Arundel looked down at Zion’s calm face, feeling emotionally drained today.
[Isn’t this enough? The reason to return to heaven.]
[I just… I want to confirm if she really exists. It’s painful. Whether I’m not chasing a phantom…]
She knew why she had to return to heaven. She knew better than anyone.
Arundel reached out and stroked Zion’s slender cheek. She wished that he could have such a peaceful face even after she left.
Thud!
Arundel looked down at her caught wrist.
“Irina…?”
Zion’s golden eyes were directed at Arundel. The moment his eyes opened, he sat up abruptly.
And then he hugged Arundel tightly.
“I thought you were dead…”
Zion buried his head in Aruendel’s shoulder. Aruendel wrapped her arms around his head.
“I’m not dead.”
Zion slowly lifted his head as if to check Arundel’s face.
“Are you hurt anywhere?”
“No.”
She let out a hollow laugh at Zion, who was worried about her as soon as he woke up.
“Are you worrying about me now? Zion, you’ve been asleep for three whole days.”
At that, Zion seemed a bit surprised.
“Actually… I don’t remember anything after seeing you fall into the pit.”
Zion held his words for a moment, lost in thought, then opened his mouth.
“What happened to Baphomet and the Count?”
“Baphomet is dead, and the Count has been sentenced to death.”
At that, Zion slowly nodded. His face was still confused.
Arundel reached out and touched Zion’s face.
“Zion, I want to hear now. What’s happening to you?”
She didn’t want to bring up a difficult topic to Zion who just woke up, but she was anxious because of the conversation with Hills and Lucas.
She has to leave him soon.
If she leaves Zion as Hills said, there will be no such rampage. It’s undeniable that she plays a role in Zion’s explosive device.
But she wanted to know before she left.
[I’ll tell you when the time comes, not now.]
She wanted to know the meaning of the meaningful words Zion had said.
She realized clearly through this rampage.
He can’t control his power. And it will be fatal to Zion as well as the surroundings.
She couldn’t stand to see Zion being eaten by his power. She wanted to help him.
“…Where should I start the story.”
Zion seemed to know that he could no longer postpone the story.
“When I was young, I realized when I moved to the palace. That I have a magic talent. To me, who was getting tired of the fierce palace life, magic was like a lifeline from heaven.”
Arundel listened to Zion’s story. It was a difficult story to hear from Zion, who hates showing his weak side to others.
“Magic grew beyond expectations, and it became a decisive power for me to take over the Croyden Empire.”
Zion said so and looked down at his hand.
“But these days, it’s hard to handle this power. I’ve never had that before.”
“…”
“It feels like a rough wave is hitting inside my body. If I take my eyes off for a moment, it feels like the ship will sink.”
Arundel’s face darkened. Zion, who saw her face, stroked Arundel’s head.
“But don’t worry. It was a mistake this time. I’ll find a way somehow, so.”
“…”
“Don’t think about anything else.”
He’s really quick-witted. He seems to have noticed the depressed emotion expressed on her face. Arundel nodded her head with a forced smile.
“When are we going to return to the palace?”
“We have to go tomorrow. We’ve been away for too long.”
Zion seemed worried and touched her forehead.
“Cain and the others seem to be doing well in their roles, so don’t worry too much.”
Arundel smiled and comforted Zion.
“It seems hard to be an emperor. You can’t rest easily.”
“Thus I’m thinking of quitting.”
Arundel opened her eyes wide and looked at Zion at the shocking remark. He chuckled and laughed.
“But will you follow me? Me, who is not an emperor.”
“That’s… but…”
How can you leave the position you’ve climbed up…
She knows how much effort Zion has put in to get to this position. Considering his blood and sweat, it was not a light story to hear.
“You’re serious again.”
Zion said with a nonchalant expression.
“You don’t need to worry hard, it’s a joke.”
At Zion’s playful words, Arundel’s face turned grim in an instant.
But this cunning and sly person slowly lay down on the bed. The sight of him coughing slightly was annoying.
“Don’t get angry, I’m a patient.”
What patient, he seems to be all better. He didn’t even fall because he was hurt in the first place.
“Since you seem to have the energy to joke, I’ll go.”
As Arundel tried to get up to leave, Zion quickly grabbed Arundel’s arm.
“I still need care.”
Despite his playful words, his gestures were provocative.
Zion gently held Arundel’s chin. At the approaching face, Arundel naturally closed her eyes.
Warm lips gently overlapped. The sensation of the moist tongue licking the lips made the whole body tingle.
Then, cautiously, a soft feeling slipped between the lips, causing Arundel to let out a quiet “Ah” without realizing.
For a moment, a strange presence that was slowly exploring inside the mouth forcefully pushed in without restraint.
Arundel’s closed eyes trembled.
Arundel, who was absentmindedly offering her mouth, seemed like she would melt away.
At that moment, a solid touch under the clothes brushed against the skin.
Arundel snapped back to reality, pulling away his lips and distancing himself. His face was flushed with embarrassment.
“This, this is a temple…!”
Suddenly stopped, Zion’s face showed displeasure towards Arundel.
“So?”
“Uh…How could you do such a thing…”
“Such an act, sharing love, is not impure.”
In the face of Zion’s confident words, Arundel could only stammer.
“I’ve cast soundproof and protective spells. Even if an explosion were to occur here, no sound would leak out, and even if soldiers were to suddenly rush in, they wouldn’t be able to enter this room.”
