《Favored By The Villain》 Chapter 0 - Prologue Prologue In a small living room, people crowded around to discuss how Kraiden yed a central part in the kingdom. In this ce where cold and silence coexisted, she downed a whole cup of tea. In the middle of the day, the stares of everyone sitting around me were palpable, but to a certain degree, it was bearable since she had been trained for this kind of situation. ¡°Everyone¡­¡± She took my chance as she stared at the faces surrounding her, and their gazes fell on her lips at once. ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you all?¡± At that moment, they all looked at each other with expressions as if they didn¡¯t want this ceremony to continue further. Then, the Third Prince sitting cross-legged asked as he fiddled with his hands, ¡°Is it because you didn¡¯t expect so many guests?¡± He stared at her, scrunching his brows, and said, ¡°What I meant is that I was certain that it would be only us two meeting.¡± dly looking at her cup of tea, the Second Empress asked, ¡°Have you gone mad? Why would Levisia ever agree to meet a roughneck like you?¡± ¡°Empress, now you¡¯re talking tough?¡± ¡°Get out of here. Your face disgusts me. You¡¯re going to contaminate Levisia¡¯s eyes.¡± The two ruffled each other¡¯s feathers like ferocious chicks. The prince appeared nonchnt, augh escaping his lips, yet he couldn¡¯t conceal the hate in his eyes. On the other hand, the empress looked as if she wanted topletely eliminate every man from this world. Levisia took a deep breath as she was about to make her way out. She didn¡¯t know things would end up like this. But still, she cherished hope. However, the three people that remained were just as she expected. They merely sat on their respective seats, but it seemed that an argument was inevitable. Certainly, once their ces were decided, these people would aim for each other¡¯s necks without remorse. When she looked at them, her head twitched a little. She knew it. The hope she clung to was proof of her naivety, although she didn¡¯t expect much. Still, she sped my fingers to a silver thread, but all hope flew out the window so easily. Would they ever get along? She was a fool to believe that. Even if an expert imed, ¡®There are no bad brothers in this world¡¯ or ¡®My brother has changed¡¯ she would find it impossible to believe. ¡°When you all made a promise that we must meet today, I thought you all had a n ready to go.¡± Actually, she didn¡¯t put myself in this position. These people all made a promise that we must meet today, and she wasn¡¯t in any position to refuse. But it turned out to be aplete disaster. And yet, they had the nerve to be infuriated with the words she spoke. ¡°How is that possible?¡± They said while they red at each other, keeping each other in check. Certainly, it was futile to even attempt to carry on this meeting. There was nothing she could do. Then, she began to speak like a meet-up host. ¡°So¡­ is today some special day?¡± ¡°You really don¡¯t know?¡± Rather than providing her with a clear answer, the First Prince only frowned. She rolled her eyes as she carefully thought of a response. ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the eve of your birthday, Levi.¡± It was only then that she finally realized. ¡°Wait¡­ so what if it¡¯s the eve of my birthday? Are you nning to give me my presents early?¡± All at once, everyone¡¯s lips pursed into a thin line at her question and nced at each other. ¡°Tomorrow you¡¯ll be an adult.¡± ¡°Levisia, you don¡¯t know the meaning of thest night before one reaches adulthood?¡± The First Prince and Second Princess said this in order after each other. As Levisia slightly nodded her head, the Third Prince asked, ¡°Levi, do you even know what it means to receive a rose at midnight?¡± ¡°Her expression tells us she doesn¡¯t even know.¡± Indeed, he hit the nail on the head. She couldn¡¯t deny this, so she just gazed at the person who uttered thest word. However, the Seventh Princess, instead of intervening to rescue her, cracked a smile and lit the fire. ¡°It¡¯s alright if you don¡¯t know. I¡¯ll fill you in on everything when I give you the rose.¡± At her words, it felt like the entire room was turned upside down. She wanted to tell them to leave and fight outside, but she kept herposure. Tomorrow would be thest time she¡¯d see this scene. Yes, tomorrow she¡¯d make her escape. She would not be involved, or worse, die in a fight with her fellow sessors! As she tightly clenched her fists, she mustered up the courage to say: ¡°I¡¯m not really sure about this, but as you all sit here, I also have something to say.¡± All of them stared at her, their eyes twinkling with curiosity and a hint of eagerness as if they were expecting something¡­ What exactly were they hoping for? In this ufortable position, she revealed my grand goal. ¡°I n on leaving this pce on my birthday.¡± Thud! Crackle! As soon as she finished, a sound reverberated throughout the room that forced her down. A chair flew across the room, the sofa broke, and the floor cracked. But that wasn¡¯t the end. Boom! ¡°Sister, I¡¯m not sure what I just heard.¡± Her youngest sister looked at her andughed as she entered the room, smashing the door to pieces. ¡°Can you repeat that one more time? What did you say you¡¯re going to do?¡± Instinctively, Levisia took a few steps backward. ¡°Don¡¯t make me second guess what I just heard. Where do you n to go?¡± Twisted gazes all blindly locked on to her. ¡°It¡¯s too loud, so I couldn¡¯t hear you, Levi. What was that?¡± ¡°Oh, I mean you can¡¯t take me out of this pce¡­¡± ¡°If you leave, will we know where you go?¡± ¡°Oh Levisia, you took me as a fool.¡± ¡°You must think this empire is in someone else¡¯s hands, huh?¡± These people sought out the highest seat, more than willing to charge at each other to death. However, they all fixated their zing eyes in one direction. It was preposterous of her to presume she could just confess wholeheartedly and leave this pce. She must be insane. What on earth was she doing? Chapter 1 - The Nameless Empress Chapter 1 ¨C The Nameless Empress When Levisia opened her eyes, a hand hovered above her face. It was an unusuallyrge hand. At the moment she breathed, someone said, ¡°You finally woke up.¡± She rolled her eyes to see whose voice it was. Certainly, those words weren¡¯t her own murmur, but she couldn¡¯t move an inch. Then, a familiar guy came into vision, but it was difficult to speak. ¡°Your Highness? Is this real?¡± he asked as he thrust his face closer. Levisia traced his eyes with her fingers, which she managed to lift after immense effort, and spoke in a hoarse voice. ¡°Your eyes.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± He frowned, quickly closed his eyes, and retreated. She withdrew her wandering hand, thinking she must have touched a sensitive spot. As a servant in the pce, Pel takes on many responsibilities but is full of secrets. He hates talking about his past, doesn¡¯t mention his family nor does he like to touch others. Once in a while, he showed a sensitive reaction to all of these. Just like now. Levisia groaned as she lifted her body up. Her one and only servant seemed to have no intention of helping, so she couldn¡¯t do much. As she barely rested her back on the headboard and looked around the room, she caught sight of a familiar scene. This room, neither too big nor too small, was simple. Only dull furniture ced throughout the room upied some space, but the rest wasn¡¯t much. It was in and modest, exactly how she remembered her room. This time, she turned her head and gazed at Pel. Between hisrge eyes, there was a noserge enough for a bird to sit on; his skin was fair and white and his lips were deep red although he never applied anything. Oftentimes, his orbs glimmered bright golden; at other times, they glimmered an unusual glow. Pel was a good-looking guy who gave the impression of being somewhere between a boy and a young man. Except for his fluffy blonde hair and crooked posture. His golden locks barely brushed his shoulder muscles, and it made her wonder if he did this purposely to distinguish his beauty. On top of that, he hunched around as if he was hiding a secret. If only he would straighten out his bent torso, he¡¯d look much taller. Well, he doesn¡¯t try to hide his good looks. As expected, nothing¡¯splete without an attractive face. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± He turned around to see if she was ring at him. In return, Levisia asked him the same question that had been lingering in her head. ¡°This ce is Kraiden, right?¡± He responded, attempting to conceal his embarrassment, ¡°If it weren¡¯t so?¡± ¡°No¡­¡± she clenched and stretched out her pale hands. She still felt the scent of burning on the tip of her nose. Perhaps it was because of a long dream. ¡°Am I alive?¡± When Levisia asked him to confirm, he gazed at her with a peculiarly expressionless face. ¡°You almost died, but I¡¯m surprised to see you wake up like this.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°The cause is unknown. Even the doctor is clueless.¡± A crisis came that almost killed her, and even the doctor didn¡¯t know? She asked this as she felt a bit leery, ¡°So, how long was I lying here?¡± Pel directed his head towards the bedside table, to where the calendar was. ¡°It¡¯s been two weeks. This whole time, I was watching you.¡± Twenty-four years old. The age that will greet death. Levisia had just seen twenty-four years of memories in two weeks. ¡°Where am I injured?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have any injuries?¡± Pel looked over her body as she spoke. There weren¡¯t any particr problems. ¡°My clothes are wet. Was I sweating? I want to wash up.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not hurt anywhere, correct?¡± ¡°Maybe?¡± Pel frowned at her uncertain reply, but she didn¡¯t even know why she wasying here for two weeks. Isn¡¯t that even stranger? As Levisia shrugged her shoulders, Pel turned up without saying a word. ¡°I¡¯ll run the bathwater and tell Mrs. Merne.¡± Pel left the room shortly, then Mrs. Merne entered just like he had said. She Merne. This woman has been the only one to raise her since she was a child. ¡°Your Highness.¡± Her hands covered her mouth as she entered through the door and witnessed Levisia¡¯s condition. Levisia could have guessed that she must have been very worried about her. ¡°Dear God, thank you.¡± Chapter 2 - Fleeing From Death Chapter 2 ¨C Fleeing from Death Mrs. Merne hurriedly grabbed Levisia¡¯s hand with a thrilled expression she couldn¡¯t hide from her face. Even Pel, who makes sure Levisia wakes up on time, never reacted like this after finding her awake. Right when it was getting awkward, fortunately, Mrs. Merne calmed down and helped me up. ¡°You¡¯re heading straight to the bathroom?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± When her foot hit the ground, she unknowingly shivered. It was as if her entire body was ready to plummet; Levisia couldn¡¯t stand straight. Whether or not it was because she had been glued to the bed for two whole weeks, she didn¡¯t know. Hot steam shrouded her face as her trembling legs entered the bathroom. It seemed that Pel had already prepared the bathwater. That was fast. ¡°Let me help,¡± She insisted. ¡°No. I want to be alone.¡± ¡°Well, call me if you need anything.¡± She made sure Levisia got to the bathtub, then she left the bathroom. It was only then Levisia could finally gather her thoughts, alone. ¡®First of all, if only that was really my previous life and not just a mere dream.¡¯ It was certain that it wasn¡¯t a mere assumption of her; it was too vivid to have been a dream. Levisia wrapped her arms around her knees tightly, trying to retrace the memories one by one. It was a damned fire that killed her in her previous life. Goshitel was in mes, filled with acrid smoke; Levisia died when she fell asleep, unable to escape in time. Perhaps in the midst of studying for an exam, she ended up falling into a deep slumber after she engrossed herself in a book. And of all the things, this is the world from the book Levisia was reading right before she died. That book was some sort of a fantasy novel. ¡®What was the title again? Return of¡­ the King?¡¯ It was a story of a man with a dark past. To give a rough plot, this man, at a young age, had lost his family and home, turning him into the prince of ruins whose ambition was to exact revenge on those who annihted his country. She thought it was entertaining to read mainly due to the meticulous process of his revenge against his foes. However, Levisia couldn¡¯t finish it because she died in her sleep. Anyway, Kraiden, the empire Levisia was born in, was mentioned in the story while the man was plotting his revenge. However, no matter how much of a protagonist he was, it was not entirely possible to destroy this mighty empire easily. After his country was annihted, the Kraiden Empire upied half of the continent. Despite all of this, Kraiden fell apart, and the reason was¡­ the fight for session. The Kraiden Empire was in a bloodbath, reeling from the battle for session. The hierarchy was in shambles. Even the top wasn¡¯t in order; how could the bottom be any different? The cluttered empire was bound to copse after the protagonist put his hands on it. The cornerstone was the battle for Kraiden¡¯s session. Why? Because she¡¯s the fifteenth empress of Kraiden! Levisia White, also known as Levi White. That was her identity in this world ¡ª one of the nameless royal families of the House of Kraiden. Levisia is part of the royal family, but she couldn¡¯t get to Kraiden castle. It wasn¡¯t just her. None of the royal families can im Kraiden. Because the past emperor and current emperor had, respectively, adopted more than twelve children. How is this even possible? The emperor just keeps passing it down. But thisplex circumstance of leaders is just the beginning. In the current royal family, there are a total of five verified prospects to be the sessor. The strongest of the strongest, the one with the rightful session and possessed the best abilities. They¡¯re none other than the ones who would spoil Kraiden. And Levisia yed a part in their session battle, where she was killed. She must not remain here. If she stays here, she is certain to meet her death in a fight for session, or face a retaliation from the protagonist. Either way, it is best to live her days in peace and leave the pce without any notice. Levisia clenched her fists and pledged, ¡°Let¡¯s get me out of this wretched family.¡± However, Levisia would certainly encounter a problem when she leaves the pce. Even with the fact that she is the fifteenth princess out of thirty-eight, for now, Levisia is only a ¡®royal princess.¡¯ She needed a way to figure this out. Fortunately, without much thought, she thought of something. ¡°I have something to say.¡± On the very night, Levisia summoned Pel and She to her room. The two sat together in silence. ¡°You can tell me in the morning,¡± suggested Pel. ¡°Pel, how dare you talk like that to Your Highness.¡± She pped Pel on the shoulder, who frowned at her. There was a tant distaste in the air. She was the only person who could touch Pel. Her hand was so swift that he couldn¡¯t dodge it. He looked at both of them with such a wary expression as though he didn¡¯t want anything to do with them. He almost looked like a cat with its fur standing up. ¡°No, I¡¯m sorry to make you work past your time.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be anxious, Your Highness. He¡¯s worried that you might be overdoing yourself as you only just woke up today.¡± She is merely overreacting, she thought. But instead of saying her thoughts out loud, she simply shrugged her shoulders. ¡°As I said, I apologize for calling you back in here right when you were supposed to rest, but I had no choice as I have something urgent to discuss with you.¡± ¡°So, what is it that you called us for?¡± She asked; her tone was friendly. After taking a long, deep breath, Levisia said earnestly, ¡°I¡¯m going to leave the royal pce.¡± Chapter 3 - Announcement Chapter 3 ¨C Announcement ¡°¡­Excuse me?¡± Of course, it was only expected that they be taken aback. That¡¯s what Levisia anticipated if she told them, with no sign beforehand, that she was nning to leave. She didn¡¯t even know how to respond. ¡°Obviously I¡¯m not leaving right away. I will leave when I¡¯m ready and have be an adult.¡± As soon as Pel heard this, he seemed to have guessed what she was thinking. ¡°You¡¯re going to flunk your aptitude test, then give up your right of session and leave the castle.¡± Flunk? Well, a test is a test, so Levisia could just express her goal like that. She looked Pel right in his eyes and lightly epted his assumption, ¡°Correct.¡± The year Levisia bes an adult is the same year she¡¯ll take the test. At that time, Levisia could prove that she is not worth much and give up bing a royal member. Only then could she leave the pce. ¡°But if you do that, you¡¯ll never be able to use your abilities.¡± ¡°¡­That is also correct.¡± Pel was more quick-witted about the royal family than she presumed. ording to him, if she left and tried to reveal her abilities elsewhere, she wouldn¡¯t be able to use them. This was a kind of prohibition to protect the legitimacy of the royal family. If Levisia was to go against this, it would only result in her death and those who learn about her abilities. Well¡­ that would be the case if anyone was actually killed. She wasn¡¯t certain, because no one had ever given up on the royal family yet. But it was possible. Considering their abilities to fight for session in the future, disappearing from this world should be a piece of cake. ¡°When I leave here, you two will also take on the burden of all this.¡± She nced at Pel who was staring at her. And then, almost simultaneously, their eyes fell on Levisia once again. ¡°I don¡¯t really care.¡± ¡°Your Highness, the people involved in the royal family¡¯s affairs live under a lot of restrictions. It¡¯s a basic rule not to talk about them.¡± ¡°Did I do that¡­¡± The two responded as if there were some sort of problem. As a result, only Levisia, who expected a bad response, seemed to be embarrassed. ¡°But Your Highness¡­¡± She carefully tried to discourage her. ¡°Your Highness, if you¡¯re out there alone, it¡¯ll be a world of trouble.¡± That would be so. She didn¡¯t see any difference between her and these candles lit in the room. Levisia nodded her head, epting this. But she wasn¡¯t finished talking. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying, I want you two to leave with me.¡± Their expressions flipped at her words, it was as if their tongues were cut off. Levisia was well aware that She and Pel had nowhere else to go but the royal pce. She had been with her since she was a baby. So naturally, Levisia came to know her well. And Pel, while he hasn¡¯t told her much about himself, was straightforward. There was no way to get out during the break. She assumed Pel was from a small family in the suburbs. Her guess is just as good as Levisia. Anyway, it was certain that all three of their circumstances were just about the same. Circumstances that give them no ce to stay and no real family; they have only each other to embrace. So, no matter how much courage she musters up, she can¡¯t leave these two behind. ¡°Obviously I¡¯m not asking you to attend to me outside the pce. You won¡¯t even have an identity once you leave anyway.¡± ¡°Your Highness, how can you say that?¡± She said, as if soothing her. Levisia cracked a small smile, but she couldn¡¯t keep it for long. She fiddled with her hands, trying to carefully choose words to persuade the two. It might sound selfish, but Levisia thought she would be extremely lonely if these two weren¡¯t with her when she left. ¡°If I left alone, you two¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll get a new master.¡± ¡°Pel!¡± This time, She¡¯s hand couldn¡¯t reach Pel in time. He sprung off his chair and shook his head at them. ¡°No matter how I think about it, I just don¡¯t think this n makes sense.¡± ¡°Which part?¡± ¡°The whole thing. Everything.¡± Pel¡¯s answer was firm as a rock. Levisia knitted her brows as if she were about to frown. ¡°Can you be more specific?¡± ¡°You said you¡¯d hide your abilities. It¡¯s not just anyone else. It¡¯s the emperor. You have to deceive Your Majesty. That can¡¯t be possible, for sure.¡± When she heard what he said, Levisia wondered where to start fixing this. She had never seen him like this. Was he perhaps overestimating her? If her powers were great enough to hide, she wouldn¡¯t have struggled in the Kraiden castle. ¡°First things first, if we¡¯re talking all honest here, I have no abilities to hide. They¡¯re so weak and insignificant that I can¡¯t get anyone to notice them.¡± Chapter 4 - Peculiar Pell Chapter 4 ¨C Peculiar Pell At her self-disparaging, She would be sure to reprimand her, which she did. With an earnest look, she disagreed with her. ¡°Your Highness was chosen by the Fairy King; how can you say you¡¯re insignificant?¡± ¡°She, don¡¯t forget that there were thirty six just in this generation who were chosen.¡± Surprisingly, Pel also responded simrly to her. He stood there, in disbelief, muttering as if he were talking to himself. ¡°¡­Impossible.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°¡­In any case, it¡¯s still impossible.¡± ¡°Wait, Pel.¡± She stopped Pel as he was about to leave, pushing the chair he was sitting on. ¡°What are you¡­¡± ¡°Better than me touching you, isn¡¯t it? Sit down. I¡¯m not done talking. You can decide after hearing the rest.¡± ¡°It still won¡¯t change my mind.¡± ¡°I know. I don¡¯t intend to force you.¡± Before She could utter a word to Pel, Levisia interfered. When I silently shook my head, she understood and kept her silence. Upon watching this, Pel returned to his seat, leaving the chair where it was after she kicked it. ¡°¡­Please continue.¡± It was rather a rude tone for a mere servant. However, she knew that behind Pel¡¯s brusque manner, there is a gentle kindness, so she did not criticize him. Apart from She over-interpreting Pel¡¯s words, she knew all too well the goodwill in his actions. ¡®Seems like he has been tending to me with a wet towel until I woke up today.¡¯ When she awoke from the long dream, Pel¡¯s hand came into sight. His hand looked shriveled up as if they had been soaked in water for a long time. Why was that? She could easily deduce the answer. From her face, hands, and feet feeling fresh and clean unlike the rest of my body and a wet towel in Pel¡¯s other hand, she was able to make the connection. Even more so, we have spent years together encountering countless circumstances in this secluded pce. There are things that can be seen no matter how well it is concealed. Perhaps this was Pel¡¯s way of showing his kindness. Which is all the more why she couldn¡¯t abandon them. When the bloody war breaks out in the royal family, they won¡¯t be the only ones who will die. But those other deaths won¡¯t even be recorded in the book, not even one. ¡°You might not believe it, but I had a dream.¡± ¡®So, this much should be okay, I would think. It has to be.¡¯ ¡°A dream?¡± ¡°Yes. A very gruesome dream. The thing is, I think it will actually happen in real life.¡± They both looked perplexed, as though they weren¡¯t sure if she was joking or being serious. ¡°The pce was destroyed by a giant lizard.¡± In the book ¡°The Return of the Emperor¡±, the protagonist was a dragon. To be precise, a half dragon, and the royals of the protagonist¡¯s country had the blood of dragons running through their veins. Simrly, the Kraiden royal family is known as the descendents of the Fairy King. ¡°Lizard¡­?¡± She¡¯s head tilted. She had a subtly different expression on her normally gracious face. She didn¡¯t seem to understand at all, so Levisia had to add more details to my otherwise rather bare story. ¡°Judging by the context, it would¡¯ve been a dragon.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not talking about a ruined country, are you?¡± She had no clue when Levisia said lizard but immediately concluded the answer when the dragon was mentioned. She pretended to not care, but her face became grave. She continued, ¡°I don¡¯t think it was merely a dream. I dreamt it for the entire two weeks when I was asleep. It makes me anxious. I can¡¯t leave you two here and leave the pce alone.¡± ¡°Your majesty, if this is a serious matter, shouldn¡¯t you bring this up to the king and the others? What do you think, Pel?¡± ¡®Wait, if you shift the attention to Pel¡­!¡¯ ¡°Most definitely.¡± Pel nced at her, but how strange. ¡®I¡¯ve never seen that face before.¡¯ With a peculiar expression on his face, he began to give them a response, which neither Levisia nor She expected. ¡°If Your Highness, the descendent of the Fairy King, dreamed of this for two weeks, there must be a good reason for it.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°How long until Your Highness bes an adult? Ten months? Then we should begin packing right now.¡± ¡®You¡¯re thinking about packing when I haven¡¯t considered it yet?¡¯ ¡°Is there really a need to bring this up to the others? There are six great stars in the kingdom. the descendants of the Fairy King will no doubt get over the crisis.¡± ¡®You say they¡¯ll get over it, but sounds more like you don¡¯t care if we abandon them.¡¯ ¡°If they can¡¯t, well¡­¡± Levisia and She were so focused on Pel that they almost forgot to breathe. However, he didn¡¯t continue anymore, nodding his head instead. Even Levisia, knowing the future, couldn¡¯t guess what must have urred to him at that moment. ¡®What is he¡­.?¡¯ For the first time in a while, she began to wonder about him. Chapter 5 - A Prince Beloved Chapter 5 ¨C A Prince Beloved Back in time, to the moment Levisia awoke from her two-week long sleep. ¡°¡­phyl.¡± ¡°Siaphyl.¡± ¡°¡­Oh. Yes. Did you call your brother?¡± Siaphyl turned to look with a smile on his face. The frown disappeared from the eighteenth Prince¡¯s face as he saw Siaphyl¡¯s face and replied, ¡°Why do you seem startled?¡± ¡°Oh, was I?¡± ¡°Yes. You jumped out of your skin.¡± ¡°Mm¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡± As Siaphyl tilted his head in thought, the eighteenth Prince tousled his hair. ¡°Boy, your mind is elsewhere.¡± Siaphyl simply shed an adorable smile through his disheveled hair. Siaphyl Bear Kraiden, the youngest prince who was loved by all. As a son of the current emperor, he possessed a brilliant mind and wielded exceptional skills, and a year ago, at only thirteen years of age, he was bestowed the name ¡®Kraiden.¡¯ He was adored by all because he treated the Kraidens and the nameless siblings alike, contrary to the other Kraidens. There was a secret division between the ¡®real Kraidens¡¯ and those who were not, and Siaphyl was the only one who could glide between the division in liberation. For this reason, it was an advantage to be the youngest one admired by all. Of course, for Siaphyl that is. ¡®This is annoying.¡¯ Siaphyl began to frown a little as the touseling of his hair continued. He would have let it go on longer any other day but not today. The boy once again put on the face of a beaming child, grabbing the wrist of the eighteenth Prince. The rough touseling stopped abruptly. ¡°Hey brother!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Did you feel anything strange just now?¡± ¡°Strange? What do you mean?¡± Siaphyl thought of what he felt just a moment ago. Hair standing on end and something traveling up his back, what would describe such feelings? A strange feeling? No, more like¡­ Chills. Yes, he, for a moment, felt chills. ¡°For goodness sake, it¡¯s only justte supper and you¡¯re already too tired to think clearly? Kid.¡± Siaphyl stered a smile. ¡®What a fool.¡¯ The eighteenth Prince was a well known yboy within and beyond the gates of the pce. All he did was utter vulgar jokes, breathe, eat, and defecate. He was considered a parasite to the royal family and even loathed by some of them. ¡®I didn¡¯t even expect him to pick up on it.¡¯ That momentary shudder could only have been felt by those who had a keen sense like his. Siaphyl heightened his senses and rubbed his eyes. He was going to use the excuseid out for him to get out of the situation. ¡°You¡¯re right. I am a bit tired.¡± ¡°Yep. Go to bed, boy. That¡¯s how you¡¯ll grow up big like me.¡± ¡°Goodnight then, brother.¡± ¡°What do you mean? My night has only begun. Not that you need to know.¡± Of course. Siaphyl gave a pitiful nce at the snickering eighteenth Prince and turned away. ¡°Oh and give our beautiful sister, the Second Princess, my tidings. I would have but she passionately hates seeing me.¡± ¡®If I did give her your tidings, that would be yourst words.¡¯ But Siaphyl didn¡¯t say this and instead replied, ¡°Okay, I will.¡± Immediately after, Siaphyl left the eighteenth Prince¡¯s ce. And unlike what he said earlier, he walked around all over the royal grounds instead of returning straight to his pce. ¡°I need to find out what that was.¡± It was definitely somewhere near. He had to be the first one among his brothers to find out. Siaphyl¡¯s eyes began to twinkle. * * * Levisia was greeted by the doctor who came to the pce just after morning. ¡°I said I was okay.¡± While the doctor checked her pulse, she stared at She who insisted on calling the doctor. She stood her ground. Levisia could tell by how she ignored me repeating that she was okay but telling the doctor this: ¡°She barely woke upst night.¡± ¡°Hm¡­¡± The doctor repeatedly examined her pulse and asked if there were any difort. She was only set free after repeatedly insisting that she was feeling fine. ¡°Huh¡­ How astonishing,¡± the doctor muttered. ¡°Has her majesty not fully recovered yet?¡± ¡°No, the opposite. Last time I saw her, she seemed to have made no progress, but now she has recovered fully. It is amazing how quickly she has recovered.¡± ¡°Oh my¡­¡± Levisia felt proud as She heaved a sigh in relief. Even though she insisted she was fine, having confirmation from the doctor must have made it more believable. ¡°This is great. Unless she drank from the stream in the fairy forest. No, the dragon¡¯s blood¡­ This is a miracle.¡± While the doctor marveled in awe, Pel said, ¡°This is all thanks to the blessings of the Fairy King upon Her Highness.¡± ¡°Pel is right.¡± ¡®Please, there¡¯s no way something so monumental can be upon me.¡¯ As Levisia rolled her sleeves down quietly, the doctor began to pack his belongings andmented, ¡°In any case, I am d you have recovered like this.¡± ¡°Not something who left saying there was nothing to be done should say.¡± ¡°Your mouth, Pel!¡± Pel¡¯s eyes slowly scanned over her and settled on the doctor. His rather dull golden eyes were, for some reason, gleaming and sharp. Chapter 6 - Puss In Boots Chapter 6 ¨C Puss in Boots ¡°I¡¯m not wrong.¡± ¡°How rude of you in front of Her Highness and our guest! Come with me, now!¡± She dragged Pel out of the room, harshly scolding him which she seldom does. For some reason, watching Pel as he was leaving left a bad taste in Levisia¡¯s mouth. His aura seemed to now have an edge to it unlike before. ¡°John, let me apologize for my¡­¡± ¡°No, Your Highness. It¡¯s understandable that your attendant is unhappy with me. I had given up on treating his mistress,¡± the doctor waved his arm andughed, ¡°I am ashamed, Your Highness. Which is why I am all the more grateful you have woken up in good health.¡± With a cane in his hand, the doctor lowered his head in a deep bow. Levisia informed him there was no need for such courtesy and dismissed him shortly. ¡°Your highness, please don¡¯t be too harsh to your attendant.¡± ¡°Hm¡­¡± When Levisia didn¡¯t reply, he revealed a faint smile and left. She was certain by now that Pel would have heard an earful from She, but she couldn¡¯t let this slide either. What he did, just now, was more than his typically blunt manner. She, at the very least, needed to know why. If he indeed acted out of great concern for me, perhaps she would take John¡¯s request into consideration. Levisia stood up from her chair and left the room. The pce she resided in is part of the royal grounds where servants stayed in the past. Since it was meant to be servants¡¯ lodgings, it was not huge which made it easier for her to find someone¡­ ¡°Ah, I¡¯ve finally found it.¡± Just as she began to walk down the stairs from the hall, she heard an unfamiliar voice. The voice wasn¡¯t too far away; it was of a boy who was looking up at her from thending. The walls resembling a cold blue sky suddenly grew and bent out of shape. Then came a friendly, sweet greeting as though they had known each other for at least a decade. ¡°Hello, sister.¡± She immediately recognized the boy. He was the empire¡¯s sixth star, Siaphyl Bear Kraiden. Growing fine as the most beloved, and adored by all. Despite being the youngest, he had be a ¡®Kraiden¡¯ because he disyed exceptional qualities. Unlike her, who at neen is considered of very little importance. To put it simply, they have absolutely no connections at all. ¡®Why is he calling me sister? We¡¯ve never met.¡¯ What he called her wasn¡¯t the only baffling part. What was he doing here? This wasn¡¯t a ce suitable for a beloved young prince toe by. Levisia¡¯s sanctuary resides in such a secluded part of the pce. Not only has it never been cared for, but also hardly any light came in. ¡°Your highness,¡± Levisia curtsied. She knew her ce; she wasn¡¯t at a level where she could greet the beloved prince informally. ¡°Please, sister, you can speak with ease.¡± Siaphyl was more amiable than she had initially thought. It was clear from how he repeatedly called her ¡°sister¡±, and how he didn¡¯t retreat despite the stiff, formal greeting. Being loved by all at a young age, it was indeed apparent. Even so, she had no time for such admiration. ¡°Perhaps another time. Till then¡­¡± ¡°Are you busy right now?¡± Siaphyl grabbed the end of her sleeve as she brushed past him. When he looked up at her with his blue eyes, for a moment, Levisia understood why others acted as though they were even willing to steal the stars for him. ¡®Puss in Boots?¡¯ Siaphyl¡¯s eyes very much resembled those of that Puss. But she must not fall for them for this adorable prince hides his true nature. He was a wolf in sheep¡¯s clothing. Siaphyl will one day be the most terrifying person who will mass murder his nameless siblings, including her. ¡°Yes, I am busy at the moment.¡± At her firm reply, the small hand that held her sleeve let go. ¡®Did that do it? I do hope I won¡¯t run into him again.¡¯ Siaphyl was on the top of the list of people she must avoid at all costs. Until she safely escapes this pce and even thereafter, because, knowing the future him, he¡¯d obsessively find even those who had renounced the throne. ¡®Indeed, he¡¯s dangerous.¡¯ Be it Puss in Boots, she needed to save herself first. ¡°Is there any way I can help?¡± ¡°There isn¡¯t.¡± Behind the cut and dry response, Levisia hid her true intentions. She would try to not be seen, praying that her life would be spared. Siaphyl seemed to be lost in his thoughts for a while, but he soon replied with a bright smile, ¡°Then I shalle by another time, sister. I didn¡¯t know you were busy and dropped by unannounced. My apologies.¡± ¡®Another time?¡¯ ¡°Next time, promise that you will speak to me with ease.¡± With that, he shed an innocent child¡¯s smile and quickly left down the stairs before she could catch him. He walked away so fast, and she couldn¡¯t move an inch until Siaphyl left her little ce. ¡°What was that¡­?¡± Levisia could almost hear her ns to escape this forsaken royal family already falling apart. Perhaps, it was just a feeling. Chapter 7 - A Mad Dog’s Pretense Chapter 7 ¨C A Mad Dog¡¯s Pretense That day, when Levisia finally came face to face with Pel, she couldn¡¯t say anything. The reason was simple: when Pel ran into her, he apologized before she could utter a word. Well, there was nothing more to say when one admitted their fault. She simply gave him the cliche response of ¡®don¡¯t do it again¡¯. And since that day, one thing has changed. ¡°Are you there, sister?¡± Siaphyl peeked his head through the crack of the door and smiled. Yes, the change brought in her little corner is the presence of a visitor. But of all people, the visitor is Siaphyl Bear Kraiden ¨C the one she needed to avoid the most. Without showing her disdain, she greeted him with a nod. ¡°You¡¯re reading today as well.¡± Siaphyl has evene to visit her bed chambers. The reason was rather in: she never left my bed chambers. ¡°And you¡¯re always in bed.¡± ¡°Please understand. My recovery is slow. There¡¯s not much to be done.¡± And she would get in trouble with Pel if she left. He bes so upset whenever she steps out of her bed. In spite of the confirmation from the doctor that she was fully recovered, he was being overly protective. ¡®I suppose it¡¯s because I¡¯ve never been this sick before.¡¯ Her thoughts began to wander to Pel, who must be somewhere in the pce right now. Just then, she felt a pair of nk eyes staring at me. When she stared back in query, Siaphyl seemed to snap back and smiled, ¡°Do you know what?¡± ¡°What, your highness?¡± ¡°You smell like a crisp forest, sister.¡± Forest? She looked down at her body and took a sniff, but smelled nothing. Of course, one can¡¯t smell oneself, but she didn¡¯t think she smelled like a forest as he said. ¡°Could it be because of this flower pot?¡± She pointed at the flower pot next to her bed that Pel brought. Siaphylughed as though he heard a joke. ¡°No. It¡¯sing from you, Sister.¡± ¡°That couldn¡¯t be¡­¡± She hadn¡¯t set foot in any forest, and her perfume didn¡¯t smell like one either. ¡°Whenever I¡¯m with you, I feel like I¡¯m next to the Fairy Tree because of your scent.¡± ¡®Fairy tree, eh?¡¯ Levisia had only seen it a few times from far away. The Fairy Forest is the most guarded among the royal forests and very difficult to get into to begin with, not to mention seeing the Fairy Tree, thergest tree in the forest. ¡®Does he want to see the Fairy tree?¡¯ They say those who are blessed by the Fairy King be naturally drawn to the Fairy Tree. She had felt it as well and went to see it from a distance. If Siaphyl feels that way as well, he could just go and see it. Levisia decided to tell him her thoughts. ¡°If you desire to see the Fairy Tree, can¡¯t you just go and see it?¡± Siaphyl once again justughed, ¡°I always want to see the tree, but that¡¯s not it. I can easily go and see it whenever I want to.¡± Indeed, the real Kraiden privilege shows. Just as she was thinking this, Siaphyl¡¯s eyes changed. ¡°It¡¯s just to say that I like you and I feel at ease whenever I am with you. That¡¯s all you need to know for now.¡± ¡®For now?¡¯ These were not the only words he spoke that aroused her curiosity. ¡°How is it that when you smell so nice, this ce reeks of something rotten?¡± ¡°It reeks?¡± Levisia raised her eyebrow. Her ce may be nearly abandoned, but it didn¡¯t reek. Pel and She tirelessly took care of the ce. ¡°You didn¡¯t know? There¡¯s an unpleasant fishy smell.¡± How could it be possible when there wasn¡¯t even a little pond here? Levisia began to doubt his sense of smell. ¡°Your Highness must be very sensitive to smell.¡± From her smelling like a forest and her ce smelling fishy- it was all about smell. ¡°Am I? I¡¯m not so sure, sister.¡± But it scares her the most when Siaphyl goes from shrewd to acting naive. ¡®I just can¡¯t read his thoughts.¡¯ Why was Siaphyl hanging out with someone as insignificant as her? This strange urence wasn¡¯t mentioned in the book. [Siaphyl Bear Kraiden, thest of the Kraidens who mass murdered his nameless siblings.] In the book he was called the mad dog. The thought that this boy, who was adored by all, would one day take her life always gave her chills. ¡®Should I butter up to him to save myself since things are going this way?¡¯ But it wasn¡¯t worth throwing her pride away¡­ No, not that. It was useless to even try. Even those who loved and adored Siaphyl as their own brother died at the end of the book. He may appear to ept everyone¡¯s adoration with pleasure, but secretly he may beughing at them in ridicule. She flipped the pages of her book as she erased the fuss in her mind. ¡°What are you reading today, sister?¡± She stared at the fluttering pages for a while. Sometimes, when Siaphyl innocently asks a question like that, she bes at a loss for words. They make her wonder whether she had be so caught up with the book that she might be misjudging people. Chapter 8 - Upturned Hierarchy Chapter 8 ¨C Upturned Hierarchy ¡®It¡¯s a useless delusion, a delusion. That¡¯s not something you should have in mind with the most dangerous person around, Levisia.¡¯ Levisia silently heaved a sigh, showing Siaphyl the cover of the book. ¡°¡¯How to Survive in a Desert¡¯, huh¡­¡± Siaphyl became silent after reading the title of the book. The boy¡¯s face, which was deep in thought, grew serious. ¡°It¡¯s quite¡­ a unique subject to read about, my sister.¡± ¡°Life¡¯s full of surprises, so¡­¡± Siaphyl seemed bothered by her answer, but it was sincere. After she leaves, their battle for session might turn the whole world into a deste desert. Well, if it would be a battle among the protagonists, it was usible. Not long after, Siaphyl had left Levisia¡¯s chambers, muttering under his breath, ¡°Why such a book?¡± It was a kind of book that he had never thought of reading. While his feet carried him, still lost in his thoughts, he seemed to sense someone¡¯s presence at thene leading to the exit of the pce. Siaphyl, whose eyes met with the person¡¯s, frowned without even realizing it. Then, the person across him lowered her eyes and bowed. ¡°A servant?¡± Now that he thought over it, he hadn¡¯t seen many servants at Levisia White¡¯s pce. He rarely saw anyone besides this middle-aged woman. While Siaphyl searched his memory, She bowed and began to walk towards him, her body clumped. ¡°The servant who does all the dirty work in the pce, right?¡± he asked. The topic that Levisia was at least interested to talk about was the servant in the castle. Although the eyes that locked with his just a moment ago weren¡¯t insolent, Siaphyl began to walk with the look of suspicion as they passed each other. ¡°Fishy¡­¡± The smell that was bothering him worsened. * * * After Siaphyl left, Levisia faced Pel who broke into the room all of a sudden and said, ¡°That person a while ago¡­¡± ¡°Pel, knock.¡± When his words were interrupted and he was pointed out, Pel staggered and frowned. ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°Enter again.¡± Pel swallowed his words and turned to leave. Then, a series of impatient knocks pounded on the wooden door. Levisia ced the book she was reading on the table and casually replied. ¡°You can enter now.¡± ¡°That person a while ago, who was that?¡± Did he pass by Siaphyl? she wondered. She had been talking to Pel and She about Siaphyl; however, unlike She, Pel never met Siaphyl in person. ¡°Siaphyl Bear Kraiden.¡± ¡°What the¡­ Until when is that person going to barge in and out of here?¡± His choice of words was evidently disrespectful, but she couldn¡¯t point it out. She knew that Pel already filtered himself beyond his capacity. He hated Siaphyl. It was different than merely wanting to keep distance from him¡ªhe was disgusted by Siaphyl. It was strange, because it seemed like no one in the imperial pce disliked the charming boy. Curious, she asked, ¡°Why do you hate Siaphyl so much- no, his majesty?¡± Pel bit his lips, only responding after a short pause, ¡°I¡¯m ufortable. He seems to be quick in noticing things.¡± Certainly, the boy analyzes the atmosphere quickly, but what about it? Before she could ask, Pel continued, ¡°Well, you won¡¯t be able to see me in the pce when that person is around.¡± ¡®I¡¯m the person who has to avoid Siaphyl, yet why would you¡­?¡¯ Leaving her questions unanswered, Pel rushed to leave, iming he had obligations to attend to. Sometimes, Levisia found it difficult to tell who the servant and the boss are. * * * It had been two weeks since Levisia almost trod on the pit of death. Finally, she acquired the freedom of movement. Although she had to push Pel to the extreme, it meant quite a lot to her. ¡°Call me immediately if there¡¯s something wrong, or you can call me by blowing on this,¡± Pel said while he shook the whistle ne carved like a horn. ¡°I get it, alright.¡± As she nodded absentmindedly to his speech that she had heard a thousand times, Pel asked in a stiff voice, ¡°What did I just say?¡± ¡°If there is a problem, I will call you immediately. If I can¡¯t call you, I will blow the whistle. I think you have said this over twenty times now. It¡¯s enough.¡± ¡°Please repeat it for me for thest time.¡± ¡°I just did it.¡± ¡°Onest time.¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll forget such simple things now?¡± ¡°Then say it again.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not even going far. Even if I¡¯m just inside the pce?¡± ¡°Well, if only you hadn¡¯t fainted in the pce in the first ce, I wouldn¡¯t have to go this far.¡± ¡°Is it such a difficult thing to go out to the garden once in a while?¡± She, who was waiting for her in the garden, smiled. ¡°It¡¯s only because Pel is worried about your majesty.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s that¡­¡± Levisia murmured and looked back. Pel, who was trailing her with a heap of luggage, made an impression. ¡°I mean, what¡¯s the use of the guidelines if he¡¯s just going to be around.¡± Behind her, Pel retorted, ¡°You¡¯vee out anyway, why don¡¯t you work on your duties?¡± ¡°And now I have to work.¡± It hase to a point where their roles have seemingly switched positions. ¡®I really can¡¯t tell who¡¯s the servant and who¡¯s the boss.¡¯ She mumbled under her breath and rolled up her sleeves. Today was the day when she had to work in the garden, especially on the field. She couldn¡¯t refuse to work in the field even if she were called ¡°her majesty¡±. This was an obligatory duty; it was all so that they could survive. It was Pel who first plowed thend, allowing them to grow crops for the three of them to eat. It has been many years from that day that Levisia came to take part after She joined in. They had to find a way since food rations distributed by the central government reduced as time went by; they must work hard to feed themselves. Chapter 9 - Levisia’s Garden Chapter 9 ¨C Levisia¡¯s Garden ¡°Let¡¯s nt the seedlings first.¡± Pel handed her the seedlings he had brought, and Levisia transferred them to the field. After the seedlings were transferred, She would nt them skillfully to the watered soil. The nted seedlings would then grow crops like potatoes. She could tell that from her experience after working on them for a few years now. ¡°What¡¯s next?¡± she queried, turning to Pel. ¡°Come out, I¡¯ll take care of the rest.¡± Pel pointed to the outside of the field with his soiled hands. Levisia walked straight out of the field, not wanting to work any longer. She didn¡¯t want to argue with Pel, who was drenched in sweat. As she sat down quietly with her knees bent, she asked while her fingers toyed around with the horn whistle on her neck, ¡°By the way, where did you get this?¡± The whistle that Pel gave her was of a peculiar shape. Though it was bent like a tiny horn, it didn¡¯t make any sound no matter how hard she blew. However, Pel would find her whenever she blew on it, no matter how far they seemed to be apart. It made not even the slightest of sound and thus, it was a mystery to her. ¡°It¡¯s a special one. You can¡¯t find those anymore,¡± he replied. ¡°Then where did you get that?¡± Pel briefly looked at her and said, ¡°It was left by my mother.¡± ¡®Not even given by her but ¡°left¡± by her?¡¯ Feeling odd, she identally let go of the horn she was holding. ¡°Then it¡¯s an inheritance?¡± Pel¡¯s avoidance of answering the question only meant that it was true. She pondered and immediately unraveled the ne. ¡°Why did you give me such an important thing? Take it back.¡± ¡°Just keep it with you. I have no one to give it to anyway.¡± ¡°Why isn¡¯t there anyone to give it to? You should keep it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s better than keeping it to myself and having no use of it.¡± Once again, his answer left her pondering. Then, she realized that She couldn¡¯t hear the sound of the horn; only Pel was able to hear the sound of the whistle. How it worked remains a puzzle to her, but it seemed to be the reason why it was of no use for Pel. ¡°And your majesty¡­¡± After sitting hunched while working in the fields, Pel stood up to stretch his back and nced at her. While she inspected his face smudged with dirt, her eyes locked with his golden eyes, gazing at her. His eyes deepened for a moment as if it were the vast sea but shortly disappeared in his eyelids. ¡°Never mind. Just keep it.¡± His face looked tired, so she didn¡¯t say anything. How long has it been since then? The sun seemed to float in the middle of the sky. Pel, who was working silently, suddenly raised his head and frowned. ¡°What is it?¡± Levisia asked. ¡°I remembered something that I didn¡¯t finish.¡± ¡°That you didn¡¯t finish?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go finish it up and be right back.¡± ¡°Wait, all of a sudden?¡± Her head whipped to his direction. She had left first to prepare lunch, leaving Levisia alone with Pel in the field. If Pel left, it meant that she had to be drenched in sweat again, working alone in this lonely field. ¡°You can do itter. Finish this first-¡° ¡°Sister?¡± But before she couldplete her sentence, a voice resounding from behind interrupted her speech. Judging by its gentle tone, she thought it must be¡­ ¡°I have to finish it now.¡± Pel, who stood up before her, bowed and disappeared. ¡°My sister, it¡¯s me.¡± Levisia wiped the sweat off her temples and stood awkwardly. Unsurprisingly, when she turned around, she found Siaphyl with his eyes wide open. She trembled at the betrayal of Pel and looked towards the direction he left. Pel must have escaped knowing that Siaphyl had arrived. ¡°Oh, your Majesty. You came¡­¡± ¡®Pel, how could you escape alone? You should have taken me with you!¡¯ ¡°I was wondering where you were since you weren¡¯t in your room, but you¡¯re here,¡± Siaphyl said, looking at her differently. In a slightly startled voice, he asked, ¡°By the way, what are you doing?¡± Looking around a ce even difficult to be called a garden, Levisa answered in a neutral tone, ¡°As you can see, I am tending the garden.¡± ¡°A garden¡­ Is it?¡± the boy trailed off. His eyes seemed to say, ¡°Are we looking at the same thing?¡± Still, she steadfastly insisted that it was indeed a garden. ¡°I like to take care of the garden myself.¡± If Pel had heard it, he would scoff at her, but he wasn¡¯t here right now. ¡®Because he ran away, leaving me alone!¡¯ It¡¯s a virtue of the servant to take care of the boss, but Pel did not, after all, resemble a servant. As she was looking for a way out of the situation, she found a shovel that wasying on the ground. ¡°It¡¯s pretty fun. Would your majesty like to try it?¡± She picked it up, roughly brushed off the dirt, and handed it to Siaphyl. He only stood with his eyes blinking nkly. ¡®Huh, perhaps it was too much for him.¡¯ Chapter 10 - As Wild Flowers Leave A Scent Chapter 10 ¨C As Wild Flowers Leave A Scent ¡°I don¡¯t see Siaphyl much these days,¡± said the Second Princess, Elizabeth, while taking a bath. The maid, who was attending to her, smiled. ¡°Are you upset, Your Majesty?¡± ¡°No way. I¡¯m only worried.¡± Snorting, Elizabeth folded her arms and tilted her head. The maid spoke, applying shampoo to her wavy blonde hair. ¡°Shall I order someone to search for him?¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. There¡¯s no dire need for it.¡± After denying the offer, Elizabeth drew her lips into a thin line and was lost in thought. Siaphyl was thest Kraiden and someone who might be her rival in the future. Even though she liked this na?ve boy like everyone else did, Elizabeth never forgot about the future rivalry. However, she had been somewhat suspicious of the little boy these days, because she hadn¡¯t heard anything from him for weeks already. ¡®It¡¯s suspicious,¡­¡¯ Those words clearly revealed that Elizabeth was conscious of Siaphyl. And the maid behind her knew about this, because they grew up together like best friends since childhood. ¡°Or shall we send some people?¡± ¡°That¡¯s too much as well. I doubt that clever thing won¡¯t notice the tail on him.¡± Elizabeth, who was thinking about what she should do, grabbed the hand of the maid and stood up. ¡°I have to see Siaphyl myself.¡± This option was much better than a clumsy move. Elizabeth immediately put her thought into action. ¡°Siaphyl has gone out?¡± Elizabeth, who visited Siaphyl¡¯s pce herself during daytime, could not hide her frown. The attendant, who met her on behalf of Siaphyl, didn¡¯t know what to do and tried to remainposed. ¡°Don¡¯t you know where he went?¡± ¡°I do not. My apologies, Your Majesty¡­¡± Elizabeth folded her arms and cracked her fingers. She exchanged nces with the maid standing behind her and said in an unpleasant voice, ¡°Then I shall wait.¡± ¡°Yes? This way, Your Majesty.¡± Elizabeth followed the servant and settled in the parlor. The servant left, informing that he would fetch some tea, while Elizaeth¡¯s maid opened her mouth carefully. ¡°Where do you think he went without a word?¡± ¡°Who knows. He might have hidden a treasure somewhere out there.¡± Elizabeth, smacked the armrest of the sofa, recalled the Siaphyl she had observed these days. He rarely appeared at the dinner table, and even on the day he showed himself, he was distracted. It was also strange that it was only now that she raised suspicions. ¡®I should have noticed it earlier. I must have let my guard down.¡¯ Elizabeth bears no hatred against the boy. However, if she lets her guard down because of that, it will be a problem. ¡®Anyway, he is a Kraiden¡¯s heir as well.¡¯ No one knows when or how situations might change. It was how Elizabeth was brought up as a sessor and it was imprinted in her mind. ¡°When Siaphyles, I have to ask where he went,¡± Elizabeth said in a subdued voice and emptied the cup. Until the tea that the servant brought was refilled three times, Elizabeth quietly waited for Siaphyl to arrive. And when he finally appeared, it was almost dusk. ¡°My sister Elizabeth?¡± The voice heard from outside the parlor was clearly his. Without waiting any longer, Elizabeth stood up and went out of the parlor right away. ¡°Siaphyl.¡± ¡°Yes, Sister Elizabeth!¡± Perplexed, Siaphyl called out Elizabeth¡¯s name. Looking down at Siaphyl, Elizabeth was speechless for a moment. Crumpled clothes and soiled shoes. His fine blonde hair and his milky white face was full of dirt. It was an unusual look for Siaphyl. ¡°Did you tumble somewhere?¡± ¡°Oh, this¡­¡± Siaphyl hesitated to answer. ¡°There was a scratch on my hand, so I couldn¡¯t dust off the soil from my clothes.¡± After seeing his state, Elizabeth sighed. She realized that Siaphyl must have been ying in the dirt somewhere. Perhaps the scratch came from swinging a toy knife, like kids usually do at that age. ¡®I wasted my time on nothing.¡¯ All kinds of reasons she had imagined why she couldn¡¯t see him these days all disappeared. Tired, Elizabeth waved her hand wearily. ¡°That would be all, go and clean yourself.¡± ¡°But my sister came to my pce after a long time¡­ ¡± ¡°Are you going to sit face to face with me like that? No, right? Go wash ande to my pce tomorrow.¡± ¡°I wish to talk with you. It has been a while.¡± With those words, Elizabeth quickly left. When she stormed off, Siaphyl let go of his breath which he had been holding. ¡®It was so close.¡¯ All of his whereabouts these days could have been revealed. It was very fortunate that she didn¡¯t question where he had been. Elizabeth was quick in catching hints, so it would not be easy to cheat her once she inquired deeply. If he had told a clumsy lie, he would have been caught soon. ¡®Not yet!¡¯ Siaphyl pondered as he hid the wild flower behind his back, which he had received from Levisia on his way out from her pce. The existence of the wild flower must not be noticed by anyone just yet. Chapter 11 - The Prince Under The Sun Chapter 11 ¨C The Prince Under the Sun ¡®Was I too mean? It has been two days since Siaphyl stopped visiting.¡¯ Levisia thought to herself, yawning. That was thest time she saw him¡ªthe day she had him do farming work, which must have been too overwhelming for the beloved youngest prince. Ever since that day, Siaphyl hadn¡¯t visited, so it wasn¡¯t wrong to assume that way. Was it good or bad? It wasn¡¯t a bad thing by n. In the long run, Siaphyl¡¯s interest in her could grow dangerous. Needing to leave the pce in safety, it could be deemed as a good thing. One the other hand, it would also be a problem if Siaphyl had started hating her from that day on¡­ ¡®Ah, no way.¡¯ She brushed off her anxious thoughts, moving on. Pel had gone out today, so she had to visit the library herself. ¡°Let¡¯s see the pass.¡± Her steps stopped in front of the library¡¯s front door and she rummaged through her bag. The two guards looked closely at her, and when she handed the pass, they opened the door as if they recognized her. ¡®Was it too suspicious to cover my face?¡¯ It seemed like it was more suspicious that she covered her face with a scarf in case she mighte across Siaphyl, but she couldn¡¯t help it. As she walked into the library, she unwrapped the scarf and crumpled it, shoving it into her bag. A strange man stood out while I roughly fixed her hair that resembled a bush. ¡®Ah, is today the day?¡¯ Inside the library, there was a desk filled with people. All the more, those people were mostly women. The women, with each having ced a book in front of them, were sending an unified gaze at this one direction. The ce where their gazes were directed was by the window of the library, where a man was sleeping with a book on his face. The hair visible below the book was dark purple. The face covered by the book was not visible, but the fine skin and sharp jawline indicated that he had good looks for sure. Levisia recognized the man¡¯s identity and hurried to leave. He was one of the people she must avoid at all cost. In other words, he was one of the Kraidens. ¡®I forgot that today was Thursday.¡¯ On Thursdays, there was only one person to take a nap by the library window. The Third Prince, Lidan Serger Kraiden. The reason he visited the library every Thursday was not known, but why he slept in the library was mostly¡­ because of the sunlight. The sunlight pouring into the library feels particrly warm or even somnolent. She hid near a bookshelf away from the window andmented her situation. She didn¡¯t have to be careful when she didn¡¯t know the future just yet. She had never avoided the Third Prince. Whether he was in the library or not, she used to pick a book to read and then return to the pce. It would be better not to create anything to be entangled just in case. Nothing had happened so far, but she wondered what kind of problems would arise in the future. But not necessarily¡­ ¡®There is also Siaphyl, who suddenly came to me.¡¯ He even came to her pce himself. Looking at such things, it would be right to say that one would never know what would transpire at any moment. She stepped on the stairs to the second floor and looked down. Somehow, the Third Prince was getting up. As he swept over his loose hair, he looked around as if he was looking for something. She had finished climbing up the stairs. As far as she knew, the second floor was not an area of activity for the Third Prince. ¡®It might be more noticeable to try hard to be invisible from him. Let¡¯s act naturally. Like he would care.¡¯ Levisia dismissed the thoughts about the Third Prince from her head and wandered in search of a book. The title of the book she clutched in her hand was: Surviving the jungle. It was the next volume of the first book, ¡°Surviving the Desert¡±, from the ¡°Surviving¡± series. However, the moment she turned around to search for the book, she suddenly encountered a shadow. ¡°Well, who is this?¡± The Third Prince, Lidan, looked down at her and squinted his eyes. ¡°Sister?¡± Chapter 12 - As If Entranced Chapter 12 ¨C As If Entranced The Third Prince Lidan¡¯s daily routine was simple. It was certain that on Thursdays, one could almost say that he was a yboy. Lidan, after finishing his morning training, traversed his way to the library for his nap. Indifferent toward the peering eyes, he scanned the towering shelves and picked a book to shield himself from the ring sun. Then, heid down by the window, which basically had his initials imprinted, and began to take a doze. Amid the warm sunlight, illuminating the floating dust as it pierced through the ss windows, the crisp sound of pages turning, and murmuring voices, he was about to drift off to sleep. However, footfalls, precisely very faint footfalls, slowly woke him up from the looming slumber. ¡®What is it¡­¡¯ Half asleep, Lidan followed the sound of the footsteps. The sound stopped momentarily and briskly went another way. ¡®Stairs.¡¯ Footsteps climbing the stairs or rather something indescribablepletely woke him up. He rose from his seat, roughly tousled his hair, and left the window side as if he was being drawn away. As he walked up the stairs, his heart started pounding. As soon as he arrived on the second floor, he noticed a person standing between two bookshelves. Dazzling silver hair and green eyes flicking through the book. Lidan already knew who this was. ¡®But why? Why am I drawn to this person?¡¯ Though he found this strange, he walked towards the person and said, ¡°Sis?¡± As she turned to look at him, he revealed a faint smile. * * * ¡®Sis?¡¯ Levisia was more taken aback now than when she was called ¡°sister¡± by Siaphyl. She began to stumble backwards until her back collided with the bookshelf. ¡°Ah.¡± With swift hands, Lidan caught the book that almost fell on top of her head. He looked at the book and slyly said, ¡°Someone must¡¯ve half shelved the book.¡± After returning the book in its proper ce, Lidan walked towards her. Despite knowing there was no way to escape, she tried to flee, but to no avail. Because Lidan suddenly bent over and took a sniff of her. ¡®What, what was that?¡¯ Oblivious that she had be frozen in embarrassment, Lidan straightened his back and muttered to himself, ¡°What was that?¡± ¡®Exactly what I wanted to say. What was that?¡¯ Levisia gave up trying to escape and addressed him. ¡°The Third Prince, Your highness.¡± ¡°Hm. Your Highness? How unaffectionate!¡± ¡®Were we ever affectionate to one another?¡¯ ¡°Shall I address you as the fifteenth empress, Your Highness Levisia?¡± Hearing Lidan utter her name caused chills to run down her back. She wondered how he knew her identity. Just then, he answered as though he read her mind. ¡°We¡¯re siblings. How can I not know your name?¡± But with there being thirty-eight of us, it isn¡¯t a surprise for anyone not to even recognize their siblings; furthermore, those with the name ¡®Kraiden¡¯ were even more indifferent to the nameless brothers and sisters. It was what distinguished the legitimate from the illegitimate. Levisia became flustered, having no idea that Lidan knew her name. She soonposed herself and asked, ¡°Is there something you need from me?¡± ¡°No, not really,¡± he answered calmly. ¡®Then why?¡¯ ¡°You drew me to you, sis. It was as if you were calling me, was it not?¡± ¡®I would have avoided you, not to mention call you.¡¯ Her eyes wandered,pletely clueless as how to answer him. ¡°Seems as though you didn¡¯t call me intentionally.¡± She withdrew two steps backward as his face suddenly hovered near hers. Lidan just simply stared at her and then asked, ¡°How did you do it?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t really understand what you mean¡­¡± ¡°Hm¡­¡± When Lidan realized he wasn¡¯t going to get any answer out of her, he crossed his arms and seemingly became lost in thought. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing more to say, then I will¡­ That book is intriguing.¡± Lidan smiled as he stopped her attempt to leave. He then proceeded to pull out the book [How to Survive in the Desert] which she had returned a few days earlier. ¡°Have you read this one?¡± ¡°Yes. I read it a while ago.¡± ¡°You¡¯re reading the whole series.¡± ¡®Did he catch on?¡¯ She looked away in vain and as soon as Lidan¡¯s feet were out of her sight, she looked up. ¡°This would be good to read next.¡± The book he handed her was called [How to Survive in the Sea]. It was indeed interesting, but it was the book he had on his face while he took a nap by the window just a moment ago. ¡®Does he read with his face?¡¯ When that thought suddenly sneaked into her mind, Lidan looked at her and smiled, ¡°How about it? Want to read it?¡± ¡°What? No, not in particr¡­¡± ¡°Why not? It doesn¡¯t seem like you¡¯ve read it yet.¡± She hesitated to say it, but the words left her mouth before she even realized. ¡°It¡¯s just that it had someone else¡¯s face on it¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± Lidan burst intoughter when he heard her response. ¡°Um, we¡¯re in a library..¡± ¡°Ah, sorry, sorry. That was quite hrious.¡± ¡®What part of that was hrious?¡¯ She kept ncing his way, wishing to escape this ce. It¡¯s toote to not be seen now, could she just run away? ¡®The aftermath¡­¡¯ But it was hard not to think about the aftermath. If someone were to ask her if she would be able to deal with the consequences, her answer would be a solid no. ¡°Shall we move to a ce where we canugh without worry, sis?¡± ¡°¡­You mean me as well?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Lidan smiled with the book on his shoulder. ¡°Whatever you may take me for, I must pursue anything that intrigues me right away.¡± ¡®And that intriguing thing is¡­ me?¡¯ Levisia could even feel her face growing pale, but Lidan simply smiled at her. Chapter 13 - Comes The Curious Romeo Chapter 13 ¨C Comes the Curious Romeo Lidan managed toe all the way to her pce. He leisurely walked with his long legs, but as they headed to a more and more secluded area, he grew doubtful and asked, ¡°There is a pce in a ce like this?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Hm¡­¡± The royal grounds were immensely vast, housing numerous pces, so it was understandable that he didn¡¯t know there was a pce in a secluded ce like this. If Levisia had to look for another reason, perhaps it was because of his ignorance. As they entered a shaded path covered with grass, Lidan lowered his head to avoid the overgrown branches and followed her. Once they passed the reedy road, a pce shaped like an A appeared. Lidan was surprised to find out it was where she lived. ¡°It¡¯s very small.¡± hemented, but soon looked at her and smiled. He must¡¯ve realized that perhaps it was not something to say to their face. How quick witted! ¡°Please, I wee you to my humble abode,¡± Levisia muttered. Indeed, she had a noble guest at her lowly pce. As much as she didn¡¯t want to, she couldn¡¯t, in good conscience, consider Lidan Serger Kraiden as anyone less than noble. As they entered the pce, she searched for a space that could be used as a sitting room. Thankfully, there was a ce where a table and chairs were set. ¡°I don¡¯t see any attendants?¡± Lidan asked as they arrived at the sitting room. ¡®Brothers speak alike.¡¯ Siaphyl had said the same thing before. ¡®I guess even half-brothers are still brothers.¡¯ ¡°There are only three of us.¡± ¡°In this pce?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The temporary sitting room was a space with a small office attached. Lidan found a ce to sit and settled in with ease as she drew the curtains back. ¡°Even if it¡¯s a small pce, how can there be only two attendants?¡± Lidan had talked in a rxed tone so far, but this time his words seem to contain a fair amount of shock as well. Levisia simply shrugged her shoulders and began to wonder. ¡®Should I call She?¡¯ It seemed proper to serve tea for the guest, but one thing troubled her when she thought of calling She. ¡®At least Siaphyl was friendly on the outside¡­¡¯ What if she made a mistake in front of Lidan as she wasn¡¯t used to having guests? Levisia didn¡¯t want to even imagine what would happen if he lost his temper. He was described as erratic in the book; she couldn¡¯t possibly predict his actions. ¡®I¡¯ll just do it myself¡­¡¯ She abandoned the idea and stood up. ¡°If you give me a moment, I¡¯ll bring some tea.¡± ¡°You yourself? Why not call one of your attendants?¡± ¡°She is out running an errand for me. I can do it myself.¡± Lidan shook his head to her reply, ¡°Then don¡¯t bother. I can¡¯t let my precious sister get her hands wet.¡± Levisia had never heard anyone say that to her. She must¡¯ve had a strange expression on her face as Lidanughed out loud just like he did in the library. ¡°I¡¯ll have tea next time. More importantly, can we look around the pce?¡± ¡°There¡¯s not much to look around.¡± ¡°It will be quick seeing how small this ce is. Will you show me the way?¡± Feeling as though she was talking to a wall, Levisia gave up again and nodded her head. As they took a stroll around the pce, Lidan stopped in front of a particr ce. He asked, ¡°Sis, what is this ce?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s the garden.¡± Lidan, pointing at the dirt all dug up, asked, ¡°Garden? This?¡± Siaphyl had let it slide when she insisted that it was a garden, but Lidan didn¡¯t seem to. He looked at her with his eyes asking her to repeat herself convincingly. Levisia turned away as those eyes were too much to bear. Then she heard himugh like a deting balloon. ¡°I suppose it can be a garden. Though there¡¯s only dirt here.¡± She couldn¡¯t bring herself to tell him that there was their daily bread being grown in that dirt. ¡°There¡¯s nothing special here.¡± Those were Lidan¡¯s words after he finished his short tour around the pce, just as she had expected. She had told him there was not much to look at in the first ce. But for some reason, instead of returning to the sitting room, Lidan kept walking around the outside of the pce. She followed him for a bit, but she couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°What is the matter?¡± ¡°Is there a Fairy Tree nearby?¡± ¡®The forest with the Fairy Trees is far away from my pce. Surely he knows this as well?¡¯ ¡°No, there isn¡¯t one.¡± ¡°Not even one tree that might have been transnted?¡± ¡°I thought Fairy Trees cannot grow outside of the forest.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Even after that, Lidan continued to look around. Just as Levisia was wondering about his actions, he turned around and asked, ¡°Then why does it feel like there¡¯s a Fairy Tree nearby?¡± Chapter 14 - Mystifying Fairy Tree Chapter 14 ¨C Mystifying Fairy Tree ¡°You don¡¯t feel that way, sis?¡± Levisia kept her silence to Lidan¡¯s question. As a matter of fact, Siaphyl had said something simr a few days ago. She didn¡¯t know how to phrase it, but she didn¡¯t feel it because she wasn¡¯t a legitimate Kraiden. It was well known that the Kraidens regarded the Fairy Tree more particrly than the nameless siblings. It was fair to assume why they cherished and treasured the Fairy Tree: it was essentially the source of their power. For that reason, it seemed that Lidan and Siaphyl both felt something she couldn¡¯t feel. So, to say that her powers were too ordinary to feel anything would be a better way to put it. Levisia pondered for a moment for a refined way to articte her thoughts but eventually, she ended up telling him inly: ¡°I do not feel anything.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes, because I am not a Kraiden¡­¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Lidan nodded his head as though he roughly understood what it meant. Truthfully, it was even dismal he understood that. ¡®I mean, should I be thankful that he understood that?¡¯ There¡¯s even a saying, ¡°A genius cannotprehend an average person.¡± They cannotprehend the other like because what may be easy and natural for them might not be so for an average person. ¡®Yes, it seems better to think it this way than have him just wonder why I can¡¯t feel it.¡¯ ¡°Are you sure you didn¡¯t secretly transnt a Fairy Tree here?¡± Lidan raised his eyebrows, still skeptical. When she looked at him, speechless, Lidan tilted his head as if to regard her as strange, but it seemed to her that he was the stranger one here. ¡°Why would I transnt a tree that cannot survive outside the forest?¡± She asked, holding back the urge to nt her palm on her face. Then, Lidan said something very odd. ¡°You never know. It could all be made-up that it cannot survive outside the forest.¡± ¡°What? Is it so?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± Levisia stopped following him around, baffled by his unpredictable demeanor. It took a while before Lidan looked back at her after wandering around some more. ¡°I get it now,¡± Lidan said with a grin, ¡°it wasn¡¯t the ce, but the person.¡± For some reason, Lidan¡¯s eyes seemed to gleam insidiously as he said those words. * * * Levisia kept herself in her sanctuary as much as possible since the day Lidan visited, fearing running into another Kraiden if she left. However, despite her efforts, visitors to her pce only increased. ¡°Hello, sis.¡± Here he was with azy face waving at her when he should be taking his nap by the window in the library. ¡°The Third Prince, your highness.¡± ¡°I think I¡¯ve gotten used to that cold greeting now.¡± For a week now, Lidan had beening to her pce every day, just like Siaphyl did. Once they became acquainted with her, it continued on for reasons only known to them. How could she leave the pce? She intended to visit the garden but became unsure where she wanted to go because of him. Just then, Lidan approached her and handed her a book. ¡°This is¡­¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t read this one yet, right?¡± Thest of the [How to Survive] series: How to Survive in a Dragon¡¯s Lair. It was no wonder Lidan knew which books she had read and which she hadn¡¯t. He woulde by every day to see what she was doing. ¡®This is rather nice.¡¯ Lidan had been bringing her books, sparing her the effort and time to visit the library. Though it seemed as though she were treating Lidan as an errand boy¡­ But nice is nice. What could she say? It was not like she asked him for it. He acted willingly. Owing to him, she now owned a stack of five books in her room. ¡®But I have yet to finish the previous book, How to Survive a Volcano. I must hurry.¡¯ ¡°Where were you heading to today?¡± Lidan asked as he followed behind her. Leaving the books in her room, she answered, ¡°I was going to the garden.¡± ¡°What is there to see?¡± She had forgotten that Lidan thought the garden was nothing but a bare piece of earth. ¡°I have something to do there.¡± She had nned to put in support rods for the seedlings so that they would grow straight and healthy. By now, She and Pel would¡¯ve started already, so she had to go soon as well. ¡°Are you going to keep following me?¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t surprise you. That¡¯s all I¡¯ve been doing these past few days.¡± How could he so proudly talk about having nothing better to do? He was correct though. However, she couldn¡¯t argue and went to the garden with him trailing after her. Soon, upon arriving at the garden, Lidan was filled with disbelief. ¡°What is this?¡± Chapter 15 - Wolf And The Fox Chapter 15 ¨C Wolf and the Fox She and Pel cut short their conversation and bowed their heads as Levisia entered with Lidan. Pel, in particr, moved far away from Lidan just as he did with Siaphyl. ¡°These are crops grown in this pce.¡± ¡°Crops?¡± Lidan looked at her as if to say, ¡°I thought it was a floral garden?¡± Not as if he ever considered it a floral garden. She picked up a string nearby and went into the field without further dy. Lidan, unable to follow her, paced around the periphery and asked, ¡°What will you do with that, sis?¡± ¡°I am putting in support rods so that the seedlings don¡¯t fall over. They can grow up around it.¡± ¡°Why are you¡­¡± ¡°There isn¡¯t enough help around here. Besides, I end up eating them.¡± ¡°You grow and eat these?¡± Lidan furrowed his eyebrows as though he just heard the most bizarre thing. It was the first ever honest reaction from him. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine how that works.¡± He must¡¯ve never seen crops from this close. Then it immediately came to her mind that he probably only saw food being served on his table. ¡®I suppose¡­¡¯ Siaphyl had a simr reaction. Now that she thought about it, she hadn¡¯t seen Siaphyl since that day. ¡®I guess it was quite a shock. Wait, in that case¡­¡¯ Would Lidan stoping over too if he did some farming? An idea shed into her mind: shall she call it the Kraiden Eradication n? However, she didn¡¯t have the guts to make the Third Prince work. At least Siaphyl volunteered to help before not returning. Just then, Lidan asked, ¡°Is there anything I can help with, sis?¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± She was about to take up on the offer when Lidan took a step back. ¡°Actually, I know nothing about farming. I may be more of a burden than help.¡± ¡®He got me.¡¯ Persistent, Levisia tried to think of a way to convince him to change his mind after missing her chance. ¡®Should I say it¡¯s easy? Easy enough for a beginner?¡¯ She kept thinking of ways to persuade him as she tied the string around the rod when she heardughter. It was obviously from Lidan. She wasn¡¯t sure what was so funny, but heughed for a while and then picked up a string even though she hadn¡¯t asked him to. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll help.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard not to offer help to that face you made.¡± ¡®What face did I make?¡¯ He always talked about her face andughed, but she, on the other hand, was always clueless. ¡®It¡¯s not like I carry a mirror around to check my face.¡¯ Stuck in a daze, she identally touched her face with her hands, smearing dirt across her skin. ¡°Oops, you got something on your face.¡± Without warning, Lidan¡¯s hand reached over and rubbed her cheek. At the same moment, she heard something heavy fall to the ground. When she turned to look at where the sound came from, Pel was looking at their direction, and his shovel was lying around his feet. ¡®Did he throw his shovel down?¡¯ Her eyes narrowed for an answer. For some reason, Pel sharply red at her and picked up his shovel. It was only for a second, but it was a bit unsettling how piercing his eyes seemed underneath his bushy hair. ¡®Why did he look at me like that?¡¯ You could almost say his eyes beamed. So confused by his actions, she was unable to take her eyes off Pel when Lidan said, ¡°Sis, that servant¡­¡± Her eyes grew wider as she turned to look at Lidan. Behind him was another person who, just like her, had a surprised face on. ¡°Sister and¡­ Lidan?¡± It was Siaphyl strangely dressed in old, worn-out clothes and even wearing a straw hat. Why was he here dressed with determination to work? ¡°Hm? Who¡¯s this?¡± ¡°Why is he here¡­?¡± Lidan¡¯s lips curled upward as Siaphyl muttered to himself. It was rather frightening, sending chills down her spine. Just then, Lidan spoke. ¡°What is our adorable baby brother doing here?¡± ¡®Erm, sounds rather threatening for calling him adorable.¡¯ * * * Lidan was on edge after noticing Siaphyl¡¯s appearance. He particrly arched his eyebrows at how Siaphyl and Levisia seemed well acquainted. ¡®So they already know each other?¡¯ It seemed clear that this was most definitely not Siaphyl¡¯s first timeing here. He was dressed in unusual fashion, and he easily found this ce, the strange farming garden. ¡®Even setting aside how they came to know each other, this is suspicious.¡¯ Lidan kept ncing at Levisia who was at his side. He himself didn¡¯t know what abilities Levisia had. However, he found himself feeling at ease and confident of aplishing anything whenever she was near. Just like when the Fairy Tree was nearby. She was like a ray of sunshine that suddenly appeared in his rather dull life. Lidan knew he wasn¡¯t the only one feeling like this. But how did Siaphyl find out about her before him? And that reaction as though he was caught? Lidan caught the eyes of Siaphyl ncing his way. Siaphyl quickly hid his face and smiled, but it was only after Lidan saw everything. ¡®I knew it. He has an ulterior motive.¡¯ Siaphyl was feeling the same thing just as Lidan was. Also, he might have wanted to hide her from others. But now, as if to avoid this situation, or as if to unearth something, Siaphyl spoke up, ¡°I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d see you here, Lidan.¡± ¡°I also didn¡¯t think I¡¯d see my baby brother here.¡± At that moment, Lidan began to look at Siaphyl differently. ¡®We¡¯ve been raising a fox.¡¯ A sly fox at that. Chapter 16 - Rivals Chapter 16 ¨C Rivals As Lidan tried to scrutinize Siaphyl¡¯s intentions, Siaphyl was cautiously observing him as well. ¡®How did theye to know one another?¡¯ What had happened in the few days he wasn¡¯t around? Siaphyl observed how Levisia acted around Lidan, anxiously wondering if Lidan felt something towards Levisia like he did. ¡®The one person who I least expected¡­¡¯ To think that he couldn¡¯te by because he was taking precaution against Elizabeth, Siaphyl felt distressed as he did not want anyone else to find out about Levisia. He should¡¯ve visited more often even if Elizabeth was suspicious. Then perhaps, Levisia would never have met Lidan. ¡®I would¡¯ve prevented it.¡¯ It happened entirely because he had been careless. ¡®It was only a few days.¡¯ They even seemed to be well acquainted with each other. Whatever happened in those few days? They were actually standing pretty close as well. ¡®How? I¡¯m still keeping a distance of three steps apart!¡¯ Siaphyl¡¯s eyes were aze with anger. ¡°Levisia, since when did our baby brother start to visit here? I had no idea.¡± Lidan taunted Siaphyl by calling her name. Despite the obvious provocation, Siaphyl couldn¡¯tugh it off just as he would¡¯ve any other day. ¡®I¡¯ll show him.¡¯ Siaphyl fixed his hat and rolled up his sleeves. This was the chance to show he was closer to Levisia. * * * The atmosphere between Lidan and Siaphyl was strange even from Levisia¡¯s standpoint. They didn¡¯t appear to be brothers who adored each other. After their gazes locked at each other for a while, Siaphyl turned to her first and smiled. ¡°I see you are putting in support rods today, sister.¡± Siaphyl pointed at the support rod she had just put in. How did he know it was a support rod? Just when she was pondering this, Siaphyl continued. ¡°It¡¯s a bit embarrassing, but I¡¯ve been studying since thest time. I think I can help you better today.¡± ¡°I mean, you don¡¯t have to¡­¡± ¡®So it wasn¡¯t because farming was so hard that he didn¡¯t show up for over a week? And he even studied for it? I haven¡¯t even studied it¡­ You learn farming by doing it.¡¯ Just as Levisia was justifying herself, Lidan spoke up. ¡°I think I can be pretty helpful, too.¡± ¡®Now? After saying he might be a burden just a moment ago?¡¯ Then they both picked up support rods as ifpeting and proceeded to put them in the ground. How they tied the string around the rods was extraordinary. ¡®What, what¡¯s going on?¡¯ The task of thrusting the rods onto the ground was rather easy with two people helping. After quickly finishing the work, they both turned to look at her at the same time and asked, ¡°What should I do next?¡± ¡°What¡¯s next?¡± They stared at each other. Both Siaphyl and Lidan smiled, but it was rather a strange smile. Their eyes¡­ It almost seemed like sparks were about to fly. ¡°Tell me, sister. I can do it.¡± ¡°Anything, sis.¡± They were both pressing for an answer. Levisia¡¯s task for today was putting in support rods and that was already finished. But she felt like she had toe up with another task to do because the way they were looking at her was rather unsettling. ¡°Um, well¡­¡± She pondered for a while and looked around. Just then, Levisia saw that weeds had grown in here and there. That¡¯s it. She pointed at the weeds. ¡°Will you help me get rid of the weeds?¡± Levisia didn¡¯t think that such noble people would dare to volunteer to pluck weeds¡­ But she was wrong. ¡°Of course, sister.¡± ¡°Sure. It should be pretty easy.¡± They both began removing the weeds even before she gave any instructions. The more weeds piled up around them, the more embarrassed she became. Two Kraidens engrossed in removing the weeds despite all the dirt spoiling their clothes, even ignoring the scorching sun. Had the Fairy King who had bestowed upon them his power seen this, he would¡¯ve been baffled. If the emperor saw this, he would think he had done a poor job raising his sons. When this thought came into Levisia¡¯s mind, she became even more cautious. ¡®¡­Is, is this okay?¡¯ Musing over this, Levisia looked over to She and she, without a word, gave her a thumbs up. She seemed to be happy to have more workers. ¡®Oh, I guess it¡¯s okay.¡¯ Chapter 17 - The White Rabbit Chapter 17 ¨C The White Rabbit Ever since Lidan and Siaphyl ran into each other in Levisia pce, their visits to her ce have been frequent. They oftene at the same time as though they had nned it, and whenever that happened, they would frequently quarrel. Just like right now. ¡°Baby brother, you shouldn¡¯t be neglecting your studies.¡± ¡°What do you mean neglect, brother? I am a very diligent student.¡± ¡°Then how is it that youe here every day, hm?¡± ¡°The ss ends early because I am very diligent in studies, brother.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know our Siaphyl was so brilliant! You¡¯re going to make your big brother cry!¡± Lidan teased Siaphyl that he was neglecting his studies. Siaphyl, while kindly responding, teased Lidan as well. ¡°Brother, have you reced the seedling by the way? You pulled out a seedling mistaking it for a weed, remember?¡± ¡°You keep bringing it up when I told you I already have the day before yesterday, baby brother.¡± ¡°Ah, did you? I seem to forget often.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it bad to be that forgetful at your age, baby brother?¡± Indeed, on that day when Lidan plucked the weeds out, he mistakenly plucked out a seedling. Levisia was shocked to find out after not keeping her eyes on him. He profusely apologized for his ignorance and nted a new seedling in its ce himself. That was two days ago¡­ ¡®Looks like he¡¯s going to tease about it forever.¡¯ Siaphyl kept smiling as Lidan appeared to be embarrassed. He was such a little rascal. Because of this, the longer Levisia got to see them, the more distant they seemed from the image of the Kraidens she had in her head. In the book, the Kraidens were a broken family with no chance of restoration¡­ Watching them quarrel over little things made them seem like a real family. As the days went by with them visiting so often, Levisia began to have more intimate conversations with them. She found out that Siaphyl, who acted diligent, sometimes skipped his studies, and how Lidan came to take his naps in the library. ¡°Mother used to read there all the time.¡± Lidan shrugged his shoulders as he spoke of his childhood. ¡°I¡¯d go with my mother to the library, but instead of reading books, I¡¯d fall asleep on her.¡± Indeed just what he¡¯d do. As she thought about this, Levisia caught Siaphyl¡¯s eyes. He seemed to be thinking the same thing. Just as Siaphyl put his finger over his lips to say it was a secret, Lidan continued. ¡°That then became a habit. I can fall asleep very well in the library.¡± Levisia nodded but soon stopped when she heard Lidan¡¯s question. ¡°Sis, your middle name was given to you by your mother, right?¡± Lidan was right. When Levisia became part of the royalty, she gave up her original surname and instead kept her first name along with the middle name given by her mother as others had as well. ¡°White. How did youe to receive that name?¡± ¡°I¡¯m curious too, sister.¡± They both asked, marveling. She opened her mouth, wondering how they reached this point of conversation. ¡°Because of the color of my hair.¡± ¡°Color of your hair?¡± Two pairs of eyes immediately focused on her hair. Levisia was given the rather ridiculous middle name White, because her hair was white. They can guess her mother¡¯s ability toe up with names here. She was indeed a very unique person¡­ Their reaction to her story was hard to pin down. More precisely, they both revealed a subtle smile. ¡°It¡¯s still pretty, sister.¡± ¡®Why is it ¡®still¡¯?¡¯ Lidan nodded to Siaphyl¡¯s response and said, ¡°How about Rabbit for a nickname?¡± ¡°You know, like a white rabbit.¡± Levisia immediately detested the name. But Lidan liked it more when she showed her disdain. ¡°Rabbit, rabbit. Isn¡¯t it cute?¡± He even teased Levisia that the name he decided on his own was her nickname. ¡°You don¡¯t like it, sis?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s just¡­¡± She gave up answering and nodded her head instead. Levisia decided not to care anymore. Then she noticed Siaphyl watching them, sullen. ¡°What is the matter?¡± she asked. Siaphyl looked much more serious when she asked him the question. ¡°Why was I born after you that I cannot call you by your name?¡± As Levisia looked at him wondering if he was being serious, his eyebrows drooped down, making him look even sadder. For a moment, even knowing his future and his true nature, he seemed rather adorable. ¡°That¡¯s the privilege of the elder ones, baby brother.¡± Lidan did not miss the chance to boast and teased Siaphyl. But when Siaphyl appeared to get sadder, Lidan seemingly changed his attitude. ¡°Then in that case, why don¡¯t you call her sister Levisia?¡± Siaphyl looked up at Levisia when he heard this. ¡°Can I?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ um¡­¡± It was simply having her name being spoken and yet for some reason, she cringed a little at the thought of it. Levisia reluctantly nodded her head after pointlessly considering it. There was someone who gave her a nickname and was already calling her by that name, so having her name called wouldn¡¯t be any worse. ¡°I am okay with it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so happy, sister Levisia.¡± Siaphyl immediately called her name and smiled genuinely. Watching this, Lidan muttered to himself. ¡°It feels like something was taken away from me, but I guess what¡¯s good is good.¡± ¡®I¡¯m the one whose name is being spoken and yet, why does Lidan feel like something has been taken away from him¡­?¡¯ Despite allowing him to call her name lightheartedly, Levisia felt her heart sinking heavily. ¡®Now that they are calling me by my name, it seems like the n to stay hidden and unnoticed until leaving this ce has been rendered moot¡­ But it can¡¯t be that bad? It¡¯s just the two of them, right? It will be okay¡­ it has to be okay.¡¯ Despite trying to reassure herself, she wasn¡¯t feeling very confident. Chapter 18 - Further Into The Forest Chapter 18 ¨C Further Into the Forest One morning, as soon as she woke up, she thought, ¡®I have to go to the fairy tree forest.¡¯ The more she looked back on what Lidan and Siaphyl had said, the more she was convinced. Levisia, who has had no contact with the Fairy Tree even once, to be told that she radiates the same feeling one feels from the magical tree. The more she pondered over it, the more strange it was, but since two people had already imed such, there was no doubt about it. It would be difficult to enter the forest, but it was possible to see it from afar. She hurried to prepare for her trip after lunch. Then, she found her two brothers who entered her pce, struggling without fail. When she saw them, they had just found her and raised their hands. ¡°Levisia.¡± ¡°Why are you out, sister?¡± They spoke in unison. ¡°I¡¯d like to go to the Fairy tree forest.¡± ¡°Fairy tree?¡± ¡°Now?¡± The two spoke at the same time once more. ¡°Yes, I¡¯d like to check something.¡± She exined to the two of them that they had said something simr to her. Siaphyl added that he felt like he was next to a Fairy Tree. ¡°I think something¡¯s changed since the day I woke up after being seriously ill¡­ I¡¯m not sure.¡± ¡°That happened?¡± ¡°Is that true?¡± Lidan and Siapyl looked at each other and spoke simultaneously. ¡°Then go with me.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go with you, sister.¡± ¡°Are you two going to go together? If not, I was going to go there sooner orter.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve been to the Fairy Tree forest, so I want to go too.¡± Levisia was puzzled, but she agreed nheless. ¡®If you go with two people, you may be able to find a definite answer.¡¯ ¡°Well, then, my sister¡­ Rather than now, why don¡¯t you avoid people¡¯s attention and goter at night?¡± Siaphyl quickly added. At that moment, Lidan nodded as he nced at Siaphyl. ¡°That would be great, Levisia.¡± Why should it be when there are no people? She was wondering for a moment, but then immediately agreed. She thought it would be good to follow Siaphyl¡¯s words, considering themotion that would ensue if someone else were to see them in herpany. ¡°Then I¡¯ll tell guards to keep the forest open at night.¡± ¡°Oh, you can go into the forest?¡± Lidanughed at her as he ran a hand through his hair. ¡°Did you forget who I am?¡± Sadly, there was nothing to refute about his own self-worth. * * * Lidan, Siaphyl, and Levisia agreed to meet at the entrance to the Fairy Tree grove at ten in the evening. Thanks to Lidan¡¯s hard work, she was able to enter the forest after they exchanged greetings with the guards at the entrance. ¡°Sister, here you are.¡± Siaphyl, who had arrived first, waved. ¡°I think the third prince must not be here yet.¡± ¡°I am here.¡± She thought the answer resounded from above, and right at that moment, Lidan, who was on the tree, jumped in front of her. The trees in the fairy grove are strictly managed, including sitting on its branches. ¡°Is it okay?¡± she asked. ¡°There is nothing that can¡¯t be done,¡± Lidan said. ¡°It can¡¯t be true, sister.¡± Siaphyl whispered as if he was only telling her, and Lidanughed at the whisper. ¡°Our youngest brother is still small, so it¡¯s hard to climb the tree, right? Would you like your brother to lift you?¡± ¡°The tree will hurt, so I will refuse, brother.¡± How did they get along like this? She shook her head, following Lidan and Siaphyl. The deeper they delved into the middle of the forest, the brighter the surroundings became. It was because the leafy fairy trees shed a pale light. She swallowed her admiration as she watched the forest dyed in purple, blue and white. She even had to close my mouth that hung in awe to a mysterious sight. Even the fallen leaves that were trampled by rust and steps gleamed brightly. Looking down at her feet, she saw another mystical sight. ¡°Uh?¡± The flowers, which bowed their heads, suddenly began to bloom one by one. She wasn¡¯t the only one who saw the scene; Lidan and Siaphyl, who had been walking earlier, also stopped when they saw the flowers that started to blossom. ¡°This¡­¡± ¡°What is it?¡± The two men, who used to frequently stroll in the forest, also seemed to have never witnessed this before. Their feet stopped in confusion, and at the next instant, the three of them were left in utter astonishment. ¡°What is this¡­¡± The lumps of light that appeared one by one began to gather around her. She met eyes with the two, who were hesitant of the peculiar urrence. Alternately, they were surprised to see the orbs of light. ¡°What is this?¡¯ She stiffened, not knowing what to do. ¡®Why?¡¯ Chapter 19 - Lest Our Fates Intertwine Chapter 19 ¨C Lest our Fates Intertwine Aside from the identity of the light, Levisia did not know why they were gathering around her, not Lidan and Siaphyl. She looked at them in the hope of help. At that time, Siaphyl reached out to the light crowd with a slightly dazed face. ¡°Wait.¡± It was Lidan who held his arm back. He put his index finger on his lips and whispered, ¡°Let¡¯s see it for now.¡± The glow didn¡¯t inflict any pain upon her; however, she couldn¡¯t agree with Lidan¡¯s words. ¡®Did he know what this is?¡¯ Could she see the identity of these in the eyes of Lidan and Siaphyl? But neither of them said anything to her. She merely nced through the light with a careful glimpse. Filled with conflicted thoughts, she raised her hand and extended it toward the lights. Somehow, she felt warm and cozy. ¡®Something, should I say it¡¯s a wee feeling.¡¯ If she had such an idea as she watched the lights circling around me, would she have gone too far? She mustered more courage and tried to move her hand. The crowd of light gathered, following her hand, and moved back and forth. But after a while, the light scattered and disappeared somewhere in the forest, like a dream. And when all the light disappeared, the eyes of Lidan and Siaphyl looking at her were somewhat different. Somewhat¡­ dangerous. * * * ¡°You said Lidan and Siaphyl went to the forest together?¡± The 2nd Princess, Elizabeth, made a sour impression after receiving a report from Suha. ¡°Why did the guys who aren¡¯tpatible be together?¡± In particr, Lidan said that there was no one who was unique or matched within Kraiden. It was strange that such a man got along with Siaphyl. ¡°Yesterday, not only two people had entered the forest.¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°It is said that the 15th Princess was also there.¡± ¡°15th¡­ Princess?¡± A mix of shock and confusion was evident on her face. ¡°Why all of a sudden?¡± It was abination that didn¡¯t ring well in her ears. Lidan and Siaphyl, and the nameless princess. ¡°Although the two guys are unusual, they wouldn¡¯t go along with the nameless one.¡± Elizabeth shuffled through her memories and tried to recall the fifteen princesses. ¡®Who is it?¡¯ But nothing else came to her mind. It was to the extent that there was no impression left in her head. She must have encountered her at least once or twice. ¡°Shall we do some research?¡± ¡®Is there anything special about her that I don¡¯t even remember?¡¯ While she immersed her thoughts on the fifteenth princess, Elizabeth reached out to the table. There was only one invitation left. ¡°Oh, I have this.¡± She could quench her curiosity just by meeting her. Elizabeth decided to invite Levisia White, the 15th princess, one of her unnamed siblings, to her tea party. * * * ¡®What the hell is this?¡® Levisia couldn¡¯t sleep at night because of the work the previous day, and now she clutched a glimmering invitation in her hand. The invitation, shing golden, came from the 2nd Princess¡ª2nd Princess Elizabeth Seine Kraiden. Embolding apparent elegance from the name, she was one of the next emperor candidates, who were rare even within Kariden. ¡°Why is such a greeting to me¡­¡± ¡®No way, was there a rumor about something strange yesterday in the woods? No, I can¡¯t. There were only me, Lidan, and Siaphyl. How could a rumor possibly arise? I haven¡¯t found out the identity of the light yet.¡¯ What happened yesterday, in the end, neither she nor Lidan nor Siaphyl knew why. It felt like she was getting more riddles from where she went to search for answers. ¡®But now even invitations? What is happening to me living in hiding in the corner of the imperial pce? Levisia loosened her hair in an empty room with no one to answer her questions. Did Lidan and Siaphyl know about this invitation? Why did the 2nd princess send her an invitation? She must ask when those twoe. She thought so, but for some reason, as if both of them had coordinated, their presence were nowhere to be seen. Since they didn¡¯t drop by, she found myself unupied and read the invitation dozens of times, wrinkles forming on her forehead as she read the words over and over. ¡®The date of the tea party¡­¡¯ It was tomorrow around this time. ¡®Why aren¡¯t youing today?¡¯ She tried to me the two people who did not appear, but it was meaningless. She didn¡¯t have the courage to reject the invitation of the 2nd princess, who is considered the next emperor candidate. ¡®I¡¯m not the only one invited, so if I just stay quiet and attend?¡¯ As she was pondering over that thought, Lidan and Siaphy¡¯s faces crossed her mind. The two have be intertwined with her life since the day she met them. Both encounters are unhoped for, and now it seems she has to tread carefully lest the strings of fate bes entirely entangled. Her life may be at stake. When she asked Pel and She, they merely replied to do whatever she wanted. Pel carefully asked what it would be like to decline the invitation, but¡­ ¡®I knew it wasn¡¯t easy in my situation.¡¯ Pel was contemting like his own work, and silently brought her a stationery and a pen. Whether it was eptance or rejection, it meant sending a reply. In the end, she was stuck in her room. She pondered for a while, and then she picked up a pen to write a response. Chapter 20 - If Grace Walks Chapter 20 ¨C If Grace Walks The next day, Lidan and Siaphyl came to see Levisia as usual. When she asked why they didn¡¯te by yesterday, they responded with a somewhat cheerful expression on their faces. ¡°Did you miss me, Levisia?¡± ¡°Did you wait for me, sister?¡± ¡®That¡¯s not what I meant¡­¡¯ Irritated, she rolled her eyes. They both seemed to think ¡®of course not¡¯ as they observed her face. ¡°Did something happen?¡± ¡°You seem to be anxious.¡± Was it that obvious? She rubbed her face and replied, ¡°The Second Princess sent me an invitation to her tea party.¡± ¡°¡­Elizabeth?¡± ¡°Sister Elizabeth did?¡± Just as she expected, they were just as surprised as she was. ¡°So you don¡¯t know about it.¡± Levisia thought they might know the reason behind it. ¡°Did she find out about that incident a couple days ago..?¡± Lidan muttered to himself while Siaphyl asked, ¡°So what did you decide to do?¡± It was a remarkable question with an assumption that she had a choice about how to respond to the invitation. ¡®Well, I did make a choice.¡¯ Levisia answered, remembering her response letter. ¡°I declined.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ Really?¡± Siaphyl seemed surprised but soon let out a sigh of relief. ¡°I¡¯m d you did, sister.¡± She was being praised by the youngest one. Siaphylforted Levisia, assuring her don¡¯t have to attend the tea party. Just then, Lidan spoke up as he watched Siaphyl¡¯s actions. ¡°Was it really a good decision?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡± ¡°What do you mean, brother?¡± ¡°Knowing Elizabeth, if she gets declined¡­¡± Lidan muttered, shuddering at his own words. At the same time, Siaphyl seemed to turn pale upon hearing what Lidan said. Soon, an ominous feeling arose inside Levisia upon witnessing their reactions. Will it be okay? * * * Every second Saturday of the month, a tea party is held at the pce of the second Princess, Elizabeth. The tea party¡¯s name is ¡®Daia¡¯. It was a well-known and highly reputed event that, if you¡¯re an esteemed royaldy, you¡¯d want to attend at least once in your life. It was where you could gain the favor of the one who could be the next emperor. But¡­ Today, out of only nine seats for the party, one remained vacant. Who could have dared declined the invitation to the party everyone is dying to attend? ¡®Levisia White¡­¡¯ Elizabeth sipped her tea as the name echoed in her head. She wondered the audacity of the mere fifteenth princess. How dare she decline the invite, a seat at the Daia? ¡®I shall see. How long you think you can avoid me.¡¯ Elizabeth gritted her teeth as she swallowed her tea. Her eyes shed as she red at the empty seat. * * * Levisia felt suddenly chilly. She shivered as she sat where the sun warmly shone down. ¡°Strange,¡± she muttered. ¡°What is it, your highness?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a bit cold.¡± ¡°Shall I bring some covering?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m fine now.¡± She could see the worrisome face of She. But it was only a momentarily cold. ¡°Shall we go now, then?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± On this ordinary afternoon, after watering the crops, Levisia decided to have a much awaited cozy lunchtime with Pel and She. ¡°The sun is lovely outside.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± When Pelid down the nket, She ced the basket down and pulled the cutlery. While watching this, Levisia¡¯s eyes turned to Pel when he flinched. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Nothing¡­ I have to make a visit somewhere.¡± ¡°What? Where?¡± ¡°Great timing, Pel. Go and bring a couple more tes,¡± She intervened. ¡°Okay.¡± Pel hurriedly left the ce, which seemed oddly familiar¡­ Levisia¡¯s eyes furrowed in thought as she took one bite of the sandwich. Then she heard an unfamiliar voice from somewhere. ¡°What¡¯s that noise?¡± She and Levisia searched for the origin of the sound after eyes met. Then they realized it wasing from the grassy path that leads out of the pce. ¡®Could it be Lidan and Siaphyl again?¡¯ Did Pel really run away leaving me behind, again? But the person who appeared from the weeds was not someone who she expected. ¡°The path is not taken care of at all. Is it meant to be walked on?¡± With her golden hair neatly twisted into an updo adorned with leaves, even herining voice was full of grace. ¡°She is¡­¡± Levisia stood up, almost mistaking her for a doll walking in such a way. Just then, she made eye contact with the purple orbs looking her way. She bit her lips as she looked at Levisia. ¡° So it was you, who trampled on my invitation.¡± The Second Princess Elizabeth Seine Kraiden. The one who sent the invitation to the tea party, hade to Levisia¡¯s pce herself. Chapter 21 - Hidden No Longer Chapter 21 ¨C Hidden No Longer ¡®But I didn¡¯t trample on it?¡¯ Just as Levisia began to feel something was amiss, she walked over to her presenting something in her hand. ¡°Do I have to host another tea party which was not on the schedule just for you?¡± Levisia almost went deaf with Elizabeth loudly scolding her. She ended up making a retort. ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡± ¡°I am inviting you officially, giving you another chance to attend my tea party. I am especially giving you this chance for the first time!¡± The golden invitation shone brightly in the sun. Elizabeth held her chin high pping the invitation in the air. With an expression on her face as if to say, ¡®be grateful!¡¯ ¡®What is going on here?¡¯ Levisia blinked her eyes out of bewilderment but soon greeted her. ¡°Second Princess, your highness?¡± ¡°Yes. I am Elizabeth Seine Kraiden. Kraiden¡¯s second royal daughter. Levisia White, you daren¡¯t say you don¡¯t know me?¡± ¡®It¡¯s not hard to know if you introduce yourself like that.¡¯ Levisia thought of what to do for a bit, then politely returned the invitation. ¡°I must say I cannot attend the tea party.¡± ¡°What? You will trample my invitation again?¡± She never trampled the invite; she only politely declined it. ¡°There must be a misunderstanding. I did not trample your invitation.¡± ¡°Declining my invite is the same as trampling it!¡± She must love trampling things! Just then the invitation fell to the floor, as if to ask to be trampled. ¡®What, what¡¯s this?¡¯ Levisia quickly stepped backward for fear of actually trampling on it. Then she heard a sharp voice in front of her. ¡°You¡¯d even avoid me right in front of my face?¡± ¡®She¡¯s driving me insane!¡¯ ¡°N-no, you misunderstand. What I am trying to say is, your highness doesn¡¯t have to go out of your way to hold another tea party for me.¡± Now that she hase all the way here to find Levisia, there was no way to avoid her. But Levisia would rather see her anywhere but a suffocating situation as a tea party. ¡®I rather should¡¯ve¡­¡¯ Perhaps declining Elizabeth¡¯s invitation brought on this misfortune just as Lidan said. ¡®Who knew she¡¯de find me herself¡­¡¯ Levisia continued, on the verge of abandoning any hope. ¡°If your highness desires an audience with me, a little time for a friendly chat would suffice.¡± ¡®I don¡¯t need anything fancy like a tea party¡­¡¯ Elizabeth¡¯s eye brows twitched at Levisia¡¯s words. Soon, a cool grin spread on her face. ¡°So, you also want to have an audience with me! Then why did you decline my invite? Did you want me toe all the way out here for you myself? Then you have seeded!¡± She rattled on so quickly that Levisia¡¯s head was beginning to spin. ¡°Why¡­¡± How will Levisia bring her back here when she¡¯s gone so far ahead, as far as the space, all on her own? As if the universe were against her, the agony was bing worse every second. * * * Elizabeth and Levisia moved to a different room. They didn¡¯t go too far, just to the same sitting room where she weed Lidan. She brought out tea and remained quiet. Elizabeth looked around the tiny space and furrowed her eye brows as if something wasn¡¯t to her liking. At the sametime, she enjoyed her cup of tea. ¡®Such an odd person¡­¡¯ Levisia picked up her tea as she pondered Elizabeth¡¯s strange character. It was really torturous sitting there just drinking tea without saying anything. Just as Levisia began to feel full, she started to seriously worry. What sort of conversation are they to have? ¡®Before that, why did her highness desire my audience?¡¯ She had just opened her mouth to ask the question. Crash! With a loud noise two people burst through the open door. Startled, Levisia looked to the door but Elizabeth didn¡¯t even flinch, as though she already knew. She even continued to sip her tea and criticized them. ¡°What thoughtless behavior is this?¡± ¡°Elizabeth!¡± ¡°Sister Elizabeth!¡± Unsurprisingly, the two people were Lidan and Siaphyl. They seemed to have run all the way here and addressed her without catching their breaths. Elizabeth set her tea down and turned around towards them. ¡°The look on your faces.¡± Her remark left them speechless as if they were caught off guard. ¡°How does it feel to have this child discovered by me?¡± Elizabeth pointed to Levisia with her chin. ¡®Discovered?¡¯ Just as Levisia¡¯s head tilted, Elizabeth looked at her. ¡°Yes. There has to be a reason those two have tried to conceal you to this extent.¡± The situation and nuance all indicated she was talking about her. But Levisia didn¡¯t have a clue as to what about. ¡°Whatever do you mean?¡± Levisia asked her with genuine curiosity but she retorted with another question. ¡°You, who are you? How did you bewitch two of my brothers to you?¡± ¡®Bewitch them¡­? I mean, if you looked at Lidan and Siaphyl, you could most definitely say they were bewitched. Seeing as how they suddenly showed interest in me when we never had any acquaintance beforehand. But no matter how much she asked, Levisia couldn¡¯t give her an answer. ¡®I should be asking that. I want to know too.¡¯ If she did indeed have an ability to bewitch them, Levisia wanted to hide it entirely and escape the royal grounds safely. ¡°I would like to know as well. Why are the three of you seeking me out like this all of a sudden?¡± Chapter 22 - Passing Storm Chapter 22 ¨C Passing Storm Lidan said that Levisia drew him to her the first time they met. That has never happened before. Just then, she remembered the most recent peculiar phenomenon. ¡°If you¡¯re talking about the incident at the Fairy Tree Forest recently-¡± ¡°Sister, that¡¯s¡­!¡± ¡°Rabbit, wait-¡± ¡°Fairy Tree Forest? The forest?¡± Elizabeth sharply reacted to the word Fairy Forest. ¡°Tell me more about the incident. You two, leave us right now.¡± Elizabeth managed to kick two people out with her mere re. Suddenly, Levisia became nervous as a rabbit would be in front of its predator when she was left alone with her. ¡®I thought she was a cold person who would not listen to a word out of my mouth.¡¯ What a change of character. Must be why she is the leading candidate for the throne as the next emperor. ¡°So, what happened in the forest?¡± With her anxiety climbing, Levisia exined to her what happened that night. The strange phenomenon that urred the deeper she went into the forest. The mysterious lights. When her short tale ended, Elizabeth was deep in thought. Levisia had hoped that she might know what those lights were but she was wrong, as she expected. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of such a thing. Floating lights in the Fairy Forest.¡± ¡®So even Elizabeth doesn¡¯t know about it?¡¯ ¡°And the lights circled around you?¡± ¡°Yes. I remember it clearly.¡± Elizabeth stared at Levisia while she sat with her legs crossed. She remained mute for a while, her chin resting on her palm. Then she broke the silence. ¡°Come to the main pce tomorrow.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°There¡¯s something I want to check soe early in the morning.¡± Her slender finger then pointed at my outfit. ¡°Also, don¡¯te to my pce wearing those.¡± ¡®What¡¯s wrong with my outfit¡­?¡¯ Levisia looked down at herself and tilted her head. It¡¯s not a bad dress. She doesn¡¯t see what¡¯s the problem. Of course, it couldn¡¯t bepared to the extravagant dress Elizabeth was wearing. ¡°If youe in that outfit, you will be like the invitation you trampled on.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry?¡± ¡°You will be trampled on as well.¡± Elizabeth scanned Levisia with her arms crossed. ¡°You¡¯re not saying you don¡¯t have any decent dress to wear?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re referring to the dress your highness is wearing as decent, then I¡¯m afraid so.¡± ¡°Ha! I¡¯ve had enough of this. Come with me this instant! I will send some your way with my attendant.¡± ¡°Oh, no. There is no need for¡­¡± Elizabeth began to leave the room but then turned around. ¡°What are you doing? You shoulde and see me off!¡± She dered, as if to say ¡®how dare you not see this noble person off¡¯. Awkwardly, Levisia followed after her and bid her goodbye. ¡°I bid you safe travels, your highness.¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± Elizabeth glowered at Lidan and Siaphyl who were standing next to Levisia and left the pce. She didn¡¯t forget to huff and puff as she walked through the grassy path. ¡®Why does it seem like a storm just went by¡­¡¯ Levisia stood dazed when a few attendants soon appeared with several sparkly boxes in their hands. ¡°The Second Princess has sent these to you.¡± ¡°All of these?¡± ¡°That¡¯s unlike Elizabeth.¡± ¡°Sister Elizabeth did this¡­?¡± Having witnessed the same scenario, Lidan and Siaphyl seemed uneasy about this. ¡°There¡¯s a message her highness sends with these. If it pleases you, could I recite it right now?¡± ¡°What? Yes. Please do.¡± Levisia hoped it was not anything bizarre. ¡°I¡¯ve found these on my way so do as you wish after you have worn them! End quote.¡± Upon seeing the attendant¡¯s face turning red with embarrassment, she quietly looked away. ¡®Why are we the one who must feel embarrassed?¡¯ * * * Elizabeth noticed her strange behavior. After seeing the Fifteenth Princess, she had be peculiarly fond of her. ¡®Impossible.¡¯ She tried to keep her guard up, but before she knew it, she was acting foolishly. ¡®What could she be?¡¯ It must be the same reason why Lidan and Siaphyl were drawn to her. If she could, she wanted to interrogate the girl of what she¡¯s done to her. But her heart and body responded honestly unlike her head. The day after meeting the Fifteenth Princess, Elizabeth found herself checking the clock constantly. ¡°When is sheing?¡± Just as she angrily eximed this, an attendant outside made an announcement. ¡°Your highness, the Fifteenth Princess has arrived.¡± Right now? Without realizing, Elizabeth shot up but immediately sat back down to maintain her dignity. ¡°She may enter.¡± Despite her effort to seem calm, her voice had an air of excitement. Elizabeth flipped through some paperwork to appear uninterested but her eyes still nced at the door. It seemed like forever waiting for that door to open. And for some reason, every time she saw a figure through the crack of the door, her heart pounded. ¡®Calm down, Elizabeth Seine Kraiden. This is unlike you.¡¯ She repeatedly told herself as if to hypnotize herself but soon caught Levisia¡¯s eyes. Unsurprisingly, she made a foolishment as soon as she saw Levisia¡¯s face. ¡°Hmph! Now you look more eptable with that outfit!¡± Chapter 23 - Strange Tingles Chapter 23 ¨C Strange Tingles Levisia stopped when she heard a voice as she entered the office. Then she looked at how differently she was dressed. This pale green dress, one of the dresses Elizabeth sent, was quite luxurious. So much that She kept admiring it as she helped Levisia into it. She thought of what She said, so deeply touched, that finally herdy gets to wear a dress like this. She had to show her gratitude. ¡°Thank you for lending me the dress, your highness.¡± ¡°L-lend you? What do you mean? You want me to wear clothes that you¡¯ve worn?¡± ¡°But you sent me three dresses¡­¡± ¡°I- I said I found them on my way over here!¡± ¡°Even all the nes as well?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Elizabeth insisted. ¡°More importantly,e over here.¡± Confused, she walked over to where Elizabeth was beckoning. There was arge light green gem wrapped in silk. ¡°This is¡­¡± ¡°This is the Fairy Stone. You¡¯ve seen it before at least once?¡± ¡°Yes, I have seen it before¡­¡± Every child adopted into the royal family has touched this Fairy Stone at least once. It measures the strength of one¡¯s natural ability. ¡°Be grateful it is under my care. I will especially give you another chance to touch it.¡± Incredulous, Levisia took a couple steps back. It probably won¡¯t measure any differently now but one can never be too sure. ¡®What if it did change?¡¯ Others might tell Levisia she¡¯s counting her chickens before they¡¯re hatched, but this was an important matter to her. ¡®There has never been a case where the results changed¡­¡¯ The incident in the Fairy Forest kepting to her mind. ¡°What is the matter?¡± ¡°No, thank you.¡± ¡°I saide here.¡± ¡°I know how much my ability measures. There is no need to do it ag-¡± As Levisia withdrew a few steps, Elizabeth inched towards her. ¡°You do not know your ability and yet you are trying to hide it.¡± She saw right through her then grabbed a hold of her hand. Just then, a painful tingly feeling spread from Levisia¡¯s fingertips. Elizabeth must¡¯ve felt the same thing; she let go of her hand and frowned. ¡°You, what did you do?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry? I didn¡¯t do anything..¡± ¡°Then why is my strength¡­¡± Elizabeth stumbled as she spoke. Startled, Levisia instinctively grabbed her arm. ¡°Are you okay, Your Highness?¡± ¡°Let- let me go.¡± Elizabeth shook her arm weakly. Why is she like this all of a sudden? Suddenly, the words ¡®crime of assasination of the imperial family¡¯ in bold red symbols shed fleetingly in Levisia¡¯s head. ¡®No!¡¯ If she doesn¡¯t do anything, she could get all the me. Levisia quickly escorted her to the sofa and sat her down. ¡°Your highness, are you feeling better? Your Highness?¡± As she sat there still frowned and gasping for air, even her eyes seemed hazy. Levisia looked around and brought over the tea that appeared to be hers. ¡°Your highness, drink this.¡± She tipped the cup on her lips holding her chin up and Elizabeth weakly took a sip. When the cup was empty, she began to ponder. ¡®Should I call her attendant over her?¡¯ There was no more spare time to debate. A person copsed after losing her strength, she needed to do what she could do. ¡°Please wait just a moment, your highness. I¡¯ll have your attendants call the doctor.¡± ¡°W..ait¡­¡± Elizabeth grabbed her hand again. This time there was no tingling sensation. ¡°My hand¡­¡± Though Elizabeth didn¡¯t finish her sentence, Levisia realized what she was going to say and sped her hand with hers. ¡®It seemed like she was asking me to hold her hand.¡¯ She wasn¡¯t sure if this was right, but Elizabeth closed her eyes as soon as Levisia held her hand. So she was right. After holding hands for some time, her breathing rxed and she opened her eyes. Soon she looked up at her and asked, ¡°You, what¡­ really are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Levisia White, your highness.¡± ¡°Not that.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing else besides¡­¡± This time, there was nothing she could do for Elizabeth¡¯s frowning face. ¡°Are you feeling better now?¡± ¡°Much better than before. Take your hand off.¡± ¡°Erm, you are holding my hand, Your Highness.¡± Elizabeth was startled as she looked down at their sped hands and immediately snatched hers from her. ¡°Hm, hmph!¡± ¡®You may hide your hands, but it already happened, Your highness, princess.¡¯ Levisia swallowed the words she couldn¡¯t say out loud. After a long silence, Elizabeth had regained herposure, and she was able to ask her about what just happened. ¡°So, your strength left you after the tingling sensation?¡± ¡°Yes. And you really didn¡¯t do it?¡± ¡°Why would I do such a thing?¡± The incident became more and more baffling. ¡°I also felt the tingling.¡± ¡°But you were fine though.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true¡­¡± ¡°So it was your doing-¡± ¡°No.¡± Elizabeth rubbed her temples as though she had a headache. Levisia¡¯s head was hurting as well. ¡°Why won¡¯t you touch the Fairy Stone? Is something weighing on your mind?¡± Levisia rubbed her cheeks without saying a word. She nced at the Fairy Stoneid out on the desk. ¡°Could I bring the Fairy Stone over here?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± After having Elizabeth¡¯s permission, she moved the stone to the table. When Levisia set the silk wrap down, Elizabeth gave her a look. A look to coax her into doing something. ¡®¡­Guess there¡¯s nothing I can do.¡¯ Levisia took a deep breath and reached out her hand. Chapter 24 - Still No Change Chapter 24 ¨C Still No Change When Levisia¡¯s fingertips touched the Fairy Stone, it began to tremble. The strength of one¡¯s power was measured by the saturation of the color the stone changes into. Elizabeth was popr for having the stone change its shade into a deep hue of yellow, depicting her destructive power to manipte electricity. Levisia, on the other hand¡­ ¡°Really.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°You are unbelievably weak.¡± The stone exhibited no change in color; in fact the gem remained exactly as it is: bright green. It showed not the slightest change in its saturation. ¡°Just as I thought. You wouldn¡¯t have any power.¡± Elizabeth waved her hand in dismissal. However, the stone¡¯s answer provided her relief. Levisia breathed a sigh which she¡¯d been holding and asked, ¡°Then may I leave now? Elizabeth scrunched her forehead. ¡°What do you mean? I¡¯m not feeling well so tend to me before you go.¡± ¡®...What?¡¯ * * * It¡¯s been three days since Elizabeth has imed she ¡®wasn¡¯t feeling well¡¯, and consequently, Levisia had toe by her pce since then to tend after her. ¡®What did I do in my previous life to deserve this?¡¯ All Levisia would do is go to Elizabeth¡¯s office and watch her to do her work. When she grew bored of it, she¡¯d look around the library attached to Elizabeth¡¯s office¡­ and eat with her when it was time. ¡®Perhaps through another person¡¯s spectacles, I was the one being tended. Well, at least I haven¡¯t seen Lidan and Siaphyl thanks to this ordeal¡­¡¯ ¡°Look, she came today again.¡± It¡¯s been three days since she attracted unwanted attention as well. A group of men huddled together muttered whispers with one another, fixing their gazes at Levisia. She couldn¡¯t bother to spare a nce at their way and only hurried her steps. The main pce where Elizabeth undertook her royal responsibilities constantly had many peoplee and go, mostly because most prominent figures always gathered here. However, noticing Levisia presence for the third day at a ce one would need to be authorized to enter provoked tittle-tattles about her. ¡°Who did she line up behind?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen her? Which family is she from?¡± ¡°Should I line up there too?¡± They didn¡¯t even know she was a princess. ¡®Well¡­ Not even all the royalties know each other, so it¡¯s not surprising.¡¯ As she hastened her pace, deliberately ignoring them, someone suddenly stepped in front of her. When Levisia looked up, one of the whispering men she passed by stood before, an awkward smile painted on his lips. ¡°Um, could we talk for a minute?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡± ¡°It won¡¯t be long, I just need a moment.¡± Then, she noticed a group slowly approaching behind him. ¡®Darn it, I¡¯ve been caught.¡¯ Feeling embarrassed, Levisia shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I have to be in there by 11 o¡¯clock.¡± ¡°It¡¯s 10:50 right now.¡± ¡®Why does he seem rather rude?¡¯ Levisia must¡¯ve sensed correctly as he smiled saying it was a mistake. ¡®I¡¯m not in the mood for smiling¡­¡¯ It was rather exhausting, so she decided to concede and nodded, ¡°We can talk.¡± ¡°Oh, from which family you might be from?¡± She stared at him without a word. Levisia already knew this man standing before her. The Sixteenth Prince, Vager Roffle. Though he¡¯s older than her, he was introduced into the royal familyter than Levisia. This will be embarrassing for him, but she needed to get going. ¡°I¡¯m-¡± ¡°Hey, Rabbit?¡± A familiar voice interrupted from behind. When she turned her head around, Levisia saw Lidan smiling and waving his hand at her. ¡°I¡¯ve finally run into you. Are you going to Elizabeth¡¯s office today too?¡± ¡°T-the Third Prince, Your Highness?¡± Vager eyes widened, not because of Levisia but of Lidan. When Lidan heard his name addressed, he blinked his eyes and asked her, ¡°Who is this? Do you know him? I have no idea who this is.¡± Lies, Levisia thought. There was no way Lidan, who instantly recognized her, wouldn¡¯t know Vager. At least his power was measured to a three. ¡°This is Vager Roffle, your highness.¡± ¡°Huh, what?¡± Vager, not expecting Levisia to know his name, appeared bewildered and pointed at her with his finger. Just then, Lidan grabbed and folded his finger down and smiled. ¡°This is the Fifteenth Princess Levisia White. Let¡¯s try to at least know each other¡¯s faces, brother.¡± Lidan then stretched his arm toward Levisia after introducing her to Vager, ¡°Shall we go then, sis?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need a hand.¡± ¡°You¡¯re being too hard, I haven¡¯t seen you in a while.¡± Soon, Levisia entered the main pce with Lidan, leaving behind the pale-faced Vager. For some reason, Lidan followed behind Levisia just like he did back at her own pce. ¡°Didn¡¯t you have some business to tend to?¡± ¡°There¡¯s something I must do first before my own business right in front of me.¡± ¡®I shouldn¡¯t have asked.¡¯ She hurriedly arrived at Elizabeth¡¯s office. When Levisia knocked on the door, she heard a voice telling her toe in. ¡°Are you going toe in with me as well?¡± ¡°Might as well see our Elizabeth¡¯s face since I¡¯m here.¡± I didn¡¯t think you were that close to her to say ¡®our Elizabeth¡¯. Just as she had expected, when Elizabeth saw Lidan entering in with Levisia, she immediately ordered him to leave. Chapter 25 - Becoming Prey Chapter 25 ¨C Bing Prey ¡°Lidan Serger, leave.¡± ¡°What a way to greet someone, sis.¡± ¡°Do you not hear me? I don¡¯t want to see your face for another second.¡± When Elizabeth spoke angrily, Lidan waved her off. ¡°I didn¡¯t reallye here to see the Second Princess either.¡± ¡®Didn¡¯t he just tell me he might as well see her since he came by?¡¯ ¡°On the way here, I saw some ass holding back our Rabbit.¡± He was definitely talking about Vager. He had called him his brother just a moment ago; now, he was calling Vager an arse. ¡°Why are you bringing that up¡­¡± ¡°What did you just say?¡± Just then, Elizabeth unexpectedly had a murderous response. A spark of light erupted in the air. When Levisia turned toward Elizabeth, she realized she had released her power; it was electricity that sparked. Elizabeth¡¯s wavy golden hair swayed in the air as though the wind blew in the room. Lidan momentarily shrunk at the scene but soonughed as it was funny. ¡®What is so funny about her looks?¡¯ Levisia just wanted to get out of this pce. She felt like she needed to leave the room before something broke. ¡®What if I get electrocuted standing next to Lidan?¡¯ Terrified at the chance, she slowly moved away from Lidan. Lidan once again spoke up, not realizing the mood. ¡°Your highness must be intrigued by Rabbit seeing as you have been keeping her around the past few days.¡± Intrigued? Levisia must¡¯ve felt the same way as well. There was no way someone who is as calcting as Elizabeth would keep her around them with no reason. The problem was, it seems like neither Levisia nor her seem to know why. ¡°Take care of your surroundings. I wouldn¡¯t have exposed Rabbit like that for some trash to hang around her.¡± With Lidan¡¯s provocation, Elizabeth¡¯s power grew even menacingly. Her hair began to shine like Pikachu who was just about to let out a million bolts. ¡®I must escape!¡¯ Levisia withdrew, attempting to escape from the sight of Elizabeth and Lidan. Her back barely touched the door when she was caught. ¡°Stop right there, Levisia.¡± ¡°Where are you going, Rabbit?¡± They both turned to look at her at the same time. It was a moment of sheer horror more than that of a midsummer night¡¯s horror movie. ¡®Poor Rabbit. How did you end up gaining favor in Elizabeth¡¯s eyes?¡¯ Lidan looked at Levisia with pity. ¡®You shouldn¡¯t be the one making that face at me!¡¯ Just when Levisia raised her eyebrows in defiance, Elizabeth shot up kicking her chair away. Crash! With the sound, Lidan winked at Levisia at the same time. ¡°Well, my work is done here, so¡­¡± ¡®Wait, you¡¯re just going to leave after stirring up the atmosphere like this?¡¯ Before realizing, Levisia grabbed Lidan¡¯s arm that was holding the handle. She gave him a look of, ¡®take me with you,¡¯ but he only whispered petty words to her. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize it would be so hard to see your face the past few days, Rabbit.¡± ¡®That¡¯s certainly not my fault!¡¯ ¡°If you leave like this, it will be harder to see me again.¡± ¡°Then I shalle find you until I see you.¡± What a hopeless person! ¡°Well then. Cheers, sis.¡± After driving Elizabeth up the wall, Lidan left cold-heartedly and Levisia was left alone with her who was about to explode. Levisia couldn¡¯t help but feel like a prey thrown into the predator¡¯s den. A very hungry predator at that. As she held her breath, Levisia heard Elizabeth¡¯s voice. ¡°That ass.¡± She let go of the pen she was holding. It had already burned up and became a pile of ash that soon blew away in the gentle wind. ¡°Where is he?¡± Her voice sounded murderous still. * * * The next day, Levisia went to the main pce where Elizabeth was as if she was clocking in for work. ¡®How long do I have to keep this going¡­?¡¯ Every day began with opening the box sent by Elizabeth, watering the crops, and busily getting ready. And she would have to go into the main pce with all the unwanted attention. She walked towards the pce begrudgingly, and when she arrived at the entrance, her eyes widened. Unlike other days, the courtyard was empty. ¡®Is the main pce taking a break today?¡¯ Elizabeth would¡¯ve let her know if that was the case. Levisia passed the empty path and walked up the stairs. Then she saw the pce guards at their posts as usual. ¡®So they must not be on a break then.¡¯ She showed them her pass to the pce and they nodded their heads in approval. ¡°Pardon me, did something happen today?¡± She asked, pointing behind her. The guards looked at each other and shook their heads. ¡°We don¡¯t know either.¡± ¡°This has never happened before while we were on duty.¡± So this was an unusual incident. Levisia nced back and bowed to them. It was only when she arrived at Elizabeth¡¯s office when she found out who wiped the pce courtyard clean. When Levisia entered through the door held open by the attendant, Elizabeth wasn¡¯t tending to her work as she normally would but was looking out the window as if to wait for someone and turned to look at Levisia. ¡°Was your way here peaceful?¡± Chapter 26 - Curiosity Ignites Within Kingdoms Chapter 26 ¨C Curiosity Ignites Within Kingdoms ¡°Yes, it was quite peaceful today. At her reply, Elizabeth smiled. However, her eloquent smile was soon wiped off her red lips as she spoke. ¡°I ordered for the rocks to be removed for I thought you might be clumsy and trip over them.¡± ¡°Rocks?¡± Levisia¡¯s eyebrows arched in confusion. ¡°Yes.¡± What rocks? But Levisia soon realized what she meant when she saw her mischievous smirk. Every guest that had been wandering around the pce had now been degraded to grey stones ¡®¡­Is this okay?¡¯ Levisia didn¡¯t know then. That what seemed like a light-hearted incident was a flutter of a butterfly¡¯s wing which wouldter provoke a storm. * * * The man staying in the pce guest room opened the windows. A crow zipped through the opening and dropped a rolled up paper in the man¡¯s hand. While he untied the string wrapped around the paper, the crow flew around the room, cawing. When the bird alighted on the man¡¯s shoulders after hovering in the air for about three rounds, a woman smiled observing this. ¡°Harrol is just the same.¡± The bird puffed his chest up as if he understood the woman. ¡°Still a show off.¡± When Harrol, the crow, lifted his beak, the woman lured him with some food she had prepared. The man continued reading the letter in silence. When the quiet prolonged, the woman became curious. ¡°Did something happen, Cassian?¡± ¡°¡­Elizabeth did something peculiar.¡± The soft spoken man¡¯s name is Cassian Robel Kraiden, the Kraiden Empire¡¯s First Prince. He looked over at the woman with his red eyes almost concealed by his ck hair. ¡°Don¡¯t feed Harrol too much, sister.¡± The woman Cassian called sister is Carrelopae Zian Heisah. She is the queen of the Heisah Kingdom and Kraiden¡¯s First Princess. Despite being a direct lineage to Kraiden, she was not bestowed the name Kraiden due to having no discernable power. Which is why she married the king of the Heisah Kingdom at an early age and became a queen. Cassian would asionally visit her, his biological sister at the Heisah Kingdom. However, strange things were transpiring at the empire while his seat was left vacant. ¡®Elizabeth, Lidan, and Siaphyl, huh.¡¯ Those three were the ones who have been acting peculiar recently. And the person who was in the center of all this was¡­ ¡®The Fifteenth Princess?¡¯ One of the many people who didn¡¯t receive the Kraiden name and whose face he could barely remember. ¡®How peculiar.¡¯ Lidan and Siaphyl are known to be odd among the Kraidens so it is barely a surprise, but Elizabeth¡¯s involvement was quite intriguing. ¡®Could there be something¡­¡± Cassian looked up after immersing himself in deep thought. He felt someone¡¯s stare on himself. Carrelopae gently smiled after observing him. ¡°A new wind must be heading to the empire and you.¡± However, Cassian denied her statement and burned the letter. ¡°How is your life in the pce?¡± ¡°Not bad. It¡¯s always the same.¡± Cassian rid his mind of the letter by changing the topic entirely. He will just have to learn more of it when he returns to the empire. At the exact moment thest fragment of the ashen paper floated in the air, a woman at a kingdom directly opposite of him smiled. ¡°She even has Elizabeth all shook up?¡± The Seventh Princess, Aurora Vale Kraiden. She is currently studying abroad. A hushedugh slipped from her rosy lips at the letter she received on a boring day. She had four months left until she concludes her studies. Later then, she will be able to return to the empire. Aurora Vale Kraiden looked forward to finding out what events were unfolding when she returned. ¡°I¡¯m so excited. What could our adorable Siaphyl have discovered?¡± Her smile grew as she tucked the letter in the drawer. Chapter 27 - In A Somber Palace Chapter 27 ¨C In a Somber Pce A week has passed since Levisia visited the main pce. Unlike other days, she was told Elizabeth wasn¡¯t in her office. ¡°Please wait in the sitting room.¡± She found it strange for someone to be extremely devoted to her duties to be absent from her workce. She wondered what it could be. As she followed the attendant, she kept ncing at the office door. It seemed like Elizabeth would be on her desk like any other day if she opened the door right now, so bizarre. ¡°We will bring tea out. Please wait for a moment.¡± The attendant quickly left the room. Levisia looked around the sitting room she was led to and hesitantly took a seat. ¡®Everything looks expensive.¡¯ It was, in great measures, different from the temporary sitting room in her old shabby pce. If the main pce¡¯s sitting room is like this, she wondered how luxurious the sitting room of Elizabeth¡¯s pce would be. ¡®Now I see why she was so displeased that day.¡¯ She could almost guess why Elizabeth¡¯s face hardened when she looked around the sitting room the day she came to her pce the first time. ¡®She¡¯s only seen sitting rooms like these.¡¯ Levisia scratched her cheeks as she looked down at the tea cup the attendant brought out. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t get used to this.¡¯ She felt like if she stayed here too long, she¡¯ll find herself having unreasonably high expectations. ¡®I need to go back to my secluded life as soon as I can.¡¯ She already emptied her third cup of tea as she reminisced about her usual, dull days. Levisia stared at the clock realizing the time ruthlessly passing by. ¡°It¡¯s been two hours already.¡± She still didn¡¯t hear anything from Elizabeth. ¡°I¡¯ll wait just thirty minutes more.¡± She passed the time walking around the sitting room and looking down the long window but nothing changed. ¡°I should go now.¡± Perhaps today would be thest day of her visit since she wasn¡¯t told toe back tomorrow again. ¡®She¡¯ll call me when she really needs me.¡¯ Levisia didn¡¯t believe Elizabeth was still not feeling well from the incident the other day. It was obvious. She recovered on that same day. But Levisia still came to the main pce every day only because she couldn¡¯t disobey her words. ¡®Thismoner nature¡­ Who am I to disobey Elizabeth¡¯s wishes? This is not surprising. She left her seat and opened the door. Just as Levisia was about to let the door attendant that she was going to leave, a handmaiden rushed over and grabbed her. ¡°Fifteenth Princess, Your Highness.¡± She spoke without catching her breath. ¡°The Second Princess Her Highness asked to escort you to her. Could youe with me right now?¡± Elizabeth came herself to see Levisia at her pce but this time she sent a handmaiden to fetch her. ¡®I wonder what this could be?¡¯ She stood there as if her feet were tied down. Levisia thought for a moment and eventually nodded. The handmaiden appeared visibly relieved and nodded her head. ¡°Then please follow me.¡± She turned around and began to walk without hesitation. Levisia quietly followed behind her. But she was leaving the main pce. ¡°Are we leaving the pce?¡± ¡°Yes. The Second Princess Her Highness is at a different pce.¡± She decided to ept that answer. The handmaiden left the main pce and went towards the outskirts of the main buildings. ¡®I don¡¯t think Elizabeth¡¯s pce would be in the outskirts¡­?¡¯ Always having mountains of work every day, Elizabeth had an important duty even amongst the Kraidens. There was no way she would have a pce in a secluded ce as she does. Did Elizabeth really call me? Levisia nced at the handmaiden, but she didn¡¯t notice as she was too busy walking. As her suspicions grew deeper, a pce overshadowed by another pce appeared. At the entrance, there was Elizabeth. ¡®So it was her¡­¡¯ After momentarily realizing she doubted for no reason, Levisia noticed Elizabeth looked very different from her normal appearance. She nervously paced back and forth, biting her lips, very unlike her normal self. ¡°Princess, Your Highness?¡± When Levisia called her from an audible distance, she looked at her. Elizabeth approached Levisia with a look of someone who had found a sliver of hope after falling into despair. ¡°Help, help me!¡± Elizabeth urgently grabbed her hands like she did before. Levisia couldn¡¯t rip her hands off and stupidly replied, ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡± Up close, Elizabeth¡¯s face was pale. Seeing her lips trembling Levisia realized this was a serious matter. ¡°What is the matter?¡± ¡°Come¡­ this way!¡± Levisia was quickly whisked into the pce. The interior of the pce looked quiet. It appeared like even the pce residents haven¡¯t beening by for some time. There Elizabeth let go of herposure and ran up the stairs. Holding on to Levisia hand with hers, of course. That is to say, she was following her without intending to. ¡®What is going on?¡¯ Elizabeth¡¯s behavior was odd but so was the all too quiet pce. Our footsteps echoed throughout the pce because of the vast emptiness. ¡®It almost seems like we¡¯re at a funeral¡­¡¯ As Levisia rid her mind of the dark thoughts, they arrived at a room on the second floor. ¡°Wait, Your Highness-¡± Before she could finish, Elizabeth flung open the door. It was a spacious room. And¡­ ¡®Not much for furnishings¡­¡¯ The emptiness almost reminded her of her own pce. Levisia¡¯s eyes settled on therge bed at the end of the room. Elizabeth, already having let go of her hand, was approaching it. ¡®There¡¯s a¡­ person?¡¯ A person lied on the bed, appearing almost dead, without a hint of life. Elizabeth looked over to Levisia as if beckoning her over to her as she hesitated to approach. She didn¡¯t ponder too long and made her way there. When she came near the bed, she saw that the person was a man. A beautiful man with a hair of silver. Elizabeth¡¯s hand held the man¡¯s, shaking. ¡®This man must be¡­¡¯ Someone Elizabeth holds dear. One person came to her mind. ¡®I didn¡¯t know he¡¯d be in this state.¡¯ Judging by his pale face and dry lips, he seemed to be in a critical condition that caused Elizabeth to rush over. ¡®But why call me¡­?¡¯ Sadly, Levisia didn¡¯t see how she could help her or the man. She was neither a physician nor a pharmacist. She was about to tell her this, but Elizabeth spoke quicker than her. ¡°Just be near him, please.¡± ¡®Just be near him?¡¯ It was a baffling request. What would change if she was near him? ¡®But I can¡¯t say no¡­¡¯ Elizabeth¡¯s voice sounded so desperate Levisia decided to stay by the bedside. ¡®Do I really just stay here? I don¡¯t need to call a physician?¡¯ It seemed like this man would need a physician more than her. She began to think Elizabeth had mistaken her for a human medicine. Just then, color began to return on the pale man¡¯s face and his eyelids twitched as if they were going to open at any moment. Chapter 28 - Miracle By An Untold Princess Chapter 28 ¨C Miracle by an Untold Princess ¡®Could I really be a human medicine?¡¯ Levisia was floating about her thoughts when Elizabeth urgently called out to her, dragging her back to reality. ¡°Looks like he is going to wake up. When he does, please don¡¯t tell him I was here,¡± she said as she hurriedly gathered herself. ¡°I¡¯m sorry? What do you- Your Highness! Your Highness!¡± She let go of his hand and rushed out of the room. ¡®What is going on?¡¯ Levisia was about to follow Elizabeth but just as she took a step, a hand closed around her wrist and she was rooted to her spot. The hand encircling her wrist was big, pale and rough against her skin. ¡®No way.¡¯ She slowly turned her head to see the man staring at her with hooded purple eyes¡ª the same purple eyes that she had been looking into just a few minutes ago. Eyes just like Elizabeth¡¯s. ¡°Did you save¡­¡± He trailed off as if unsure whether he should continue the question. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ ¡°Nope,¡± she quickly answered, hoping that there would be no misunderstandings. He coughed into his fist and bestowed her a look of confusion. ¡°Then why are you¡­¡± He motioned to the room they were in, his uncertainty very clear in his tone. ¡°That¡¯s, I mean¡­¡± she dragged out her words, a bit unsure what to say to him. ¡°Anyway, that¡¯s not the case.¡± A cough escaped him as he fist the sheets in his hand. ¡°Water please,¡± he called as he cleared his throat after his hacking fit. ¡°You are mistaken. Alright?¡± Levisia dered,pletely ignoring him. She wanted to get it across to him that she did not save him. ¡°Okay,¡± he said as he broke down coughing again. ¡°But water!¡± He eximed as he let out another round of coughs that sounded painful. ¡°Are you trying to kill¡­¡± He rpsed into another coughing fit, and Levisia slowly turned her head towards him. She observed him as she realized that he was desperately pleading for something while she was trying to exin herself. ¡®Water? Did he ask for water?¡¯ She looked around the room and noticed a pitcher of water on the table tucked next to the bed. She hastily picked up the pitcher and handed it to him as she repeated what she had been saying. ¡°I¡¯m not it. Whatever you¡¯re thinking I am, I¡¯m not it. Whatever or whoever you¡¯re thinking of isn¡¯t me,¡± she said, stressing that it wasn¡¯t her. Silence pervaded the room as her words reached their end. She continued observing him. She already had a lot on her te with Siaphyl, Lidan, and Elizabeth and she refuses to be needed by another person. Levisia watched as he just stared at the pitcher and looked over to her like she was an idiot. ¡®I should give him a cup for his water though,¡¯ she thought as his gaze remained on the jug. ¡°Here¡¯s the cup. Drink as much as you like. It should soothe your throat and make it feel better.¡± He looked up at her with his dull purple eyes and closed them with a sigh. He didn¡¯t acknowledge the ss she was holding out to him as if he no longer needed the water. Levisia stared down at the manid out on the bed and couldn¡¯t help but wonder if he was alive. He looked so lifeless. ¡®Did I kill him?¡¯ She could see not a single movement. Just as she was about to go over and check, she heard his harsh breathing and sighed in relief. ¡®Good. He¡¯s still alive.¡¯ She was genuinely relieved. She worried she was going to get caught with assassinating a royalty again. That¡¯s a relief. If she had gotten a verdict of, ¡®death caused by the fifteenth princess¡¯s refusal to give water,¡¯ it would¡¯ve been terrible. She would be in so much trouble. She moved towards the bed and removed the pitcher from his hand, returning it to the table. She turned around to exit the room when Elizabeth, who she thought had left, poked her head in. ¡°Your Highness?¡± she questioned, a bit confused that she was still around. ¡°What happened? Did he not wake up?¡± She shook her head as she looked down at the man who was fast asleep. ¡°No he did wake up. He just fell asleep.¡± ¡®He is sleeping right?¡¯ Levisia wondered silently as she stared at his unmoving body. ¡®I hope he didn¡¯t pass out due to dehydration.¡¯ Elizabeth quietly approached as she gazed upon hima and muttered, ¡°He looks much better.¡± She was right. A minute ago he had looked like he was about to be ced in a coffin, but now color had been added to his skin. ¡°So you are indeed¡­¡± Elizabeth looked at Levisia and she could see the question in her brilliantly purple eyes. ¡°No, Your Highness.¡± ¡°What?¡± She asked as if her statement baffled her. ¡°This is all because of your caring heart, Your Highness. You reached out to him and helped with his recovery.¡± ¡°W-what do you mean?¡± She eximed, a blush coating her cheeks. ¡°I didn¡¯t care for anyone!¡± Levisia shook her head softly at her words as a slight smile attached itself to her lips. If she didn¡¯t care, then why was she rushing around with desperate eyes and wishes he would get better? Elizabeth shook her head profusely in denial. ¡°W-why would I care for something like him?¡± She stuttered as she wrung her fingers. ¡°He is, at the very least, your brother. How could you call him a ¡®thing¡¯?¡± ¡°B-brother! I¡¯ve never had a pale thing like him as a brother!¡± This man who had been at Death¡¯s Door was the Second Prince, fReign Moror. He is Elizabeth¡¯s biological brother. Despite being of noble birth, he had no powers like Elizabeth so he wasn¡¯t bestowed the Kraiden name. He is very sick and his only sister pretends to not care about him. They always say he was unfortunate. His existence contrasted Elizabeth¡¯s, who is extremely fortunate. ¡®Maybe I should have helped him earlier with the water situation. Maybe he deserved to know that someone was looking out for his well-being.¡¯ Levisia looked at him with pity and regret for he was so unfortunate. Denying that she cared for her family, Elizabeth quickly changed the subject. ¡°You seem to have some connection with the Fairy Tree,¡± she stated randomly. ¡°Pardon?¡± Confusionced her voice as she shot her a bewildered look. ¡°You really don¡¯t know?¡± Levisia merely stared at her silently, waiting for her to borate. ¡°The feeling you¡¯re giving off?¡± She nodded her head at her but couldn¡¯t help but wonder why she was oblivious to the things they seemed to know. Chapter 29 - The Sun As Red As Blood Chapter 29 ¨C The Sun as Red as Blood The sun had painted the sky crimson by the time Levisia finally returned to the pce. ¡°You¡¯re finally back.¡± Pel was sweeping up the entrance when she came through. ¡°You haven¡¯t eaten yet, right?¡± ¡°No. I think I¡¯ll have a simple meal. I¡¯m tired.¡± She replied, covering her mouth as a soft yawn escaped. ¡°I¡¯ll ry the message.¡± Pel continued to sweep, not minding her presence one bit. Levisia stood in the corner and watched him. ¡°What are you doing?¡± His eyes narrowed in confusion. ¡°Nothing.¡± She continued watching him sweep. ¡°I thought you were tired. Why don¡¯t you go inside and rest?¡± ¡°It seems like I haven¡¯t seen you for quite some time recently,¡± she said softly. Pel stopped sweeping and looked up at her words. A peculiar expression crossed his face as it caught the glow of the sunset. ¡°So you¡¯re just going to stand there and watch me?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t I?¡± She questioned with a slight smile gracing her words. ¡°Imagine how it feels to be observed,¡± he replied monotonously. ¡®Would it be ufortable,¡¯ she wondered. ¡°So you don¡¯t like it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that exactly. Doesn¡¯t bother me that much.¡± Pel looked away from her. She ced her arms under her bosom and settled into watching him. The way he worked with a nk expression made him seem like a statue. Always nk and hiding secrets. After a quiet moment, Pel broke the silence. ¡°You always have your way, Your highness.¡± ¡°Me?¡± She shook her head in denial at his words. ¡°There¡¯s no one more predictable than me. Where else would you find another master easier to attend to?¡± ¡®I always gently inform the attendants when they forget their manners and I let rude behaviors slide.¡¯ ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean.¡± ¡°Then what?¡± She asked, slightly annoyed. The only sound that echoed in the room was the broom¡¯s strokes as it swept the ground. Pel calmly spoke, ¡°Your highness is the one who¡¯s been absent these days, not me. But now you¡¯re¡­¡± He trailed off and Levisia tilted her head to the side. ¡°Watching you as I please?¡± ¡°Well, basically, yes.¡± ¡°You can watch me too, then.¡± She gathered her long dress and crouched down. Pel gave her a baffled look at her ungraceful posture on the ground. ¡°Like you, your highness?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Nothing will happen even if we don¡¯t see each other for a couple of days,¡± Pel muttered. ¡°You¡¯re the one who felt sad about it.¡± ¡°Who said anything about being sad¡ª¡± Levisia interrupted before he could finish speaking. ¡°Then I¡¯ll just keep watching you,¡± she informed him. ¡°See, you do insist on your own way.¡± Pel shook his head and put away the broom. ¡°Are you done?¡± She queried as she lifted herself off the ground. ¡°I¡¯ll finish it upter.¡± ¡°Because of me?¡± ¡°Half of it is,¡± he stated, looking into the distance. ¡°What about the other half?¡± She took a step towards Pel and he immediately withdrew with narrowed eyes. ¡°Why do you keep trying to strike up a conversation today?¡± He asked with tant suspicion. ¡°We haven¡¯t talked muchtely,¡± she replied nonchntly. ¡°I know. So why are you suddenly like this?¡± Pel looked down at her with his head to one side as he gestured to her. ¡°Have you always been this concerned about me?¡± ¡°Of course. You¡¯ll be with me when I leave the royal grounds,¡± she stated confidently. Pel¡¯s face stiffened at her words. ¡®Did I say something wrong?¡¯ She pondered while he lowered his head. ¡°Are you sincere about that statement?¡± ¡°You won¡¯te with me?¡± She was bewildered. Would he want to stay behind? ¡®Leave Pel behind knowing what will happen here? I couldn¡¯t do that.¡¯ ¡°Not that,¡± he said. ¡°The part where you will leave this ce.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve said it before. I haven¡¯t changed her mind.¡± Even after getting involved with the Kraidens, she still worried for her life. She became more desperate after getting entangled with their lives. Instead of withering away amongst them, she¡¯d rather leave. Running away would be the best way to survive. ¡°But you have been spending time with them.¡± She knew exactly who Pel was referring to when he said ¡®them¡¯. ¡°They¡¯re all¡­¡± Pel suddenly stopped. ¡°All?¡± Pel looked up when Levisia parroted his words. His calm golden eyes stared at her for a brief moment, and he slowly glided past her. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Let¡¯s go in. it¡¯s getting dark.¡± He walked by her and led the way. The sunset that lit the path was as red as blood. Chapter 30 - Levisia’s Unruly Sanctuary Chapter 30 ¨C Levisia¡¯s Unruly Sanctuary The next day, for the first time in a while, Levisia stayed inside and read her books. This moment had been long awaited. The peace the books radiated as the letters captured her eyes, however, was soon shattered when a familiar voice invaded her room. ¡°Why haven¡¯t youe to see me today?¡± ¡°Second Princess, your highness,¡± she replied and shifted from her sitting position. Elizabeth barged in when the sun was still high in the sky and red at her. She gnawed at her lips as she stared at me. ¡°There was no instruction on me having to return,¡± she spoke, avoiding her gaze. Elizabeth¡¯s eyes widened as if she heard something she had not expected. ¡°Are you saying you wille by anytime at my word?¡± Levisia quickly ced her book down next to her, deciding to be frank. ¡°I also have work to do so going to see your highness everyday might be a bit of a stretch.¡± She actually didn¡¯t have much to call work but if she didn¡¯t put it this way, Elizabeth might really call her every day. ¡°You have work to do?¡± Elizabeth seemed to think for a bit and looked around. ¡°Your pce is very small and dirty. It¡¯s hardly breathable,¡± she stated with a nonchnt air about her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡± she questioned, a tad offended. Pel swept all day yesterday and mopped today. What does that make Pel if she said such words about her home? ¡°How dare you make mee all the way out to this ce,¡± she stated indignantly. ¡°Shame on you. Move into my pce at once,¡± she demanded. ¡°Your highness?¡± Levisia was extremely confused. ¡°Why, what do you want?¡± Levisia could only guess how extravagant and luxurious her pce would be considering how she spoke about theirs. But why was she suddenly using her pce of being dirty and unpleasant and demanding that she move into her pce? ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s appropriate,¡± Levisia replied, confusion still not leaving her. ¡°Why not? Then you won¡¯t have to get out of your way toe see me.¡± ¡®So that was her n all along.¡¯ Suppressing a sigh to escape her lips, Levisia politely declined her offer. ¡°I still prefer her own pce. I find itfortable.¡± ¡°Cfortable? Where? How is itfortable?¡± Elizabeth asked, appearing to bepletely baffled. ¡°I like the tranquil and all the trees surrounding the ce. I don¡¯t mind being in a secluded area. It¡¯s beautiful.¡± I¡¯m less likely to run into a Kraiden, too. This she didn¡¯t say. ¡°Then I will stay here too!¡± She eximed. ¡°What?¡± Utter bewilderment littered her voice as Levisia regarded her. ¡°You just said it was small and dirty and unpleasant¡­¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t mind fixing up the ce excluding the things you¡¯ve mentioned?¡± ¡®Fix, what?¡¯ Levisia¡¯s features twisted into one of confusion. No sooner had the words left Elizabeth¡¯s lips that people barged into the pce. They cleared the grassy path leading outside the pce. t stones were ced strategically to form a walkway and the trees were trimmed, vastly improving their appearance. ¡°This looks much better now,¡± Elizabeth eximed as she surveyed the area. The unseemly path had been transformed into something that would not be out of ce in a luxurious garden. Yet Elizabeth¡¯s exmation of satisfaction was bothersome. It was rather adorable when Elizabeth appeared earlier that day with leaves in her hair. ¡°The rest will bepleted soon enough,¡± she made a sweeping motion. ¡°I shall not be doing this again since I am busy,¡± she stated with an air of superiority. ¡°Your highness is the one who invited herself here¡­¡± Levisia trailed off slowly with slight confusion. Elizabeth harrumphed and pursed her lips, ¡°Don¡¯t stand here looking ill and go in!¡± Levisia bowed to Elizabeth, bidding her farewell. As Elizabeth hesitantly took her steps, the words that rolled out of her tongue with a blush tinting her face were, ¡°Not offering to stay for dinner? How inconsiderate.¡± Levisia stood still in the silence that permeated the air. ¡°I even purposely came by at this hour.¡± Herst mumbling words were the least expected. ¡®I had to offer her to stay?¡¯ She could have hinted at it instead of expecting her to know. But when you have to farm just to feed three people, offering a meal to someone else was a feat of luxury. Their food is precious; she could not simply afford to offer indifferently as though they were basking in riches. Chapter 31 - Accidental Discovery Chapter 31 ¨C idental Discovery Several days had gone by since that bizarre episode with Elizabeth. She awoke just as dawn was creeping into the sky. From a distance, the birds¡¯ chirps echoed from their nests. It was time to water the crops and start about the day. Levisia stretched her limbs and draped a cloth over her body. She walked out of the room and a st of cold air attacked her. Ignoring the chill, she picked up the watering can. Soon, she arrived at the field, only to be greeted with dismay. ¡°Oh dear.¡± She murmured softly, careful not to disrupt the still atmosphere. The ground was already wet, but there was another problem: the rainstorm that had raged yesterday had damaged some of the support rods. She attempted to fix the broken rods but finished with not a hint of sess. Instead, her only aplishment was staining her shoes with mud. ¡°I should ask Pel if there are any extra support rods,¡± she wondered aloud. Even though it was still early in the day, Pel would already be awake. She shook the dirt from her shoes as she reached the threshold of her tiny pce and made her way to Pel¡¯s room. ¡°Pel,¡± she called out to him as I knocked on the door, but there was no answer. There was no way he was sleeping. He should be awake by now. She tapped the door with her fist once more and stated firmly, ¡°I¡¯ming in.¡± The door opened wide and her eyes swept an empty room. The nket was neatly folded on the bed; it was the only sign of life. He must already be awake. Where could he have gone? As she nced around Pel¡¯s room, she flinched when she noticed something on the table. With slow steps, she approached the table and squinted at the foreign object. This bushy, stringy, golden thing of awkward length was¡­ ¡°Hair?¡± It was a bunch of hair. More urately, a wig. Or what she thought was Pel¡¯s hair all this time. ¡°Why a wig¡­¡± Startled, she thinned her lips into a line and set the wig down. She felt as though she stumbled upon Pel¡¯s secret that he wanted to keep hidden. She hurriedly turned around to leave the room, but her head collided into someone¡¯s chest right away. ¡°Ow.¡± A long shadow cast over her as she withdrew a few steps, clutching her sore forehead. When she looked up, she saw a pair of golden eyes, wide open, and damp hair, its color reminiscent of wine. ¡°What are you¡­¡± he trailed off slowly. The strange yet familiar voice was most definitely Pel¡¯s. ¡°Pel?¡± This man before me looked so different from how he normally looked when he stood with his back hunched. All that was changed was merely his hair color and his posture and yet he seemed an entirely different person. How could it be this different? What wide shoulders and upright fit body! Pel had a towel draped around his neck as if he had just taken a bath. Seeing his full head of hair on top, Levisia realized the purpose of the wig. It was to hide his actual hair color and not because he was balding. She thought she had actually discovered a painful secret. She paused and scrutinized his face before it hit her. Hair with the color of wine and golden eyes¡­ She quickly shut her mouth before it dropped in surprise. Before Pel could say anything, she whispered in haste, ¡°Everybody has a secret, right?¡± He stared at her in absolute silence as she spoke. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯ll consider what I saw.¡± Pel was one of those people with too many secrets. She had overlooked them for this long and she would continue to do so. Levisia tried to walk away from his domineering shadow but he blocked her path and surveyed her with calm eyes. ¡°What did you see in there?¡± She stared into his golden orbs as her words flirted with silence. All she saw was Pel¡¯s bushy wig. ¡°Wig¡­ I only saw the wig.¡± He only stared down at her. ¡°So, I thought you were bald¡­ but now I see that you¡¯re not.¡± She pointed at his hair, trying so hard to stop her hand from quivering. ¡°Hair. It is indeed precious. Take good care of it.¡± A bewildered silence captured the room as she continued rambling, spewing out utter nonsense in a panic. ¡°You do miss it when it¡¯s not there anymore.¡± She looked down to avoid Pel¡¯s gaze. ¡°I won¡¯t ask why you wear a wig,¡± she reassured, and her words caressed like a gentle breeze. ¡°I also have a secret I didn¡¯t tell you.¡± ¡°A secret?¡± A puzzled expression danced across his face. ¡°Let¡¯s leave them in the dark. You know what I mean, right?¡± The day she made her n to leave the royal grounds aftering back from the brink of death known, Pel persistently asked for the reason. It was only overlooked after she roughly made up an answer. Chapter 32 - Hidden Right Under The Enemy’s Nose Chapter 32 ¨C Hidden Right Under the Enemy¡¯s Nose ¡°You didn¡¯t ask anymore about my secret, so I won¡¯t ask anymore about yours,¡± Levisia replied softly. She wanted to leave it at that but Pel was more persistent than she had previously thought. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can do that. You¡¯ve looked in here without my consent and you¡¯re saying you¡¯re about to pretend like you saw nothing without asking right now?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I wanted to see it.¡± Her weak excuse soon shriveled away when Pel came a step closer. He slowly pushed her back into his room and in his usual brisk tone he spoke. ¡°I can¡¯t take your word for it, what will you do?¡± ¡°What would you have us do then?¡± At her question, Pel opened his drawer and pulled out a piece of paper, pushing it towards her. ¡°Let¡¯s write a contract.¡± ¡®That thorough bastard.¡¯ Not longter, Levisia found herself with a pen in her hand, writing a contract that was more like a memorandum. [No one¡¯s secrets shall be disclosed nor inquired any further.] His voice then interrupted her as she was about to sign her name. ¡°If it has been disclosed or inquired¡­¡± Pel¡¯s fingers swept his damp hair, and for the first time, a smile was painted on his lips. A very scheming smile. ¡°Whatever the other wishes, one must grant.¡± ¡°Wait, that¡¯s¡ª¡± ¡°You simply have to not disclose or ask anymore of it. Do you n to do either?¡± He had her in the palm of his hand! But just as he that would eat the fruit must climb the tree, she quickly added the use to the contract with no further protest to get away from him. ¡°Is it good now?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Normally, he would get things finished without dy; however, he took his sweet time inspecting the contract. His eyes skimmed the paper one more time, then its gaze shifted toward her as she clutched the contract. He then brought his finger to his mouth and dug his teeth on his finger to draw blood. He stamped his blooded finger on the contract. When she stared at him out of confusion, Pel opened her hand and smeared his blood on her thumb. ¡°Wait, then¡­ Wouldn¡¯t it be your blood then?¡± When she looked at him with the inquiry, he calmly spoke. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. The fingerprint will be Your Highness¡¯.¡± Levisia looked down at the blood on her hand, and having nothing more she could do, she stamped my finger on the contract just like his. ¡°The contract is established, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep this with me.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll just write up another one.¡± ¡°Do you want She to find out about this?¡± He meant whether she wanted She to discover the contract while cleaning. Forck of anything better, though she wasn¡¯t quite satisfied, Levisia had to agree with him. ¡°So why did youe all the way here looking for me? Surely that isn¡¯t a secret?¡± ¡°Oh. I went out to the field and some of the support rods were broken.¡± ¡°Simply because of that.¡± She could tell what words he swallowed when she saw where his eyes turned to. A contract was written because his secret was seen merely because of support rods. ¡°We will probably need five more support rods.¡± ¡°I will get them.¡± ¡°Well then¡­ I shall be off.¡± She continued to pretend not to notice the wig¡¯s ring existence on the table and walked away. As soon as she left the room and shut the door, her heart began to uncontrobly pound out of her chest. ¡®No way.¡¯ She covered her mouth lest a sound slipped and hurried off. Numerous thoughts erupted in her mind as she went on her way back to my room. One of which was about the novel this world originates from. It described the main lead as one with reddish ck hair and golden eyes. From what she could recall, due to the genre of the novel, it was not very descriptive when it came to the characters. For that reason, it was hard to determine Pel¡¯s identity by the few times the description appears in the novel. ¡®But¡­¡¯ The main lead who has be the fallen kingdom¡¯s prince was said to have spent his youth years in this kingdom. ¡®I didn¡¯t know that meant that he spent it in the royal ground, the heart of this kingdom!¡¯ And adding to that the fact that he kept himself hidden from Kraiden¡­ Levisia¡¯s heartbeat pounded along to the beat of her steps. Even if one easily missed what was under their nose, it was utterly ridiculous. To hide and work as a servant in the pce where your enemies are all living? ¡®Or perhaps, to observe the enemies in close quarters¡­¡¯ How calcting! All this time, she thought the one person she had to be most wary of until she could flee this ce was Kraiden, but now Kraiden was not the problem. ¡®The most dangerous person was right next to me!¡¯ Farid Roycal¡ªthe one who is going to leave the royal grounds in ruins! ¡®Damn it.¡¯ Chapter 33 - Thrown In The Dragon’s Den Chapter 33 ¨C Thrown in the Dragon¡¯s Den From that day on, there was an undefinable tension between Levisia and Pel. Ever since she had identally unraveled Pel¡¯s true identity, she was unable to treat him as she did before. Isn¡¯t that normal? He was a prince of a ruined empire, a royal blood. Much more noble than she was. ¡®And also the figure that would wipe out the current empire¡­¡¯ Levisia regretted having treated Pel carelessly so far. Why couldn¡¯t she have found out earlier and treated him nicely? Perhaps she could start treating him better now in good hopes? Oh¡­ she was hopeless. She could only hope Pel wouldn¡¯t scoff at her upon realizing her intention. No, Pel was oblivious that Levisia was aware of his identity, but if she continued acting this way, she would be found out. Even now, Pel was looking at her with suspicious eyes and¡­ ¡®Oh my, is he trying to talk to me?¡¯ Just before she turned her head, she heard Pel¡¯s low voice. ¡°These days¡­¡± The golden eyes beneath the heavy wig were directed towards her. ¡°Hmm, hmm?¡± She blinked her eyes, feigning innocence. ¡°Why are you like this?¡± She tilted her head at Pel¡¯s question. ¡°Yes, mydy. You barely seem to talk to Pel.¡± ¡°Me?¡± Levisia pretended to be oblivious and confused. To which She replied, ¡°You try to stay only near me¡­ did Pel do something wrong?¡± ¡°What do you mean something wrong?¡± She asked, but her facade immediately shattered as her voice unknowingly shrilled. After denying the fact strongly, realization dawned upon her. Pel¡¯s gaze towards her was bing more intense. ¡®Rx, I just need to act as I usually do.¡¯ But it was harder than said. This is why to be ignorant is a bliss, and to be knowledgeable is sometimes frightening. She could never go back to before she found out about it. Pel¡¯s true identity was no longer a mystery to her and it was irreversible. Unless she suddenly lost her memory. Desperate to retreat her current dilemma, she started to busy herself with the bookshelf and thought of ame excuse, saying, ¡°I don¡¯t really have anything to say, that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°But to me-¡± ¡°She, shall we have our dinner now?¡± She hastily interrupted She from finishing her sentence. She smiled as though she understood and nodded, ¡°I¡¯ll go get ready.¡± ¡®Yes, this is the chance.¡¯ ¡°Then I¡¯ll help-¡± Ready to flee, she was about to follow She when¡­ ¡°Mydy, you should stay here. This will be a good opportunity for you to catch up with Pel.¡± ¡°W-wait.¡± ¡°Pel, you cane and get the food once I ring the bellter.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Along with Pel¡¯s dry reply the door closed shut. Levisia could follow She out of the room, but she couldn¡¯t bring herself to leave, reminded of the soft hand that blocked her. She was her maid, but sometimes she felt like a mother as well, which made it difficult for her to go against her suggestion, which applied to the current situation. She retreated her outstretched arm that was left hanging in the air and swallowed her desperation. ¡®She, help me¡­¡¯ How could she leave after leaving her in the dragon¡¯s den? How heartless. Levisia managed to suppress the urge to sob and turned around. When she was about to take a seat in the chair farthest from Pel, he spoke. ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s because you don¡¯t have anything to talk about?¡± Pel, who had leaned his body against the wall, confronted her. ¡°When before you were so eager to talk to me?¡± ¡°I was not.¡± Levisia opposed, but her words carried embarrassment. Pel began to walk towards where she was seated and she quickly turned her gaze to the book in her hands, burying her nose onto the thick pages. ¡°See, you¡¯re avoiding my eyes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m reading a book.¡± ¡°And youe up with excuses.¡± ¡°What do you mean by excuses?¡± As she lifted her head, her eyes met Pel¡¯s peering orbs. He had bent himself to be on eye level with her. ¡°And you are nervous,¡± he added. ¡°¡­..!¡± Levisia couldn¡¯t even bring herself to open her mouth and retort. Pel was inspecting every corner of her face; a nervous pretense wouldn¡¯t be able to trick his perceptive eyes. ¡°Even She has figured it out, at this rate.¡± ¡°What¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s too obvious.¡± ¡®That I am frozen up like an idiot?¡¯ Unlike her, who couldn¡¯t even muster to breathe, suffocated by the heavy tension, Pel sighed and took a step back. ¡°This is not why she signed the contract.¡± She couldn¡¯t think of a reply. ¡°Act normally like you did before. And stop avoiding me.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m trying.¡± Pel shrugged his shoulders at her words. He must mean that she didn¡¯t appear that way. Just as he was about to leave the room, he paused as he grabbed a hold of the door handle and spoke, ¡°Let me ask you one thing.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Are you acting this way because you can¡¯t trust me?¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°What I mean is do you find me hard to trust because I have hidden it until now.¡± Pel tugged lightly at his hair as he turned to look at her. ¡®Oh, he was asking if she found him hard to trust because he wore a wig.¡¯ ¡°No way. It¡¯s nothing like that.¡± ¡°Then, did you see something else in my room?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it either.¡± Pel stared at her before replying, ¡°Then that¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Fine then.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s not any of those reasons and you still insist on avoiding me, then¡­¡± Pel closed his mouth and tilted his head. ¡°There¡¯s nothing I can do.¡± ¡®That is such a scary thing to say.¡¯ Chapter 34 - Another Visitor Arrives At Night Chapter 34 ¨C Another Visitor Arrives At Night At longst, it was past dinner, which was painfully awkward for Levisia. She delighted in a quick stroll along the garden before isting herself in her room, and then she discovered something in the middle of the side road. ¡®What is that, that figure?¡¯ As she peered closely, she found that the strange silhouette was a person. A squatting person, at that. ¡®I thought it was a ghost.¡¯ Intrigued, she headed towards the side road¡ª a decision which instantly filled her with regret. The face that turned to look at her was not an unfamiliar one. ¡°¡­What are you doing here?¡± She couldn¡¯t not ask having their eyes met. It was even more difficult to ignore the person who she can safely say was weakness personified, crouching in front of her pce. ¡°Look at this.¡± The second prince, Reign, pointed to the grass growing next to the road. ¡°¡­.?¡± ¡°Something is moving.¡± Her eyes followed the direction his finger curiously pointed, and there was a squirrel, rolling itsrge eyes as it looked around its dark surroundings. Was this man seriously having his knees almost touch the ground because of a mere squirrel? ¡°Is this the first time you¡¯ve seen a squirrel?¡± she questioned. ¡°Have you seen them frequently?¡± ¡°I do see them often.¡± ¡°Do youe here a lot?¡± ¡®Why are we having this conversation¡­?¡¯ She thought to herself, but nheless replied. ¡°Well, this ce is surrounded by lots of trees and greeneries. It¡¯s not like I intentionallye here, my footsteps just naturally lead me here.¡± ¡°I see. Because of lots of trees.¡± Reign looked around and nodded his head. Then the squirrel that had been observing them took it as an opportunity and fled in an instant, at which he sighed with longing eyes. ¡°Ah, it ran away.¡± ¡®This person is kind of a blur¡­¡¯ He was the opposite of his younger sibling, Elizabeth. How could they be so different when they were blood rted? ¡®Ah, the wonders of this family reach no end.¡¯ She asked Reign as he slowly straightened himself, ¡°So, what brings you all the way here?¡± He barely managed to lift himself, trembling as if his body would copse any moment. With a nce, she could tell he wasn¡¯t in a wholesome condition, which her question presupposed. What was someone, who should be bedridden, doing all the way out here? ¡°Because I feel stable when I¡¯m with you¡­¡± Levisia was baffled at his reply. ¡®He came all the way here, when he looked like he was going to pass out, just for a feeling?¡¯ Her mouth opened and closed, unable to manage a response. If it was Kraiden, it would be understandable, but she couldn¡¯tprehend what someone as powerless as Reign would feel from someone like her. ¡°Second Prince, do you also get a simr feeling from me like the Fairy Tree?¡± ¡°Fairy Tree? Maybe¡­¡± ¡®This guy, he doesn¡¯t even know what it is.¡¯ Reign looked at her in silence and scratched the back of his head. Then, he said, ¡°But, who are you?¡± ¡®He came all the way here without knowing who I am?¡¯ ¡°Did youe here without even knowing who I am?¡± Reign¡¯s purple eyes blinked slowly at her question before answering. ¡°I got up and saw a light¡­ so I just followed it.¡± ¡°A light?¡± ¡°A bright shiny thing.¡± ¡®Of course a light is bright and shiny.¡¯ A subtle frown appeared on Reign¡¯s face as he looked at her, and Levisia realized her expression must¡¯ve reflected her thought. ¡°Do I need to exin more? I¡¯m tired.¡± How did he get here if he even found talking to be tiring? Now, it no longer mattered if it was Kraiden or not. This entire bloodline, as a whole, is definitely problematic. In the end, she took Reign with her and headed to the pce. As they passed the entrance, Pel seemed taken aback as he spotted Reign trailing after Levisia. ¡°What is that thing you have trailing behind you?¡± he asked with narrow eyes. ¡°Pel, that is not a way to refer to a person.¡± ¡°A person?¡± He looked up and down at Reign suspiciously. He would be busy avoiding the situation if it was Elizabeth or Lidan, so it was unusual of him to be around. ¡®Ah, maybe because Reign is not a Kraiden?¡¯ Maybe he felt he didn¡¯t have to steer clear from him since he was powerless. So, he wasn¡¯t even trying to conceal his identity from Reign? His differentiation was rather obvious. ¡°He doesn¡¯t seem very much alive, so I thought you brought along a ghost.¡± After hearing Pel¡¯sment, she turned to look at Reign. In the light, his pale cheeks and carelessly donned white dress did make him look like a ghost from afar, which is why she had mistaken him earlier on as well. ¡°I hear that a lot.¡± Reign added on as though it wasn¡¯t a big deal. If he heard that frequently, does that mean he was treated poorly even in his own pce? ¡°First, let¡¯s go inside.¡± Levisia headed towards the drawing room with Reign, who was still subject to Pel¡¯s intense scrutiny. She had brought Reign along with her, afraid that he would pass out if he was left alone, but now she didn¡¯t know what to do. ¡®Hisplexion seems worse than just now, can she just send him back?¡¯ Once more, she found herself lost in a dilemma and stared into space. Suddenly, Pel grabbed her wrist. After seeing Reign plonk himself down on the sofa in the drawing room, she turned around and faced Pel. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°How can you just pick anyone up like this, and at this hour.¡± ¡°He was in front of the pce, so what am I supposed to do?¡± ¡°He was in front of the pce at this time? That¡¯s suspicious. Let¡¯s send him back.¡± ¡°Wait, Pel!¡± This time, she snatched Pel¡¯s arm and spoke firmly. ¡°He¡¯s not well.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s someone who might pass out on his way back.¡± Levisia assured Pel that Reign was a sick person, and his face turned somber. He asked, ¡°So how did someone like that make it all the way here?¡± ¡°That¡¯s exactly my point.¡± ¡®Why did hee all the way here?¡¯ ¡°Look, look at that sicklyplexion of his.¡± She pointed at Reign¡¯s face through the crack in the door. Pel crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes. Levisia insisted, ¡°Does he look like someone who can cause harm to me?¡± ¡°He definitely looks unwell, but you never know. And besides look at the time.¡± ¡®Since just now he keeps emphasising on the time.¡¯ She replied, ¡°It¡¯s only eight o¡¯clock.¡± ¡°It¡¯ste.¡± ¡°Eight o¡¯clock iste?¡± She raised her eyebrows. ¡°Of course it¡¯ste, to visit someone.¡± ¡®Why is Pel being so particr?¡¯ Chapter 35 - Levisia’s Doom Chapter 35 ¨C Levisia¡¯s Doom ¡®Well, when was he not.¡¯ Honestly, Levisia too wanted to send Reign back to his pce. However, seeing him in such a weak and feeble state, she couldn¡¯t help but fret he would copse on his way back. Upon their first encounter, Reign was lying on his bed, so Levisia could do whatever she pleased¡­ Now was a different matter: he was a guest who hade to visit her, right? To feel responsible would be a natural response. ¡°Let¡¯s just take care of him until they send someone from his side,¡± she said. ¡®I¡¯m sure he told someone before he came over. Actually, no, he did say he followed a light, so maybe not?¡¯ ¡°This isn¡¯t some nursery¡­¡± Pel pointed out, but Levisia only retorted with: ¡°The kid is too big to be called a nursery.¡± Pel nced at her and then shook his head in defeat. Seeing him surrender, Levisia left him behind and entered the drawing room only to be surprised. ¡°Second Prince, Your Highness.¡± Reign lifted his head extremely slowly. He seemed to be reacting to sound in general. ¡°Are you alright? You look¡­¡± Levisia trailed off. Hisplexion had worsened in such a short span of time. What is his body made of, Tofu or something? Levisia wondered. ¡°I am o¡­¡± Reign could barely reply, and his eyes seemed nk. ¡°Can I sit next to you?¡± Levisia asked. ¡°Sorry?¡± ¡°What the¡­¡± Pel, who had closed the door behind him as he entered, seemed startled. Levisia too was surprised, but being reminded of the previous day, she guessed his intention. ¡®He thinks he will get better if I am next to him.¡¯ There was that peculiar situation at the pce, and just now, he did say that he felt at ease next to her. There were plenty of reasons why Reign would consider her as some human cure of sorts. At this rate, she might have to send an invoice from her pce. ¡®I guess I have no choice.¡¯ ¡°I¡¯ll go next to you,¡± she said. ¡°Your Highness?¡± Behind her, Pel called out with an unusually sharp tone. As Levisia took a seat beside Reign, she looked at him with eyes that said ¡®what.¡¯ Pel frowned, ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Acting as a human cure.¡± Pel raised his eyebrows, but Levisia could no longer ce her attention towards him as Reign sunk the moment she was seated next to him. His head was tilted, and he had his eyes closed. Seeing his weary silhouette, she couldn¡¯t help but think out loud, ¡°Why did youe all the way here in this state¡­¡± She merely spoke, unexpecting of a response. But when he did not reply, she began to worry. Was he dead? Anxious, she brought her hand towards his face. Reign must have realised as he suddenly opened his eyes. Peering into the slightly hazy purple eyes of Reign, she asked, ¡°Your Highness, did you tell anyone beforeing over here?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Your Highness?¡± After calling him a few times, Reign rolled his eyes slowly and looked in her direction. ¡°Mmm¡­ Did I¡­? I might not have¡­¡± He was beyond rational. Levisia ced a hand to her forehead and turned around to look at Pel. ¡°Where do we have an empty room with a bed?¡± ¡°No way, are you going to let him stay the night?¡± Reign didn¡¯t even reply to Pel¡¯s question. He didn¡¯t seem to be able to hear them clearly to begin with. ¡°I think I can go back if I rest a little¡­¡± Oh, so he was listening. Levisia shifted her gaze toward Reign who replied shakily and shook her head. He looked like he would pass out on the floor even before he could start making his way back. Then, the next day he would be found as a corpse¡­ ¡®Well, let¡¯s just say I predict something like that happening.¡¯ ¡°We need to prepare a room.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have such rooms in this pce.¡± That was true. They have never had a single guest so far, hence theck of amodations. At this realization, Levisia¡¯s forehead deepened into a frown. Meanwhile, Reign, who had somehow managed to lift his head back up, spoke. ¡°Sleeping out might be a bit¡­¡± ¡®We¡¯re in the same pce, so what does he mean sleeping out?¡¯ While Levisia was lost for words, Pel, who had regained his senses faster than her, said, ¡°I¡¯ll take you to my room.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Well, we don¡¯t have any rooms. And like you said, he doesn¡¯t seem to be mentally or physically capable of making it back.¡± Pel seemed to havepletely ignored what Reign had just said. ¡°Then what about you?¡± ¡°We have spare duvets and nkets so I can sleep on the floor.¡± As she was about to nod her head subconsciously, she stopped. Levisia was reminded of what had been bothering her for thest couple of days. ¡®Pel¡¯s room is out of bounds.¡¯ Even for the price of her life, she may have been not entirely nice to him, but she couldn¡¯t possibly take away his room from him as well. ¡°Why not use my room¨D¡± But she was soon interrupted as she caught a glimpse of Pel¡¯s gaze; his blue orbs were incredibly sharp. ¡®I feel like I shouldn¡¯t finish my sentence¡­¡¯ She hesitated before giving in, nodding her head. ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°But I can¡¯t spend the night out¡­¡± ¡®What is this person even saying?¡¯ Levisia then asked Reign who had turned into a jelly, ¡°Then are you going to go back?¡± ¡°¡­I at least need, cough, to inform the pce.¡± Certainly so. Since he had said he had left unannounced, chaos might strike his pce tonight. Someone as sick as him to suddenly disappear out of the blue, chaos would be an understatement. But there posed a problem: there was nobody who could send the message to Reign¡¯s pce. That was when Levisia met Pel¡¯s eyes. Pel seemed to have given up, and with his usual expressionless face, replied, ¡°I¡¯ll go.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡®I am doomed. I am totally doomed. I am doomed from ever being on Pel¡¯s good side.¡¯ Chapter 36 - One Unspoken Truth Chapter 36 ¨C One Unspoken Truth Pel sent Reign up to his room, along with Levisia, and soon left. Soon, she was left alone with Reign. A momentter, she was surprised to find She in theirpany. ¡°She, what is it?¡± asked Levisia. ¡°For some reason, Pel told me to stay by your side?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡®Why did he say such a thing before he went off¡­?¡¯ Levisia turned around to look at the bed, burying the question at the back of her mind, and saw Reign, who was huffing in Pel¡¯s bed, looking directly at her. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Do you know why? I am like this¡­¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t know.¡± Sometime before, she had heard that the second prince had a unique physical condition. Reign was never discussed in detail in the book, so she too did not know much about him. His eyes swept the room and soon fell on She. ¡°Will you excuse us?¡± It was a question directed at her. ¡®Does this mean that he wants to discuss something others shouldn¡¯t know about?¡¯ Levisia¡¯s widened eyes came to face She¡¯s. Then, she mouthed ¡®should I leave?¡¯ which left her in thought. Did she need to hear what he needed to say? She wasn¡¯t particrly curious about somebody else¡¯s medical condition, and it seemed to be confidential information, which was all the more reason not to know. Reign added on in a convincing tone. Her hesitation must have been obvious. ¡°¡­It might be rted to you.¡± ¡°Oh, is that so.¡± His words indeed brought a change. ¡°She, could you excuse us for a moment?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± As She left the room, Levisia turned to look at Reign, who stared at her with a nk expression. ¡°You can speak freely now.¡± ¡°Alright¡­¡± Perhaps it was just an illusion, but his voice sounded shaky. *** The story Reign told brought surprise to Levisia. ¡°What do you mean the Fairy Tree is dying?¡± ¡°It means exactly what I said. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s strange that there used to be only one person born with powers per bloodline, but all of a sudden a whole bunch of us are born with it?¡± Reign paused and took a deep breath. ¡°This weird phenomenon happened ever since the Fairy Tree started to wither.¡± ¡°Is it because of the increase in the number of people with powers, that the tree is losing its power?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know about that. It might be the opposite.¡± ¡°By opposite, you mean?¡± ¡°As it started to wither, it might have felt the danger and started pouring out all its powers.¡± Levisia now understood why Reign had requested privacy. To think that he would discuss a matter that could shake the entire stability of the empire. ¡°Then, Your Highness, what does this have to do with me?¡± Levisia asked. Hadn¡¯t the initiator of this conversation been the reason for Reign¡¯s condition? Levisia presumed it would be the focus of their conversation. On the other hand, Reign must have expected a simr reaction as he nodded his head. ¡°I am not born with any particr skill, but I was born very sensitive. ¡°Sensitive?¡± ¡°Yes, I have weaker survival powers aspared to others so I rely more heavily on the Fairy Tree¡¯s power.¡± ¡®I see. No wonder they say a unique physical condition¡­¡¯ But as Levisia digested his words, she froze. ¡°Wait. Then that means¡­¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. As the Fairy Tree withers, I too will be affected.¡± Her eyes widened. ¡°I wasn¡¯t always this bad.¡± Reign seemed to be out of breath from merely talking alone. Levisia presumed that the changes in his health must have been recent. ¡°It must be hard for you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m getting used to it.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡®Getting used to it doesn¡¯t sound like a good thing.¡¯ Reign curled his mouth into a smile, noticing the difort which could not be hidden in her face. With the unusually pale face of his, even his smile looked like it would fade away soon. ¡°Elizabeth is the one having a harder time than me.¡± ¡°The Second Princess?¡± ¡°Even though she acts like she doesn¡¯t, she cares for me deeply.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Levisia was convinced, too. Elizabeth put on a facade of indifference, acting as if she couldn¡¯t care less. It must be why she had run off then. ¡°She was always like that since we were young. Acting like she dislikes me, but actually looking out for me.¡± Elizabeth disliked Reign? Such was a discovery to Levisia. Immediately, like an open book, Reign read her expression and asked, ¡°There were a lot of rumours. Didn¡¯t you know?¡± Levisia muttered, ¡°Well I¡¯m always here¡­ and I don¡¯t meet anyone in particr.¡± ¡°You¡¯re worse than me.¡± ¡®I really don¡¯t think that should be something to be said by someone who was fascinated by a mere squirrel.¡¯ Reign continued, ¡°I was born with no special power but with a sensitive body. So from Elizabeth¡¯s point of view, who is talented in many fields, she must have thought of me as a hopeless loser.¡± Even though Levisia was born with no power, which she was utterly convinced of, she found herself speechless. ¡°This is when Elizabeth used to consider me to be as worthless as a stone on the side of the road. Then, I was just an embarrassing brother. One she didn¡¯t want to admit being rted to.¡± Reign¡¯s breath faltered as he spoke too much. ¡°If it¡¯s difficult for you, you can stop talking¨D¡± ¡°No. If I end off like this then I make Elizabeth sound like a bad person.¡± From those words, Levisia could glimpse Reign¡¯s intention, as well as his feelings for Elizabeth. ¡°Then what made Elizabeth change was when the previous empress passed away.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Levisia was already aware of what kind of figure the previous empress had meant for Elizabeth and Reign. As their eyes met, she noticed a look of deep longing in his tired eyes. ¡°Yes, she is our mother who gave birth to us. To the public, it was announced to be due to an illness but it is only half correct.¡± His remark sent questions to Elizabeth¡¯s mind. ¡°Mother, no, Her Highness had be weak after using too much of her energy to revive the Fairy Tree.¡± Chapter 37 - Tempted Chapter 37 ¨C Tempted It was the first time Levisia had heard of such a thing. Well, if the actual condition of the Fairy Tree was withheld from the public, it wouldn¡¯t be a surprise if the truth behind the empress¡¯s death was kept secret. Reign sighed regrettably, ¡°We say that she used her powers, but it¡¯s more like she sacrificed herself. Since the previous empress tried to return all her power to the Fairy Tree.¡± Levisia stifled her words, noticing the grim expression across Reign¡¯s face. Reign continued, ¡°Then ever since, Elizabeth seems to hold some sense of guilt. Since she was born with a lot more power than others.¡± ¡°She must believe that her power was the reason for the Fairy Tree¡¯s withering and was why the empress ended up that way,¡± Levisia muttered, concern growing in her heart. ¡°That is urate.¡± However, it wasn¡¯t only Elizabeth who had been gifted with such power since childbirth. Kraiden birthed six heirs who were equally powerful. If the cause of the Fairy Tree impending death was due to the increased number of those with powers, then nobody could escape the me, which included Levisia herself, who had been endowed with a little bit of that power as well. It may be insignificant, but it was power nheless. ¡°But is that really the reason why the tree started to wither?¡± she questioned. ¡°I don¡¯t know as well. But I don¡¯t think it is either.¡± ¡®So we share the same thought.¡¯ As their eyes met, Reign shrugged his shoulder. Neither Reign nor she could be certain. ¡°And the reason why I¡¯m telling you this is¡­¡± Reign paused, closing his mouth, and scratched his head. ¡°Like I said, you have a simr energy as the Fairy Tree.¡± Levisia raised her eyebrow, ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Yes. Seeing how I feel at ease when you are by my side.¡± The words Reign told her as they encountered one another at the side of the road crossed Levisia¡¯s mind. ¡®Right. Reign did say that he needed the Fairy Tree¡¯s power to survive.¡¯ It was strange, and she found it difficult to grasp. ¡°Do you really feel better when I¡¯m next to you?¡± ¡°Slightly,¡± he responded. So it must be a minimal effect. ¡®Of course it is,¡¯ Levisia nodded her head. ¡°So I wanted to warn you to be careful from now on.¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± ¡°As the Fairy Tree withers and dies, you, who are born with the simr energy will be¡­¡± Reign trailed off, his expression darkening. ¡°Will be tempting to anyone.¡± ¡°Tempting?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Levisia was instantly reminded of Lidan, Siaphil, and Elizabeth. ¡®I¡¯m sure they will definitely treat me differently from now,¡¯ she thought. But little did she know. ¡°Even I am tempted right now,¡± Reign admitted. For a moment, Levisia fell into silence before speaking, ¡°You?¡± A strange expression painted Reign¡¯s face as he confessed, but Levisia shrugged it off. ¡®He still looks unwell.¡¯ She asked, ¡°Do you want to take a rest?¡± Reign, who had been quiet, turned his head and mumbled, ¡°Maybe I should¡­¡± Seeing him crawl back under the covers, Levisia stood up, only to be seated again. Reign turned his attention toward her. Noticing his confusion, Levisia said, ¡°I will stay by your side until you fall asleep.¡± ¡°Wow¡­¡± Reignmented, his voice drained of energy. ¡°Last time you wouldn¡¯t even offer me a ss of water,pared to that, you¡¯re much more kinder now.¡± Levisia remained mum, feeling regretful over her past actions. ¡°Thank you.¡± Regin closed his eyes after nodding his thanks, and true to her words, Levisia stayed by his side until he fell asleep. As she sat, she digested the words he had just shared. Soon, it was deep into the night, and by the time she left the room, she found Pel leaning against the wall. ¡°When did you get back?¡± she asked in a whisper, surprised. Pel answered, casting a nce toward the door that had closed behind her, ¡°Just now.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t youe in?¡± ¡°I heard the two of you were discussing something important.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Levisia closed her mouth in realization. ¡®Right, I did that. I even sent She out of the room, so how could I forget.¡¯ Pel queried, ¡°So were you both talking until now?¡± ¡°No, we weren¡¯t.¡± ¡°Did anything else¡­ happen?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Alright then.¡± Pel stretched out his hand and grabbed a hold of the handle, about to enter the room. Levisia intended to bid good night, but she then seized his arm. Pel stared at her in wonder. No matter how she considered it, putting Pel and Reign in the same room seemed odd. It was like feeding a cat with fish. ¡®What should I do?¡¯ she debated. To Pel, Reign is the son of his enemy, right? Having these pr characters use the same room¡­ ¡°What is it?¡± Pel asked, interrupting her conflicted thoughts. ¡°Erm, that is¡­¡± Levisia ransacked her brain for the best solution, and after a moment or so, she finally asked Pel, ¡°Do you want to sleep in my room tonight?¡± But only after saying it out loud did she realize her mistake. ¡®That sounds a little¡­¡¯ Weird? As she became aware of it, she noticed Pel¡¯s face had stiffened as if he was clenching his teeth. Notter, he asked in a bewildered tone, ¡°What on earth are you saying, right now?¡± Chapter 38 - Unyielding Spirits Chapter 38 ¨C Unyielding Spirits ¡°No, I don¡¯t mean it like that¡­¡± Levisia attempted to remedy her carelessness, but Pel had turned his back from her as she tried to exin. ¡°Forget it.¡± ¡°Wait, wait a minute.¡± Levisia snatched Pel¡¯s arm just before he could turn the handle of the door. Pel looked down at her hand and then raised an eyebrow. He used to look arrogant before his identity was discovered; now, he looked rather menacing. Levisia continued hastily, ¡°I just don¡¯t think it¡¯s right to let you share the room with the Second Prince.¡± As she tried toe up with an excuse, Pel opened his mouth and said, ¡°To me, both rooms are the same.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°For someone like me.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Pel must think that Levisia was stopping him because of their social distinction. ¡®Well, I guess there isn¡¯t a better reason than that.¡¯ A servant sleeping in the same room as a prince or a princess, from Pel¡¯s lenses, it was the same. He pointed out, ¡°Sleeping in your room is even more out of the question.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°Well, I do.¡± Pel¡¯s eyes darkened as he spoke, ¡°If not, should I sleep outside?¡± ¡°What? Of course not.¡± Levisia knew it was toote to begin a good rtionship with Pel, but even so, making him sleep outside was out of the question. ¡°You lost your bed because of me, so sleep in my room,¡± she insisted. ¡°Why is it your fault? If we are finding a fault that is.¡± Pel¡¯s gaze shifted toward the center of the door, ¡°It¡¯s all because of the person inside the room.¡± ¡®At this rate, Reign will overhear the conversation.¡¯ Levisia grabbed Pel¡¯s arm and pulled him. Pel protested, ¡°I¡¯m not going.¡± But Levisia was persistent, and spouted an excuse, ¡°It¡¯s lonely being alone.¡± ¡°Right, as if.¡± Pel snorted. ¡®Was my lie too obvious?¡¯ Levisia deemed it was understandable since Pel didn¡¯t even like being touched; asking him to sleep in the same room might be¡­ Suddenly, Levisia stopped walking at a sudden realization. She had been holding onto Pel¡¯s arm right now. Baffled, she asked, ¡°You¡­ Why aren¡¯t you avoiding it?¡± Pel stared at her, ¡°Avoiding what?¡± ¡°You normally don¡¯t likeing into contact with other people.¡± Then, as if he had only realized, Pel immediately pulled his arm away. Levisia narrowed her eyes at him, ¡°Did you pretend to hate it until now because of the wig?¡± Pel was silent. Instead of replying, a frown wrinkled his forehead. His expression alone was an answer. Then, he seemed to think of something else as he looked down at her and asked, ¡°Then what about you, Your Highness. You avoided me until now but did you change your mind because of that person?¡± His words caught Levisia by surprise. She felt she ought to reprimand him for referring to a person in such a way, but she couldn¡¯t bring herself to. She felt as though she had been caught, but her words spoke otherwise. ¡°You told me not to avoid you anymore.¡± This time, it was Pel who was caught off-guard. ¡°Isn¡¯t that what you said just now?¡± Levisia added, relief flooding her heart as she barely managed to save herself from another doom. Seeing his expression settle down, she thought her bluff must have been correct. ¡®Maybe¡­ he was upset about this?¡¯ she wondered. Although she doubted it, she used it as an opportunity. ¡°Sleep in my room tonight. It¡¯s an order.¡± Pel let out a sigh in defeat. * * * ¡®Maybe I wasn¡¯t actually afraid of Pel,¡¯ she thought to herself as she looked at Pel who was sitting on folded nkets from the bed. Levisia asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to take off your wig?¡± ¡°Why have you kept mentioning my wig since just now?¡± Pel retorted. ¡°Well¡­¡± Unable to find an appropriate response, Levisia turned her gaze away from him. Her eyes swept the open page of the book she usually read before falling asleep. Deep inside, she thought,¡®Would it be weird if I said I wanted to see him without his wig on?¡¯ Despite her effort, she found it difficult to not stare at Pel¡¯s wig. ¡®I want to tidy up that messy hair of his.¡¯ As her gaze lingered on his disheveled wig, Pel turned to look at me and spoke up, ¡°Do you not recall the contract?¡± ¡°Of course I do,¡± she muttered. ¡°Then why do you keep¡­¡± ¡°Stop digging, I get it. I didn¡¯t know we weren¡¯t allowed to even refer to it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the same thing.¡± ¡°Oh, is it?¡± Then, Levisia was left without a choice. Withdrawing her interest, she diverted her attention to the book. She intended for the consequences of breaking the contract to remain a mystery to her. After flipping a few pages, Pel was still seated in the same position. Curious, Levisia asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to sleep?¡± Chapter 39 - An Agonizing, Sleepless Night Chapter 39 ¨C An Agonizing, Sleepless Night ¡°What about you, Your Highness?¡± ¡°I will once I get sleepy after reading.¡± But at this state, it seemed like sleep wouldn¡¯te easily. She might have to finish the entire book before drowsiness ovees her. ¡°Shall I turn off the lights?¡± she offered. ¡°It¡¯s fine. You should continue reading,¡± Pel replied. ¡°I can turn on the bedsidemp.¡± Levisia turned off the light that brightened the entire room before Pel could utter a single word to stop her. Then, she lit up the candle of themp on the bedside table. ¡°You wake up earlier than I do. So go to sleep.¡± Pel cast a nce toward her and lied down reluctantly. Levisia sneaked a look at the back that was facing her and went back to reading. Some time had passed, but somehow, Pel didn¡¯t seem to be able to sleep as he tossed and turned continuously. Levisia inquired, ¡°Is your bed ufortable?¡± ¡°¡­No, it¡¯s not like that.¡± His tone sounded as if he was irritated, but she couldn¡¯t possibly say anything at the moment. After all, in a way, she had just kicked Pel out of his own bed. After turning a few more pages of the book, Levisia felt her heavy eyelids droop and closed the book, cing it on top of the bedside table, and blew on the candle. The entire room was engulfed in darkness. She whispered ¡®good night¡¯ to Pel¡¯s still silhouette and closed her eyes. * * * ¡®As I¡¯d thought, I made a mistakeing here.¡¯ Pel thought to himself as he watched Levisia dry her hair after taking a shower. He contemted leaving the room once she had turned around and idled around the bookshelf, but for some reason, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to leave. When he hade to his senses, he was already seated on a stack of nkets, and Levisia was constantly ncing at his head covered with the wig. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to wash up?¡± she asked. ¡°¡­I will when I return to my own room.¡± ¡°Oh, okay.¡± ¡®Hah,¡¯ he sighed internally. He sat on the nket and counted the time going by. At this rate, he felt like he would do something, so he turned his back against her and lied down on the bed. But that was a worse decision. Flip, flip. Whenever a page was turned, it disturbed Pel and left him wide awake. The sound that echoed from behind him, the scent that consumed the entire room¡ª all of these kept him conscious and tossing all night. ¡°Is your bed ufortable?¡± ¡°¡­No, it¡¯s not like that.¡± Even though Levisia asked, he couldn¡¯t speak the truth. Pely on one arm and spent hours, which felt an eternity, staying still in one position. Hey like a statue, causing Levisia to assume that he had fallen deeply asleep. Pain began to numb his arm for a long while, but he couldn¡¯t reveal that he was still awake; he could only clench his teeth and endure the ache. ¡®No matter what I must sleep outside,¡¯ he determined. It was a night in spring, and the winds blew strongly, yet Pel resolved to sleep outside even if he froze to death. He was regretful the entire night. Levisia didn¡¯t fall asleep easily. For quite some time, she flipped the pages of the book again and again as if they reached no end, before finally closing it shut. Pel, who had been counting numbers in his head with his eyes closed, lost his count as he heard Levisia stir. ¡®Three million¡­ what was it again?¡¯ Rustle, rustle. The sound of the nkets disturbed his train of thoughts. ¡°Good night,¡± she said. Her usual bright voice whispered softly¡ª thest straw in driving the sleep away from Pel. ¡®Damn it. Good night my ass. I just hope the sun doesn¡¯te up yet.¡¯ Darkness invaded the room and soon, slow rhythmic breathing reced the silence. Then, Pel opened his eyes. ¡°Ha¡­¡± He sighed out in relief and looked up at the ceiling, cracking his neck. It was already lost to him how long he had been frozen in one position. ¡®I¡¯d rather sleep outside than to sleep here,¡¯ Pel grinded his teeth as he kicked his nket and stood up. Then, just before he was about to leave the room, he turned to look at Levisia. ¡®Ah, again.¡¯ For some reason, unbeknownst to him, he found himself unable to move. ¡°Damn it.¡± He covered his own mouth with his hand, afraid that he might wake Levisia who had just fallen asleep. Pel stared at her face lit up by the faint moonlight. A while had passed, and it was only when he finally came to his senses. Pel took off his stuffy wig and ruffled his hair. He turned around with reddened ears. ¡®What am I doing right now? Tsk, I¡¯m bing an idiot.¡¯ Chapter 40 - Unmasking Disguised Intentions Chapter 40 ¨C Unmasking Disguised Intentions Perhaps it had been around a few weeks that the number of visits from the Kraidens lessened, save for the night Reign slept over. As per the rumors, they were busily preparing for the Fairy Festival. For Levisia, who had nothing to do with the event, she was relieved, given atst the liberty to return to her monotonous routine. Though it couldn¡¯t be exactly what it was before, it still gave herfort. ¡°Your Highness, the flowers came again today.¡± She informed as she changed the flowers in the vase with fresh ones. Levisia gazed at the golden freesias that graced the windows, then opened the letter She handed to her. [I¡¯m sorry but it will be difficult to visit you again today, sister. It¡¯s a shame so I¡¯m sending you these pretty flowers from the greenhouse along with this letter. The name of that flower is called ¡®freesia.¡¯ I hope it will keep youpany in my stead. Please take care of the flower as though it is me.] At the end of the rather short letter was signed, ¡®Your brother, Siaphyl Bear Kraiden.¡¯ Her eyes lingered at the words ¡®your brother¡¯ before folding the letter. ¡°What about that?¡± She hadn¡¯t brought along only flowers. As Levisia pointed, She handed her the box she had been holding. The box contained exquisite choctes, which were surely expensive. She eximed, ¡°Oh my, it¡¯s choctes.¡± The sender was rather obvious¡ª it must be the Third Prince Lidan. He too had sent it with a letter, which the content of it was not much different from Siaphyl¡¯s. He felt sorry that he was unable to spare her a visit and concluded the letter by telling her to ¡®endure her longing if she dearly missed him¡­¡¯ or some nonsense along those lines. Levisia sighed and closed the box. She then passed her a jewelry box. This too was obvious; it couldn¡¯t be not from the Second Princess, Elizabeth. Levisia didn¡¯t dare to unbox the glittering package and merely ced it on the side table. She licked her lips as though she was anticipating her to open the box, but soon nodded her head as if she understood her sentiments. ¡°Just how long are they¡­¡± Levisia muttered before sighing continuously. Who could me her? She had a good reason to sigh. For over a week, she wasvished with sudden gifts by the three of the Kraidens. At first, she had returned them as she was taken aback. Then, as if the three had schemed together, they would send the gifts back twofold. Since then, she no longer returned the presents, but barely gave them her full attention, only leaving them unattended. She desired to live a life poles apart from the Kraidens, and yet here they were showering her with unwanted gifts. Seeing her difort, She said, ¡°Don¡¯t let it affect you, Your Highness.¡± Levisia could only sigh. ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll take my leave so call me if you need anything.¡± ¡°Okay, I will.¡± Levisia curled her lips into a faint smile, and She looked at her with concerned eyes as she left the room. Levisia then ced a finger to her head once she was alone. ¡®Something is wrong,¡¯ she spected. It wasn¡¯t the first time she had such thought, but it was only this time that she was able to realize that their intentions were never pure¡ª it was only to buy her heart. In all its essence, it was an unpleasant indication. It only implied that Levisia couldn¡¯t evade their presence by mere precaution. She felt it was somehow unfair. Until they deliberately sought her, she had not concerned herself with other matters. It was as though her hardwork was all for naught. What was she supposed to do about it? Her fingers swept through her hair and she clenched her fist. ¡®If I want to resolve this problem, I need to find the cause of it.¡¯ However, the root was well-hidden. She only knew the reason why they lingered around her, and even that was not entirely certain. Then, on that idle afternoon, Reign bid her a visit andmented on her troubles. ¡°You don¡¯t have to pay them any mind, don¡¯t you think¡­?¡± He blew on his warm cup of tea and took a sip before tilting his head. Instead of the Kraidens, he was the new frequent visitor of her pce. As Reign was not one of the six heirs of Kraiden, Levisia felt morefortable with him than Siaphil, Lidan, and Elizabeth even though she had acquainted with them longer than him. But this didn¡¯t mean she wanted to get close to him in particr either. Chapter 41 - An Invitation From The Grim Fate Chapter 41 ¨C An Invitation from the Grim Fate As it had always been, Levisia¡¯s intention was to live as quietly as an owl until the day she must leave the kingdom arrives. In order to do so, it was best not to build any rtionships with people in the pce. To add on, though Reign was not a Kraiden, he was still a pureblood; he was a direct lineage of the royal family. It would be preposterous if she would ever confide her ns of escape to him. ¡°I guess they¡¯re giving it to you because they want to,¡± Reign said. Levisia couldn¡¯t borate on the reason why she needed not their attention, so she simply replied, ¡°I just find it ufortable.¡± The man before him, sitting cross-legged as he sipped his tea, asked, ¡°Then do you find my visits ufortable as well?¡± Without missing a beat, Levisia nodded, earning a feigned look of hurt from Reign. ¡°I am a little hurt,¡± he said, dramatically clutching his heart. Levisia replied, ¡°Well, at least for you there is a reason behind your visits.¡± The reason for Reign¡¯s guestings, as exined before, was simply because he felt better in Levisia¡¯s presence. ¡°Wow, you must think I¡¯m swindling you.¡± ¡°Well, you aren¡¯t denying it yourself.¡± ¡°I guess it¡¯s true for now¡­¡± Reign admitted. Perhaps it was his honesty that made Levisia feel more at ease with him than with those she had spent more time with. ¡®It¡¯s better to be transparent about what they want like Reign,¡¯ she thought, ¡®unlike those Kraidens who are trying to get close to me with no clear reason.¡¯ More than anything, they were the characters responsible for her miserable future. Her aversion to their attention was reasonable. Since the details were left untold, she understood that to Reign she would appear as some weirdo who disliked attention from powerful people. It was a pity. ¡°I know I was the one who warned you to be careful, but don¡¯t be so bothered over a small gift. After all, they are the kind who are quick to change their minds.¡± Levisia spoke nothing. Reign continued, ¡°They might soon lose interest.¡± However, Reign would soon withdraw his words. Two weeks had gone by since their teatime, and it was four days before the anticipated Fairy Festival. [Levisia White, please grace us with your presence at the Fairy Festival that will be held four days from now.] Throughout her life, it was the first time she had received an invitation that was addressed to her name. Drew on her knowledge, the royal family who attended the fairy festival were limited. Only Kraidens and a few of the more prominent nameless brothers were invited to take part in the prayers held in the Fairy Tree forest to pray for the well-being of the empire. ¡®So, why would they invite me?¡¯ As she shook her head in disbelief, Reignmented bitterly, ¡°This is unexpected, the Fairy Festival¡­¡± His words mirrored her sentiments. ¡°This year I believe Meryl is in charge of the fairy festival¡­ Are you acquainted with her as well?¡± he asked. One of the six Kraidons, the Third Princess Meryl Cheux Kraidon. Was Levisia acquainted with her? Of course¡­ ¡°No, I don¡¯t know her.¡± Not. Reign crumpled his forehead in confusion, ¡°Then why¡­¡± Once again, he stole the words right from her mouth. Seated next to each other, they looked like ¡®dumb and dumber,¡¯ staring nkly at the invitation. The silence dragged on as Levisia became tangled in her own chain of thoughts, and Reign with his. A momentter, Reign¡¯s voice pierced the quiet room. ¡°I know I might sound like I¡¯m conflicting myself¡­ but I think it might already be toote for you.¡± ¡°Why would you say that?¡± ¡°But even so, if you hold out well it might not be so bad.¡± ¡°Why are you already trying tofort me?¡± ¡°Mmm¡­¡± It was unfortunate, but Reign did not deny the fact that he was attempting to console her. Worse, he continued with an even more unhelpful advice. ¡°Rather, you can make use of this situation to your own benefit.¡± Levisia arched her eyebrow, ¡°My own benefit?¡± Reign nodded his head, ¡°They are powerful people so if you have anything you wanted so far then request whatever you- ah.¡± Levisia stood from her seat and walked away. Reign stopped and asked, ¡°Are you threatening me¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a threat. I¡¯m just telling you to stop spouting nonsense.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that the same thing?¡± Reign was critically wrong. This situation was not an advantage to her in any way; in fact, it was the opposite. The invitation connoted trouble; it was as though the gods of fate were testing her. Levisia folded her arms across her chest and replied stiffly, ¡°Nothing is free in this world.¡± ¡°That is true.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d you know. Then I¡¯m going to need your help.¡± Reign¡¯s expression changed as though he had been hit on the back of the head by a rabbit he had thought was actually a turtle. Chapter 42 - Tiring Conundrum Chapter 42 ¨C Tiring Conundrum ¡®Damn it, he¡¯s no help at all,¡¯ Levisia thought to herself. She had asked Reign for a favour, and though she hadn¡¯t had high expectations in the beginning, it baffled her how he managed to surpass her lowest hopes. Peeking through a silver lining, Levisia suggested several other alternatives, but Reign¡¯s response would constantly be painfully lukewarm. She couldn¡¯t understand, if it wasn¡¯t neither this nor that, then what was he suggesting that she do? As her propositions were only met with rejection, she finally asked, ¡°What if I don¡¯t go?¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that work against you?? It might just attract more attraction,¡± he replied. Another turndown¡ªbut Reign¡¯s answer was more sensible than the question she blurted out in frustration. After all, it was not merely a spection; she had already experienced a simr case before. Her mind drifts to the past. ¡®That was exactly what had happened with Elizabeth.¡¯ She had declined the princess¡¯s invitation before which only backfired on her, causing her to leave her sanctuary and pay Elizaeth a personal visit. On second thought, avoiding the situation would not certainly remedy the problem. ¡®I wouldn¡¯t have done that if I had known her personality beforehand,¡¯ Levisia thought. Elizabeth was the type of girl brimming with self esteem and pride; she was the kind where if one tried to boast of their presence in front of her, she would merely scoff at them, sparing them not the faintest of her attention, but if one tried to hide their presence around her, she would take an interest in them. And one particr individual, with the name of ¡®Levisia White¡¯, had the audacity to avoid her, offending her vanity, which led to an unintentional paradox: she had drawn Elizabeth¡¯s attention to herself. Levisia cannot afford another mistake. It was not her wanting to create any more troublesome connections with the Kraidens. Engraving that resolve on her mind, she dismissed the option of being absent. ¡°Then, what kind of personality does the Third Princess have?¡± As long as she did her homework, educating herself on things she never even wanted to know, it shouldn¡¯t be an issue. In order to prevent herself from repeating the same mistake, she ought to study the Third Princess, Meryl Cheux Kraiden. At her question, a frown appeared on Reign¡¯s pale forehead. For a while, he seemed to be deep in thought but his answer was only: ¡°I don¡¯t know much either.¡± How useless indeed. Levisia stifled a deep sigh and suggested instead that Reign consider returning to his pce. Even though she had phrased it as a suggestion, her voice sounded coercive. Simply, it was more like an order kicking him out. Reign caught on and seemed a little upset, but she simply shrugged in response. Both of them knew that nothing was free in this world. * * * The day of the dreaded fairy festival finally dawned. ¡°I wished today would have skipped itself when I opened my eyes.¡± The prayers she had uttered the night before¡ªfor today to skip itself¡ªseemed to have gone by unheard. Morning came as any day, and she muttered under her breath as she looked out the bright window, ¡°Damn it.¡± After so much anguish yesterday, the conclusion she decided on was simple: she would attend the fairy festival, remaining silent throughout to keep her presence unknown. Then, when the festival concluded, she would avoid the Kraidens at all cost. ¡®First, let¡¯s get this fairy festival over and done with.¡¯ She kicked away the nket that wrapped her legs and began to prepare even before She came to find her. By the time She emerged into her room to inform her that the bathwater was ready, she had already bathed, now choosing which dress to wear. ¡°Your Highness?¡± She asked, her eyebrows furrowed in subtle confusion. She nced at the dressesid out on her bed. Meanwhile, across the room, Levisia was drying her hair with a towel, pressing the cloth against head, and said, ¡°She, you¡¯re just in time. Out of the two, which looks more in?¡± She blinked in a daze, ¡°Sorry?¡± To make it simpler for She, Levisia took turns to hold the dresses in front of her body. One was of the color dark green, decorated with whiteces; the other a dark blue that contrasted to a paler shade over itsyers. She tilted her head andpared the two, then stretched out her arm as if she was going to choose one of them, ¡°Your Highness looks good in any colour so I think either one is fine, but the prettier one would be¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re missing the point, She.¡± Levisia hastily interrupted. She withdrew her arm before She¡¯s hands could reach for the dress, earning a baffled gazed from her maid. She rified, ¡°Not something pretty, but something in. Pick a dress that wouldn¡¯t stand out.¡± ¡°What? Why¡­¡± Her objective was simple, yet not simple either. She couldn¡¯t appear too in and underdressed for an exclusive event where only a few invited people could attend, and neither could she appear too extravagant which would make her stand out. Her usual clothes would definitely be uneptable to wear at the Fairy Festival; her only option was to wear the dresses gifted to her by Elizabeth, but¡­ ¡®They¡¯re all too fancy.¡¯ Chapter 43 - Betrayal Chapter 43 ¨C Betrayal All the dresses given to her by Elizabeth screamed ¡®I spent a lot of money on this.¡¯ After she brought chaos to her closet, she was finally able to narrow down to the least decorated pair, but even they didn¡¯t look cheap. Perhaps, they would be best for the festival. As long as it reached their standard, it was eptable. Now, one dilemma remains: which of the dresses was less noticeable? Once she exined her intention, She looked puzzled. Then, she spoke in a sentimental tone. ¡°That¡¯s true, but Your Highness, this is the first time you are attending the fairy festival¡­¡± She was a bad choice. Levisia gave up on trying to hear an answer from her and called on Pel who just happened to be walking past the room, ¡°Pel, help me.¡± Pel nodded his head and came into the room, wondering what was going on. Just as she had done for She, she took turns cing the dress infront of her and asked, ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°You look pretty.¡± ¡°¡­No, not that.¡± She was surprised that he was praising her in that monotonous tone of his, but it was meaningless as her objective was not to be praised. Pel raised his eyebrow. Levisia swallowed a deep sigh at the ruckus she was going through from the early morning but it didn¡¯t stop her from exining the situation to Pel. ¡°So pick one out of the two that is less noticeable.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Pel eximed as he finally realised the situation. Then, letting out a short cough, he pointed towards the dark green dress, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then this one is better.¡± Thankfully, his answer was the same as hers. Quickly, Levisia took the other dress and ced it in the closet so that She could give up on her longings. ¡°Thank you, Pel.¡± ¡°Then, Your Highness, I will go on ahead and finish preparing breakfast.¡± ¡°Alright. Thank you, She.¡± She left the room but Pel stayed behind. Levisia paused as she realised what he was about to do. With his eyes, he pointed to a chair. ¡°Take a seat.¡± ¡°¡­Mm.¡± Whenever she had the chance to be invited to some event, Pel would make use of his skills and doll her up. So it was the same for the fairy festival. But unlike Pel who found it obvious, she felt a little reluctant. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Pel, who had naturally taken the towel from her hands, looked at her withrge eyes, as though he was asking her why she wasn¡¯t moving. Awkwardly rolling her eyes around the room, she took a seat in the chair he suggested. Through therge oval mirror she was able to observe Pel who approached her from behind. Pel¡¯s hands that dried her hair were extremely skillful. He looked like any other obedient servant as he focused on his task with his gaze down. ¡®If I didn¡¯t find out about his identity, I would have continued thinking that way.¡¯ Even now, she had not fullye to terms with the fact that her servant Pel, was Farid Roycal who was the main lead in the story. To her they still felt like two different people. She was more used to Pel than Farid Roycal, so it felt weird to ce an equal sign between these two names. She was staring nkly at the mirror when their eyes met. Pel narrowed his golden eyes and studied her. Levisia muttered, ¡°Actually¡­ you don¡¯t have to force yourself to do this.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°Why do you think I¡¯m forcing myself?¡± She couldn¡¯t answer the question. Since Pel wasn¡¯t aware of the fact that she knew of his real identity. After unraveling the truth behind his real identity, she constantly felt ufortable. No, in fact, it was beyond that. She was afraid that her lifeline would be at risk in the future. ¡®¡­And I couldn¡¯t possibly speak these thoughts out loud.¡¯ The problem was that Pel knew her as much as she knew him. Even before that, he was quick at reading people; he wasn¡¯t wrong to confront her for the change in her behaviour. ¡°I¡¯m doing what I always do, so what is the problem?¡± It was only for a short time that she could listen to his calm voice. The feeling of Pel¡¯s fingertips thatbed through her hair and grazed her neck stole her attention away. It felt different from being touched over the towel. Pel casually continued moving his hands as if their skins never came into contact. Her silver hair flowing through his long fingers felt unreal as if they weren¡¯t hers. ¡°I definitely feel like you know-¡± ¡°I, I think it¡¯s dry now.¡± She interjected Pel before he could finish his sentence. Pel narrowed his eyes before putting down the towel silently. This time, he picked up a brush. ¡®What am I supposed to do now?¡¯ She felt concerned for her future and couldn¡¯t bear to continue ordering him about, but then again, she couldn¡¯t act too differently and keep crumbling their rtionship. Her gaze remained on Pel in the mirror. He brushed her hair several times, before braiding it with his skillful hands. She didn¡¯t have any other choice, so she silently watched him as he continued braiding her hair. Pel twisted the braid and lifted it up against her head, then looked around as if he was searching for something. Observing him, she stretched out her hand for the pinid out on the vanity. ¡°The pin is here.¡± ¡°Stay still.¡± A hand abruptly appeared from behind, brushed past her hand and took away the pin. While arge shadow cast over her body, she was unable to move until the silhouette retracted. When she came to her senses, it was only as their eyes met in the mirror again. Even to herself, her wide eyes seemed out of focus. Thankfully, Pel didn¡¯t seem to notice. ¡®Was Pel always this big?¡¯ She had a simr impression the day she discovered his real identity. The shadow of Pel that cast over her wasrge and dark; the hand that grabbed the pin was bigpared to her own hand next to his. Although they were in a master and servant rtionship, she had believed that because of their simr age, they were growing up together. But now she could see that Pel had outgrown her without even realising it until now. ¡®It¡¯s also funny that I suddenly realised it now. Pel was always hunching himself trying to hide his identity, so¡­ I guess that might have been why. Then what was this odd feeling?¡¯ She repeatedly clenched and unclenched her hand. Soon, she reached an answer when Pel announced that he was done. ¡®Betrayal.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say that they had shared everything growing up, so why did he grow so much on his own? Chapter 44 - Bursts Of Strangeness Chapter 44 ¨C Bursts of Strangeness As Levisia stared at Pel, her eyes gleaming with a tinge of surprise and betrayal, Pel folded his arms across his chest and red down at her. ¡°What is with that look?¡± he asked, squinting his eyes. Levisia too narrowed her eyes at him and retorted, ¡°Since when did you re down at me like that?¡± Pel scoffed at her words and shrugged his shoulders. ¡°If you want me to look up at you,¡± he lowered his body and positioned himself in front of her, ¡°tell me.¡± His unexpected behavior stunned Levisia, who only stared at him in bewilderment, taken aback by how easily he hadid one of his knees on the ground. This wasn¡¯t what she had intended. Now it felt as though she was criticising Pel for his behaviour when she was merely referring to hisrge physique which eclipsed her fragile frame. Levisia began to fret, thinking she might have exacerbated the situation that she eagerly wanted to escape. She reasoned, ¡°No, I didn¡¯t mean it like that-¡± ¡°One moment.¡± She tried to have him stand, but his hand suddenly reached out towards her face. Her entire body froze and her eyes blinked twice as his slender fingers brushed her cheek. A strand of hair that had been tickling her cheek was tucked behind her ear. Only then did Pel withdraw his hand. ¡°All done,¡± he dered. Levisia couldn¡¯t manage a reply; her gaze suspended somewhere in space. Unlike his gentle voice, his hand was rougher than it seemed. She felt it as it brushed across her cheek and ear. Pel frowned at her silence, ¡°What is it now?¡± As if the ice which torpefied her being had shattered, she blinked and looked at the man before her. ¡°No¡­ I just thought your hand had gotten bigger than before.¡± At her words, Pel gazed down at his hand and smirked, ¡°Did you think I was cking off from work?¡± ¡°I guess that¡¯s true,¡± she murmured, lowering her head. She had been distracted by his charming appearance and assumed that his hands would be beautiful as well; however, a servant couldn¡¯t have hands as soft as silk. Awkwardly rubbing her cheek where his hand had softly grazed, she mumbled, ¡°It¡¯s because I rarely made contact with it before.¡± ¡°Contact?¡± Pel asked. Levisia stared at him in a look of wonder and confusion. How could he look clueless, as if he had never been distant? She slowly nodded her head and said, ¡°Yes, just now.¡± But the same cluelessness lingered on Pel¡¯s face. A frown wrinkled Levisia¡¯s brows, and she tried to imitate Pel¡¯s actions in an attempt to make him understand. ¡°You just did it like this.¡± However, as swiftly as a predator hunting its prey, he grabbed a hold of her arm before it could even reach his cheek. It had happened in a blink of an eye. But the one who seemed more surprised by the situation was Pel. Levisia could tell, observing how big his golden eyes had be. Noticing his reaction, calmness returned to her. She said, ¡°See, like now.¡± Her voice sounded like her usual tone, coated with nonchnce, as if nothing out of ordinary had transpired. Pel let go of his grip around her hand in haste, and Levisia found it a little absurd at how quickly he had drawn his hand back, as though he had been burnt by a me. She was only trying to repeat his actions to satisfy his oblivion. What kind of reaction was this? ¡®So he cane into contact with me, but I can¡¯te into contact with him?¡¯ The saying ¡®If I do it it¡¯s called love, if others do it it¡¯s called an affair.¡¯ perfectly described the current situation. But instead of an egotistical deceiver, it was Pel¡ªPerrid Loikal, the main character that she most feared. In her case, terror triumphed over her desire for justice. As she withdrew her hand that was left hanging in the air, Pel finally seemed to return to his senses and began to behave normal. He bowed his head as he apologized and ruffled his own hair. ¡°I am sorry.¡± Levisia quickly intervened, ¡°No, I didn¡¯t mean for you to apologize.¡± Pel sneaked a brief nce to look at her, then tidied up his hair. Unlike how gentle he had been with her, he was extremely rough when dealing with his own hair, to the extent that Levisia wondered in her head whether or not his wig would fall. Then, hidden behind his curtain of golden hair, she caught a glimpse of his crimson ears. How peculiar, she thought. Pel must have felt her gaze, as he nced at her before straightening himself. Levisia¡¯s eyes followed his now domineering figure and caught a sight of his slightly reddened neck. Coincidentally, Pel had taken his hands down from his hair and wrapped it around his neck. It was unusual to see such a shade on him through his cor. How strange indeed. It was the first time she had seen color on Pel, who was mostly as white and deadpan as a wax doll. At the sound of a dry cough, she withdrew her insistent gaze. ¡°Anyways, thank you for today.¡± She was satisfied with the neat hairstyle that Pel had skillfully pulled together, admiring her reflection through the mirror. Then, Pel emerged behind her, readjusting the pin. With a stern tone, he said, ¡°Don¡¯t touch it or it will be loose.¡± She felt tragic to think that she couldn¡¯t touch her own hair. But the feeling was fleeting. She lowered her hand and nodded. ¡°Then, you should finish getting ready ande down to the dining hall once you¡¯re ready.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Through the mirror, she observed Pel take his leave. It was the same pace as usual but somehow it gave her a feeling that he was in a rush to leave. Chapter 45 - Deadly Crossroads Chapter 45 ¨C Deadly Crossroads It was unusual for a crowd toe in and out of the forest. The royal family officially opened the Fairy Tree Forest only for a few of the momentous events held in the empire. And today, the day of the Fairy Festival was one of those few days. It was a day that exhibited the prosperity of the royal family, who were called the direct descendants of the fairy king, to the people of the whole empire. The primary objective of the festival was to bid a year goodbye, but recently the festival had functioned more as a talent show where the six heirs unted their powers. Their powers were a form of evidence that proved the affluence of the empire. And if one might ask how it corrtes with the opening of the Fairy Tree Forest, it is simple. ¡°Now I feel like I¡¯m alive.¡± It was Lidan who suddenly appeared out of nowhere while speaking in anguid voice. As his gaze met hers, he put on his charming smile. He seemed far too well for someone eximing that he felt alive only now. It seemed like she wasn¡¯t the only one who felt that way; this time, a voice was heard from the other side. ¡°How unlike you to be so weak, brother.¡± She turned around and saw Siaphyling out through the bushes. Just like Lidan, Siaphyl smiled towards her. ¡°Here you are, sister. I was looking everywhere for you.¡± ¡°As for you, dear youngest, you seem full of energy. I guess being youthful is the best, huh?¡± Lidan was excellent at wiping the smile off Siaphyl. Siaphyl sighed openly as if he couldn¡¯t be bothered being the ¡°lovely youngest.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not because of age, it¡¯s because we are in the Fairy Forest.¡± He was right. Opening the forest on the day of the Fairy Festival was also for them. For those who have to boast their abilities in front of their own people, the forest was like a charging station to them. It is where they replenish themselves. To her, it felt as though she was in a spa; she didn¡¯t fully understand what kind of effect it had on them. Afterall, she wasn¡¯t able to feel what they felt. However, looking at Siaphyl, as Lidan had said he looked brighter than usual, it must be working. Even Lidan seemed happy. ¡°So what were you doing here, Levi?¡± Lidan acted friendly and approached her. Just like Siaphyl, he must have been looking for her all over the forest. ¡°I got lost.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Lidan seemed surprised by her response. Truthfully, she had intentionally entered deep into the woods in order to avoid the Kraidens, but she couldn¡¯t say that. Then, before she knew it, Siaphyl hade next to her and took her side. ¡°Well that could happen. Since the forest is different in the night as it is in the day. She looked around after hearing Siaphyl. It was just as he had said. Unlike thest time she had visited the forest in the night with the two of them, the forest now in the day had an entirely different atmosphere. She could see things that they couldn¡¯t see before in the night, so it wasn¡¯t odd for anyone to get lost. ¡°But¡­¡± She was about to enter deeper into the forest but stopped. As she came to a halt, naturally the other two followed suit as well. They looked at her questioningly. She took turns to meet both pairs of eyes then asked, ¡°Why are you following me?¡± ¡°Because I feel like you might get lost again?¡± ¡°I just want to be by your side, sister.¡± At Siaphyl¡¯s reply, Lidan narrowed his eyes. ¡°Then I will change my answer to yours as well.¡± ¡°Toote, brother.¡± Siaphyl replied, emphasising he had no chance. Levisia looked at the two of them and thought to herself, ¡®If they are going to be like this then I think it¡¯ll be better to be upfront with them.¡¯ If the two of them shadowed her every movement, it would only draw the attention of others. ¡°I want to be alone.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± Both of them asked in a surprised tone. She wondered if she had been too blunt; she was afraid of upsetting the two of them. But then again, she couldn¡¯t think of anything better. ¡°I don¡¯t like drawing attention to myself. But if I have the two of you by my side then it will obviously draw attention.¡± Siaphyl observed her for a minute before continuing, ¡°But right now there is nobody else here¡­?¡± Siaphyl, who had always been the adorable youngest brother in the family, looked up at her with drooping eyes. Even though she knew he was acting, he looked too real. ¡°Will brother and I be a burden to you, sister?¡± ¡®If he says it with such a face then it feels like I¡¯m the viin here?¡¯ As she was contemting on the words to say, Siaphyl turned his acting up a notch and added on, ¡°I just like you sister and want to be by your side¡­¡± Whoosh. The trees in the forest swayed with the wind. Levisia worried on how to deal with the gloomy silence that fell around them while Siaphyl¡¯s blonde hair twinkled. ¡®Damn, how am I supposed to get out of this?¡¯ She couldn¡¯t possibly say that it was okay when it was not, but it felt like if she said no, it would bring tears to those eyes. ¡®Is this a dead g?¡¯ She felt like she was stuck in a dating simtion game where she had to make a decision. The only problem was that it wasn¡¯t a matter of love but survival she had to choose between. ¡®And I feel like whatever I choose I will end up dead either way.¡¯ Since even this underage bow, who was wiggling about with his head down and looking so innocent, would grow up and cause a massacre. Even if she lived or died, the best thing to do now was to be as far away from them. If she had to make a choice like this again and again, her pounding heart wouldn¡¯t be able to stand it. Making up her mind, she opened her mouth. ¡°I¡­¡± Chapter 46 - The Price Of Rage Chapter 46 ¨C The Price of Rage But before she could continue her sentence, Lidan, who had been observing the situation, finally stepped forward, his lips forming into a faint, amused smile. ¡°At times like this, our youngest is really quite yful.¡± He statednguidly, each word falling from his lips in an unhurried, somewhat cold, manner. The asional crunch of leaves emphasized the few steps he took, adding anotheryer of sensory perception ¨C one that made Siaphyl stiffen and made Levisia¡¯s heart jump in fear. Upon reaching his brother¡¯s side, Lidan casually wrapped his arm around his shoulders, causing Siaphyl to flinch but raise his head, as though nothing mattered. Not that Lidan paid any attention to that. As he leaned against his brother¡¯s form, Lidan¡¯s lips curved into a smirk. ¡°Little brother, don¡¯t you know? If you carefully analyse Levi¡¯s words, you¡¯ll find a hidden meaning.¡± Internally, Ledan adde, ¡°If you interpret it well, it meant that Levisia didn¡¯t want theirpany. But, those words did not need to be spoken out loud, after all. It was obvious, and since it was their sister, they¡¯ll give her face and not mention it.¡± Though, Ledan¡¯s thoughts were quickly dashed when Siaphyl hesitated before speaking out loud. ¡°She means, she doesn¡¯t want to buy the rage of others because we are too elite?¡± At his words, Levisia could not help but stare at Siaphyl for a good moment before averting her gaze. In a sense, Siaphyl¡¯s statement was true, but itpletely missed the bigger picture and was interpreted to his favour. Afterall, she was afraid of the future where she would buy their rage. As it is, she had already made her grand n to escape the pce, to shed her identity of the cannon fodder ¡®princess¡¯, who lived like she was invisible and had no one¡¯s concern. She must y her part until then. But disregarding her true intentions, Lidan merely continued with Siaphyl¡¯s words, tacking on what he actually thought their sister meant. ¡°Ya? Think about the number of people who will be jealous of Levi? And to add on, what might happen if we hang around with Levi in public?¡± Hearing those words, Siaphyl moved to face Lidan with wide eyes, like a baby deer that was caught in a carriage¡¯s headlights. Lidan, in turn, faced Siaphyl while donning a small smile. ¡®Eh? Why does it seem like they¡¯re referring to something else?¡¯ Though, even as she wondered what that ¡®something¡¯ might be, she wasn¡¯t too curious as to make an effort to find out. Just then, Lidan¡¯s voice pried her out of her thoughts. ¡°Well, as a very good example, consider our Second Princess.¡± At his words, the two brothers exchanged a long-running look which broke off when Lidan loosened his arms around Siaphyl¡¯s shoulders. Lidan shrugged his shoulders as Siaphyl continued to look at him intensely, deep in his thoughts. ¡°Normally, I believe fun things should be shared together. But, for this, it is different.¡± Lidan looked at Levisia and winked. ¡°I don¡¯t want to share the things I treasure and keep it to myself.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°So, I¡¯m going to do as Levi says. It¡¯s tiring to be in the eyes of others. I¡¯m well aware of that. I might buy the rage of the second princess but I will ry the message to her as well.¡± He added on, ¡°This is how much I care for you sister¡± but those words did not reach Levisia. ¡®I feel like I have been singled out.¡¯ Even though he had been indirect, there was no way that she couldn¡¯t understand what he meant. The fact that the ¡®thing that he treasured¡¯ was referring to herself. She wondered if Lidan was aware that Siaphyl had smirked the moment he realised Lidan¡¯s intentions to monopolise her. ¡®Everything will be alright as long as I bnce out? How?¡¯ Levisia felt absurd as she recalled what Reign had said. Each one of the Kraiden were like a giant hurricane, so she wondered how she could bnce out. ¡®He was wrong. The only answer is to run away.¡¯ It was clear. But, the reason why she was weak was because she couldn¡¯t run away. Chapter 47 - Monstrous Elite Chapter 47 ¨C The Monstrous Elite A few hourster, the group of people who stopped by the fairy forest before the start of the festival headed to the Horsseum. The Horsseum, known as the capital¡¯s amphitheater, was a grand theater that could amodate as many as five thousand spectators. Levisia had only heard of the name and it was the first time she had been there. So, she was busy looking around. The Horsseum was in the shape of a circle surrounding the audience with a circr stage in the center. As expected, even among the spacious seats, the seat of the royal family was fixed. An exceptionally open area among the northern seating areas and the chair in the center was a brilliant golden color. When the bell rings at noon, people wille in and fill the seats, and the Emperor will sit in the golden chair and receive the apuse of the crowd. There were two red chairs next to the golden chair. A level below it there were five chairs and another level below it, there were seven chairs. After a cursory nce at the people who had already arrived, Levisia pulled out the rightmost of the seven chairs and sat down. Fortunately, the upper floor was still vacant, so there was no need to be mindful of it. After sitting in the chair, she could see why people who had arrived before her were hanging around without sitting in the chair. On the circr stage, the five main characters were gathered. ¡°I think it¡¯s been some time since I¡¯ve seen the five of them gathered together.¡± ¡°I guess the 7th princess won¡¯t being this year as well?¡± ¡°Obviously, she is studying abroad, afterall.¡± ¡°I heard the First Prince recently went to visit the Hisa empire. I wonder when he had the time to prepare for the fairy festival?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see what they will show us this year.¡± Their murmurs were filled with awe that could not be hidden in their voices. ¡®They look fascinating to me as well.¡¯ Those who cast envious eyes on the five Kraiden were also the most famous of the nameless brothers. Unlike Levisia, they turned the pce upside down at the time of entrance. So there weren¡¯t many differences between the Kraiden or the nameless brothers for Levisia. ¡®Why am I here, where all these monstrous people are¡­¡¯ She ced a hand on her forehead when she realised she felt someone¡¯s gaze on her. The origin of the gaze was not far from her. It was right next to her where she had just heard the voices talking. ¡®What now?¡¯ Even she was able to tell that their conversations hade to an abrupt stop. Which was a normal reaction when one finds an unusual person in their territory. ¡°But, isn¡¯t that¡­¡± Even as her side profile stung from the piercing gaze she did not turn her head. Which would be useless if she started sweating, but for now ignoring it was the best option. ¡®It is hard not to draw attention to yourself.¡¯ Since inparison she was like a duck amongst swans. The elite pack who had beenughing and talking to themselves would definitely have felt ufortable by the presence of someone below them. They would naturally stare. ¡®Even so, can¡¯t they just let it go? Even if I am a duck that looks peculiar like a chicken, hmm? In life, you might find a chicken or a duck mixed in with a pack of swans!¡¯ Levisia was staring at the ground with her head bowed. When she felt someone approach her in order to start a conversation with her. ¡°Excuse me¡­¡± ¡®Damn it,¡¯ she thought to herself. ng. Along with the sound of a loud sound a gust of wind blew. Levisia¡¯s fringe blew off her forehead and the strong wind made her close her eyes. The unexpected situation must have startled the person approaching me as he stood frozen. ¡°Wh,what¡­?¡± The voice of the person approaching her was shaking, which was understandable, since the nging sound had happened right in front of him. The floor, which had been fine before, was dug up as if it had been scratched with numerous sharp objects. The wind was so strong and sharp that it left a trace of it, so it was natural for it to cause a loud sound. ¡°Ah! Sorry, my bad.¡± A calm voice broke the frozen silence. Immediately, Leivisia could identify the owner of the voice and looked up. Sure enough, Lidan wasughing out loud. ¡°Sorry I was practicing then lost control.¡± After hearing those words, Levisia subconsciously looked up at the person who now stood frozen. It was a man with long dark brown hair and droopy eyes. ¡®Was this¡­ the 9th prince?¡¯ Lidan winked at the 9th Prince, who was frozen to the spot. Even though he may have said that it was a mistake, there were no signs of an apology. Even so the 9th Prince turned pale and repeated continuously that it was okay. ¡°Really? Then, that¡¯s good.¡± After making such ament, Lidan turned away and began talking to his brothers again. He looked as if he didn¡¯t feel sorry at all. Even as he said those words, they sounded insincere. ¡®He¡¯s the worst.¡¯ Levisia then wondered if she should be thankful since the attention had been drawn away from herself. ¡®Hmm?¡¯ Then she thought of another possibility. Perhaps Lidan had truly acted out of concern for her. ¡®But, how did he know?¡¯ After their conversation in the forest with Siaphyl, Lidan didn¡¯t pretend to know her. Not even once. He hadn¡¯t even nced so much her way, so she wondered how he knew? She was thinking to herself nkly, when the bell started to ring. The sound brought the dispersed people together as they started looking for their seat. When the bell sounded exactly twelve times, the closed Horrseum door opened and people started pouring in. At the same time, a deafening loud shout began. Themoners poured in and cheered for the royals. Levisia was the only one who couldn¡¯t adapt to the cheers and felt puzzled. Not only the Kraidens, who had found and sat themselves down, but also the other prince and princesses on the same level as Levisia, seemed used to the cheering. ¡°Your Highness, the 15th princess.¡± As Levisia was staring nkly at the waves of people rushing in, the person seated next to her engaged in a conversation. Levisia flinched and turned towards the voice that had called out to her. ¡°Long time no see.¡± A man with loosely tied brownish blond hair looked at her and smiled faintly. Levisia looked at his red eyes and immediately realised who he was. ¡®Oh, this person is¡­¡¯ He was the 17th Prince. Someone who had entered the pce roughly around the same time as she did. She recalled the day when his younger self, who was only a small child, grabbed a hold of her and asked her something on the day he entered the pce. Back then, she too was only a child. ¡°Are you the one who lost your way in the central pce¡­?¡± ¡°¡­So you remember.¡± As she asked, he ced his gaze downwards and let out a dry cough in embarrassment. It was a wonder for her to recall something that had happened ten years ago. ¡°I am able to find my way around now.¡± He added on in a low voice and smiled. Levisia recalled how she had answered ¡®There¡¯s no way I know the way around¡¯ and thought to herself, the one who should be smiling should have been her instead. ¡®But from what I know, this person¡­¡¯ From what she recalled, like herself, he wasn¡¯t a character invited to the Fairy Festival. Chapter 48 - The Festival Commences Chapter 48 ¨C The Festival Commences It was ironic and humorous for such thoughts to ur in Levisia¡¯s mind, given that she, too, a nobody, was attending the splendid festival. The 17th Prince seemed to have understood the evident confusion disyed across her features and answered her. ¡°I received a second expression at the recent ability test.¡± A second expression¡ªit was such a rare urrence. ¡®I really am out of touch with things,¡¯ Levisia thought. She couldn¡¯t believe that she had missed out on hearing the magnificent news that someone had received a second expression. But in her defense, recently, she had been preupied dealing with the three Kraiden. ¡°I was simply lucky to be spotted by her highness Merril and able to attend today.¡± The 17th prince then turned around and gazed behind, his gaze falling on the third princess, Merril Cheux Kraiden. Her hair, reminiscent of the blue skies and its length short enough to conceal both her ears, elegantly scattered with the wind. Her ck eyes, which appeared gray at first nce, were gleaming brightly. She was dressed in a uniform of white and blue thatplemented her features, conversing with Elizabeth while her chin rested on her palm. To be more urate, she seemed to be talking to herself¡­ Elizabeth was seated beside her, clearly uninterested with what Merril was saying. It could barely be called a conversation when the other party was busily pping their fan, their gaze fixated on the ground, uttering no responses at all. Levisia took turns to nce at the two of them before withdrawing her gaze. The 17th prince who had turned back at a simr time as her, faced her with glistening eyes. ¡°Since you¡¯re here as well, 15th princess, are you also¡­¡± ¡®Wait, no. Whatever the 18th prince was thinking, he was definitely wrong. Since I was not a special case like he was.¡¯ ¡°No, I¡¯m not-¡± Her voice was buried by the loud banging of drums, which grew deafening by every second as it repeated continuously. Levisia ceased to talk and looked to where the sound wasing from. From the opposite entrance, a marching band could be seen striding forward, clutching their instruments. The band then split into two around the round stage and formed a circle. ¡®If the band is here then¡­¡¯ Before she couldpletely grasp the situation, all the people that gathered in the vicinity began to stand. She too found herself standing up and turned to face where everyone was looking. A middle-aged man draped in a blue cloak appeared, apuded by the cheers of the crowd that sounded beyond the Horoseum. It was the emperor. He unted the same blonde hair as Siaphyl and his orbs gleamed green, resembling the forest. But somehow, he appeared rather pale. Yet even with such a worryingplexion, he did not stop waving towards the crowd, encouraging the cheers to grow louder and louder¡ªas expected of the current emperor. Unlike his predecessor, the present emperor, who had seeded him after he had passed away, was an ordinary man who was born with no exceptional abilities. When the previous emperor had met his demise, the sessors then were considered too young to seed the throne, as such the current emperor, who was the younger brother of the past emperor, seeded the throne. Although he was not born with the blessing of the Fairy, the present emperor was considered to have corrected the chaos that had continued from the time of his predecessors¡ªand the current roaring of the crowd was evidence of it. The people who shadowed the emperor were the empress and the first concubine, respectively. The empress, who was also the mother of Siaphyl, passed by, looking at her son with loving eyes. It was not long before the three of them sat down, and the roar slowly stopped. ¡°Third Princess, Merril Cheux Kraiden,e forward.¡± ¡°Yes, your highness.¡± Standing up at the emperor¡¯s call, Merril climbed the stairs with a graceful smile. Soon, she kneeled before the emperor. The emperor praised her verbally for her services in preparation of this year¡¯s Fairy Festival and handed her a cane. ¡®That cane¡­¡¯ It was a relic of the Fairy Tree branch handed down since the time of the first emperor. ¡®I think they called it Nelle?¡¯ Nelle could only be used by the emperor and those allowed by the emperor; it had the effect of amplifying the powers of its user. Also, it changed into the shape its possessor desired. Upon receiving the gift, Merril could not stifle a strange expression of excitement. Then, she rose and waved Nelle to announce the beginning of the festival. ¡°Then, shall we begin?¡± With a gleeful shout, water droplets formed and burst among the air. As droplets like drizzling rain soaked the ground, the cheers of the crowd grew even louder¡ªa heat that couldn¡¯t be cooled even by Merril¡¯s water. Chapter 49 - A Peek Into The Future Chapter 49 ¨C A Peek into the Future The fairy festivalmenced with the performance of a band, then a session of various performances. The eyes of the people were fixated at the colorful stage, unable to look away. Levisia too found herself immersed as her hands pped along; however, beneath the merriment, she couldn¡¯t help but feel as though she was seated on a cushion of needles and moved about in her seat ufortably. When would it end? Now, handsome men and beautiful women were dancing together in elegant floaty dresses. It was appealing to look at but Levisia found herself missing her pce more and more as time went by. She knew beforehand it would be ufortable but the seat felt intolerable, as if she was wearing clothes that didn¡¯t fit her size. As time passed, the frequency of the asional gaze towards her became more frequent, and her instinct to escape started to escte; however, she didn¡¯t have the courage to do so. It was impossible in itself to sneak out of a ce where she could be seen by the emperor, along with everyone else. Neither did she have the audacity to leave openly. Most importantly, the main event hadn¡¯t even begun. The highlight of the festival was thepetition between the Kraidens; however, none of the five Kraidens who had attended revealed what they had prepared. After what felt like forever, the silent row at the back suddenly began to grow noisier. As Levisia nced behind wondering what the ruckus was about, she saw that the Kraidens were starting to get up. ¡°Shall we get started?¡± Lidan, who had been stretching his arms over his head, gazed at her and smiled fleetingly. He seemed confident of himself. As the first prince descended the stairs, not a trace of emotion across his face, Elizabeth followed suit.. She nced at Levisia and tucked her hair behind her ears. Then, she moved on quickly as though she never saw her. Behind them, Merril, Lidan and Siaphyl passed by. Siaphyl, who had been thest to walk past, mouthed something to her. ¡®Look carefully, sister.¡¯ ¡®At what?¡¯ She wondered, tilting her head in confusion. But Siaphyl had already passed by her, walking down the stairs with a smile. As the Kraidens took the center stage of the Horoseum, the crowd hollered so loudly it felt like eardrums would burst, but none of the Kraidens took any action until the crowd¡¯s cheers died down. Once the thunderous roaring stopped, the servants handed them something. ¡°It¡¯s a sword.¡± Even before Levisia could identify what it was, the voice beside her answered her. Like most of the people in the Horosseum, the 17th prince was immersed in the Kraidens. From his eyes, she could easily read his feelings of envy and anticipation. Without even ncing her way, he asked her in a slightly excited tone, ¡°Aren¡¯t you looking forward to it?¡± Looking forward¡ªLevisia considered the word before turning her gaze to the center. As she looked at the five most blessed sessors staring at each other intrepidly she felt dread creeping into her, as though she was looking into the future. Even in such circumstances, Lidan and Siaphyl¡¯s smiles never faltered, even when each of them clutched a sword in their hands. It wouldn¡¯t be strange if one of them were to stab the other in this situation. Levisia felt herself tense up as her train of thoughts reached such a conclusion. She wasn¡¯t sure what the 17th Prince thought as he looked at her, but she heard him say something that was far off from what was to transpire in the future. ¡°I¡¯m sure if the 6 of theme together after being fully grown, no one will be able to mess with us.¡± ¡®No, it is those six that cause this empire¡¯s downfall.¡¯ But she couldn¡¯t say such things out loud, so instead she nodded faintly in reaction to the 17th Prince. ¡°It¡¯s starting.¡± The crowd was so quiet that the words someone muttered sounded unusually loud. The First Prince, Cassian, received Nelle from Merril and raised it high up in the air. The cane-shaped Nelle changed into the shape of a sword. It was then followed by immediate darkness that shrouded everyone¡¯s sight, causing baffled murmurs to erupt. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°Wait, I can¡¯t see anything in front of me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s so dark I can¡¯t¡­ wait, no way!¡± Levisia, who had been taken aback by the sudden darkness, too realised the identity of the darkness. ¡®Wasn¡¯t the First Prince¡¯s ability darkness?¡¯ And in a blink of an eye, he created darkness. The Horoseum was arge amphitheatre that could amodate up to five thousand spectators. It was not a small scale. It was both staggering and frightening how the prince could perform his magic so easily. Levisia rubbed her arm as she felt goosebumps when suddenly a golden spark appeared. ¡°Just now, something¡­¡± Someone¡¯s voice was soon buried as people awed. The spark started to ssh in the dark and began painting colorful pictures. It was Elizabeth. In the darkness created by Cassian, Elizabeth¡¯s ability shone beautifully, leaving afterimages, like fireworks decorating the midnight sky. ¡®If they show something like this, then obviously everyone will be bewitched, right?¡¯ Whoever had nned tobine the capabilities of Cassian and Elizabeth was quite the individual. Chapter 50 - Contest Of The Kraidens Chapter 50 ¨C Contest of the Kraidens The feast of dazzling lights enthralled the majority of its audience, and exmations stretched across the site like wildfire. Faces looked up in awe as the luminescence dawned over them the same way it did the darkness; sudden and dreamy. At thest moment, a culminating illumination shed, and this time, several blue mes scattered in the air like an embroidery ofnterns. ¡°It seems as though a goblin made that fire.¡± But goblins don¡¯t exist, that is inherently known. And crucially, Levisia knew the one person who could prove this. ¡°It was obviously the doing of Siaphyl.¡± ¡®Return of the King¡¯ described those who died at the hands of the aforementioned; swallowed by his rage as if they were nothing more than a full course meal. ¡°Now that I think about it, it was quite a gentle expression.¡± How could a mere disy of sparkles rival that of a person in power burning ill-fated people to the death? She felt nauseous, and almost acted on it, if not for the show of fireworks airborne in front of herself providing a decent distraction. The zing azure sometimes morphed into flowers or the silhouette of trees; symbolizing the stark vibrancy of its empire. Then in a slow transition, fell back down one by one in traces of reminiscent mes, just like raindrops. The very same me to touch the earth after its descent instantly spread, as if the fuses had caught fire. A few individuals surrounding the area let out a variety of gasps; both in shock and awe. Of course, this onlysted for a short while. And as the ze started to wheel itself on the ground, encircling the center-stage, five people then emerged from pitch ck. ¡°A sword dance¡­?¡± Epassed by speckles of blue, the five sessors began to position their swords against the other. While the performance may seem like a scuffle to some, it reflected more a synchronized and coordinated sword fight; a dance of sorts to the professional eye. ¡°Their twisting and turning bodies are unusual.¡± From a distance, the weapon held by Cassian, the first prince, looked quite sharp and loaded. Still, it was amazing how he did not look one bit sluggish. Which was very unlike the sword-searing Elizabeth, the second princess, who on the other hand, failed to possess any significant skill. But despite this, her bodily actions were still deemed impressive, light on the feet. She began to spar with Merril, swordsnding back and forth with the asional ng, and cheers erupted from the crowd. For Levisia, it was momentary, as she chose to stare at the fluttering hem of the princess¡¯ clothing. ¡°Merril¡­¡± She was just holding a standard sword, nothing out of the ordinary. But beyond that, the unique rhythm of her movements made for an exceptional execution. The trajectory of the de was clear; utterly fast that no eyes could keep up. To summarize, Lidan, who had just performed a duel with Merril, proved an eminent dance. He was as light, free, unconventional, and impable as envisioned. And surprisingly, Siaphyl¡¯s sword refused to spar much with his older brothers. ¡°How is it possible to possess such skills at that age?¡± Wasn¡¯t he supposed to be the elite, younger brother who could excel at anything? To be particr, and the wonderstruck could ount for it, Siaphyl did do an admirable wave-like movement with his body between Cassian and Lidan. ¡°He looks like a snake.¡± It took a matter of time for the sword dance to adapt the movements of a sinuous snake; flexible and covert. Which was an eerie resemnce to the nature of Siaphyl, who is set to reign supreme in the future. ¡°It must have been tough, trying to match each other¡¯s movements.¡± Each of the five members dominated their own kind of personality, and were quite strong. Surely, all of them couldn¡¯t have done this in perfect unison without exhaustive practice over the course of one or two days. ¡°It¡¯s an unexpected surprise.¡± It never crossed Levisia¡¯s mind that the five Kraidens would show up together at the fairy festival. And she especially never imagined them to work cooperatively so well in this light. The troupes proceeded to lower their swords, visibly trying to catch their breath, all while gazing at each other throughout. Nelle then changed back into the shape of a cane, settling into Merril¡¯s hand. The droplets of water produced by her very own ability poured down over Siaphyl¡¯s blue fire in an elegant fashion. At the same time, strong winds from Lidan slowly withdrew Cassian¡¯s darkness. In a final act of astonishment, the gloom wentpletely lifted, causing the surroundings to be once again filled by the glow only belonging to that of the afternoon sun. The pping of hands, the whistle of lips, and an array of shouts mixed together in exhrating abandon as people apuded their presentation. It was nothing short of artful. Despite this enthusiastic response, the five Kraidens remained to stand in line with the quest of greeting the emperor; not a vestige of joy on their faces. However, the crowd continued to cheer on as the ruler rose up from his throne to do the same. ¡°Splendid.¡± Right when Levisia realized her ears were throbbing ufortably from the loud acmation, she could see the 17th prince apud fervently more than anyone else. As if a child, he didn¡¯t dare stop his amazement, looking back at her only to say in an excited voice, ¡°Wasn¡¯t that marvelous?¡± Levisia did not reply. ¡°How absolutely tense was it when the first prince¡¯s darkness primarily covered the view! And when Merril ceased the fire by the end, that waspletely¡­¡± As she continued to stare at the 17th prince who could barely get his words out, a thought passed me, ¡®Sick.¡¯ But it wasn¡¯t just him. Even the brothers sitting on his left had no difference in their reactions. Seeing this, she realized something yet again. It¡¯s not lost on her how the Kraidens are regarded as ¡®idols¡¯ themselves in this empire. ¡°Huh, are they looking this way?¡± The 17th prince was right; the Kraidens were looking their way. Levisia knew, because the emperor is right behind us. ¡®Although something tells me that isn¡¯t the case¡­¡¯ She blinked hard upon catching the unusually sharp gazes of Elizabeth, Lidan, and Siaphyl. ¡°What are they looking at?¡± Chapter 51 - Fallen Chapter 51 ¨C Fallen Their keen eyes were aimed pointedly at her, slicing through invisible barriers she wasn¡¯t aware she had. ¡®What in the world?¡¯ she wondered. They seemed to look normal earlier. Did she do something to offend them during the apuse? Levisia thought hard for it, but nothing else came to mind. ¡°What on earth is wrong with them? Let¡¯s take a moment.¡± A congrattory gunshot-sound marked the end of the Fairy Festival. She looked up as pieces of multi-colored papers swiveled down like snowkes on a breezy night. Suddenly, someone who seemed to appear out of nowhere called out her name. ¡°Princess Levisia White.¡± She turned to face the direction of the voice, and there was Merril, who swept away her blue hair partially soaked in sweat. ¡°It¡¯s a relief you still haven¡¯t run away.¡± ¡®¡­How did she know I was nning to run away once the festival ended?¡¯ Merril¡¯s hand reached out even before she could calm herself down. A prickly, nuisance of a feeling persisted inside her. ¡°Can we meet for a little while?¡± Even with the cool undertone of her voice, the question appeared to reverberate negative intentions. And of course, there wasn¡¯t a definite way for herself to avoid answering. * * * Elizabeth, Lidan, and Siaphyl watched with nched faces as Levisia got seized away right before their very eyes. Elizabeth froze while Lidan stered himself a twisted grin. Meanwhile, Siaphyl stood, his stare fixated onto the thin, stale air. Chills were all that rattled his spine. In spite of the varying emotions, the three of them still thought the same thing. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s why she pretended not to know.¡± They all had tacitly agreed to avoid being around Levisia¡¯s vicinity once outside. Lidan was actively in favor and Siaphyl merely agreed. But Elizabethprised the minority as she primarily disapproved¡ªit didn¡¯t take long enough to make her concede though. It was all for Levisia¡¯s desire, after all. However, this situation was the direct result of their distancing. After the Fairy Festival, the three somehow managed to band together and carry out dark energy. Elizabeth, who sat leaning against the sofa, rubbed her frowned brow, exhaling a little bit heavily. ¡°I never liked that bum from the beginning,¡± she muttered. ¡°Same here.¡± She recalled approaching Levisia, and stopping immediately after receiving a snarky look from the princess. She giggled at the memory; Levisia was clearly an object of ridicule. ¡°Heiran is really¡ªsomething else.¡± The 17th prince, Heiran Tale, was the man that was sitting on Levisia¡¯s left. It was an unreservedly ridiculous sight; seeing him repeatedly talking to Levisia. Perhaps Elizabeth and Lidan were thinking the same thing, as both had crisp looks in their stares, tingly and biting. ¡°Why are there so many losers around her?¡± Elizabeth questioned. Not one reply came. Instead, Lidan and Siaphyl¡¯s eyes shed at her murmur. And despite this, they still shared simr breakthroughs with Elizabeth. Above all, Lidan has always been no different from Siaphyl. ¡°Do I have to watch the situation roll out like this?¡± Lidan asked, tapping the armrest with his fingertips in an agitated manner and raising his eyebrows all the same. Throughout this, an unpleasant image projected in his mind like a quantum leap. ¡°Wait, we can¡¯t just let this be,¡± he remarked. ¡°Then what in the world should we do about it?¡± Right then and there, each of the three soon began to busily churn out thoughts and possible objectives individually¡ªall to salvage this very specific scenario. * * * The area Merril took Levisia looked to be the drill hall near the pce she resided in. ¡°Do you know how to use a sword?¡± Merril queried as she handed her the heavy, tantalizing sword she had forged. Levisia looked down at the blindingly shimmering de, and shooked, ¡°No, I don¡¯t have a clue about swords.¡± ¡°Well, do you want to learn?¡± ¡°¡­All of a sudden?¡± She grew confused, but gripped its handle nheless, although with hesitation. ¡°Are you holding it tightly enough?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to let go now.¡± Merril dered and Levisia nodded in response. In an instant, she took her helping hands off, giving herself the full weight of the sword¡¯s entirety, and maybe whatever inherent symbolization it possessed. Her upper-body swung forward under the unexpected load, the grip and pull were rapid enough that she felt her arms falling, as if detached. ¡°What is this? Are swords normally this heavy? I thought it was going to be light, seeing that everyone who had used it does so swiftly!¡± Realizing how embarrassing the situation was, Merril couldn¡¯t help but burst into a fit ofughter, outright delighted at the goofed stance. Levisia remained silent, but her cackles persevered on, notwithstanding. She understood that there was no way of learning how to use a sword if one couldn¡¯t lift it properly in the first ce. Only then when she lifted her head did it register that Merril solely wanted to tease her. ¡°But your highness¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re not good at anything, you can¡¯t even stand up straight?!¡± Fact after fact came spewing out of Merril¡¯s ranting mouth. In all honesty, Levisia¡¯s bones could shatter to unhinged, disfigured pieces even at a meager push. She chose to say nothing. Naturally, as there was none to refute for. Then, Merril settled to control herself, wiping away some tears; products of such amusement. She snatched the sword from her, and swung it lightly. Suddenly, she asked, ¡°Elizabeth, Lidan, Siaphyl; do they all love your wretchedness?¡± ¡°I think it would be too much to say that.¡± Wouldn¡¯t there be no answer if it looked that way to Merril¡¯s eyes? When Levisia closed her eyes and thought, Merril smiled cheerfully and patted her on the shoulder with her free hand that wasn¡¯t clutching the sword. ¡°I¡¯m right. They¡¯re going crazy over you.¡± ¡®Seriously? How can he like such an ipetent, anguished loser like myself?¡¯ ¡°I think you¡¯re the one who fell in love with my wretchedness,¡± replied Levisia. ¡°That seems so. Is it because it¡¯s too trivial to even feel like a threat?¡± Chapter 52 - All For Survival Chapter 52 ¨C All For Survival There is an empty space in Levisia¡¯s mindhall, littered by two feminine bodies. Merril and Levisia stood there enveloped by raging thoughts. To Merril¡¯s face, and within a couple of seconds, Levisia shook her head in squeamishness. Like the rage from the blue oceans, her heart was subconscious. Merril has said too much, Levisia confessed. Merril¡¯s eyes were bitter, her words were coarse too. Levisia didn¡¯t have a course to get angry because she had be a worthless, terrible person, even to Merril. Anger wasn¡¯t the right emotion to pull up for Merril since she didn¡¯t feel it from the onset after all. Look, even after all that, your t reaction is just¨D¡±, Merril ttered. ¡°Hmm?¡± Levisia sounded in anxiety. ¡°Wow, you¡¯re so cute,¡± Merrilplimented. ¡®What is the deal with this person?¡¯ Levisia thought. Merril looked at Levisia frankly. She tried not to let her wordse outical, not by one bit. ¡°So you¡¯re telling the truth right now?¡± Merril asked rhetorically. Levisia was afraid. To her, it was a good idea to avoid people with dangerous preferences. ¡°It¡¯s ridiculous when you get angry over petty things, but you¡¯re a bit unique,¡± Merril stressed further. Merril¡¯s words meant that she thinks Levisia is cute, and it is amazing that a bug doesn¡¯t flinch even if it is stepped on, right? Merril¡¯s liking was suspicious. Who would think that an unflinching bug is cute? Whatever Merril thought of Levisia, thetter found it absurd. It was clear that she knew her words were shabby. ¡®Even so, all I can do is¡­¡¯ Levisia rendered. ¡®Nothing. Yep. For sure.¡¯ If Merril merely became a bully, Levisia would most likely stay in her confines. But if Merril interferes further with her life, she would turn a new leaf henceforward. ¡®Just be a bug for a moment. If someone asks me if I don¡¯t have the guts, I will just nod in affirmation. I have to survive, whether I have the guts or not.¡¯ If Levisia wouldn¡¯t retaliate against anyone¡¯s will, merely suppressing her breath and carrying on, there¡¯s nothing more she can hope for. Why would she egg her on? Levisia shut her mouth at the thought of that, but Merril who saw her reaction smiled furiously. ¡°Why stay quiet now¡­ Have you no pride?¡± Levisia merely muted after what seemed like a trance. ¡°You¡¯re just gonna lie t and avoid the moment?¡± Merril added. Levisia thought her smile was chilly, and she guessed that¡¯s what it meant; that up until now Merril has been irritating her. ¡®All that talk about you liking me and calling me cute was for this?¡¯ Levisia bore a face that showed her suspicions. She felt this way when Merril picked on her with those ridiculous words, but what a disgusting hobby. What was she going to do when she saw her reaction? Levisia rubbed her wrists and caught Merril¡¯s eyes. ¡°If you deliberately irritate me, you won¡¯t get anything out of it,¡± she said. Even if Levisia knew what Merril wanted, she wouldn¡¯t get anything from her. Why? Because she doesn¡¯t have anything to her name. If someone who possesses everything even slightly brushes shoulders with a person who has nothing, all they get is the title of a bully. ¡®Proud enough as she is, I don¡¯t think she¡¯ll hit me,¡¯ Levisia thought. But Merril kept a strange face when she heard that. With a girl-with-a-cold-heart kind of smile, she said: ¡°What? Either way, I¡¯m not gonna hit you.¡± Merril said almost defensively, ¡°I¡¯m just kidding, a joke is what it is.¡± At this point, Levisia thought she would boil up and just spit out anything. Everything else she said in the past spurred out just that way. Which part of Merril was truthful and which was an act? Frustration welled up within Levisia, causing her to stop talking. Then, Merril began to speak about something Levisia never demanded an answer for, not from her. ¡°I don¡¯t like the kind of people who lose their heads because they¡¯ve heard something they don¡¯t want to hear. Seeing you now, you don¡¯t seem like that type,¡± she started off. Even that didn¡¯t sound like it came from her heart. After thinking for a while, Levisia decided which facade of Merril was real. The contempt she showed at that moment was clearly sincere. ¡°And I can see why those three are all over you,¡± she teased, ¡°Nelle. Being near you makes me feel the same way as holding Nelle in my hand.¡± Merril blurted in a sympathetic tone after a sniff. She was holding onto something, that which she fisted tightly to keep Levisia guessing. ¡°What in the world does that feel like?¡± Levisia questioned as soon as Merril rounded her exnation. ¡°That feeling of being full of power. Something like being confident that I can turn this area into a sea of water in a flick.¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t that example a bit extreme?¡± Levisia inquired in a quiver. When she unknowingly was about to step back, Merril uttered incoherently and opened her hands wide as if she didn¡¯t mean that. ¡°This is what I¡¯m talking about. You may have seen it earlier, but it was impossible to use a lot of energy at the fairy fest. Putting out Siaphyl¡¯s fire took a lot of energy. Well, a fire has no power when faced with water, ha!¡± Merril prided on being a great exploiter of her strength, always feeling like she made herself so. With a big smile, she stretched her hand out to Levisia. It seemed like she wanted a shake. ¡°Anyway, just like those three, I like you, too. I like it especially when you call my name,¡± Merril added. When Levisia was pondering over epting the shake, Merril said something she found really hard to take in. ¡°I¡¯ll help you with your training,¡± she offered. ¡°Excuse me¡­?¡± Levisia stood frozen, blinking her eyes. What training was she talking about? Then with one hand, Merril swung her sword lightly and said, ¡°I mean so you can wield it well, like this. Because I don¡¯t like having weaklings by my side. If youck innate strength, all you have to do is work on increasing your body strength. Of course, I¡¯m good at both.¡± Like raindrops on a budding flower, Levisia fell in a trance. Her brain was joggled in the lot of trying to fathom Merril¡¯s long talk. Worries amassed like migraine in her head. Then, she didn¡¯t need to be by her side. What was the point? Lev couldn¡¯t bear any more of this, so she had to speak up. ¡°So then you don¡¯t really need me by your side?¡± ¡°What?¡± Merril reacted as if she had heard a funny joke. ¡®Why did she act like I did something hrious? Wait, she¡¯s being for real?¡¯ ¡°Hearing you say that, I really want you by my side now,¡± she rogued. ¡°Were you in the same department as Elivet¡­?¡± Merril grabbed Levisia¡¯s hand and shook it up and down seeing that she had frozen in dismay. ¡°You, you¡¯re funny. You¡¯ve got a knack for making peopleugh,¡± Levisia stammered. ¡°Let¡¯s meet more often, girl. That was quite an unweepliment,¡± Merril soft-toned these words into her ears. ¡°Can¡¯t we just go back to not knowing each other?¡± Tucked in a world so small, Levisia found her way home. Her mind was in a race, one that would onlye to an end if she can do away with the thoughts about Merril. The sensation, thought arrests and uncalled gestures almost knocked her out. Chapter 53 - Late Night Strolls Chapter 53 ¨C Late Night Strolls Levisia was so exhausted after returning to her pce that she could barely move a muscle. Merril had sucked the life out of her, so she felt like a piece ofundry hanging on a clothesline. If the dress that she wore to the Fairy Festival had been snug, she would¡¯ve flipped it up andid her head on it. Clinging to the bed like a wet cotton ball and staring nkly out the window, her worries made her blurt out: ¡°I¡¯m tired of this¡­¡± From the looks of outside it was little moments into the evening. It¡¯s been about an hour since the sun started to set after nching all through the day. When Levisia rolled her body over and ogled up at the ceiling, there came a light knock at the door. ¡°Come in.¡± She turned her head, and when the door opened she saw who it was. Pel met her gaze, causing her to impulsively wear a frown. Pel asked, ¡°What¡­ are you doing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m tired. Exhausted!¡± Levisia replied after which she turned her head back up to the ceiling in sheer disappointment. ¡°You can at least change out of your dress. And¡­¡± He stopped in the middle of speaking, took a deep breath and turned his head. ¡°And?¡± She asked, ring back at him. ¡°Your dress is rolled up,¡± Pel muttered. ¡°Oh.¡± Pel appeared more unhappy than usual. Levisia lifted her upper body, fixed her dress, and stared at him again. Pel stood still by the door, his head turned away. ¡°There,¡± Levisia uttered rather loudly, receiving a light sigh from Pel as if he were relieved. She wondered why he was talking as though he had never fixed her dress before. But it wasn¡¯t something to take for granted, so she had to quit talking. ¡®Pel is more than he presents himself.¡¯ No matter how arrogant and sometimes friendly Pel was, this important fact should not be forgotten. All of a sudden, Pel opened Levisia¡¯s closet and rummaged through the clothes. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Lev questioned. ¡°It is best you change. You¡¯re making me ufortable,¡± Pel husked. ¡°That is correct, but¡­¡± Levisia responded as though filing a query. With a nk look on his face, Pel took out two pieces of clothing and gave her a beige indoor dress. Dazed, Levisia took them from him and thought, ¡®Oh no! It¡¯s not something I take for granted, Pel is just too natural.¡¯ In bemusement, Pel handed her the clothes and turned around to leave. ¡°Where are you going? Didn¡¯t youe here because you had something to say?¡± The exhaustedss hurled. ¡°Nothing too important.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t juste here to get me to change my clothes because you guessed I wouldn¡¯t have done so, right?¡± She asked after a bird¡¯s eye view of the fairly darkened sky. ¡°If I¡¯m right, you can say that I¡¯m right,¡± Levisiamented in little moments. Pel turned swiftly towards Levisia¡¯s direction. ¡°You said you¡¯re tired,¡± he affirmed. ¡°So what?¡± Levisia fired back looking closely at his manly physique. She realized something when she answered. What he had on was different from his normal going-out attire. And before she asked where he was going, she realized something else. It was the day of the fairy fest. Every year on the night of the fairy fest, they take a night tour together. They leave around early evening to look around the fairy fest and return when it gets dark. Wonderful memories are always up for catch on days like this. Dresses are soft, looks are ssy, and time is always spent excitingly. Levisia wanted to show him that she already knew. As soon as she sat there without speaking, Pel seemed to have realized the situation. ¡°Apparently, you now remember. So don¡¯t worry about it, it¡¯s all good.¡± ¡°No, wait¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re tired, so just rest. We can go next time,¡± Pel gloomily suggested. He turned his back. ¡®Next time?¡¯ That was a lie. Next year, Levisia would be an adult and for that reason, she would leave the pce. When she leaves, Pel will act in coherence probably. ¡®You won¡¯t be with me.¡¯ By then, he¡¯ll be following the original story to destroy this empire, leaving no ¡®next time¡¯ for them. In other words, today would be thest time they¡¯d get to enjoy the fairy fest together. Such mncholic thoughts lingered in her mind. Before Pel could leave, she cheered, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Confused, Pel watched the whole turnaround with mindful simplicity. ¡°I¡¯ll buy you something delicious,¡± Levisia uttered only to cut his thoughts short. Chapter 54 - Inevitable Farewell Chapter 54 ¨C Inevitable Farewell ¡°What did you just say?¡± Pel replied to Levisia with a fixated, ridiculous expression. In response to this, Levisia hurriedly let go of the arm that she had grabbed, and then proceeded to fix the wayward strands of hair that had made their way onto her face. ¡°Um¡­ Well, I couldn¡¯t think of anything else to say, so¡­¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe you went that far¡­¡± ¡°You think that was too far?¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t delude yourself. You didn¡¯t do anything wrong.¡± ¡°Okay, I see.¡± Pel¡¯s eyebrows wiggled in a suggestive manner. However, Levisia was determined not to sumb to it. He would probably end up twisting whatever she would say in reply. ¡®Now that I think about it, it seems like I¡¯m being punished.¡¯ What in the world did she ever do to end up at this point with Pel? ¡®Well, I¡¯m not exactly sure as to what¡¯s happened.¡¯ It hade to the point where Levisia had begun to consider her rtionship with Pel. Had she known his identity from the start, could they have been as they were now? ¡®No way.¡¯ However, it was already toote to try to go back to how things had been when they had first met. They knew way too much about each other now. They had already set expectations and established trust for one another, to the point that the root of their rtionship wouldn¡¯t break even if a big secret about one of them were to be revealed. ¡®Like the Kraidens, we can¡¯t just drift apart.¡¯ Pel was the main character here. Just like the Kraidens, he, too, was another typhoon all in itself. If he were to stay around, it would be impossible to experience a good ending, simply because he would pull and drown one into his charm. At this point, Levisia no longer felt as if existence was threatening, perhaps because she had already realized that Pel would eventually walk his own path, leaving She and her behind. ¡®Even this time with Pel is going to end eventually.¡¯ After epting that realization, Levisia had be aware of his existence. As a result, she felt empty about everything he had done up until now. More than anything, she didn¡¯t want that now. Therefore, whatever he would do in the future only meant that distancing herself from him would turn out to be a fruitless attempt. She had chosen, instead, to focus on the present, to do her best while Pel was still by her side. Levisia was grateful that he wasn¡¯t the type of man to change his mind just because he was so full of ttery. Thanks to this, he didn¡¯t worry too much about others, and she was determined to treat him just as he was. If he were going to get rid of the unnamed princess that people weren¡¯t interested in, wouldn¡¯t he have already done it? After organizing her thoughts, Levisia felt as if her head had finally begun to clear up. However, Pel felt ashamed that she had made up her mind, so he decided to take the first step. ¡°You said you felt tired.¡± ¡°Yeah, but the fairy fest onlysts until today.¡± ¡°Do we really have to go next¨D?¡± ¡°There is no next time.¡± It felt bizarre hearing him argue about going ¡®next time,¡¯ when he knew full well that there wouldn¡¯t be. ¡®Or was he willing to do so?¡¯ No matter what, the fact that he would eventually leave Levisia did not change, even if he wasn¡¯t going to leave yet next year. Therefore, she couldn¡¯t afford to take any moment for granted. ¡°I could die tomorrow.¡± When Levisia said this grave sentence, Pel¡¯s face twisted sideways. ¡°Why would you say such¡­?¡± ¡°That part¡¯s not important.¡± After she drew a short breath, he looked straight at her and asked, ¡°So, you don¡¯t want to go?¡± Levisia didn¡¯t need any other reason. So, when she asked about his intentions, Pel found that he couldn¡¯t answer easily. At this, he went silent for a while before opening his lips to speak. ¡°Get changed and let¡¯s go. I, too, will get ready.¡± * * * Standing at the front of the pce whilst tapping her heel on the ground, Levisia took a robe from Pel, put it on, and then asked, ¡°She isn¡¯ting again this year?¡± ¡°I guess not.¡± ¡°Oh well¡­¡± ¡°Take this.¡± Following the robe, Pel handed her a brass band. Those who worked in the pce had to have this band in order toe and go in and out of the royal pce. Of course, he didn¡¯t have one to begin with because he wasn¡¯t employed here. She had probably let him borrow it for the time being. With the brass band shining underneath the moonlight, Levisia took a step back as Pel nodded. He, wearing a robe just like Levisia¡¯s, put his hood up and looked back at her. ¡°Put your hood on.¡± ¡°I will.¡± Levisia began to follow him in good nature. Once they had reached the gate, the soldier on guard seemed to recognize Pel¡¯s face. ¡°Hey Pel, are you out here again?¡± Chapter 55 - You’re With Me Chapter 55 ¨C You¡¯re With Me ¡®Again?¡¯ When Levisia expressed her doubt at the guard¡¯sment, Pel nonchntly answered, ¡°It¡¯s still evening.¡± ¡°Man¡­ you! Aren¡¯t you always herete at night?¡± The guard didn¡¯t even properly check Pel¡¯s band. He didn¡¯t even look like he belonged here, so why was he cking off like this? When Levisia went to take a step back to think, ance suddenly appeared to block her way. She hurriedly turned her head to find that the guard was carefully scanning her. ¡°And you?¡± Pel, who stood on the other side of thence, approached Levisia while calmly speaking, ¡°The youngster works with me.¡± ¡°Youngster?¡± ¡®How could he? Who¡¯s a youngster?¡¯ Levisia looked at Pel with bewildered eyes, but all he did was stare back nonchntly whilst shrugging. The soldier who had been staring her down lowered hisnce before extending his hand. ¡°Oh yeah? Your band, then, please.¡± He didn¡¯t seem generous to her at all, only to Pel. As she brandished the band, the man scanned it from front to back, then looked at her with his sharp eyes. After a while, he asked, ¡°Which noble family are you from?¡± ¡°This again. Why do you need my personal information?¡± Pel took a deep breath and stepped in front of her to block the guard¡¯s re. Levisia tilted my head to peer over the shoulder of the body in front of her, right at the guard¡¯s face. While staring back at her, he said something unusual. ¡°It¡¯s not that. Your face, mood, and the way your cuteness flows; it¡¯s like I¡¯ve seen your type somewhere before.¡± Hearing that, Pel turned and red at Levisia. His eyes seemed to be asking, ¡®What the¡­? Is he serious?¡¯ At this, Levisia faced his gaze without a single word. Pel responded by giving a big cough, turning his head away from her. ¡°On top of that, your face is strangely familiar¡­ Where have I seen you?¡± ¡°Oh, you might have just seen me here and there. I don¡¯t really spend more than a couple of days here.¡± ¡°If that were the case, then you wouldn¡¯t look familiar.¡± The guard turned out to be more persistent than Levisia had expected him to be. With his eyes, Pel signaled to her to just carry on. She simply nodded and held on to his back. ¡°Anyway, if you¡¯re done just let us go on.¡± ¡°Oh, oh, yeah. Of course. Have a good time, kids.¡± No matter how one were to look at this scene, calling them kids proved to be a bit too much. When Levisia turned her head to get a better look at the soldier, Pel grabbed her hand and urged her forward. ¡°Hey?¡± ¡°Just ignore him and go.¡± When his strides got longer causing Levisia to drag on behind, he let go of her hand and stopped. She then looked up at him before asking, ¡°Are you close?¡± ¡°With who?¡± ¡°That soldier.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve just met a couple of times.¡± ¡°But you two still looked like you knew each other well.¡± As she persisted, she could feel Pel¡¯s eyes piercing through her own. ¡°Did he make you ufortable?¡± ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t that.¡± ¡°Then what are you so curious about?¡± Multiple thoughts flew around in Levisia¡¯s head, but she could tell he knew what she meant. She just thought that it would be okay if she just asked upfront. After pondering on it for a moment, Levisia spoke once more. ¡°He said that you¡¯re always herete at night?¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Normally, that kind of reaction would annoy the asker, but it didn¡¯t appear that way in this situation at all. ¡®I guess he wants to hide something.¡¯ Pel¡¯s concept of remaining mysterious was still the same. Now that Levisia knew his secret, it didn¡¯t really feel odd at all. However¡­ ¡®It worries me a bit.¡¯ Of all things, why was he herete at night? That also meant that he acted in secrecy in order to avoid someone¡¯s attention. And whatever he did in secrecy when he left the royal pce¡­ ¡®It¡¯s most likely directly rted to the course of the future.¡¯ When this serious worry of hers hit Levisia at full speed, Pel, who hadn¡¯t said a word before then, blurted out, ¡°It¡¯s because I feel stuffy sometimes.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I mean, being in the royal pce all the time.¡± She hadn¡¯t expected to hear this reason. At this, Levisia blinked slowly and replied, ¡°Throughout the year I spend most of my time in the pce, though.¡± ¡°Well, you have royal status. From long ago, I¨D¡± ¡°Long ago?¡± ¡°¡­Anyways, that¡¯s why. There is no other reason.¡± She couldn¡¯t even hear thest part because he was mumbling in such a vague manner. ¡®What does he mean by, from long ago?¡¯ If Levisia had to guess by thest part, he was either a reckless prince who had gotten chased out of the royal pce, or perhaps¡­ ¡®Hmm, I don¡¯t think so.¡¯ Pel didn¡¯t really seem like the reckless type to her. At this, Levisia gave up trying to guess and just tilted her head. Now that she thought about it, he did spend a lot of time in the heart of the enemy who had destroyed his mothend If she were in his shoes, she would feel suffocated every day, just trying to endure that. ¡®Isn¡¯t that already happening now?¡¯ Just like Levisia, Pel just wanted to get out of the royal pce after learning about the war. ¡®Even worse, he feels like his life¡¯s being threatened every single day.¡¯ Oh, no matter the case, Levisia felt like she knew what he was feeling. She silently nodded in reply, and Pel, who felt ridiculous, asked, ¡°Your Highness, why¡­?¡± ¡°Just a little. Yes, let¡¯s hang in there.¡± Upon receiving support that had been entirely unexpected, Pel¡¯s expression changed. ¡°So, where do you mainly go when youe out of the royal pce?¡± ¡°¡­Excuse me?¡± ¡°You said youe outside because you feel stuffy. So you must go somewhere to get a release.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not necessarily the thing now.¡± ¡°I only asked because I feel suffocated. If you know a good ce, don¡¯t just keep it to yourself; let me know.¡± Pel gasped as he looked down at Levisia, who was now trying to tear through him in order to find out about his secret ce. However, just like every time, he continued to pretend that he couldn¡¯t possibly defeat her stubbornness. ¡°There¡¯s this one ce¡­¡± ¡°Well then, let¡¯s go there!¡± ¡°It¡¯s rare to find anyone else there, so there¡¯s not much to enjoy like the fest¨D¡± ¡°But you¡¯re with me.¡± nk! Pel stopped dead in his tracks. Before Levisia knew it, he was already nodding. ¡°That¡¯s all I need.¡± Chapter 56 - Bittersweet Beauty Chapter 56 ¨C Bittersweet Beauty Pel stood frozen in his tracks for a moment when he heard what Levisia said. She could see his wide-open golden pupils through his blonde hair, fallen over his eyes. They looked like golden grains of sand on a beach. Even though the color was darkened by waves, they sparkled with the light. Soon after, his picturesque lips began to move. ¡°What does that- ah¡­ Never mind,¡± he sputtered. Levisia muted, keeping a face that showed that she needs rifications. ¡°Let¡¯s just go,¡± Pel said downrightly. Before Levisia could even get a word out, he cut the conversation and approached her. In real sense, Pel did walk past her. ¡®Did I mistake that for something else?¡¯ Levisia wondered. Amidst the distraction, Levisia looked into Pel¡¯s face. His eyes were bloodshot, as though he was burning with some keenly deep thoughts about God-knows-what. Whatever it was, Levisia felt she needed to know. ¡°Wait for me,¡± he said. Even while Pel stopped to wait for Levisia who scurried behind, he never looked back, so she didn¡¯t even know if what had just happened was over or not. * * * The secret ce where Pel went to escape the suffocating pce was a hill right on the opposite side. ¡°Some hill. This is more like trekking a small mountain,¡± Levisia objected. ¡°If it¡¯s too hard, just go back down,¡± Pel aired. He kept pressuring Levisia to give up when she had to catch her breath during the uphill climb. He, on the other hand, didn¡¯t break a sweat and looked as normal as usual. Though Levisia has never seen this side of him before. ¡°No, I want to keep going,¡± Levisia responded with a roop. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Pel turned his head back around as though he did not want to speak anymore. On the other hand, Levisia stared at his legs as they moved without ag. His steps were so consistent that she couldn¡¯t tell when he slowed down or sped up. He didn¡¯t even look tired. ¡®Is outstanding strength normal for royal family members?¡¯ Levisia thought. Wondering how in the world someone could have so much endurance, Levisia tried to find an answer in the differences in their origins. ¡®If our innate strengths are different, then clearly¡­¡¯ ¡°Oh.¡± Before Levisia got more conscious, Pel stopped at the top. As she was looking down while walking, she bumped her forehead against his back and stumbled. ¡°What the¡­!¡± Pel grabbed her with a look of surprise on his face. Levisia¡¯s dragged body touched his chest and fell. For a moment, his heart pounded even harder in astonishment. ¡°Where in the world has your head wandered off to?¡± he queried. She had been thinking about his origin, but she couldn¡¯t tell him the truth. Without answering, she rubbed her head with her palm and was suddenly caught by the scenery behind him. ¡°You nearly fell¨D,¡± Pel said, blowing off dust particles from her stray strand of hair. But Levisia paid no heed, a gasp escaping her lips. She walked past Pel, and her eyes fell to the grand sight at the bottom of the hill. ¡°Wow¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re not even listening,¡± Pel mumbled in disarray. From behind her, Levisia could hear his mumbling voice mixed with sighs. But could such a view be so amazing? ¡°What is this ce?¡± she could feel him approaching my side as she asked. ¡°I guess you like it here, huh?¡± There was a big, beautiful tree at the top of the hill. They stood in the tree¡¯s shadow created by the moonlight and ogled towards the northwest. The city was seen from above the hill. The illuminated houses and shops looked fantastic, almost passing for the genuineness of a fairy tale painting. On the night of the fairy festival, the festive streets sparkled with a scarlet light, and the faces of the small people walking on the street beamed ofughter. ¡°Yep,¡± Levisia answered. Responding nkly, she saw the smile of a child running with a sugar snack and added, ¡°I like it here.¡± The ce was far from the city, but its vitality and loveliness were enough to touch her heart. Perhaps because of the calmness around, the loud noises from afar only felt distant and pleasant as if they were from another world. It was quiet, so there was an advantageing alone. The ce is one where you can melt into the world, with minds joggling in super-sweet emotions. Levisia wondered if Pel felt the same way. She turned her head as the thoughts formed, and right then her eyes met Pel¡¯s. Levisia thought they had been looking at the same ce, but his eyes were on her face. However, he turned away after their eyes met for a fleeting second. While he stared down the hill, Levisia suggested, ¡°Let¡¯s stay a bit more, then go.¡± Pel didn¡¯t say a word. She read his silence as a positive reaction, so she got on her knees and sat down. Looking at her sitting, Pel took his robe off and set it on the ground, but she stopped him. ¡°Don¡¯t. I¡¯ll be alright,¡± Levisia affirmed. ¡°Your legs will get numb, your highness,¡± he added. ¡°So what? It¡¯s just for a little while. Look over there.¡± ¡°Looks like there¡¯s a concert going on.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what it looks like to you?¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one who pointed it out?¡± ¡°Yeah, because people are crowded around.¡± ¡°Go down there if you want to see it.¡± ¡°Nah, I¡¯m tired of seeing concerts today.¡± Levisia shook her head and rubbed her chin. The trees uphill continued to windmill with glee making a loud swoosh. Chapter 57 - Confession Chapter 57 ¨C Confession ¡°How long has it been since you came herest?¡± Levisia questioned as her voiceid low underneath the sound of the leaves rustling in the wind. But Pel, who didn¡¯t miss her question, answered, ¡°More than three months.¡± ¡°Then look at the scenery, not me. You don¡¯t know when you¡¯ll be able to see it again,¡± she stressed. ¡°When did I say I was looking at you?¡± Pel countered. Right then, Levisia could feel the side of her face heating up as he stared her down. ¡°Or not,¡± she said with sinctness, lifting her shoulders lightly. She felt his stare turning from her, then lowered her eyes in anxiety. The royal pce was at the end of the street shining under the fireworks. When she found out why he reacted that way, she couldn¡¯t just admire the view as much as before. It was a bted thought. But for Pel, he sees the heart of the country that destroyed his own country and the people who supported them. ¡®What does he think about when hees here?¡¯ Levisia wondered, a tinge of bitterness filling her chest. Does his inner self boil with revenge at the sight of the smiling faces? Does seeing the sparkling pce fuel his hatred ?¡± If it wasn¡¯t the case, Pel must have swallowed all the emotions and forced himself to control his mind. On one side, his mind didn¡¯t seem to be at ease. Unlike Levisia¡¯s admiration for the beautiful scenery, Pel may have had such a painful time here that he couldn¡¯t get a proper feel of the scenery. After spending such time, he would have to walk that road again. Levisia couldn¡¯t fathom how he felt when he strolled back into the street with a sense of emptiness. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Pel¡¯s voice broke into Levisia¡¯s train of thoughts with an indication of worry. Why was he worried about Levisia and not himself in a ce like this? ¡°Me? Nothing,¡± Levisia lied. ¡°You look so grim. Like you¡¯re hurt somewhere,¡± Pel triggered. ¡°I¡¯m just thinking about something that¡¯s giving me a headache,¡± she professed. ¡°You were fine earlier, but now you¡¯re in a fickle mood,¡± he pressed further. Levisia didn¡¯t give an immediate response to his question. It was only then that she realized that her question was too unkind. Then, she added, ¡°You also like it here?¡± Silence. That was the moment when Levisia thought, too, with eyes that sank noticeably. ¡°Not really. But I think I¡¯m going to like it from now on,¡± he responded. Levisia felt a glitch down her heart as Pel¡¯s answer came so fast. ¡°We¡¯ve been here long enough, so let¡¯s go. Anyter, we won¡¯t be able to look around some more,¡± he suggested. His voice was so stern that Levisia couldn¡¯t ask anything else, neatly turning over the subject. ¡°Okay,¡± Levisia agreed, wiping grass off her legs. As she straightened herself, Pel then approached her. He put down her hood, which had flown up in the wind, and lowered his hands. The hood was only off a little, but Pel was more careful than Levisia was, to an unusual extent. Getting a closer look at his face, Levisia could see his mood oddly changing. Why so? As soon as she suspected something, Pel said to her, ¡°You¡¯ve changed a lot.¡± ¡°How so?¡± she inquired. ¡°This morning you were ufortable because of me,¡± Pel confessed. ¡°About that¡­¡± Levisia had a reason for that. Of course, as he said she had gotten rid of that feeling. As expected, her attitude changed when her mindset did. That was obvious. ¡°What¡¯s different about me now?¡± Levisia probed still. Pel squinted his eyes at her question. He took a sharp look into her eyes, but ended in a stammer. ¡°N-N-o-ow¡­ It seems like you¡¯re looking at me the right way now.¡± This time, Levisia¡¯s eyes were bound to grow bigger at Pel¡¯s words. There was nothing he didn¡¯t know. He already knew that she tried to avoid him and that she didn¡¯t want to see him the right way. ¡°And seeing you like this is so much¨D ah, it¡¯s nothing. Let¡¯s head down.¡± After saying so, Pel took a few steps back from Levisia. It was then that she could calm her nerves and say, ¡°I knew you would catch on to me.¡± Pel narrowed his eyes because Levisia didn¡¯t deny what he had said. ¡°So why did you act that way then?¡± ¡°That¡¯s just what I felt at that time.¡± ¡°Then howe now¨D¡± The wind blew strong as he spoke, harsh enough to cause the grass to wilt and the tree branches to shake. There was no way he could hear her if she stressed further. Is that why? Levisia answered a little impulsively to him, who had no intention of answering. ¡°¨Dthat¡¯s why.¡± As soon as Pel was about to speak, her hood which he had put down flew up again, along with his hood as well. Levisia looked at his blonde hair that fluttered about in the wind and finished her words. ¡°¨Dbecause of that.¡± The sudden wind gradually died down. Pel¡¯s hands, which were holding onto Levisia¡¯s hood, dropped slowly, just like the wind. Chapter 58 - Pretend Lovers Chapter 58 ¨C Pretend Lovers Pel flipped his hood over his head, concealing almost of his entire face. All Levisia could see was his slightly pouted lips. Even though Levisia had heard the truth, it wasn¡¯t a big deal, but she did feel a bit embarrassed. She was vividly struggling amidst thoughts of his reasons for his incoherent words. But by Pel¡¯s appearance, she didn¡¯t find anything special about him. His being speechless like this left Levisia with a heavy heart, but she expected the switch. Given that Levisia didn¡¯t reply, Pel probably sensed that she couldn¡¯t hear him. That was just fine for me. Because it wasn¡¯t really something Levisia had hoped he would say. As Pel stood there motionless, Levisia took the first step and said, ¡°Well, let¡¯s go.¡± * * * They looked around the street leading to the festival, glimpsing a few people beautifully dressed in fairy costumes. Some people who just passed Levisia even had sparkling yellow-green feathers attached to their backs. Despite the night getting deeper with time, the atmosphere of the festival wasn¡¯t cooling down. In one corner countless people had set up a stage to perform, and some even prepared a pretty good y. ¡°The y is still going on,¡± Levisia rooped while pointing towards west. Pel looked at where she was pointing and replied in a lukewarm fashion, ¡°It¡¯s always the same repetitive y.¡± That was all he said. It was almost an annual event to perform a y based on the story of the founding of the nation. Levisia had seen it every year at this festival. The first couple of times Levisia watched out of curiosity, but not so much now. Pel and Levisia brisked past that performance stage. ¡°Are you a little hungry?¡± ¡°Not really?¡± ¡°Hm¡­¡± Most of the booths were selling street foods; some ces specialized in selling baked cookies shaped like leaves of the fairy tree, as well as the sugar snacks that Levisia saw a child holding earlier. ¡°Tell me whenever you¡¯re hungry since I said I would buy you something delicious to eat.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you were being sincere?¡± ¡°Of course I was,¡± Levisia remarked. Pel shook his head out of excitement. Meanwhile, Levisia scanned around and took the grinning Pel over to one of the street vendors. ¡°Just 20 silver coins. Flowers from the fairy tale of Mt. Png. Wish you peace next year!¡± As they approached, the voice of the vendor, which had been heard in confusion earlier, became much clearer. Her ent sounded like someone who wasn¡¯t from the empire; rather, someone from a foreign country. Pel, who was blindly following Levisia, now seemed to have guessed where she was heading. ¡°Are we¡­¡± he inquired. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not going to buy that, are you?¡± Pel stressed. ¡°She loves growing flowers,¡± Levisia remarked. ¡°I know that, but that isn¡¯t a normal flower.¡± ¡°So what? It¡¯ll still blossom,¡± she shrugged off. It was an ancient custom of the empire to nt fairy flowers, which took a year to fully grow. And was said to bring good luck that year when the flowers bloomed. Aside from the old custom, however, fairy flowers have a notorious reputation in the empire. Because another name for them is ¡®The flower that never grows.¡¯ nting a fairy flower and seeing it bloom regrly was extremely rare. Perhaps that¡¯s why up until now Levisia has never met a single person who has grown one. If Levisia had been someone who sold something like that in her previous life, she would have been used of fraud. Sequentially, the buyers¡¯ reviews would have been full ofints that the flowers were bad and that they didn¡¯t grow. That¡¯s why anyone would say that Pel¡¯s reaction wasn¡¯t umon. But isn¡¯t this flower a kind of lottery or something? It¡¯s good if it blooms, but if not, oh well. ¡°Come look around!¡± The vendor yelled as she looked at Pel and her; her eyes simr to a hyena who discovered its prey. ¡°They¡¯re selling fake seeds. You¡¯re going to buy this?¡± Pel didn¡¯t even hesitate to shout such words in a loud voice in front of the vendor. Then, the florist, who was listening to them, responded immediately with, ¡°Hey! Fake seeds? We only sell the best seeds from Mt. Png.¡± Png was a famous district in the Kraiden Empire that specializes in fairy flowers. Of course, it didn¡¯t matter if it was a specialty or not. ¡®Well¡­ a foreigner only dealing with Mt. Png seeds is a bit¡­¡¯ Oh, it wasn¡¯t nice to think like that. Levisia sounded like someone who didn¡¯t live in a global era. She put aside her prejudice and looked at the pots where all the nts were and picked the two pots in front of her. Sure enough, Pel, the housekeeper of their pce, saw it and started to nag. ¡°Why do you need two¡­?¡± Pel asked. ¡°One is for me.¡± ¡°But why¨D? ¡°Hey, hey! It¡¯s attractive when a lover tends to flowers in a pot,¡± the vendor teased. Levisia wasn¡¯t the only one to question her use of the word ¡®lovers¡¯. It was also a natural step for Pel¡¯s aim, who was nagging, for her to move to the street vendor. ¡°How can we be lovers? What are¨D¡± Levisia cuts in just before Pel¡¯s cold voice could get into the street vendor¡¯s ear. ¡°Right, we are lovers.¡± Chapter 59 - Lost In The Sea Of People Chapter 59 ¨C Lost in the Sea of People ¡°Just as I thought. My eyes don¡¯t deceive me that often. Hoorah! Growing fairy flowers is great entertainment for a cute and fresh couple. A yearter, on your special anniversary day, a fully-grown flower would be an unforgettable gift!¡± the vendor beamed. While the street vendor was jumping around in excitement, Pel looked down at Levisia. He stared like he had been stabbed in the back by a loved one. His sulky eyes held an expression of betrayal. ¡®Sorry, Pel. It¡¯s all because it has meaning.¡¯ Levisia offered him her most sincere apologies, pulled him close, and asked the street vendor proudly, ¡°So, can you give us a discount?¡± Eventually, the two pots made their way into Pel¡¯s hands. Looking at him walking with the pots, Levisia nced at him and asked, ¡°Is it really that bad?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Pel fired with an aura of inquisitiveness. ¡°Pretending to be lovers.¡± When the words left her lips, Pel stood awestruck, clearing his throat in bewilderment. While patting his back, Levisia stopped after realizing her physical touch might be too imposing. Soon, Pel, who raised his head, almost clenching his teeth, spoke out, ¡°That, please stop saying that.¡± ¡°Alright. Alright.¡± Levisia didn¡¯t think she¡¯d get a reaction as such. Soon, she became the only odd character in the stage y that he thought he¡¯d casually be involved in. ¡°I said that because I thought she would give us a discount. It would have been better than just saying no,¡± she lied. In reality, she saw the look in his eyes at the time when she was acting like we were a couple. Pel looked like an unfortunate character who ended up in a marriage proposal to a swindling capitalist. ¡®Could there be a more proper analogy?¡¯ Levisia thought. She was bothered if her role is to fall in love first after telling him not to love her regardless. While she was deep in her thoughts, Pel protested, ¡°There was no need to go that far.¡± ¡°Because you think I like wasting money. We could have at least saved a few coins,¡± Levisia responded after a timely ponder. Even so, Pel had to save money as part of the monthly payments he received from the royal family was for living expenses, and the other part was funded to escape the imperial pce. How could he react like this when Levisia cut corners and spent precious time with him? ¡°You¡¯re right, it is a waste of money. Who on earth buys this sort of thing?¡± Pel shrugged. ¡°The kind of person standing next to you buys this sort of thing,¡± Levisia sputtered carelessly. Pel was openly displeased but there wasn¡¯t anything she could do about the pots. ¡°It¡¯s fun to nt seeds and watch flowers grow,¡± Levisia noted as she raised her head for a temporal view at the dark clouds. ¡°What if they don¡¯t grow? It¡¯ll be a problem.¡± ¡°Something tells me one of these is going to grow.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what everyone thinks. What you¡¯re thinking isn¡¯t different from everyone else¡¯s.¡± Levisia thought he was obviously going too far. Without an answer, she evasively ended the conversation. ¡°Anyway, just try your best to take care of it. By the way, is this the right path?¡± Pel questioned. They were looking for the path that the fairy flower vendor had told them; she had said they should go towards the za where the fairy fountain. ¡°Oh, I see it over there. The fountain¡± ¡°It¡¯s packed with people,¡± Pel mumbled in a low voice. After looking around for some time, he said, ¡°Stay by my side.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The za with the fairy fountain was full of kiosks and people. Contrary to their worries, Pel and Levisia were pretty good together in the midst of the crowd. It was definitely a little while ago. Apparently, Pel had gotten his head together, but before Levisia knew it, he disappeared from her sight. While she made a frantic search for him, the crowd appeared like a wave. She could only walk through the shoving shoulders of others. ¡®If this continues, we¡¯re going to lose each otherpletely,¡± Levisia uttered in a fairly loud tone. Her body was being pushed left and right. She thought about going back through the crowd that was heading to the city. ¡°Wait a second. Excuse me. I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Levisia ranted as she walked. While wondering the number of times she had bumped into people, she finally recognized his back from near the kiosk in front of the fountain. ¡®There he is.¡¯ There was no doubt that the figure standing with his hood pulled over his head was Pel. Levisia was d she found him so quickly. She reached for his back with relief. ¡°Pel.¡± He turned around when she called out. Then, she realized she was mistaken the moment when the person shed a smile. ¡°You¡¯re not Pel?¡± Levisia uttered suddenly. The man reached out to Levisia quickly, as if he had been waiting for her toe. She flinched in surprise, and the moment she stepped back a ne appeared from out of his robe. It was the one with the horned flute pendant that Pel gave her. She couldn¡¯t help but feel regret after noticing the pendant. ¡®Oh, if I had worn that from the beginning¨D¡¯, Levisia thought. She was unable to make do with her thoughts. A huge hand stretched out forward and covered her eyes. Soon after, there was a clunking noise, followed by a sound apanied by the pain of something rubbing against Levisia¡¯s neck. Chapter 60 - Beyond Doubt Chapter 60 ¨C Beyond Doubt Pel¡¯s mind has been conflicted ever since the truth came out. As he left the pce with Princess Levisia, his feelings worsened as he struggled with the inner sh burning within him. ¡°But you¡¯re with me,¡± said Levisia, turning around to look at him with such calm expression. She walked ahead of him oblivious of the impact of her words to Pel. Bewildered, Pel thought that she heard her wrong. ¡°That¡¯s all I need.¡± Levisia continued, undoing his initial suspicion. Yes, he heard her, but that didn¡¯t mean he understood. ¡®What in the world was she thinking saying such¡­¡¯ At odds with his own thoughts and feelings which he couldn¡¯t trust nowadays, Pel, who always poises himself stiffly, regardless of the circumstances, opened his mouth thoughtlessly and said, ¡°What does that¡­ ah¡­ never mind.¡± Fumbling with his words, Pel struggled to express his thoughts. He quietly castigated himself and shook his head in hopes of bringing himself to his right senses. ¡°Let¡¯s just go,¡± he said casually, yet her words are still burning inside him, making him flushed. He walked ahead of Levisia in haste, avoiding her curious gaze. Time, a little bit of it, is enough to calm him down, like it always does. Not today though. Pel held on to Levisia, giving her a hand as they were climbing up the steep hill. Yet he wanted more of her, to hold her tighter in his arms if permitted. She then slipped off from his grip before he could even calm himself. ¡°Wow,¡± said a small voice in admiration. Pel saw Levisia from below him and he lost his temper at her unconcerned reaction with what happened. He failed to catch her as she sled down the slope. This frustrated Pel, that he could no longer control his muttering. ¡°You¡¯re not even listening¡­¡± It was true, for Levisia¡¯s focus was set on the scene going on the bottom of the hill. What the girl was seeing must be distractingly stunning. ¡°What is this ce?¡± Seeing that Levisia seemed to like what she¡¯s seeing gave Pel some form of relief in spite of himself. After much contemtion, he asked, ¡°I guess you like it here, huh?¡± Levisia¡¯s expression was enough of an answer. She fell in love with the beauty of the ce. He could tell because her face, that had been sinking into a deep foreboding shadow from time to time, suddenly brightened up. ¡°Yep,¡± was her bted reply after taking in the view from the top. Pel, as if charmed by the sound of her voice, inadvertently turned and gazed at her. The princess¡¯ clear green eyes seem to turn into twinkling orange as they dance with the street lights below. When the scarlet stream of light brushed her white face, she blushed in its warmth. A soft smile spread slowly, very slowly across her face. ¡°I like it.¡± With Levisia¡¯s twinkling eyes beaming straight ahead, Pel knew that she wanted him to know exactly how she feels. ¡®Then why¡­¡¯ Knowing how she felt made his once wandering heart fluttered. He couldn¡¯t take his eyes off of Levisia, who was, in turn, captivated by the view. Pel, as if bewitched, was mesmerized by the slightly raised corners of Levisia¡¯s mouth. ¡®You¡¯re possessed,¡¯ he thought, ¡®Who? Me? Or Levisia at that view?¡¯ Arguing with himself silently, he was caught off guard when Levisia suddenly turned to look at him. He shook his head forcefully, as if waking himself up from a fantasy such burning gaze offered. He was only able to breathe when Levisia¡¯s enchanting eyes turned elsewhere. ¡°Let¡¯s leave soon.¡± Levisia said promptly, bending her knees and plopping down the ground as if it was a natural thing to do. Pel discreetly snuck a peek at the princess whose hand was now on her chin as she wasfortably tottering on the ground. ¡°How long has it been since you came herest?¡± ¡°More than three months.¡± ¡°Then look at that view, not me. You don¡¯t know when you¡¯ll be able to see it again.¡± Pel, who was embarrassed by her rebuke, opened his eyes wide and attempted to deny it. ¡°W-who says I was looking at you?¡± ¡°Or not.¡± Again. Again her nonchnce was giving him a whish, colliding all his senses that confuses him in such a way¡­ Then, he is there again, the very thing he tried to refute, as his eyes fell back again on Levisia. His powerlessness to avoid her was pitiful. ¡®That face again¡­¡¯ She was calm this time, neither smiling nor frowning; her expression quite difficult to read. Even the scarlet color on her face that gave warmth to her appearance seemed to lose its appeal. Mystified, Pel wondered what is on Levisia¡¯s mind to make her look like that. For the first time sinceing here, his focus was not on his own thoughts and feelings but that of the princess¡¯. ¡°Your face¡­ What¡¯s wrong?¡± He couldn¡¯t bear such grim look on her adorable face anymore that he finally spoke to break her reverie. ¡°What about my face?¡± Levisia asked, equally puzzled. ¡°Is something wrong with you? It¡¯s like you¡¯re hurt.¡± She sighed deeply, ¡°I¡¯m just thinking about something that¡¯s giving me a headache.¡± ¡°You were fine earlier, but now you¡¯re in a fickle.¡± ¡°How about you?¡± Pel need not ask for rification of such question. He very much knew what she meant. Knowing and answering though are two different things. Why? Because not once has this ce ever¡­ ¡°You like it here, too?¡± Her voice was pleasant now, much like when he heard her a while back, when she expressed her delight with the ce. Pel¡¯s adam¡¯s apple now bobbed, as if controlling himself not to speak, yet after a short bout of silence, he finally spoke his cluttered thoughts. ¡°Not really.¡± Levisia was silent. ¡°But I think I¡¯m going to like it from now on.¡± After saying it, Pel found that he meant every single world he uttered. Being with Levisia in this ce together, the ce was now growing on him and bing more and more memorable as time passed by. ¡®What was I thinking?¡¯ Shocked by his own admission and tact, he abruptly changed the subject and told Levisia that it was time for them to go down. The princess got up quickly without protest. As she did, her hood was slightly blown down by the wind. Pel was quick to reach out for it, angling him directly to her line of sight. As their eyes met, his feeling was no longer deniable. ¡®You¡¯ve changed, Levisia,¡¯ he thought, ¡®It¡¯s clear that you¡¯ve been so busy avoiding me.¡¯ Chapter 61 - Foolish Assumptions Chapter 61 ¨C Foolish Assumptions In the morning, she was like a rabbit running away from a predator, but now she was bravely meeting the intensity of his eyes. With subtle appreciation for it, Pel spoke his true feelings this time, picking his thoughts and wording them exactly as is. ¡°You¡¯ve changed a lot.¡± ¡°How so?¡± ¡°This morning you were ufortable because of me.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡­¡± Levisia¡¯s expression was neither denial nor desire to make excuses. This confirmed Pel¡¯s feelings and observation. ¡°What¡¯s different about me now?¡± ¡°Now¡­¡± Pel saw his own reflection in her enchanting green eyes. He felt that he is exactly where he should be in her sight. ¡°It seems like you¡¯re looking at me the right way now and truly seeing me for the first time.¡± Did she? Is this the day when Levisia finally has eyes for him? ¡°And seeing you like this is so much¨D¡± Pel continued being truthful in expressing his thoughts even at the risk of confessing what he truly feels for her. Yet, some senses in him pulled him back and made him swallow the rest of the words as they were about to slip from the tip of his tongue. He sighed deeply and turned his head away from her face. ¡°Forget it¡­ Let¡¯s head down.¡± Away from Levisia¡¯s gaze, he was able to breathe and untangle his thoughts. As he turned his back on her, he felt a tap on his shoulder. ¡°I knew you would catch onto me.¡± Pel wanted to say the same thing about her, catching on to him more often than he did her, but he couldn¡¯t, so he just steered the conversation to a different direction. ¡°So why did you act that way then?¡± ¡°That¡¯s just what I felt at that time.¡± That? What was that? Pel looked back at Levisia, who was about to gloss over the situation. ¡°Then howe now¨D¡± At that very moment, as if on cue, the wind gust over, shaking the trees nearby. As the rustling leaves fell and danced with the wind, so were their shadows under the moonlight. Then, her pink lips opened. ¡°Because you¡¯re special.¡± The strong wind couldn¡¯t drown the voice he heard ever so clearly. A part of him tried to retain his innocence and pretended not to hear or not believe any of it. As he was about to say something, Levisia¡¯s hood fell down, knocked off by the wind, revealing her long silver hair that was now flipping and tossing in the air. Her eyes, looking at him intensely, were slightly warped under the moonlight. ¡°I¡¯ve decided not to waste our precious time.¡± Hearing this, Pel, who distracted himself by cing her hood back over her head, froze, so was his breathing. As the wind, as if on cue again, slowly hushed over and grew quiet, his hands fell. ¡®What¡­¡¯ He felt a twirling heating from the back of his neck and climbing over both his ears, making him flushed and burning red. Feeling extreme heat when he was facing in front of the pce was nothing inparison to what he was feeling right now. It was as if he was boiling from the inside out. She had said something like a confession, and Levisia winked for no reason. ¡°Let¡¯s just go.¡± Levisia just turned her back at him casually and began to go down the hill from where they have been standing. Pel stood there dumbfounded, unable to move. All he could do was stare at her back until he was able to manage taking steps down to follow her. ¡®This is seriously¡­¡¯ He was mad. Levisia, with her indifference ¡ª as if the words she uttered did not carry too much weight on Pel¡¯s heart ¡ª was not done yet. ¡°Right, we are lovers.¡± Thump! That was when Pel felt his heart finally rolled out of him and fell on his feet. Today alone, he had been into so much emotions that he couldn¡¯t figure out what was real in what he heard or what was made up. He was doubting too much about the situation between them, that he couldn¡¯t figure out what to make out of it. ¡®You can¡¯t be serious¡­¡¯ Determined to confront Levisia, he turned around to face her, only to be met with the same calm expression. Again, caught in the enthrallment of looking at her, he was shaken by what she said and the underlying yet obvious meaning behind it. ¡°Was it that bad?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Pel, determined not to be swayed again, insisted for an exnation. ¡°Pretending to be lovers.¡± His heart sprinted as soon as he understood. Pel, feeling suddenly numb, looked down at his frozen legs and coughed. What was going on today? What was wrong with him being easily swayed by meaningless and empty words from Levisia? Very well, she could speak as casually and passionless as she could, for all he cares. She, likewise, didn¡¯t mean anything to him. ¡°There was no need to go that far.¡± ¡°Because you think I like wasting money. We could have at least saved a few coins.¡± ¡®That¡¯s right.¡¯ Pel was almost ready to put an end to this absurd pretense. ¡®What was I expecting?¡¯ All of a sudden, Pel realized that he had been feeding himself delusions that fired up his thoughts, and he quickly poured out cold water into such thinking. If not, his mind will fly a million miles an hour ¡ª expecting, wanting, and demanding for something that will never be real. ¡°Anyway, just try your best to take care of it. By the way, is this the right path?¡± Pel came to his senses when he heard Levisia and her casual tone again. Looking ahead, he saw the za square filled with people. ¡®Besides¡­¡¯ Being out of his mind and fixating over Levisia, he failed to pay full attention to his surroundings. He did not notice the eyes that have been glued to them all this time. Chapter 62 - The Dragon’s Eye Chapter 62 ¨C The Dragon¡¯s Eye Pel quickly grew fidgety. Levisia may not have felt the gaze, as she seemed no different than before. He nced at her, saw that she was following him, and decided to save his words. ¡®Even if I say it now¡­¡¯ he thought, not wanting to cause Levisia unnecessary worry. Her green eyes were as clear as ever as she wandered around in curiosity. Was there really any need to nt anxiety and worry into her? It was a matter of caution, without the need to tell her. At least that¡¯s what he had thought¡­ Pel, his eyes rolled back, stood still in the crowd. A short momentter, he couldn¡¯t feel Levisia¡¯s presence. He cursed himself for allowing her to disappear. All of his attention had been on tracking the people who followed them among the crowd. ¡®Dang it. Where did she disappear off to?¡¯ He began feeling around for her; the ever-watching eyes nowhere to be found. Pel realized what this meant: the target of those eyes was Levisia, not him. ¡®Were there¡­ around four of them?¡¯ He mped his lips shut, turning around at the sound of someone clearing their throat behind him. He soon found out that, whilst he was lost in his thoughts, he had stopped in the middle of the walkway. ¡°Why¡¯re you standing there blocking the way?¡± ¡°Hey, move out of the way!¡± Pel uttered an apology and shuffled off to the side, away from the crowds. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, focusing his mind on opening his dragon¡¯s eye. Tuning into his third eye did not take long. When he reopened his eyes the pitch-ck pupil, located between his golden eyes, was as thin and sharp as a needle. With the dragon¡¯s eye open, Pel¡¯s field of vision was wider than usual. From where he was standing, he could roam around the streets and see through the crowds. Thankfully, Levisia wasn¡¯t too far away. Pel breathed a deep sigh of relief, as if a massive weight had been lifted off his shoulder. Desperate to get to her, he set off in her direction when an unimaginable pain burst through his chest. ¡®Ugh!¡¯ Pel frowned as he doubled over, finding it hard to breathe. ¡®It¡¯s the curse¡­¡¯ There was a strong pressing sensation against his chest, as though someone hadid him down and was sitting on him. Every movement of the dragon¡¯s eye was apanied by pain. It was the curse carved in blood by the ones who demolished the kingdom he called home. Thest time the dragon¡¯s eye opened was when Levisia had fainted. It had only been a few weeks since then, so perhaps that was why the pain he felt now was more brutal andsted a bit longer. Pel¡¯s vision constantly switched between being crystal clear and murky, like his eyes were open under pond water. He sped his chapped lips together. Blood leaked from them, soaking the tip of his tongue. The metallic taste quickly spread inside his mouth. ¡®No!¡¯ He couldn¡¯t faint like this, not in such an unsightly condition. If he wasted any more time, Levisia, who was still close-by, might disappear again. ¡®I have to reach her.¡¯ Pel resolved, determination in his voice. He clenched his jaw and trudged onwards, every step bringing more agony due to the curse. As he slithered through the crowd, he could see her standing still, her head facing the pavement. He felt a mixture of frustration and relief, both wee after all the pain. ¡®Are you done looking?¡¯ When Pel blinked, the needle-shaped pupil disappeared and returned to its original form. After rubbing his stiff chest, he took a deep breath and approached her. ¡°What are you doing here? Oh¡­¡± Levisia tilted her head up, their gazes meeting. Herplexion was unnaturally white. Pel¡¯s head felt like it had been dunked into ice-cold water. An increasingly growl escaped from his mouth. ¡°What happened to you?¡± Pel stepped forwards, his hands sped by his sides. He could feel the skin tightening against his knuckles. Levisia was unable to speak. Her eyes were frantically shifting back and forth, and her hands kept scratching her neck like she was looking for something. Or, like she had something to hide. Pel, desperate to know what was wrong, reached out a hand. He paused, waiting for her consent to move closer. Levisia quietly nodded, her hand retracting from her neck. Pel¡¯s long fingers dipped into her hood and he gently swept away her flowy, silver hair. On her slender neck was a fresh wound. Levisia flinched slightly when Pel¡¯s fingertips brushed over her red, bruised skin. She was heating up in front of his eyes. Pel cautiously moved his hand away, trembling in¡­ Fear? Anger? He couldn¡¯t tell. ¡°Who did this to you?¡± Pel asked, furious that someone would do such a thing. ¡°I couldn¡¯t see their face.¡± Levisia¡¯s breath was shaky as she touched her neck again. She frowned as she struggled to remember who her attacker was, and what they had looked like. It was more than Pel could bear. Chapter 63 - Consumed With Rage Chapter 63 ¨C Consumed with Rage ¡°Who dared do this to you? They¡­ Urgh!¡± Levisia nced at him, her eyes full of concern. They were not enough to calm the rage burning up inside Pel. He may be overreacting, but it felt like it was necessary. He gritted his teeth and held out his hand for her to take. There was nothing good about showing himself angry like this in front of the anxious Levisia. ¡°Are you hurt anywhere else?¡± He said quietly, praying that she wasn¡¯t. ¡°No.¡± Levisia touched her neck again, looking up at Pel. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, that¡¯s not the important part.¡± Pel resisted the urge to scoff. If her injuries weren¡¯t the most important part, then what was? He bit down on his cheeks to keep himself quiet, and waited for her to continue. ¡°Ne¡­ They took my ne.¡± Levisia admitted, shame lingering in the voice. ¡°You know, the one you gave me. It has the horn pendant attached to a chain.¡± Was that the reason behind the ugly mark on her neck? Pel asked if he could take another closer look, being as careful as he could when Levisia gave him permission. The cut was horizontal, like it had originated from something sharp. The thief had likely yanked the chain from Levisia¡¯s neck with enough force to break through her skin. The thought of that urring did little to quell Pel¡¯s rising anger. ¡®Should I kill them?¡¯ He thought to himself, his mind racing with dark thoughts of revenge. If he tied the perpetrator up and carved hundreds of wounds into his body, simr to what they did to Levisia, it would still not be enough. ¡°Pel!¡± Levisia¡¯s voice broke him out of his troubled thoughts. Pel rapidly blinked and looked up at the sky. He took a few minutes to calm his erratic breathing, and looked back at Levisia. She was nervous, clearly taken aback by his troubled mumblings. ¡°What should we do?¡± Levisia adjusted her hood to hide the scar on her neck. ¡°Let¡¯s go back, for now.¡± Pel held out his arm for Levisia to hold onto. After what happened to Levisia, it was best not to keep her outside for any longer. When Pel tried to turn, he found that Levisia was nted firmly in ce, not budging even an inch. ¡°Are you sure, Pel? That ne was precious to you, was it not? You said your mother gave it to you¡­¡± Pel¡¯s face melted when she said that. Of course, she would remember that the ne was a priceless family heirloom. Levisia sniffed, tears falling down her delicate cheeks. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It was my fault that it¡¯s gone.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to apologize.¡± The thief who stole the ne was the one who needed to apologize. And then, the realization of what has just urred finally struck him. This whole time, they weren¡¯t after Pel nor Levisia, only the ne. Whoever had swiped it straight for Levisia¡¯s neck knew of its significance. There was no need for her to apologize, no matter how much she cried. ¡°I¡¯ll find a way to get it back to you, Pel. Whatever it takes.¡± Levisia grasped onto her hood, as though she was trying not to touch her neck again. ¡°You don¡¯t need to¨D¡± Pel opened his mouth to talk, only for Levisia to interrupt. ¡°But I want to.¡± How, exactly, was she nning to get it back? Even while pondering on that, Pel felt a sense of relief at her passionate words. But there was no way Pel would allow her to roam the streets looking for that ne. Not after what happened. Levisia gazed down a small street, identical to the others. Pel wondered if she had caught a glimpse of the thief, but even if she had, it would be impossible to properly find them. Pel briefly considered using the dragon¡¯s eye to increase his field of view. However, he came to the conclusion that it was not worth it. He was still weak fromst time, and if he were to drag his weakened, cursed body around trying to find a thief, they would have the upper hand. On top of the streets being crowded with innocent civilians; it would also be hard to prove that they were the culprit. ¡°It¡¯s not like there isn¡¯t a way to find him. I¡¯ll deal with themter. Let¡¯s just so, Levisia.¡± Levisia nodded, epting his choice even if she was not happy about it. ¡®Thank the gods for that,¡¯ Pel thought, and they headed towards the path back to the pce. Levisia was the one to break the awkward silence that had fallen between them. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry that I¡¯m not strong enough to fight back. Even though I have the strength of Kraidens.¡± Levisia was now clenching her jaw, her trembling eyes betraying her emotions and how she was ming herself. Pel stood there in disbelief. All this because Levisia lost his precious item, nothing else. Could he really just walk back to the pce, as if nothing had happened? Even when they did go back, there was no doubt both of them would suffer a sleepless night. The only possible solution was to get the ne back, there and then. Doing so would put Levisia¡¯s mind at ease. ¡°Let¡¯s look for it now¡­¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Levisia¡¯s eyes lit up in anticipation, and excitement. Pel knew he had made the right choice. ¡°I know a ce where we can get help.¡± Pel, his arms linked through Levisia, led her down a street far away from the public. Chapter 64 - The One Who Could Help Chapter 64 ¨C The One Who Could Help Levisia was expecting a strong opposition from Pel but she was relieved when he moved to do as she wished. She merely ignored the frown on his face indicating his strong protest over the matter. She followed him to find the criminal by going to ¡®the helpful ce¡¯ that he had mentioned. As their unfamiliar path became even more unusual, she tried to remain calm in spite of her increasing apprehension. ¡®Pel, this ce?¡¯ Levisia wondered when they entered an alley that stretched out to downtown. Alley after alley, their journey felt like an eternity as they went through each and every one of it in a repeated cycle. She was now doubting whether they were not lost in abyrinth. The darkness of the alleys did not help the growing anxiety of the princess. Contrary to the much illuminated festival streets where they came from, the alleys were not simply dark but mmy. The deep corners appeared like any form of light had not touched them for quite some time, making them creepy; and the atmosphere of the ce ¡ª eerie. As they turned to another corner, they were met by a crouching ck cat¡¯s menacing shriek. Levisia¡¯s heart almost dropped to the ground by such unwee surprise. Then, the cat quickly leaped away from them and disappeared into the deep darkness of the passageway. ¡°Pel, here¡­¡± ¡°Hush.¡± Pel ced his finger over Levisia¡¯s lips, looking at her intently. With a soft nod, he signaled her to be quiet. After which they continued wandering the crisscrossing alleys until they reached a store with a suspicious unreadable board sign. ¡®What on earth is this ce¡­¡¯ Levisia thought to herself while looking at the letters inscribed in the signboard that she can¡¯t decipher. Pel knocked on the door then turned to Levisia, whose eyes are obviously wary looking at the store sign. ¡°Stay here and don¡¯t go inside.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be in and out quickly.¡± Unable to disagree with the idea of waiting alone outside, Levisia¡¯s eyes roamed around the pitch-ckalley. Seeing nothing but deep ckness, she didn¡¯t feel any threatening presence yet the hair at the back of her neck remained standing as she endured the fear she truly felt inside. ¡®I¡¯ll¡­ be alright though.¡¯ She tried to appease herself in spite of being scared something bad might happen to her while Pel was inside the store. She knew Pel hid many things from her and this was probably one of them. She nodded, in spite of herself. ¡°If you say so,¡± she took a step back away from the door. I¡¯ll wait here. Just hurry back.¡± Instead of going inside, Pel also scanned the dark alley just like she did. The crease on his face tells her that he was thinking the same thoughts as her. ¡°It¡¯s okay, just go.¡± Levisia insisted, seeing that he also feared for her safety gave her a sense offort somehow. Sighing deeply, he looked at her eyes gravely. ¡°Stay close to the door. I¡¯ll be back as soon as I¡¯m done talking.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be quick, so don¡¯t go away.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a child.¡± Pel¡¯s face flinched a little as she said that. ¡°There¡¯s something inside the store that I must do.¡± ¡°Are you telling the truth?¡± Pel simply shrugged as a reply which meant it was the end of their conversation and he couldn¡¯t tell anymore. ¡°Anyway, stay here for a moment.¡± Then, he walked through the door and disappeared inside the store. The sound of the bell¡¯s opening and closing door broke through the deafening silence of the alley. ¡®It¡¯s a bit spooky here.¡¯ She felt her anxiousnessing back as she stood all alone in the empty and dark alley that was now dead silent without the ringing of the bell. Her situation felt like a scene in novels that she read and usually, the main character is bound for trouble or crisis when it happens. Levisia swallowed hard, trying to be brave. She squinted her eyes to adjust her sight in the dark. Except for the loud noisesing from the main street, the alley remained quiet. ¡®I knew it. I¡¯m not even the main character.¡¯ Finally feeling a bit more rxed, she leaned back against the door. Suddenly, a light flickered on and off over the fence in front of her. ¡®What the¡­¡¯ A cold shiver shot up from the back of her neck as her body broke into goosebumps. Stepping back suddenly agitated, her heel hit the door behind her and made a short knocking sound. ¡®That thing just now¡­¡¯ Lights? It seemed so. A pair of bright, round lights. She then remembered the cat they encountered a while back as they entered the alley. ¡®Oh¡­ the cat¡­¡¯ If it was a stray cat, then it wouldn¡¯t be strange if there were more than one of them. As relief washed over her, the door she was leaning on flew open. ¡°Huh?¡± Falling over backwards she felt her body against Pel, whose arms are wrapped around her for support. She saw the look of surprise in Pel¡¯s expression when she turned around to face him. ¡®Your face is quite dynamic today, Pel.¡¯ She wanted to tell him, but knowing that her thoughts about him were inappropriate for the situation they were in, she kept them to herself. She then felt him gently pushing her forward to straighten her. ¡°Did something happen?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Just now, did you knock on the door?¡± She gasped as she realized that her heel hit the door making it appeared that she knocked. ¡®It wasn¡¯t that loud, how did he hear it?¡¯ ¡°No, nothing happened. I was surprised by the cat over the fence.¡± ¡°Cat?¡± Pel quickly looked toward the fence, rmed. She was about to assure him that it was nothing, when she saw the fierce energy passed over his eyes. Before she could understand what¡¯s happening, Pel stormed away and zoomed towards the fence. ¡°Pel!¡± Chapter 65 - Newfound Acquaintances Chapter 65 ¨C Newfound Acquaintances Levisia, unable to reach out and grab him, saw as Pel ced both his hands on the fence and in a sh, threw himself over. Surprised and somewhat awed by Pel¡¯s sleek movements, she realized that she was mistaken with what she¡¯d seen and Pel was able to see through it right away. ¡®Oh my, was that not a cat?¡¯ Grasping the seriousness of her mistake, she heard Pel¡¯s voice on the other side of the fence. ¡°What are you?!¡± The frigid voice was clearly that of Pel¡¯s. It was the first time she heard such toneing from him, ustomed to hearing his usual kind voice. ¡°A person?¡± With the way Pel was acting, he was clearly talking to another person. It was already surprising to see the other side of Pel as he jumped over the fence, with his words aggressive, but she was all the more shocked when she heard the reply. ¡°Hee I¡¯m so sorry, I just wanted to have a closer look at Her Imperial Highness.¡± ¡®Me¡­? Hold on, is this real?¡¯ Shocked with what she learned, she likewise heard bewilderment in Pel¡¯s voice when he confronted the person again. ¡°What does that¡­¡± ¡°Oh, umm earlier today I saw Her Imperial Highness from a distance. But I know I could¡¯ve seen simr faces in the za square, so I couldn¡¯t help but wonder¡­¡± It meant he had been following them at the Fairy Festival, suspecting who she was nheless. ¡°If you had followed her from the za square, you wouldn¡¯t have known¨D¡± Pel¡¯s tone was usatory now. ¡°Oh, no! I didn¡¯t follow her from the za square. I was following someone else when I lost my way over here, so¡­ It¡¯s pure coincidence that I¡¯m seeing Her Imperial Highness again.¡± Was that so? Levisia couldn¡¯t tell the extent of this person¡¯s innocence. The desperation in his voice could be a clue, but she saw that Pel was thinking differently somehow. ¡°Then who was the other person you were following?¡± ¡°About that¡­¡± ¡°Hey, hey, give it a rest.¡± said by the voiceing from behind where Levisia stood. Turning around, she saw that the door where Pel once entered was now wide open. The darkness inside was illuminated by only a candle. Then, a man came into view with one hand pressing down his head. His sand-colored hair caught Levisia¡¯s attention first, then she noticed his tanned skin and the cut across his cheek. The man¡¯s ck eyes were now upon the princess, meeting her curious gaze. After looking at her wryly, the man shifted his attention to what was happening over the fence. ¡°That guy there is our new me¡­ uh, member.¡± The man from the store said when he approached the fence, cing one of his hands on top of it. Levisia could hear the uneasiness in his tone while trying to make light of the situation. ¡°New member¡­?¡± ¡°Hector, sir!¡± Relief washed over the person¡¯s tearful voice, d for a rescue that came his way. Levisia, now assured that the situation was not as dangerous, approached the fence to have a better gauge of what¡¯s happening. ¡°Pel.¡± Only her shoulder¡¯s high, she could easily make out over the fence, the three figures standing in the dark, not pitch-ck, yet still unlit. She saw that Pel was grabbing a man with brown mop hair by the cor. Without haste, Pel let him go upon catching Levisia¡¯s stare. The mop-haired man lost his bnce and fell on the ground after, likewise, catching a nce of Levisia. Not even minding the pain on his hips as it cracked when he fell, the mop-haired man opened his eyes widely and shouted, ¡°Prin-princess! Your Imperial Highness!¡± ¡°Hey! Don¡¯t use that title so loudly in this alley.¡± ¡°Oh! R-r-r-right. I wasn¡¯t th-thinking.¡± The man, who introduced himself as Hobb, apologized in exaggeration by kneeling and bowing down too deeply in front of the princess. ¡°I-I sincerely apologize. But I really didn¡¯t mean to follow Your Imperial Highness!¡± ¡°What did I say? Don¡¯t use that title¡­¡± Pel warned him again, seriously irritated. Next to him, the man, who Pel addressed as Hector, palmed his head and motioned at Levisia, Pel, and Hobb to go back to the store. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll be a good idea to talk here, so how about going inside?¡± Thinking that Hector¡¯s suggestion was the safest for everybody, they agreed; yet Pel still told Levisia to wait outside. As their eyes met, Levisia could see something else in Pel eyes that she couldn¡¯t understand. It didn¡¯t make any sense for her to be left all alone outside again. ¡°Something happens every time Her Imperial Highness is alone, so you can¡¯t do this.¡± Exactly! Just like in the novels that she read, maybe she was the main character of the story after all. ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do about it, so let¡¯s all get inside. Now.¡± Pel, still reluctant, nodded in agreement with Hector. Brushing to clean his hand after hopping over the fence easily, he sped on Levisia¡¯s to lead her inside the store. Hector and Hobb trailed after them, not forgetting to ensure that the door was hooked on itstch and securely locked. Levisia was startled by everybody¡¯s sudden agitation and swift movements. Shouldn¡¯t the atmosphere ease up now that they were safely inside? She then felt a nagging suspicion that they were not the only ones inside the store. ¡®How many people are here?¡¯ Confirming her initial thought, she then saw figures crept up from all over the ce. ¡°Everyone, wake up.¡± Hector shook the bell hanging from the door, and they were all awakened. Levisia couldn¡¯t see much in the dark except shadows moving slowly. Hobb went around the store and turned on the lights; that was when the princess saw the zombie-like creatures squirming around. ¡°What on earth¡­¡± ¡°What is going on, at this time?¡± It wasn¡¯t even thatte at night, but they were all sleeping. What about the grand festival outside? ¡°I tried to settle it as quietly as possible, but as you can see, I was forced to bring in outsiders. Stand up.¡± ¡°Outsiders?¡± ¡°Did you really say that?¡± The creatures all rubbed their eyes and fixed their gaze on Levisia. Ignoring Pel who stood next to her or the new member Hobb, all of their eyes are only focused directly on the princess. ¡°This is really¡­¡± ¡°Hold up. That face.¡± ¡°I think I¡¯ve seen it somewhere.¡± As recognition spread across their expressions, their eyes turned sharp and hostile. In utter shock and fear for her life, Levisia tried to step back from the confronting gazes which were much likeing from wild animals. Then, there was a light beam right in front of her. Chapter 66 - Disguised Pub Chapter 66 ¨C Disguised Pub Levisia could feel all eyes on her when she and Pel entered the room. Everyone had stopped what they were doing and turned to re at her, making her feel incredibly ufortable. Pel, sensing her difort, shielded her from their stares and snapped at them to stop. As Pel led Levisia deeper into the room, she could hear the people muttering amongst themselves. That only served to heighten her uneasiness. With everything that happened at the festival, all she wanted to do was go back to the pce. Her whole life, she never thought anyone would recognize her in the street. And yet, it happened. Pel came to a halt at a table, where a man was downing a pint of something strong smelling. Levisia wrinkled up her nose, taken aback from the stench. Pel, on the other hand, mmed his hands on the table, startling the man into spilling his drink. ¡°Hobb, I saw you stalking around the streets. Who were you following?¡± Hobb hesitated, his Adam¡¯s Apple bobbing his throat as he swallowed. ¡°I¡­ I was actually snooping around when I saw a disturbance in the za square. I saw someone sprinting away, holding something close. I chased them for a while, but then¡­¡± He read the tense atmosphere and nervously scratched his cheek. ¡°I lost him because of the crowds, and the confusing streets.¡± Speechless, Pel closed his eyes and sighed deeply. But Levisia couldn¡¯t help but feel something odd was taking ce. Hobb was a stranger to her, someone she had never met. lt was unusual that a stranger in an unknown ce tried to help her, and for what? Because he knew her face? Well, so did everyone else in this room, and none of them seemed the type to help her out. Before Pel could say anything, another man appeared behind Hobb and pped a hand between his shoulder des. ¡°Hobb here, his sense of direction is a bit off. So he gets lost quite often.¡± ¡°Hector, sir. That¡¯s¡­¡± Hobb stumbled over his words, and buried his red face in his palms. However, by not refuting, it was clear that Hector¡¯s words were true. As Pel, Hobb, and Hector talked about Hobb¡¯sck of direction, Levisia examined her surroundings in greater detail. She had been so distracted by the strange stares and Pel dragging her around that she didn¡¯t actually know where she was. ¡°What is this ce?¡± She asked, hoping it wasn¡¯t a stupid question. The deafening silence that followed told her that yes, it was a stupid question. Hector was the one who broke the silence by clearing his throat. ¡°This ce handles all kinds of information. It¡¯s no exaggeration to say that all the information in the capital goes through here.¡± Levisia¡¯s eyes went wide in shock. The pub had much more significance than expected. From the outside, it didn¡¯t appear to be much. Levisia had no idea that it doubled as an information center. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, does this make you part of a guild? One that deals with trading valuable information?¡± ¡°We aren¡¯t bound by such a grandiose name like ¡®guild¡¯. As we often work alone, we only gather only when we need to. That¡¯s why this we chose here, as it is an inconspicuous ce to gather. However,¡± Hector ruffled Hobb¡¯s hair, causing Hobb to squirm in his seat. ¡°Not everyone can freely enter. Only after some level of verification can you enter here. Hobb here has only just been recently recruited. Although he¡¯s bad at directions, he has the upper hand of being quick to judge a situation. Useful for handling information, you see.¡± With her questions about the suspicious store now answered, all Levisia wanted to know was what Pel had to do with this ce. And why such sensitive information was being freely handed to her. She had a suspicion as to why, but she hoped that it wasn¡¯t the case. Feeling sweat beginning to drip down her back, she slowly nced around her. Everyone was obviously still wary about her. They would be since she¡¯s an outsider, but that wasn¡¯t all of it. It was because the mood changed after they recognized her face. Levisia¡¯s eyes switched between Pel, his back towards her, and Hector talking to Hobb. She studied Hector more intensely, the cut on his cheek catching her eye. There was only one other person she could recall who had such a distinctive cut. In ¡°Return of the King¡±, Captain Hectile was the man who was responsible for bringing the hero, Farid Roycal¡ªPel¡¯s true identity¡ªback to the Roycal Kingdom, a country that has a previous feud with the Kraiden Empire. Hectile had escaped from the pce with the young prince. And the names¡­ Hector and Hectile. They were too simr for it to be just a mere coincidence. But what did Hector want with this ce? If he was close to the prince, then that would mean that the enemy had ess to important information from within the empire¡¯s capital¡ªinformation that could lead to the fall of the empire. This ce would eventually turn into a base where preparations to overthrow the Kraiden empire arise. Chapter 67 - Remains Of The Roycal Empire Chapter 67 ¨C Remains of the Roycal Empire Levisia grew more uneasy as the pieces started clicking together in her mind. As her thoughts stringed into a conclusion, she became dumbfounded¡ªhaving no idea how well-connected Pel was. Her eyes swept the room; of course everyone was cautious of her: she was one of the most recognisable people in the empire. And there was she, mingling with people from the Roycal Kingdom like it was nothing. And then there Hobb, who chased down the thief who stole her ne. Was he doing purely out of the kindness of his heart, or was there some ulterior motive she didn¡¯t know about. Truth be told, she was clueless. Hobb had looked at her with such sincere eyes. Everything was confusing, but she took a breath to calm her frayed nerves. There was nothing she could do but refocus her attention back to Pel. ¡°Now, you lost your ne?¡± The way Pel and Hector interacted with each other sent shivers down Levisia¡¯s spine. They knew each other, and they knew each other well, but only a while ago they pretended to be mere acquaintances. And it began to dawn onto Levisia: Hector¡¯s tense attitude towards Pel, his attempt to speak casual towards Pel. It wouldn¡¯t be easy to act like an old neighbor toward his overlord. And so, the scene unfolding in front of Levisia¡¯s eyes was no different from a stage y: a drama scenario. No, more like a strange and scary y in front of an audience member who already knows their secrets. ¡®How can you all be such experts in disguising yourselves?¡¯ she wondered. Hector¡¯s behavior toward Pel was bing natural like a flowing stream; the same was true with the way Pel treated Hector. ¡°There must have been plenty of people who saw Hobb chasing the thief. One of them should be able to point us in the right direction. After all, I have a debt to repay. I suppose I could give you a hand.¡± Levisia nodded, trying to hide her true feelings at bay. She didn¡¯t like this at all, but what other choice did she have? Like Hector had said, some people saw Hobb chasing the thief. But no one had any idea where exactly they had run off to. Because of that, Levisia was forced to draw a picture of them, trying to remember the face she had seen. When Pel saw her drawing, he mostly kept silent for a while, saying only one thing: ¡°You¡¯re not so good at drawing.¡± He wasn¡¯t wrong. Levisia looked down at the crooked face she drew and lowered her head. ¡°Should I draw you, too?¡± Pel promptly declined, handed the picture to Hector. He pulled a face that was difficult to read. ¡°This face. I know this face.¡± Levisia¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Was he being serious? Or was he only saying that to make her feel better? She had no clue, and only time would tell if her gut instinct, that he knew the person, was correct. *** Outside, the Fairy Festival was still in full swing. A street vendor, who was selling a wide variety of different flowers, smiled widely at the oing crowd. She nced behind her at the man approaching her, and spoke in Pascian, her nativenguage. ¡°There you are. You got the goods?¡± ¡°Of course I did, Khalil.¡± The man spoke in the samenguage as her, ensuring no one would be able to understand their conversation. ¡°Excellent.¡± Khalil, despite still having goods on her table, hummed to herself as she began to clean everything away. When other vendors were busy trying to reel in customers, she was the only one who closed first. As she packed away the first set of boxes, the man was examining the contents of the box he held in his hand. ¡°Are you sure these are authentic?¡± ¡°Yep. Those are definitely Roycal¡¯s bones. I¡¯m sure of it.¡± She answered, grinning from ear to ear. ¡°Well, they seem to be in decent condition, at least. But what bothers me is how they ended up in the hands of the Kraiden princess. Why would someone like her have ruins from the Roycal Empire?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how she got hold of them, but I assure you that they are authentic.¡± She replied, stacking her boxes for easy transport. ¡°I know, but¡­ Well, anyway, there¡¯s no reason for us to care about that anymore.¡± After the rebellion, the Pascis kingdom was destroyed. There was nothing of value left, and the people from the kingdom were stigmatised wherever they went. After going through such a crisis, there wasn¡¯t a reason to think from the same perspective as them anymore. ¡°Khalil, hurry up. We need to get a move on before we get caught.¡± The man was getting impatient, constantly ncing at the crowds. ¡°I¡¯m almost done. What about Hikhan?¡± ¡°He¡¯s getting us a lift. The bones will be out of our hands soon.¡± The circumstances of the burry they were involved in was irrelevant. Roycal¡¯s bones were worth a lot to the noble, so getting that life was worth it, even if it cost an arm and a leg. ¡°Good, let¡¯s head back right now.¡± Within minutes, Khalil had packed everything away and had vanished. To the casual onlooker, it was as though no one had even been there. Chapter 68 - The Face Of A Wet Rabbit Chapter 68 ¨C The Face of a Wet Rabbit Levisia¡¯s doubt vanished when Hector brought in countless drawings for them to see. ¡°Look at this. Notice the eyes and the position of the mole¡­?¡± Each drawing seemed different from one another yet Hector pointed out, in particr, the fluffy eyes and mole at the tip of the nose which emphasized the simrities in all of them. The same had been drawn by Levisia herself. Inspecting the drawings closely, Pel frowned and asked, ¡°So this isn¡¯t the first time hemitted this crime?¡± ¡°Correct, it¡¯s not. He¡¯s a well-known thief around the neighborhood these days.¡± He even made a name for himself as a thief¡­ Feeling nervous, Levisia stared at the big, bright eyes in the picture, again. ¡°All I know for now is his face. It¡¯s difficult to track him unless we know his name and where he lives. It also seems that he has aplices. Their faces though are much difficult to identify for they are sly criminals indeed.¡± For a ce notoriously known as a hub for all information flowing in and out of the capital, it is very unlikely that information about the man in the drawing is too scarce. Yet he is not a normal crook, he must have means and technology to use in order to keep himself hidden and unknown. ¡°Hector, information came in.¡± Ring. They looked up as a man, who called out to Hector, entered the store and approached them, pushing aside the two flower pots blocking his way. ¡°What kind of information?¡± ¡°The ne, just like the one we¡¯re looking for is being sold somewhere.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s being sold, then¡­¡± The information specialist deeply sighed regretfully when Levisia, suddenly hopeful, mumbled to herself. ¡°That ne is said to be at Chess ck Market. Miss, I¡¯m not sure if you¡¯re aware of this, but items that turned up at the ck market are as good as gone.¡± The man¡¯s voice is apologetic, not wanting to disappoint thedy in front of him. ¡®It can¡¯t be.¡¯ Levisia was not just disappointed but devastated by the news that she heard. Unable to speak, she knows that she will not be able to look at Pel from now on. She knew that it would be a challenge to find the ne the moment it was snatched, but not impossible, and yet¡­ Of all ces, why a ck market? It¡¯s thest ce she expected her ne to end up to. ¡®Who on earth would steal other people¡¯s valuables and sell them at a ck market¡¯ It only meant that the horn was immensely valuable. In ck market, it will appear worthless especially when ced heedlessly next to random items, ready for sale. ¡®Pel, why the hell did you leave it with me?¡¯ It was also a keepsake left behind by Pel¡¯s mother. The value of it is beyond material but sentimental as well. ¡°The ck market, when does it open up?¡± Levisia, who was already losing her mind in defeat and hopelessness of the situation, suddenly came to her senses when she heard Pel¡¯s voice. Thoughts of possibilities started to enter her mind. Giving up was not their option anymore. After all, it wasn¡¯t only her who lost the ne, it was also Pel¡¯s. With this, there¡¯s no way she¡¯d give up on her own now. ¡°Every Friday night.¡± With six days left until Friday, Levisia exchanged meaningful stares with Pel and guessed immediately what¡¯s on his mind. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re going there yourself. You asked when does it open because you n on going there, right?¡± She barked out. Pel¡¯s silence was already an affirmation of her spection. Though he didn¡¯t admit it loudly, the ne was very dear to Pel. On an ordinary day, Levisia would have recklessly asked Pel to not deny this fact anymore, but today was neither the time or ce to be insensitive to how he truly felt. She now had to concentrate on theirmon goal; to get the ne back. ¡°Let me know which one of those lifters are selling the ne.¡± Hector said upon reading the energy between the two. Pel nodded and stood up, ¡°Then I¡¯ll head back for now. I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything I can do right now.¡± As pitiful as it sounded, Pel was right. There was no way for him to infiltrate the ck market and take back the ne now. They had to wait as their patience was being tested. ¡°Chess ck Market is known for closing down. If you¡¯re going there, you¡¯ll need a fake ID.¡± Nothing was easy; they were presented with obstacles after obstacles that it seemed easier to just climb over the mountain instead. With a deep sigh, Levisia heard Hector mumble: ¡°Hm¡­ Bring me the right person.¡± As she raised her head, Pel suddenly reached out for her. ¡°Let¡¯s go now.¡± ¡°Huh? Uh.¡± With Pel¡¯s hand clutching hers, she had too many questions twirling her thoughts. She was definite that a signal was passed between Pel and Hector when she was not paying close attention. ¡®Fine, I¡¯ll pretend I didn¡¯t see it.¡± The pain of a captain who hid his identity and became a servant to his overlord was something she couldn¡¯t grasp anyway, even if she tried. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much about the ne,¡± Pel uttered to her as they left the rest area. ¡°How can you do that? Because of me¡ª¡° She replied, looking at his back as she walked ¡°It¡¯s not your fault.¡± Pel interrupted her abruptly, not wanting to hear anything absurd. He knew Levisia well enough for it. ¡°I¡¯m just telling you not to me yourself. Of all the things that happened today, nothing was your fault. That¡¯s why.¡± Pel stopped walking and turned to look at Levisia. She averted her eyes to the two pots in his arms, determined to avoid his gaze. She still didn¡¯t have the heart to look back at him, feeling regretful with what happened. ¡°You don¡¯t have to make that face.¡± ¡°W..what face?¡± Having no choice but to meet his eyes, Levisia looked up to Pel¡¯s face. ¡°The face of a wet rabbit.¡± Pel, with likewise an odd expression on his face, said. ¡°¡­When did I make such a face?¡± It was her first time hearing that. Levisia thought whether Pel was making fun of her, trying to cheer her up a bit. Yet his voice though sounded sincere. It always does when Levisia was in deep thought, seriousness marring her features. ¡°It¡¯s alright if you don¡¯t kn- no, no. Anyway, try not to make the face from now on.¡± ¡°Why not? Do I look pathetic?¡± Did he feel sorry for her now that he knew how the guilt was eating her inside? Did he feel any relief somehow? He just happened to look at her by chance when she made that face, though¡­ ¡°I feel like I have to tell you everything.¡± Then, Pel turned her back at her to continue walking, and an idea came into mind upon hearing what he said. ¡®This might be my chance.¡¯ If that was true, wouldn¡¯t he have used it at an important moment? Chapter 69 - Safe Sanctuary Chapter 69 ¨C Safe Sanctuary Five days passed by quickly and before Levisia knew it, the dreaded day of the Fairy Festival was a distant past and now they have a full day left until Chess ck Market opened. ¡°Pel.¡± Pel in his wig appeared before her as he visited his room early in the morning. Admiring his thorough appearance, it showed that he wouldn¡¯t tolerate the same thing that happened before. ¡°Did something happen this early in the morning?¡± Pel asked, wondering about the early visit, though he had an inkling of what the princess had in mind. ¡°Just checking if some news arrived.¡± The news was obviously about the ck market and the lifter. Pel, who knew something about it for sure, merely shook his head after a short silence. ¡°Nothing?¡± Levisia asked again. ¡°Yeah. Nothing important.¡± ¡°But the ck market opens tomorrow?¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to figure it out,¡± he replied, in a in and dismissive tone. Levisia could feel that something is strangely amiss with the way he looked, but she did not push through inquiring more for it might be dimmed as an overreaction on her part. ¡®Looks like he¡¯s hiding something, too.¡¯ Pel started to tidy up the room as if Levisia was not standing at the door waiting for him to say something more. He ttened out the wrinkled bed sheets, opened the window to air out the room, and watered the flowers he got on the day of the Fairy Festival. ¡°Do you have anything else to say?¡± he asked Levisia who remained standing still just watching until he was done tidying up everything. ¡°Pel, is there really nothing?¡± The idea of using her problematic ¡®wet rabbit¡¯ expression, that he pointed out on the day of the festival, came to her. So she made sure that her expression was exactly that when Pel looked at her. ¡®Did it work?¡¯ For a split second, she saw him flinch when their eyes met. Her hope was quashed though when he carried on in his usual voice and said, ¡°Nothing.¡± She remembered him saying that he¡¯d tell her everything, yet what he just said was a bold-faced lie. Unable to get any clue from Pel, she left the pce as soon as the time for the king toe find her came. ¡®Fifth day, sess.¡¯ She had been thoroughly avoiding the king since the day after the Fairy Festival. By heading out ahead of his arrival, she had been seeding to not cross paths with him. Today, she left once again without revealing to anyone where she was headed. At some point, without specific destination in mind, she wandered around the fortress recklessly until she arrived at another ce she has been frequenting for thest two days. ¡°I knew it! No one¡¯s here,¡± she said to herself, pleased. The maze garden in front of the central pce was quiet today. With everyone in the pce busy minding their daily affairs, no one would suspect that she was up to something nor even have the time to aimlessly roam around. Levisia discovered that the beautiful maze garden¡¯s vast and intricatendscapes are the best ce for her to hide for a little while. She walked among the garden trees and found her secret space at the innermost part of the maze. ¡®I can rx here.¡¯ She had to crawl her way inside her safe sanctuary through a dog-sized hole beneath one of the bushes. It wasn¡¯t visible when seen from the outside as trees and tall bushes surround it. Inside, the princess sat on a small chair and breathed a sigh of relief. Unlike the previous day when she lost most of her time figuring out a way inside and just went back to the pce after, today was different. She would kill her time by reading the book she brought along with her. But right when she¡¯s about to enjoy herself¡­ A crow flew into her secret spot. ¡°Caw!¡± It pped its wings and settled itself down by Levisia¡¯s feet. Its ck feathers are glossy and unlike a normal crow, it looked like someone had been taking good care of it. ¡®What the¡­¡¯ As if understanding her reaction, the crow tilted its head up and made direct eye contact with her, like a normal person would do. ¡®It¡¯ll fly off in a little bit¡¯, Levisia thought. Then, she finally opened her book. Well, she was about to when the crow aggressively jumped up top of it, as if demanding for her attention. ¡°Caw!¡± She waved her hand at it to chase it off, but it just dodged her and flew up only to sit on her knee briefly and then finally nestled on her shoulder. ¡®What in the world¡­¡¯ Levisia had been avoiding the king, but now what? Now a random crow from nowhere was acting mean toward her and annoying her to be forced out of her favorite hiding ce. When she turned to look at it on her shoulder, it just cawed loudly without looking at her. She cringed at the sound it made, so close to her ear. If someone were to im it as human, she would have believed it for being so sly. ¡®Clever bird.¡¯ ¡°Come out, Herol. Stop hiding,¡± Suddenly, she heard a deep voiceing from not too far away when she stood up trying to shake the crow off of her. But the crow made its cawing noise again in response to the voice. An ominous wave swept through the hidden ce. Someone was obviously finding his way inside. ¡°How long are you gonna y hide-and-seek?¡± Levisia felt her body shudder; though the voice was not directly addressing her. Her eyes finally met with a man who appeared before her as he emerged from under the bushes. ¡°Cow!¡± The mean crow seemed to yfully hide behind her, avoiding its obvious owner. The man who was staring at her looked at the crow behind her and then met her eyes again. ¡°You¡¯re¡­¡± Levisia found herself locked eyes with a man none other than¡­ 1st Prince Cassian Robel Kraiden. Chapter 70 - Harrol The Bird Chapter 70 ¨C Harrol the Bird ¡°Good morning¡­Your Royal Highness.¡± Levisia couldn¡¯t help but greet him. She raised her head to see Cassian looking at her with a nk expression. The eyes set beneath his ck hair were sharp. She had been having such a good time rxing here in her secret spot. But now she was quite bothered. She hade here to hide from one Kraiden; but to her dismay, another Kraiden had discovered her. ¡®How could I be so unlucky like this?¡¯ At this point, if someone came up to her and told her this was actually a novel with her being the main character, she would believe them without batting an eye. There was no other way to exin why these strange encounters with Kraidens continued. ¡®No doubt, this is one of their tricks,¡¯ she quietly concluded. Cassian brushed off his clothes which were wrinkled and dusty from walking through the forest. ¡°What are you doing with Harrol?¡± He inquired. The crow that was pestering her was Harrol? It was Cassian¡¯s pet bird that he had brought along with him. ¡®Why didn¡¯t I think about that before?¡¯ Had she known, she would have taken off running from the moment Harrol appeared in front of her eyes. She knew the only person in the entire royal pce who walked around with a crow was Cassian. But the time for action had passed. For now, she put aside the self-ming and answered him. ¡°I didn¡¯t bring him here.¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying that Harrol came to your side first?¡± Wow, it was as if he had seen the whole situation in person. Now that Cassian¡¯s suspicion of her kidnapping his crow had been cleared, she could make a clean escape. Right when she was about to say ¡°Yes¡± with hopeful thoughts, Cassian spoke. ¡°Harrol is always on alert and usually doesn¡¯t follow other people except me. You didn¡¯t answer my question, did Harrole to you on his own?¡± Levisia looked down, feeling like she had done something terribly wrong. Harrol was in the middle of picking his feathers in the chair that she had been sitting in. She was the only one who felt an embarrassment in this leisurely conduct. ¡®How exactly is he so alert?¡¯ When their eyes met, Harrol stretched his neck and pped a couple of times in ce. The gesture seemed to be asking ¡°What?¡± and Levisia questioned if she was going crazy. ¡°Harrol. Come over here,¡± Cassian called out. However, Harrol cawed loudly, then flew over not to Cassian¡¯s extended arm but to Levisia¡¯s shoulder. They both looked at each other with eyes wide open in shock. Cassian¡¯s ears turned red before anger overruled his features. ¡°Harrol, don¡¯t make me say it again.¡± He strode towards her, or Harrol. Cassian made a firm stance against the unruly bird. Did it affect him? Harrol eventually flew over to his arm from Levisia¡¯s shoulder. ¡®Free atst.¡¯ It seemed like she finally escaped the stigma of ¡®birdnapper,¡¯ so she was ready to leave. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll just¨D¡± she gestured towards the exit. Even before she could finish her sentence, Cassian suddenly bowed his head in her direction. That very moment, she felt his breath on her neck. ¡®What is he doing?¡¯ In an instant, Cassian¡¯s face moved away from her with his finger under his nose and he frowned. ¡°No, I¡¯m leaving.¡± He uttered and left before she could even breathe a word. Finally left alone, she plopped down on the chair. ¡®What in the world was that all about?¡¯ Even though her wish to be alone hade true, the feeling wasn¡¯t refreshing anymore and was downright ufortable. * After escaping from the maze, Cassian unplugged his nose and exhaled. Harrol, who was situated on his shoulder, felt his owner¡¯s distress and frantically fluttered his wings. ¡®That just now¡­¡¯ Unbelievably, what he did a while ago was solely based on instinct. It wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say that he had felt dominated by the presence in front of him and escaped her control. ¡®How could I be controlled?¡¯ Cassian was surprised that he, not someone else, thought such a thing. From the moment he was born, he was always a ruler. How could he, a ruler, feel such dominance from someone else? ¡®It¡¯s ridiculous.¡¯ However, he couldn¡¯t deny what just happened a minute ago. He couldn¡¯t control his instincts and tried to check something from ¡®her¡¯ as if he had been possessed. It was ¡®her,¡¯ who was busy chasing after Maril, Elizabeth, Lidan, and Siaphyl. ¡®I thought I was going crazy.¡¯ When he had heard the rumour around the Heesah kingdom, he had thought that his brothers, lost in boredom, had just been enjoying a moment¡¯s entertainment. However, their entric behavior hadn¡¯t stopped there. Even now they were still in the process, right up until this morning. Even this morning, Cassian had received a report about ¡®someone busy looking¡¯ for those four people. What was he thinking at the time he heard the report? ¡®There¡¯s no medicine for something this crazy¡­¡¯ Chapter 71 - The Princess’ Destination Chapter 71 ¨C The Princess¡¯ Destination But Cassian also almost fell victim to that crazy behavior. Until he left the garden, he thought he would have understood his brothers¡¯ entric behavior. Taking a deep breath, Cassian stopped and looked back. Some people who recognized him greeted him, but his mind was in the maze. ¡®I can¡¯t follow in their footsteps.¡¯ He had no desire to be like his idiotic brothers. He has lived his entire life as a ruler. And he couldn¡¯t allow himself to be dominated by others and be an idiot. Cassian turned his head and started walking again. He took his frantically beating heart as a sign of displeasure. While Cassian was trying to forget about Levisia, Lidan came out of the library and clucked. ¡°What a sloppy day.¡± It had already been five days since he hadn¡¯t seen even a strand of Levisia¡¯s hair. He wondered what was going on that made her, a girl who usually stayed in her pce and rxed, stay out all day long and not return. ¡®She has even given up on farming, which she thought was so important.¡¯ All that was seen at her pce were servants and maids. Even worse, they didn¡¯t even know where their master had gone. ¡®I can¡¯t even me the servants at someone else¡¯s pce.¡¯ Of course, Lidan himself would have scolded them if they weren¡¯t Levisia¡¯s subordinates. It was because of her that he couldn¡¯t me them. He decided he would look for her elsewhere. It was time for him to think about his next destination. A maid who was scurrying up the steps to the library discovered him and hurriedly bowed her head. ¡°Your Royal Highness.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± He looked at the woman again, whom he was just going to pass by when he heard her address him. She had a familiar face. ¡®Where have I seen her before?¡¯ He pondered over it and soon recalled a memory where he had seen the maid standing side by side with Elizabeth. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re Elizabeth¡¯s maid?¡± The frenzied second princess seemed to be minding her business instead of going out to look for Levisia. ¡®Should I let her know? Should I not?¡¯ In retrospect, he just came out of a mess, so Lidan wondered whether to let Elizabeth¡¯s maid know that Levisia wasn¡¯t here. However, unlike what he thought, she didn¡¯t get out of the way and, instead, spoke to him as if she needed something. ¡°Her Royal Highness Elizabeth has asked you toe see her.¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Yes. Her Royal Highness said you would be here at this time.¡± She¡¯s got aplete track of him. Instead ofughing inside, he nodded in ordance. ¡°How could my sister who loathes even the mention of my name be looking for me? No, I¡¯m not going.¡± ¡°I shall take you at any cost, Your Royal Highness.¡± Despite his reply, Lidan headed to his sister¡¯s study with the maid. When they reached Elizabeth¡¯s office, the maid knocked on the door and announced that Lidan hade. ¡°Your Royal Highness, Prince Lidan and I have arrived.¡± When Elizabeth¡¯s reply came, the maid opened the door and stepped aside. Lidan walked past her and asked frankly. ¡°What do you want? I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d ever call for me.¡± ¡°Sit over there.¡± Elizabeth, still tending to her work, said without lifting her head. ¡°As you know, I¡¯m quite a busy man. I want to hear what you have to say and just leave.¡± ¡°You think it¡¯s okay to brag about stomping your way around pretending to be busy?¡± Lidan¡¯s face, which was smiling, was slightly twitching. Usually, he was unfazed whenever his sistershed at him, but today, it hurt him down to the bone for some reason. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re not much different, right?¡± Lidan, who regarded Elizabeth¡¯s attitude on par with his, shriveled up when he saw her set the pen down and inly stare at him. ¡®What¡¯s going on with her today¡­¡¯ Elizabeth looked like nothing Lidan said would have an effect on her. Like she was keeping track of Levisia, the same way she was keeping track of him. ¡®Could it be¡­¡¯ While thinking that it couldn¡¯t be true, Lidan waited, tensed, for her answer toe. ¡°You think I¡¯m just like you?¡± Elizabeth leaned back in the chair with her arms crossed, her figure screamed arrogance, while Lidan couldn¡¯t keep hisposure at all. ¡°What? Really¨D¡± When Lidan shuffled closer and leaned his upper body toward the desk in front of his sister, Elizabeth frowned. ¡°Fix your unpleasant face.¡± She said. ¡°You¡¯re saying you really know Levy¡¯s whereabouts?¡± Lidan felt something strange while speaking. Even if his sister knew where Levisia was, did she really have a reason to update him on the facts? ¡°I know exactly where Levisia is heading.¡± Elizabeth answered, pushing her chair back. Chapter 72 - A Secret Discovered Chapter 72 ¨C A Secret Discovered ¡°What?¡± Lidan was about to ask how she knew that, but Elizabeth was too quick for him. ¡°Before I tell you, I must warn you.¡± Lidan took his hand off the desk and stood up straight, looking at her questioningly. Elizabeth too uncrossed her arms and squeezed the armrests of the chair. ¡°From now on, I¡¯m not going to walk the same rhythm as you.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I mean, I¡¯m not going to hide that girl and pretend not to know where she is anymore.¡± She was talking about how she would be the first one to break the implicit agreement to keep Levisia¡¯s whereabouts a secret, which, to begin with, didn¡¯t suit Elizabeth¡¯s character. Elizabeth had kept Levisia close by and dered the young girl hers; how afraid she had been that others would get to her behind her back. Was she that stupid? ¡°I did her a favor and kept my mouth shut this whole time, but what¡¯s the use of that now?¡± She grumbled. A yellow light popped out of Elizabeth¡¯s hands that held the armrests. Lidan, who stepped back with a sense of shame, muttered in a faint voice as if he didn¡¯t see it. ¡°I left you alone, and now you¡¯re dodging or running away from me. You didn¡¯t think I¡¯d find out, didn¡¯t you?¡± Elizabeth mumbled. Lidan also didn¡¯t know why Levisia had been leaving the pce for days at a time. ¡®She¡¯s avoiding us.¡¯ He had hoped that wasn¡¯t the case and pretended not to know, but Elizabeth was right. Levisia was dodging them, and Lidan had beenidback about it, but now he was slowly reaching his limit. That¡¯s why his temper had been so pressedtely. Then again, his goal won¡¯t be much different from that of his sister. ¡°I know what¡¯s going on. That¡¯s why Levisia ran off. And you called me here for what reason?¡± Elizabeth¡¯s eyebrows twitched as Lidan fired off at her. ¡°Don¡¯t get it confused, Lidan. I didn¡¯t call you here to look at your handsome face.¡± ¡°That sounded like you just told me I¡¯m handsome, Elizabeth.¡± Lidan¡¯s cheek twitched as he almostughed, then he turned his body around. Because a slightly stronger light hade out of Elizabeth¡¯s hands. ¡°Should I shut that mouth of yours to refrain from hearing your nonsense?¡± ¡°Whoa, whoa, I get it.¡± Lidan decided to back down at his sister¡¯s vain anger. In fact, if it dragged on any longer, he imagined her patience would eventually run out. Elizabeth told him what she knew to get rid of Lidan as soon as possible. ¡°ck market.¡± ¡°ck market?¡± ¡°Yeah, Levisia will go to Chess ck Market tonight.¡± Lidan¡¯s eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected location. Levisia and Chess ck Market? Hearing the two in one sentence was quite bizarre. ¡°What? No! How do you know that, Elizabeth?¡± ¡°You fool, don¡¯t you know that she left the pce on the night of the fairy festival?¡± ¡°She left the pce?¡± ¡°Yes, and as crazy as it sounds, she had disguised herself as a maid and escaped.¡± Lidan burst outughing without realizing it. How could she disguise herself as a maid and run out of the pce? Who would¡¯ve thought that? ¡®Was she that daring?¡¯ As Elizabeth had said, it was pretty wild. That was just¡­ wow. ¡°Someone pretending to be a maid in the pce is a security breach.¡± The two siblings thought the same thing; they should get rid of the sloppy security guard. But they endured it for the decisive moment. To create a decisive moment, Levisia only had to leave the pce again today. ¡°By the way, what does Chess ck Market have to do with Levisia¡¯s leaving the pce?¡± She didn¡¯t even seem like the type to step foot in a ce like that. Lidan was guessing the reason by himself when Elizabeth answered. ¡°She lost her ne somewhere, and it seems that she hired an information specialist to find it.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± The story was getting interesting. ¡°So?¡± Lidan asked with his eyes gleaming, ¡°Well, that ne just arrived at Chess ck Market in the nick of time.¡± ¡°Levy¡¯s going there to find it?¡± Elizabeth nodded. Deep in thought, Lidan rubbed his jaw, then he came up with a precise answer. ¡°You¡¯re telling me this so you can swoop down in there, right?¡± ¡°Wow, a man like you has surprisingly good wits.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t really sound like apliment, but I¡¯ll take it.¡± Elizabeth cursed him with her eyes, but Lidan didn¡¯t pay much attention. ¡°That¡¯s great. I have to make a stop there anyway.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that you frequent that ce.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. I¡¯m a well-respected customer there.¡± ¡°For what reasons?¡± ¡°You want to know my private secret, sister?¡± Chapter 73 - Doubts Arise Chapter 73 ¨C Doubts Arise Lidan¡¯s quiet voice instantly froze Elizabeth¡¯s expression. No matter how much she thought about it, it was right to remove him from the pce. ¡°You¡¯re a disgrace to the imperial family. You will die at my hands this instant.¡± ¡°Hold on, hold on.¡± ¡°If I kill you nicely, it will be the most honorable moment in your life.¡± ¡°But still, isn¡¯t that a bit excessive?¡± Lidan openly smiled, but under his garments, he was sweating bullets. There were times when Elizabeth¡¯s harsh words were actually true and that frightened Lidan. ¡°Anyway, I get it. If I have my authority, sister, you will be able to enter as mypanion. That¡¯ll be my reward to you.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ I don¡¯t really need you that much.¡± Instead of answering, Lidan onlyughed nervously. ¡°Then I¡¯ll see you tonight, Elizabeth.¡± Right when he said that, Elizabeth regretted telling him the information. It was a drag to have to see his face twice in one day. Lidan left, and the maids standing by the door returned to Elizabeth¡¯s side. ¡°Did it go as nned?¡± One maid asked after Elizabeth picked up her pen. ¡°Splendidly.¡± The maid, Helga, bowed her head with a smile. She was the one under Elizabeth¡¯smand who dug up information about Levisia. Although it took several days, because no information specialist spoke easily, she approached one regrly and eventually dug up and delivered the information that her master wanted. That¡¯s why Elizabeth, who had plenty of sources, kept Helga the closest. No one else could top her persistence. ¡°Actually, I have one more thing to say, Your Royal Highness¡± ¡°Tell me.¡± ¡°After searching, I found out that the ne being sold at Chess ck Market is made from Roycal¡¯s bones.¡± ¡°Roycal¡¯s bones?!¡± ¡°Correct. And also, they say the bones are in great condition.¡± Elizabeth¡¯s hand that had been busy with the pen stopped moving. This whole time she had been wondering what in the world was a ne like that doing in a ck market. But now it was revealed to be Roycal¡¯s bones? ¡°How did Levisiae in possession of such an item?¡± Now that the Roycal Empire had fallen into ruin, Roycal¡¯s bones were precious and couldn¡¯t be found anywhere. But how could a nameless princess who was shoved in a corner of the Kraiden pce have something so valuable? Elizabeth silently thought about it for a while, then Helga asked a question she had been thinking of this whole time. ¡°Should I investigate about the princess?¡± She was already in the middle of investigating Levisia. There was no way that Helga could have recklessly brought Levisia without the prior knowledge of Elizabeth, who was thorough and suspicious. However, Levisia¡¯s records showed nothing fishy. It was embarrassing to doubt anything. But it all changed since Roycal¡¯s bones were now involved. After much consideration, Elizabeth finally spoke. ¡°Investigate not only Levisia but also the surrounding areas,¡± she said. ¡°Yes, Your Royal Highness.¡± Helga obediently bowed her head at themand. * ¡®It¡¯s quite breezy today.¡¯ Levisia thought as she inly tied her hair in the night wind. The breeze over the back of her neck was chilly. ¡®I should get going.¡¯ As the clock pointed at eight when she left, she knew she had to hurry. ¡®How long has he been hanging around like that?¡¯ She could see Pel wearing a robe. He walked with quick steps but stopped when his eyes met Levisia¡¯s. She greeted him to let him know they were in the clear. ¡°Good evening.¡± ¡°Why are you here?¡± Pel asked as he looked her up and down. His stare was also said, ¡°That¡¯s new.¡± ¡°Well of course, I¡¯d be here.¡± Levisia pulled on the string hanging from Pel¡¯s robe. Pel was simply embarrassed when he opened his eyes to his removed robe. ¡°I knew you would do this, Pel.¡± ¡°What did you know?¡± Levisia put on the robe she had taken off of him, which was rather big. ¡°You were about to leave without me.¡± She looked at his dumbfounded expression. ¡°Am I right? Pel¡¯s face twisted. There was her answer, her predictions were right. As expected, Pel¡¯s answer this morning was no doubt a lie. ¡°Are you saying you¡¯re going with me even though you know what kind of ce that is?¡± ¡°I¡¯m the one who lost the ne, so it¡¯s disgraceful of me to let you find it alone. You know, I feel ashamed.¡± And there was another important thing. Lifting a heavy pouch with her belongings in it, she grinned. ¡°And I know you don¡¯t have any money.¡± She shook the pouch side-to-side, coins rattling against one another. Chapter 74 - The Black Market Chapter 74 ¨C The ck Market Who goes to a ck market without any money? Of course, it wasn¡¯t exactly fair that she had to buy back her stolen ne, but there was no other choice. Especially when the alternative was losing it forever. In reality, Levisia only assumed that Pel didn¡¯t have any money. For all she knew, he could have some riches stashed away somewhere. But he seemed the sort to spend his wealth freely, or was unable to. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Pel gestured to Levisia¡¯s bag that she was holding close to her body. After losing her ne, she really did not want to have something else stolen from her. ¡°I¡¯ll show you, but you have to promise not to tell anyone.¡± Levisia unknotted her bag so Pel could peek inside. Inside were a handful of shiny gems. ¡°Where did you get these from?¡± ¡°Oh, from¡­¡± she blurted out, cutting herself off when she realised where they came from. They were actually a gift from Elizabeth; something she couldn¡¯t just send back. There was only one other option she could do, one that would be beneficial to her. She had to sell them all. ¡°I swear to you, these aren¡¯t stolen.¡± Later on, if Elizabeth asks where the jewels have gone, Levisia would be in trouble. She pushed that particr thought to the back of her mind, opting to worry about itter. Pel red at her suspiciously, reaching out to take the pouch. But not a chance. Before his hand could reach it, she yanked it back toward herself. ¡°You can¡¯t just take my pouch, Pel Please, it has to stay with me.¡± Pel raised his eyebrows, but let the matter drop. Content that he was going to behave himself, Levisia breathed a sigh of relief and fastened her bag back. ¡°So, how do you want to do it? How are we going to sneak into the ck market? We can¡¯t just turn up as ourselves, right?¡± ¡°No, we can¡¯t get in by ourselves. But Hector will know how. Come on, let¡¯s go pay him a visit.¡± * * * . When Pel and Levisia stopped by the rest area, they startled Hobb who was mid yawn. He leapt to his feet, knocking his chair backwards and tripping over a table leg. ¡°Wee.¡± he stammered, clearing his throat. ¡°How can I help you?¡± ¡°What is this uproar?¡± Everyone in the rest area looked back at them when Hobb shouted out loudly, including Hector. Hector, who hade to investigate the sound of the chair hitting the floor, greeted them with a brief nod. ¡°Pel, Your Royal Highness. Wee.¡± Levisia gave a small wave, feeling awkward at being addressed by her royal title. She much preferred people using her real name. Hector seemed to know what they were about to ask him, as he motioned for them to sit at a table. Hobb brought out some tea as they sat down. Levisia took a sip from her cup as Hector , ced some folded-up ck paper on the table. The word ¡°Chess¡± was written on the outside in embossed silver writing. ¡°These are your invitations to the Chess ck market. I knew you would be needing a way to get in, so I went ahead and prepared everything ahead of time for you. Here, you¡¯ll need these, as well.¡± Hector presented some masks. Two covered the face, whilst two only covered half the face. They were simple colours, too: two ck and two white. ¡°Masks?¡± Pel asked as Hector lined the masks on the table. ¡°Because everything is shrouded in secrecy, everyone who attends must wear a mask. So, I brought some that don¡¯t stand out. Choose one.¡± Levisia lifted her eyes from the invitation and stared at the tabletop. A total of four masks were presented. Pel reached for a white mask that covered the entire face, and Levisia reached for a ck mask that covered half the face. Pel quickly swapped it out for the ck full mask, snatching the other one away. Levisia opened her mouth to protest, but Pel merely held out his hand. ¡°You¡¯ll be easily recognised in this mask, so go for the one that covers your face. Here, I¡¯ll show you.¡± He slipped on the ck mask Levisia had originally chosen. Chapter 75 - Marriage Disguise Chapter 75 ¨C Marriage Disguise As Hobb and Hector made some off-handment about how small his face was, Levisia caught herself staring intently at Pel. Mostly about how good he looked in the mask, as it highlighted his features. ¡°What? Is there any reason you are looking at me like that?¡± Levisia, unable to give an answer, merely shrugged her shoulders. ¡°I see your point, Pel. I¡¯ll go with this mask.¡± Levisia gave the mask a try, getting a thumbs up from both Pel and Levisia. ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty. The ringleader might be at the ck market, so we don¡¯t want to take any risks than necessary.¡± Hector said as he removed the two half-masks. ¡°Of course, even with an invitation and mask, entering will not be so easy as waltzing up to the front door. What you need to be disguised as other people. He handed two small portraits to Levisia and Pel. Taking a closer look at hers, Levisia saw a woman with long silver hair tied back in a bun. She had a delicate smile, and her eyes were the same colour as Levisia. Despite this, it was obvious that the woman in the photo was much older. She snuck a quick peek at Pel¡¯s portrait, which was of a blond-haired man with sharp features. His eyes were simr, except Pel¡¯s eyes were vivid gold. It was hard to find a person with simr eyes. Levisia said, after looking at the man in the portrait for some time, ¡°Pel¡¯s hair needs a bit of trim in order to match the man in the picture.¡± The man¡¯s hair was bobbed at the sides, with a fringe that reached his eyebrows. It was very different from Pel¡¯s long, uneven hair. As she debated about how she was going to convince Pel to get a haircut, Hector brought out a blond wig. Before he could say anything, Pel snatched it up. Levisia got her answer there and then: no haircut for Pel today. ¡°So, are we pretending to be these people?¡± Levisia asked, cing her portrait back on the table. ¡°Correct. You¡¯d be relieved to hear that these nobles have been getting invitations for years but have no record of going to the ck market. Hopefully, if all goes ording to n, you should be able to blend in.¡± ¡°What are their names?¡± ¡°Sarah and Edgar Wonstein.¡± When she heard that they had the same surname, she paused. The fact that two people who didn¡¯t even look alike were using the same surname¡­ Perhaps Pel was thinking the same thing, because he, too, flinched. Both of them turned their gazes to Hector, silently demanding an exnation to what they already knew. ¡°The young count and countess are married. Is that a problem?¡± Hector said, as though their reactions were out of the ordinary. Perhaps. Because Pel had posed as Levisia¡¯s boyfriend on the day of the fairy festival, but pretending to be married? ¡°It¡¯s a rough n.¡± Levisia said, trying to keep her voice calm and not betray her inner emotions. ¡°How so?¡± Hector looked down at Levisia, Pel following suit. With both men staring at her, Levisia let out a heavy sigh. ¡°I mean, it¡¯s a great idea,¡± she said, trying to form an excuse on the spot. ¡°I just wonder if-¡± ¡°Hold on, wait.¡± Pel cut her off, as if he already knew what she was about to say. Levisia was about to exin to Hector what had happened on that day where they pretended to be lovers, but she was worried because Pel¡¯s eyes looked desperate. Should she not tell him? She contemted, but seeing him like that made her think a little bit more. Because he acted like the biggest shame in his life was being unveiled in front of everyone. It would embarrass him if she spoke of it. So Levisia nodded in agreement, and Pel exhaled. ¡°You know what, let¡¯s do it. It¡¯s not like we have much of a choice. And there isn¡¯t much time left.¡± ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right.¡± Pel muttered under his breath as he turned around. Levisia could tell that he wasn¡¯t too happy about this whole deal, either. Chapter 76 - The Dashing Nobleman Chapter 76 ¨C The Dashing Nobleman It was quiet inside the carriage, which gave Levisia time to stare intently at Pel. He was seated opposite her with his short, blond, curly wig and white mask. Underneath the mask, his eyes were closed as though he was deep in thought. He had been like that ever since they got in the carriage. Levisia dared to sneak a peek at Pel¡¯s outfit once more. He wore a white dress shirt with a deep burgundy coloured vest, along with ck trousers and knee-high boots. His ck jacket, with embellishments of red and gold, was partially undone. Completing the look was a ck robe, and a white cravat that had never seen the light of day. Levisia still vividly remembered Hector, who was the one to prepare Pel¡¯s ¡®nobleman disguise,¡¯ had almost respected him when he had seen it. Who would think he was a servant with his attire? Pel had an indescribable air of nobility, something that was unlikely his usual shabby appearance. Given how Levisia was used to seeing him, it was a shock to see him dressed up. She immediately understood why he wore that bizarre wig and exhibited a poor posture. He could only hide his domineering aura through something strange. Considering that Pel strangely caught Levisia¡¯s eye even with his shabby appearance, his natural preciousness seemed to be inevitable. And he seemed to know it, too, which was why he had been sticking to that exterior the whole time. Levisia, too, was dressed for the asion. A floor length ck gown withce sewn on the hems of her sleeves and cor, it perfectlyplemented her mask. Her hair was delicately coiled into ringlets and secured in ce by a ck ribbon. She was fiddling with the hems of her dress as Pel opened his eyes, seemingly aware that she had been staring at him for the past five minutes. Perhaps her stare was burning a hole in him, as he opened his eyes and asked, adjusting his wig that had ever so slightly slipped. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± ¡°Huh? I was just wondering if you wanted to take your mask off, that¡¯s all. You know you are allowed to take it off.¡± Levisia pointed to Pel¡¯s mask. Hers was resting on herp, having opted to wear it when the carriage got closer to their location. Pel, on the other hand, had not taken his off during the entire journey. There was no one else around but them, and the carriage was being driven Hector, someone they both trusted. ¡°I think Hector will let us know if something goes wrong.¡± Levisia quietly urged Pel to remove his mask, if only for a few minutes to give himself a break. Pel shook his head, apparently unable to let his guard down. Levisia, seeing that she was unable to change his mind, let the matter drop. She gathered that he was preparing himself for what was about to happen, and talking to him wasn¡¯t helping. Pel was looking out the window, his eyes half-closed. Lights from outside reflected off his white mask. As she looked at him, Levisia put on the mask she was holding. After adjusting it so that it wouldn¡¯t fall off, she saw that Pel was looking at her suspiciously. ¡°What?¡± she asked, rearranging her hair so the mask ribbon didn¡¯t interfere with her curls. ¡°You told me to take mine off; why are you wearing yours?¡± Truthfully, she wasn¡¯t a hundred percent certain herself why she had put her mask on. She did it on a whim without stopping to think about it. ¡°¡­I just thought I¡¯d better get used to it ahead of time.¡± was the only excuse she could give. It was a pathetic excuse, but it was the only one she had. As she was struggling to wrap her head around Pel¡¯s stubbornness, the sound of Pel¡¯sughter startled her out of her thoughts. As Levisia lifted her eyes, she could see Pel¡¯s twinkling eyes. It was a clearugh that hung around his faintly curved eyes. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± She asked, wondering where this sudden shift in behaviour came from. Pel could only shrug, which made her even more curious. Pel wasn¡¯t one tough for no reason. She opened her mouth to demand an exnation, but Pel cut her off and nodded out the window. ¡°I think we¡¯re here.¡± Levisia pulled down the window and looked out to see a long queue of carriages. Just like theirs, each one was dull and dark-colored. Any sign of individuality was nowhere to be seen. ¡°All these carriages are here for the ck market¡­?¡± Levisia queried. ¡°That may be. If not, they wouldn¡¯t all be lined up like this.¡± Chapter 77 - Lord And Lady Wonstein Chapter 77 ¨C Lord and Lady Wonstein At the end of the road was a manor house, fully illuminated on all three floors. Levisia sat back in her seat, closed the curtains, and waited for their turn. Fortunately, the line of carriages moved faster than expected, and it wasn¡¯t long before there was a tapping sound on the carriage window. Drawing back the curtains, Levisia saw a man in a mask wearing a smart uniform. He cleared his throat and held out his hand. ¡°May I see your invitations?¡± Pel withdrew his from a jacket pocket, whilst Levisia picked hers up from the seat beside her. The gatekeeper took his time examining them, carefully studying them before handing them back. Then, he stared into their eyes and smiled, ¡°Wee. Please be ready to present your invitations at the front door.¡± The men stepped away to allow the carriage to pull forwards towards the main entrance of the manor. Pel swapped sides so that he was seated next to Levisia and whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t let your guard down.¡± As the carriage came to a halt, a doorman opened the door to allow Pel and Levisia to climb down. Pel went first, holding his hand out for Levisia to take. She gratefully epted it, as her shoes were proving difficult to walk in. Outside the carriage, a couple of servants approached Pel and Levisia and said that they needed to do a quick check that they hadn¡¯t smuggled anything in. Unlike Levisia, who wondered how she could bear their hands patting on her, Pel was a natural. With his downward gaze looking as arrogant as ever, she thought it was an entirely different person who stood in front of her. After being thoroughly searched, Levisia approached Pel and linked their arms together. He stiffened up for a brief moment, but rxed ever so slightly as they set off towards the entrance. Despite Pel¡¯s initial displeasure, he seemed to be a natural at acting the part of her dashing husband. At the entrance, two guards stepped forwards to check their invitations. As they checked them over again, Levisia tightened her grip on Pel¡¯s arm. She was uncertain about what was to unfold, and Pel seemed on edge, too. He patted her hand as their invitations were handed back to them. ¡°Oh, you wanted to hold hands?¡± Pel didn¡¯t reply, but she could feel that his arm was stiff as they remained interlocked. Did he feel unpleasant? Levisia nced at his face but his expression remained concealed under his mask. ¡°Sarah.¡± At that moment, Levisia flinched at the way he uttered the unfamiliar name. As he probably felt the jolt on his arm, he lowered his head and looked at her. ¡°Focus.¡± ¡°Oh. Alright.¡± Pel was taken aback by her reaction; he blinked a few times, and his surprise subsided a little. He then handed his invitation to the second gatekeeper, and Levisia also handed over hers. The gatekeeper alternated his stare between the two invitations and said, ¡°Wee. It¡¯s an honor you have finally showed up. Master will be most pleased.¡± One of the guards handed their invitations back. A servant shall guide you to your seats. I hope you enjoy your time, Lord and Lady Wonstein.¡± They were escorted to the manor¡¯s hall, which wasvishly decorated in gold and ck d¨¦cor. At the end of the hall, the servant held the door open for them to enter what appeared to be a concert hall. At the far end was a round stage, with tables and seats covering the floor space. Overlooking the ground floor was a balcony with fewer seats, presumably for guests who had a special invitation. ¡°This way, please.¡± The servant guided them to their seats on the ground floor as another servant ced refreshments on their table. They both bowed as they moved onto other patrons. The second floor seemed to be seated for special guests only. At first nce, the chairs were decorated differently, and above all, it was assumed that there was a better view of the stage from the high balcony. ¡°The auction will begin in twenty minutes. I wish you a good time.¡± The servant who led them to their seats left refreshments at a small table and headed to another ce. ¡°It¡¯s very formal and organized here.¡± Levisia whispered into Pel¡¯s ear. ¡°It has to be since it¡¯s targeted for nobles.¡± Pel poured himself a ss of water. He slid his mask up slightly to allow himself to drink before sliding it back down. ¡°A ce that sells stolen goods.¡± Levisia shuffled in her seat. She was not one to talk, as her main purpose was to buy back her ne. She was pretending to be someone else in a ce full of secrecy and lies. Maybe, in a way, she was just as bad as everyone else. Chapter 78 - The Auction Chapter 78 ¨C The Auction Before the show began, each table was presented with a small basket of freshly baked bread rolls and some napkins. Pel picked up a roll and crumbled a bit under his hands. ¡°My original n was that we steal the ne and run out of here¡­¡± He muttered low enough so only Levisia could hear him, ¡°But it would be difficult to do so.¡± ¡°Not to mention reckless.¡± Levisia nced around her. Most of the seats on the lower floor were now full, with only a few spaces left. Stealing the ne back with his many witnesses was out of the question. ¡°Right about now Hector will be searching the estate, trying to find where the goods are kept.¡± Pel ced his bread on his napkin, and helped himself to a small goblet of water. ¡°It would be ideal to steal the ne before ites out on stage.¡± Levisia had a feeling that Hector was more than just the horseman. But given how heavily guarded the manor was, it would be unlikely he would be able to even get close to where the goods were kept. ¡°Nothing goodes out of causing amotion. Whilst I am angry that someone took it, buying it back is the only safe option.¡± Levisia patted the pouch on herp, the jewels jangling under her touch. ¡°Even if you hand all of those over, you still might not be able to buy it.¡± Pel lowered his ss back onto the table. Levisia stared at Pel, speechless. Was the ne that expensive? Even when she had heard it was ¡®something worth selling at the ck market,¡¯ she hadn¡¯t been that impressed. But now she couldn¡¯t even guess the price of it after hearing that she may not be able to buy it back with the money she had acquired from selling Elizabeth¡¯s gifts. ¡°Or,¡± Pel said, interrupting her thoughts, ¡°we can even follow them after the auction. After all, security around the ck market is tight. But outside, there is very little.¡± Levisia had to stop and think about what Pel said. Stealing was wrong, but if it belonged to her in the first ce¡­ ¡°I guess so. But I imagine they would not be willing to part with something they just bought.¡± Levisia sat up straight in her chair as a servant announced that the auction would soon be starting. ¡°No, they won¡¯t. But most auction purchases are covered by insurance. Any purchases and lost items left after the auction is finished will probably bepensated for.¡± At that moment, a man wearing a butterfly mask entered the stage. Dressed in a ck tailcoat, he introduced himself as the auction¡¯s host. Seeing that everyone around them was apuding, Pel and Levisia joined in. After exining the rules, the host marked the beginning of the full auction by holding up a diamond ne. Pel and Levisia whispered amongst each other while the host exined something while spit flew out of his mouth. ¡°I think that one might be worth everything I brought.¡± ¡°Looks like it.¡± But contrary to her expectation, the ne wasn¡¯t very popr. ¡°Alright, our first item is this diamond ne. I will start at 300 gold! 300 gold, anyone? The audience was quiet. When no one else lifted up their card, the host rang the bell three times and announced it was sold. With the host moving onto the next item for sale, Levisia looked down at her pouch sitting on her knee. Beforeing to the ck market, she had asked a jeweller how much the gems were worth. After careful examination, the jeweller said she could easily receive 1,500 gold. Of course, that was just the opinion of one jeweller, so they didn¡¯t know the exact price. Levisia had to wonder if the price was just the minimum amount, and that she could easily squeeze some more out. Watching the rest of the auction take ce, Levisia held her pouch close, waiting for the moment they brought out her ne. Finally, after an hour, the moment she had been waiting for arrived. ¡°And now, we have something very special indeed.¡± The host held up the ne. Because itcked any features that made it stand out, the audience did not seem to share the same enthusiasm as the host. The horn ne that they had been anxiously looking for appeared on the stage. The ne, ced on the purple cloth, was neither as shiny as a jewel nor as beautiful as a craftsman¡¯s work. Rather, it was so in that it failed inparison to the previous item. ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t look special at all.¡± All around, Levisia could see the crowd¡¯s expressions twisting into confusion and disappointment. Clearly expecting that reaction, the host threw his head back andughed. Chapter 79 - Necklace Of Broken Bones Chapter 79 ¨C Ne of Broken Bones ¡°This ne is made from the bones of Roycal, and it¡¯s worth quite a fortune. And I guarantee that it will be pretty difficult for anyone to find something like this after today.¡± Roycal¡¯s bones? This was news to Levisia. She knew that they were bones, but was not aware of their origin. Feeling a bizarre sense of anxiety, she stared at the host. And when she hoped nothing else shocking woulde out of his mouth, he announced something that would arouse the audience. ¡°Especially since this ne is recent, we suspect that it was made from the broken bones of thest living Roycal.¡± Levisia could barely blink her eyes as her entire body was frozen. Thest living Roycal? What could he mean? Before she could gather her thoughts, a series of chatters erupted throughout the room. ¡°It¡¯s like traces of a long-lost era, it¡¯s always good seeing something like that.¡± Voices filled with excitement and spectacle were heard all around. And amongst the crowd, some had already lifted their number cards. Despite the growingmotion, Levisia could only sit quietly and turn to look at Pel. His golden eyes were dry and unresponsive. He seemed to sense that she was staring at him, but he didn¡¯t turn her way. His sunken eyes were only directed at the stage. She turned her head back because it seemed as if he was signaling her to not ask anything. ¡°This valuable item starts at 100 gold!¡± Number cards shot up as soon as thest word fell out of the host¡¯s mouth. The price quickly surpassed the diamond ne from earlier. However, when it passed 800 gold, the crowd slowed down and began bidding in tens, rather than hundreds. With the bets now reaching 860 gold, Levisia, with her jaw hanging, thought about joining in and raising her number. Pel shook his head and gently held her arm down. ¡°Pel?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to buy it. We can do what I said earlier.¡± Pel nodded at the people still bidding on the ne. ¡°Look, the price is already at 900. Soon you won¡¯t be able to afford it.¡± ¡°You still think that outrageous n is going to work?¡± Pel frowned, and Levisia wasn¡¯t sure why she felt relief at that reaction. His eyes were not as dull as they were before, and it made her feel at ease. During their little interaction, the price had surpassed 900 gold. At this rate, the auction might end before she could even call out a price. She snatched Pel¡¯s hand off and said, ¡°Think about it, who would take something I pay over 900 gold for? You¡¯ll never know if you take it lightly. I¡¯ll stop at 1,500 gold.¡± Their conversation had sounded like a count dissuading his wife at an underground auction, but there was no other way. Levisia checked the number on her card and raised her arm. It was now visible above her head, so the host called it out right away. ¡°We have 950! Next, Number 30.¡± ¡°1,000 gold.¡± The crowd quieted down as Levisia finished speaking. Even with only a 50-gold difference, the difference between the three-digit price and the four-digit price couldn¡¯t be ignored. ¡°Oh, and with that, we have reached 1,000 gold. Anyone else?¡± When Levisia lowered her arm, Pel nudged her with his elbow. ¡°Why did you start at 1,000 gold? Why did you raise the price by 50 gold when everyone else had done it 10 gold at a time?¡± He said, ncing around to see if anyone else was bidding. Levisia was expecting a reaction from Pel and quickly exined her reasoning, which she had learned from a series in her past life. By betting higher than anyone else had being the first to reach the 1,000 mark, she gave the impression that she was wealthy. That was she could clean up as manypetitors as she could with the least amount of money. 50 gold wasn¡¯t a small amount, but just now, it was a moment of opportunity to make the game favorable to her. ¡°No more bids? Then, going once, going twice¡­¡± Sure enough, everyone was hesitating when the amount went from three digits to four. Since her transmigration, there has never been a day when an experience from her previous life had been as helpful as it was today. So, feeling proud, Levisia said, a little arrogantly, ¡°This auction is a headstart.¡± However, her arrogance didn¡¯tst too long. ¡°1,100 gold.¡± Levisia nearly shot to her feet, Pel¡¯s hand being the only thing holding her in her seat. Someone else had started betting again. Who were they? And why did they want her ne that badly that they would wait until thest moments to ce their bid? Chapter 80 - The Bidders’ Competition ¡°1,100 gold! We have 1,100 gold. Anyone else?¡± The host asked, ncing in Levisia¡¯s direction. He seemed like wanted her to continue the bidding. And Levisia knew that, now that there were only two people left who wanted to bid. Even if they didpete for the ne, it only made them look like hungry brokers. But she was determined to not give up, so she lifted her number card before Pel could stop her. ¡°1,200 gold!¡± The host cried out, his voice brimming with excitement. Pel turned to her and was about to demand what she was going to do when the unknown guest raised the price up to 1,300 gold. Levisia had no idea if her n was going to work, her hand trembling with anticipation. Before Pel could say anything, she lifted it again. ¡°1,350 gold!¡± she called out, her voice wavering slightly. She prayed for the other bidder to stop, but her prayer soon burst when the price was raised to 1400 gold. ¡°1,400 gold! We¡¯ve got 1,400 Who else wants to bid?¡± The host was practically dancing on the stage, his hands motioning to both Levisia and the other bidder. Unable to bear the torment any longer, Levisia nced back, feeling the need to see who was trying so desperately to get a hold of her ne. On the upper floor, she spotted two guests. On the right, wearing a mask covered in jewels, was the man with the card that read ¡®51¡¯. He happened to be looking at her at the same time, and he nodded at her. Levisia could not see him clearly from where she was, but she got the feeling he was mocking her. Pel tapped her gently on her arm and whispered for her to stop, and that it wasn¡¯t worth it. ¡°Please, just one more time.¡± she said, raising her number card high up. ¡°1,500 gold.¡± That was everything she had in her pouch. Now that she has thrown her final number, it didn¡¯t matter if the other bidder raised the price. She could feel eyes on the back of her head, likely from the man on the upper floor. ¡°Anyone else? Any bids higher than 1,500 gold?¡± It seemed like time had slowed down tremendously after the host threw the question. Levisia held her breath and lowered her eyes like a prisoner waiting for sentencing. And then, the moment she had been dreading urred. ¡°2,000 gold.¡± ¡°And we have 2,000 gold! Anyone else?¡± The host addressed the now silent audience. Levisia knew that she had lost. She turned to Pel and leant in close, her fingers cupping her chin. ¡°Can we go swoop down on their house now?¡± * * * Lidanughed after he made the sessful bid of 2,000 gold on the ne. He dropped his card on his table and linked his fingers together. ¡°Not a chance, Levy.¡± Elizabeth, who was sitting next to him, sighed under her rose-embroidered mask. She couldn¡¯t believe her idiot brother had raised the price by 500 gold at the final hit. A raise of 100 gold would have been enough. ¡°How could a stupid fool like you be part of the Imperial bloodline?¡± She folded her arms and shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m the stupid fool, Liz? I beg to differ. I¡¯d say that if you pay the right price for something you want, then you¡¯ve won.¡± It was a silly answer from a silly man. Elizabeth pressed down on her temple. ¡°So, what are we going to do now?¡± she asked. ¡°You¡¯ve got the ne, which is what you wanted.¡± ¡°I suppose I can give her back the ne¡­ But before I do, there¡¯s something I want to check.¡± Lidan sat up straight in his chair and peered over the balcony. His eyes fell on Levisia and her ck mask, as well as the man next to her. Pel¡¯s mask was identical to Levisia¡¯s except his was white rather than ck. The way they were together, and the way they kept whispering together, it raised questions. ¡°This is unpleasant¡­¡± He muttered under his breath. He had been curious about how she came in possession of a ne made from Roycal¡¯s bones, but now he was more curious about her friend¡¯s identity. Together like that¡­ He wondered about their rtionship. And there was something oddly familiar about the man that Lidan couldn¡¯t quite ce his finger on. Lidan cupped his chin and stared deeply at the two. Then, when Pel rose from his seat, Levisia stood up with him. The two of them left together. Sure, lots of people left in the middle of an auction, but these two were different. Chapter 81 - Loss ¡°Hey Elizabeth, Levisia is leaving.¡± Lidan pointed them out. ¡°I saw it, too.¡± Elizabeth said as she jumped to her feet. ¡°Aren¡¯t we going to follow them? What are you doing?¡± Her purple eyes urged Lidan for an answer. He nced in the seat Levisia had been sitting in and got to his feet. As they were gathering up their belongings, two officials scuttled over to them. ¡°It¡¯s a privilege to finally meet the guests of honor. My master told me to serve you very sincerely.¡± One of them said as the other bowed. ¡°It¡¯s about Roycal¡¯s ne, are you avable to talk about it somewhere else?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, we are kind of in a hurry.¡± Lidan said, impatiently folding his arms and tapping his feet. Elizabeth let out an almost inaudible hiss, having never seen Lidan this irritated before. He looked like an animal that had just lost its prey. ¡°You take your time. I¡¯ll get going. You deal with them and I¡¯ll catch up with Levisia,¡± Elizabeth whispered in Lidan¡¯s ear and patted him on the shoulder. ¡°Good luck.¡± Lidan bewilderedly called out to her, but she didn¡¯t look back even for a split second. After leaving the hall and checking the surroundings, she took the stairs down to the lower level. Not too long after Elizabeth had walked down the stairs, she could sense a strangemotioning from the back of the mansion. Her curiosity running wild, Elizabeth set off down a long corridor. The closer she got to the source of themotion, the more she felt Levisia¡¯s presence. And finally, when only one corner was left, a scent she hadn¡¯t smelled in a long time tickled her nostrils. * * * When Levisia suggested they raid the home of the unknown person who had taken the ne, Pel shook his head. Levisia was shocked. It had been his idea in the first ce, after all. ¡°I¡¯d rather move now.¡± Pel said, getting to his feet. He tucked his chair in and held his hand out for Levisia to take. ¡°Now?¡± Levisia took the hand and rose from her chair, smoothing her dress down with her free hand. ¡°I think it¡¯ll be better to steal the ne before it gets into their hands than toy our hands on them.¡± Pel led Levisia out of the hall. She couldn¡¯t help but get the feeling that he knew who the unknown bidder was, given his urgency to get the ne before it was toote. Outside, they ran into a masked gatekeeper. ¡°Is there something wrong?¡± They asked, their gaze altering between the two. Levisia knew that, seeing as he was the one who checked their invitations earlier, there was a high chance that he would figure out their real identities. Levisia hurriedly locked her arm with Pel¡¯s arm. ¡°Nothing caught our attention.¡± She replied, hoping her voice didn¡¯t betray her emotions. ¡°You seemed to have been really excited about the ne. I take it because it has been sold, you are no longer interested in anything else?¡± ¡°My wife¡¯s upset over that, and we were on our way out; is there a problem?¡± Pel spoke up, holding Levisia close to him. Levisia flinched at how casually he said ¡®my wife.¡¯ She was still getting used to them pretending to be married, and there he was stating it loud and proud like it was the most natural thing in the world. She quietly admired Pel, and the gatekeeper nodded in ordance. Perhaps, as Pel had said, she really might have been deeply hurt because she couldn¡¯t buy the ne. ¡°Of course there¡¯s no problem. I¡¯ll escort you to the carriage boarding tform. You just have to wait while the carriage is pulling up.¡± The gatekeeper¡¯s words struck fear into their hearts, as neither of them were ready to leave. If they didn¡¯t act fast, they were going to end up in a carriage and away from the mansion without the ne. Pel, probably thinking the same thing, looked down at Levisia and let go of her arm the moment their eyes met. And then he put his arm out, grabbed her waist, and pulled her close to him. She blinked slowly to figure out the situation, trying to piece together why she had suddenly be locked in Pel¡¯s arm. ¡°I wish to go for a walk with my wife. If that is eptable to you?¡± He raised his voice, dragging Levisia away from the gatekeeper and down a corridor. Chapter 82 - The Three Thieves Chapter 82 ¨C The Three Thieves As Pel was speaking, Levisia could feel something strange taking ce, something that was causing her to lose her mind. It felt like there was a ringing sound in her ears. She wondered if Pel was feeling the same way as he pulled her away from the gatekeeper and let go of her waist with a sigh of relief. ¡°I think we¡¯re in the clear.¡± He said after they had walked down the corridor and were out of earshot. The strange feeling hadn¡¯t vanished, and Levisia wondered if Pel was feeling the same way. She looked up at Pel, her eyes locking with his. ¡°Why are you looking at me?¡± Levisia demanded, as if she hadn¡¯t been doing the exact same thing. ¡°I should be the one asking you that. You look shocked all of a sudden. It¡¯s your eyes. They say the eyes betray all your emotions.¡± Pel said, his own eyes seeming to shine brightly. ¡°Although you seem to have other things on your mind.¡± Pel was right. Out the corner of her eye, Levisia spotted three figures in the garden outside. She pressed herself up against the wall, Pel doing the same on the other side. Together, they peered out to see what was happening. The three strangers were all huddled together, discussing something. None of them were wearing a mask, despite the ck market¡¯s rule. ¡°That man. He was the one who stole the ne.¡± Levisia whispered as she pointed to the one who looked exactly like her sketch. His bushy eyebrows and the mole on his nose were identical. ¡°And that woman there, she was the street vendor who sold us flowers during the Fairy Festival. It appears they are in the same group.¡± Pel nodded to the woman talking to the thief. ¡°Figures.¡± The three of them finished talking and put their masks on. Levisia pulled away from the window and sighed. ¡°What shall we do, Pel?¡± She asked. If they were to confront them, it would be three against two, so in terms of numbers they were at a disadvantage. But couldn¡¯t they at least grab one of them? Shake them up and confront them about why they stole the ne and how it ended up at the ck market? Whilst Levisia weighed up the options in her mind, Pel suddenly pressed himself against the wall. Confused, she did the same and counted to ten. Only then did she risk a peek. All three of them were looking back at her, causing her to leap back with a startled yelp. ¡°They know who we are.¡± Pel cursed under his breath. ¡°Even with our masks on?¡± Levisia checked to see if her mask was still in ce. Her mask was still in ce, though her hair was beginning to fall loose from it¡¯s borate hair style. ¡°Yes. But this is the right moment to strike. Stay here.¡± Pel said, unlocking the window. ¡°Wait! What are you doing?¡± Levisia hissed. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious! I¡¯m not staying here alone!¡± She did not like the idea of being left behind in such a dangerous ce, especially when the thieves were around. She was sticking with Pel, regardless of what he said. ¡°Are you sure? I don¡¯t want you getting caught up in the fighting.¡± Pel said, his hands sped on the window as he struggled to open it. ¡°I can handle myself. Go. I¡¯ll be right behind you.¡± Levisia hoisted the window open with Pel. With the grace and skill of someone who had experience, Pel leapt through the window and set off running after the thieves. Levisia couldn¡¯t jump through like Pel, so slid across the windowsill while holding her dress down. Fortunately for them, they were on the ground floor and thus were in no danger of broken bones. With her feet safely on the ground, Levisia ran to catch up with Pel. He and the three people were already off in the distance. Two of them disappeared behind a door leading into the building, whilst Pel tackled the third member to the ground. After hosting him up and giving him a thorough shake, Pel demanded to know where the ne was being kept. That¡¯s when the man reached behind him and pulled out a sharp de. ¡°Pel! Be careful!¡± Levisia called out, hurrying over to Pel. Her words, however, were in vain as Pel had already disarmed the assant and now had him pinned to the floor by his knee. As soon as Levisia got close, the man lifted his head, used his free arm to wipe the blood away from his forehead, and called out for security. Chapter 83 - Busted Chapter 83 ¨C Busted As masked men stormed into the scene, Levisia realised toote that she and Pel had been led into a trap. With the two other thieves behind the guards, she knew that they had gone to call for security. Now they had painted Pel as being the troublemaker, and not them. Pel seemed toe to the same conclusion as her. He pressed down on the man¡¯s spine and tilted his head back to shout for Levisia to run. ¡°What? But what about you?¡± She backed away from the guards, her gaze not leaving Pel. She had no idea where to run, and she was not about to leave Pel behind to face the guards by himself. ¡°Run until you find an exit. Jump through a window if you have to!¡± Pel leapt to his feet, brandishing the dagger he stole from the thief. ¡°I can¡¯t go without you.¡± Lev grabbed Pel¡¯s hand. ¡°We¡¯re going together.¡± As she pulled him away from the guards, she stopped dead in her tracks at the sight of a woman. She had radiant blond hair, and her mask was heavily embroidered with roses. Levisia recognised her as the woman who had been sitting on the upper floor. ¡°My, my, what¡¯s all thismotion?¡± She said, holding her hand out. Her fingers were glowing in a yellow light. Levisia stood frozen, her eyes wide with shock. ¡°Elizabeth?¡± she managed to choke out. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± She had only seen Elizabeth¡¯s powers once, but she knew it was her. The lightning that had flown from her hands was unforgettable. ¡°Why are you all here?¡± Elizabeth¡¯s voice was dangerously low, the lightning at her fingertips growing with intensity. She fired off a warning shot at the guards and faced Levisia. One look into her purple eyes revealed everything: Elizabeth knew who she was, even with the mask on. The purple eyes staring at her were so clear that she knew that her identity had been revealed at one nce. ¡°Tell me what they¡¯ve done to you.¡± Elizabeth asked, a thinly-veiled speech hidden within her speech. Levisia tensed up, wondering just what Elizabeth was nning. ¡°If you can¡¯t tell me, maybe they will. You there!¡± Elizabeth fired a spark at one of the guards. ¡°Did you darey a finger on her?¡± The guards were silent as they dropped their weapons and backed away. ¡°Your Royal Highness!¡± Levisia finally managed to find her words. ¡°Oh, Levisia. Are you ready to talk now?¡± Elizabeth smiled, confirming that she knew Levisia¡¯s identity from the start. She stepped forwards, causing the guards and thieves to flee the scene in fear. Elizabeth used her powers to grab the ankles of some of the guards, allowing the thieves to slip away. ¡°It¡¯s unpleasant like I¡¯ve entered a nest full of bugs, but I¡¯m going to have to catch them all.¡± Elizabeth frowned, the glowing around her hands subsiding. She turned back to Levisia. ¡°So, are you tired of running away now? And just how did you get involved with this mess, anyway?¡± She spoke as if everything had been Levisia¡¯s fault. Levisia backed away, not daring to meet Elizabeth¡¯s piercing stare. The only person more terrifying than the guards was Elizabeth Seine Kraiden. ¡°More importantly, care to exin that?¡± Elizabeth asked as she pulled her mask off, pointing at Pel¡¯s hand still sped in Levisia¡¯s. Levisia hurriedly snatched her hand away from him and stood in front of him, shielding him from Elizabeth¡¯s fury. ¡°Your Highness, this man has saved me..¡± Levisia held her arms out to protect Pel. ¡°Not the one who seduced you here?¡± Elizabeth¡¯s powers were ring up, her hands aglow with yellow light. ¡°It¡¯s not like that. It was my idea toe here. I swear!¡± Levisia begged, taking a step back to further shield Pel. ¡°Do you know what it means that you¡¯re standing up for him in front of me like this? Are you really going to stay by his side?¡± Elizabeth lowered her hands and narrowed her eyes. Levisia craned her neck to look at Pel. They didn¡¯t always see eye to eye, but she knew that she needed to stay by his side. At least until she got the ne back. ¡°¡­Yes?¡± She offered a weak shrug. Elizabeth smiled and shook her head affectionately. She gracefully held out a hand for Levisia to take. ¡°I came all this way here, so now you¡¯re going back with me. Chapter 84 - Fetching The Little Sister Chapter 84 ¨C Fetching the Little Sister As Levisia stared silently at Elizabeth¡¯s hand, she sped her hands together, unsure of what to do. ¡°Come on, Levy.¡± Elizabeth said, gesturing with her hand Levisia couldn¡¯t ignore the presence behind her. Just as Pel had protected her from the information specialists at the rest area, she also wanted to protect Pel from Elizabeth¡¯s eyes, but nothing seemed to help. A moment of her hesitation seemed to reach Pel. He lowered his head and whispered from behind her, his voice barely audible. ¡°Just go.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re with her, you¡¯ll get out of here safely. As for me, I¡¯ll head back to the pce after Ie in contact with Hector.¡± Levisia turned to face Pel. She was about to ask him how he was going to get out of here, when the look in his eyes made her words die in her throat. His sunken eyes were full of unknown emotions, and Levisia could easily tell that those feelings weren¡¯t exactly positive ones. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about me.¡± His words hit her like a falling brick. He had put up a wall around himself, giving her an odd sense of distance from him. Levisia turned back around to face Elizabeth, and Pel quietly nudged her forwards. All that was left was for her to take a step forward. However, she found herself rooted in ce. When she nced over her shoulder to look at Pel, a gust of wind blew through her hair. ¡°I also have some unfinished business with her.¡± As she snapped her head back around, a man wearing a mask half-covered in jewels. He slid off his mask and smiled, his grin unnaturally wide. Leivisia recognised his mask as the one worn by the same man who had won the ne. It was Lidan. He tossed his mask down to the ground and pulled out a purple box from his pocket. Levisia instinctively knew that the box contained Pel¡¯s ne, judging by the way he yfully shook the box in front of her. ¡°Now that you know that I have this, are you going to take my hand instead of Elizabeth¡¯s?¡± ¡°Bastard¡­¡± Elizabeth cursed under her breath, her hand balled in a fist. When a spark flew from her hand towards the ground, Lidan put the box back in his pocket andughed cheekily. ¡°Well, let¡¯s just save that forter. Just like Elizabeth said,e on, Levy.¡± Lidan¡¯s hand was reaching out. His eyes turned sharp when he caught sight of Pel. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ll let him go.¡± Levisia quickly spun round to protect Pel from Lidan¡¯s gaze. ¡°Come now, no need to be like that. How about you take your mask off? I¡¯ve already taken mine off; don¡¯t hurt my feelings.¡± A twirling hand gesture apanied his words. The sudden gust of wind threatened to blow Pel¡¯s mask off. Levisia yanked Pel¡¯s robe off and threw it over his face. ¡°Why did you do that?¡± Pel demanded, clearly confused about Levisia¡¯s actions. ¡°Levy? What are you doing?¡± Lidan said, as he gathered up his powers. ¡°There is no need to be so shy about this.¡± ¡°I heard that you came looking for me.¡± Levisia turned to face Lidan, her head held high. She was going to stand her ground, no matter what. ¡°That¡¯s right, but¨D¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, don¡¯t touch this man; take only me.¡± Levisia interrupted Lidan, holding out her hand. She had no idea her deal would work for Lidan and Elizabeth. She knew that the two were giving her special treatment, but she also knew that soon it would be no different than showing love and affection to a bug. The moment she bites back, they¡¯ll only take it lightly, too. Levisia couldn¡¯t stand around seeing Pel¡¯s wig or mask get removed. Lidan and Elizabeth weren¡¯t the kind of people to let Pel¡¯s true identity just slide. She couldn¡¯t allow that to happen to him. Pel and Levisia hade this far concealing his identity, and there was no point stopping now. She swallowed, not realizing how dry her mouth was. She had avoided any encounters so that she wouldn¡¯t go against Kraiden¡¯s concerns, and now it was all for naught. ¡°If you say it like that, it makes us really look like viins.¡± Lidanughed, his arms wide open. ¡°Now then,e on over here and give your brother a hug. How about that, Levy?¡± ¡°Whose brother are you?¡± Elizabeth stepped away from Lidan¡¯s side, her face twisted in disgust. ¡°Come to me, Levy. You can stop hiding now.¡± ¡°Do I have your word that you will leave this man alone?¡± Levisia stepped forward towards them. ¡°Promise that you won¡¯t touch him.¡± ¡°I am a man of my word, Levy.¡± Lidan winked. ¡°He¡¯ll be free to leave as soon as youe to us.¡± As Pel had said, it would be more useful if Levisia left here with those two people. And the ne had been found, so there was nothing much for her to do. She faced Pel one more time, standing on her tiptoes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Please be careful.¡± She whispered into his ear. Chapter 85 - One Drawback Chapter 85 ¨C One Drawback There was only one person in the carriage when there should have been two. Pel nced at his hands, lost in thought, and looked up at the voice from the window leading to the horseman¡¯s seat. ¡°Your Highness.¡± ¡°Hectile.¡± Hector, aka Hectile Ligon, did not hesitate to call Pel ¡®Your Highness¡¯. The same went for Pel. For he was still used to the name Hectile more than Hector. Hectile said he had been looking for the ce at the manor where the items for sale were kept, when he heard a disturbance and waited at the carriage storehouse. The security had been tight, so he hadn¡¯t been able to move around easily. ¡°I think the information about the two of you came from the rest area.¡± Hectile said bitterly. ¡°There was no trace of them following you two before now.. The appearance of the Kraidens at the ck market just as the information was leaked doesn¡¯t seem to be mere coincidence.¡± Pel sunk his head as he fell deep into his thoughts again. Of course it was no coincidence. Like Hectile had said, the information about him and Levisia had been leaked from somewhere. ¡°Now that Kraiden knows about the rest area, it¡¯s time to clear it out.¡± Pel said aloud, not expecting Hectile to respond. Not everyone was aware of his identity. Some of them only knew Pel as an unusual guest, and others knew him as the prince of the fallen kingdom. He could have easily moved behind the scenes without anyone uncovering who he really was But now this vital area was about to disappear, all because he and Levisia had paid a visit.. He knew that it was his fault. There was no way that Hectile didn¡¯t know that his voice was stained with self-pity. ¡°Don¡¯t me yourself too much, Your Highness.¡± Hectile pulled the carriage to a halt and poked his head through the window looking into the carriage. ¡°There was no way you could tell this would happen. Though I guess it was only a matter of time before someone realised that you were more than Miss Levisia¡¯s servant. My advice? I think you got too close to her.¡± Pel flinched and red at his trembling fingertips. He knew that he couldn¡¯t deny nor acknowledge what Hectile had said. ¡°I think you went too far by giving that ne left by our forebearer to Miss Levisia, Your Highness. I actually thought that Miss Levisia would not affect our ns. But after what happened today, I changed my mind about that. If you see her again, don¡¯t get any closer to Miss Levisia.¡± Hectile gave Pel a sad smile. ¡°I know that.¡± Pel muttered as he sank further into his seat. The night wind blew fiercely into the small window. Pel took off his wig on impulse and leaned his head on the carriage wall. He had no idea why he suddenly felt so frustrated. He swept his dark red hair out of his face. ¡°Of course you do, Your Highness. I never doubted that. It¡¯s merely, well¡­¡± Hectile sighed. ¡°Worry not, Your Highness. Let¡¯s just put some distance between us and the Kraidens. We¡¯ll worry about our next move once we are somewhere safe.¡± He settled back down in his seat and nudged the horses on. The carriage began rolling through the countryside, leaving Pel alone again. Hectile was right. The next few days were crucial. He couldn¡¯t mess up theing days for any reason. Not just for him, but for everyone who had been caught up in the mess. Except for Levisia. Levisia was irrelevant to the dusty road he would walk and the road he had walked. She was a royal figure, but Kraiden blood didn¡¯t flow in her veins. Pel wanted nothing more than to leave her, to let her go. However, when he had seen the Kraidens, he had felt a twisted sense of displeasure. It was the familiar feeling, the sort that made his question if he was going to sit back and let them take advantage of her. Especially as she has essentially given herself up for his sake, and went out of her way to project his identity. No, she was safe for now. The Kraidens would look after her, at least for a while. Elizabeth would fret over her like a little sister. It was Lidan who gave Pel cause for concern. The way he tried to stop Pel from leaving until Levisia stepped in, and the way he wastching onto her. ¡°Levisia is strong. She¡¯ll be able to handle herself.¡± Pel muttered to himself as if to pacify his growing concern; yet he was unsure of his own words. Chapter 86 - Jealousy Chapter 86 ¨C Jealousy On his way to the pce, Pel stopped by the rest area to change his outfit ¡°We¡¯ll clean up this ce ande up with a contact.¡± Hectile said, packing things away in boxes. ¡°Thank you, Hectile. And I have one more favour to ask of you: track down the thieves. Two men and one woman. One of them has an ent like those in the Pasci Empire.¡± Pel said he walked out of the rest area and down the dimly-lit streets. At the end of the road was a tall wall, behind which were many lives that he needed to die for sooner orter. Again¡­ Hectile already seemed to have a new rest area in mind, but Pel didn¡¯t think that it would be so easy to just up and move. He¡¯d lost his special card in the form of Levisia so he had to make do without her. However, did he really have to do that? Levisia was irrelevant. He could already hear her voice chastising him about how he should be the one to cover it up. Pel rubbed his throbbing head, trying to keep his headache at bay, as he passed through the gate with no difficulties and reached the pce where Levisia lived. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re here?¡± Pel slowly lifted his head at the sound of Levisia¡¯s voice. Levisia herself was squatting down over the flowerbed. She got to her feet, holding a bouquet of flowers. Seeing Levisia in a thin dress, he began to instinctively take off his jacket, as if to keep her warm. ¡°Oh, there¡¯s no need. I¡¯m not really cold.¡± Levisia smiled at her flowers. Pel came to his senses and awkwardly shuffled his jacket back on. ¡°I was worried.¡± Levisia admitted in a small voice. ¡°Come inside, you must be tired. It hasn¡¯t been long since I wasst pestered.¡± ¡°Pestered?¡± Pel gripped his hands into tight fists. ¡°I thought the Kraidens were going to treat you well?¡± ¡°Well, they are. But since I came back, it¡¯s not just been those two people who have been sticking close to me. The others have as well.¡± Levisia sheepishly rubbed the back of her neck. The soft evening breeze blew through the garden, causing the hem of her dress to sway gently. Her silver hair and green eyes were shining brightly in the moonlight. Pel could only stare nkly at her. He knew about Elizabeth and Lidan, but when did more show up? ¡°You seem to attract a lot of crazy people,¡± he muttered under his breath. Levisia obviously heard what he said as she blinked andughed softly. ¡°What, are you jealous, Pel?¡± Pel tried his best not to wince at her words. Jealousy¡­ This dark, clingy thought. How could he express his feelings through such words? It was as though Leivisia knew exactly what she was thinking. Pel clenched his jaw, trying to unravel his thoughts. They were so muddled that he couldn¡¯t tell where one thought began and another ended. ¡°What if I am?¡± Pel managed to say, his voice calm despite everything that was going on inside his mind. ¡°What if you¡¯re right, and I am jealous?¡± Levisia¡¯s eyes widened. She dropped her flowers to the ground and walked over to him. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you hurt somewhere?¡± she asked, reaching out to briefly touch his forehead with the back of her hand. It was easy to see that she hadn¡¯t asked that to change the subject. As her hand dropped down again, her fingers brushed with Pel¡¯s. There was a quick moment when they both flinched, but soon it was like nothing had even happened. ¡°And if I¡¯m not hurt?¡± Pel said, taking a step closer. Levisia tilted her head up to look at him. ¡°If you¡¯re not hurt, then what is the matter?¡± She asked, her voice quiet. ¡°It¡¯s not like you to behave like this. Are you tired? Cold?¡± Pel sighed quietly, and turned to walk away from the awkward situation he had gotten himself in. He knew what he was feeling, but had no idea how Levisia felt. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I interrupted you.¡± He said, as he turned to walk away. ¡°I shall leave you alone now.¡± ¡°Wait, wait? You didn¡¯t interrupt me. Pel,e back please!¡± Levisia grabbed hold of Pel¡¯s arm. Pel stopped in his tracks and craned his neck to smile at Levisia. His blonde wig was slipping off his head. ¡°Is there anything else you¡¯d like to hear from me?¡± Levisia didn¡¯t even have time to answer before he fully turned to face her. ¡°I like you,¡± he whispered into her ear. ¡°Does that answer your question?¡± Levisia, the expression on her face unreadable, raised her hands and pushed him away. ¡°Who confesses so horribly like this?¡± Chapter 87 - Feelings Made Known Chapter 87 ¨C Feelings Made Known When Pel looked at her, he put his head down and closed his eyes. Exhaustion had settled in. ¡°I know you must be tired from today, Pel. You haven¡¯t gotten on my nerves just yet, so just go inside and rest.¡± ¡°And don¡¯t talk like that. It doesn¡¯t look gooding from you.¡± When Pel opened his eyes again, she was looking at him with a slightly worried look and her arms folded. He could feel her gaze burning holes directly into his soul. ¡°You haven¡¯t given me an answer.¡± His voice was stilted as he tried to suppress his emotions. ¡°About what? Oh, do you want to hear that?¡± Levisia tilted her head like she was thinking hard about something. Pel¡¯s eyes slowly grew wider. It was as if time had stopped when she gave the unexpected reply. ¡°What do you mean¡­?¡± He said, searching Levisia¡¯s face for an answer. Levisia seemed to shrink in on herself as she held her arms tight around her chest. Her silver hair was blowing gently in the breeze. Pel¡¯s lips quivered for a while, then he spoke. ¡°Then today, when you were waiting here¡­¡± Pel asked, his lips quivering like he was afraid of hearing her reply. ¡°I mean, don¡¯te sote. I didn¡¯t think you¡¯de at all.¡± Levisia¡¯s gaze dropped to the ground as she kicked at the dirt. ¡°I always knew that this day woulde. The day when you leave my side without saying a single word.¡± ¡°What? No, I¡­¡± Pel stumbled over his words. Levisia had seen everything about him. The wig he used to conceal his identity, the way he overreacted to certain things, and a few days where he conspicuously avoided her. Not to mention how she went out of her way to protect him from the Kraidens. What else did Levisia know about him? The fact that he was simply hiding something? To cover it all up? ¡°I know it sounds incredibly selfish,¡± Levisia said, shrugging her shoulders. She took a step next to Pel, her hair swaying down her back. ¡°But we can discuss this another time. You must be tired. We should go inside before it starts getting too cold for either of us.¡± ¡°So, does that mean you don¡¯t have any feelings for me.¡± Pel tried his best to hide his crushed feelings, but the look on his face must have given him away as Levisia had closed the distance between them. Her mouth opened and closed like she was trying toe up with something to say. Pel knew that it seemed to be an extension of his confession that wasn¡¯t really a confession. Levisia was silent as he continued talking in a hushed tone of voice. ¡°I know I have a strong sense of pride, the sort that could easily be my downfall. But know that I am speaking from my heart now.¡± ¡°What¨D¡± Levisia¡¯s eyes widened as Pel carefully reached out to rest his hand on top of hers. ¡°I admit I do not know or understand where these feelings havee from, or how I am supposed to deal with them. But I do, I care about you, and I miss having you around.¡± Pel began to rub his thumb over her knuckles. ¡°I do not expect you to reciprocate my feelings towards you. There¡¯s no need for you to respond tonight. Or, ever, if that is how you feel.¡± ¡°I¡­ I see. Well, thank you, I guess. Truth be told, my thoughts are at conflict with each other. Years of living with my enemies and bowing to them has taught me to be ustomed to deceit.¡± Levisia briefly squeezed Pel¡¯s hand and then pulled away. As she turned away from him, the moonlight danced in her hair. ¡°I will have to take some time to think this through. Your intentions do seem true, but I will need to convince myself of this. Come now, it¡¯ste, and the night is going to get colder. We should go inside now.¡± Pel did not miss the faint smile on her lips, nor the softughter as she led him towards the pce. There was no way to tell what was going on inside her mind. It was true that she would need to take the time to see the truth behind his words ande to her own conclusion. All he knew is that he would ept whatever decision she made. ¡°Oh, and Levisia?¡± Pel called out after her. Levisia stopped and nced over her shoulder. Pel made a gesture around his neck, miming the ne that the Kraidens now had in their possession. She gave a brief nod and carried on walking. Pel took that to mean that the ne was safely stored somewhere within the pce. Chapter 88 - Levisias Training Chapter 88 ¨C Levisia¡¯s Training Levisia bit down on her tongue to hold back a curse as her wooden sword flew from her grip, the rope wrapped around the hilt rubbing against the palm of her hand. The sword ttered to the ground as she looked down at her throbbing hand. Angry red marks streamed across her rapidly swelling hand. ¡°How many times are you going to mess this up?¡± asked Merril, as she picked up the wooden sword. She set it aside and approached her. Beads of sweat were beginning to form on Levisia¡¯s palm, cooling them off and easing the pain. ¡°Wrap her hand up a bandage.¡± Merril called out to the nurse waiting at the side of the training yard. The nurse retrieved a tub of healing cream from her satchel and began rubbing it into the rope burn. Immediately Levisia felt better, and tried to pull her hand away, but both Merril and the nurse were having none of it. Merril clicked her tongue and crossed her arms, like a strict parent watching a child. The nurse finished her work and scuttled off back to the side of the training ground. ¡°Really, I didn¡¯t expect you to be this weak,¡± Merril mumbled. True, it was Levisia¡¯s first time wielding a sword so all she had done was swing it lightly a few times and practice on some training dummies. During the short training session, she had dropped the sword three times. The first time, she hadn¡¯t been able to handle the recoil after hitting the training dummy and lost her bnce. The second time was because her grip had been too weak, swallowing the sword to fly from her gap. And now, the third time, her grip had been too much as she hit the dummy with enough force to give herself a rope burn. Levisia wanted to rub her hand but, if she did that in front of Merril, she¡¯d only get a scolding from her. ¡°You think you can handle my training like this?¡± Merril said, shaking her head with a look of disappointment on her face. Levisia, with nothing to say, had Merril drag her out to the training yard at the far end of the pce ground early in the morning, mentioning that her training would begin. As a first-time trainee, she had no idea how intense Merril¡¯s training was going to be. Even if it was just swinging a sword around. She couldn¡¯t deny the helplessness that she felt when she had to face Pel after the ne was stolen from her. She knew that change would not ur overnight, but her training would be a step in the right direction. Her hands were aching from barely swinging a wooden sword around a few times. Though Levisia was only a beginner, Merril had definitely not gone easy on her. ¡°What the hell are you thinking?¡± Merril said as she tucked the sword away in its scabbard. ¡°You always lose your focus. And then idents like these happen.¡± Merril spoke like she was enraged, but there was a hint of worry on her face. Levisia hadn¡¯t forgotten what Merril had tested her on many times before. She still didn¡¯t know which were Merril¡¯s thoughts, or what made her keep Levisia around. ¡°I know, and I¡¯m sorry.¡± Levisia sighed. ¡°I guess I have been a little distractedtely.¡± Merril pulled Levisia over to a set of steps at the side of the training yard and, with a hand gesture, told her to sit down. As soon as Levisia sat down, Merril sat right beside her. ¡°What did I say, and what did I do?¡± Merril asked, her arms resting on her knees. Levisia wasn¡¯t in the mood to go into details, but felt like she had to anyway. She began to talk about Pel and what he had done a few days ago, deliberately not mentioning his name. The night they had returned from the ck market and were dogged by Kraidens, Pel had clearly been different from usual. He had made a face that he¡¯d never ever showed before and had spoken oddly with softness Levisia had never seen before. About how he had a strong sense of pride and was speaking from his heart, and that he did not expect her to reciprocate his feelings. What was strange though was, not even a day after Pel had confessed to her, he had obviously started avoiding her. She had been shunned by him for a few days, and she unintentionally seemed to understand a little bit of the Kraidens¡¯ feelings, and how it felt to be left in the dark. Chapter 89 - Selfish Thoughts Chapter 89 ¨C Selfish Thoughts ¡°I just don¡¯t know what to do.¡± She said as she reached the end of her story. She wasn¡¯t even sure why she told Merril the story in the first ce. Maybe it was because of something she had been thinking abouttely. Or maybe she just wanted to clear her thoughts to Merril, who knew that Levisia hadn¡¯t been able to focus during the training. She knew that Pel would leave her at some point, so she didn¡¯t want to waste time thinking about that. Pel was precious to her, and there wasn¡¯t much she could do knowing that the time for them to part ways wasing soon. Levisia couldn¡¯t just grab him and hold him back, so they could only value the time they have right now. However, since the ck market, her rtionship with him had grown estranged. And the problem was she didn¡¯t even know the reason why. ¡°Is this, by any chance, about one of our siblings?¡± Merrilughed, lightly pping Levisia between her shoulder des. Levisia paused right when she was about to answer no. Merril would want to know who she was talking about, and she couldn¡¯t say Pel. That would cause even bigger problems. Levisia could only shrug as Merril continued speaking as if it didn¡¯t matter. ¡°I don¡¯t deal with talkative people. That guy you¡¯re talking about seems to fall into that category.¡± Levisia wondered how Pel could be talkative. He was the type to act before speaking in all likelihood. Not to mention when he did talk, he was a man of few words. His confession recently was a stark contrast to how he usually was. ¡°No, no. Normally he isn¡¯t that way. It¡¯s only recently that he¡¯s be like this.¡± Levisia said, fiddling with the bandage around her wrist. Merril had a troubled look on her face after she stopped tapping her chin with her index finger. ¡°Then it might be that he likes you but just can¡¯t express it.¡± She said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. ¡°Likes me but just can¡¯t express it? But he confessed to me, didn¡¯t he?¡± Levisia frowned at Merril¡¯s answer. ¡°And what does this have to do with him avoiding me?¡± ¡°Well¡­ Take, for example, the case of the three idiots who have immense feelings for you but can¡¯t show it because they want to hide it from others. As a result, it feels like everyone is avoiding you, doesn¡¯t it?¡± The three idiots she was talking about were Lidan, Elizabeth, and Siaphyl. Merril said that even this morning those three had carelessly tried to win her affection. Even if their form of affection was different from Pel¡¯s. But still, Merril¡¯s point of view helped a little. Because if Pel really interested in her and it was now avoiding her, there was only one reason: she was a member of the Kraiden Imperial family. On top of that, there was the new attention from the Kraidens. Then it was nothing special for Pel, who was busy avoiding every Kraiden in existence, to put her on the list of people to avoid. Because to Pel, she was no different from the princess of the empire that had destroyed his home. Even she had avoided Pel at the beginning, just in case she died at his hands. Levisia was deep in thought, thinking about how their conversation had gone and all the things she had said to him. She had said that it wouldn¡¯t be bad if Pel liked her. Because she didn¡¯t think he¡¯d leave the person he liked without saying a word. Even she knew how selfish that¡¯d be. Levisia had just been thinking of how hurt she¡¯d be when Pel leaves her. But what was it that made her ufortable just thinking of the way he had avoided her because ¡®there was nothing special¡¯? Maybe she was more selfish than she imagined. A realization seemed to dawn on her. She let out a gasp, causing Merril to jump a little. ¡°Looking at yourplexion, I didn¡¯t know what I was thinking to train you today. You should go back and rest.¡± She said, getting to her feet and holding her out for Levisia to take. They left the training grounds together and headed back towards the pce. In the entrance hall, Levisia¡¯s maids were there ready to make a fuss over her and her bandaged hand. Levisia was about to tell them that it was nothing but a little blister, when she saw Pel at the end of the hallway. The words died in her throat as their eyes locked. Chapter 90 - Estranged Relationship Chapter 90 ¨C Estranged Rtionship Levisia could not understand why Pel was behaving the way he was, or how long they were going to keep avoiding each other. She was disappointed, but had grown ustomed to it. Too tired to think about everything fully, she decided to rest with a good book. She politely turned down She¡¯s offer for food, and returned to her own bedroom. After spending all day out training, she needed some alone time. Levisia curled up in her armchair with a book, but before she could fully get immersed, there was a sharp knock at her door. ¡°I¡¯ming,¡± she called out as she heaved herself from her chair and ced her book on a table. However, when she opened the door, there was no one outside. In the light originating from her room, she could see a satchel had been left by her door. She bent down to examine the contents, rummaging in the satchel to find a container full of a lotion of sorts. Popping the lid off, she got a whiff of something strong and medicinal. With the lid firmly back in ce, Levisia found a handwritten note in the satchel. ¡°Apply this into the affected area once a day.¡± She read, frowning. There were no other instructions, so she assumed it was for her hand which had now formed into a blister. Using her teeth and other hand, she unwrapped her bandage. Uncorking the bottle of lotion, she sshed some of it onto her hand. Though there were no immediate changes, she could feel her skin burning and cursed whoever left the bottle there for her to injure herself even more. And then, blissfully, the pain disappeared and the swelling in her hand seemed to subside. Re-bandaging her hand, Levisia fastened the bottle back up and looked back at the note. Only then did she recognise the handwriting as Pel¡¯s. It made sense for Pel¡¯s handwriting to be neat, as he was potentially a long-lost prince. But that still did not exin why he went out of his way to deliver her the lotion to help sooth her blistered hand. Especially when he was supposed to be avoiding her. So he was either worried about her when he was pretending not to be, or She pressured him into getting the medicine for her. The only way for her to know for certain was to confront him. Tucking the lotion back into the satchel, Levisia got to her feet and slung it over her shoulder. In her bandaged hand, she held a candbra and set off towards Pel¡¯s bedroom on the other end of the pce. As she marched over there, she wondered just why, if he was following She¡¯s orders, he bothered to obey them in the first ce. He could have easily ignored her like he had been ignoring Levisia, and gone about his business. She reached his door and, using her free hand, knocked firmly on the door. ¡°Pel, it¡¯s me, Levisia. Could you open the door please?¡± She said, knocking again when there was no response. There was a chance he could be in his room, and pretending not to be in, or he could genuinely be out. Her question was soon answered when she spotted a shadow beneath his door. Levisia knocked on the door again with a bit more force. ¡°I know you¡¯re in there, Pel. I¡¯m noting out until you¡¯ve answered me.¡± She knocked a little harder until she was banging on the door, and leant against the wall opposite his door. Sooner orter, he would have to leave his bedroom and face her. Her patience wearing thin, Levisia stormed over to hammer on the door again, only for it to swing open as she got close. Pel red at her from the other side, his other hand stered on his hip. ¡°What do you want, Levisia?¡± he snapped. His gaze moved from the bandage around her hand and her face. ¡°Go back to your room. It¡¯ste and you should be resting.¡± Levisia ignored the awkward tension between them and held up the bag containing the lotion. ¡°You left this by my bedroom. Were you really that worried about me that you would go out of your way to do this? After ignoring me for days on end?¡± ¡°I only did it because She asked me to. She said you¡¯d hurt your hand and to deliver some lotion for you.¡± Pel said, shrugging. ¡°Goodnight, Your Highness.¡± He went to shut his bedroom door but Levisia caught it with her hand and held it open. ¡°Regardless of whether you got it of your free will or if She told you to, you¡¯re the one who left it by my door and knocked to get my attention.¡± Levisia said, staring straight into Pel¡¯s face. Chapter 91 - Only The Truth Chapter 91 ¨C Only the Truth Levisia felt like she was going round in circles with him, and that no matter what she said it was going to be thrown back at her face. ¡°Well, what do you want me to say? That I am worried about you and left you the lotion?¡± Pel scoffed. He leant against the doorframe with his arms folded. ¡°There, I just said it right now. Satisfied?¡± Levisia shook her head. She knew that he was only saying that because that was what she wanted to hear, not what he wanted to say. ¡°Tell me what you want to say, not what I want to hear.¡± She pleaded. ¡°I¡¯m not trying to enter your room, I promise. We cannot keep going on like this, Pel. Please, just talk to me. Talk, and I will listen. What¡¯s happening between us?¡± Pel only cleared his throat and gestured to the hand holding the candbra. ¡°The lotion. Did it work?¡± ¡°Oh, well. I think so.¡± Levisia handed the candbra to Pel and lowered satchel to the ground. She unwrapped the bandage to show Pel her blister. Though it was still bulbous in shape, the swelling surrounding it had faded and it no longer ached to the touch, as evidenced by how she was able to hold the candbra without feeling any pain. ¡°Wrap it up in a fresh bandage for tonight. And make sure you clean it as well. Blisters are nasty business.¡± Pel awkwardly cleared his throat and handed her the candbra. ¡°Now, it iste and we should both be in bed. Goodnight, Levisia.¡± ¡°Goodnight Pel. No, wait!¡± She stepped into Pel¡¯s room, despite saying that she wouldn¡¯t. She was that desperate for him to actually talk to her. ¡°You didn¡¯t answer my question!¡± Pel signed, a heavy sound that came from deep within his soul. ¡°Alright,e in then. Just don¡¯t touch anything.¡± He stepped to one side to let her enter. ¡°Thank you.¡± Levisia gathered up the satchel and stepped fully into his room. Much to Levisia¡¯s surprise, it was different from thest time she was there. Gone was the mess where all of his belongings were strewn about the ce. There were no books piled up on the floor, no clothes hanging out of his wardrobe. Everything was immactely clean, and Levisia couldn¡¯t help but feel a little put off by it all. She was so used to the state of his room that everything else felt wrong. ¡°Have you been decorating?¡± Levisia asked as she ced her candbra onto a table and dropped her bag by the door. ¡°More like I did a bit of tidying up.¡± Pel pushed past her and draped himself over a chair, his legs resting over one of the arms. ¡°You said you wanted to talk. So talk.¡± Levisia shuffled over to his desk where she found his travelling cloak and wig resting on it, alongside a book that was opened and bookmarked. She nced over to read it, her gaze falling onto a passage about how to deal with blistered skin. ¡°Tell me the truth, Pel. None of these half-truths where you hide behind your words.¡± Levisia sat in a chair that was facing Pel. ¡°Did you get the lotion because you wanted to, or because She told you to? Which one is it?¡± She stared down at him, willing him to give her a straight answer. Pel twitched his fingers and kicked his legs back over until he was sat properly. He leant over rested his elbows on his knees. ¡°She told me that you had injured your hand as a result of training. I asked what was bothering you, she said it was a blister, and I looked up how to treat it. I then went out and fetched the lotion and left it at your door. Are you satisfied now?¡± Levisia sat back in her chair and looked down at her hands. She couldn¡¯t stop the smile that was creeping across her face as ran a finger over her injured hand. ¡°Yes, I am. Pel, there is no need for us to keep going like this. Avoiding each other and not talking. It¡¯s not just ufortable for us. It¡¯s making everyone else ufortable. Even the Kraidens are beginning to notice. They constantly ask about you and what¡¯s going with you.¡± Levisia got to her feet and smoothed down her dress. ¡°Thank you for the lotion. And I will stop by the infirmary to get a fresh bandage. Goodnight, Pel. For real, this time.¡± She hoisted the bag over her shoulder and picked up her candbra. She gave Pel onest smile before turning to leave. ¡°Wait, Levisia.¡± Levisia stopped and spun round to see Pel grasping his hands together. ¡°You¡¯re here, so we may clear the air between us. For everyone¡¯s sake.¡± Chapter 92 - Cursed Blood Chapter 92 ¨C Cursed Blood Levisia sat back in her chair and folded one leg in front of the other. She stared at Pel, whose words seemed to have died in his mouth. ¡°What is going on between us, Pel? You keep avoiding my gaze as soon as we see each other. I¡¯m starting to get the impression that you don¡¯t ever want to see me again.¡± Levisia felt bitterness deep within her. Pel¡¯sck of an answer confirmed what she had been thinking all this time. ¡°What have I done, Pel? Besides being born into Kraidens?¡± Levisia nced down at her hands, and ran a finger over her blister. She knew that the Kraidens had left him withsting scars, but she was not about to apologise for being born as herself. If that was even what Pel wanted her to apologise for. Pel cleared his throat and gestured for her to stay seated. He walked behind her and opened the door, letting in a st of chill air. ¡°Wait here. I will fetch you a new bandage, and then we can talk.¡± Pel closed the door behind him, leaving Levisia to mull in her own thoughts. Everything that was happening between them could be traced back to the ck market, where the Kraidens had interfered and pounced on her. And then there was the business where he confessed his feelings towards her in the gardens, to which she had rejected. Since then, he had been avoiding her, almost like he was cing the me on her shoulders. When Pel returned a few minutester, nudging the door shut with his foot, she watched as he knelt down in front of her and began wrapping her hand up in a fresh bandage. He was surprisingly gentle for a man who possessed such strength. But he refused to meet her gaze the entire time. ¡°Pel, what is going on? What have you been avoiding me? You said you wanted us to talk to clear the air, so talk. Please.¡± Levisia winced as he identally caught her blister. ¡°You were the one who said I should always stay by your side.¡± ¡°That was when we were venturing into unknown territory, Levisia. Not in thefort of an Imperial Pce.¡± Pel snapped. ¡°And why are you so insistent on approaching me all the time? I thought you made it clear that you wanted nothing to do with me. Especially now that you have the Kraidens in the wings, waiting to answer your every call.¡± He firmly knotted the bandage and scrambled to his feet, his back turned towards her. ¡°It¡¯s not like that Pel, and you know it isn¡¯t!¡± Levisia rose from her chair, ring at Pel¡¯s back. ¡°How else was I meant to respond when you drop a love confession on me out of the blue? I do like you Pel, but not once have we had something like that going on between us. We¡¯ve beenpanions, and maybe even friends, but nothing. I was too stunned to say anything else.¡± Pel spun round to face her, his expression sour and his bodynguage defensive. Levisia approached him, her arms folded across her chest. The two stared at each other in near silence, the only sounding from the rain that was beginning to fall on the windows. Levisia got the impression that the weather could sense how she was feeling. ¡°Stop avoiding me. You were the one who told me to not avoid you.¡± Levisia snapped, her voice breaking. Pel walked away from her and sat on his desk, his head in his hands. Levisia reminded him again of another fact that he wouldn¡¯t know. As soon as she took one more step, his body leaned back over his desk. His will to fight seemed to leave his body with one sigh that shook Levisia to the core. ¡°What do you even care about this, Levisia? About me? You¡¯ve already turned me down, so why not just leave it at that? You go your way, and I go mine.¡± Pel curled his hands up into tight fists, his knuckles standing out against his skin. ¡°There is no reason for us to be near each other anymore, especially not with the Kraidens around. The ne has been found, and everything is back to normal. That¡¯s the way it should be, right?¡± ¡°Can you forget about the Kraidens?! This isn¡¯t about them, it¡¯s about us! About you! About¡­ About me!¡± Levisia iled her arms around as she struggled to find her words. ¡°Leave them out of this, and focus on us.¡± ¡°How am I supposed to when their blood runs through your veins?!¡± Pel mmed his fists into his desk. ¡°Like it or not, they are the Sword of Damocles that hangs over us all!¡± ¡°Then what do you want me to do? Apologise for having the Kraiden blood? For being who I am? I cannot do that, Pel. It wasn¡¯t my choice to be born as Levisia White. I already said that I couldn¡¯t help being born into the family ruined your life!¡± Levisia let out a groan of frustration and slumped against the desk, bringing her knees to her chest. A few traitorous tears fell down her cheeks. Chapter 93 - Forgotten Promise Chapter 93 ¨C Forgotten Promise ¡°Despite everything that has happened, I still¡­ I still care about you, Pel. I keep telling myself to ignore those feelings, but I don¡¯t want to. Every time you look at me, it feels like I am on trial for a crime I didn¡¯t even know Imitted. Like you want me to admit to something I have no memory of doing. And it hurts, Pel. It hurts, us being like this.¡± There was another moment of stillness, during which Levisia was conscious of the ticking sound originating from the clock on the wall. ¡°What is there left for us to say, Levisia?¡± Pel¡¯s words were t, like he was surrendering. Levisia angrily wiped her tears away with the back of her hand and sniffed. She felt like she was a little girl again, lost and alone in the world with no one to hold her hand and tell her where to go. ¡°That you said you wouldn¡¯t leave me.¡± She wiped her eyes with her sleeves, trying her best to keep the tears at bay. She wasn¡¯t even sure if he said those words, or if they were wishful thinking from the back of her lonely mind. A longing, a hope, that someone cared for her as a person and not because of her bloodline. Even though it was her bloodline that got her into the mess in the first ce. On the other end of the bedroom, she could see her reflection in Pel¡¯s mirror. She could see the Levisia White of the past, who still stood far away; herself not knowing whether she was crying or not. Except she knew she was crying when it hadn¡¯t been a soft handkerchief nor a wet sleeve wiping them away, but rather a rough hand. She turned to her right to see Pel sliding down the desk to sit next to her, using his hand to dry her eyes. Without realizing it, Levisia reached out and grabbed his sleeve. At the same time, it was something she couldn¡¯t bear to grab. She had been lying to herself. Pel had never said those words. He just held her up, wiped away her tears, and held her hand. Because for all the times Pel gave the impression that he wanted nothing to do with her, his actions seemed to indicate otherwise. From when heforted her after the ne was stolen, to the way he protected her during the ck market. Everything pointed to him caring more than he was letting on. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Levisia froze in ce, wondering if her ears were ying tricks on her. ¡°Pel?¡± She asked, daring to inch closer towards him. He nudged the carpet with his shoe, still not meeting her gaze. Levisia waited, allowing him time to gather his thoughts. It seemed like he was the one trying to give their rtionship some closure. Whether that closure was theypletely cut ties, or move onwards as friends, she weed either. So long as she had an answer to why he had been avoiding her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, okay? For everything. For the sudden confession the other day, for avoiding you, for all that has happened between us. I was angry, and bitter. And I thought the logical course of action was to stay well away from you, rather than talking like we should have been doing all along.¡± Pel sighed, and rested his head against the desk. ¡°Things are still nowhere near clear between us, but at least we¡¯ve made a start. Right?¡± ¡°Right.¡± Levisia ced a hand on the carpet, close enough to let Pel know things were going to be okay between them, but still far away that she wasn¡¯t invading his personal space. ¡°And I¡¯m sorry for all the trouble the Kraidens have caused. I suppose I am partially responsible for that, just by virtue of having their blood.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t help what bloodline you are born into.¡± Pel said. Levisia was pleased when he reached out to meet her fingertips, and she looked over in time to see a small smile on his face. ¡°Still, I will try my hardest to keep them off your back.¡± Levisia resisted the urge to hold Pel¡¯s hand, and instead got to her feet. As she dusted herself off, she heard Pel call out her name. She turned to see him heaving himself to his feet, and perch on the edge of his desk. ¡°Tomorrow, if the weather is nice, how about we walk around the gardens? Just the two of us, with no ulterior motives. A chance to¡­ To clear the air between us. Again.¡± ¡°Yes, I would like that.¡± Levisia smiled at him. Content that enough work had been done into fixing their rtionship, she gathered up her bag and candbra, and opened his bedroom door. She paused for a moment, unsure if she should continue talking, or if it was best to leave things as they were ande back to them when they had both had a good night¡¯s sleep. She settled on the former. ¡°Goodnight, Pel.¡± She gave him a small wave as she left his bedroom and closed the door behind her. Chapter 94 - Everything Unmasked Chapter 94 ¨C Everything Unmasked The next morning, Pel and Levisia walked around the pce gardens. Despite what Pel had said, about how they would ¡®clear the air between them¡¯, the tension was palpable. Levisia had thought about what she wanted to say, and had decided to confront him about his true identity. As they came across a bench surrounded by roses, Levisia stopped and cleared her throat. ¡°Farrid.¡± She called out. They were in a secluded area of the gardens, so there was no danger of them being overheard. Despite that, Pel froze in ce. Levisia wondered if she had kept quiet, but that thought disappeared like a bubble. She¡¯d already cross the line; no use in crying over spilled milk now. Especially as she was the one to spill it. ¡°That name¡­¡± Pel murmured, in disbelief. He spun round to face Levisia, his expression unreadable. ¡°Farrid. I know you¡¯re thest prince of Roycal Kingdom.¡± Levisia said, sensing that there was no way back from what she had done. ¡°What nonsense are you talking about?¡± Pel tried to appear unfazed, but Levisia had already seen the look of horror in his face. ¡°Why else would you have this?¡± Levisia took out the ne with the horn pendant that Lidan had returned to her and waved it in front of him. ¡°This ne is made from thest descendant of the Roycal Kingdom. You said it was a keepsake from your mother.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how my mother came into possession of that¡­¡± Pel started to back away, but Levisia was having none of it. ¡°It¡¯s possible that she¡¯s the Dowager Queen of the Roycal Kingdom.¡± Levisia waved the ne once more and tucked it back around her neck. She could hear Pel¡¯s teeth grinding, a clear sign that he was nervous. ¡°If I¡¯m thest prince of Roycal like you say I am, why would I be a servant to you?¡± Pel scoffed, and Levisia stopped for a moment to think. She¡¯d had that question running around her head, and hadn¡¯te up with an answer. Was he hiding his identity and working as a servant for her so he could collect information about the Kraiden Kingdom while hiding under the king¡¯s nose? ¡°To be a spy for the Roycal Kingdom, and spill the secrets of the Kraiden Kingdom.¡± She said bitterly. Pel threw his head back andughed sharply, ¡°Do you know how ridiculous that sounds right now? You iming that I am the lost prince. I called out here to clear the air between us, not to use each other of someone we¡¯re not!¡± He walked forwards until he was looming over her. ¡°If I am who you say I am, you would have taken yourst breath the moment you uttered that name.¡± Levisia knew that she was being threatened. If she had thoughtlessly revealed his true identity, she might have backed down in fear. But she refused to do so, standing her ground even as Pel red at her. ¡°But you didn¡¯t do a thing.¡± She said, smiling up at him. ¡°You can im not to be a prince all you want, but maybe it¡¯s because you don¡¯t intend to go against me.¡± Pel flinched and backed away. Levisia grabbed him by the shirt and pulled him down to her level. ¡°Am I wrong?¡± She said, staring directly at him. ¡°Even while you were blunt and rude to people, you were always friendly and always cared about me. You said you would wipe away the tears of a child you were not close to and be on her side, and even though she was from the country that destroyed yours, you didn¡¯t do any false favors.¡± Levisia didn¡¯t stop talking even when she saw Pel¡¯s face twist with difort. ¡°You always treated me with unfabricated kindness and was always there for me even when you didn¡¯t understand my ways. You kept your distance, but you were worried about me and left medicine at the door. All of this is you, so how could I not know you?¡± ¡°Stop¡­ please stop.¡± Pel crumpled, his knees about to give way. Levisia guided him over to the bench to allow him to sit down before he copsed. ¡°I¡¯m not finished, Pel.¡± She said, standing up tall. ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°Levy, please!¡± Pel reached up to yank Levisia onto the bench beside him. She was too stunned by the unfamiliar nickname to properly react, only realising that she was sitting down when her knee hit the bench with enough force to cause her yell out. ¡°How can I guarantee that everything I did was from the heart? I could have been lying for you all know.¡± Pel gingerly swept Levisia¡¯s hair behind her ears. He let out a defeated sigh. ¡°I should¡¯ve kept hiding it even if you noticed it. Even if you believed me, you should have thought that it might be a lie.¡± Chapter 95 - All I Ask Chapter 95 ¨C All I Ask ¡°So you finally admit it, then? You admit that you are Farrid Roycal?¡± Levisia swatted his hand away. ¡°Why did you fight so hard to im that you were not?¡± Pel¡¯s shaky eyes changed that instant. They were so distant that they seemed to be looking at the existence of another world. ¡°What if I approached you to take advantage of you?¡± Pel said, changing the subject. He once again tried tob his fingers through her hair, but Levisia was ready for him. She shuffled away, causing Pel to chuckle under his breath. ¡°Who would freeze up like this after looking into my eyes, so fearlessly?¡± He said, tilting his head at her. ¡°You made all those bold ims, and now you scurry away into the shadows.¡± Levisia closed her eyes and looked away. The way Pel was able to turn the conversation around made her think that she had been mistaken of him all along, just as he had said. And yet, the instant he reached out to touch her hand, she knew that she had been right all along. She opened her eyes and spun round to face Pel. With little warning, she grabbed his arm, her blood now boiling. He had been fighting hard to hide his true identity, and had very nearly convinced her that she was wrong, but now she had had enough. ¡°You talk like that, but why is your hand shaking?¡± She spat, fire burning in her eyes as she red daggers at Pel. His hand was trembling slightly. She wouldn¡¯t have noticed this if his cold words and face and eyes had distracted her. In fact, Pel, who had threatened her a while ago, was so sincere that Levisia would have been fooled if it weren¡¯t for his damn hands. But still, she figured it out eventually: everything was Pel¡¯s lie. He bit his lip and tried to back away, but Levisia held onto his arm with an iron grip. Given that he didn¡¯t even make excuses, he hadn¡¯t expected to be caught. ¡°I¡¯m right, you know I am. Even if given the chance, you couldn¡¯t harm me. You proved it yourself, just now. I was right there; you could have silenced me to keep your secret from reaching the ears who would love to know where you are. And yet, you did nothing except gently take my hand.¡± Pel couldn¡¯t say a word. With his head bowed and his body turned away, he only looked down at his other hand, which was also trembling. It was like he mes himself. Her anger fading, Levisia reached out to take his other hand. Having his hands pressed between hers definitely made the shaking subside. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault.¡± She smiled weakly at him. ¡°What do you do when you¡¯re a kind person by nature?¡± ¡°Do you know that sounds like a total insult to me right now?¡± Pel avoided her gaze, his will to fight gone. ¡°But it¡¯s apliment.¡± Levisia patted his hands. ¡°There is nothing wrong with being kind hearted. You may hide beneath this tough exterior, but keep down I can see you have a good heart.¡± Pel awkwardly shuffled on the bench and looked at the hand that was still wrapped in a bandage. ¡°Let go of me¡­ Isn¡¯t your hand injured?¡± He wiggled his hands free. ¡°You¡¯ll hurt yourself holding me like that.¡± ¡°You¡¯re even worried about me now, in this situation?¡± Levisiaughed. ¡°You¡¯re too k¨C¡± Pel shushed her and covered her mouth with his hands. He looked like he didn¡¯t want to hear the words ¡®nice¡¯ or ¡®kind¡¯. ¡°I really don¡¯t know what to do with you¡­¡± He sighed, his body sagging like he had no idea what to even do with himself. Levisia ducked her head away from Pel¡¯s hands, lowering them with hers. ¡°I know what you have to do. You have to not ignore me, and not let me out of your sight. Because you don¡¯t know where I might go around talking about your identity.¡± All the colour drained from Pel¡¯s face when she finished talking. She tried not to take any satisfaction from doing so, but she couldn¡¯t help the smile that spread across her face. ¡°Is that a threat?¡± Pel hissed at her. ¡°It is if you take it as one.¡± She replied, affectionately patting him on the shoulders and giggling. ¡°No, it sounds like you want it to be.¡± Pel seemed to shrink further in on himself. Levisia didn¡¯t miss how he seemed to mentally kick himself for allowing her to back him into a corner, from which there was no way out. ¡°Correct. I¡¯m asking you to do that.¡± Levisia giggled some more. ¡°I¡¯ve said that from the beginning. Stop avoiding me. That¡¯s all I want. If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! (Note: Patreon is notpulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at ater date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much!)

