Chapter 97
Richard recognized this particular magic. It bore the ancient echoes of a long-forgotten art.
Suddenly, Cesar stood up abruptly.
“What is it?”
“….”
Cesar remained silent, his brow furrowed in a fierce expression. A low growl rumbled in his throat, the sound of a beast on high alert.
Richard, too, sensed a surge of energy, an explosion of something he couldn’t quite define. Something had just transpired.
“What in the…”
He reached inside his sleeve for his staff.
Just then, a golden light materialized before Cesar. Initially the size of a pebble, it rapidly expanded to the size of a man’s fist, then coalesced into a distinct form.
Richard’s eyes narrowed.
“Peep!”
A chick, its feathers a brilliant gold, stood before them. A chick, appearing out of thin air.
Richard’s brow furrowed. Since when had Cesar commanded familiars?
“When did you summon this?”
The small chick, flapping its wings excitedly, chirped insistently, its message unclear.
“Peep, beep, peep peep!”
The familiar’s abilities were still underdeveloped, preventing it from forming coherent speech. Yet, Cesar seemed to understand, nodding several times before his eyes flashed with sudden understanding. In truth, even before Ab’s appearance, Cesar had sensed the danger that had befallen Irenea.
“Grrrr…”
His primal instincts surged to the forefront. Cesar moved as if deaf and blind to all else. He glanced around the room, his gaze settling on the window.
“Your Highness, we are on the third floor—”
Before Richard could finish, the reinforced window, complete with its iron lattice, shattered, splitting cleanly in two. The loud crash of glass and stone startled Richard, forcing him to stumble back.
When he recovered, he was alone in the audience chamber, a gaping hole where the window had been. He rushed to the opening, peering down, but Cesar was already gone.
***
Giovinetta had arrived at the Moonstone Palace early that morning for an audience with Empress Cornelia.
“Glory to the Holy Cross Order, Your Imperial Majesty.”
“Glory to the Holy Cross Order.”
They met in Cornelia’s glass conservatory. The Empress offered refreshments to the young woman who had come to serve as her companion.
“So this is Your Majesty’s famed garden. I’d heard it was beautiful, but it surpasses even my wildest imaginings.”
Giovinetta gazed around in awe. The conservatory teemed with exotic flowers and vibrantly plumaged birds, a feast for the eyes. Cultivating such foreign flora required considerable wealth. Truly befitting an Empress. Cornelia, however, murmured with a hint of boredom.
“It’s the only solace in this tedious palace life. A rather insignificant hobby.”
A maid wheeled in a trolley, pouring tea. The aroma of premium Southern Continent tea leaves filled the air.
Cornelia rested her chin on her hand, studying Giovinetta intently. The young woman shifted uncomfortably under her gaze, seemingly at a loss where to look.
“Now that I see you, you bear a striking resemblance to your sister.”
A wave of emotion washed over Giovinetta, but she forced a smile, careful not to betray her feelings before the Empress. Cornelia, unfazed by her reaction, continued.
“Youth has its advantages. Tell me, have you seen your sister yet?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. I also saw the First Prince.”
“I see.”
The memory of her encounter with Irenea the previous day sparked a fresh surge of anger. She struggled to maintain her composure, her lips twitching with the effort.
The Empress had already received a report detailing their meeting at the Emerald Palace, including the nature of their conflict. She was also well aware of the strained relationship between the sisters.
Cornelia, intrigued, decided to provoke the young woman further. After a long silence, she spoke.
“Did you know? Your sister and I made a wager.”
“A wager, Your Majesty?”
“Indeed. Your sister is quite… audacious.”
The Empress recounted her conversation with Irenea, embellishing it slightly. She described Irenea’s bold claim of transforming the First Prince into a human, and her defiant challenge to the Empress’s authority.
It was beyond anything Giovinetta could have imagined. That brazen girl, causing trouble even here. Inwardly, Giovinetta rejoiced, but outwardly, she feigned concern.
“Your Majesty, please forgive my sister’s impertinence.”
Empress Cornelia smiled languidly.
“You are certainly wiser than your sister. As Empress, I must maintain a certain decorum. I have no means of directly reprimanding such an impulsive child. I am constantly subjected to such constraints.”
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