Feu, who was hanging his shabby robe on the sofa, looked up at the sound of someone entering.
“Ah, Lady Elise!”
He hurriedly bowed. Elise checked the corridor for anyone nearby before closing the door.
“Welcome, Feu. Were you surprised to be suddenly called here?”
“Not at all, Lady Elise. Ever since you entrusted me with that task, I’ve been always waiting for your contact.”
The task Elise had entrusted him with was to complete the magic circle that would unlock Karan’s sealed power.
“Let’s sit and talk, Feu.”
Feu and Elise sat down with a small table between them. On the table were tea and snacks that Regina had prepared in advance.
“You must be tired from your journey. I’m sorry for calling you without giving you time to rest.”
“Please don’t say that.”
“Have some tea first.”
Although Feu said he was fine, fatigue was evident on his face. Elise gave him a moment to catch his breath.
As it would be impolite to keep refusing, Feu drank a glass of water and ate a few snacks.
Despite saying he was fine, he must have been quite hungry as he kept eating the snacks endlessly.
After emptying a whole plate, his mind became much clearer.
“I’m fine now.”
Feu drank a final glass of cool beverage and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.
“I’ve arranged for a meal to be prepared for you after our conversation, Feu.”
“Thank you for being so considerate.”
“You came all this way for me. It’s the least I could do. Since you need rest and I’m short on time, let’s get straight to the point. How far have you progressed with the magic circle restoration I asked for?”
Instead of answering, Feu rummaged through his bag. The bag he had kept close to his chest throughout his journey was still tightly pressed against his chest.
From it, he took out an object wrapped in expensive silk. Elise cleared away the empty snack plate and drink glasses.
Feu placed the object on the table. Unwrapping the silk revealed a stiff, starched paper envelope. He took out the contents from the envelope, which was sturdy enough to be made into a box. An oiled paper emerged.
“You’ve packaged it very carefully.”
“It’s precious, after all.”
Feu used tweezers to open the oiled paper. Inside was the object Elise had been so eagerly waiting for.
A part of the book stolen from Bedrokka’s forbidden library. The magic circle was now in a clearer form than before.
But there was still a part missing. It was a gap as thin as a fingernail, barely noticeable at a glance, but to Elise’s eyes, it looked as big as a house.
“So this is where you stopped.”
“No, that’s not it.”
“Have you completed it?”
Elise’s face brightened. Feu rummaged through his bag again. This time, one, then two crumpled papers came out.
They were completed magic circles. But the shapes of the two magic circles were slightly different.
“I couldn’t be certain which direction the final line should be drawn. It seems the person who made this book drew and erased the magic circle several times. It could also be overdrawn.”
Restoration proceeds not only by removing layers but also by adding to them.
“Even after erasing everything, two lines remained. I can’t confirm which one is the original.”
Elise looked down at the two magic circles. Among the countless drawings she had made and erased, there was one that matched the magic circle Feu had found.
Thanks to her knowledge of magic circles and Feu’s restoration skills, the options had been narrowed down to two.
It was one of these two.
One of them could save Karan. On the other hand, one could also kill him.
“…Lady Elise?”
How long had she been in a daze?
Feu called her cautiously.
“You’ve done well, Feu. I didn’t expect you to do this well… Ah! I’m not doubting your abilities.”
“I understand. You trusted someone as insignificant as me with something incredible. It’s an honor just to have been able to touch that paper.”
“I should have said this earlier, but thank you for accepting the job. It couldn’t have been easy. As promised, I’ll prepare a separate success fee for you. Leave these here.”
“No need. I’ve already received more than enough. And it’s not like I succeeded completely.”
He hadn’t restored it perfectly. Feu felt uneasy about that. And it was true that Elise had given him more than he deserved.
She had paid off all of Feu’s debts and even found respectable jobs for his dependents.
All he had done was work on something he loved.
“Feu, you should receive proper compensation for your work. Please don’t refuse, just accept it.”
“It’s shameless of me, but I’ll gratefully accept.”
“I’m glad you’ll accept it gratefully.”
Elise smiled and rang a bell. Regina entered immediately.
“Help him rest comfortably, Regina.”
Regina left with Feu. Feu stood up with a heavy expression.
Elise was lost in thought, faced with the two options.
To take the risk or not.
If it wasn’t for love, it would have been easy. If Karan’s absence wasn’t a loss that shook her very existence.
Elise had no choice but to be selfish even at this crucial moment.
She didn’t want to lose Karan.
So Elise was about to discard both magic circles.
“I prefer this one.”
If only she hadn’t heard Karan’s voice from above her.
Elise jerked her head up. Karan was standing in front of her, dressed casually.
He was holding one of the two magic circles, examining it carefully.
“Your Highness, when did you…?”
Karan somehow understood her abbreviated question.
“I’ve been here for about thirty minutes.”
Karan, who said he had knocked but entered when Elise didn’t answer, shifted his gaze back to the magic circle Feu had drawn.