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Chapter 96 - Too Defenseless Chapter 96 ¨C Too Defenseless Farrid stared at Levisia, who was fast asleep on his shoulder. She was snoring lightly, all the while not knowing what was going on with the man whose shoulder she was leaning on. He didn¡¯t know what mindset he¡¯d talked to her in. It was already like this by the time he has calmed his mind and organised his thoughts. Sighing deeply, he ran his fingers through his hair and gazed at her again. Her long eyshes were flickering every now and then, but she didn¡¯t stir from her slumber. She seemed fine during their conversation, but now she waspletely out cold. He figured it was perhaps her anxiety had been lifted, causing a sudden slumber to fall upon her. But, somehow, he had managed to put the most dangerous person right next to him. He thought about what she had said, about how he could never harm her, even if he was given the chance. That moment was right there, and yet he was unable toy a hand on her when she was sleeping so soundly against his shoulder. Carefully, so as not to wake her up, he moved slightly so she would be morefortable, and sighed. How had he ended up bing so pathetic? ¡°What else do you know about me?¡± He said, looking down at Levisia again and tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. He knew that he couldn¡¯t hurt her no matter what, even if she did know that he was thest prince of Roycal. Though he had a hunch that she knew more than she was letting on. He let those thoughts slide as he focused on her hand. Slowly, he unwrapped the bandage and turned her hand over to reveal the blister that was now ready to burst. Unsheathing the dagger that he kept in his boot, he cut the tip of his finger, paying no mind to the pain that was coursing through his body. The blood from the cut dripped onto Levisia¡¯s hand, sshing over the blister. With each drop, her hand began to heal, and soon there was no sign of the swelling or the blister. Only then, when he was satisfied with his work, did Farrid rub the blood into his own finger to heal the cut. Then, he picked up the bandage from his side and started rewrapping Levisia¡¯s hand. He realised that it was a stupid thing to do, yet he carried on. Before letting her hand go, he lightly kissed the back of her hand. He burst outughing as soon as his lips came off of it. ¡°What in the world am I doing? You don¡¯t need to do all of this, you fool.¡± He let go of Levisia¡¯s hand. ¡°Being too defenseless is not really a good thing. When you see this, you¡¯ll see there¡¯s no limit to me being stupid or taking advantage of you. Anyway, let¡¯s get you back into the pce.¡± Scooping up Levisia and holding her close in his arms, Farrid navigated the gardens and headed into the pce, taking care to avoid running into anyone along the way. Thest thing he wanted was to exin why he, a mere servant, was carrying the unconscious body of a princess. To his relief, he managed to make it up to his room without any problems. He entered his bedroom, as it was closer than Levisia¡¯s, and kicked the door shut behind him. Levisia was beginning to stir slightly as he lowered her onto the bed, so he reckoned it wouldn¡¯t take long for her to wake up. ¡°I¡¯ll go have a quick wash.¡± He said to himself, lifting his armpits to have a whiff. There had been no time for him to bathe that morning, as Levisia had been at his door since the crack of dawn. And his hair needed a wash, as well. * * * When Levisia opened her eyes, it took her a moment to realise that she was not in the garden where she had been talking to Pel. She was in a bedroom, judging by the pillow beneath her head and the nket she was wrapped up in, but she did not recognise the d¨¦cor. Confused, she sat up in the bed and took the time to properly analyse where she was. Only then did she realise that she was in Pel¡¯s bedroom, with the man himself walking into the bedroom and closing the door behind him. ¡°Ah, you¡¯re up now. How was your nap?¡± He asked, running a towel through his damp hair. ¡°You¡¯re not even trying to hide your identity now.¡± Levisia blurted out, staring at his dark red hair. ¡°Are you trying to get caught?¡± Chapter 97 - Don’t Keep Your Guard Down Chapter 97 ¨C Don¡¯t Keep Your Guard Down ¡°Come now, Levy. There was no one around the pce.¡± Pel draped the towel around his shoulder. ¡°I was only gone for ten minutes.¡± Levisia flinched at the use of the nickname. Pel had obviously caught sight of it, as he frowned at her. ¡°What¡¯s with the flinch? You don¡¯t like when I call you that?¡± He said, sitting down on the edge of the bed. Levisia shook her head, her hair falling loose from its braid. And there was something in the air that was making her ufortable. Something she couldn¡¯t put her finger on. ¡°It¡¯s not really something I like. I much prefer just going by Levisia, if that¡¯s alright with you.¡± She gripped the nket between her hands. ¡°Then I¡¯ll do what you like.¡± Pel said, causing Levisia to look at him suspiciously. He was smiling, a genuine smile, that made her feel even more on edge. ¡°Well, that sounds generous.¡± She said, and then it finally dawned on her what was out of ce. ¡°Wait¡­ You¡¯re here? You¡¯re not avoiding me? ¡°You told me to stop doing that.¡± Pel shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Why, do you want me to leave you alone again?¡± ¡°What? No! I mean¡­ I just didn¡¯t expect you to listen to me straight away.¡± Pel rubbed the back of her neck. ¡°Is this because I threatened to reveal your identity if you didn¡¯t stop ignoring me?¡± ¡°Maybe it is, maybe it isn¡¯t. Now, have you figured out where you are, and how you got here?¡± Pel said, nodding to the nket sped between her hands. ¡°I¡¯m in your room. But how did I get here? I was in the garden with you, and now¡­ I¡¯m here.¡± Levisia thought about how she could have fallen asleep in one ce and woke up somewhere else. Heat rose to her face when she finally realised what had happened. ¡°Figured it out, have you?¡± Pel got to his feet and rubbed his hair with the towel. ¡°You were incredibly light, you know. Are you sure the Kraidens are feeding you enough?¡± ¡°Yes! I am being fed enough, and I¡­¡± Levisia stopped when she realised arguing with Pel was pointless. Instead, she asked what had been going through her mind. ¡°But why here? Why not my room?¡± ¡°My room was closer.¡± Pel said, his back to Levisia. ¡°And you are free to leave, you know. In fact, I suggest you head back right away.¡± ¡°Why? What¡¯s going on?¡± Levisia rose from the bed, the nket dropping to the floor as she walked over to Pel. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Nothing really. Only that, as I was having a bath, I looked out my window and I spotted some people walking down a path.¡± Pel turned to face her, a smirk across his face. ¡°They seemed pretty important, so I took a closer look at them. And wouldn¡¯t you know it, they were the third and neenth princes. Levisia stared in horror at Pel as his words sank in. ¡°Wait a second. That means¡­ Oh no.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Judging from what has happened, they¡¯ll go to your room as soon as they get here and look for you.¡± ¡°And you didn¡¯t tell me? The whole time you knew they wereing, and you didn¡¯t think to¡­¡± Levisia let out a groan of frustration and sprinted to the bedroom door. As soon as she turned the doorknob, Pel stuck his arm out to close the door. ¡°Stop letting your guard down, Levisia.¡± He said, looking down at her with a serious expression. ¡°This pce is a dangerous ce, full of people who may not have good intentions for you. Do not trust anybody here.¡± ¡°I know, Pel, I¡¯m not an idiot.¡± Levisia said, knocking Pel¡¯s hand away. ¡°Do you really think I will let my guard down here?¡± ¡°You dropped it around me, remember?¡± Pel leant against the doorframe. ¡°You were so certain that I would not hurt you that you fell asleep on me. Do you have idea how stupid of an idea that was?¡± Levisia stopped and looked at Pel. He was trying his best to hide his true feelings, but his eyes were betraying him. She gently rested a hand over his arm. ¡°I trust you, Pel. We¡¯ve been through too much for me to not trust you. And¡­ I¡¯m sorry I shouted at you, and ckmailed you. I¡¯m just so tired of feeling like I am alone in a viper¡¯s nest, where I have to watch my every move and control my tongue. But with you, I felt free.¡± She sighed and closed her eyes. ¡°I just want someone I could be myself with.¡± ¡°I know, Levisia, but you should still watch yourself out there. Especially as it seems all the Kraidens are gathering together. Now,¡± he stepped back to allow Levisia to open the door. ¡°Get going before they catch you here.¡± If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! (Note: Patreon is notpulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at ater date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much!)

