"So all of you didn't manage to catch her either." Prince Nova took the lacrima back from Percival's hand and frowned.
"It can't be helped… There was another party that came after the girl. We snatched the lacrima from them," Percival replied.
"There was another? Where are they?"
"Turned into dust."
"…"
Prince Nova gritted his teeth at the nonchalant way Percival spoke. He had been punched and treated like a ragdoll in front of so many nobles—from his own kingdom and others. His belongings had been stolen right before everyone's eyes by a girl who could barely even be considered an adult, despite all the security.
And then if that wasn't enough… even though he got it back, the girl escaped under the eyes of every guard. There wasn't even a single lead on where they were now.
What the hell?
In the background, Astro, who was sitting in a corner, glanced at the lacrima for a moment before lowering his gaze again. His left eye had returned to its previous state, and the marks beneath it had disappeared as well… but it was hurting a lot.
Astro could also sense Aurora and Arthur looking in his direction, but right now, his mind was still a mess. He really didn't know how to approach them.
"Are you okay, Astro-sama?" Princess Hisui walked over to where Astro was sitting.
She was a little worried because Astro hadn't come toward them even after everything was over.
Astro looked up at her for a moment.
"Yeah… I'm fine… just… a little tired, I guess," Astro said with a weak smile.
"You don't seem fine."
"I am fine…trust me, princess."
"I see."
"If you don't want to, you don't have to take part in tomorrow's event," Princess Hisui said while looking at Astro with a frown.
"Yeah, I personally don't care about the trade treaty or whatever… even if we reach an agreement, I don't think the Iceberg Kingdom, as of now, would really respect it for long, kabo." Suddenly, another voice came from behind her.
Astro noticed King Toma standing behind Princess Hisui. There were also Laxus, Darton, and Zash behind him.
Zash frowned a bit when he heard King Toma. "But if we back down now, we'll lose respect among other people. I mean, compared to other kingdoms, Fairy Tail already only sent two people…Do you know how many times… " Zash protested while looking grudgingly at Astro.
"Zash-sama—"
Princess Hisui narrowed her eyes as she looked at the secretary of state of Fiore, stopping his ranting.
"Zash, calm down." King Toma also stopped him with a look.
"Tsk."
Astro looked at Zash for a moment before shifting his gaze to Laxus, who seemed a bit annoyed—probably because he didn't get to fight at all and instead had to deal with old people, the one thing he hated more than weak Fairy Tail members.
Astro glanced at Darton, who maintained a neutral position, while Princess Hisui still seemed worried
Astro paused for a moment before slowly standing up with a smile, looking at Hisui and then King Toma.
"It's okay. I recover quickly, Your Majesty… Laxus and I will participate in the event, and—"
Astro glanced at Zash before continuing.
"You're underestimating Fairy Tail wizards a little too much, Mr. Zash. I said it before … only two of us are enough for the event."
"Hmph. You sure you can back up that statement? I don't think so…You even let a young girl run away right under your nose," Zash said while looking straight at Astro's eye. Astro also looked intensely at him.
King Toma noticed the tension rising and laughed to ease it up. "Well, as long as you can put on a performance that stays in everyone's mind, that's enough for us. You two have worked hard today. Go get some rest for tonight ."
"Yes, Your Majesty," Astro said. He then glanced toward where Arthur and Aurora had been for a moment—it seemed they had already left. Astro lowered his eye slightly. Lost in thought, Astro didn't notice that Laxus was paying attention to him as well. Laxus followed Astro's gaze to see where he was looking, but in the end, he didn't say anything.
"This whole thing has become a mess… this can't go on." King Runar, the king of the Iceberg Kingdom, said from a balcony outside the gala hall as he looked at Prince Nova.
"I am sorry, Father."
"Sorry?" King Runar snapped. "Do you even understand your position? I saw your ambition and made you the crown prince. But now the first impression you've given to other kingdoms is nothing but humiliation." King Runar barked at his eldest son.
"I am sorry, Father."
"Stop saying sorry… goddamn it."
"I…I just didn't know Lumina would dare to come here, especially with so many guards around." Prince Nova said as he clenched his fist and looked down at his feet.
"Lumina… is that Solmira's daughter?" King Runar asked. The image of a golden-haired woman surfaced in his mind.
"Yes…"
"I see." King Runar fell silent for a moment. After a few seconds, Nova looked up, seeing that he was still not answering, and noticed his father was sweating despite the winter cold.
