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Seeing Jurgen shaking uncharacteristically, Leicester quickly created a barrier around them. A virtual space where no one’s voice leaked out.
Only then did Lester remove the ring he was wearing on his index finger and put it down.
“This is the key to the emperor’s personal library. It was a secret oath between me and the emperor. To not tell anyone what we did until we found a piece of God. But since a fragment seems to have appeared, I don’t think I’ll have to keep that oath anymore.”
***
After Jurgen went out, Amelie gave her a painkiller she swallowed immediately and quenched her stomach with sweet, warm milk.
Her body had been fine until mid-morning when it started to tremble, and every part of her body began to throb. Jurgen said she could guide herself but couldn’t do it no matter how she tried.
Dahlia buried herself in bed, inwardly allowing a tiny thanks to Jurgen for letting her recuperate today.
“Please take a good rest, my lady. Because you overworked yourself yesterday. Um, ah, I mean— so… .”
She smiled weakly at Amelie’s blushing cheeks.
“I suppose so. Thanks for your concern, Amelie. I’m going to take a nap, so wake me up when Sir Edelred comes.”
“Yes, miss. Get some rest, don’t worry.”
“But what about Phone? Why haven’t I seen him today?”
“Phone is in the tree. He’s been sitting outside your window like a guard all day, and hasn’t moved at all.”
Dahlia turned over in the direction of the window Amelie had mentioned and pulled the blanket over herself. Then, she saw the bird’s plump tail beyond the window, exposed through the curtains.
As she stared at the preached Phone, his round butt twitching, she started to fall asleep. Just when she closed and opened her eyes several times, getting dizzy in between reality and the dream world—
Phone sitting on the window sill suddenly disappeared.
When she closed and opened her eyes again, she saw the large wings of a bird of prey, and in its talons, it was clutching Phone. Then, a yellow-eyed black hawk snatched Phone with its sharp claws, shot up, and flew away.
“Phone!”
Alarmed and shocked, she jumped up and ran to the window. But at that moment, someone appeared and wrapped an arm around her waist.
“Long time no see, Dahlia Von Klose.”
The sound of Crown Prince Reynon’s voice filling her ears made her body rigid. Reynon’s lips fell on the nape of Dahlia’s astonished neck. The sharp tip of his nose grazed her skin, and while pressing his lips to her earlobe, he whispered:
“Your scent has become thicker.”
“Y-Your Highness, you are being rude.”
“Isn’t it too fruitless to question my rudeness? In the Empire, there is no place I cannot go.”
Dahlia struggled to get out of his arms and looked around for Phone. Then Reynon snapped his fingers and covered her eyes with his large hand.
Suddenly, her vision dimmed, and she couldn’t see a thing. All she could sense was the Crown Prince restraining her.
“Please release Phone!”
Covering Dahlia’s eyes, he hugged her from behind and questioned, tilting his head with puzzlement,
“You are not the owner of that bird, are you?”
“I am the owner!”
“I could feel Edelred’s power coming from it?”
“It doesn’t matter, Phone is my friend!”
“Friend?”
He burst into laughter. Suddenly, Reynon raised Luster’s strength. Originally, her seals had reacted, and the pain should have crippled her, but since the seal was broken, Dahlia did not feel any pain.
“Oh dear, your seals are broken.”
It was a terrible indiscretion. Then, as if he was very displeased that he couldn’t feel her pain, Reynon crushed her with his grasp, restraining her frame.
“Did you intermix with that Edelred? How did you destroy the seal? Could it be that you two dared to get married without permission from the imperial family? Answer me, Von Klose.”