“By the way, why are you here…?”

“Huh?”

“This isn’t the proper seat for you.”

Noah oddly looked around her. And that’s when she figured out upon first glance that half of the people that filled the observation hall were high-ranking officials of Laurent or noble people.

She had sat in the center of the middle row because she wanted to sit where she could get a good view of the trial, but looking at it now, there were empty chairs around her. The people sitting two spaces apart from her glanced at Muell.

“Ah, I guess I’m not allowed to sit here.”

He’s really picking a fight over something. Looking around both sides, the Secretary of Treasure fumbled, rubbing his forehead with a handkerchief.

“The seats in here are different, depending on your status. This is because these are the seats for the ministerial level of each department and Laurent’s marquess and duke. It seems, madam, that you didn’t know that…”

It was a strange tone that mixed formal and informal speech, but what he wanted to convey was certain: “Since here was where the royal members and nobles of Laurent sit, immigrants who just got citizenship should get out of the way!” Isn’t that what he’d pretty much said? As expected, the Secretary of Treasure is still a straightforward figure with no flexibility at all.

“Riiight. I’ll move.”

“Whaa…?”

With no regrets, Noah stood up from the chair. Better safe than sorry. Noah didn’t want to bother him or argue, plus she had to go down soon anyway, so she was planning to move in front of the screen outside the courtroom.

“Muell, let’s go.”

Muell, who was sitting next to her, leaped to the floor. After picking up the documents one by one, Noah bid farewell to the Secretary of Treasure.

“Now you can watch the trial comfortably. I’ll be going.”

“No! That’s not what I meant!”

The reaction from him, which Noah thought would be pleased with her departing, was unexpected. He turned around, grabbed and pulled the lace on her shoulder, and yelled out, “It’s not that! I’m telling you to go forward… madam!”

“Forward! Forward!”

“Don’t be angry, dragon master!”

Those who were sitting far away from Noah urgently added one at a time. Puzzled, she looked around, and all the nobles who had previously given her unusual stares were standing up.

“Hey, what’s wrong with you all…?”

She asked one question, and ten responses flew at her sporadically.

“How dare we sit in the same row as the dragon master and her dragon? Please, sit in the row ahead of us.”

“Of course, of course. It’s a matter of grace even from His Majesty. Miss Noah, we’ve also issued you a VVVIP platinum ID card.”

All of the stares fell to the shiny ID card hanging around her neck. This was a platinum ID card? Exactly how many V’s were there?

Noah had guessed that it was a card issued to quite high-ranking aristocrats, but she didn’t know it symbolized a status comparable to that of the imperial family. While she looked down, embarrassed, at the ID card decorated in diamonds and gold, the nobles crept up and pushed her to the next row.

Within mere seconds she had been brought down to a seat in the very front row of the observation hall. It was not until she forced herself to sit in one of the shiny golden chairs that blinded her just by looking at it that she figured out the situation.

“Oh no. I just want to go down and sit in an audience seat.”

“Audience seat, yeah right. How dare someone let a dragon master sit in one of those tiny corner seats?”

It’s a hassle to refuse many times when she’s told to sit in a better seat. Noah gave up and plopped down in the chair.

“Well… okay. I will. It’s comfy.”

Being a dragon master was no different now than when she was in Eleonora’s body, but the difference in the way she was treated was immense.

Since Noah had never replied to their letters, they might have thought that today was an opportunity.

Even now, Noah could understand the feelings of those who approached her while glancing at her. Most of them would be nobles who couldn’t avoid seizures depending on the outcome of today’s trial.

She was sure they were the ones who’d been sending letters to her for the past week. It was clearly seen that they were trying to coax her and lead this trial in Adrian’s favor.

I can’t let that happen. Feeling the presence of those hovering behind her chair, Noah slowly gathered her thoughts, and someone’s voice split the chaos.

“Stop it. Stop it. What is this nonsense on this important day?”

To Noah, it was an unfamiliar-but-familiar-at-the-same-time voice.  Someone made a gulping sound, then closed their mouth. The Secretary of Treasure, who removed his wig and wiped sweat gathered on his head, yelled out a welcome.

“My Lord! It has been a long time. Over here, sir.”

My Lord. Noah was taken aback at the title that had been yelled out in a sudden loud voice. There were two noble families with dukes in Laurent. The Leonards, and the Herjens.

As soon as Noah saw the tall man standing in front of the entrance to the observation hall, she could see which family’s leader he was.

“Yes, sir. Good to see you, minister.”

The appearance and impression were unfamiliar, but there was only one thing Noah was familiar with: His purple eyes.