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Chapter 98 - Kraiden’s Gathering Chapter 98 ¨C Kraiden¡¯s Gathering Elizabeth, who was the very first one to arrive in the front of the audience chamber, raised her eyebrows when she saw Lidan walking from afar. Walking up with his back to the sunrays, he saw her face and leisurely waved a hand. ¡°Elizabeth, good morning.¡± ¡°What¡¯s good about seeing your face so early in the morning like this?¡± Elizabeth scoffed and turned away from him. ¡°Whoa, it¡¯s so good you don¡¯t know what to do? I knew it.¡± Lidan slung an arm over Elizabeth¡¯s shoulders andughed. ¡°You¡¯re pushing your own orders again today. If you really don¡¯t want to live, fine; I¡¯ll end you right here.¡± Elizabeth shrugged Lidan off of her and spun round to face him, lightning dancing around her fingertips. ¡°Hold on, hold on. You do realise that His Majesty is right past this door, right?¡± Lidan stepped back, his hands held by his head. ¡°You¡¯re really going to make him witness a murder as soon as the door opens? I¡¯m not here to bother you this early in the morning.¡± Lidan shook his head as if he didn¡¯t know what to do, but she knew that he wasn¡¯t nervous about her at all. He knew what kind of behavior incited anger in her, and he chose to do it whenever he could, with little care for the consequences. That¡¯s why she was always disgusted by him. ¡°I¡¯m talking about the thieves.¡± Elizabeth folded her arms across her chest. ¡°The bastards who stole Levy¡¯s ne. I found out who they are, and where they came from. It¡¯s not what I was expecting, but at least we¡¯ve got them in our sights.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the need for knowing where those savages are from? I told you to detain all of them.¡± Lidan scoffed and raised an eyebrow. ¡°Isn¡¯t it weird? Elizabeth, I ordered you to catch them, but I have not heard a thing these past few days.¡± From what I heard, they¡¯re not just any regr old thieves, and even I have limited ess to their information. So, what would this mean?¡± ¡°It reveals your ipetence, you fool.¡± At Elizabeth¡¯s words, Lidan fell silent. Of course, it wasn¡¯t that Elizabeth didn¡¯t know what he was trying to say. She just didn¡¯t want to hear him say it. Even Lidan seemed to realize this fact, and burst outughing. Though, it was one devoid of any humour. ¡°Well, I guess you can say that.¡± He sped his hands behind his neck and smiled. ¡°If I¡¯m the ipetent fool, what does that make you, Elizabeth?¡± ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean, Lidan?¡± Elizabeth groaned inwardly at the arrival of Siaphyl. She watched him approach, trying to hide the contempt in her face. ¡°Siaphyl. I didn¡¯t know you were summoned to the audience chamber, as well.¡± She greeted him coldly. ¡°Good morning to you sister Elizabeth. And brother Lidan, of course.¡± Siaphyl gave a mock bow, to which both Elizabeth and Lidan rolled their eyes at. ¡°What do you want, Siaphyl? Can¡¯t you see Liz and I were in the middle of a private conversation?¡± Lidan sauntered up to Elizabeth, and obnoxiously leant against her. ¡°I know, and I want to hear what you were talking about just now.¡± Siaphyl said, shifting his eyes back and forth between his two siblings. Elizabeth knew that his curiosity wouldn¡¯t be satisfied with vague answers alone. Lidan nced up at Elizabeth and smirked at her. She snorted, not having any intention of revealing what was happening to Siaphyl. There was no need to share the details of what had happened at Chess ck Market. ¡°Does it have something to do with Levisia?¡± Siaphyl asked. Elizabeth and Lidan were unable to hide their shocked gasps, resulting in him smirking. ¡°I knew it! What happened on that day you two went out and came back with her?¡± ¡°There is for us to know and for you to never find out, Siaphyl.¡± Elizabeth scoffed. She knew that he would repeatedly pester her for information, so she wanted to let him know that it wouldn¡¯t work on her. ¡°Yeah, you don¡¯t need to know, little man.¡± Lidan shed a grin at Siaphyl. ¡°Now, run along now. Let your beloved elder siblings have a conversation in peace, yes?¡± Elizabeth did not miss the heavy sarcasm in his voice. Nor did she miss the way both Lidan¡¯s and Siaphyl¡¯s facespletely drained of colour at the arrival of Merril and Cassian. ¡°You¡¯ve been called here, as well?¡± Elizabeth called out to them, shrugging Lidan off her shoulder. ¡°What could the Emperor want with us all?¡± Cassian folded his arms and lurked in the shadows, deliberately avoiding everyone¡¯s eye contact. Merril, on the other hand,unched straight into a conversation. She seemed blissfully unaware of the tension in the air. If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! (Note: Patreon is notpulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at ater date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much!)

