[Year 465 of the Lion’s Calendar, 11 Years After the Subjugation of the Evil Dragon]

[Imperial Special Autonomous Territory / Holy City Trumpet Hall, Central / Papal Palace “Phinium”]

Step. Step. Step.

The echo of heels striking the immaculate marble floor resounded across the wide, circular hall. The polished white stone, flawless and pristine, carried the sound all the way up to the towering ceiling.

Standing at the center of the grand hall, Swordmaiden Sigmund Rabbit adjusted her uniform. Her hand nervously touched the hilt of her longsword—then quickly dropped away. She was clearly tense.

Was it because she had entered the heart of the Papal Palace? No.

Sigmund, a member of the Wandering Troupe with Rabbit Tails, had once drawn her sword confidently before Emperor Irid Crown himself. She was no longer unsettled by meeting nobles or performing before high-ranking figures.