Earlier, both the first prince and the second princess had lost consciousness. The first prince's followers hurried out of the chamber, leaving the physician to wait anxiously for Shion's arrival.
The second princess, meanwhile, was enduring agony beyond words. A searing pain consumed her entire head, as if the curse itself was clawing deeper and deeper into her body. Yet, thanks to her golden eyes, she managed to delay its spread for a while. Even so, those brief moments of resistance felt like years, every heartbeat a torment too great to voice. She could not even scream—she could only hold on, trembling in silence.
Then, all at once, a strange warmth washed over her head. The curse that had been gnawing at her so viciously seemed to falter, as if it had found another path, another vessel to retreat to. The princess did not understand what was happening, but she knew her eyes—those very eyes that had caused her suffering—had somehow played a role. She let go of all thought, surrendering to the warmth. Peace. Safety. Comfort. And within that comfort, a majesty befitting only rulers. She wished it would never end, but the sensation gradually faded, leaving her body whole again, her spirit steadier than before.
After a short while, she felt a hand brush through her hair. She didn't know whose it was, yet deep inside, she recognized it as belonging to the same presence that had rescued her. The touch was gentle, tender—different from the attention she had always received as a royal. But then, reality struck her. She was not just a girl; she was the second princess, a candidate for the throne. She couldn't allow someone to touch her so freely, no matter how much she wanted to thank him—or even bind him to her side.
She sat upright abruptly, her golden eyes snapping open. She didn't realize how terrifying she looked: her once noble beauty now framed by bloody, crimson rings that could unsettle anyone. And the one standing before her—the last person she expected—was none other than Shion Lan.
The boy cast out from his clan because of her. The wretch she had once considered beneath the kingdom's notice. The one she had sought to suppress so he wouldn't aid her brother. That very boy had just saved her, swallowing the curse that should have ended her life.
Caught between shock and embarrassment, Shion bowed slightly and muttered:
—"Your Highness… you've regained consciousness. Could you… wipe your eyes?"
Confused, the princess didn't understand. He handed her a small mirror used by the physician. The moment she saw her reflection, her hands trembled violently and she hurled it away. Shion caught it midair and quickly offered her a clean handkerchief he had kept. She accepted it hesitantly, but no matter how hard she wiped, the red stains refused to disappear.
That was when Shion stepped closer again. His eyes had turned silver, and the starell aura surrounding him filled the chamber with a sacred brilliance. He took the handkerchief back, wrapping it in his energy until it shone faintly like moonlit water. Then, without hesitation, he reached toward her.
As Shion's hand moved closer, the princess's heart trembled. "Why is my heart racing like this? I am the Second Princess, I've always been the one others bow to… so why can't I stop this boy? And why, amidst all this pain, do I feel as though I want to let him touch me?" she thought, torn between her pride and the strange warmth she felt from him.
Her instincts screamed at her to recoil—no one had ever been allowed so near. Yet Shion pressed on, steady and calm. He slipped a hand behind her head to support it and said softly:
—"Don't worry. I'll only remove these stains, and then I'll let you rest, Your Highness."
His voice was warm, carrying a care she had never known. Not the concern tied to her position, nor the respect bound to her skill or lineage—but genuine care, the kind offered to a girl simply for who she was.
As he wiped away the red marks, she felt the curse itself shifting, leaving her body and flowing into his. She noticed his body tremble, blood trailing from the corner of his lips, and her heart lurched in worry. But before she could speak, Shion forced a reassuring smile:
—"It's fine… I can endure a little longer."
Meanwhile, Shion was struggling. His hand trembled violently as he wiped away the crimson stains, beads of sweat rolling down his forehead. His breaths came in ragged bursts, each one heavier than the last, as though he were fighting a silent battle against an unseen enemy. A thin line of blood trailed from the corner of his lips, yet he forced a faint smile, unwilling to deepen the princess's worry.
He continued until the last trace of red was gone. Then he lifted his hand once more, and she watched in awe as a spell took form, shimmering like water yet pulsing with the rhythm of stars. Her heart pounded as his glowing hand reached her face. When his touch brushed her skin, a faint cry escaped her lips before she could stop it, making him flush with embarrassment. Still, he pressed on, cleansing her with the astral water, then drying her cheeks with gentle care.
Finally, Shion let out a long, weary sigh, spent but satisfied. The princess, meanwhile, could only stare at him—her heart shaken, her thoughts in turmoil, and her soul marked by something she had never allowed herself to feel before.
"Finally… I've restored that beautiful face."
Shion's voice was low, almost a whisper, yet his words carried the weight of truth. He wasn't lying; it was nothing but fact. The princess knew her own beauty well, but hearing it spoken by him sent a sudden warmth rushing to her cheeks. Without realizing it, her head leaned gently into the palm of his hand.