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Chapter 99 - Inspection Tour Of The Southern Region Chapter 99 ¨C Inspection Tour of the Southern Region ¡°Has anyone here ever talked to Levisia about her problems?¡± She asked, cupping her chin in her hands. ¡°Or has Levisia ever consulted her concerns with you?¡± Elizabeth frowned and looked over at her siblings, who were all shaking their heads. Cassian only gave out a weak shrug. She was about to respond to Merril when Lidan piped up. ¡°I¡¯m amazed Levy hasn¡¯t opened up to you, given how much you like to harass her.¡± He smirked and nudged Siaphyl with his elbow. ¡°Yes, surely she would have opened up to you by now¡­¡± Siaphyl¡¯s words died in his mouth when Elizabeth shot him a look that could kill a man. He slinked behind Lidan, who was also avoiding her re. When the two cleared their throats, evading her stare, she flipped her hair over her shoulder and let out a snort. ¡°Levisia has everything she could possibly need her, and she is well tended to. What makes consulting her troubles so important?¡± Elizabeth flicked her hair over her shoulder. ¡°She is a Kraiden. Is that not enough?¡± Even as she spoke, her insides were boiling at the thought that Levisia was talking to someone else and not her. ¡°Oh, how curious. So, that must mean that Levisia only voices her concerns to me. Like the other day, for example, when I was training her.¡± Merril sped her hands together. ¡°The poor dear was so distracted that she couldn¡¯t even hold her sword properly.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Elizabeth yelled, her voice echoing through the corridor. ¡°Why did she talk to you? What did she say? Merril!¡± She reached out to grab Merril by her shirt, but she skipped out the way with a beaming grin on her face. ¡°I guess Levy must prefer me, sister dearest.¡± Merril spun round andughed, which irritated Elizabeth even more. Sparks flew from her hands, and it was only due to Lidan and Siaphyl holding her back that Merril was still standing. ¡°Oh, I would absolutely hate to break up this lovely interaction we are having, but we still need to meet with the Emperor.¡± Cassian heaved himself off the wall he had been leaning on. ¡°To think I am rted to you all. I pity you all. It¡¯s almost impossible to describe yourck ofmunication or stupidity. Now, prepare yourself. His Majesty is waiting.¡± Elizabeth cursed. She had been so caught up in the bickering between her and her siblings, she hadpletely forgotten the reason she was there in the first ce. As she lined up in front of the audience chamber, ushering her siblings to do the same, Cassian stepped forwards to knock three times on the door. ¡°Cassian, Merril, Elizabeth, Lidan, and Siaphyl Kraiden. We are here to see the Emperor.¡± He spoke loudly, before dropping back into position. After a few seconds of waiting, the double doors swung open, allowing for them to enter. As Elizabeth walked up to the throne, she looked around to see that there was no one else in the audience chamber save for the Emperor and the guards. And themselves, of course. At the foot of the throne, Elizabeth was the first to drop down on knee in a low bow. The others followed, though Elizabeth did not miss how Lidan¡¯s bow was sloppier than hers. ¡°We are here, Your Majesty.¡± She said, keeping her head bowed. ¡°You wished to speak to us?¡± ¡°Yes, I did. You may rise.¡± The Emperor said, his voice soft and calming. Elizabeth, just as she was the first to bow, was thest to get to her feet. Lidan, byparison, shot to his feet. ¡°Your Majesty, you¡¯re looking pretty pale today.¡± Lidan said, to which Elizabeth promptly elbowed him in the side and hissed at him to keep quiet. ¡°Lidan. As quick witted as ever.¡± Crow¡¯s feet appeared at the emperor¡¯s eyes when heughed. His response caused the siblings to look at each other in confusion. Elizabeth could tell what her siblings were thinking: there was something unusual about the atmosphere. Something none of them could put their finger on. Even Lidan, the one who had made the joke, seemed concerned. ¡°What is it you wanted to speak to us about, Your Majesty?¡± Cassian broke the ufortable silence hanging over them. ¡°I¡¯d like to advance the timing of our inspection tour of the southern region.¡± The Emperor got to his feet. ¡°Ideally, within the month.¡± Elizabeth¡¯s mouth dropped open. A brief nce at her siblings suggested that it was news to them, as well. The inspection of the southern region was not due to take ce until several months. For it to be called forwards was unheard of. ¡°Furthermore,¡± The Emperor looked down at the siblings. ¡°Aurora is also scheduled to return from her studies within this month to join the inspection.¡± If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! (Note: Patreon is notpulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at ater date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much!)