“When did you cast such magic…?”
“From the moment I opened my eyes and saw you.”
Arundel’s face flushed at Zion’s brazen words. It meant that he had foreseen this situation since then.
“So…”
Zion’s hand trailed up Arundel’s arm. Like playing piano keys, the cautious touch felt ticklish yet strangely intriguing.
“Don’t worry about anything else.”
The hand that had climbed up wrapped around Arundel’s neck.
“Because I’m jealous.”
And once again, a long kiss ensued. Zion’s excited movements were palpable even through the kiss, making Arundel feel so embarrassed as if her head would explode.
‘I don’t know.’
Arundel closed her eyes and pulled Zion closer by wrapping her arms around his neck.
Zion responded to her actions and the kiss intensified.
At that moment, Arundel didn’t want to reject the warmth of Zion’s body touching her own. She simply wanted to fully feel him.
****
After a long journey, they finally returned to the palace.
Upon arriving at the palace, the first thing she saw was Belle, with tears streaming down her face.
“Your Majesty!”
As soon as Belle saw Arundel, she ran towards her, her skirt flapping this way and that.
“Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?”
“Yeah. I’m perfectly fine.”
“Really? But there’s a red mark on your neck. Did you bump into something or scratch it?”
“Ah… this… I was bitten by a bug.”
Arundel managed to answer, calming her blushing face.
Not just her neck, there were marks all over her body. Considering what she had been through all night, she was grateful that her body was unharmed.
“There were no maids and the bed must have been uncomfortable. It must be nice to be back in the palace, right?”
Belle asked with a genuinely happy and bright face.
As Belle said, the palace had now become a familiar and comfortable place. It felt strange yet natural that the place where she had been through so much felt like home.
Yet Arundel’s expression darkened. Her green eyes, visible between her lowered eyelashes, looked unusually dark.
“Your Majesty…?”
“No, let’s go in.”
Arundel moved her steps with a forced smile.
She had a lot of thoughts on the way.
Zion’s rampage, Hills’ worries, Lucas’ desolation, the onslaught of demons.
All of these problems would be solved once she returned to the heavens.
She couldn’t deny the fact that her heart had been heavy, but now she had let everything go.
Arundel took a look around the corridor of the Empress’s Palace.
This familiar space, she will soon say goodbye. Not just the palace, but Belle, Cain, and even the prime minister.
Suppressing her heavy heart, Arundel entered the Empress’s Palace. Belle, who was tidying up Arundel’s clothes, asked in a frantic voice.
“Oh, by the way! Were you attacked by demons while you were in the temple? They say that the demons are really fierce these days. Is the world really going to end?”
Belle reminded her of the problem.
She hadn’t encountered any demons on the way, but the problem was still serious.
While saying goodbye, the Pope quietly approached and said something she remembered.
[We have decided to postpone the closure of the Elbis Temple for the time being.]
The Pope seemed to remember how Arundel had reacted sensitively to the closure of the Elbis Temple.
Even though the Empress and the Elbis Temple had no external relationship, he still told her.
[They are losing their divine power, but they have excellent combat skills…We may need to borrow a cat’s hand because of the demons.]
(t/n: borrow a cat’s hand-An expression used when you are very busy or short on workers.)
Arundel’s eyes widened at the unexpected good news. She looked around, but Lucas was nowhere to be seen.
[Are you looking for Chief Priest Lucas? He left early in the morning.]
Arundel swallowed her disappointment.
She didn’t know how their last conversation had affected Lucas. It could have been a disappointment or a hope.
It was a bit disappointing that he left without a word, but there would be a next time.
If she regains her original form, she vows to find Lucas.
“Your Majesty? Are you listening to me?”
“Ah, yes.”
Arundel, who had been reminiscing about a few days ago, answered belatedly.
“But it’s a relief. In the southern region, there’s an unknown mercenary group sweeping through the demons.”
“A mercenary group?”
“Yes. It’s just two people, and their names are not known. One is a man, and the other is a woman.”
Hmm…? A male and female mercenary group is extremely rare.
“Do you know anything else?”
Arundel, who was curious, asked actively.
“Um… I’m not sure. Ah! The man is a big, dark-skinned knight. The rumor is that he travels with a big white dog.”
Hmm…?
‘…No, there’s not just one or two people like that.’
Arundel thought of someone, but soon shook her head.
“And the woman is a red-haired magician. It’s irrelevant, but the rumor is that she’s a stunning beauty.”
Could it be…?
‘Yes, there’s not just one red-haired beauty.’
She thought of someone, but again, she shook her head.
Several months had passed since they parted. It would be great if they had grown enough to sweep the demons, but it was too short a time to grow that much.
“I’ll excuse myself now.”
“Ah. Thank you, Belle.”
Arundel, who was left alone, looked at the completed wall of the garden.
When she returned from the temple, the garden was back to its original form. As if nothing had happened.
If she wanted to go back to that time, she must be crazy.
Arundel, who was sighing, suddenly felt her vision brighten.
It was instantaneous.
A pure white light spread like a flash, enveloping Arundel’s body. When she opened her eyes, it was a pure white space with nothing in it.
Arundel knew this space.
“Arundel.”
Mannheim was standing in front of her.
‘It’s here.’
Arundel clenched her fists tightly.
