Sylvia sighed softly upon seeing Felix’s flashing eyes. After several repetitions, she seemed to have a grasp on his thoughts.
She had grown bamboo, not just any bamboo, but black bamboo, by merging plant magic with gem magic. The black bamboo stems were mystical, and the leaves made of black diamonds were beautiful.
“Felix, put away your sword and hold this.”
She had wanted to stop him from wielding his sword so fiercely. Sylvia still couldn’t adapt to the sight of people dying.
She didn’t want to see any more gruesome scenes, but she didn’t want to stop him either. If he hadn’t retaliated, it would have been Felix and Sylvia dying.
Felix looked at Sylvia with his still-mad eyes. For some reason, he couldn’t refuse his companion’s wish.
After sheathing his sword, the crown prince let out a huge sigh of relief. Lucino, still clutching his wounded shoulder, couldn’t take his eyes off the bamboo she created.
Sylvia glanced at Lucino. It was too late for words, but she wanted to hint indirectly, curious if Lucino and even Carl realized she was the one who had fortified the walls.
Carl’s eyes lit up, seemingly catching on to her thoughts.
“Retreat! Attacking those who have surrendered is beneath us!”
The disgraced crown prince spoke to Felix. Then, turning to Sylvia, he added,
“But isn’t she an imperial? You’re the Crown Prince of Capitis; you can’t take her with you. Return her and leave. Before your palace falls apart.”
He stubbornly refused to admit defeat, resorting to childish arguments. Lucino suppressed a sigh, and Carl approached.
“Isn’t the Imperial Crown Prince being a bit too petty? And since you’re of equal standing with the Crown Prince of Capitis, isn’t it undignified to speak so informally?”
“And who might you be?”
The crown prince, already on edge from the earlier killing intent, challenged Carl. Carl casually brushed off the comment, introducing himself with a graceful gesture.
“I am Carl Moltke Caudatium, the guardian of Caudatium. I believe we exchanged greetings at a banquet before… It seems your memory isn’t very good.”
“What? Ha! Such arrogance from a mere princeling.”
The crown prince glared fiercely at Carl.
“Enough! We’ve surrendered, so let’s end this here. I’m tired. Duke! Bring that woman to the imperial palace!”
The crown prince, pointing at Sylvia dismissively, grabbed the reins of his horse. His plan had fallen apart, and he had lost his knight squadron, which served as his hands and feet, leaving him irritated. He wanted nothing more than to return to the imperial palace, soak in hot water, and rest.
Lucino intervened.
“Even if she is an imperial, it’s against the law to coerce a citizen.”
Lucino’s direct challenge only added fuel to the crown prince’s already smoldering irritation.
“Is the duke making a fool of me too? Have I been too lenient with you, and now you think it’s funny? If she’s an imperial, she must follow my orders! Bring that woman to me right now!”
Lucino could no longer speak against the crown prince’s outburst. Despite the weakening of royal power, he was in a position to serve the royal family.
As the crown prince was about to speak again, filled with reluctance, Carl intervened.
“This lady is a benefactor of our nation. Since I arrived first, I must insist that you take your turn. Moreover, you seem to confuse the distinction between a citizen and a slave. It’s only those who have committed crimes and become slaves that can be coerced. Ordinary citizens cannot be forced like that unless they’ve violated the law.”
Though it was a valid argument, there were always those who oppressed their citizens regardless of the situation. Carl detested such individuals to his core.
“Have you not thought that you’re interfering too much in the affairs of another nation? It’s quite amusing.”
The crown prince looked down at Carl from his horse, his face full of scorn.
“And to think that after all I’ve said, instead of coming down and bowing your head, you’re still in the arms of a man… How vulgar…”
The crown prince turned to leave, derisively targeting Sylvia. Before he could finish, Felix whipped out the black bamboo with a swift motion.
Whack, whack.
“Ugh, ah!”
Using wind magic to bury his words, Felix continued to lash out at the crown prince from the air.
“Duke! Duke, ah!”
The elastic bamboo bent and struck the crown prince’s body before falling away. The black diamond leaves pricked sharply. Sylvia narrowed her eyes and then whispered in Felix’s ear.
“I said not to kill him, not that you couldn’t beat him to an inch of his life.”
Felix’s lips curled up at her sly permission. He had been eager to beat the crown prince for a while now.
“Aah!”
Lucino struggled to remain conscious due to the loss of blood. He could only stand by and watch, hoping this brash crown prince would learn his lesson from this ordeal.
★
Felix returned to the palace, leading Sylvia, Duke Sabellisa, and his followers.
It had been nearly four years since he last saw his home. Not much had changed in his absence, a fact that brought him some comfort.
The partially destroyed palace looked dilapidated, but to Sylvia, it seemed fascinating. The most luxurious home she had seen was the Visconti Ducal House, and while the palace had a different atmosphere, it was an incredibly majestic castle.
The palace was built of black bricks overall, but small decorations, including window frames, were all gilded with platinum. The black dragon statues at the roof’s edge exuded an imposing presence.
The Capitis Palace showed signs of its long history. Sylvia, snugly held in Felix’s arms, turned her little head here and there, looking around.
Felix found this sight so endearing that he couldn’t help but smile. The warmth of having her in his arms and returning to his home together filled him with emotion.
