apart from her comrades in the previous world, she had never shared such sensitive details about innate abilities before.

Responding to Rosha’s complicated gaze with a faint smile, Froy simply replied:

“We’ve sworn an oath never to betray each other, have we not? Consider this a return gesture for the story you shared when we made that vow.”

“Still…”

“Then why don’t you elaborate more on your own ability?”

Slurp… That was still a bit much for her.

Rosha decided to simply close her mouth for now.

* * *

After confirming she had finished eating, Froy said he would step out briefly to assess the external situation.

In the meantime, Rosha attempted to remove the diamond mark hovering above her head.

It seemed possible with the new power of the ‘Lantern’ she had experienced during the previous trial.

“Alright, let’s give it a try.”

Seated before a full-length mirror, Rosha activated [The Guiding Lantern].

Yet moments later.

“Ugh…”

It had only worked once before, so of course it wouldn’t be that easy now.

After stubbornly glaring at the mark reflected in the mirror, Rosha eventually flopped back and muttered:

“Why won’t it work? Do I need to face death again?”

“Are you crazy? Blame your own shortcomings instead of trying to get yourself killed again?”

Waddling over, Koko began subtly egging her on.

“You’ve made enough effort for now. If it doesn’t work, it doesn’t. Go outside and clear your head instead.”

“But that would be rude.”

Wandering around the mansion would be tantamount to prying into Froy’s ability. Hence, Rosha had voluntarily confined herself to the room until his return.

“But he only said not to leave the mansion, not the room.”

“Hmm…”

“Sheesh! You can’t even use mana in this mansion!”

As Koko gave up on persuading Rosha, struggling to turn the doorknob with her beak and wings, Rosha continued lounging in the room for a while longer.

However, with no word from Froy, she gradually grew bored.

“…”

Eventually, Rosha sprang up and opened the door.