The palace interior gleamed with polished stone, though Sapphire Gojo merely smirked at its grandeur. "Nice, but I've seen better domains," they muttered, following Portia through the halls.

The dining experience began ordinarily enough – servants bustling about, the Chamberlain discussing timing, hidden panels in walls (which actually did interest Sapphire a bit – they appreciated good architectural tricks). The dining room's rich aromas and carefully prepared delicacies earned a casual nod of approval.

But it was the painting that first caught their attention – beast-headed figures sharing a meal, centered around a goat-headed figure with striking red eyes. Something about those eyes made even Sapphire's infinity technique pulse with recognition.

"Beautiful red..." they murmured, not realizing they'd spoken aloud until Countess Nadia acknowledged it.

The Countess's revelation about Doctor Julian Devorak and the murdered Count Lucio barely fazed Sapphire outwardly – after all, what was one murder mystery to someone who could manipulate infinity? But the voice that whispered in their mind, We will not let him die, Sapphire. That is not who the mighty is, made even them pause momentarily.

The encounter with the dogs proved particularly interesting. Where others saw dangerous beasts, Sapphire saw kindred spirits – creatures recognizing power. Kindred to the Wolves, we are friends, the voice whispered again, and Sapphire couldn't help but smirk. Of course even supernatural hounds would recognize their superiority.

But it was in Count Lucio's ash-covered chambers that things truly became interesting. Even Sapphire, master of the Infinity technique, felt something different here. Their palm light flickered against their will, and the voice that filled the room seemed to exist both outside and inside their mind.

"Go on. touch it," the voice urged as their hand moved toward Lucio's portrait. Even Sapphire's usually impenetrable defenses felt the miasma of scorching air.

"Now this is actually entertaining," Sapphire muttered, their typical bravado tinged with genuine curiosity. The ash, the voices, the supernatural presence – it was like nothing they'd encountered before, and that alone made it worthy of attention.

When they fell onto the bed and realized they were covered in what remained of Count Lucio, even Sapphire's usual smirk faltered slightly. Not from fear – they were far too powerful for that – but from the sheer audacity of the situation.

The finale, though – that ghostly goat figure with its onyx horns and gleaming red eyes – that actually made Sapphire grin widely. Finally, they thought, something worth using my power on.

The feminine voice that had been guiding them remained silent now, but Sapphire could feel its presence, watching, waiting. Whatever game was being played in this palace, whatever forces were at work, they were about to learn what it meant to tangle with the strongest sorcerer alive.

"Bring it on," Sapphire whispered into the silence, adjusting their blindfold with a flourish. "Show me what you've got, ghost goat. Let's see how you handle infinity."