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Chapter 100 - Withering Fairy Trees Chapter 100 ¨C Withering Fairy Trees Elizabeth¡¯s eyes widened in shock at the announcement of Aurora¡¯s arrival. Aurora would be back after the winter semester, and she was not the sort of to rush back home without graduating. However, as refreshing to see Aurora again after many years, Elizabeth could not help but feel as though there was an ulterior motive. ¡°What¡¯s going on in the southern territory?¡± Lidan asked, his expression of confusion mirrored on his siblings. ¡°Lately I¡¯ve received reports about some abnormalities going on around this empire.¡± The Emperor looked down at the siblings. ¡°They state that trees have withered and crops have rotted. Areas of the ground have turned ck. They say that no life can be saved from the ckenednd, so it seems that it is not a matter to be taken lightly. Though, strangely, the reports are onlying from the south. There haven¡¯t been any reports of it from other regions.¡± ¡°How strange.¡± Siaphyl mumbled, lifting his head as if he had just realised something. ¡°Your Majesty, don¡¯t tell me the phenomenon is rted to when the fairy trees started withering.¡± A silence fell over the room as everyone took in what Siaphyl had said. ¡°Can this strange phenomenon of the ground being contaminated be seen as a principle of cause and effect?¡± Elizabeth asked, breaking the ufortably long silence. In a time where an unexpectedlyrge amount of blessed children were being born, fairy trees started to wither and unprecedented phenomena have urred. She thought about if it was possible to tie it to one person, and gasped at the face that came to her mind. Levisia White. She could also be seen as something ¡®unusual¡¯ that has never been seen before. Elizabeth shook her head, as Cassian tilted his head and looked up at the Emperor. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then the purpose of this inspection is to examine thend?¡± He asked, sounding like such a task was beneath him. ¡°Correct. It¡¯s a problem that could cause future problems within the Empire. If my generation cannot solve what is going on, then it will fall to your generation. You are dismissed.¡± As Elizabeth left the audience chamber with her siblings, she was lost in her thoughts. She needed to get some fresh air, and get away from the conspiracy theories Lidan was spouting out about what could be causing the strange urrences. Walking out of the pce, she set off in a random direction, with no idea where she was going. Not that she cared, much. It was more to help her ease her mind. * * * After what seemed like hours of walking, Elizabeth stopped to examine the ce she had arrived at: Reign Moore¡¯s manor. She let out a smallugh, as she often stopped by Reign¡¯s after walking aimlessly when she had a lot on her mind. Though she had no idea why she ended up there. It was one of those habits she was not aware of until it happened. The estate was, fortunately, empty when Elizbeth snuck through the gates. It wasn¡¯t as though she was forbidden, it was more that she wanted to avoid talking to other people. At the front door, she stopped and held her hand in front of the door. Was she really going to bother Reign with her problems? With a heavy sigh, she made her choice and knocked on the door three times. ¡°This is so stupid. What am I doing here?¡± She said to herself, annoyed that she was second guessing herself immediately after making up her mind. As she turned to leave, the door opened behind her. She turned to see Reign standing there, looking at her with a smile that didn¡¯t quite reach his eyes. Elizabeth noticed immediately that he seemed to be on edge. ¡°Elizabeth, what a pleasant surprise. What brings you here? I trust everything is alright?¡± Reign said, stepping to the side to allow her to enter. Elizabeth entered the manor, staying silent when Reign closed the door behind her. He led her into the main reception room, where she sank into one of the plush leather couches. Reign sat down opposite her in a leather armchair, one leg resting over the other. With her feet resting after all the walking she had done, she stopped to take in Reign¡¯s appearance. Unlike thest time she had seen him, he was not covered in sweat, and his lips weren¡¯t blue. It looked like he really has gotten better. She frowned, wondering how Reign, who had been affected by the fairy trees, had recovered like that? Reign, obviously noticing Elizabeth staring at him, shuffled awkwardly in his seat and seemed to curl in on himself. ¡°What? Is there something on my face?¡± He ran his fingers over his face. ¡°What¡¯s with the intense stare? I feel like I am being scrutinised.¡± If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! (Note: Patreon is notpulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at ater date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much!)

