Chapter 98
No sooner had he finished speaking than the atmosphere dropped into an icy silence. The air was so heavy that not a single person dared to even breathe.
“Young Duke, Young Master Felitier.”
“…Yes, Your Highness.”
“…Yes.”
Fixing his gaze on the two stunned men, he spoke in a low voice.
“The person you’ve been looking for is doing quite well, so there’s no need for concern. You may leave now.”
“That’s not—”
Zion tried to object, flaring up, but Calix cut him off.
“That’s an order.”
“…Yes.”
Zion reluctantly answered, and Derek bit his lip so hard it drew blood. He couldn’t understand how Calix had realized his ability—it left him in a state of confusion.
What was even more horrifying was the overwhelming sense of disparity he had felt in response to the message Calix had sent. Derek’s ability didn’t work on him, yet Calix’s ability could harm Derek at any time.
Lea, trembling on Calix’s lap, looked at Zion and Derek as they were forced to leave, and suddenly snapped back to her senses.
She could no longer stay by his side in the form of a fox. She knew she needed to apologize to him, but at the same time, she feared she wouldn’t be able to.
Resolving herself, Lea leapt off his lap and darted forward like an arrow.
“Luna!”
Reacting reflexively, Calix called out and quickly activated his ability to catch the fox. At that exact moment, Derek sensed that Ilion was just about to open the drawing room door.
As the door opened, Derek manipulated Ilion to block Lea’s path instead.
“Wha—?!”
Caught by the sudden gust of wind, Ilion’s body was lifted into the air, and beneath him, Lea darted swiftly through the gap.
Zion immediately shielded her with his body and followed after her in a flash. It was an outcome achieved purely through split-second decision-making—flawless teamwork.
“Damn it.”
As soon as the fox disappeared from view, Calix sprang up and charged out. Ilion, too, grasped the situation instantly and followed right behind.
Lea, her mind on the verge of bursting, couldn’t think of anything else. All she could focus on was running away. In her small form, she darted through crevices too narrow for any human to pass through.
She fled into a familiar hunting ground she had thoroughly memorized while searching for rare animals, and she headed deeper and deeper.
Her mind was spinning in chaos. How had he found out? Was it really because he’d been uncomfortable again? But no, he’d already said earlier that he was displeased. Then why had he been so kind to her?
He’d treated her no differently than usual, even just before Zion and Derek arrived.
Ah… it was because he’d known she might catch on and run. That’s why he pretended not to know. And she, foolishly unaware, had happily eaten fruit from his hand and responded to him like nothing was wrong.
Lea ran up the mountain blindly, then finally stopped, gasping for breath. Her chest felt like it was collapsing. Everything suddenly felt meaningless, empty.
When she realized that no matter how hard she tried, she would never receive a warm smile from him, it felt like her entire life since the regression had been denied. No, she wanted to deny it herself.
If she’d known it would come to this… maybe it would’ve been better to just die back then?
A dark thought raised its head… The desire to end her life right then and there.
But the thought couldn’t last long.
Faces began flashing through her mind, those who had supported her in this second life. Rose, Zion, Derek, Eric… the ones who had looked happy, or like they’d come alive again, every time they received her guiding.
When had she come to connect with so many people?
She realized, almost helplessly, that she had grown attached to them.
Lea sat down beneath a tree, staring blankly into space.
And so, she didn’t notice the tremendous speed with which someone was approaching.
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