"Father?"
"Yes… yes… no… forget about it. Is Lumina still alive?" King Runar suddenly grabbed Nova by the shoulders and shook him violently.
"Father?"
"Answer me," King Runar shouted.
Nova saw fear in his father's eyes. Something he never saw in all these years… after a moment of hesitation, he replied cautiously, "The eyewitnesses said she's alive, but heavily injured."
"Alive… that's bad. Why was she here? Was she here for me as well…? No, that can't be. She shouldn't know what I did to her mother… no, it wasn't only me… I was just one of—no, I can't die by her hands… No…this…."
Nova could no longer clearly hear what his father was muttering, but he could see it plainly—his father was terrified of Lumina for some reason.
"Father, I don't know what you're talking about… but I don't think Lumina wants to kill either of us. She gave me the map to the council's secret research center. I just used it to negotiate with the council to get something from that place."
"What? You're talking about the lacrima?"
"…Yes."
"What kind of deal did you make? What did you give them?"
"Complete immunity. I allowed them to move to a remote area of the kingdom and do whatever they want there without any interference."
"I see… I see… that's fine." King Runar finally calmed down and took a deep breath. He didn't care what those people did in a remote part of the kingdom, as long as it didn't come back to bite him.
"Father… why are you so afraid of Lumina?"
"That's none of your business. For now, focus on tomorrow's event. I'll go ask someone for help."
"Ask someone?"
"Yes. Thankfully, I invited her already. She can use mind magic to make everyone forget. And if Lumina didn't get far, she might even help us find her."
"Mind magic… You mean the Queen of the Sin Kingdom?"
"Yes."
"But why would she help us?" Prince Nova asked, puzzled. "There are negotiations between our kingdoms, but not nearly enough for her to go that far."
"Haha… you're still young, Nova. You still have a lot to learn from me," King Runar said smugly. "Why do you think I invited her here?"
"What do you mean?" Nova asked.
"Haha.. It's simple… You see…She's a woman, Nova. There's a reason there hasn't been a female monarch for so long. A man like you can wash away your moments of humiliation, but she won't be able to. I just need a handle. As long as I have it, she'll be forced to become my slave," King Runar said with a disgusting smile, as if he could already see her begging at his feet.
For a moment, Nova felt disgust looking at his father's face, but he quickly masked it. Anyway, as long as his father could handle the situation, it didn't matter what happened to the queen. He could focus on more important matters then.
"But Father, did you forget that she's strong enough to be called—"
"It doesn't matter. How strong can a woman wizard really be? I'll have the council's wizards help us."
"Are they even allowed to interfere in a royal family's matters like that?"
"Haha… the council and the Sin Kingdom aren't on good terms. If they get the chance, they won't even hesitate to find any excuse to destroy that kingdom."
King Runar said this with a twisted smile as he opened the balcony door and walked out. Prince Nova followed, still feeling uneasy.
"Why haven't I heard about this before?" Nova asked.
"The council's influence and ambitions run much deeper than you think, Nova. I'm not forbidding you from making connections with them—but don't go too deep."
"I… hm?"
Prince Nova suddenly looked back.
"What is it?" King Runar asked, also turning around.
"No, nothing. I think I just imagined something," Prince Nova said with a smile as he looked back at his father.
"Then I'll leave the cleanup to you, Father. I'll go prepare for tomorrow's event."
"Don't worry about it. The cleanup can happen slowly. For now, let me just enjoy the night. As long as I have her, I can do anything I want. Haha."
As King Runar thought of the woman's exceptionally beautiful face and body, he licked his lips.
After Runar and Nova left, the balcony remained silent for several minutes. Nova suddenly returned to the spot and looked around, but seeing nothing, he left again.
Silence followed once more.
Then, slowly, a shadow rose from the curtain's darkness near the balcony door. Two figures emerged.
The male figure quickly grabbed the female figure and ran toward a hidden passage.
"When did you learn magic?" the female figure asked while panting.
"I wouldn't say I mastered it… I still can't move freely while inside the shadows," the male figure replied as he caught his breath.
"...I think we just heard something we weren't supposed to," the girl said. "Uncle is really something… he's that old and still eyeing the Queen of Sin. What is he even thinking?"
Anna, King Runar's niece, clenched her fists.
"Yeah, we have to do something. We can't let her fall into that trap," Oskar, the second prince, said.