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Chapter 101 - All Leads To One Chapter 101 ¨C All Leads to One ¡°How have you recovered, Reign? You looked awful thest time I saw you.¡± Elizabeth sat at the edge of her couch and leant in closer. ¡°What happened?¡± Reign looked down at his hands, which were grasping his trousers with such force that his knuckles were turning white. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you, but you can¡¯t get mad after hearing this, Elizabeth.¡± He said, lifting his head to meet Elizabeth¡¯s gaze. ¡°I received help from Levisia White.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Elizabeth leapt to her feet; her hands clenched in fists at her side. How could it be possible for Levisia to have healed him when she and Reign had never met? ¡°That¡¯s impossible! How did that happen?!¡± Reign pressed up against the back of his chair, hands clenching the armrests. ¡°You brought her here that one time. Remember?¡± He shrunk further into the armchair. ¡°Anyway, I got help from her. And now, my condition has improved significantly.¡± ¡°When did I do that?! It wasn¡¯t me who did that!¡± Elizabeth folded her arms. ¡°If this is your idea of a joke, then it failed. And anyway, that¡¯s not why I came here.¡± ¡°So, why did youe today?¡± Reign slouched in his seat, his fingers drumming in on the armrest. ¡°And here I was assuming that you were checking in on me out of the kindness of your heart.¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­plicated.¡± Elizabeth flopped back down onto her couch, and pinched the bridge of her nose. ¡°The Emperor has sent us all down the southern regions to investigate the curious phenomena that is happening. The withered fairy trees, the ground turning ck¡­ I think it might be linked to one person in particr, but I can¡¯t say for certain.¡± ¡°So, you think this is all connected to Levisia, do you? If that¡¯s the case, maybe she can solve the problems that have emerged in the Empire.¡± Reign said, smirking at Elizabeth. ¡°Then how about bringing her along during this inspection? If you do, you¡¯ll know a little bit more.¡± ¡°No, I couldn¡¯t do that. I¡­ Wait a minute.¡± Elizabeth sat up straight and red at Reign, heat rising to her cheeks. ¡°I never once mentioned that I thought it was linked to Levisia. I said ¡®one person in particr¡¯. How did you bring her into this?¡± ¡°Ah, so you do think that it¡¯s her. Seems my hunch was right.¡± Reign pretended to check out his nails, which irritated Elizabeth greatly. She got to her feet again and marched over to Reign, looming over him with a stare that could kill a man. ¡°I am not bringing Levisia into this. Both the situation with the fairy trees and the strange urrences in the south are confidential. If word gets out about these, they can throw the empire into chaos.¡± Elizabeth mped her hands over the armrests and dug her nails into the leather. ¡°How am I meant to tell her about all this? ¡°Actually, Elizabeth. I already told her.¡± Reign let out a sheepish smile as he shrugged his shoulder. ¡°She was around and I just happened to let it slip. My bad.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe you!¡± Elizabeth resisted the urge to p Reign across his stupid, unbearably smug face. He knew that Levisia was a taboo subject for her, and there he was, unting the fact that he was apparently talking to her regrly. And spilling important Empire secrets to her, as well. ¡°And how did you hear about it? I only heard about it myself not long ago. It seemed like myself and my siblings were the only ones who knew about it. Reign only shrugged again, which served to annoy Elizabeth even more. She nted her hands on top of Reign¡¯s, ready to dig them into his flesh if needed. ¡°I just happened to overhear a conversation about it. That¡¯s all.¡± Reign wiggled his hands free from Elizabeth¡¯s vice-like grip, nail marks scratching his skin. ¡°And it felt like the sort of thing Levisia should know about. Seeing as she has been brought back here and is now surrounded by Kraidens. She needed to be warned, that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°You¡­ I don¡¯t know where you got your information from. Whether you overheard it or got it from an informant, or whatever! The fact remains that you told Levisia about it, and now she¡¯ll be worrying about it. Not to mention her inability to keep her mouth shut.¡± Elizabeth turned away from Reign, her head in her hands. She visited him to clear her head from her troubled thoughts, and now her thoughts were even more scrambled up. Levisia and Reign? How and when had they met up? When did Reign tell Leivisia about what was happening to the south? What else had he revealed to her? She needed to pay a visit to Levisia. If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! (Note: Patreon is notpulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at ater date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much!)

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Chapter 102 - Levisia’s Past Chapter 102 ¨C Levisia¡¯s Past Levisia scratched her cheek when she saw the ornate, golden carriage arriving in front of the pce. As soon as it came to a halt, the doorman hopped down from the driver¡¯s seat and opened the carriage door. Elizabeth was sitting inside with a sour look on her face. ¡°Wee, Your Highness¡­¡± Levisia said with a bow, to which Elizabeth scoffed at. ¡°Get inside.¡± She said, not bothering to look at Levisia. Levisia hesitated, feeling as though she did not deserve to travel in such a grand and opulent carriage. As she debated over whether she should enter, Elizabeth ordered some maids to ce the suitcases into the carriages behind hers, and then enter themselves. The whole time, Elizabeth never left her carriage. ¡°Hurry it up, Levisia. We haven¡¯t got all day!¡± She shouted as she leant back in her seat and pinched the bridge of her nose. When Levisia went to climb into the carriage, she saw Pel leaving the pce with his luggage. Their gazes briefly met, before Pel entered the carriage behind hers. There was no smile on his face, only a curt nod of acknowledgement. With a heavy sigh, Levisia boarded the carriage and sat down across from Elizabeth. The horseman closed the door behind them and climbed back into the driver¡¯s seat. With a swish of the reins, he ordered the horses to take off. As the carriage pulled away, Levisia wondered how it had alle to this. Two weeks ago, she was minding her own business. But then Elizabeth had included her in the inspection team. Not that Levisia could have refused in the first ce. Without asking for Levisia¡¯s opinion, Elizabeth had formally written her name down on the registry. In the offer, which was really just a notification that she was to join in on the inspection, Elizabeth had said she would be responsible for Levisia¡¯s convenience throughout the inspection schedule. Levisia had had no choice but to say yes so as not to offend her. Yet she couldn¡¯t help but feel as though she was tagging along on the royal family¡¯s official duty. And it didn¡¯t seem like just a hunch. Levisia hadn¡¯t had a good night¡¯s sleep since the day she¡¯d caught the Kraidens¡¯ attention. She was hoping they¡¯d cut her off one day, but it seemed like a long way. Whilst Levisia was lost in her thoughts, she could feel the re of Elizabeth burning into her soul. No matter she did, she could not avoid the stare for much longer. ¡°Your Highness, is there something you¡¯d like to say to me?¡± Levisia asked, after plucking up the internal courage to face Elizabeth. ¡°How did you end up in the pce?¡± Elizabeth said, like she had been waiting patiently for the opportunity to talk. ¡°I used to live in the capital. When I was young, someone came from the pce, visiting everyone from door to door. They had a stone with them, and asked us to hold it.¡± Levisia exined. ¡°I somehow resonated with the stone, so I was allowed to enter the pce. Back then, I hadn¡¯t known the stone was a fairy stone. I only found out afterwards what it was.¡± Elizabeth¡¯s cheeks turned red, and she looked away as if ovee with embarrassment. ¡°Is that it? You resonated with a stone and were brought into the pce? Did someone¡¯s illness get cured or something like that?¡± She snapped. ¡°If something amazing like that happened,¡± Levisia said, flinching slightly. ¡°Why would I be staying in the most secluded ce in the Imperial Pce? And while no one was healed, aren¡¯t there a few other great things that have happened?¡± It wasn¡¯t the Kraidens she was talking about, but the unnamed royal family that¡¯de close to them. Levisia had heard that they could be quite extraordinary when their abilities were expressed. If that¡¯s what Elizabeth wanted to hear, it¡¯d be better to hear it from them. ¡°And what about your mother?¡± Elizabeth said after a moment of ufortable silence. ¡°What happened to your mother after you came to the pce? Wasn¡¯t she left all alone?¡± Levisia frowned. How did Elizabeth know that she used to live with her mother? Elizabeth seemed to have looked into her past. And if that was the case, then why did she ask when she already knew the answer? Perhaps, there was another reason why she asked Levisia about the behind story of her entering the pce. Because Elizabeth had to know how she¡¯d done it if she¡¯d lived with her mother. ¡°Did you know that your mother went missing after you came to the pce?¡± Elizabeth asked, perhaps noticing the awkward silence that had fallen within the carriage. If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! (Note: Patreon is notpulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at ater date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much!)

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Chapter 103 - Onto The South Chapter 103 ¨C Onto the South ¡°Oh.¡± Levisia said, too stunned to formte a real sentence. How could her mother be missing? Or, was it that the others did not know the full extent of the truth? Rather than leave her only daughter alone when she entered the pce full of unknown and strange people, her mother hade with her. Levisia had heard that a considerable number ofmoners had been hired by the pce due to the increased number of royal family members. Even if these new members were blessed, and thus not of royal blood, very few people had wanted to serve themoners who¡¯d be royalty overnight. Her mother and Pel had entered the pce like that, disguised as the few people who were willing to be employed within the pce. Levisia realized how amazing her mother was. Somehow, she had been able to hide her identity by living with her daughter and getting a job as a maid. What she wouldn¡¯t give to be able to see her mother again, and tell her what an incredible job she had done. While she was wondering if it would be okay to tell the full truth about her mother¡¯s so-called ¡®disappearance¡¯, Elizabeth¡¯s gaze was bing a bit of a burden. ¡°To be honest, my mother isn¡¯t missing.¡± Levisia eventually said, after Elizabeth¡¯s intense re got too much to bear. ¡°She entered the pce with me and became my exclusive maid.¡± ¡°Then this means¡­¡± Elizabeth mumbled, ncing at the carriage behind them. Inside it were her maids, along with Pel and She. ¡°No, no. She isn¡¯t She.¡± She said, urgently shook her head after catching the meaning of her re. ¡°She passed away when I was young, not long after I had entered the pce.¡± Originally, Levisia had entered the pce with her mother, Shi, and Pel. After her mother¡¯s death, She had been taking care of her, acting as her much-needed maternal figure. When Levisia had finished exining everything, Elizabeth frowned deeply enough that wrinkles appeared in her forehead. ¡°My apologies,¡± she said, turning her face away. ¡°I had no idea.¡± Levisia, shocked that Elizabeth was actually apologising, blinked and shook her head. It wasn¡¯t something Elizabeth did often, but just because she apologized, it didn¡¯t mean that she meant it. ¡°No, it is okay. It happened a long time ago.¡± She said, looking down at her hands. ¡°Why did you so suddenly bring up my past? I¡¯m just curious, is all. It seems to havee out of nowhere.¡± Elizabeth rolled her eyes. ¡°I looked into it, and it was a little weird.¡± She replied, folding her arms and staring straight ahead. Figuring that she must be talking about the part where her mother had gone missing, Levisia let the conversation drop and looked out the window. The convoy had long since left the pce, and were now rolling towards the outskirts of the city. Levisia knew that she was heading South, but did not know the reason why. ¡°So, now we¡¯re going to the South?¡± She asked as casually as she could. ¡°Any particr reason why. I assume this is not just a routine inspection.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Reports suggest that some strange urrences are going on within the southern regions, which have not been seen anywhere else within the Empire.¡± Elizabeth replied, pulling out a document. ¡°We¡¯ll be travelling for some time, so figure a way to entertain yourself.¡± Not satisfied with Elizabeth¡¯s answer, but sensing that she was not going to spill any more details, Levisia pulled out a book from her hand luggage. As she settled down to read, her eyes briefly caught Elizabeth¡¯s. A light flush appeared across Elizabeth¡¯s cheeks and turned to her papers again, ¡°You don¡¯t have to bother me.¡± She snapped; her head buried in the documents. Levisia flinched slightly at Elizabeth¡¯s words, and began reading her book. But she could not focus on the writing in front of her, the words all blurring together. Her mind was elsewhere, namely on what Elizabeth had meant. She liked to think that, because she has been around Elizabeth for some time, she could understand the true meaning behind her words. What Elizabeth was saying, or what Levisia thought she was saying, was that she wanted to be bothered. She wanted a distraction from the presumably mind-numbing documents she had to slog through. Levisia rested the book on herp and gazed at Elizabeth. Maybe she was wrong for thinking this about the princess, the one who was domineering and controlling, the one who liked to get her way no matter what, but there was a certain cuteness about her. Heat rapidly rose to her cheeks and she hid her face behind the book. She prayed that the journey wouldn¡¯t take long, because the tension in the carriage could be cut with a hot butter knife. If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! (Note: Patreon is notpulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at ater date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much!)

