The blue mist hung low over the entire palace again today. Passing through a greenhouse corridor built of glass and metal, an attendant entered, carefully carrying a small carrier. A poster with the slogan "Don't Buy, Adopt" hung on one wall of the lobby, but Nagi sat on the drawing room sofa flipping through documents without giving it a single glance.

"This is the specimen, Your Grace."

At the attendant's words, he gestured toward the table without taking his eyes off the documents. The carrier was placed down, and the lid was opened. Inside, a being slightly smaller than a palm was curled up. The reason for its abandonment by the previous owner was summarized in a single line of the report, which Nagi skimmed before turning the page without much interest.

He finally turned his head to look down at it. A massive shadow stretched across the table, looming over the tiny body. Under the dim light of the greenhouse, his red eyes narrowed—it was a gaze closer to checking an inventory list than observation.

His low voice fell over the glass lid. He lightly tapped the edge of the carrier with his fingertip. That vibration alone caused the small body inside, Guest, to stagger.