I fell silent, and then had to agree with her guess.

In any case, we should inform Grey about this first.

I hurried across the water-splattered ground, about to begin my explanation, when I saw the little princess frowning, giving instructions with a serious expression. Instinctively, I changed the subject: "What happened?"

“…Ah, it’s you, senior.” Grey breathed a sigh of relief, then couldn’t help but want to lament, “You’ve seen the auction catalog, haven’t you?”

I recalled briefly: "Yes?"

"Then you should know that the Star Rock just now was only the final item in the auction, and there are even more precious items to come."

I nodded, a bad feeling suddenly rising in my heart: "Could it be...?"

Grey nodded, confirming my guess: "Yes, the last item that hadn't been exhibited yet, a historical collection that hadn't been fully deciphered, was stolen from a heavily guarded warehouse, and the guards at the door didn't react at all. It was only after the people who went to take inventory noticed something was wrong and confirmed it that they finally discovered it."

My breath hitched.

"Are there any confirmed traces of the surgical procedure?"

"We're confirming it, but based on the comparative analysis of the mages at the scene, it seems to be the same type of spell used by the intruder just now." She paused and concluded, "In other words, what happened just now might have been a feint by the thief to distract us."

“That must be an illusion,” I said bluntly. “And it’s something only a mage with a deep mastery of illusions could do.”

Grey's eyes flashed with disbelief, which disappeared in an instant.

But she didn't rush to deny it; instead, she actively considered the matter: "Assuming there really are mages capable of doing such a thing, and among the mages present today, the one known to have the deepest mastery of illusion magic is..."

Just then, a shout came from the nearby lounge.

"There's someone who's fainted over here!"