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Chapter 104 - The Puppeteers And The Puppet Chapter 104 ¨C The Puppeteers and the Puppet A few hours into the journey, with Elizabeth working on her papers and Levisia reading her book, the carriage came to a halt. Levisia put her book down and peered out the window. The sun was high in the sky, showing that some time had passed. Levisia saw people getting out of their respective carriages; mostly maids and servants. ¡°We¡¯ll eat lunch in this carriage.¡± Elizabeth said, cing her papers on the seat next to her. A minuteter, someone knocked at the door. ¡°Your Highness. It¡¯s me, Helga.¡± ¡°You may enter.¡± Elizabeth called out. Helga opened the door and peered her into the carriage. She quickly went over what was avable to order. ¡°What should I prepare, Your Highness?¡± She said, her gaze switching between Elizabeth and Levisia. ¡°It¡¯s up to you.¡± Elizabeth waved Helga away. Helga smiled gently as if she was used to this sort of behavior, and turned to face Levisia. ¡°And for you, Your Highness?¡± Levisia had long since forgotten what was avable. In a state of panic, she nodded at Elizabeth. ¡°I¡¯ll take the same thing as Princess Elizabeth.¡± She said, praying that whatever Elizabeth had ordered would be to her liking. Helga bowed and left. As she walked away, Levisia spotted Pel walking out of a tent that had been set up as part of a makeshift camp. He bumped into Helga, and struck up a conversation with her. They were too far for her to hear them, though she was close enough to hear Lidanin about the cramped conditions within the carriage. Before Levisia could do anything, Elizabeth reached over and mmed the carriage door shut and drew the curtains shut. ¡°Elizabeth?¡± Levisia looked at Elizabeth, who waved her hands to indicate her to be quiet. ¡°Is that you, Elizabeth?¡± Lidan said from outside the carriage. ¡°I¡¯m sure I saw your pretty face within this carriage?¡± Both Elizabeth and Levisia sat in silence as Lidan approached the carriage, his voice getting closer. Levisia had no idea what Elizabeth wanted such secrecy, but it was enough for her to remain quiet and hope that he went away. ¡°Prince Lidan, your meal is ready. Where will you be eating?¡± ¡°The sun is beaming down strong, so bring it to my carriage.¡± Lidan replied to the unknown voice, and soon his footsteps could be heard indicating that he was walking away from the carriage. Elizabeth waited a couple more minutes before breathing out a sigh of relief, her hand over her heart. Levisia immediately realised what was happening. ¡°Prince Lidan. He doesn¡¯t know that I am part of the inspection team, does he? That¡¯s why you said we should eat in the carriage.¡± After a brief period of silence, Elizabeth nodded. Levisia was surprised that there had been no curt remark from her. And she was equally shocked at the lengths Elizabeth was going to in order to keep her involvement a secret from everyone, including the rest of the Kraidens. With Elizabeth refusing to go into more detail, Levisia continued reading her book until Helga returned with their food. It was a bowl of stew and vegetables,plete with a couple of dumplings. Levisia cautiously took a spoonful of the stew, and though the meat was tasteless, it was at least soft enough that it melted in her mouth. The vegetables and dumplings weren¡¯t too bad, either. As she ate her food, she tried not to think about Helga and Pel having their little conversation. Helga hadn¡¯t given any indication that Pel had talked to her, and there was no sign of She being panicked about Pel leaving their carriage. Frustrated that no one was giving her any straight answers, she stabbed her dumpling with her spoon and ripped into it with her teeth. It was incredibly undignified with her to eat in such a manner, but she was frustrated at not being in control of her own life. After their meals had been eaten, Elizabeth summoned Helga to take hers and Levisia¡¯s bowls away. Now feeling stuffy within the cramped carriage, Levisia longed toy outside on the grass. However, she knew that it would be best for her to stay within the carriage to avoid the Kraidens. She was staring at the grass swaying gently in the breeze, longing to feel it between her fingers, when Helga appeared at the carriage once more. ¡°Your Highness, a word please.¡± With a heavy sigh, Elizabeth climbed down from the carriage and looked back at Levisia. ¡°Stay here, don¡¯t go anywhere else.¡± She said, before walking away with Helga. Levisia watched her go, the light breeze feeling good against her face. She spotted Pel leaving his carriage, and couldn¡¯t help but smile at him. His gaze caught hers, and he sauntered his way over towards her. If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! (Note: Patreon is notpulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at ater date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much!)

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Chapter 105 - Curious As Well Chapter 105 ¨C Curious As Well ¡°Good to see you¡¯re alright, and that you are surviving Elizabeth.¡± Pel said, leaning against the carriage. ¡°She is coping, I suppose. It¡¯s quite the strange journey we¡¯re going on.¡± ¡°I was thinking the same thing. I mean, about you being okay. And the journey, I guess.¡± Levisia smiled at him, and then gasped at the sight of Lidan. She grabbed Pel by his shirt and pulled him into the carriage. Ignoring Pel¡¯sints, she mmed the door shut, much like Elizabeth had done. She guessed that Lidan had also been called away, much like Elizabeth. Given how Elizabeth had gone to such lengths to keep her hidden, she figured that she may as well do that same. ¡°What are you doing? Why are you trying to hide me?¡± Pel hissed. Levisia mped her hands over his mouth, waiting until Lidan¡¯s footsteps had faded away. She peeled her hands away from Pel and sighed. ¡°It¡¯s Lidan. And I am not hiding you. ¡°Aside from Princess Elizabeth and the emperor, no one knows I¡¯m part of this inspection team. Since nothing good wille out of him knowing, I stayed in here. And since everyone knows you¡¯re my servant¡­¡± Levisia peered through the curtains. ¡°I don¡¯t know why Elizabeth is so keen on hiding everyone, but that seems to be the case.¡± ¡°Ah, about that.¡± Pel rubbed the back of his neck. ¡°It seems like everyone already knows you¡¯re here. I know you tried to hide me in order to hide yourself, but I¡¯m afraid it is already toote.¡± Levisia cursed, and hid her head in her hands. All the work she and Elizabeth had done in order to conceal her identity had been for nothing. And she had yanked Pel into the carriage for nothing. Was she ever going to be in charge of her own life? Since she had returned to the Kraidens, she felt as though she was not in control. Gone were the days when she could make her own decisions. Now she was merely a puppet for everyone else, going along wherever her strings were pulled. She yanked the curtains back and pulled the window down in order to get some fresh air into the ustrophobic carriage, not bothering to hide herself now that everyone knew she was there. Spotting Helga in the distance, she thought back to when Pel had cornered her outside the tent. ¡°So, how do you know Helga?¡± She asked, resting her elbow on the door and leaning against her fist. ¡°Seems like you were having a deep conversation with her.¡± ¡°Who?¡± Pel tilted his head, confusion etched on his face. ¡°Elizabeth¡¯s maid. I saw the two of you talking.¡± Levisia realised that her tone of voice made it seem like she was jealous, and she quickly held up her hands in a silent surrender. ¡°Not that I don¡¯t want you to talk to her. I¡¯ve just never seen the two of you interact before.¡± Pel scoffed, and shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s a bit of an inconvenience having her here, if you ask me. But, seeing as she is here, I thought I would make use of her.¡± He nced out the window. ¡°Seeing as she is close to Elizabeth, and Elizabeth is close to you.¡± ¡°Why would you, who avoids people whenever you can, go out of your way to talk to the maid of the one of the most important people of the Kraiden Imperial family?¡± Levisia couldn¡¯t believe what Pel was saying. ¡°You are unbelievable sometimes. Are you trying to get close to her?¡± Pelughed, though it was humourless. ¡°I am not close to her, and I am not intending to. She is just a means to an end. Besides,¡± Pel folded his arms and drummed his fingers, ¡°it always feels like she is nning something. I said to never trust the Kraidens, and that extends to their servants.¡± ¡°nning something?¡± Levisia leant forwards, now eager to hear what Pel had to say. ¡°What do you think she¡¯s nning? And the Kraidens¡­ They all seem to be gathered around for a private meeting. Do you know what¡¯s going on? Did Helga let anything slip?¡± Pel shook his head and shrugged. ¡°She¡¯s as tight lipped as her mistress, I¡¯m afraid. She didn¡¯t let anything slip. However, she did ask me quite a few questions. Questions about you.¡± Levisia slid back in her chair with a heavy sigh. If Helga was pestering Pel about her, then the order must havee from Elizabeth. Why would Elizabeth want to do such a thing in the first ce? She already knew all there was to know about Levisia in the first ce. ¡°What did you tell her, then?¡± She said, after an ufortable silence had drawn out long enough. ¡°Nothing. Because I¡¯m curious about you, as well.¡± If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! (Note: Patreon is notpulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at ater date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much!)

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Chapter 106 - The Filendells (I) Chapter 106 ¨C The Filendells (I) ¡°No one knows me better than you do.¡± Levisia frowned. And it was true. No one on Earth knew more about her than Pel and She. ¡°Well. I also used to think that but now I think I was wrong.¡± Pel said, his voice smug. ¡°Then what do you want to know?¡± Levisia asked, folding her arms and frowning. ¡°And no, I am not going to tell you everything. Not unless I decide that it¡¯s an innocent enough question.¡± Pel shook his head and sighed, almost as if he was banking on doing just that. ¡°Never mind. If you¡¯re going to be like that, then I won¡¯t bother.¡± He said, getting to his feet. ¡°I should be getting back to my carriage. We¡¯ll be setting off soon. Levisia watched as he opened the door and climbed out. She waited until he was about to close the door again when she called out his name. He poked his head through the gap, a confused expression on his face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Levisia said, looking down at her hands. ¡°I just feel everyone knows everything about me. Is there nothing about me that is private anymore?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, too. I didn¡¯t mean to confuse you.¡± Pel said with a brief smile, and properly closed the carriage door. ¡°See youter.¡± Levisia said to the now-empty carriage, knowing that Pel couldn¡¯t hear her. She leant back against the chair and waited for the carriage to start moving again. * Much to Levisia¡¯s delight, the first night on the road would be spent in the home of the Count and Countess of Filendell. She had started to get worried as the sun set, and conjured up images of her sleeping in a cramped carriage. Or worse, outside on the ground. As the carriage rolled up to the manor, the Countess of Fildendell was standing on the stairs leading to the main door. She held her arms out as if she was about to embrace them all. ¡°Wee to my humble abode, Your Highness. The Emperor contacted me in advance and informed me that you would need a ce to stay for the night.¡± The Countess stepped aside. ¡°Please, make yourself at home.¡± Levisia carried her luggage up the stairs and stared in awe at the d¨¦cor. Whilst it was nowhere near on par with the pce, the Count and Countess clearly took pride in their house. The rich golden walls, thevish tiled floors, the chandeliers that cast a warm glow on everything¡­ Levisia felt as though she had been transported to another world. ¡°This way, please.¡± The Countess said as she walked up a curved marble staircase. ¡°I will show you to your rooms so you can deposit your bags, and then you can rest before dinner.¡± Levisia remained silent throughout the tour, as Elizabeth did most of the talking. She frowned when Elizabeth requested that their rooms be next to each other. ¡°Your Highness, the rooms are all close together. There is no need for you to worry.¡± The Countess smiled. Levisia could tell that it was forced, and she bit her lip. ¡°It¡¯ll be alright, Elizabeth.¡± She said, desperately trying to diffuse the situation. ¡°Which room is mine, please?¡± The Countess shrugged; her fake smile more obvious than before. ¡°Take your pick.¡± She spun on her heels. ¡°Dinner will be served in an hour¡¯s time. I assume that, after a day on the road, you must all be famished.¡± Everyone watched her leave, her shoes clicking on the tiled floor. They all collectively breathed a sigh of relief when she disappeared down the stairs. ¡°Levisia.¡± Elizabeth grabbed Levisia¡¯s arm. ¡°If you go to dinner, they might find out who you are.¡± ¡°They probably already know who I am. What difference would it make?¡± Levisia snatched her arm away from Elizabeth. ¡°Besides, wouldn¡¯t it be dangerous for me to stay alone? Plus, I am hungry. I am not missing dinner.¡± Elizabeth sharply exhaled, and sulked off into one of the bedrooms. As soon as the door mmed shut, Levisia turned to She. ¡°Go to your room and rest She. You look exhausted.¡± She said, gesturing to one of the closed doors. ¡°I¡¯ll wake you up before dinner. She looked awful. All colour had drained from her face, and she appeared as though she was about to copse without warning. ¡°They said we¡¯ll only be here for one night, right?¡± She swallowed. Her hands were shaking. ¡°I¡¯m a bit worried about this ce.¡± ¡°Yes. We still have a long way until we reach the South.¡± Levisia said, picking up She¡¯s bags. She escorted her to one of the rooms and instructed her to get some decent sleep. With She and Elizabeth in their rooms, it was only her and Pel left in the corridor. Chapter 107 - The Filendells (II) Chapter 107 ¨C The Filendells (II) ¡°You go rest too. I will take care of these.¡± She reached out to take her luggage from Pel¡¯s hand, but he held it out of her reach. What she had told She a moment ago was just an excuse to get her to leave. ¡°No need, Levisia. I¡¯ve got these. Now, let¡¯s find you a room next to Elizabeth, shall we? Before Her Highness has a meltdown.¡± Levisia scowled at his back as approached one of the bedrooms. ¡°I am perfectly capable of carrying my own bags, Pel.¡± She snapped, marching alongside him. ¡°Besides, how are you going to open the door if both of your hands are full?¡± She was not expecting Pel to tuck her luggage, arguably the heavier of the two bags, under his shoulder like it was little more than a book. ¡°There is more than one way to hold things, Levisia.¡± He smirked as he opened the door and carried her bags in. ¡°You could have also just put the bags on the floor. Or given one to me, like I requested.¡± Levisia said, trying to hide her amazement at his strength. ¡°Maybe so.¡± Pel dropped their luggage onto the floor. He leant against the wall, a slight smirk across his face. ¡°But where is the fun in that? Why do things the conventional way when I can do things unconventionally?¡± Levisia rolled her eyes. ¡°Well, thank you for carrying my bag, Pel. You are free to leave and go to your own bedroom.¡± She said, walking over to fetch her luggage and heave it onto the bed. As she was rummaging through it to find her nightclothes, she noticed that the door was still open. Frowning, she looked around and saw that Pel was down on one knee. ¡°What are you doing, Pel?¡± She could feel the heat rising to her face. It almost looked like he was about to propose to her. ¡°Showing my respects to Her Highness.¡± Pel said as he bowed down low. ¡°It is only fitting for someone like me.¡± ¡°What, no! I mean, I didn¡¯t mean it like that. I¡­¡± Panicking, she dropped to her knees so that they were level. ¡°You¡¯re of royal blood too, remember? The Imperial Prince, your father being an Emperor¡­ Don¡¯t lower yourself in front of me, Pel. That is not what I meant.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to know anything about me. No matter my past, now I am just a servant of yours.¡± Pel lifted his head up, his eyes glistening. ¡°And why are you making that face at me?¡± ¡°What face¡­?¡± Levisia frowned. ¡°Like you¡¯ve been hurt at what I said.¡± Pel raised an eyebrow. Levisia sighed and looked away. ¡°I just hope that you take care of yourself.¡± She said, still refusing to meet Pel¡¯s gaze. ¡°As well as your knees. It can¡¯t be good for you to kneel for long periods of time.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say there weren¡¯t any exceptions. I am taking care of myself more than you think, and my kneeling here in front of you is an exception. Because I am down on my knee only for you.¡± Levisia felt Pel¡¯s hand lightly cup her chin. He gently turned her head to face him, and she did not fight him. With a soft smile, he traced his thumb over her cheek, and then got to his feet. Without warning, he bent down and scooped her up into his arms. ¡°Pel?! What are you doing! Put me down!¡± Levisia said, too stunned to move. ¡°That wasn¡¯t an invitation for you to just pick me up without telling me first!¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you sitting down because you were tired of standing?¡± Pel chuckled under his breath. ¡°No! It was so that we were on the same level! To show that¡­ Just put me down, Pel, for god¡¯s sake!¡± Levisia tried to wiggle free from his arms, but he held onto her tightly. She could only sulk in his arms as he carried her across the bedroom and lowered her down onto a chair. ¡°All of that just to take me here?¡± She said, raising an eyebrow at him. He had been acting strangely, and she couldn¡¯t figure out why. ¡°Is that so? Well then, is there somewhere else you¡¯d like to go?¡± Pel said, bowing down to her again. ¡°I remain your humble servant, after all.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡± Levisia reached behind her for the cushion she was leaning against, and childishly threw it at Pel. Ever since their little talk, and she got him to stop avoiding her, hisebacks have beening through thick and fast. He always had something to say in response, and Levisia was finding it increasingly difficult to talk to him without having her words thrown back in her face. If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! (Note: Patreon is notpulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at ater date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much!)

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Chapter 108 - Sister Feud (I) Chapter 108 ¨C Sister Feud (I) The next morning, after an uneasy night¡¯s sleep, Levisia rose early and bathed in the bathroom adjoined to her bedroom. It wasn¡¯t the most luxurious of baths, with the temperature of the water barely reaching above lukewarm, but it was enough to wash the sleepiness from her face. She returned to her bedroom to find that a simple breakfast of eggs and bacon had been left on her bed. After quickly drying herself off and throwing on some fresh clothes, she sat down and tucked into her meal. It was stone cold, but she was so hungry she continued to eat. She thought about what Pel had said to her the night before, about how he was trying to get down onto her level even though they were of royal blood. Pel was a confusing person at the best of times, and Levisia often felt like she was getting nowhere with him. With her food finished, she ced her te back onto her bed and resumed packing her bags. She had finished folding away her nightclothes when there was a knock at the door. ¡°Have you finished packing?¡± Elizabeth said from the other side of the door. ¡°The carriage leaves in five minutes.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± Levisia called out. She picked up her bag, leaving the dirty te where it was, and opened the door. Elizabeth stood with her hands on her hips, looking impatient. Behind her was Merril, peering her head over Elizabeth¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Good morning, Princess Merril.¡± Levisia dropped into a curtsey. ¡°How did you sleepst night?¡± ¡°Perfectly adequate, thank you. But I am more interested in what you are doing here. Got something you want to tell me, Liz?¡± Merril mped her hands on Elizabeth¡¯s shoulders, causing her to tense up. ¡°What¡¯s Levy doing with us? You never told me about this? I had to hear it from Lidan.¡± ¡°Get your hands off me, Merril.¡± Elizabeth shrugged Merril away. ¡°This is none of your concern.¡± She grabbed Levisia by the arm and dragged her down the corridor. Merril ran to catch up, shouting about how she was going to tell the Count and Countess who Levisia was, and that there was only one way to buy her silence. ¡°What do you want, Merril?¡± Elizabeth stopped and spun round to face Merril, giving Levisia whish. She rubbed her neck as Merril skipped over, a wide grin on her face. ¡°To ride with my dearest sister, of course.¡± * * * As it turned out, riding with Elizabeth and Merril was even more awkward than just Elizabeth. At least Elizabeth was content to let her get on with her reading whilst she worked on her papers. Merril had attached herself to Levisia, and was leaning over her shoulder to read her book. ¡°Have you not finished this page yet? Gods, you are a slow reader.¡± Merril moaned, slumping against Levisia. ¡°I finished reading ages ago.¡± Levisia quickly turned the page, though she had not finished reading it. She was confused when Merril rolled her eyes, and desperately looked at Elizabeth for guidance on what to do. Elizabeth had deliberately lifted her documents up to her face, almost as if she was trying to blot out Merril. Levisia came to the conclusion that everything Merril did, from cosying up to her to the asional nudge of her foot that she imed was an ident, was to get on Elizabeth¡¯s nerves. Levisia was stuck in the middle of a feud between the sisters, and had no idea how to get out of it or make the situation any better. She quickly nced at the page, read two paragraphs, and then turned the page before Merril couldment on the slowness of her reading. ¡°Did you even read that page? You¡¯re such a slow reader.¡± Merril said, draping her arm over Levisia¡¯s shoulder. Levisia didn¡¯t want her to take her time reading, and that with her on the carriage, she was unable to focus on the contents of the book. She passed the book over to Merril to read, and cleared her throat. ¡°Your Highness, are you busy? Surely you must have finished those documents by now?¡± She said, speaking directly to Elizabeth. She knew that Elizabeth had finished her paperwork during the long carriage ride the previous day, and she was only pretending to work on them as an excuse to not talk to Merril. ¡°It pays to go through them again.¡± Elizabeth said, not taking the papers away from her face. ¡°Resume with your reading and leave me be.¡± ¡°Your Highness.¡± Levisia said, hoping Elizabeth would detect the urgency in her voice. ¡°You have been working since yesterday. Surely it would do you some good to take a break. Enjoy the scenery, for example.¡± She gestured to the forest outside, a fake smile stered on her face. If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! (Note: Patreon is notpulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at ater date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much!)

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Chapter 109 - Sister Feud (II) Chapter 109 ¨C Sister Feud (II) ¡°Yeah, Elizabeth.¡± Merril mmed the book and thrust it back at Levisia. ¡°You really should take a break. Listen to what the princess has to say, sister dearest.¡± Levisia realised toote what she had done. By trying to get Elizabeth¡¯s attention, she had created an opening for Merril to swoop in and provoke Elizabeth. And Elizabeth¡¯s icy cold re when she lowered her documents reflected on that. Levisia sat still and opened her book to a random page. She waited to see what would happen, now that the tension in the carriage was at its peak. She had been the one toy down the fuse, and she deeply regretted it. With any luck, neither Elizabeth or Merril would be the one to strike the match. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Elizabeth and Merril stare at each other for an ufortably long time. Eventually, Elizabeth returned to her papers and Merril scooted back over to read the book over Levisia¡¯s shoulder. The situation was still less than ideal, but it was better than nothing. About half an hourter, during which Levisia had managed to get no reading done, the carriage began to slow down. Confused, she lowered her book and pulled back the curtains. The sun was in the sky, but it still appeared to be too early for lunch. ¡°Why are we stopping? Surely it is not lunchtime already?¡± She asked Elizabeth and Merril. Both women shrugged, and stretched their arms out. ¡°Likely so we can take a break. We¡¯ve been sitting in this carriage since early morning, after all. Time really flies when you are having fun.¡± Merril winked at Elizabeth, who muttered several curse words under her breath. She opened the carriage door and hopped out, skipping off to the left. Elizabeth reached over and yanked Levisia down by the cor of her dress. ¡°Don¡¯t say anything to her, understand. She is looking for any opportunity to provoke us.¡± She spat, her face so close to Levisia¡¯s that their noses were nearly touching. ¡°Do not give in to her, understand? Ignore her. It¡¯s worked out for me.¡± She let go and climbed out the carriage, going the opposite way of Merril. Levisia closed her eyes and exhaled through her nose in frustration. There was no way she could have known that Merril would be trying to get under Elizabeth¡¯s skin, and would throw Levisia¡¯s words back at her. She mmed the book down and hopped out the carriage, not bothering to conceal her identity anymore. Everyone knew she was there. It was an open secret at this point. Just beyond the carriages, another temporary camp was being set up. She could smell the rich aroma of the stew she ate yesterday, the one with the venison and the vegetables, but her appetite had all but vanished. Wanting to be as far away from Elizabeth and Merril as possible, she set off in the direction of Pel¡¯s carriage. All she wanted was to hide with people she could trust, even if it was for a few short minutes whilst lunch was being served. To her dismay, there was no sign of Pel. Or She, for that matter. Her anger levels rising, she spun on her heels and marched into the forest. She stamped across the ground, spraying mud all over the hem of her dress. There had been a heavy rainstorm the previous night, and the ground was still saturated with water. Levisia would wash her dresster, as she had more important things to worry about. Like repeatedly kicking a tree over and over, letting out a frustrated scream with every kick. She let out one final yell and buried her head in her hands. ¡°My, my. Seems like someone is having some issues.¡± Levisia¡¯s head shot up at the unknown voice. She frantically looked around, trying to find the source. A few feet away from her, leaning against a tree, was a man. His ck hair, which had been tied back in a ponytail, was lightly swaying in the breeze. Levisia tried to not wince at the dark red eyes that seemed to be staring directly into her soul. ¡°Who are you?¡± She said, trying to sound authoritative. Her voice merely came out as a squeak, to which the unknown manughed. His voice was deep, yet hypnotic, as he sank to the crow that was perched on his shoulders. ¡°Who I am is not important.¡± He said, his smile stretching from ear to ear. ¡°It¡¯s who you are that¡¯s important.¡± With a single whistle, the crow spread its wings. Levisia began to back away, running away just as a single whistle echoed throughout the air. She nced back behind her to see that the crow was rapidly gaining on her. If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! (Note: Patreon is notpulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at ater date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much!)

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Chapter 110 - Frustrated Princess Chapter 110 ¨C Frustrated Princess Levisia stopped running when she felt the birdnding on her shoulder, partially due to the added weight but also because she sensed that running was now rendered moot. She turned around to see yet another Kraiden approaching her. Cassian, with his arms folded and head slightly tilted, gazed at her with an unreadable expression on his face. Was he frowning? Smirking? Levisia couldn¡¯t tell. Now that the initial shock had subsided, she remembered her manners and dipped into a curtsey the best she could, trying not to lose her bnce from the crow on her shoulder. ¡°Good afternoon, Prince Cassian.¡± She said as she straightened herself up. ¡°I apologise for running away from you. You startled me.¡± ¡°Ah, Levisia. So it is you.¡± Cassian scoffed. ¡°Maybe if you were not so busy panicking, you would take a minute to actually realise who I was. And what are you doing here, anyway?¡± Levisia flinched under his thunderous re. It was the sort of look that Elizabeth sometimes gave Merril. One that screamed displeasure and disgust. Though, as she dared to look Cassian in the eyes, she realised that she could use this look to her advantage. Unlike the rest of the Kraidens, except for maybe Siaphyl, Cassian did have any special feelings towards her. He likely saw her as a nuisance, and wanted nothing to do with her. That meant, despite him staring at her like he wanted nothing to do with her, he was the least troublesome of the Kraidens. He wouldn¡¯t deliberately put her in the middle of his siblings and use her to stir up trouble. He was content to leave her be, and that suited her just fine. Levisia quickly realised that she hadn¡¯t answered Cassian¡¯s question, and cleared her throat. ¡°Princess Elizabeth wanted me to join the inspection team.¡± She said, trying her best to hide her nerves. ¡°Elizabeth?¡± Cassian asked, his voice sceptical. His eyes slowly scanned her up and down. ¡°Whatever for?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t want to join!¡± Levisia snapped, before taking some breaths to calm herself down. Thest thing she wanted to do was get into an argument with one of the most important people in the Empire. ¡°It was not my decision, Prince Cassian. Princess Elizabeth wrote my name on the inspection team, and forced me toe along. I did not intend for this to happen. Elizabeth dragged me along and then made this song-and-dance about me having to stay hidden to avoid Lidan, and that has all now been for nothing because Merril knows and now you know! Is nothing in my life private anymore?!¡± Levisia angrily wiped away the tears that were starting to fall. She didn¡¯t want to look at the pitiful look Cassian was giving her. She¡¯d had enough pity for one day. ¡°Pathetic.¡± Cassian hissed. He reached out his arm and whistled. ¡°Harrol,e. We must return to the carriages.¡± Harrol, who was busy grooming himself, remained where he was on Levisia¡¯s shoulder. Dread began to set into Levisia¡¯s stomach as she shrugged her shoulder, trying to get him to fly away. Cassian loudly whistled, and clicked his fingers. Again, the bird ignored him, content to clean his feathers. A tense atmosphere descended upon the clearing. Cassian, gradually bing more enraged at Levisia; and Levisia, who was getting a backache from Harrol refusing to budge. The whole sounds were the rustling wind, Cassian clicking his fingers, and Levisia¡¯s heavy breathing. She mimicked Cassian¡¯s pose, her arm held out in front of her and bent in at the elbow. Instantly, Harrol moved down from her shoulder and came to rest on her forearm. His ws were digging into her flesh, causing her to bite back the urge to yelp in pain. ¡°What are you doing to Harrol!¡± Cassian yelled; his hands clenched into tight fists. ¡°How is he obeying you and not me, his owner!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything, I promise!¡± Levisia shook her arm to get Harrol off. He remained firmly where he was, his ws digging further into her flesh. Levisia couldn¡¯t help but cry out as pain radiated from her arm. ¡°It seems you must be doing something.¡± Cassian stepped forwards; his voice dangerously low. ¡°I¡¯ll ask you again: what have you done to my bird?¡± ¡°Nothing!¡± Levisia shouted loud enough to startle the birds within the trees. They flew away in a hurry, leaving Levisia alone with Cassian and Harrol. Cassian reached out, his arm practically touching Levisia¡¯s. Rather than hopping across to Cassian, Harrol took to the sky and flew around above their heads. Cassian let out another sharp whistle, shoving Levisia out the way. Levisia nearly lost her bnce, stumbling backwards over a rock and barely managing to stop herself from falling backwards. No sooner had she recovered, Harrol was back on her shoulder, proudly spreading his wings out. If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! (Note: Patreon is notpulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at ater date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much!)

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Chapter 111 - A Glimmer Of Hope Chapter 111 ¨C A Glimmer of Hope Before Cassian could say anything about the disy of behaviour, Harrol let out an ear-piercing squawk and took to the air. Her arm and shoulder now free, Levisia rubbed the area where Harrol had been perched. She rolled her sleeve back to see that, to her immense relief, Harrol¡¯s ws had not broken through her skin, but her arm was sore and swollen to the touch. She made a mental note to apply some cold water to it when she returned to the carriage as Harrol continued to screech at an unknown enemy. As Cassian reached to the scabbard that was attached to his belt, Levisia ducked behind a tree. She wanted to avoid any confrontation if she could help it. Cassian and Harrol were bad enough. She didn¡¯t want to be in actual, physical danger. If Cassian told her to run, she would be ready to. After waiting behind the tree for what felt like an eternity, she heard rustling next to her. She froze, waiting to see what else would happen. When a branch snapped, she bent down to pick up a fallen tree branch. Sheshed out at the person who appeared in her peripheral vision, gasping when the figure caught her outstretched hand. ¡°Honestly, who do you think you are? Attacking a member of the Imperial family is a crime, I¡¯ll have you know.¡± Cassian ripped the branch from her hand and let go of her wrist. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you did, or why Elizabeth chose to bring you along. This is a matter for the Kraidens to deal with. Are you a Kraiden?¡± ¡°I¡­ No, I¡¯m not.¡± Levisia held onto her arms, and curled in on herself. She knew she didn¡¯t belong, and Cassian¡¯s words proved it. She was only around because of Elizabeth treating her like a pet. And with Merril using her to get under Elizabeth¡¯s skin, and Lidan being, well, Lidan¡­ She couldn¡¯t fit in even if she tried. But, maybe, she didn¡¯t want to fit in. Before Cassian started shouting at her for Harrol acting up, she preferred his attitude towards her. It meant that she was not being scrutinised for her every mood, and she was free to do what she wanted. Something clicked inside her, like a candle had been struck in the darkness. The Kraidens stuck to her because they liked her, even though it was not that reciprocated. If they were to dislike her, they would go out of their way to avoid her. Levisia couldn¡¯t help but smile at the first glimmer of hope she had felt in a long time. For the remainder of the time she was at the Imperial Pce, her goal had changed from simply trying to survive the ins and outs of the Kraiden politics. Now, she would strive to make them all hate her to the point where they wanted nothing to do with her. ¡°What the hell are you smiling at? You look like you¡¯ve received a divine blessing.¡± Levisia smiled at Cassian¡¯s confused expression. She gave him a proper curtsey, now that her shoulders were not weighed down by his crow. ¡°Thank you, Prince Cassian.¡± She said as she straightened up, her smile still stretching from ear to ear. ¡°You have made me realise something very important. As you say, I am not a Kraiden. Nor do I want to be one. I am Levisia White, and I am going to make my own path. I came here because I was forced to by Elizabeth, and I am going to make the most of a bad situation.¡± ¡°Did you hit your head or something? What are you talking about?¡± Cassian folded his arms. ¡°I don¡¯t know what my siblings see in you.¡± ¡°Neither do I.¡± Levisia started walking away from Cassian. ¡°Oh, and by the way.¡± She turned her head to face him. ¡°Perhaps you should try being nicer to Harrol. Maybe then he mighte to you. Just a thought.¡± She turned back around and continued walking away with a spring in her step. It felt as though a weight had been lifted off her chest, and that the rain clouds that had been loitering about her head had cleared away to reveal a brilliant blue sky. The sun was shining down on her in both the physical and metaphorical sense. She slowed down, basking in the light and the warmth of the sun¡¯s rays. She was certain that nothing could ruin her blissful mood, no matter how unexpected the news. Her smile was still there when she reached the carriages, and she climbed into hers ready to face Elizabeth and Merril. Though, neither of them were there. Not to be deterred, Levisia took out her book and continued reading, able to properly focus on the words without Merril peering over her shoulder. If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! (Note: Patreon is notpulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at ater date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much!)

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Chapter 112 - The Beginning Chapter 112 ¨C The Beginning As Levisia was reading within her carriage, she heard movement from around her. She lowered her book and shuffled over in her carriage, waiting for Elizabeth and Merril to enter. To her confusion, there was no sign of either of them. She waited for around five more minutes, just in case they were doingst minute checks. When there was still no sign of them, Levisia frowned and lowered her book. She climbed out of the carriage and looked around to see tents had been set up in a clearing not far from where the carriages had been parked. ¡°Merril, what¡¯s going on here?¡± She asked, her arms folded. She was trying out her new tactic of making the Kraidens dislike her, and as a result, she spoke to Merril as if she was below her. ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? We¡¯re camping.¡± Merril said, not bothering to look behind her as she carried luggage into one of the tents. ¡°We were meant to be staying at the Tehin estate, but it doesn¡¯t look like we will make it in time. So, we¡¯re camping for the night.¡± Levisia looked up at the sun still high in the sky. It couldn¡¯t have beenter than two in the afternoon. ¡°But surely we could have made it.¡± She said, ¡°It can¡¯t be that far!¡± ¡°Look, I don¡¯t make the rules.¡± Merril shrugged, then threw a bag at Levisia. ¡°Why, are you scared?¡± ¡°Why would I be scared?¡± Levisia clutched her bag. ¡°We¡¯re surrounded by armed soldiers who will protect us. ¡°Not even they can save us from the beasts that roam the woods. There are reports that they howl once the moon rises.¡± Merril leapt out at her, and Levisia barely managed not to flinch. She was still trying her hardest to not let Merril get under her skin, and she came very close to seeding. ¡°Well, I am certain that these talks are just ghost stories children tell to each other. Stories that have gotten out of hand.¡± Levisia looked around at the tents. ¡°Which one is mine?¡± Merril pointed to a tent nearby, and then stepped forwards until her face was pressed up against Levisia¡¯s. ¡°You can always share my tent if you¡¯re scared. It¡¯ll be really cosy with the two of us.¡± Levisia froze in ce. Even though she was afraid there might be beasts roaming the woods, their cries echoing in the night sky, the thought of sharing a tent with Merril filled her with more dread. She put on her biggest smile and shook her head. ¡°No, thank you. I will manage by myself, thank you.¡± She stepped to one side and walked towards her tent. Then, feeling a wave of confidencee over her, she turned around to face Merril. ¡°If you¡¯re scared, maybe you should get Elizabeth to stay with you. I¡¯m sure she would love to.¡± Smirking at Merril¡¯s stunned expression, Levisia turned back around and continued walking to her tent. Inside, it was bare bones, with only a futonid out for her to sleep on. On top of the futon was a nket and single pillow. It was clear that they were only meant as a temporary measure, rather than a long stay. Levisia yearned for a soft bed with pillows, but knew that she had to suck it up. It was only for one night, how bad could it be? She dropped her bag on the ground beside the futon andid out the nket and pillow. As she sat down, she realised that she had left her book behind in the carriage. The only way out was to face Merril again. Levisia stood up tall and threw her head back. She was not going to be intimidated by Merril. Outside the tent, Levisia saw no sign of the Kraidens as she made her way through the camp. Despite trying to keep her confidence levels high, she still walked quickly towards the carriages. She breathed a sigh of relief when she found her book, and felt a sense of euphoria when she came back to the camp to see Merril heading into the woods after Elizabeth. Content to let the sisters deal with themselves, she ducked into her tent and waited for food to be prepared. If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! (Note: Patreon is notpulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at ater date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much!)

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Chapter 113 - The Night Beasts Chapter 113 ¨C The Night Beasts Long after she should have retired for the night, Elizabeth walked through the woods. The only person near was Helga, who was trailing behind her. The moon was shining brightly in the cloudless night sky, and the stars looked as though they had been delicately painted amongst the inky darkness. Even the woods, bathed in a blue light, had an ethereal quality to it. By all ounts, it should have been a peaceful, rxing walk. But Elizabeth could not focus on the moon or the stars. She had other things on her mind. ¡°Your Highness? Please, we should head back to the camp. We don¡¯t know what is out there.¡± Helga called out. Elizabeth ignored her and carried on walking. There had been a howl as soon as night fell, one that everyone had heard. But there had also been a scream, one that Elizabeth was not able to ignore. It had echoed throughout the entire camp, and was loud enough to rouse Elizabeth from her deep slumber. On the way out, she had stopped by Levisia¡¯s tent to peer in to check that she¡¯s safe. To her relief, Levisia was fast asleep on her futon, her book still open on the ground beside her. Content in the knowledge that Levisia was not the one who was in danger, Elizabet had set out to find out who was foolish enough to venture out at night. Besides herself, of course. There had not been another howl since, or at least, not one that Elizabeth had heard. She wondered if the solitary howl, followed by the scream, meant that the beast had found its next meal. ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid, Elizabeth. Of course the beast hasn¡¯t had its meal. The beast doesn¡¯t even exist.¡± She said to herself, pinching herself for thinking such things. ¡°The scream was someone falling down and injuring themselves, nothing more. But if that is the case, then they will still need help. Oh, what am I doing?!¡± A rustling to her left caused her to nearly leap out of her skin. With her magic at the ready, she waited to see who, or what, was about to leap out at her from behind the bushes. ¡°Your Highness! We should run! No good wille of us staying here!¡± Helga said, backing away. Elizabeth didn¡¯t miss how erratic her breathing had be. ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous to be here.¡± ¡°What, have youe to hunt the wild beasts, too?¡± Elizabeth couldn¡¯t help but sigh at Merril emerging from the shadows. Her grin spread from ear to ear, but that did now hide the new scratch that went across her face. Nor the blood that caked her clothing, ¡°Merril, what are you doing out here?¡± Elizabeth said, lowering her hands and waving her magic away. A few sparksnded on the damp grass, sending small wafts of smoke into the air. ¡°I could ask the same for you, dear sister. Are you here to hunt some wild animals, as well? That would be a great story to tell the others. ¡®Elizabeth the Beast yer¡¯, they¡¯ll call you. Well, I¡¯m sorry to say, but they are already dead.¡± Merril wiped her hands on her cloak. ¡°I was out for myte-night stroll when the wild beasts came out and attacked. I had no choice but to defend myself, you know? It wouldn¡¯t do for a member of the Kraidens to die in such an undignified manner, would it?¡± ¡°You¡­ You took on a pack of wild animals by yourself?!¡± Elizabeth reached out and grabbed Merril¡¯s arms. ¡°So that scream? Was that you? And how did you manage to take them all on by yourself?¡± Merril shrugged, and peeled Elizabeth¡¯s hands off her arms. ¡°Maybe it was, maybe it wasn¡¯t. As for how I did it. Well¡­¡± She started walking back towards the camp site. ¡°That is for me to know, and you to find out. Goodnight, Elizabeth.¡± Merril continued walking away, a light spring in her step. Elizabeth watched her, silently seething. It was one thing for Merril to be attacked during herte-night walk and let out a scream like she was in mortal peril, but it was another to im that she killed the wild animals in the area all by herself. Merril was strong, as expected for the Kraiden, but was she strong enough to do such a feat? ¡°Your Highness?¡± Elizabeth ran a hand through her hair and looked at Helga, who was now clutching her shawl around her shoulders. ¡°Yes, Helga?¡± She said, trying to hide the tiredness in her voice. ¡°Merril must have been telling the truth. There are dead animals on the ground near where she came from, the likes of which I have never seen. As odd as it sounds, she really did take them all on and live to tell the tale.¡± Helga dabbed at a spot of blood on her dress. ¡°We should really get back to the camp, now. There is nothing good waiting for us out here.¡± ¡°Yes, I suppose you¡¯re right. We¡¯ve found the source of the scream, and Merril is unharmed. Which is¡­ Good, I guess.¡± Elizabeth took onest look into the woods, now deathly silent save for Helga¡¯s terrified breathing. ¡°Come, Helga. Let us retire for the night. We have a long journey ahead of us tomorrow.¡± If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! (Note: Patreon is notpulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at ater date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much!)

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Chapter 114 - The Emperors Call Chapter 114 ¨C The Emperor¡¯s Call It wasn¡¯t bad for the first night of camping. There were no inconveniences about the sleeping conditions, and unlike what Merril had warned, Levisia could not hear the cries of animals living in the forestst night. She wondered if she was just trying to scare her, as it was something Merril would definitely try to do. Her mischievousness was sometimes unpredictable. Alternatively, Levisia might have gotten lucky. Either way, she didn¡¯t want to experience it for herself. Coming out of the tent and rubbing her eyes to remove the sleepiness from her face, Levisia looked around at the campsite. Everyone was beginning to leave as soon as breakfast had been finished. As she walked around, looking for Elizabeth¡¯s carriage, she saw horses grazing at the entrance of the forest. She smiled at the serene scene, her smile still on her face when she saw Pel walking towards her. Her smile wavered slightly when she saw Pel frowning. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± She said as she closed the gap between them. He looked around and then dragged her behind a tent that had not been dismantled. Leivisia was about toin about being dragged around, when she spotted Siaphyl in the distance. She could not make out what they were saying, yet Pel looked as though he could understand them perfectly. ¡°How did you¡­?¡± she whispered. Pel had an uncanny ability to detect whenever the Kraidens were around, as well hearing them from far away. ¡°I would rather avoid having to deal with them right now.¡± Pel ran his fingers through his hair. ¡°So, how did you sleepst night? Was your tentfortable enough?¡± ¡°I guess?¡± Levisia shrugged, wondering why Pel had changed the topic so suddenly. ¡°How about you?¡± ¡°I was asleep until I smelt blood.¡± Pel said, as if it was a regr urrence and not something that warranted special attention. ¡°You smelt blood?¡± Levisia gasped in horror. ¡°What were you doing outside? How much blood had been spilled that could smell it so clearly? ¡°It¡¯s fine, Levisia. There must have been some animals nearby having a fight, and they got injured in the aftermath.¡± Pel said, folding his arms. ¡°Would exin the screams I heard. Though it was hard to tell if they were human or animal.¡± ¡°You heard screams?!¡± Levisia was close to screaming at the way Pel was acting. Smelling blood and hearing screams in the dead of night were not exactlyforting, even without them being in the middle of a forest in flimsy tents. She was normally a light sleeper, but she must have been out cold in order for her to miss the chaos that had unfolded the previous night. In a way, she was thankful that she, for once, was not caught up in the madness. ¡°Levisia.¡± Pel grabbed Levisia by the shoulders. ¡°Forget I said anything. This conversation never happened. Now, you should pack your bags up. It looks like we¡¯re getting ready to leave soon.¡± As Pel walked away, Levisia sighed as how irritating Pel was being. Bringing up all this information and then not even bothering to go into detail about it. She was going to let it drop so she could tidy her things away, but as soon as she got a moment alone with him, she was going to question him and ensure she got straight answers. With the tent she was hiding behind now being dismantled, Levisia wandered through the camp back to her own tent. She was beginning to regret evering along on the inspection. * * * Seven days after leaving the Capital, Levisia was beginning to get agitated. Seven days of being cramped in a carriage with Elizabeth and Merril was starting to wear on her already frayed nerves, and she almost wept with relief when the convoy stopped for a break outside the border to the Southern territory. Levisia had been looking forward to a long and rxing break with one of her books, where she could read without Merril looking over her shoulder, but fate had other ideas. No sooner had she sat down and opened her book, Elizabeth knocked on the window of the carriage. ¡°Your presence is requested.¡± She said, opening the door before Levisia could respond. ¡°His Majesty is waiting for us.¡± Biting her lip, Levisia closed her book and exited the carriage. She had no idea why His Majesty the Emperor, who had never been interested in Levisia, suddenly called her. It couldn¡¯t be because he had a special interest in her. Elizabeth mentioned that he knew she was tagging along for the trip, but outside of that, they had never interacted. Elizabeth led Levisia towards a tent at the back of the makeshift campsite, where the other Kraidens were all gathered. Lidan narrowed his eyes at her, and Siaphyl gave her a nervous, and slightly confused, wave. Chapter 115 - A Secret No Longer Chapter 115 ¨C A Secret No Longer Levisia was thinking about how to ease the tension as she dipped into a low curtsey. ¡°Prince Lidan, Prince Siaphyl. It has been a long time.¡± She said, acting as though she hadn¡¯t already bumped into Lidan before. ¡°Levisia? What are you doing here?¡± Siaphyl asked, tilting his head in confusion and pointing to her. ¡°Indeed, Levy. Fancy seeing you here. I thought I would be seeing you back at the pce.¡± Lidan said, looking down at his nails. ¡°So, who dragged you along for the ride? Was it dearest Merril, or our very own Elizabeth?¡± He moved his head to gaze at the two sisters. Levisia left incredibly small standing between them as they exchanged nces between themselves and their brothers. ¡°I didn¡¯t have any say in this.¡± Merril said, holding her hands by her head. ¡°I only found out after we left the manor on the first night. It was Elizabeth who decided this. The only way she could buy my silence was to allow me to travel in her carriage.¡± Elizabeth sharply inhaled through her nostrils, causing Merril to shy away from her. Lidan smirked and sauntered over to her, staring directly into Elizabeth¡¯s eyes. Levisia stepped away from the two just in time for Siaphyl to grab her by the arm. ¡°How could you not tell us, Levy?¡± He said, mping his hands around hers. There was a clear look of hurt in his eyes, like he was thest to know a secret that everyone was aware of. ¡°Oh¡­ I¡­¡± Levisia thought back to all the times Elizabeth made a huge fuss about her remaining hidden, and how the one time she disobeyed that order, she had bumped into Cassian and his bird. As well as the time she dragged Pel into her carriage to avoid Lidan. How could she tell Siaphyl that? She tried toe up with an excuse, but in the end, decided toe out with the truth. ¡°Elizabeth decided that I should remain hidden. Merril found out early, but she still wanted to keep my presence a secret. Only Elizabeth and the Emperor were made aware of this. I swear I had nothing to do with this.¡± Siaphyl¡¯s eyes shook. It was hard to stare into his eyes, so Levisia turned her head. From that point, Cassian was seen approaching. Her heart sank as she pulled her hands away from Siaphyl and waited for him to notice her. As he made eye contact with her, she checked that Harrol wasn¡¯t around and greeted him respectfully. Once their eyes met, there was nothing she could do. All she could hope was that he would not give away the fact that they had already met on the trip, thus rendering Elizabeth¡¯s ns to keep her secret moot. Though, her being there in front of the Kraidens had already meant that the whole n was already useless, and only left a lot of questions as to why Elizabeth went to such drastic levels to keep quiet about her presence. ¡°Good morning, Prince Cassian.¡± She dipped into another low curtsey. ¡°Is Harrol out hunting?¡± Her eyes widened as soon as she finished speaking. No sooner had she hoped Cassian wouldn¡¯t give their meeting away, she opened her mouth and spoiled it for the both of them. She slowly stood up straight to find all five Kraidens looking down at her. Cassian merely rolled his eyes and red at her, as if he was disappointed in her for being so careless. Siaphyl¡¯s jaw had hit the floor, and Lidan¡¯s eyes were as wide as saucers. Merril opened her mouth as if to speak, but Elizabeth, who had closed her eyes, cut her off. ¡°Levisia.¡± She said, with a heavy sigh. She opened her eyes and stepped towards Levisia. ¡°I was under the impression that only Merril knew about me bringing you along. It had not been brought to my attention that you and Cassian had met. I didn¡¯t even know the two of you had met before.¡± ¡°Of course we¡¯ve met.¡± Cassian rolled his eyes. ¡°She lives in the same pce as us. How can I have not met her? It¡¯s not like you don¡¯t drag her around and force her to go wherever you want her to.¡± He folded his arms and stared directly at Elizabeth. ¡°And you failed to keep an eye on her, because she stumbled upon me when she was out for a walk. Maybe, if you were that intent on keeping her hidden, you shouldn¡¯t have let her walk around unguarded.¡± Levisia stepped out in between them, eager to break up the fight that she could sense was brewing. ¡°Let¡¯s all just¡­ Calm down, shall we? We¡¯re here to see the Emperor, are we not? Let¡¯s go see him, instead.¡± She said, with a fake smile on her face. Things would have been so better had she not been invited. If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! (Note: Patreon is notpulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at ater date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much!)

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Chapter 116 - Graced By The Emperor’s Presence The first stop within the Southern territories was at the estate of Count and Countess Mentine. Levisia watched as the Count stepped out of his manor to greet the Emperor and the convoy. Behind him were several members of the household, which Levisia assumed were his family. ¡°Your Majesty, it is an honour.¡± The Count bowed, his hand over his heart. ¡°Count Mentine.¡± The Emperor nodded at him, and waved him up. Up close, Levisia could see that Count Mentine was an older man with his gray hair neatly pulled back. He seemed to be a simr age, or older, with the Emperor. Behind him, Levisia caught the eyes of a boy around her age, who was coughing slightly as he stood up straight. The Count had obviously caught Levisia staring, as he loudly cleared his throat. ¡°This is my oldest son, Cheta Mentine.¡± Count Mentine spoke in a booming voice, gesturing for Cheta to step forwards. ¡°Nice to meet you! I mean¡­¡± Cheta let out an awkwardugh. ¡±It is an honour to meet you.¡± He bowed his head deeply, and then rose to step back. Levisia could not shake off the feeling that there was a strange familiarity about him. She stared at him a bit more, suppressing the urge to gasp when it suddenly dawned on her. Rayne Moore. Levisia got a sense of Rayne ¨C Elizabeth¡¯s brother and the weakest of the Imperial court ¨C from Cheta Mentine. But he wasn¡¯t the only one. Not only the decrepit Countess Mentine, who was hovering at the Count¡¯s side, but also the other maids and servants. In fact, everyone looked somewhat miserable. ¡°You all are not looking too well.¡± Cassian muttered from his position next to the Emperor. The Count made no attempt to deny the usations. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to have troubled you¡­¡± He started speaking, only for the Emperor to cut him off. ¡°Let¡¯s talk inside.¡± He walked ahead with a serious look on his face while the others followed close behind. Just like at the Filendell estate, the first thing was to assign their rooms. When Levisia and the other members scattered, only Count Mentine and the Emperor were seen moving separately. ¡°Is something going on?¡± She whispered to the nearest Kraiden to her, Siaphyl. He responded with a half-hearted shrug. Elizabeth hadn¡¯t once exined the schedule of the inspection to Levisia. However, she thought that it was strange they had to look at only the southern part of the country, as well as to push up the date that had been kept year after year. But since the atmosphere of the Mentine estate was unusual, she thought that the inspection might actually have a different meaning. ¡°This ce, it has a weird mood.¡± Pel hissed at Levisia as they reached one of the bedrooms. She looked at him and nodded. ¡°So, you¡¯ve noticed it as well?¡± She asked as Pel set the luggage down and took a swipe at some dust on a table. He held up his dust-covered finger to Levisia. ¡°Indeed I have. And they neglected to clean this ce.¡± Pel wiped the dust on his trousers. ¡°I couldn¡¯t imagine having my ce look like this if I had Imperial guestsing to stay.¡± She also tilted her head as if to suspect something strange. On the surface, the management of the ce did not seem too bad. But, upon closer inspection, many things stood out.. ¡°Didn¡¯t they all look so depressed?¡± She folded her arms. ¡°The maid we just saw¡­ She looked so tired behind the eyes. She doesn¡¯t have an infectious disease or something like that, right?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± Levisia said, rolling her eyes. ¡°But they¡¯re all acting like sick dogs.¡± Pel frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t know if there¡¯s another problem.¡± Levisia paused to reflect on everything that was going on. She wasn¡¯t sure if it was rted to the withering of the fairy trees, but if it was, it would exin a lot. She suddenly recalled something she had read in a book. Wasn¡¯t the Kraiden¡¯s abnormally rapid copse not only due to the struggle over the throne but also to other causes? She thought about how she needed to leave the country. Before, she thought about secretly living in the countryside, but if there was another seed of disturbance, it would be better to leave the country altogether. Her thoughts shifted from the disharmony felt from the Mentine estate to her future ns for survival. ¡°I should learn a foreignnguage.¡± She smiled to herself, before realizing that she had spoken her thoughts out loud and now how Pel and She were staring at her like she had lost her mind. Right when she was about to exin herself, there was an interruption. If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! (Note: Patreon is notpulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at ater date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much!)

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Chapter 117 - Obscure Impression ¡°Knock knock.¡± Lidan was grinning at her after making a knocking sound with his voice instead of knocking on the already opened door. ¡°Shall we go eat, Levy?¡± As soon as he appeared, Pel and She began to move in search of their own business. Levisia stood motionless, nodding in defeat. ¡°Yes, I supposed we should.¡± She sighed, as now that everyone knew that she was around, there was no excuse for her to not eat with the Imperial family. ¡°Have you been eating alone up until now?¡± Lidan asked as they walked down the stairs to the ground floor where the dining room was located. ¡°I did whenever Elizabeth and Merril ate together.¡± Levisia replied, giving nothing else away. Just because she was walking with Lidan did not mean she had to indulge him in conversation. As she walked alongside him, making sure to keep her distance, she noticed him looking at her from the corner of her eye. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± She spun round to face him, hands folded. Lidan looked at her as if he was a beast and he felt a sense of pity for the rabbit he was stalking. ¡°That face you just made was cute, Levy.¡± He said with a smirk and a shrug. Levisia scoffed and rolled her eyes. Levisia didn¡¯t bother giving him the satisfaction of an answer and continued to walk down the stairs. As soon she hit the ground floor, she encountered Merril and Siaphyl, who had obviously been waiting for them. ¡°It¡¯s nice to have a quality meal, one that is not made in the middle of a campsite. Right, Levisia?¡± Merril smiled at her. Levisia nodded at her, and that seemed to be enough to satisfy her. She scuttled away as Lidan and Siaphyl began questioning Merril over something she could not make out. She let them talk amongst themselves as she heard footstepsing down the stairs. Coming down one step at a time was Elizabeth. As soon as reached the ground floor, she took one look at them, turned her back, and started walking away. Levisia, not wanting to be near the other Kraidens, trailed behind Elizabeth like a lost child. Not that it mattered, as soon she was surrounded by them as they all piled into the dining room. Inside the dining room, which had been buzzing with activity, Levisia spotted that six spaces had beenid out for them. She lurked in the background as someone got to their feet and bowed to each of them all. They began to greet them all in turn, before Lidan interrupted them and gestured for them to sit. He settled at the far end of the table, almost as though he had eaten there before and was familiar with the spot. He pulled out the chair next to him and waved for Levisia to join in. ¡°Come here, Levy. There¡¯s a seat right here for you.¡± Levisia hesitated, as she loathed to sit beside Lidan and his creepy remarks against her. But she didn¡¯t have much in the way of luck, as both Siaphyl and Merril were dragging her around and trying to get her to side with them. The only Kraidens not fighting over were Elizabeth, who was watching everything unfold from the sidelines, and Cassian who was already in his seat and avoiding eye contact with everyone. Levisia pulled away from Merril and Siaphyl and ended up sitting in the first seat she came across, which happened to be next to Cassian. At least he would avoid her whilst she tried to wrap her head around her thoughts. There was something off about the people within the manor. She couldn¡¯t quite ce her finger on it, but the way everyone, save for the Kraidens, were looking at her was making her feel uneasy and on edge. The Kraidens, once they had finally found their spaces at the table, were talking to themselves. They were animated in their gestures, and their faces were full of different emotions. Everyone else, byparison, seemed to only have one emotion: sadness. The way their heads hung down low, and their hands resting on the tables. On the asion they did look up, Levisia could see that their eyes were empty and vacant. Not to mention the dark circles under their eyes, indicating that they were not getting enough sleep. Levisia looked down at her empty te, not wanting them to maintain eye contact with them for much longer than she needed. The sooner the dinner was over and she could escape their dead eyes, the better. She prayed that the food was at least better than thepany, and her rumbling stomach seemed to agree with her. She would work out what was happening after a substantial meal. If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! (Note: Patreon is notpulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at ater date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much!)

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Chapter 118 - Unwanted Attention Levisia sat quietly in her seat, waiting for the Emperor and Count Mentine to find their seats. She remained silent even as the food was brought out, which was unfortunate as nd as everything she had eaten at the camps. She hadn¡¯t said anything, and yet she was still getting attention from everyone. The Kraidens all tried to talk to her at once like they werepeting with one another. Or they were impatient because Levisia hadn¡¯t given them anything. Everyone except Cassian couldn¡¯t take their eyes off her. Cassian was content to leave her in peace, not bothering to even look her way. She wished with every fiber of her being that more of the Kraidens would be like Cassian. After quickly finishing her meal, Levisia excused herself from the table, stating that she needed to go for a walk and get some fresh air due to the stuffy atmosphere. Anything just to get away from the Kraidens. Unfortunately, they all had the same idea and followed her. She suppressed the urge to groan as she walked around the manor, Lidan slinging an arm over her shoulder. ¡°You will have to get used to this.¡± He said, jostling her shoulder. His words sent a chill down her spine. It¡¯s like they were a warning that the stalkerish behavior would continue. ¡°She won¡¯t get used to this¡­¡± Cassian muttered, to which Siaphylughed. ¡°Levy, you have to,¡± he said with a smile that Levisia could tell was false. ¡°Everyone does.¡± Everyone? Did they mean that there were more people in the same situation she was in? ¡°Who do you think you are?¡± Elizabeth said, which did little to dampen the thoughts racing around her mind. ¡°Some girls act stupid after getting a little treatment,¡± Merril said as she walked with her fingers wrapped around the back of her head. At her words, Lidan nced to the side andughed. ¡°Levy is different.¡± Presumably, it was the other family in the dining room that Kraiden¡¯s words were aimed at. As she was sandwiched between the Kraidens and carried along with wherever they were going, she thought about the prince that had sat next to her at the fairy festival. He had been amongst the people sitting at the table. Levisia wondered who he was, and how he was getting on. Was he free to be himself, unlike her who was stuck with the Kraidens? She felt like she was left dangling over a cliff, with only a thin piece of string in ce holding her up. And on the other end of the string were the Kraidens, who could let go at any minute. What they didn¡¯t know is that she wanted them to let go. She wanted to be free from them, free to live her own life away from the Kraidens. As they went into a living room and sat down on the couches, she felt a sense of unease about them. Sandwiched between Elizabeth and Siaphyl, listening to themugh about those who were desperate for their attention, she felt herself being disconnected from everyone. It was like she was surrounded by concrete walls, with no way out. * After the Kraidens left, the family who joined them at the dining hall all excused themselves and went into a separate parlor for their own private tea time. The tea and saucers were all prepared for them, along with a selection of small sandwiches and cakes. They all sat down at the table and stared at the teacups in front of them, all too lost in their own thoughts to pour themselves a cup. The first one to pour himself a cup of tea was Jedian Holter, the prince from the fairy festival. He took a deep sip of the tea as the thirteenth prince stared at him. ¡°What in the world are you going to do about this? Did you know that, Jedian?¡± He said, tilting his head at Jedian. ¡°Yeah, how can you be so nonchnt about it¡­¡± mumbled the eleventh princess, sitting to the left of the thirteenth prince. At her words, Jedian set his teacup down and scratched his cheek. ¡°I was also surprised, but¡­ Well, I thought it was fresh.¡± He said with a weakugh as he rubbed the back of his neck. ¡°Fresh?¡± The ninth prince¡¯s eyes shot open at Jedian¡¯s words. ¡°It¡¯s just ¡®fresh¡¯ to you that we don¡¯t even know where this thing, something that is threatening our position, ising from?¡± Envy and anger broiled from the ninth prince¡¯s voice. The fifth princess, who had been quietly sitting beside him and watching him, reached out for her hand. ¡°Calm down, Roman,¡± she pleaded with him, gently resting her hand on his. He snatched his hand away. ¡°Does this make sense, Luna? Does this make any sense?!¡± If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! (Note: Patreon is notpulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at ater date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much!)

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Chapter 119 - The Special Of Them All Luna Lizia didn¡¯t reply to Roman¡¯s question. Roman quickly scanned the faces of those who sat around and spoke again, apparently not hoping for her response. ¡°How did we win this position!¡± He yelled at everyone, turning his gaze towards Jedian. ¡°Don¡¯t you remember Deon being thrown out as soon as that guy came in?¡± A cough came up from Jedian¡¯s throat, which almost sounded like a sore throat. He knew. about the existence of the twelfth prince who had been pushed out after his second term. ¡°Who do you think will be next? Huh? Is everyone confident that you won¡¯t be kicked out?¡± Roman concluded, throwing his arms out as if to emphasize his point. ¡°No way that could happen,¡± answered the thirteenth princess, her face as pale as a ghost. ¡°Not me. I don¡¯t want to go back to that yhouse of a pce.¡± At her words, everyone recalled the same thing. The day when Levisia became one of the many ¡®nameless royal families¡¯ living without a sense of presence. Born with skills that couldn¡¯t match that of a Kraiden, they saw the light only because they had a choice of sessors. If it weren¡¯t for that, they¡¯d still be enduring the disapproving nces of the non-royalty. A stifling atmosphere fell over everyone, as if they were being weighed down by all the previous generations of royalty. Luna was the first one to break the ufortable silence. ¡°Everyone might know this, but there is nothing we can do about it. If that¡¯s what they mean, we have no choice but to ept it.¡± A few faces twisted painfully as if they¡¯d eaten bitter medicine. Though they were angered by it, they all knew that what she said was right. From the beginning, there was no way that they could decide what they were in the ¡®chosen¡¯ position for. With the tension lifting up slightly, Jedian looked at the others and nodded. ¡°Aren¡¯t we here because we got lucky anyway?¡± He muttered under his breath. ¡°Luck? You think this is luck?¡± Roman cracked a twisted smile and tilted his head crookedly at Jedian, ¡°You think we¡¯re lucky? You¡¯re barely chin-up with the second term.¡± Roman shot to his feet, knocking his chair backward. His hands were clenched in tight fists. ¡°Roman, stop it.¡± The thirteenth prince leapt to his feet and blocked Roman with his arms, but Roman ignored him and jabbed his finger at Jedian. ¡°You¡¯re telling me that I should ept that all of your abilities are down to luck?¡± He snapped, mming his hands onto the table and jolting the teacups. Ignoring the scalding liquid pouring over his hands, he turned away from Jedian. Luna began to mop up the spilled tea with a pile of napkins. ¡°Of course it was down to luck. Luck that we had been gifted these abilities.¡± Jedian pushed his chair out and got to his feet. ¡°After all, weren¡¯t we all tested for our abilities, and had to be verified?¡± He smirked at Roman and folded his arms across his chest. ¡°R-right! W-we¡¯re all here because we¡¯ve been tested for our abilities, right?¡± The thirteenth princess piped up, her hands sped in front of her heart. Her gaze altered between Jedian and Roman. ¡°We were all tested, and we all reacted to the fairy stone. Right?¡± ¡°Not all of us.¡± Jedian frowned, his eyebrows knitting together. ¡°There is someone out there who didn¡¯t even react to the fairy stone.¡± ¡°Yeah, Levisia seems to have no abilities of her own and had no reaction to the fairy stone. Yet, she gets to hang around with the Kraidens all day.¡± Roman wiped the tea off his hand with a napkin and drummed his fingers on the table. ¡°I wonder if the Kraidens know about this? They¡¯ll leave as soon as they find out, and what will happen to Levisia then?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way they don¡¯t know what we know,¡± the eleventh princess murmured in a tone of voice as if he didn¡¯t believe what he was hearing. ¡°Ah, but you see. You¡¯ll just have to reveal it to everyone. How ridiculous it is for someone as insignificant as Levisia to take such an important role.¡± Roman chuckled and sped his hands together. ¡°Then we will see how special Levisia really is. Or rather, isn¡¯t.¡± A hushed silence fell over the room, with everyone looking at each other and back to Roman. They all nodded in silent agreement, before returning to their now cold tea and requesting that a fresh pot be brewed for them. If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! (Note: Patreon is notpulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at ater date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much!)

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Chapter 120 - Enmity Jedian did not go back to his room as he had a lot on his mind. After pacing up and down the hall, he came to a stop and stared nkly out of the window. Moonlight shone through the clouds and over the garden. He paused, watching the gentle breeze blowing the des of grass, and decided to head outside for a walk. His head was about to ache because of all the crazy thoughts He already knew that Roman hated him, as evidenced by the way he looked at him. Yet he couldn¡¯t help but wonder if it was his fault Roman hated him so. Roman clearly had a reason to hate him. First, he loathed ¡®the ungifted¡¯. However, Jedian had lived his whole life below others, and didn¡¯t his bted revtion lead to him being among the ¡®gifted¡¯? He got lucky considering the revtion of his skills and the fact that he had caught Merill¡¯s eyes at the right moment.. There was no other way to exin that. However, what he considered lucky to himself had be a threat to others. Such as Deon Hill. Roman, who was close with him, couldn¡¯t believe Jedian had taken Deon¡¯s seat after he had lost it. Jedian never mentioned a word about Deon since he too knew that fact. But despite that, Roman continued to despise Jedian. He seemed to want to nt guilt inside him. Jedian felt a wave of nausea hit him, and he dropped onto his hands and knees and started dry heaving. It was his fault, and at the same time, not his fault. One thing was certain: It was that he couldn¡¯t change anything. The ball had not been in his court from the beginning. Even Roman wouldn¡¯t be oblivious of that fact. But he couldn¡¯t test the one holding the ball, so there was nothing he could do. The same went for Levisia¡¯s situation. Jedian knew that Levisia¡¯s skills were insufficient, but the Kraidens were so eager to look good in front of her. He swore he had never seen such a scene in his life before. He had never thought that those who were too high to reach would do that to anyone. And it seemed that a few of the others had simr thoughts. But not Roman. He had even brought up Deon¡¯s situation,ying it out for everyone to hear. Jedian was in a state of uneasiness. Roman had put on a good front, but there was a real intention. He just did not like Levisia, the same way he disliked Jedian. And there was the thirteenth princess, Kori Sure. Whilst she was alike to Roman in so many ways, it was clear which one held the most hostility. Jedian was so lost in his thoughts that when someone spoke to him, he was jolted back to reality. He looked up to see a pair of eyes, green as fresh summer¡¯s grass, looking down at him. ¡°Princess Levisia¡­¡± He said as he scrambled to his feet. ¡°Apologies. I did not see you there.¡± When his eyes met hers, the hazy fog that had clouded his head cleared up, for reasons unknown even to him. ¡°No need to worry. I was just passing through, and I will be on my way now..¡± Levisia said with a smile, and she walked past Jedian. Without thinking, he reached out and grabbed her arm. When she stopped and looked at him, all he could offer was a sheepish smile. ¡°Can, I, uh, join¡­¡± He said, struggling to find his words. Fortunately, Levisia seems to pick up on what he was trying to say. ¡°Join me? Why, are you lost?¡± Levisia said, fiddling with her hair. ¡°Well, truth be told it is also my first time here. We can¡¯t wander off too far off, but I think it¡¯ll be all right for the time being. I can¡¯t go to my room anyway.¡± Jedian frowned. The sun had set hours ago, and the full moon was high in the sky. Why on Earth could she not go back to get room? ¡°Why aren¡¯t you¡­?¡± He began to speak, but Levisia cut him off. ¡°Because some of the Kraidens will be moving about the ce, and others will be lurking.¡± Levisia quickly nced around her. ¡°We should get moving. If I stay in one ce for a long time, they¡¯lle looking for me like bloodhounds.¡± She hurried past him, and then stopped and looked behind her. ¡°You¡¯re noting? I thought you said you wanted to join me? ¡°Oh. I¡¯ming¡­.¡± He knew that he sounded like an idiot when he stuttered, but there was no way of fixing it. It had been nothing short of embarrassment ever since they met. If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! (Note: Patreon is notpulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at ater date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much!)

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Chapter 121 - Predicament Jedian nced at Levisia the whole time they walked. There was something bubbling beneath the surface, something that Jedian knew that Levisia had also picked up on. The way she kept ncing over at him suggested that she wanted to say something, or maybe she was waiting for him to talk. They walked a little longer in the awkward silence until Levisia came to a halt and turned on her heels to face Jedian. ¡°If you have something to say, please say it,¡± Levisia said, rubbing her arm. ¡°Look, if this is about what happened back at the dining hall¡­¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not that.¡± Jedian blurted out. Levisia blinked at him several times and tilted her head off to the side. Jedian bit his lip and sighed. ¡°Actually, there is something. The Kraidens¡­ They do seem a little possessive over you. Always trying to get close to you and such.¡± Levisia¡¯s face scrunched up, almost as if she had tasted something sour. Jedian immediately regretted asking. ¡°I wish I knew. Why don¡¯t you ask them yourself?¡± She said with a shrug. ¡°I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll be able to tell you, and then you can report back to me with your findings.¡± ¡°Report back? I¡­ Oh¡­¡± Jedian quickly realized what Levisia meant. Levisia herself had no idea why they were obsessed over her and was using him to find out why. ¡°Oh, no. I couldn¡¯t possibly talk to the Kraidens. How would I even go about¡­¡± His words died in his throat as he remembered what Roman had told him. The venomous glee in his voice as heid down his ns to expose Levisia to the Kraidens bounced around his mind. ¡°Jedian, are you alright?¡± At the sound of his name, he came back to his senses. Levisia was frowning at him, though worry was stered across her face. He knew he had to tell someone about what Roman was going to do, but who could he tell? Which one of the Kraidens would not immediately kill him? He closed his eyes and pictured the Kraidens, wondering which one he would picture first. Merril sprung into his mind. Shaking his head, he repeated the process. Yet again, Merril appeared into his thoughts. Yes, Merril was his best bet. She would solve the problem swiftly. Elizabeth would fry him where he stood for daring to have a bad thought about her precious Levisia, Lidan would likelyugh at his face and not believe him, Cassian would not care at all, and who knows how Siaphyl would react? Merril was rational enough to listen and powerful enough to make everything right. ¡°I am quite alright, Levisia. I will get going now. Goodnight.¡± Jedian said with a bow and turned to walk away. There was a spring in his step, his mood brighter now that he had found a solution to his problems. He would ask Merril about why the Kraidens were so possessive over Levisia, as well as warn her about Roman. He barely walked three steps before he bumped into someone else who was out for ate-night walk. Fearing he had encountered a Kraiden, and that they had overheard his conversation with Levisia, he began to rapidly apologise. ¡°Stop apologizing. What are you doing here sote at night?¡± Jedian looked up to see Pel staring down at him. He scoffed and brushed past him without waiting for a response. ¡°Pel! Isn¡¯t it dangerous for us to be seen together like this?¡± The way Levisia spoke to Pel seemed that they had more familiarity than that of a servant and their master. Jedian hurried away from them and around a corner, peering out to eavesdrop on their conversation. ¡°Levisia. How many times have I said that it is chilly at night?¡± Pel said, taking off his jacket and draping it around Levisia¡¯s shoulders. ¡°It is colder here than back at the pce.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t have time to go to my room and get a jacket.¡± Levisia pulled the jacket tighter around her. ¡°And why would the southern regions be colder than home? Surely it should be warmer.¡± ¡°Regardless of what the weather should be like, what on Earth are you doing running around in that dress?¡± Pel nodded to the thin and floaty dress Levisia was wearing. ¡°I told you, I didn¡¯t have time to go back to my room. I couldn¡¯t grab a jacket, let alone change out of my dress into something warm.¡± Levisia reached out to touch Pel¡¯s hand. ¡°Besides, it sounds like you want to see more.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t test me.¡± Pel tucked a strand of hair behind Levisia¡¯s hair. Jedian pped his hands over his mouth and ducked back behind the corner. He knew that there was something more going on that they were letting on. If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! (Note: Patreon is notpulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at ater date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much!)

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Chapter 122 - Disclosing The next morning, Merril was reading in her bed when she heard a knock at her door. Frowning, she marked her ce with a bookmark, closed her book, and climbed out of bed. She knew it wouldn¡¯t be any of her siblings, as they wouldn¡¯t go out of their way to interact with her, even when they were back home. And Levisia? She was actively trying to avoid them, so there was no way she was knocking, either. She draped a robe over her nightclothes and opened the door, peering around it. To her surprise, it was Jedian, who was awkwardly shuffling on his feet. ¡°Morning, sweet thing.¡± She said, deliberatelyying on the charm. ¡°What can I help you with?¡± ¡°I, well¡­¡± Jedian sped his hands together and inhaled deeply. ¡°I need to tell you something important!¡± He said with one breath. ¡°Oh? Is that so?¡± Merril smiled. A smug sense of satisfaction washed over her. She, out of her siblings, had been chosen by Jedian to be the recipient of some news. It could be nothing, but she was still willing to hear him out, if only to rub it in Elizabeth¡¯s faceter on. She stepped to the side to allow Jedian to enter her bedroom, and closed the door behind him. Perching on the edge of her bed, she waved him over to the armchair that was in the corner. Jedian seemed apprehensive, constantly looking around him as if he was being watched. Merril sighed and went to stand by the door. She leant against it and folded her arms, her patience beginning to wear thin. Her precious time was being wasted. ¡°Look, there is no one here but us, alright? Soe on then. Out with it.¡± She said, staring at Jedian. ¡°Alright. So, after dinnerst night, I was talking to everyone in my group, and they threatened to¡­¡± Jedian paused, clearly struggling to find the right words, ¡°Expose Levisia. Saying that she has not reacted to the fairy stone and that she has no abilities of her own, and that she can still hang out with the Kra-, I mean, with you. And then I bumped into Levisia herself and we had a little chat about¡­ Well, about what I¡¯m telling you now.¡± Merril knew that Jedian was lying. Not about the threat to Levisia, but about the conversation he had with her. The way he was avoiding looking into her eyes and was stumbling over his words was evident that he was hiding the truth. However, she was willing to let that slide. Whatever they talked about was not her business, and she would find out soon enough, anyway. ¡°I see.¡± She said, stroking her chin with her hand. ¡°Thank you for telling me, Jedian. I will take it from here. I¡¯ll inform the Kraidens and soon all this will be swept under the rug, like it never happened.¡± She stepped to one side and opened the bedroom door. ¡°Which is what I want you to do. I want you to walk out of this room and pretend we never had this conversation. As far as you and I are concerned, we never met.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Jedian jumped to his feet. ¡°If the others find out that I told you, they¡¯ll¡­¡± ¡°They aren¡¯t going to go, are they? Because you are going to keep your mouth shut.¡± Merril said, gesturing to the door. ¡°Now get going before someonees along and finds us here.¡± * Levisia watched from her bedroom window as some of the Kraidens had taken it upon themselves to explore the estate. She was content to keep herself in her room, the door locked so the Kraidens who didn¡¯t go out couldn¡¯t wander in and disturb her peace. Not that she could get much peace. Her mind was racing as she thought back to Jedian, who had looked like he had lots to say to her. Yesterday he was a little odd. But she was just specting. After all, how much would she know about someone who she¡¯d only met three times in her entire life? She nearly jumped out of her skin and knocked her tea pot over at the sound of the door knocking. Holding her breath, she waited to see if whoever was on the other end would knock again. If they did, it was Pel, and she would be able to unlock her door. To avoid the Kraidens, the two of them had devised a special knock so she would know exactly who was knocking at the door. She left the seat by the window and hurried over to unlock the door. As soon as Pel was safely inside, she locked the door back again. ¡°Don¡¯t get toofortable, I¡¯m afraid. We¡¯ve been called down for lunch.¡± Pel shook his head. ¡°There is something strange about this ce. It¡¯s like the entire estate has fallen into a slump, with all its inhabitants deprived of energy.¡± If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! (Note: Patreon is notpulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at ater date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much!)

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Chapter 123 - Chetter’s Discovery ¡°I don¡¯t feel any different,¡± Levisia said as she reluctantly unlocked the door. She wanted to stay in her room, but she was also incredibly hungry. Out in the hallway, she bumped into She who was emerging from her own room. She let out a yawn that seemed to originate from her soul. ¡°Oh, are you talking about the strange atmosphere of this ce? Now that you mention it, I also haven¡¯t been feeling well sinceing here. But it may just be all in my head.¡± ¡°Well, you can¡¯t ignore that you¡¯ve gotten older,¡± Pel said without any hesitation, prompting She to re at him. Levisia also thought that he had been quite rude, yet she still suppressed a giggle as she faced She. ¡°You¡¯re probably just tired from the journey, She.¡± She offered as they all walked towards the staircase. She couldn¡¯t deny that the mood surrounding the Mentine estate was odd, and as she was an outsider, she felt that something fishy was going on in this ce. And that had nothing to do with the estate. ¡°Tomorrow we leave, so don¡¯t worry too much.¡± She was here on the inspection team, but everyone knew she was on the sideline. No one expected anything from her nor did anyone ask her to get involved in anything. Her goal was to stay out of sight as much as possible. Having said that, she felt like she had be a piece of luggage, following such busy people. As she headed into lunch with Pel and She, she felt someone grab hold of her hand and let out a shriek. Pel immediately spun around and snatched her hand away, glowering at the person behind her. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m so sorry¡­¡± Levisia turned around to see someone frantically apologising to her. He stepped forwards and dipped into a low bow. She recognised him as Chetter Mentine, the eldest son of the Count. And next to him, Elizabeth had a look on her face that suggested she was close to killing him and hiding the body. ¡°Forgive me, Your Highness. It¡¯s just that¡­ Your hand.¡± Chetter looked down at his own hands. ¡°For the past few days, I have been struck down with a mysterious illness that has left me feeling lethargic and tired. But you¡­ One touch of your hand and I felt all that disappear.¡± Chetter rambled on about how Levisia had saved his life, as Levisia looked around and made eye contact with Lidan. For the first time ever, they both seemed to share the same thoughts: confusion as to what Chetter was talking about. Looking back at Chetter, Levisia thought back to Rayne, and how he had been before and after her visit. She hadn¡¯t done anything particrly special to him, and yet he acted like she had given him another chance of life. ¡°Princess Levisia!¡± Chetter grabbed hold of Levisia¡¯s hands again, causing Elizabeth to let out an audible hiss. ¡°Could it be that you are blessed? Have you received the blessing of the fairy king himself?¡± ¡°I¡­ What?!¡± Levisia yanked her hands away. Was she blessed with the ability to heal someone of their illnesses and cure what ails them? Did she truly possess such a gift? Could that be the reason she showed no signs of having abilities like Elizabeth and Lidan? She clenched her hands into fists and firmly shook her head. She refused to believe it. There was no way she could do such a thing. And even if she could, there was no way she was going to publicly admit it. ¡°Chetter, I apologise, but I believe you are mistaken.¡± She said, trying to keep her voice level and calm. She gestured to Elizabeth with her head that she wanted to leave the situation behind, and fortunately, Elizabeth was quick to respond. In a rare disy of teamwork, the Kraidens all crowded around Levisia to shield her from Chetter. Now out of sight, Levisia buried her head in her hands. There was no way she possessed such a power, one that she didn¡¯t even know she had. None of the Kraidens had informed her of this, and she always thought that it was just herpany that made people feel better. She didn¡¯t know it was an actual ability she had. And what would the Kraidens make of it? Would they force her to use her powers against her will? ¡°Come along, Levisia. We are leaving.¡± Elizabeth shielded her with her arms and led her down another corridor away from Chetter. ¡°How did he know?¡± Levisia asked, looking up from her hands. ¡°How did he know to grab my hand? Did he know about my power, or was he grabbing my hand for the sake of it?¡± If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! (Note: Patreon is notpulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at ater date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much!)

