"Meralda"


    "Yes master?"


    "Take care of them while I''m away….. Ana might wake up earlier than the others so just tell her that I''ve got an appointment to make if she wonders why I''m gone"


    "Ok" Meralda affirmed with a yawn, her drowsiness palpable as she settled back into her couch.


    ''Seriously, this oh-so-great spirit of mine really loves her sleep''


    ''But considering all the things she did for me, I guess she kinda deserves this much leniency''


    With a final nce at the peacefully slumbering girls, Adrian turned to leave.


    "Oh, and here," I said, my voice carrying a softness that matched the gesture, as I threw a green-looking stone toward Meralda.


    "Master, this is..." Meralda began, her words trailing off as she grasped the significance of the stone in her hands. It was a spirit stone meticulously crafted for nature-type spirits like her. Possessing this stone meant that anyone could now form a proper contract with Meralda, allowing her to bestow blessings or enact her will upon them.


    I had been meaning to give her this token for a while, a silent acknowledgment of the bond that had evolved between us. Despite our initial sh, our rtionship had grown, prompting me to end the forced contract and grant her the freedom to choose another master.


    Darkness swirled around my hands, and the ethereal chains binding her heart to me shattered like fragile ss. Her eyes widened at the sudden severance of our connection, and it seemed that the weight lifted from her brought a surge of happiness.


    ''Hehe, she must be quite happy right now''


    "You can tell Louise to make a contract with youter. I''m sure she—"


    "What are you talking about, Master!" Meralda interrupted, her voice edged with a mix of anger and distress. Tears welled up in her eyes, adding an unexpected emotional depth to the moment. The abruptness of her reaction caught me off guard, and I paused, unsure of the sentiments thaty beneath her fervent outburst.


    "L-like I said, you can make a contract—" I began, attempting to rify my intentions.


    "Why?" Meralda interjected, her tear-streaked cheeks revealing a vulnerability that cut through the anger. "Do you not need me anymore..." The spirit stone, once a symbol of potential freedom, nowy shattered on the ground, mirroring the fragments of her emotions.


    "After all this time! After all the things we did, after all the things you made me do, after all those things, are you trying to abandon me, Master?" Her words, charged with anger and hurt, reverberated in the room.


    "Calm down, Meralda... I''m not trying to abandon you. I''m just giving you the chance to choose your own master, and even better, you can choose to not have one," I exined, attempting to soothe the storm of emotions that had erupted.


    Unexpectedly, Meralda moved closer, gripping my hands tightly. "I don''t need it... I don''t need a new one; you are enough, Master," she pleaded. A gentle green light enveloped both of our hands as she attempted to initiate a new contract, this time one of her choosing. Her mana flowed towards me, seeking to establish a connection.


    As I observed her earnest expression, I sighed. Although I could ept the contract and forge a new connection with her, I refrained.


    The fundamental truth lingered—I wouldn''t risk her well-being by fostering a connection that could potentially harm her. Our natures, like opposite poles, posed a threat, and I couldn''t allow her soul to be jeopardized due to a failed adaptation to my mana.


    Forcefully letting go of our intertwined hands, Meralda fixed her gaze on me, her emerald green eyes betraying a quiver of understanding. "Master?" she uttered, her expression shifting into one of sadness.


    "I''m sorry, Meralda, but being contracted with me would only hurt you," I exined gently, my words sinking into the atmosphere like a bittersweet melody. As the truth settled, Meralda''s body trembled, and her once-tightly heldposure faltered.


    My authority, told me of her ongoing mental state, ryed the turmoil within her. System notifications kept popping up in my eyes.


    Thoughts of abandonment, of being deemed useless, and an overall sense of confusion swirled in her mind. The abruptness of my revtion seemed to have sent shockwaves through her, catching her off guard.


    I reflected on the irony of the situation. Considering her nonchnt demeanor in the past regarding our contract, I hadn''t anticipated this intense reaction.


    If anything, I assumed she might wee the prospect of choosing her own destiny, as she had asionally voiced dissatisfaction with our existing arrangement. Yet, the reality before me painted a different picture


    I gently wiped away the tears streaming down Meralda''s face and met her teary-eyed gaze.


    "Meralda, I know this might seem like I''m abandoning you or something, but it''s really not that. Besides, Louise being your new master isn''t such a bad thing either. You get to have pure mana that doesn''t corrupt your soul, and as Louise would probably be with me, that would also include you, okay?"


    I spoke, attempting to reassure her, but her tears continued to flow unabated.


    Sighing once more, I couldn''t find a proper way to ease her distress, so I opted for a heartfelt gesture. I wrapped my arms around her in aforting embrace, hoping that the physical closeness would offer sce and understanding.


    "What are you doing, young master?" Analise inquired in a slightly tired voice. Judging from her slightly disheveled hair and sleepy eyes, it seemed she had recently woken up. I was aware that servants woke up earlier than their masters, but I couldn''t help but wonder if Analise always woke up this early to prepare for us. She looked at me with eyes that held a hint of surprise, likely questioning why I was up so early.


    Her gaze scanned me from head to toe, and noticing my well-dressed appearance, she couldn''t help but voice her concern. "Are you going somewhere, young master?" she asked, her voice lightly tinged with worry. I couldn''t me her for being concerned, considering thest time I went out, I didn''t return for a week.