"Yeah… why does someone that beautiful have to be plotted against like this? It's so unfair," Anna muttered, her face turning a bit red as she thought of Aurora.
Oskar glanced at her and sighed internally. He forgot how much of a face-first person she was—it didn't matter if they were male or female. As long as they were beautiful or handsome, she would become a fan of them.
Just like earlier, when she saw that black-haired wizard from Fiore and immediately dragged him into a dance without caring about anyone else watching.
"Woo… he must hate me now…"
Inside a luxurious guest bedroom within the castle, an emerald-haired woman pushed the man beside her back onto the bed and buried her face against his chest, her arms wrapping tightly around him.
"It's okay… it's okay… calm down, Aurora," Arthur said while gently patting her back. He wasn't worried about her voice carrying—the room was soundproof—but he still spoke softly, trying to ease her breathing.
"It's not okay… I tried talking to him through our minds, but he isn't answering anymore. What am I supposed to do?"
Aurora slowly lifted her head. Her teary, beautiful eyes looked up at Arthur as she rested her chin against his chest, her lashes trembling.
"Why don't we just go and talk to him in person, then?" Arthur asked.
"But I don't want to see him looking disappointed in me…" Aurora murmured as she rested her cheek against him. "I don't think I deserve to be their mother… if they weren't born into my cursed family, they wouldn't have to deal with so many problems."
Arthur was quiet for a moment, not knowing how to answer this question.
"Then… should I have taken a concubine back then?" he asked, half-serious, half-thoughtful.
"What did you say?" Aurora immediately sat up on his waist, both hands pressing against the bed beside his shoulders. She glared down at him. "Am I not satisfying you enough?"
Her expression was sharp—but with tears still clinging to her eyes, it became dangerous in an entirely different way.
"I was kidding… But can you move?"
"No…Answer me first…"
"I…"
Arthur felt heat rush through his lower body before he could stop it. His hands instinctively slid to her exposed thighs, gripping lightly. He really wanted to pull her closer… but he stopped himself. Aurora wasn't in the right emotional state—and there were more important matters.
"You know… I think you should talk to Astro," Arthur said instead. "The real problem isn't whether he hates you. He's probably in a lot of pain right now. He's forcing that eye to mature too fast."
"I know… But he is not answering me at all." Aurora said quietly.
The Imperium Eye was the symbol of the direct Synairs bloodline—but using it without pain required a lot of practice. Astro did go through it when he was a kid, but right now, he doesn't remember how to do it.
A bell suddenly chimed from the table beside the bed.
Arthur and Aurora exchanged a glance. Aurora leaned against Arthur's body again and pressed the communication lacrima.
"Queen Aurora… Prince Oskar and Princess Anna are here. They wish to meet you."
Aurora recognized the voices of the guards outside. She hadn't brought her own guards, so the Iceberg Kingdom had assigned theirs instead.
"Send them in."
"As you wish."
The door opened, and Oskar and Anna quickly stepped inside. Their eyes scanned the room—then froze.
Aurora was still straddling Arthur.
From the side, they could clearly see Arthur's hands resting on Aurora's bare thighs, while Aurora held him down effortlessly beneath her.
Both Oskar and Anna flushed red instantly.
"S-Sorry—we didn't realize… We'll come back later—wait, no… we're just here to deliver a message," Oskar said quickly, his eyes squeezed shut as he turned away.
Anna, on the other hand, suddenly had a nosebleed. She kept staring straight at Queen Aurora with open fascination.
"Hehe… It's okay. We were just playing around," Aurora said lightly. "We haven't started the main course yet, so it's okay."
She leaned down, gave Arthur a brief kiss on the lips, then rubbed her face against his chest to wipe away the remaining tears before standing up. Arthur let out a sharp breath as she rose, and she casually adjusted her dress as if nothing had happened.
"So," Aurora said with a smile, coming near them, "why are you here this late? You two seem a little young to be wanting to watch a demonstration about the finer details of intercourse between a man and woman."
"No—we're not here for that," Oskar said quickly.
"I mean… I wouldn't mind…" Anna started, her eyes still sparkling. It wasn't every day she saw such a good-looking couple—and the best part was that the man even reminded her of the black-haired wizard she danced with earlier.
Oskar immediately chopped her on the head, silencing her. Did this idiot not realize the queen was deliberately making them flustered? Restless people were far easier to read—or control using mind magic.