Elise checked the clock. Indeed, a significant amount of time had passed.
“Give it to me.”
Elise reached out her hand. But Karan raised his hand. Elise leaned her upper body over the table, her eyes wide open.
“Your Highness, I said give it to me.”
“What is this that you’re so worried about?”
“It’s just a magic circle.”
“It doesn’t seem like just a magic circle.”
“Your Highness… please give it to me. I’m tired.”
Elise’s weary murmur made Karan even less inclined to hand it over. It wasn’t out of contrariness. Rather, Karan’s intuition was telling him something.
This wasn’t an ordinary magic circle. Elise’s reaction was different from usual.
Normally, Elise would be overjoyed when Karan showed interest in magic circles, eagerly explaining them to him.
But today, far from explaining, she seemed uncomfortable with him even looking at it.
“Someone came from Tetris. Feu Orces, I believe. The person you specifically asked His Majesty to keep close.”
He had been curious about this for a while. Why Elise wanted to keep such an unremarkable person nearby.
“I just needed him.”
“Why did you need him? Is there a reason you can’t tell me?”
Today, just as Elise wasn’t acting like herself, neither was Karan.
He usually wouldn’t persistently question Elise’s actions, even if they aroused suspicion.
“Your Highness, I’m tired. Tomorrow… I’ll tell you.”
“Are you trying to buy time?”
“Your Highness…”
There was only one reason Elise was reluctant to explain.
“Is this perhaps a way to cure my condition?”
Elise’s eyes widened.
Seeing Elise’s wavering gaze, Karan became certain.
“So it was a problem that could be solved with a magic circle.”
A deep smile spread across his face. It was clearly expectation.
“Your Highness, that’s not it. You’re misunderstanding.”
“I think I’m right, Elise.”
Karan put the paper down on the table. Elise tried to gather and hide it, but as always, Karan was faster.
Karan’s hand overlapped Elise’s as she covered the paper. He leaned forward, looking directly into Elise’s eyes.
“David told me. That you went to the forbidden library, that you stole something important from there.”
It was quite a while ago that David had told Karan about Elise’s unusual behavior.
He had asked Karan to step in and prevent any problems for Elise if they arose from this.
Although Karan was annoyed by David’s concern for Elise, he had taken note of what David had told him.
Putting together the forbidden library, Feu, the magic circle before him, and Elise’s actions, the answer came quickly.
“Elise, tell me the truth. Can this unlock my sealed mana?”
“No.”
Elise lied, but she couldn’t deceive Karan.
“Elise, why are you hesitating when you’ve found the answer?”
“Because it might not be the answer.”
Elise finally admitted, in a low and gentle voice.
Karan narrowed his eyes, examining her, then withdrew his hand.
Elise averted her gaze from Karan and tidied up the desk.
“Elise, I want to become stronger.”
“You’re strong enough, Your Highness.”
“I need to become even stronger than I am now.”
“Your desires are excessive.”
“Desires? Is my wish to protect you a desire?”
Elise’s hand hesitated.
“It sounds like you want to become stronger because of me.”
“That’s right. I want to become stronger because of you.”
Elise had always been Karan’s motivation. Why didn’t Elise understand this yet?
“To protect me?”
Elise asked. Karan nodded.
At that, Elise smiled wryly. It was a self-deprecating smile Karan had never seen before.
“Your Highness, since we’re on the subject, let me say one thing. You don’t need to protect me.”
“Elise?”
“I’ll protect myself. That’s what I’ve been struggling for.”
Elise’s voice gradually rose.
“I’d like you to explain so I can understand, Elise.”
“In the gate.”
As soon as the word “gate” left her lips, the image of Karan coughing up blood flashed in her mind. Elise’s breath caught in her throat. Just remembering it made her hands and feet tremble.
Noticing her change, Karan tried to approach. But Elise raised her hand to stop him.
She stepped back, increasing the distance between them.
“Don’t do reckless things like you did in the gate. Don’t throw yourself away trying to protect me.”
Elise’s lips were set in a firm line.
“Are you telling me to stand by and do nothing while knowing you might get hurt?”
“Yes. That’s exactly what I’m saying.”
Karan’s eyes turned cold. A wrinkle formed between his brows.
“If you just give up the idea of protecting me, you won’t need a reason to become stronger. You’re already strong enough. You don’t need magic circles like this.”
Elise put the magic circle on the bedside table. There was irritation in her hand as she closed the drawer.
“You’ve surprised me multiple times today.”
Karan muttered to himself.
“Elise, why are you angry?”
Karan moved close behind Elise.
Elise turned around without any preparation and was startled to find Karan standing right in front of her like a totem pole.
As she instinctively tried to step back, Karan grabbed and pulled her towards him.
With his hand around her waist, he leaned his upper body back and scrutinized her face closely.
It was a gaze that felt almost like he was licking her with his eyes.
“Why are you being so harsh to me?”
“When was I?”