    "Y-yes, the principal told me to meet her quite early due to my recent absences. It seems she wanted to meet early as she would be quite busy during the day," I exined, trying to find a suitable excuse. While it wasn''t entirely false that I would be meeting with the principal, I couldn''t deny that I was strategically bending the truth to ay any suspicions.


    As Analise couldn''t perceive spirits, my attempt tofort Meralda might have seemed peculiar to her, perhaps as if I were hugging thin air or even practicing my hugging techniques.


    Her golden eyes bore into me, wearing an amused expression, as if she found my actions rather ridiculous.


    With a smile ying on her lips, she couldn''t resist the opportunity to tease. Slowly closing the distance between us, she slipped into my arms, defying the invisible boundary spirits created for themselves.


    This unexpected intrusionpelled me to reciprocate and encircle her in a hug, her arms wrapping around me in response.


    "You could''ve just said you wanted a hug, master... I guess watching girls sleep wrapped around one another was too much for an adolescent man like you, huh?"


    Analise remarked with a mischievous grin,pletely misinterpreting the situation.


    ncing at Meralda, who stood to the side, her eyes widened in response to the unintentionaledy unfolding before her, the absurdity of the situation was too much for her stressed mind and heart right now.


    ….


    In a luxurious room that rivaled, if not surpassed, Lilliana Vulter Tellus''s chamber—the flower of the empire and daughter of the great Duke Tellus—a woman of exquisite beauty was seated, surrounded by opulence. Her hair, reminiscent of cherry blossoms, cascaded down her shoulders, and her emerald green eyes sparkled like the hues of spring. She sipped delicately from a teacup, enjoying her morning ritual.


    A voice disrupted her quietude, echoing through the room. Themunication orb atop her table flickered to life, projecting the holographic image of a man with hair of the same shade as hers but with a darker green hue in his eyes. He regarded her with concern, his paternal instincts evident.


    "Are you doing well, Christine?" he inquired, his voice carrying a warmth that only a father could possess.


    Christine turned her attention to the holographic image, a smile ying on her lips.


    "Yes, I''m doing well, Your Majesty" she replied with a polite bow and a glint of affection in her emerald eyes.


    The middle-aged man sighed, his expression hinting at a blend of exasperation and amusement.


    "Hah, I told you to call me ''papa'' when we''re alone."


    A gentleugh escaped Christine''s lips, and she shook her head with a fond smile.


    "You know I can''t do that, Your Majesty. Even if I am your daughter, your position deserves much respect. Familial bonds are no exception to respecting your grace and will, as you are the one and only emperor in this vast continent"


    Hearing her words, the man slumped back in his seat, a sigh escaping him. Theplexities of familial ties and royal duties weighed heavily on his shoulders.


    "Fine" the emperor conceded, leaning back in his seat.


    "But I heard there were some troubles going on in the academy quite recently. Even Duke Heiron was getting involved in the matter and visited the school himself. Would you be so kind as to enlighten this old man of yours regarding the situation there?"


    Christine, with a knowing smile, understood the unspoken implications behind her father''s seemingly benign request.


    Despite being the emperor, doubts about the uracy of information often crept into his mind.


    The intricate web of courtly intrigue and politics made it challenging to discern the truth.


    While information flowed through various channels, only the dukes and high-ranking ministers could reliably convey recent events directly to the emperor.


    In essence, her father''s request was a subtle plea for the unvarnished truth. He sought to bypass the potential maniptions and half-truths that could apany information transmitted through official channels.


    What he basically said behind those benevolent voice was = "I don''t trust what the people here are telling me, and the duke is quite the shady snake, please tell me what exactly happened there"


    With aposed demeanor, Christine began to recount the events at the academy, providing a detailed ount of the recent incidents. The emperor, in turn, cross-referenced this information with the reports he had received.


    It became apparent that many details were either distorted or omitted in the versions that had reached him.


    Although he felt a twinge of annoyance at being kept in the dark, he couldn''t ignore the possibility that Duke Heiron, known for his cunning and strategic mind, had purposefully withheld certain aspects to maintain a semnce of control and avoid embarrassment.


    Although it might seem a bit foolish for the emperor of an entire nation to ce trust in his daughter''s words over those of his most loyal allies and subordinates, time and events had proven that, in this treacherous world, the only individuals he couldpletely rely on were himself, his wife, and his daughter.


    "Thank you, Christine," the emperor expressed his gratitude.


    "You''re wee, Your Majesty," Christine replied with a respectful nod.


    The emperor sighed, feeling a pang of sadness every time his once-cute, lively daughter, who used to call him ''papa,'' now addressed him with the formal ''Your Majesty.''


    "Christine" he called out to her, shifting the conversation. "Regarding your fiancé, that Tellus kid—what are your thoughts on him?"


    Christine hesitated for a moment before responding "Well... he''s a piece of trash?"


    Hearing his daughter''s blunt assessment, the emperor''s expression turned more serious.


    "Tell me more" he demanded in a tone befitting an actual emperor.


    The carefree air dissipated in the seemingly quiet room.