"Hehe… I like you, "Aurora said, gently rubbing the spot on Anna's head where Oskar hit her. "Princess Anna, was it? Girls shouldn't be afraid to be bold and outgoing. Trust me—most men say they prefer shy girls, but the moment a bold woman makes the first move, they fold instantly. It's hilarious."
Arthur, who sat down on the bed, twitched his mouth; he knew who she was referring to after all.
"Yes… you're right, Your Majesty," Anna nodded stupidly, looking up at Aurora's beautiful face, her face burning red.
Oskar stared at Anna in disbelief as she stood there, completely charmed already. For the first time, he truly realized something unsettling—good-looking people didn't even need mind magic. Sometimes, a single smile was enough to make idiots follow them straight into hell.
Aurora looked at the well-behaved Anna and rubbed her head more.
"Mmph…"
Anna made a soft, pleased sound as Aurora continued rubbing her head. For a moment, Aurora felt like she was petting a kitten. She kept her hand there while shifting her gaze toward Oskar.
"Also, Your Highness," Aurora said calmly, "I don't read the minds of everyone I meet. I have far more important things to do than drown in the illusion of my own ability."
Prince Oskar raised an eyebrow. How did she know then what he was thinking?
"It's really easy to tell what people are thinking," Aurora continued. "It's always the same when they first meet me."
Her voice dipped slightly, carrying a faint melancholy as she stopped rubbing Anna's head. Anna didn't understand what was happening, but her body leaned forward on its own, searching for the warmth again like a well-trained cat. It wasn't her fault—she had never been treated gently like this before.
"Oh my…"
Aurora smiled softly again and resumed rubbing her head.
"I… I'm sorry," Oskar said after a pause. He realized he had been no different from his older brother—judging someone before truly knowing them.
"Apology accepted," Aurora replied easily. "I didn't really mind. So—why are you two here so late?"
Arthur, who had been sitting quietly on the bed, was curious as well. He didn't like King Runar—neither of them did—but that didn't mean they despised his entire family.
"Well…" Oskar hesitated. He didn't know how to explain something like this to a woman—especially this woman. That was why he had brought Anna with him. Unfortunately, his cousin had already abandoned all sense of dignity and was fully enjoying her head getting rubbed.
He lightly elbowed her to snap her out of it.
"Mmph…"
No response. She was completely lost.
Oskar sighed and glanced at Arthur, who was watching him with interest, too. Still, Oskar didn't dare involve him. He didn't even know what their exact relationship was—he hadn't been introduced during the gala—but it was obvious they were at least lovers.
Suddenly, the Communication Lacrima beside the bed lit up again.
Arthur reached over, picked it up, and activated it.
"Queen Aurora… the attendant of King Runar is here. His Majesty is requesting a meeting with you…um… now."
"Hm… right now?" Aurora said, narrowing her eyes. "Can't it wait until tomorrow?"
There was a brief silence before the lacrima lit up again.
"No. He said it's an emergency."
"I see…"
Aurora frowned.
"No—you can't—my father, he—" Oskar started as soon as the lacrima dimmed.
Aurora turned toward him to see what he was going to say.
"He's trying to… do that…to you…," Anna suddenly said, her tone serious at last. "He wants to blackmail you after that and force you to obey him. Please don't meet him."
"What she said," Oskar muttered, covering his face with one hand in shame. He couldn't believe he was related to that man.
Aurora paused—then laughed softly.
"You two came all this way just to warn me?"
"I'm sorry… my father—"
Aurora gently patted Oskar's head, stopping him.
"I'm sorry you children had to come tell me this," she said kindly. "But it's already too late. Go to bed."
"No—you don't understand," Oskar said urgently. "He has council wizards with him. Your mind magic won't work."
"Don't worry," Aurora replied calmly. "Trust me. Many people have tried to plot against me like that—for my face, my body, my magic, or my kingdom. But it's a pity that each of them thought they were the first… Can't blame them because I made sure… You know…to delete their whole existence."
Her eyes shone a vivid green as she withdrew her hands. Oskar didn't know why, but the way she said it…it's almost like she did something to them that's even worse than death.
"But I should thank him," she added casually. "I really needed someone to vent my anger on tonight."
She turned and began walking toward the door.
Oskar watched her back—and suddenly realized he never really needed to warn her at all.
"Um… I…" Oskar stammered. "Could you… At least spare my father's life?"
His voice dropped low. His face burned with shame. He couldn't believe he was begging a woman who was about to walk straight into his father's trap.
