Chapter 91
“Luna.”
Calix hurried over and scooped up the fox from the bed, speaking again.
“Did you guard the room well while I was gone?”
“…Kang!”
“Right. No one would dare intrude upon the Imperial Crown Prince’s palace.”
“Kaang…”
Lea found Calix’s words oddly unsettling. The nuance in his voice made it feel as though he knew Derek had been here, and her heart nearly dropped.
He placed Luna on his thigh and gently parted her fur with just the tips of his fingers. His crimson eyes sank low, gleaming darkly.
The reason he had suddenly returned was because a stranger had trespassed into his chambers. Calix himself hadn’t consciously realized it yet, but due to the years of daily guiding, his abilities had awakened multiple times.
Among elemental powers, the wind element wasn’t just for offense. It could enhance movement speed, and more importantly, allow one to easily eavesdrop on others’ conversations.
This was one of the reasons he didn’t need to station people in his palace. The barrier of wind he had cast around the place would immediately alert him if someone intruded.
“Hmm…”
He gazed silently at Luna, who sat obediently on his lap, and then unfastened the collar around her neck.
“You must’ve felt stifled. Should I take it off when you’re with me, Luna?”
“Kang!”
Luna’s reply seemed slightly more heated than usual. Calix smiled gently, but his eyes turned cold as he cast a sharp look toward the balcony.
No matter how he looked at it, it felt like his fox was hiding a secret.
* * *
From that day on, Calix’s strange behavior began. He would barge into Lea’s palace, threaten her with vague warnings, and then suddenly leave.
His visits came at unpredictable hours, and though he never managed to meet Lea, he never seemed particularly upset about it either.
Each time, Derek would infiltrate the Imperial Crown Prince’s palace to retrieve Lea, but right as he was about to remove the collar, Calix would always return at the worst possible moment. Not once did he succeed.
After a week of this mutually exhausting pattern, Derek visited Lea and let out a sigh, speaking through their shared telepathic link.
{ No matter how I think about it, this is strange, Milady. }
{ I’m sorry, Young Lord… You’re going through all this trouble because of me. }
Derek shook his head gently, smiling warmly at her apology.
{ Even if you caused something worse, I will always be your man, my lady. }
{ Young Lord… }
The unwavering trust in Derek’s gaze brought Lea comfort. Pure belief like his sometimes gave people an almost mystical strength.
She found herself hoping she could earn that kind of trust from the others close to her as well.
Resolving not to fall into her own gloom and neglect those around her ever again, she spoke to Derek.
{ Please cut the collar. }
{ …Are you sure about that? }
{ Yes. It was my mistake to come to him in disguise in the first place. From now on, I’ll face him in my human form. }
{ That’s an excellent decision. Then, I’ll cut it right awa— }
Just as Derek was about to slice through the collar with the dagger he had prepared, he let out a frustrated sigh and fled out onto the balcony.
As always, Calix showed up with perfect timing.
Derek was now certain there must be some mechanism in the Imperial Crown Prince’s palace he hadn’t been able to detect. Anyone would be a fool not to notice after repeating the same thing for a week.
As he moved through a now-familiar escape route, he was suddenly stopped by a sword blocking his path.
“By order of His Highness the Imperial Crown Prince. Halt.”
Seeing that it was Ilion holding the blade, Derek relaxed. That confirmed it—Calix might know someone was sneaking in and out, but he still didn’t know who it was.
Derek calmly activated his ability. He dismantled and reconstructed Ilion’s memory in an instant.
Ilion would now have no recollection of having seen him here.
While Derek slipped away without issue, Calix placed Luna on his thigh and fell into deep thought.
Lea, who still didn’t appear even when he visited her palace.
The man who always showed up here whenever Calix wasn’t around.
And that man’s goal wasn’t the Crown Prince’s possessions, nor the palace itself—it was Luna.
“Hmm…”
What in the world could all this mean? Hm? Luna.
He had thought she was just an ordinary fox…
‘But what are you, really?’
Calix tapped the fox’s tiny nose as he mulled it over. That little twitching nose was truly adorable, but the possibility that she might have deceived him made his crimson eyes darken further.
It seemed he’d have to find the mother if he wanted to know more about his fox.
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