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Chapter 124 - Abrupt Summon Levisia was fast asleep when she was awoken by someone knocking on her door. Unsure if she had just imagined it, she sat up in bed and waited to see if whoever was would either knock again or leave her be. After a few seconds had passed, there was another knock at her door. As she heaved herself out of bed, she checked the clock on the wall. The sun would not rise for a few more hours. So just who was paying her a visit at this hour? Levisia threw on a heavy shawl and approached the door. She was expecting to see Elizabeth or some other Kraiden wanting to check on her. She prepared her best ¡®I¡¯m fine, please go back to bed¡¯ speech, and twisted the door handle. To her surprise, a servant was standing in the corridor outside her room. He hastily bowed to her. ¡°Forgive me, Your Highness. I am here by the request of my master, Chetter Mentine.¡± The servant said as he stood up straight. ¡°He wanted to speak to you before you left in the morning.¡± ¡°Chetter?¡± Levisia wanted to believe that this was some borate joke, but the way the servant looked at her suggested that it was not. ¡°What does Chetter want with me?¡± ¡°Please, Your Highness, he did not inform me of his reasons. He simply asked me to fetch you.¡± The servant replied meekly. Levisia frowned, unsure of how to respond to the situation. Part of her wanted to tell the servant to tell Chetter that she was going back to bed and whatever he wanted to tell her could wait. But the other part of her wanted to hear what he would say. ¡°Alright, I will give him ten minutes of my time, and then I am going to bed,¡± Levisia said as she pulled on her old boots that wereying by the door. As she was about to walk away, she felt someone grabbing her arm from behind. She snatched it away and spun around to see She shaking her head. ¡°You seriously cannot be going with them, Your Highness!¡± She cried, a frantic expression on her face. ¡°How do you know he is telling the truth?!¡± ¡°I am not a child, She! I am old enough to make my own decisions and I have decided that this man is telling the truth. And if he is lying, and I get into trouble, then it is my own fault and I will deal with it. And I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself.¡± Levisia spun on her heels. ¡°Go back to bed, She. This does not concern you. This is between me and Chetter. No one else.¡± Leaving She speechless in the hallway, she followed the servant close behind, her eyes staring into his back. She did feel a hint of regret over how she spoke to She, but she meant what she said. She was a grown woman who could make her own decisions without needing her servants, or the Kraidens, constantly breathing down her neck. ¡°We¡¯re nearly there.¡± The servant stuttered as he led her deeper into a part of the manor she had never been before. ¡°Was everything alright between you and your servant?¡± ¡°Yes, everything is fine.¡± Levisia knew that She would have gone to Pel to tell him everything, and she wanted the conversation to be over and done with before he could intervene. ¡°How much further to go?¡± ¡°We¡¯re here. Chetter is waiting for you.¡± The servant stopped and bowed to Levisia, before opening her door to allow her to enter. ¡°I will wait outside to escort you back to your quarters when you are finished.¡± ¡°Thank you. I suspect it won¡¯t be long.¡± Levisia walked into the room, which was barren save for two armchairs ced in front of a roaring fire. The drapes had been pulled back to reveal the moonlight shining in. She held her guard up when she saw Chetter rising from one of the chairs. Naturally, she couldn¡¯t help but think of the disturbance that had taken ce during the day, when Chetter had grabbed her hand and ruffled the feathers of the Kraidens. Was he wanting to meet her to further discuss what had happened? ¡°I apologize for calling you at this hour, Your Highness.¡± Chetter said, holding his hands behind his pace and walking towards her. ¡°I have but a small favour to ask of you if you be willing to listen.¡± A favour? What favour did he need for? She had already seemed to cure him of whatever ailment was troubling him, even if it was because of him grabbing her hand. But it did exin why he wanted to see her sote. Because tomorrow, she had to leave this estate. she would be gone by the time the sun had finished rising. If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! (Note: Patreon is notpulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at ater date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much!)

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Chapter 125 - Ambiguous Favour ¡°What kind of favour?¡± She asked, folding her arms and keeping her face stern. She just wanted this to be over and done with so she could go back to bed. The thought of falling asleep in the carriage and being at the mercy of Elizabeth and Merril filled her with dread. ¡°First things first, I am sorry. I know it is difficult to ask you now because you leave tomorrow, but I¡¯m sorry.¡± Chetter said, his voice fidgety. He apologized again and again until Levisia eventually held her palm up to him. ¡°That¡¯s enough of your apologies, just tell me what you need to say.¡± ¡°May I ask you to disregard my brother just once?¡± Levisia frowned, racking her brains trying to remember who Chetter¡¯s brother was. She looked at him and shrugged. ¡°Who?¡± She asked, her frown deepening. ¡°And why?¡± ¡°Cheta. I know it¡¯s strange that our names sound the same, but they are spelt differently.¡± Chetter rubbed the back of his neck. ¡°My name is spelt -tter, and his is spelt -ta.¡± ¡°Okay, so you want to avoid Cheta with a -ta. But you still haven¡¯t answered my other question.¡± Levisia stepped forwards, letting her hands drop to her side as she scrunched her hands into tight fists. ¡°Why should I disregard him?¡± * Pel cursed that he was, once again, unable to get a decent night¡¯s sleep when someone began pounding on his door. He had been in a deep sleep, and he did not enjoy being disturbed at such ate hour. Throwing back the covers, he stumbled over towards the door and opened it, yawning as he greeted the person on the other side. ¡°Couldn¡¯t this have waited until tomorrow? I need to sleep and¡­ Oh, She.¡± Pel looked at She frantically pacing up and down and gestured for her to enter his room. He closed the door behind her and perched on the edge of his bed. She was in such a state that her words were flying from her mouth faster than he could keep up. ¡°Shelia, stop,¡± Pel said, holding his hand out. ¡°Start from the beginning. You say you saw Levisiaing out of her room?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She pulled her shawl closer around her and sat down on the armchair by the window. ¡°I heard knocking and assumed it was for me. But then I heard Levisia talking to someone. I opened my door to listen in on the conversation, and¡­¡± ¡°And¡­?¡± Pel wanted to be gentle and encourage her to take her time, but he also wanted to know what was happening in case Levisia was in danger. ¡°She was talking to a man, and he said that he was going to take her to Chetter.¡± She seemed to shrink in her seat. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Pel. I know I¡¯m supposed to be keeping an eye on her, but she told me that she could handle it herself and to go to bed. I was just going to go with her and check it out but she¡­¡± ¡°She¡¯s grown a spine,¡± Pel said with a chuckle. ¡°Of all the times for her to do so¡­ Did she say where she was going?¡± ¡°Unfortunately not. She left before I could ask.¡± She sighed. ¡°I know she doesn¡¯t need us babying her all the time, and that she can take care of herself. It¡¯s just that¡­ Maybe we can be too overprotective of her sometimes.¡± ¡°I suppose there are times when I feel like I should step back and give her some breathing room¡­ But she can also be incredibly na?ve and say things that get her into trouble.¡± Pel folded one leg over the other and leant his elbow against it. He rested his head on his fist and looked at She. ¡°So, what do we do then?¡± ¡°Honestly? I¡¯d say we let Levisia handle this. I mean, she¡¯s in the middle of a heavily guarded estate, and if anything were to happen to her, the Count and Countess would be in trouble with the Kraidens.¡± She got to her feet. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for waking you in such a state. We should get back to bed, as we have a long journey ahead of us tomorrow.¡± Pel curtly nodded to her. He watched her bid him goodnight and head back to her own room, and then he threw on an old cape and a pair of boots. With a torch in hand, he entered the corridor and headed in the direction She had seen Levisia leave. He needed to know that she was okay, and he was willing to receive an earful from Levisia for his inability to leave her alone. ¡°Where are you, Levisia?¡± If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! (Note: Patreon is notpulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at ater date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much!)

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Chapter 126 - A Glimmer Of Hope ¡°Cheta thinks that nothing is wrong here, but there is.¡± Chetter said, throwing his arms out wide. ¡°You can sense it yourself, can you not? My family is falling sick for no obvious reasons, and something foul is afoot. But you, you seem to be able to fix it. There was something else I needed from you.¡± Chetter said, opening the door. ¡°Come with me.¡± ¡°If you wanted me to help you, why did you not just take me there in the first ce?¡± Levisia frowned as she followed Chetter down yet more corridors. ¡°Are you trying to get me lost?¡± ¡°Just hear me out, please.¡± Chetter climbed up a set of stairs and went along another corridor,ing to a halt at a door that was partially open. ¡°It¡¯s my sister, Vi. She¡¯se down with the same illness that has been afflicting so many others. I wondered if you could¡­ help her out, maybe?¡± ¡°Help her out? How?¡± Levisia peered in through the door. In the faint glow of the firece, she could make out a small figure in arge four-poster bed, with the curtains drawn back. Chetter fully opened the door to allow her to enter, and then closed it behind them. ¡°Whilst everyone here has been getting sick, Vi seems to have been affected the worst. We¡¯re not sure why. She spends most of her time asleep, and when she does wake up, she¡¯s incredibly tired and often falls asleep again shortly afterward. The most she is awake for is three hours.¡± He walked over to her bed and stroked Vi¡¯s hair. ¡°Three hours?!¡± Levisia gasped as she approached the bed. Vi¡¯s breathing was incredibly faint, so much so that Levisia could only hear her once she leaned in closer. She knew the little girl did not have long left for this world. ¡°And you have no idea what has afflicted her this badly?¡± Chetter shook his head, his face full of pain that he was trying to hide. ¡°We have no idea how to cure her because we don¡¯t know what is up with her. I¡¯m just hoping that she isn¡¯t in pain during the time she is sleeping. I was hoping that you could do the same to her as you did for me.¡± ¡°You mean when you grabbed my hand and stared at me like I was some goddess?¡± Levisia snapped, her tone of voice harsher than she anticipated. She cleared her throat and carried on talking. ¡°Sorry, I wasn¡¯t expecting that to happen. And you could have picked a better time to do it. You know, like when I wasn¡¯t surrounded by the Kraidens who are all fiercely protective over me. And how did you even know about my powers? Not even I knew about them.¡± Levisia had never met Chetter before, so it stood to reason that he had never seen or heard about her prior to her arrival. Even if he had been told that the Kraidens would be here, she was not part of the original crew and was more of a stowaway. ¡°It was your aura.¡± Chetter said, looking down at his hands. ¡°There was something about you. Something that was soothing, and I knew I had to take the chance. And as soon as I held your head, I felt¡­ purified. Like I had been healed.¡± Chetter nced back at her. ¡°But I also felt a glimmer of hope. Hope that you could help my family out, and Vi. This whole estate has been cursed. I had been waiting so long for something toe along and lift the curse, and maybe that something, or someone, is you.¡± Levisia stopped to think about what Chetter had said. Aside from him being creepy and grabbing her hand without her permission, she couldn¡¯t shake off the fact that he was telling the truth. There was something off about the Mentine estate, and a curse would exin everything. But did he really think she had the power to fix everything all by herself? ¡°Regardless of whether you can fully fix things, you do seem to have some healing abilities. Could I¡­ could I ask you to sit by Vi¡¯s side for a while? Maybe you could hold her hand and see if that helps her out at all?¡± Chetter nodded to the chair at the side of her bed. ¡°Please, that¡¯s all I ask of you.¡± ¡°I¡­ Okay, I¡¯ll give it a try.¡± Levisia said, not finding it in her heart to say no to Chetter and the pleading look on his face. She sat down on the chair and examined Vi in closer detail. The girl¡¯s face was a ghastly shade of white, pale enough that she could be mistaken for a ghost. Her lips were also drained of colour, and were incredibly chapped. Dark circles underneath Vi¡¯s eyes gave her a gaunt expression, one that was more akin to a corpse than a living human. If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! (Note: Patreon is notpulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at ater date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much!)

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Chapter 127 - Innominate Source ¡°Poor girl.¡± Levisia took Vi¡¯s hand between her own, frowning at how cold her skin was. ¡°Do you really think I can help her? What If I¡¯m unable to do anything?¡± She hated feeling like she was unable to help. Even if she did have the power to heal, would it really be strong enough to help someone who is this far gone? As she stroked Vi¡¯s hand, she could hear someone talking in her head, as if they were standing beside her. She let out a yelp and dropped Vi¡¯s hand, looking around her for the source of the voice. Her chair scraped along the floor as she leapt to her feet, startling Chetter in the process. ¡°Your Highness, are you alright?!¡± Chetter frowned at her. ¡°Did something happen?¡± ¡°A voice. I heard a voice in my head. It was someone asking me what I wanted¡­ I¡­ No, I must be hearing things.¡± She said, sitting back down in her hand and shaking her head. ¡°Sorry I startled you, Chetter. I sometimes feel like things are out of my control, you know? Like I am just going where the wind takes me, and I have no idea what to do. And¡­ Sorry, didn¡¯t mean to spill everything onto you.¡± ¡°It must be tough, having the Kraidens breathing down your neck.¡± Chetterughed, though it was devoid of humour. ¡°They do seem to crowd around you, like they are demanding every second of your affection.¡± ¡°You have no idea. I almost wish they would leave me alone. Just like I wish I could do something to help Vi wake up. I¡­¡± Levisia started speaking before she was cut off by a small groan. Her eyes fell on Vi, who was now stirring slightly in her bed. Her eyes were still closed, but her lips were moving. Levisia leant in closer and could about make out that Vi was asking for water. She ryed the information back to Chetter, who raced out of the room and left her alone with Vi. ¡°Che¡­ Chet¡­¡± Vi was trying to speak, her voice croaking. Levisia took the role of impromptu big sister and shushed her. ¡°It¡¯s alright, Chetter is just getting you some water for your throat. My name is Levisia White. I¡¯m a¡­ An acquaintance of your brother. ¡°Oh, I see¡­¡± Vi coughed. ¡°Well, it is nice to meet you, Levisia.¡± She leant back against her pillows as Chetter came back with arge waterskin. He held it up to her lips and helped her drink, water pouring down Vi¡¯s chin. Levisia picked up a tissue and used it to mop the spige, rising from her chair and taking a step back as Chetter fretted over Vi. She was still trying to wrap her head around what had just unfolded. First, she heard the voice in her head. Then she was talking to Chetter how she wished she could make Vi better. And then Vi woke up. Levisia had only done what Chetter wanted her to do. She sat by Vi¡¯s side, held her hand between her own, tried to use whatever power she had to help her wake up, wished she could heal Vi, and then it happened. She nced back at Vi. She still appeared sickly, with her skin ghostly white and her eyelids shrunken in, but she wasughing and joking along with Chetter as if she had never been sick in the first ce. There was a hint of a rosy glow in her cheeks that was not there before. Levisia walked over to the far end of the bedroom and sat down in another chair, her head in her hands. She could feel a headache forming, and she wanted nothing more than to go back to bed. But she knew she would have a hard time sleeping after what just happened. She was confused, and wanted answers for what had happened. It wasn¡¯t her powers that had cured Vi, it was the voice in her head. Or, at least, she was a vessel for whatever was inside of her to show off the powers. ¡°Your Highness?¡± Levisia¡¯s head shot up at her name being called. Chetter was sitting besides Vi, his eyes lightly misting over as if he was close to crying. ¡°Chetter. I don¡¯t know what happened or how Vi woke up. I¡¯m as confused as you are.¡± She said, holding her hands up. ¡°I¡¯m d Vi is awake, but I¡­¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter how it happened, does it? Vi is getting better, and I have you to thank for it. So, thank you.¡± Chetter nodded to her before turning his attention back to his sister. ¡°You¡¯re wee, I guess¡­¡± Levisia said, sinking back into her chair. She so desperately wanted to go back to sleep. Chapter 128 - Agitating Revelation After lounging in the chair for a while, Levisia left Vi¡¯s bedroom to give her and Chetter some time alone. They couldn¡¯t see Levisia on the count of being in their own little world, but she didn¡¯t mind. It was more that she didn¡¯t want to interrupt their time together. As she closed the door on their cheerfulughter, she turned around and found herself face to face with Pel, who was out of breath as if he had run a marathon. ¡°Levisia, are you alright? You don¡¯t seem to be injured.¡± Pel said as he leaned against the wall and looked her up and down. ¡°What did Chetter want with you?¡± ¡°Oh, he¡­¡± Levisia briefly nced behind her at the door, and then looked back at Pel. ¡°I think we should head back to our rooms. I¡¯ll tell you everything once we¡¯ve safely hidden away.¡± She walked past him, eager to get back to her own room where she could take the time to properly process everything. To her delight, she didn¡¯t encounter anyone on her way back, and she was lucky enough to route back in the first ce. Once inside her room, she locked the door behind her and slumped down on her bed. ¡°So, you probably won¡¯t believe what I¡¯m about to say, and that¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll just tell you and let you make up your own mind.¡± Levisia said as she stared at the ceiling. ¡°Chetter wanted me to see his sister Vi, who was gued by this disease that was killing her. She looked like a corpse when I saw her, and didn¡¯t have long left for the world. I held her hand and made a wish for her to be cured, and then she was. As if by magic.¡± ¡°Yes, I am having a hard time believing that.¡± Pel said as he sat on the bed next to Levisia. ¡°But I will take your word for it. What happened next?¡± ¡°Vi and Chetter had a little catch-up, and I left and bumped into you.¡± Levisia stared up at the ceiling. ¡°Oh, but I did hear a voice. Someone asking me what I really wanted.¡± ¡°Well then¡­¡± Pel hummed. ¡°Did you recognize this voice?¡± Levisia shook her head and heaved herself upright with a heavy sigh. ¡°What does it all mean, Pel? What do my powers mean, and who am I? How will I adapt to these changes that are happening if I don¡¯t even know where they areing from?¡± ¡°No matter what happens, you are still you. It doesn¡¯t matter what obstacles you face, nothing about you will change that drastically. And all you can do now is adjust to the change that has taken ce within you.¡± Levisia sat up on her bed and turned to face Pel. When had Pel be so good with words, and was able to offer such sage advice as that? ¡°What if I can¡¯t adjust to that change?¡± She said, ¡°What if I can¡¯t rise up to meet my power?¡± ¡°Then you just be someone who cannot adjust to that change,¡± Pel replied with a nonchnt shrug, which only served to annoy Levisia even more. She muttered darkly under her breath, but deep down she knew that he was right. She turned away from him and buried her head in her hands. She had already experienced life-changing events, and thus there was no need to be agitated. No matter what, she was still Levisia White. Despite that, she still felt ufortable, like she was walking barefoot on a thorny path. She could not wrap her head around the mysterious voice she heard, and how her wish had so easilye true. She just wanted to go to sleep and try to get as much energy as she could before the long journey tomorrow. And she prayed that Chetter would keep what happened between them a secret, so as not to alert the Kraidens. She could already hear Elizabeth chastising her for so willingly wandering off at night with a stranger. But Levisia knew the risks, and she still went along with it. At no stage did she regret going to help Vi, as the girl would have died had she not stepped in. But maybe¡­ ¡°No.¡± Levisia said aloud, shaking her head. ¡°Worrying about it won¡¯t get me anywhere.¡± ¡°Worry about what?¡± Pel said from behind her, and she nearly jumped out of her skin. She was so lost in her thoughts that she hadpletely forgotten he was in the room. ¡°Oh, nothing. Just me getting lost in the bottomless pit that is my mind, that¡¯s all.¡± Levisia said, stering a smile on her face. ¡°You¡¯re right. I must simply learn to adapt to who I am. Otherwise, I will get left behind.¡± If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! (Note: Patreon is notpulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at ater date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much!)

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Chapter 129 - Inevitable Changes Levisia had been to the Fairy Tree Forest herself. And now that she had discovered her powers after all this time, it was time to stop doubting herself. Trying to rify things would only serve to make her head hurt. ¡°Levisia.¡± Levisia heard rustling behind her, followed by the feeling of the mattress sagging behind her. She looked around to see that Pel had moved to sit next to her, a concerned look on his face. ¡°I know I said that you needed to adjust to the change that has taken ce, but I didn¡¯t mean you had to do it immediately. Allow yourself the time to properly adjust, and don¡¯t feel disheartened when you are unable to meet your expectations. These things take time. You didn¡¯t even know you had your power until this evening, and you were only properly confronted by it a few minutes ago.¡± Pel reached out and cupped Levisia¡¯s hand. ¡°Don¡¯t be too hard on yourself. So long as you are actively striving to adjust to your new powers, you can go at your pace.¡± Levisia blinked away the tears that had started forming in her eyes. She wiped them away with the sleeves of her nightgown and let out a wetugh. ¡°When did you be so sage in your advice, Pel?¡± Pel shrugged and patted Levisia¡¯s hand. ¡°It¡¯s one of those things I¡¯ve picked up, I suppose. But it is true. You should not rush yourself to get better at your abilities, nor should you allow anyone to pressure you into doing so. That includes the Kraidens.¡± Pel sharply exhaled through his nostrils, and Levisia knew that he was referring to Elizabeth in particr. ¡°If they do pressure you, remember that you can stand up for yourself and say no.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think Elizabeth will be that bad, Pel. But still¡­¡± Levisia bit her lip, ¡°What if they want me to use my powers to cure something, for the greater good? What if they need me to get better so that I can fix whatever is happening in the Southern Regions, and I can¡¯t rise up to meet their expectations, and then it¡¯ll be my fault that nothing is cured, and I¡­¡± Levisia was cut off by Pel mped his hand over her mouth and shushed her. ¡°No one can make you feel bad for something that is beyond your control. If any of the Kraidens make you feel like you are not good enough, or that you have no grasp on your powers, remind them that you are Levisia White and that you are your own person. That is what you wanted, wasn¡¯t it? Freedom from the Kraidens¡¯ grip?¡± ¡°It was, yes. I¡¯m just confused and lost at the moment.¡± Levisia said as she removed Pel¡¯s hand away from her face. ¡°Can we talk more about this tomorrow? I really need to get some sleep now. Please?¡± Pel dropped his hand to hisp and, after a quick moment of hesitation, pressed a soft kiss on Levisia¡¯s forehead. ¡°Yes, I think sleep would be for the best. We both have a long day of traveling ahead of us.¡± He rose from the bed and walked over to the bedroom door. After unlocking it, he gave Levisia onest smile before he left the room and closed the door behind him. Leivisia immediately leaped up and locked the door again, and made a note to only open it again when it was morning and it was time to leave. The estate would have to be on fire for her to leave her room again before sunrise. She copsed back in her bed and pulled her nket up around her. She wondered how Chetter and Vi were getting on now that thetter was properly awake. They presumably had so much catching up to do that they would be talking well into the early hours of the morning, potentially even past sunrise. If that was the case, then there was the chance Levisia could leave before Chetter could tell the Kraidens what she had done. With this thought resting in the back of her mind, Levisia buried her head in her pillow and pulled the nket up to her chin. She was exhausted as a result of the past couple of days, and part of her wished she had nevere here in the first ce. But she was leaving in the morning, and she could put all that behind her. And she would do exactly what Pel had said. Should any of the Kraidens put pressure on her, she would tell them exactly what she thought of them, and maybe in the process, find the freedom she so desperately wanted. A smile crept along her lips as she felt sleep take over, and she slipped into a dreamless slumber. Chapter 130 - News About The Stone Barrier The next morning, Levisia was thankful that Chetter was nowhere to be seen as she left the estate with her luggage. The sun had barely risen, and most of the estate seemed to still be asleep except for her and the Kraidens. What she noticed, however, was that the mood was somewhat sour. She sat awkwardly next to Elizabeth, who was silently fuming with her lips pursed like she was holding back some choice words. Opposite them Lidan, who was sprawled out on the seat like he owned the carriage. Yet despite his carefree mannerism, Levisia could tell someone was up with him from the way he kept fidgeting with his hands and looking at his nails. ¡°So, the stone barrier has been damaged. Just putting it out there.¡± He finally said after the ufortably long silence had dragged on for long enough. ¡°Nonsense. A stone barrier cannot be damaged easily.¡± Elizabeth said, frowning intently at Lidan. ¡°How has it been damaged exactly?¡± Levisia sat there, listening to the Kraidens have their argument. She knew that the stone barrier being damaged was a serious issue, but she didn¡¯t know how serious it was. ¡°Was it not just for separating the territories?¡± She asked, trying not to flinch at the re she got from Elizabeth. She knew that there were the myths that a fairy king had blessed somend, and used a stone barrier to distinguish between the blessed and un-blessednd. But she had no idea which tales were true and which weren¡¯t. ¡°The fairy king¡¯s blessing to the Empire is real, Levy. Although most of them don¡¯t realize it because they are enjoying it so naturally.¡± Lidan said, looking out the window. ¡°Look at Elizabeth and me. We¡¯re proof of the fairy king¡¯s blessing. And the same goes for you, Levy.¡± ¡°It does?¡± Levisia slunk into her seat. She couldn¡¯t help but feel a little strange when one of the Kraidens pointed at her and said that she was the same as them. Not once in her life had she ever felt that she was the same as them. Even if they¡¯d received the same blessing, they had a huge difference in standards. She shook her head, thinking about what had happenedst night. With everything that happened within the Mentine estate, including Vi being struck down with the mysterious disease, could there be some possible exnation? ¡°Does the stone barrier being down have something to do with all of the strange phenomena that are happening in the South? It could exin why all the crops aren¡¯t growing. As well as, say¡­ are people falling sick? Does the blessing affect a person¡¯s health directly?¡± She said, trying to keep her voice as nonchnt as possible. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s just that or not, so we¡¯ll have to continue the inspection for now.¡± Lidan folded his arms and drummed his fingers on his elbow. ¡°And as for making people sick, you mean what happened at the Mentine estate? That could possibly be the case, though it has not been known to make things worse. I could be wrong, though.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Levisia said, tilting her head in confusion. ¡°So, was the damaged stone barrier at the Mentine estate not an abnormality? But then what could it be? What else could cause people to act like that? To have an atmosphere that feels so heavy that it makes people sick just being in the area?¡± Lidan sat up straight in his seat and stared straight at Levisia. She immediately regretted her decision to ask him. ¡°Here¡¯s the problem. For generations, we¡¯ve all been used to blessings. But every so often, they are all gathered up and things go back to normal for a bit. We are so used to these blessings that we don¡¯t realise what things are like without them. Though it rarely happens within the Empire itself. That being said, we have to hurry and restore the stone barrier before anything else can happen, and then focus on fixing thend that has been badly affected. ¡°How difficult will that be?¡± Levisia asked. ¡°Surely you can just rebuild it, right? Get some stone and cast a magic spell?¡± She let out a forcedugh as she rubbed the back of her neck. Lidan nced at Elizabeth and shrugged his shoulders. ¡°It¡¯s difficult, but it must be done.¡± The responsibility of the restoration somehow looked like it fell to the Kraidens. Levisia decided not to ask for further details to Lidan, whose mood was looking increasingly irritated. ¡°Whilst it is fortunate that it can be restored, I¡¯m not sure everything will be resolved just by fixing the stone barrier,¡± Elizabeth spoke up for the first time during that carriage journey. Lidan eyed her up suspiciously. Chapter 131 - Elizabeth’s Theory ¡°Really? Well, in that case, why don¡¯t you enlighten us on what you know, sister dearest.¡± He said in a mocking tone. ¡°I¡¯m sure Levy and I would be delighted to hear what you have to say.¡± Elizabeth reached out and lowered the blinds on both sides of the carriage. Now in near darkness, she leaned forwards in her seat. ¡°Humans are weak because they can¡¯t adapt to the blessing¡¯s disappearance, but thisnd is not like that.¡± She began to talk, holding up a hand to silence Lidan when he opened his mouth to speak. ¡°Kraiden from the beginning was built on rich soil. With fairies sshing in the rivers and fairy trees sprouting from the earth, it¡¯s and blessed only by its past. You¡¯re saying thisnd, one that is so enriched with blessing, will perish only because a measly stone barrier is destroyed?¡± ¡°I see your point.¡± Lidan cupped his chin with his hand. ¡°Do you think this is something that is man-made?¡± ¡°Yes, exactly. Something else is at work here. Something that we need to get to the bottom of sooner rather thanter.¡± Levisia, who had been sitting quietly in her seat, looked at Elizabeth and Lidan. Both of them looked troubled at the idea that there was an unknown force at work, something even they didn¡¯t know. Even Lidan looked more concerned than usual, his usual flippant and carefree attitude nowhere to be seen. Levisia sat quietly in her seat, reeling in the tense atmosphere. She had a hunch that she shouldn¡¯t hear any more than she already had. After all, she was not supposed to be involved with anything regarding the Kraiden Empire. ¡°I think we¡¯d better talk about something else, Your Grace.¡± She spoke a little louder than was needed, just to make it clear that she wanted to talk about something else. She would willingly take small talk over this awkward conversation. ¡°Yes, I agree,¡± Lidan said, which surprised Levisia. It was very rare that the two of them saw eye to eye. ¡°It would be best if we stopped here, as Levy said.¡± Despite the fact that Levisia and Lidan had expressed their intention to tantly avoid the subject, Elizabeth was not having any of it. ¡°Listen up.¡± She said, mming her hands on herp. ¡°What is happening is not strictly limited to the South. Taking into ount the reason why the fairy tree has suddenly begun to wither, the Emperor is even mindful of other countries intervening and possibly invading. This leads me to my theory: there¡¯s a mole in the royal family, someone who is leaking our secrets out to other people who would wish to harm us. We will have to be suspicious of everyone who has ess to the fairy tree.¡± Levisia could not help but feel like she was being targeted by Elizabeth¡¯s words, even though she had done nothing wrong. Lidan shuffled in his seat and pulled up the blinds a little to allow some light to enter the carriage. ¡°Bold words, Liz. Are you really so certain that there is a mole within the Empire? Who would want to deliberately go out of their way to tamper with things?¡± He said, frowning so deeply that wrinkles appeared on his forehead. ¡°And who would be crazy enough to do such a thing?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, and I wish I knew.¡± Elizabeth nced down at Levisia. ¡°Do you have any ideas, Levisia?¡± Levisia frantically shook her head. Elizabeth sharply exhaled through her nostrils and looked back at Lidan. ¡°Regardless of my theory, we still need to be careful from here on out. We must be constantly aware of everything that is happening, especially around the fairy tree. I almost feel like we should set up a permanent guard post, and anyone who approaches it should be questioned.¡± Levisia pulled open the blinds enough that she could see the scenery going outside the carriage. She knew that Elizabeth was suspicious of Pel, and would soon start doubting him. As soon as she was able to, she would alert Pel to what was happening, and try to keep him out of the spotlight for as long as she could. There was also the possibility that the mole in their midst could be a Kraiden themselves, wanting to sabotage from the inside. But she did not dare bring it up in front of Elizabeth, lest she is on receiving the end of her powers. Instead, she leaned against the window and tried to zone out what Elizabeth was saying. She had already heard too much, and hearing anymore would likely onlynd her in more trouble. Still tired out from herte-night adventure with Chetter and Vi, she closed her eyes and let the rocking of the carriage lull her into a fitful sleep. Chapter 132 - Arrival At Vinhol Levisia was rudely shaken awake from her slumber and half-heartedly swatted her hand out. She hadn¡¯t managed to sleep that much the previous night and thus was quite content to sleep in the carriage. ¡°Don¡¯t be like that, Levy. We¡¯re here. Don¡¯t want to keep Elizabeth waiting, do you?¡± Reluctantly opening her eyes, she looked at Lidan who was looming over her. Elizabeth had already left the carriage, judging by the carriage door that was wide open. Levisia stretched out and heaved herself to her feet, brushing past Lidan and climbing down the steps onto the ground below. She was immediately hit by the overwhelming scent of salt and could hear gulls screeching overhead. ¡°Where are we?¡± She asked, rubbing the sleepy dust out of her eyes. ¡°How long have we been travelling?¡± ¡°The port city of Vinhol, to the south-west of the Empire. It is governed by Marquis Evelyn Vinhol, and we will be staying in her castle for the next few days.¡± Elizabeth said as she collected her luggage. As Levisia waited for her luggage to be removed from the storagepartment, she looked ahead at the castle. It was definitely imposing, but she had seen her fair share of castles at this point. One castle looked very much the same as another. The only defining difference she could see was the banners bearing the Vinhol coat of arms hanging from the outer walls of the castle. ¡°As for how long we¡¯ve been travelling, well¡­¡± Lidan said, joining Levisia and Elizabeth. ¡°The sun was rising when we set off, and now it is slowly beginning its descent.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve really been travelling for that long?¡± Levisia asked, frowning at the sky that was slowly turning orange and pink. Her stomach let out a loud gurgle that she was certain everyone in the city of Vinhol heard. ¡°Did you not stop for food?¡± ¡°We did, but you were fast asleep. We didn¡¯t want to wake you.¡± Lidanughed. ¡°Must have been a rough night for you, Levy.¡± ¡°Something like that¡­¡± She replied, picking up her luggage and walking towards the castle. She hoped that the atmosphere was more weing than the Mentine estate, and the food of better quality. After her impromptu nap that hadsted far longer than she expected, she was looking forward to a good meal, and possibly exploring the port before the sun went down properly. When she aired her desire to see the sights, Elizabeth shook her head. ¡°It is toote for us to explore Vinhol. Many of us are tired after the journey.¡± She said, and Levisia didn¡¯t miss the slight jab at her having slept the entire journey. ¡°You may explore the castle tonight, and tomorrow we will explore the city and port.¡± ¡°That sounds good to me, Your Highness,¡± Levisia said, not meeting Elizabeth¡¯s gaze as she handed her luggage over to some waiting maids. She, along with the Kraidens, was led into the dining room. To her immense delight, there wererge pots of meat stew and warm bread waiting for them. It took every fibre of Levisia¡¯s being not to turn into a feral animal and ravage the food down. She sat between Lidan and Elizabeth, and as soon as she was able to, spooned severalrge helpings of the stew into her bowl and tucked into it. Ripping chunks of the bread off and dunking into the bowl, she marvelled at how rich the gravy was. She was in her second bowl when the others had barely finished their first. ¡°Please, excuse me,¡± Levisia said after she finished her second bowl and dabbed at her mouth with a napkin. Before anyone could respond, she pushed her chair out and left the dining room. There were so many things going on in her head, and she needed someone quiet to think them through. She asked a nearby maid where her bedroom was, and after locating it, shut the door and locked it behind her. ¡°Oh Lev, what have you got yourself caught up in?¡± She asked herself as she dragged her feet over to the bed and copsed onto it. She rolled over so that she was facing the ceiling, and tried to make sense of her racing thoughts. What Elizabeth had told her that afternoon, about how she suspected that there were moles within the royal family who were leaking out information, worried her. If that was the case, then it has the potential to cause the rift between the Kraidens to increase in size. The Kraidens hadn¡¯t always seen eye to eye on things, but even they could get along when the time called for it. Discounting them constantly battling each other for the throne, of course. Chapter 133 - Pondering Levisia recalled the way they had all danced with swords during the fairy festival, and how they all seemed to cooperate in order to perform an exhrating dance. Had it all been a fa?ade to make the masses think that they all got along with each other, when deep below the surface they detested each other? Or had they only just recently begun to have their squabbles? ¡°Could this all be rted to the wilting of the fairy tree?¡± Levisia said aloud to the empty room. ¡°The fairy tree started wilting before I even entered the pce. What does that mean?¡± The fairy tree was withering away slowly, the barrier protecting the blessednd was crumbling, and the Imperial family were beginning to suspect that other countries were involved. Taking all that into consideration, it was only a matter of time before the Kraidens grew suspicious of one another. Levisia sat up in bed and rubbed the back of her neck. What with everything that was going on, and given that Elizabeth said that she was suspicious of everyone who came into contact with the fairy tree, she felt like now was as good a time as any to enact her n to distance herself from the Kraidens. But that could also badly backfire on her. Right after Elizabeth voices concerns over a mole in the pce, Levisia acting like she wants nothing to do with them would make her even more suspicious. And Pel, as well. They would do some more digging into Pel and find out who he really is. That is, if they didn¡¯t already know. Levisia thought long and hard about what she should do, even going as far as to open a window to let some fresh air into the room. As she breathed in the salty sea breeze, the solution came to her. She won¡¯t distance herself, but she won¡¯t get any closer to them. Making herself scarce would be a challenge anyway, even without all the suspicions that she may be a mole. Ever since Aurora went abroad, she had been the centre of attention for all the Kraidens. And Elizabeth had insisted that Levisia stay by her side at all times. Sneaking away from the pce in the dead of night seemed like a viable option, but only stirred up more trouble. ¡°Your Highness?¡± Levisia nearly jumped out of her skin at the sound of someone knocking on her door. She mmed the window shut and hurried over to unlock the door. On the other side was She, her hand held aloft as if she was about the knock again. ¡°She, hello. What can I help you with?¡± Levisia asked as she smoothed her creased dress down and flicked her hair over her shoulders. ¡°The Kraidens wanted to know if you were joining them for after dinner drinks.¡± She said, biting down on her lip. ¡°Are you alright, Your Highness? You ran away from the dining table in a terrible hurry. I wondered if you were sick or injured, and Elizabeth was about to go after you, but Pel insisted that you would be alright.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry I worried you.¡± Levisia said, stepping into the corridor and closing the door behind her. ¡°I ate too much, that¡¯s all. Needs time to let my stomach settle.¡± She awkwardlyughed as she patted her stomach. ¡°I guess I did eat a little too quickly. But I was so ravenous you can hardly me me. Right, after dinner drinks, you said? Where are we going?¡± She set off walking, despite not having any idea where she was going. ¡°Your Highness, are you sure you¡¯re alright? You don¡¯t seem well at all.¡± She called out as she ran to catch up. ¡°If you are sick, I can always tell the Kraidens that you have retired early. The sun is setting, after all. Night will soon be upon us.¡± ¡°I¡­ I think I might have a bit of a headache.¡± Levisia said, throwing her hand to her head in an exaggerated manner. She had just handed her a lifeline, a chance to escape the Kraidens, and she was going to take it. She bid She an early goodnight, and returned to her room. After locking the door again, she threw the window open andy down on her bed. For all the sleeping she had done during the carriage, she was still tired. With a belly full of good food and a soft bed, and the added bonus of no creepy people grabbing her hand, she felt as though she would be able to get a decent night¡¯s sleep. She hoped so, anyway. If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! (Note: Patreon is notpulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at ater date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much!)

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Chapter 134 - Another Day With The Kraidens As dawn approached, Levisia was thankful that she had a rtively uninterrupted night¡¯s sleep. Her own thoughts kept waking her up at night, but no one had disturbed her to solve some issue. Now that she was fully rested, she was in a cheerful mood as she dressed and went over to She¡¯s room. Her mood quickly went downhill when she found Sheying in her bed, her window wide open and the duvet on the floor. As she got closer, she could see that She¡¯s face was caked in sweat. ¡°She? What¡¯s the matter?¡± Levisia said, reaching out to feel She¡¯s forehead with the back of her hand. She frowned at the heat radiating from her skin. It was as though She¡¯s skin was on fire. ¡°I am fine, your Highness. Just a slight illness, nothing that will stop me from my duties.¡± She said, clearly struggling to sit up. Levisia pushed her back down and threw the duvet over her. ¡°No, you are not going anywhere, She. Look at you. Stay here, and don¡¯t get and move.¡± Levisia gave She onest look before she left her room and hurried over to Pel¡¯s. He was leaving his room as she arrived, and could tell something was wrong. ¡°Lev- Your Highness? Is everything alright?¡± He asked, bowing in a way that ensured his wig stayed in ce. Fearing that She was climbing out of bed, Levisiai dragged his hand and pulled him back to She¡¯s room. Just as she feared, She had thrown the covers back and was sitting upright in bed. ¡°Oh no, you don¡¯t,¡± Pel said as he burst into the room and stopped She from standing up. ¡°You are staying right here. You look like a sweating corpse, She. Admit it, you¡¯re sick.¡± ¡°And I need you to look after her, Pel,¡± Levisia said, her hand on the door handle. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to ask this of you, but I will be spending all day with the Kraidens. I will have someone bring water, food, and medicine for you. Please rest, She. And do not worry about me, Pel. I can handle myself.¡± With a final smile to them both, she closed the door and hurried towards the ground floor where everyone was waiting for her in the dining hall. She briefly exined what was going on to a maid, and sat down to eat her now-cold breakfast. As she ate, she noticed that there were other people at the table. She felt as though she had seen them before, at least vaguely. Helga, thankfully, came to her rescue. ¡°Your Highness, that man there, the one with dark brown hair, is Roman Dussle. He is the ninth prince. And the woman with the light pink hair is Kori Sue, the thirteenth princess.¡± Roman, with his hair falling over his deep blue-green eyes, was talking to Kori as he sipped his tea. Kori¡¯s head turned her way, and they briefly made eye contact. Her sky-blue eyes widened for a split second before returning to their normal size. She quickly turned her head away, only asionally ncing back at Levisia. Though Roman¡¯s and Kori¡¯s reactions seemed lukewarm, Levisia couldn¡¯t help but think that they didn¡¯t like her. But there was one man she did recognize. ¡°Jedian Holter.¡± She said, and it dawned on her where she had met them all before, at the Mentine estate. What were they all doing here? Had they been following them? As soon as their gazes met, Jedian nodded at her and gave her a brief smile. Levisia returned the gesture and continued eating her food. Soon, everyone has finished and their tes were carried away. Elizabeth ushered everyone into the entrance hall, where Jedian reached out to tap Levisia. ¡°Princess Levisia. I am Jedian Holter, the seventeenth prince. I believe we have met before, have we not?¡± Before Jedian could respond, Elizabeth called to them from outside. Annoyed that she would not get an answer, Levisia followed Jedian out to where the carriages were waiting. When she arrived, she found Elizabeth loudly chastising Merril for being in her carriage. ¡°Why do you always leave your carriage behind and crawl in here!?¡± Merril made some incredibly childishments that made Elizabeth re-up. Levisia watched in equal parts confusion and disgust. Two of the most powerful women in the Empire, right when it is at its peak, were arguing over who sits in whose carriage. ¡°Jedian! Join us, why don¡¯t you?¡± Merril shouted from the carriage. Levisia nced behind her to see Jedian standing a few feet away, a visible look of confusion on his face. Levisia looked between the two, wondering why Merril was on such friendly terms with someone she had just met. Was she genuinely trying to be friendly, or was it another plot to annoy Elizabeth? Given Merril¡¯s fondness of deliberately winding up Elizabeth, Levisia guessed it was thetter. Chapter 135 - Vinhol Tour Begins ¡°Me?¡± Jedian stumbled over his words as he approached the carriage. ¡°But I have my own carriage.¡± He gestured to one not far in front, where Roman and Kori were waiting for him. They both red at the Kraidens and climbed into their carriage, mming the door behind them. Not seeing any other options, Jedian entered Elizabeth¡¯s carriage. Levisia stood outside, questioning if she truly wanted to ride in this carriage. Having Elizabeth and Merril was bad enough with their constant scrutiny, but Jedian would make the situation a lot worse. She really did not want to be in that carriage. Frantically looking for a way out, she spotted Siaphyl and saw an opportunity to escape. As much as she didn¡¯t want to be with Siaphyl, he was her best chance of avoiding interrogation from Elizabeth and Merril. ¡°Oh, sorry, looks like the carriage is too full.¡± She let out a nervousugh as she stepped backward. She knew that she was lying, as the carriage wasrge enough tofortably fit four people in, but she could not stop the words pouring out her mouth. She bid Elizabeth a safe journey and spun on her heels. She hurried over to Siaphyl¡¯s carriage and mmed the door behind her. ¡°Oh, Levisia?¡± Siaphyl said as he looked from his book. ¡°What are you going here? Don¡¯t you have your own carriage?¡± ¡°I do, but it¡¯s a little bit full.¡± Levisia peered out the window. To her immense relief, she could see Marquis Vinhol leave the manor and approach her own carriage. ¡°I have Elizabeth, Merril, and Jedian in my carriage and it is too crowded for my liking. I saw you had an empty carriage, so¡­¡± Her sentence trailed off as she gave a half-hearted shrug. Siaphyl shrugged back and returned to his book. ¡°Alright, fair enough. I don¡¯t know who this Jedian character is, but if you are willing to go out of your way to sit with me, then it must be bad.¡± He flicked over the next page of his book. ¡°You can stay, but don¡¯t expect any conversation out of me. I know how to keep my mouth shut, unlike our own dear Merril.¡± Levisia gave him a brief smile and looked out the window as the carriages left the estate. She had left her own book in the carriage, and she had no doubt that Merril would be reading it loudly to spite Elizabeth. With nothing else to do, she watched the scenery go by as the convoy rolled towards the port. Though she had seen the ocean many times, it was still a delight to see it appearing beyond the horizon. The port of Vinhol, too, was getting closer. Levisia opened the window and stuck her head out to catch a whiff of the salty sea breeze. The journey was so much enjoyable when she was not under constant supervision from Elizabeth. She wondered if she should ride with Siaphyl more often. After a few minutes, the countryside gave way to isted signs of civilization. Levisia expected to simply roll into the docks with little to no fanfare. She was wrong. Lining the streets on Vinhol were the citizens who had alle to see the royal procession. Children sat upon their parents¡¯ shoulders and waved at the carriages. Levisia knew that Elizabeth would be ignoring everyone, Levisia decided that she would do so in her stead. She waved to the crowds, using the wave Elizabeth herself taught her. She continued to wave until the crowds had disappeared as they traveled deeper into the city. The carriages pulled to a halt outside the docks, the calls of seagulls echoing around the empty streets. ¡°Here we go,¡± Siaphyl said as he marked the ce in his book. ¡°Showtime.¡± ¡°Showtime indeed.¡± Levisia opened the door and climbed down to the ground. She waited for Elizabeth to march over and demand why she avoided riding with her, but to her joy, Marquis Vinhol approached her instead. ¡°I say you waving back there.¡± She said with a smile. ¡°How very like a royal of you. The people seemed to enjoy your presence.¡± ¡°I did notice that they do not seem to hold any hostility towards us,¡± Levisia said as she stepped aside to let Siaphyl out. ¡°Are they normally this¡­ Energetic?¡± ¡°They are true, yes. They show great pride in their work, and how they support Vinhol.¡± The Marquis pped her hands as Elizabeth and the others reached her. ¡°Now, shall we get on with the tour?¡± If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! (Note: Patreon is notpulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at ater date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. 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Chapter 136 - Ancestral History ¡°Now that we are all here, I would like to address the rumors that are circting around about the ground seemingly dying.¡± Marchioness Vinhol drummed her fingers on herp. ¡°On your travels, have you encountered anything out of the ordinary?¡± Levisia chewed on her lower lip, unsure if she should tell the Marchioness about what happened at the Mentine estate. On the one hand, she wanted to keep it a secret from everyone. On the other hand, she knew it would be safer for the Marchioness to know so that she was aware of the danger and could secure her border. She kept quiet as the carriage rolled into the port and came to a halt. The salty sea breeze hit her as the door opened and she stepped down onto the cobblestoned path. ¡°You needn¡¯t worry about anything taking ce within my territory.¡± Marchioness Vinhol said as she stood next to Levisia, seemingly reading her thoughts. ¡°The border remains intact, and is likely to break any time soon.¡± She pointed off into the distance, in the middle of the ocean. Levisia squinted until she could see a ship in the distance. ¡°Why is it located right out in the ocean?¡± She asked, ncing up at the Marchioness. ¡°Seems like an odd ce for a stone to be ced.¡± ¡°There is a reason for this. A long time ago, my ancestors said they wanted the people who made a living by fishing to lead richer lives. Thus they rode a ship out to the sea to ce the boundary stone.¡± ¡°Ah! That way, even the sea is blessed.¡± Merril said, stroking her chin. ¡°Your ancestors really did think of everything.¡± ¡°Yes, the fish are in plentiful supply. And, if I am allowed to be biased, we have the best tasting fish out of anywhere in the Empire. Now,¡± The Marchioness spun on her heels. ¡°We should leave before the docks get too crowded. I can see the shiping into the port, and soon all hands will be on deck to process the fresh catch.¡± Levisia started walking away with everyone, but stopped in her tracks when she heard screaming. She spun back around to see the iing ship swaying wildly from side to side, the ocean waves growing in intensity. She stood there horrified as she saw the men on board scrambling to drop the anchor. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Levisia began to speak, only to be cut off by an ear-piercing scream from Kori. She looked in the direction of where Kori was pointing, freezing in terror as a giant tentacle burst from beneath the waves. Followed by another, and then another. Soon, a creature emerged from the depths and trashed the stranded ship. The only thing Levisia couldpare it to was an octopus, but one that was unlike she had ever seen. The sheer size was difficult to put into words. Some people were running away, whilst others were unable to move as if they were frozen in fear like Levisia. The port, which had been full of life and vitality, quickly filled with screams and fear. ¡°The Kraken¡­¡± The Marchioness whispered under her breath. She quickly faced the terrified masses all standing before her. ¡°Everyone, evacuate! Get to the top of the hill!¡± Her loud andmanding voice spurred everyone into action, and soon there was a stampede of people heading to safety away from the rampaging beast. Levisia turned tail and ran with the crowds. She had lost sight of herpanions, but she would find themter. For now, all she needed to do was get to safety. About halfway up the hill, she stopped to help a woman who had fallen down. She was screaming about how her husband was still on the boats moored at the docks. Levisia looked to see that the ships were now close to capsizing as the Kraken got ever closer. The woman grabbed hold of a child who was heading back to the shore. The child, a little girl around the age of seven or eight, was crying out for her father. Levisia could see they were distraught, and unsure what she could do to help, she closed her eyes and said a silent prayer. After she finished her prayer, she opened her eyes and tried to help the woman to her feet. But the woman¡¯s eyes were transfixed on something directly in front of her. Following her gaze, Levisia saw that a massive wall of water had raised in front of the pier. ¡°What the¡­¡± She said under her breath and set off running back to the dock, ignoring the woman¡¯s wailing for her to stay put. There was only one person she knew who could create a wall of water that tall. If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! (Note: Patreon is notpulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at ater date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much!)

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Chapter 137 - The Kraken She reached the bottom of the hill and, just as she suspected, Merril stood before the Kraken, her head held out as she conjured the wall of water into thin threads. Water was her domain, and she was in her elements. With a flick of her hands, the vies of water started to wind around the Kraken¡¯s body, pinning its tentacles in ce. It started fighting back, thrashing out against its watery bindings. ¡°Elizabeth!¡± Merril cried out as she struggled against the Kraken. ¡°Any time now would be nice!¡± ¡°Hold it still!¡± Elizabeth shouted back as electricity danced around her fingertips. ¡°I can¡¯t hit a moving target!¡± ¡°Just do it, for God¡¯s sake!¡± Merril pulled harder against the Kraken, leaning backward to maintain her grip. ¡°Before it breaks free!¡± Levisia watched as Elizabeth stepped forwards and pressed her hands together, as if in prayer. The electricity between her fingertips increased in intensity until it was condensed into a tight ball. Only then did Elizabeth throw her arms out, the ball of electricity striking the Kraken. Because it moved at the same time as sheunched her attack, it only struck one of its stray tentacles. Levisia could only watch as the Kraken roared out, its cry causing her to wince and cover her ears. Though Elizabeth¡¯s power had been enough to give it a shock, it hadn¡¯t been enough to kill it outright. The Kraken¡¯s movements were growing increasingly erratic, making it difficult for Merril to hold it in ce. Levisia looked around for something to hold it in ce, and her eyes fell onto Jedian. From what she could recall, Jedian had the powers of wind, same as Lidan. With Lidan nowhere to be seen, he would have to do. ¡°Jedian!¡± She rushed over to him and grabbed him by the shoulders. ¡°Use your powers to hold it in ce! Create a breeze strong enough that it cannot move, ensuring Elizabeth cannd a clean hit!¡± ¡°I¡­ I can¡¯t¡­¡± Jedian looked down at his hands. ¡°I¡¯m not strong enough.¡± ¡°You are!¡± Levisia gave him a firm shake. ¡°If you don¡¯t, the Kraken will break free and everyone will die. Do you want that?¡± ¡°No, of course, I don¡¯t.¡± Jedian snatched Levisia¡¯s hands away from his shoulders. ¡°Fine, if you think it will help.¡± Levisia stepped back as Jedian approached the Kraken and raised up his hands. A strong gust of wind immediately filled the area, strong enough that Levisia hair was blowing around her despite her being behind him. But her n worked, as the Kraken¡¯s movements slowed enough that Elizabeth was able to prepare another attack. ¡°Elizabeth, don¡¯t build up your power! Hit it with a continuous streak!¡± Levisia shouted over the sound of Jedian¡¯s power. ¡°It¡¯s more effective!¡± She couldn¡¯t hear Elizabeth¡¯s response, but she could see that Elizabeth was following her n. With thebination of Merril, Jedian, and Elizabeth, the Kraken was quickly being brought under control. ¡°Mother? Father?¡± Surprised by the sound of a child¡¯s voice, Levisia looked around for the source. She found the child crying in a corner of the docks, one of her shoes lost. She recognized the child from before, back when she was on the hill. She rushed over and knelt down in front of her. ¡°What happened? Do you know where your mother went?¡± The girl shook her head and sniffled. Levisia knew that the docks were empty save for the Kraidens who were busy fighting the Kraken. If she had to guess, the girl followed her to try and reach the boat where her father was and got lost along the way. It was too dangerous for the child to stay where she was. Especially not with the fighting taking ce only a few feet away. She looked back at the child and smiled sweetly. ¡°Let¡¯s go find your mother, shall we? I will help look for your father.¡± She got to her feet and held out a hand for the girl to take. The girl paused, biting her lip. Her gaze kept ncing over at the ship. After a brief pause, she reached out and took Levisia¡¯s hand. As soon as Levisia turned around, however, she saw something that made her gasp in shock. Due to the Kraken¡¯s iling about, the ships that were moored were on rough waters. One of the men on board had lost his grip and was soaring through the air. Levisia turned her head and hurriedly covered the child¡¯s eyes, as it was not the sort of thing a small child should be witnessing. She averted her gaze, as well as the man,nded in the ocean with a thud, his screams abruptly cutting short as he disappeared beneath the rough waves. She only hoped that it was not the girl¡¯s father who had been thrown overboard. If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! (Note: Patreon is notpulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at ater date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much!)

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Chapter 138 Levisia turned to the sea to watch theKraidenssavethe peoplewho had fallen overboard. As Elizabeth went tofinish the Krakenoff with final bolt of electricity,Merril moved her strands of water toscoopupthe people whowere in the oceanand bring them back ontond.Levisiawas in awe at the sight of them working together. So often were theKraidensat each other¡¯s throats that it was nothing short of a miracle when they actually cooperated. Even more so when it was to help people other than themselves. She looked down at the girl, who was still crying her eyes out. She crouched down in front of her and used her thumbs to wipe the tears away. ¡°Your father will be okay,¡± Levisia said with a smile, and moved to one side to point the Kraidens out, ¡°See those people over there?They areincredibly powerful. They have killed the monster and are currentlysaving people, like your father.¡± The little girl blinked once or twice, and then shook her head as if she didn¡¯t understand. Levisia was unsure of what to say, as though she could show that the Kraidens were using their powers, how could she exin it to the little girl. The way the girl was looking at her was like she expected an answer. Levisia chewed her lip, hoping for a divine intervention that she wouldn¡¯t have to talk. To her delight, forck of a better term, she was interrupted by someone calling out in a desperate panic. ¡°Emily! Where are you, Emily?¡± The little girl, Emily, lifted her head and scanned the area for her mother. As soon as she spotted her in the distance, she let go ofLevisiaand setoff sprinting towards her.The mother dropped to her knees and tightly wrapped Emily up in a hug, stroking her hair. ¡°Thank goodness. I thought I lost you, too¡­¡± The mother nced up at Levisia. ¡°Thank you for saving my daughter.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯salright.¡±Levisiasaid, awkwardly rubbing the back of her neck, ¡°I¡¯m just d you¡¯re both alright.Take Emily andevacuate, and I will tell your husbandwhere you are. Don¡¯t worry, he¡¯ssafe.¡± She watched as the mother and daughter left the area, following the knights to high ground, and pressed her hands together.She did not have the time to deal with personal matters. Not seeing what else she could do, Levisia set out to investigate the pier and surrounding area, seeing if there was anyone who was trapped and in need of assistance. To her relief, all of the civilians had been evacuated and the Kraidens were nowhere to be found. She presumed that they had gone to report their sess to the Marchioness, or help those still stuck in the ocean. Wanting to stay away for as long as possible, she walked around the pier once more to check for anyone who may have been left behind or was trapped in the rubble. She poked her head into an empty building and called out to see if anyone needed help, but she received no responses. Hoping that it was from people having fled to safety rather than them being deceased, she scoured the entire port more thoroughly than her initial walkthrough. She was so caught up in her search that she didn¡¯t realise that she had walked into the middle of the pier, where she found herself surrounded by the Kraidens all scouring the ocean. ¡°What¡¯s going¡­¡± She started to say before she was shushed by Merril. ¡°Silence. The Kraken has escaped and is now lurking beneath the ocean. We need silence in order to hear it.¡± She said, moving the waves with a gesture of her hands. Levisia came to the conclusion that she was trying to move the ocean out the way to find the Kraken, but it was proving challenging. Levisia did notice, but kept it to herself, that everyone waspletely drenched. She bit back herughter at the sight of Elizabeth, her wet hair stered to her face and back, a look of seething hatred in her eyes. In order to hide her face, Levisia looked up at the grey clouds that had formed since they had arrived. Soon, it would start raining, and the conditions in which to search for the Kraken would be unfavourable. She looked down again and caught sight of a lighthouse in the distance on top of a tall cliff. Her heart sank as she realised that, if it was currently in operation, the people inside likely had not received a warning of the Kraken attack. Or, if they had seen it, we¡¯re unable to escape. As the Kraken was in hiding, for the time being, Levisia took the opportunity to run from the Kraidens and head towards the lighthouse. Chapter 139 Pausing briefly at the bottom of the stairs leading up the lighthouse, Levisia steeled herself for the long and arduous climb. She was already exhausted from the long walk around the pier, as well as running to and from the chaos. Her legs felt like they were about to give out. But she had to reach the lighthouse and warn those inside, as she could see that the light was in operation. She began to climb the stairs, taking them two at a time in order to reach her destination quickly. But doing so had its downfall, as she was only a third of the way before she had to stop and catch her breath. Her heart felt like it was about to burst out of her chest, and her lungs and legs were burning. She was about to climb down and find some other way to alert those in the lighthouse when she heard something that made her blood run cold. There was no need for her turn around and face the ocean, as she could recognise the Kraken¡¯s roar from earlier. Her desire to reach the lighthouse renewed, she heaved herself to her feet and started climbing the stairs again, using the railings to help her. She was going to reach that lighthouse, no matter what. * Jenin, the head of the White Horse Knights, watched everything unfold from the safety of the hill overlooking the town. The civilians were all huddled behind him, setting up makeshift camps using supplies donated by the knights. Many were still calling out for their loved ones, but the majority of them were settling in and enjoying hot meals from the food tents. There was no telling how long they were going to be there, so it was his job to make them asfortable as possible. Somewhere, amongst all the chaos, the Kraidens were fixing the problem by killing the Kraken. He didn¡¯t believe for a second that they would be sessful, but at least they were doing something other than arguing with each other about who should be the next to rule the Empire. How convenient it was that as soon as the Kraken showed itself, the ruling family who all had powers happened to be in the area as part of their tour of the Southern regions. And with them was Princess Levisia White, the Kraiden¡¯spdog. Jenin knew that she needed to be saved, as the Kraidens would lose their minds, as well as their tempers if anything happened to her. However, his duty was with the people in the town, and he had to ensure their safety above all else. He had even seen the princess within the crowds when the people first began evacuating, and she had willingly returned to the pier and was now missing. Jenin had better things to do with his time than track down one girl who thought it was a brilliant idea to run towards the danger rather than away from it. But to save face, he dispatched some of his knights to scour the area and find her, even if it is a glimpse. Anything to show that she was still alive. ¡°Sir!¡± Jenin moved to greet the knights who had returned from their trip, acknowledging them as they bowed before him. ¡°Any sign of the princess?¡± He asked, his arms folded. ¡°Please tell me she hasn¡¯t gotten herself swept away?¡± ¡°Last we saw of her, sir, she was with the Kraidens. She then took off running towards the lighthouse. She paused about a third of the way up and then carried on going when the Kraken reappeared. We think she may be trying to warn those insides, sir.¡± One of the knights said as they lifted their helmets off. ¡°She was moving too fast for us to keep up with her, sir.¡± ¡°So, she is going out of her way to help other people, for no personal gain. Maybe there is help for the girl after all.¡± Jenin said as he rubbed his chin. ¡°Thank you. You may go take a rest whilst we wait for this situation to get under control. At least we know she is alive, for now at least.¡± The knights bowed to him once more and walked into the camp. Jenin looked back over the town, frowning at the Kraken rearing above the ocean once more. Things were going to end in one of two ways. One: The Kraidens were sessful in beating the beast and saving the two. Or two: they fail in their task, the Kraken wipes the town out, and everyone would lose their homes and jobs. The lives of every one were in the hands of the Imperial royal family, whether they liked it or not. If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! (Note: Patreon is notpulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at ater date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much!)

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Chapter 140 - The Kraken As Jenin watched the events unfold down below, he was startled when a sailor reached the top of the hill and grabbed his arms. Judging by the way the man was hunched over and gasping for breath, he had run all the way up the hill from the docks. ¡°The old man.¡± The man said once he had caught his breath. ¡°The lighthouse keeper. He¡¯s still in the lighthouse.¡± Jenin looked back over at the lighthouse, and he felt dread set into his stomach. The kraken had reappeared, and was now dangerously close to the lighthouse. Should it make contact, anyone inside or in the near vicinity would be killed instantly. ¡°Did you see Princess Levisia anywhere?¡± Jenin asked, his concern growing. ¡°Surely you must have seen her?¡± ¡°Yes, I did. I passed her along the way down here. I begged her to just leave the lighthouse keeper, because he turned down even my pleas. But she insisted on- The lighthouse!¡± Jenin¡¯s head snapped back around to the lighthouse, and to his horror he saw the kraken¡¯s tentacles iling about. Within seconds, it made contact with the lighthouse with a mighty crash. The building wobbled from side to side, but remained upright. The kraken let out a screech that caused Jenin to wince and cover his ears. He could only watch as the kraken thrashed out again. This time, however, the lighthouse could not withstand the attack, and began to crumble. The top of the building toppled and crashed into the ground, with a shower of dust soaring into the air. As the dust settled, the silence was broken by screams from both the hill and down on the pier. Jenin forced his legs to move as he turned to face the terrified crowd behind him. He shouted orders for them to move away, for fear of them rushing towards the pier and straight into danger. He hoped, for Levisia¡¯s sake, that she was safe. * Levisia finally reached the bottom of the lighthouse, and waited a moment for her heart to stop racing. The outside of the lighthouse was a mess, with boxes and crates scattered liberally about the ce, along with their contents. Finding the strength to keep moving, she approached the front door and firmly knocked. When she received no answer, she knocked again, and then another time. Cautious about the kraken returning at any given moment, Levisia took matters into her own hands and entered the lighthouse. In contrast the outside, the interior was immacte, with not a speck of dust to be seen anywhere. Using antern that was hanging on the wall, she started to climb the stairs, calling out for anyone inside to leave. As she reached the top, there was still no sign of life within the lighthouse. Coming to the conclusion that it was empty, Levisia turned to leave when a loud noise caused her to nearly drop herntern down to the bottom floor. With her grip firmly on thentern, she gently knocked on the wooden door and stepped inside. She was in a bed chamber, sparsely decorated save for some curtains hanging loosely in front of the windows, and a bed pushed up against a wall. Sprawled out on the bed, fast asleep, was an old man. ¡°Sir!¡± Levisia rushed in and shook the man away. Clearly not expecting to be woken, the old manshed out with his limbs. Levisia stepped back to avoid being hit, and held herntern aloft so that her face was clearly visible in the gloom. The old man soon calmed down and red up at Levisia. ¡°Who are ya¡¯? Never seen ya¡¯ before¡­¡± The old man muttered. ¡°What are ya¡¯ doing ¡®ere?¡± ¡°My name is Princess Levisia White. We need to leave, sir. There¡¯s a kraken on the loose and it might strike this lighthouse at any given moment.¡± ¡°Kraken? What the hell do ya¡¯ mean?¡± Before Levisia could respond, there was an ear-piercing roar that shook Levisia to her core. She rushed over to the window and threw back the curtains in time to see a tentacle fly by the window. The sight seemed to spur the old man into action, as he leapt from his bed and grabbed Levisia by the arm. Together, they made their way down the stairs to the ground floor. Levisia was amazed at the speed the old man was running at. He appeared to be the type who would need a walking stick just to move, and there he was, racing down the stairs as if they were nothing. If the old man was not holding onto her arm, she would have been left behind. If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! (Note: Patreon is notpulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at ater date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much!)

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Chapter 141 To Levisia¡¯s immense relief, they were both soon outside the lighthouse and sprinting down the stairs leading to the pier. Her legs hurt, she was out of breath, and her heartfelt as though it was about to explode, but she was in the home stretch. She barely had enough time to catch her breath when the old man let out a cry of surprise. Levisia looked up in time to see one of the kraken¡¯s tentaclessh out and strike the lighthouse. Without stopping to think about what had just happened, Levisia took off down the stairs. She was already aching from running down all the stairs of the lighthouse, and now this was pushing her over the edge. But it was better that she made it out alive and with a body that hurt all over than be crushed beneath a pile of rubble. After all, it wasn¡¯t just for her sake that she was fleeing to safety, but also for that of the lighthouse keeper who was now struggling to keep up with her. The ground was violently shaking as she clung to the railings, ncing up to see that the lighthouse was still intact and the old man wasgging behind. There was a brief moment when she paused and wondered why she was doing this. Why was she risking her life to save a stranger she didn¡¯t know existed until a few minutes ago? Why did she bother going up the lighthouse in the first ce? She had acted on a whim the moment she saw that it was still lit up, without even asking if it was upied or not. That whim of hers was about to get her killed. Maybe she should have listened to the Kraidens and stayed where she was, where it was safe and they could coddle her. And then, as the kraken¡¯s roar filled the air, she realized her answer: No, she was not going to stay put. The Kraidens didn¡¯t own her, and she was going to set herself apart from the Kraidens. They helped people because they had to, due to their position as royalty, and to increase their reputation for their own selfish goals. But she was different. She was helping people because she wanted to help them. Like how she helped Vi Mentine, even if she did have a little assistance from the strange voice in her head. She still didn¡¯t have any answers for that, but she was still happy that she was able to save the little girl from her crippling illness that was tearing the family apart. Her thoughts were interrupted by the old man grasping onto her hand and tugging her forcibly. The lighthouse keeper was looking at her, his eyes wide with fear. She knew he didn¡¯t have the strength to carry on, but he was also afraid to die by the kraken. She could see it out of the corner of her eye, gearing up for another swipe at the lighthouse. One more hit was all it would take topletely destroy it and bury them both in the rubble. She didn¡¯t want that to happen, but she also did not have the strength to carry on. Her legs had given out, and her heart was beating so fast it was painful. The only way for them to be saved was for some external force to swoop in and save the day. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± She said, tears forming in her eyes. ¡°I wish there was some way to save us both.¡± No sooner had the words left her mouth, a gust of wind blew past her. It was not salty, as one would expect from a sea breeze. No, it was as fresh as a walk in the meadow on a summer¡¯s day. Light, refreshing, and bringing about a promise of hope. Stunned, Levisia reached out to touch the wind, which seemed to move away as if ying a game with her. There was a small giggle as it brushed past her again. ¡°Say those magic words again.¡± Levisia paused, unsure if she was hearing things in a blind panic. She reached out once more, and this time, the wind danced around her fingers. The childish giggle once again filled her ears. ¡°Go on, you know you want to. Say what you wish, and we will listen.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Levisia opened her mouth to speak but was cut off by the unmistakable sound of the krakenshing out and striking the lighthouse. The ground beneath her feet began to shake, and dust was filling her lungs. She nced up and screamed as the top of the lighthouse, which had been severed clean in half, was beginning to crumble. If she dyed any longer, she would be crushed. It would take days to recover her body. ¡°I wish for myself and the old man to be far away from here!¡± She cried out into the wind, hoping that it hadn¡¯t abandoned her in her time of need. If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! (Note: Patreon is notpulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at ater date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much!)

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Chapter 142 Levisia let out a cry as a huge gust of wind swept past her. The intensity was more that she could handle, but she also knew that if she let go, she would be swept out to see. Though she wished for the wind to carry herself away, this was not what she was expecting. This was not a gentle breeze. No, this was a hurricane. Gripping onto the bannisters of the stairs, which were somehow still embedded into the ground, Levisia managed to keep her eyes open long enough to see what was happening. To her surprise, the wind was carrying the broken chunks of the lighthouse away from her. Above the sounds of the wind was the roaring of the kraken. Levisia watched as the lighthousended on the kraken. It writhed around in pain as it was bombarded by rubble and shrapnel. The sea slowly turned red as the kraken sank beneath the sea. Levisia swore she could hear the wind whispering to her as it subsided, and silence soon followed. ¡°Is-Is it over?¡± She asked, her knees wobbling. She managed to keep herself upright until her eyes happened upon the space where the lighthouse had been, and it dawned on her how lucky her escape had been. Her knees finally gave out from underneath her, and she hit the stairs. ¡°Princess!¡± The old man ran to her and held his hand out for her to take. ¡°We should get back to the docks. Can you walk?¡± Levisia nodded and epted his hand. Her legs were still shaking as she slowly began making her way back to the docks. Though the danger was over, she didn¡¯t want to think about what had just happened. If she did, she would stop in her tracks and not be able to move until she had processed everything. Or if someone carried her. No, she would make her own down, even if she had to nk her mind and put one foot in front of the other until she reached the bottom of the stairs. Only then did she stop and look back at what could have been her demise. A wave of nausea overcame her, and she could hear someone calling out her name as her world went dark. * Jedian watched as Elizabeth and Merril walked towards him, Levisia unconscious in Elizabeth¡¯s arms. ¡°So, she survived the lighthouse.¡± He said, folding his arms and nodding to Levisia. ¡°It was foolish of her to go up there, no matter how many people were trapped in the lighthouse.¡± Elizabeth gave him a look that held many conflicting emotions: disgust, relief, begrudging respect¡­ She cleared her throat and held her head up high. ¡°I suppose I have you to thank for the wind that came out of nowhere and swept the lighthouse out to sea. As well as saving Levisia¡¯s life, you also managed to beat the kraken. So, you have my thanks.¡± Jedian bit his lower and tugged at the cor of his shirt. On the one hand, receiving praise from the Kraidens was a rare thing, and many people would kill just to receive kind words from them. On the other hand¡­ ¡°That wasn¡¯t me.¡± He said with a shrug. ¡°How could it have been? I was with you the entire time, dealing with the kraken down at the docks. It must have been her doing, somehow.¡± He pointed to Levisia, who was beginning to stir in Elizabeth¡¯s arms. Merril gestured to Elizabeth to get to the carriage as she stepped forwards. ¡°You think Levisia did this? Does she have power over the wind now?¡± Merril asked once Elizabeth was out of earshot. ¡°But I was certain she didn¡¯t have any powers, despite being blessed. But if that is the case, why didn¡¯t she tell us?¡± ¡°Maybe she doesn¡¯t know. Maybe they only activate under extreme situations. Ask her when she wakes up.¡± Jedian spun on his heel away from Merril. ¡°I¡¯m going to check on the town.¡± He wasn¡¯t, as the knights were dealing with the citizens, but he wanted to be alone. As he walked away, he looked down at his hands. Was there someone else out there besides him and Lidan who could control the wind? And if Levisia did have these powers, how could she summon such a strong gust when he was barely able to make a simple breeze? ¡°But what if these are not her powers? What if she somehow managed tomand the wind to do her bidding?¡± He said, squeezing his hands shut. ¡°What if¡­¡± ¡°What are you muttering about?¡± Jedian lifted his head up and turned to face Roman, who was leaning against a wall and frowning at him. If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! (Note: Patreon is notpulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at ater date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much!)

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Chapter 143 ¡°I¡¯d get away from there if I was you.¡± Roman tapped his elbows with his fingers. ¡°Might end up in the deepest depths of the water with the kraken if you don¡¯t step back.¡± Jedian rolled his eyes and walked away. He didn¡¯t have the time to deal with Roman and his irritating remarks. With his head down, he walked through the docks and town to try and keep his thoughts clear. Somehow, in his mindless wandering, he ended up back where the carriages were waiting. Elizabeth and Merril had long gone, much to his relief. ¡°Come on, Jedian, you¡¯ve overdone yourself. Let¡¯s just have a nice quiet trip back, eh?¡± Jedian nearly jumped out of his skin as someone slung an arm over his shoulder. Heshed out, wincing as he identally connected with someone¡¯s nose. He spun round to see Roman holding his nose, blood pouring between the cracks in his fingers. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry!¡± Jedian said on instinct, even though he was thankful that Roman was now silent. Reaching into his trouser pockets to retrieve a handkerchief, Jedian handed it over. Roman snatched it out of his hand and pressed it up against his nose. He then barged past Jedian and climbed into the carriage, leaving Jedian outside. Bracing himself for an awkward trip, he sighed and followed Roman, closing the carriage door behind him. * Levisia woke up with a start at the sensation of water dripping onto her forehead. She stood at the lighthouse, rain hammering down as the kraken roared in the distance. As she reached out to wipe it away, she felt something slimy wrapping around her arm. She tried to pull away, not seeing the kraken anywhere. And then, the familiar sounds of the lighthouse creaking chilled her to the bone. She looked up in time to see the fallen lighthouse falling straight towards her, and given that she was unable to move, it would surely crush her. She screamed and held her free arm out in front of her as if it was about saving her life. Somewhere in the distance, someone was calling her name. ¡°Levisia!¡± Levisia woke up with a start, thrashing about the ce as she tried to get away from the kraken and the lighthouse. She tried to kick away something that had tangled around her feet, but something was still holding her close. ¡°It¡¯s alright, Levisia. You¡¯re okay, you just had a bad dream. That¡¯s all. Take some deep breaths.¡± Despite everything, she did as she was instructed. With every deep breath, she took, her heart rate slowed to normal, and soon she was calm enough to examine her surroundings. Or, at least, what she was able to see. She was in a room of sorts, dimly lit by candlelight. And when she looked up, she saw a pair of golden eyes looking down at her. ¡°Pel.¡± She sobbed andtched onto him with all of her might. Though her arms were aching, she still wrapped them around his waist and held on for dear life. All this time, she had never once thought about where he was during the kraken attack. He could have died and she wouldn¡¯t have known. But there he was, safe and sound. ¡°What you did was stupid, foolish, and idiotic. You went up there alone, without any backup, and without telling anyone where you were! It was only because a guard saw you that we knew where you were! We were all worried about you! Elizabeth was practical in hysterics as soon as she heard that you were in the lighthouse. I¡­¡± Pel let go of Levisia and mped his hands on her cheeks. ¡°What were you thinking?!¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t just let them die¡­¡± Levisia said in a small voice. All the fight had left her, and she slumped against Pel¡¯s hands. ¡°If it was empty, I would havee straight back down.¡± ¡°You should have asked if it was vacant or not. The people in the town know the lighthouse better than you.¡± Pel sighed and pulled Levisia into another hug, one which Levisia dly returned. ¡°Just think before you act, okay? You are so reckless and impulsive sometimes, and one of these days it willnd you in trouble that nothing will be able to save you from. You cannot rely on that magical gust of wind to bail you out of every single sticky situation you get yourself in.¡± ¡°I know¡­ I know, Pel. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Levisia buried her head against Pel¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re safe, though. And that the townspeople were able to evacuate.¡± Pel simply hummed as he rubbed a hand over Levisia¡¯s hair, Levisia melting under the touch. She prayed that wherever they went next, nothing would happen. There was only so much adventure she could take before she started to reach her limit. If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! (Note: Patreon is notpulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at ater date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much!)

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Chapter 144 Chapter 144 But the fuss soon calmed down. Levisia was absently staring at her tingling hand when she said, ¡°I¡¯m fine now.¡± Pel¡¯s hand slowly fell from hers. She shoved her free hand back under the nket. Pel was staring at her with calm eyes when he lifted his hand, cing it on her forehead. It seemed like he was her wiping sweat with a towel. So it wasn¡¯t a dream that my forehead was wet. Levisia grabbed Pel¡¯s wrist because she was so shocked at that. The whole story of the incident was naturally drawn in front of her eyes. However, she could not tell that him. Because she felt sorry¡­ to say that she had thought that his hand was Kraken¡¯s leg. ¡°Really, I¡¯m fine.¡± After gripping Pel¡¯s restless hand she softly pushed it away. It was with enough strength for him to pull back his hand Levisia saw a chance to pull herself up. Pel said after seeing her move, ¡°Lie down for a bit longer.¡± ¡°No. I want to get up.¡± At first nce, it sounded like a sigh came from him. He, however, helped her sit upfortably as if he couldn¡¯t win against her. Before leaning her back against the headboard, he fluffed a soft pillow and ced it behind her. She asked as she stared at Pel¡¯s hands pulling the nket up to her chest, ¡°When d¡ªAhem! When did youe back?¡± She suddenly lost her voice trying to say something long. A ss of water was handed to her as soon as she cleared her throat. She epted it out of impulse. ¡°Seeing that it¡¯s 2 a.m. now, I¡¯ve been here for about six hours.¡± ¡°It¡¯s thatte?¡± ¡°It was past dinnertime and you hadn¡¯t returned then, so I¨D¡± Pel, who was normally a decent orator, stopped out of the blue. Drinking her water, Levisia shifted her eyes to the side and stared at him. It wasn¡¯t until after he turned his head from her that he continued speaking. ¡°¡­I was so worried about everyone left behind.¡± Levisia knew that his words strangely didn¡¯t add up, but she didn¡¯t intend to dig that far. ¡°I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d stay there thatte¡­ I guess I took too long to take care of the situation.¡± ¡°What in the world happened?¡± It was a question thrown out as if he¡¯d been waiting until this very second to ask it. ¡°How can someone go on an inspection, lose consciousness, and return like this?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ I didn¡¯t pass out because I wanted to¨D¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m not trying to say it¡¯s your fault; I want to me the guys who were by your side.¡± She knew this was the room she had been assigned, but Pel¡¯s outspoken words made her look around carefully for no reason. ¡°Pel, no matter how kindly you speak, the word ¡®guys¡¯ is kind of weird.¡± ¡°What if I¡¯m trying to hold back what I really want to call them?¡± ¡°All right. Then let¡¯s reach an agreement here.¡± Levisia soon epted. People say that the king curses in unseen ces. Pel, who didn¡¯t seem to give a single damn about her totally flipped attitude, said, ¡°Levisia, you lost consciousness, so can you not me the humans who have returned unscathed?¡± How did they lookst time? Tired as all hell after getting water sshed on them. ¡°They weren¡¯t all that unscathed¡­¡± ¡°If your head is right, you¡¯re unscathed.¡± ¡°Oh, yeah. All right.¡± ¡°Some people lose consciousness and suffer from nightmares¡­¡± Levisia scratched her itchy cheek as she turned her eyes away. They¡¯d all returned unscathed, so it was embarrassing to have been the only one who had lost consciousness. Earlier she seemed to have thought, ¡°I overcame the crisis of death, but this is nothing,¡± but now that she hase to her senses, what was to be embarrassed about? Pel said, staring calmly at her, ¡°Even though I don¡¯t know what happened, everyone seems to be busy hiding it. Perhaps it¡¯s something that shouldn¡¯t be openly revealed.¡± Levisia recalled the boundary stone under the ocean in Vinhol. What she thought of next was the embarrassed face of Marchioness Vinhol, at the appearance of the sea monster on the pier. If this had been caused by damage to the boundary stone, it could not be taken lightly. From Mentine to Vinhol¡­ Had they kept quiet about what had happened at the pier, Levisia would be able to guess the reason easily. ¡°If it¡¯s something I shouldn¡¯t have stepped into, I¡¯ll step back now.¡± ¡°No, that¨D¡± Levisia didn¡¯t even realize she was grabbing Pel¡¯s wrist again with the same hand as earlier. Pel raised his body as he was looking down at her hand on his wrist. She winced and said, taking her hand away, ¡°It isn¡¯t something you shouldn¡¯t have stepped into; it¡¯s because I am not sure what to do.¡± That was a lie. That wasn¡¯t what she¡¯d just been thinking about. What¡¯s gonna happen if I tell Pel? The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!