Aurora stopped.
She turned and looked at Oskar. Right now, he didn't look like a prince. He looked like a fifteen-year-old boy—frightened, desperate, not knowing what to do. The same age… her son had been when the lacrima containing his body was stolen.
"…Because you came to warn me," Aurora said quietly after a moment of thinking, "I'll spare him."
"But this will be the only time," she continued, her eyes glowing brighter. "There are only two people in this world I would forgive—no matter how deeply they go against me. And unfortunately, no matter how noble your father is… he could never even dream of being near them."
Her aura flared as she spoke coldly.
For a moment, Oskar and Anna could barely breathe.
Then Aurora pulled her power back and smiled gently towards them.
"Good night, kids."
She winked at Arthur one time before finally stepping out of the room.
Oskar and Anna collapsed to the floor, gasping as the pressure finally vanished.
"She's so cool…" Anna muttered between breaths.
Oskar was just about to smack the idiot girl on the head when a calm voice behind them suddenly spoke.
"Hm? Two people?"
The man sounded genuinely puzzled. "That's strange… Did she not include me there? Am I in trouble?"
The man was sitting on the bed, fingers raised as if counting, staring at them with a mildly troubled expression.
"Um… I don't think you ever introduced yourself, mister," Oskar said cautiously.
"Hm? Oh." The man straightened slightly. "I'm Arthur Verina, Aurora's husband." He tilted his head, as if thinking. "I suppose that would also make me the King of the Sin Kingdom. Hm?"
Silence fell.
"…Wait—you're the—?" Oskar's eyes widened, but before he could finish—
"Wait!" Anna suddenly blurted out. "You just let your beautiful wife walk straight into the wolf's den like that?"
Oskar let out a tired sigh. Somehow, she had already been tamed by the queen—now she was bold enough to question the King of the Sin Kingdom directly.
"I guess I did," Arthur replied calmly, studying the two of them with amused interest.
"But aren't you worried?" Anna insisted again. "If you're a man, shouldn't you protect your family?"
Arthur looked at her for a moment and then smiled.
"My family?" he said softly.
The corridor outside the room was silent.
Aurora walked beside the attendant, her heels echoing softly against the marble floor. Her eyes burned a vivid green, though she kept her aura suppressed to its absolute limit. Even so, the attendant's hands trembled, his breath shallow, as if he could sense something vast walking just behind him.
In her mind, Aurora reached out again.
Astro…
No response.
The lack of an answer only made her power churn more violently beneath the surface.
Far away, within the headquarters of the Magic Council—
"Hm? You seem happy today, Master Siegrain," a man said hesitantly while organizing signed documents.
"I am," Siegrain replied with a smile, his voice light. "I didn't expect Crawford to be so bold… or so stupid." He glanced at the paper in his hand. "He can't even cover his tracks properly. But then again… that's how wizards are."
"Um… you're a wizard too, Master Siegrain," the man said carefully. "Also, I don't think you should speak about the leader of the Wizard Saints like that. The walls here have ears, you know?"
"It doesn't matter," Siegrain replied casually. "Cedric—gather as many Wizard Saints as you can for tomorrow. It doesn't matter how many, but make sure Crawford attends."
"That's fine, but he is the leader—"
"It doesn't matter."
Siegrain's eyes gleamed gold as a grin slowly spread across his face.
"He won't be the leader for much longer. Kind of a shame, isn't it?"
The golden light intensified, sending a chill through Cedric's spine.
High above the Iceberg Kingdom—
A snowy owl circled the tower of the royal castle, its wings cutting silently through the frozen air.
On the rooftop stood a lone figure dressed in black, a long windbreaker spread lazily across the snow behind him. The storm howled around him, yet it was like he didn't even feel it.
As the owl chirped and passed overhead, the young man slowly lifted his head.
His eyes glowed a deep, luminous purple.
"I can hear you," he said quietly.
"Your Majesty."
Back inside the guest room—
"But aren't you worried?" Anna insisted again. "If you're a man, shouldn't you protect your family?"
Arthur looked at her for a moment and then smiled.
"My family?" he said softly.
His eyes began to glow purple as he lazily rested his head on his arms. His eyes focused on the two kids in front of him.
"Hm…" he continued with a lazy smile, his presence suddenly filling the room like an unseen pressure. "Right now… Let's just say that it's their enemies that need the protection from them."