But the moment was brief. Shion noticed the physician approaching and bent closer to murmur,
"Your Highness… the physician is coming. You should rest for now."
Awareness returned to her at once. Her face flushed red, and she quickly pulled the covers over herself, hiding her features and feigning sleep. The silver glow in her eyes faded, replaced once more by her natural black irises.
Shion, however, felt the toll of his overused aura. Pain throbbed through his body, and by the time the physician entered, his figure seemed almost broken.
"What happened to you?" the physician asked, alarm clear in his voice.
"Just side effects from using this ability," Shion replied calmly, though his thoughts whispered otherwise: I need to strengthen my body as well… magic and swordplay alone aren't enough.
His gaze drifted to the potions and elixirs in the physician's hands. "I'll need those," he said firmly, pointing at one of the bottles. The physician handed it over. As Shion opened it, a potent fragrance rose, spreading through his chest and seeping into every corner of his body. Energy surged back into him, and a faint smile touched his lips as he drank the bottle to the last drop, then closed his eyes.
The physician frowned, muttering under his breath: Even with such pure elixir, worth a fortune, he treats it as if it were nothing. How…?
Beneath her covers, the princess thought the same. That elixir, among the highest of the fourth rank, was usually reserved for nobles of the greatest status. Yet Shion drank it without a trace of awe.
Her astonishment only deepened when the room shook with waves of power radiating from his body. Energy roared, disorderly and wild, until Shion opened his silver eyes once more. In that moment, he stood as though crowned by heaven itself, draped in dignity and majesty. His gaze was steady, calm, as if set upon the farthest horizon.
It's too much energy… his body could collapse, his star and circle destroyed… and yet he smiles, thought the princess, transfixed.
Then, his voice cut through the storm, steady and resolute:
"Stellar Summet Art—first segment of the Galaxy Manuscript… Water Element!"
The chaos stilled. The violent surge drew in upon itself, spiraling into a radiant vortex around him. The "Starell Vortex" had awakened, shielding him as he sank into meditation. Within, Shion reformed his star and magic circle, weaving every water technique he knew.
The azure star at his core brightened, shifting to a luminous white tinged with blue. His circle unraveled and rewove itself into an expansive design, binding every water spell and law together in harmony. Shion smiled faintly.
"The first segment of the Stellar Manuscript… complete. Five remain. If I begin with fire, I'll reach the fourth star soon… but if I wait, and weave other compatible elements, I can leap to the sixth star with ease. Still… I need power now. I'll take the harder path."
The vortex thickened, compressing into brilliance, releasing tiny lights that orbited him like stars. When he rose to his feet, the spiral rose with him, cloaking him from head to toe. In that instant, he seemed untouchable—an emperor standing at the summit of the world.
The princess's heart raced as she watched in silence.
With every breath he took, Shion felt as if his body was being torn apart from the inside, yet he forced a faint smile so neither the physician nor the princess would see his weakness. "If they see me suffering now, they'll think I'm just a fraud pretending to be strong… no, I must remain standing no matter the cost." His heart pounded violently, sweat dripping from his brow, but his eyes stayed steady, feigning cold composure.
Meanwhile, beneath the covers, the princess secretly watched, a storm raging within her. "I am the second princess, heir to the throne… how can I allow myself to look at him this way? But… he's different. His concern wasn't for me as a royal, but as a fragile girl in need of protection… I've never felt this before." Her face flushed deeper, her breath quickening, though she tried to suppress the trembling in her heart.
Then the stellar vortex formed around Shion, and the entire atmosphere changed. The air grew suddenly heavy, as though the room had been submerged in an invisible ocean, then gradually lightened until each breath the physician and princess drew felt like a breeze from the heavens. Threads of blue and silver light rose, circling Shion like celestial orbits, and as the vortex condensed, it was as if the very sky had bent into the chamber.
But Shion turned away, stepping toward the unconscious First Prince, Jayden. Without hesitation, he laid a hand on the prince's arm. Aura spread across his body, glowing in a healing guise, though in truth Shion was drawing the curse into himself. He absorbed every trace, leaving no sign behind.
Before lifting his hand, he spoke quietly:
"I sense something else in him… I don't know if it's harmful or not. Should I remove it?"
Hidden beneath her covers, the princess's eyes widened. He noticed it too…!
The physician hesitated, then nodded. "Yes. It seems to be something apart from the curse. Remove it."
"Understood."
Shion poured his vortex fully into the prince's body. Jayden convulsed violently as a strange force gathered at his heart. Concentrating, Shion murmured with a calm smile:
"Don't worry… it's no longer clinging to the heart. I can draw it out safely. All I need is a small incision."
The physician fetched a fine blade, cutting a narrow wound above the heart. Shion reached in, and from within drew forth a strange, tangible form—like a manifested magic circle, pulsing faintly with power.
His eyes narrowed in shock.
"What… is this?"