“Your Highness, what about the… the body?”
Hubert gestured towards Bella’s body. Felix’s gaze darkened as he gave the order.
“Take her to where the criminals are held.”
Duke Sabellisa’s knights had captured not only Count Lansmorris but also his remnants. As they prepared to move, a figure hurried out of the castle.
Barbara, her dress in disarray and her hair unkempt, ran towards them.
“Sob, uhuhu.”
Falling at his feet, Barbara cried uncontrollably. Unable to say anything, she just sobbed, her shoulders shaking. Felix watched her silently, unfamiliar with the sight of Barbara looking so worn and aged.
“Your Highness… Your Highness…”
Unable to speak directly to Felix, Barbara simply called out to him desperately. Having heard about the recent events from Duke Sabellisa on the way back, Felix spoke softly.
“Stand up.”
Barbara, trembling, barely managed to stand.
“Please kill me.”
She felt guilty, even if she had acted to protect the palace. She had agonized every day over her wrong choices.
As the one who served the previous queen, she knew the palace’s inner workings and the treasure vault’s secrets, being the only servant privy to this information before the king lost his mind after the queen’s death. He had ordered her to protect the treasury at all costs. At the time, she hadn’t understood, but now, she realized the king had anticipated his own descent into madness.
To fulfill this command, she had to survive in the palace by any means, even if it meant turning a blind eye beside Bella.
Even as the crown prince suffered.
She had to pretend not to notice.
“Please. I ignored Your Highness’s suffering. I knew of the poison in Your Highness’s food and yet did nothing. Therefore…”
Despite her tears, Barbara continued.
“Please punish me.”
Barbara bowed her head deeply as she pleaded. The Duke of Sabelisa, knowing how hard it had been for her, could only look at her with a heavy heart. However, he did not want to interfere in matters decided by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. He felt the same as Barbara, having been unable to be by his nephew’s side when he was most in need.
Felix narrowed his eyes and looked at Barbara in silence for a moment before slowly parting his lips.
“Your punishment… will be decided after dealing with the others.”
His piercingly cold black eyes stared directly at Barbara. As their eyes met briefly, Barbara quickly lowered her gaze and deeply bowed as she responded.
“I shall heed, Your Highness.”
Realizing she had been obstructing the path of the Crown Prince, Barbara was startled by her own action and hurriedly stepped aside.
“I am sorry, Your Highness.”
Felix glanced at Barbara’s grimy fingertips for a moment before turning away.
“Duke Sabelisa, lead the way.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
That was when Hubert stepped forward.
“Wouldn’t it be better for Lady Sylvia to rest first?”
Felix, who had momentarily forgotten about Sylvia in his comfort and naturalness, widened his eyes at this. Sylvia, already feeling awkward, quickly nodded.
“I will, no, I shall rest for a bit.”
“Resting won’t suffice. We need to call a physician.”
Felix looked at Hubert.
“I will call for a physician, Your Highness. So please do not worry.”
After hearing his response, Felix, seemingly lost in thought, lifted her robe. Although her condition had improved since earlier, he meticulously inspected her shirt, which still had bloodstains, and then said,
“No, just bring ointment and bandages to my room.”
No sooner had he finished speaking than Felix, lifted by the magic of wind, carried Sylvia to his room.
“You, no, Your Highness…”
The word “Your Highness” felt so awkward to her that she bit her lip. Felix glanced at her and chided her in a low voice.
“Call me ‘Your Highness’ one more time.”
The word “Your Highness” that came from her was more displeasing than he expected. Sylvia pouted her lips towards Felix, who was chiding her, feeling upset because she was just trying to be considerate, even if it felt awkward.
“What will you do if I do?”
“Just do it.”
After entering his room through the balcony window, Felix first set Sylvia down to remove his armor. After pressing a button to store the armor in subspace, he slowly turned his eyes to survey the room. Expecting it to be full of dust, he was emotionally stirred to find it cleanly tidied.
Sylvia, not seeing his expression, acted on what he had just said.
“Your Majesty! Your Majesty! Your Majeesty…….”
Felix devoured her fully lips, filled with a grumbling appearance, without holding back.
He slid his hand behind Sylvia’s neck, making it impossible for her to back away.
As if to shove all the unbearable emotions into her mouth, he thrust his tongue deeply inside.
Roughly exploring her mouth, Felix breathed out deeply, sending his breath into Sylvia’s mouth.
His hot flesh, which had been fast and messy, slowly turned gentle. Like calming down after anger, he softly stroked around Sylvia’s back.
Knock knock.
At the sound of knocking, Felix slowly pulled away, his black eyes capturing a trace of turquoise, and he did not let go as he said,
“Come in.”
Hubert cautiously entered, placing the fully prepared medicines and soft cloth bandages on the table.
“Then, I will take my leave, Your Majesty.”
Hubert, having turned red at the scene he witnessed upon entering, quickly retreated.
Anyone could tell that the two had just kissed from their appearance and hurriedly fled.
Felix raised an eyebrow as he looked at Sylvia. He quite liked her face, which had turned red with surprise.
He strode to the sofa and sat down, still keeping Sylvia in his embrace without letting her go.
“I’ll go down now…….”
As Sylvia tried to rustle down, Felix caught her waist and said,
“Take it off.”