Chapter 25

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 25

Chapter Title: The Golden Lion's Treasure and the Polluted Water (9)

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'Is this a dream too?'

Roxiana wondered vaguely.

'Yeah, it must be a dream.'

If it wasn't a dream, there was no way she and Floyd would end up tangled together in the same bed. The man who always flew into a rage at the mere sight of her wouldn't be holding her so tenderly and firmly.

Roxiana blinked slowly, examining his face. His skin was flawless and smooth, his features perfectly placed.

'Like a statue.'

She had heard there were many women after Torkan's lord.

-"What's so great about that bastard's spawn...? Just because he can handle a few magical beasts, every mutt and mongrel goes crazy for him. Vulgar bitches."

She recalled Lucas muttering those words with a scowl when Torkan came up once. Back then, Roxiana had thought those women were just after a strong protector, but looking at this face, it didn't seem like that was the only reason they wanted this man.

With his eyes quietly closed, he lived up to his reputation as the jewel of the southern lands. A precious black pearl. Obsidian. Black diamond. Something like that.

Roxiana admired his face, unaware that she even had the leisure to appraise the man's features. Then, a sigh-like breath escaped between his lips and brushed her own, startling her awake.

She had thought it was a dream, but the breath on her lips felt vividly real.

'It's not a dream?'

The moment she realized it, tension flooded her body. As if sensing her slight movement, he snapped his eyes open.

Gray eyes right up close. Roxiana stared breathlessly into his storm-cloud gaze.

His eyelids blinked slowly. After closing and opening his eyes a couple of times, he slowly moved his gaze this time. The piercing intensity swept over her face before locking onto her eyes.

"Sleep well?"

"Ah..."

Waking up in a man's arms on the bed—and having fallen asleep there in the first place—was all new to her. She had no idea how to react in this unfamiliar situation.

Roxiana let out a short sound like a sigh or a groan and clamped her mouth shut. He stared at her for a moment, then chuckled softly and got out of bed. Fortunately, he was properly dressed.

Standing by the bed, running his hands through his hair, he looked like a tiger stretching.

"Thanks to you, Princess, I finally got some sleep in a soft bed after ages."

So, why? Why did you and I fall asleep in the same bed?

She had a million questions, but embarrassment kept her lips sealed. While she fidgeted with her mouth, he grabbed a water pitcher from the nightstand and chugged straight from it.

Roxiana stared up at him in dismay as he drank without a care for decorum. Sensing her gaze, Floyd pulled the pitcher away with an "oh crap" expression and asked,

"Want some?"

Roxiana propped herself up and shook her head slightly. Floyd nodded lightly and took another swig. Watching his throat bob, she realized she was staring too intently and averted her eyes.

Only then did the room's stark surroundings come into view.

A room without curtains or a sofa. A barren space that seemed designed to hold someone captive. The walls bore scorch marks, and the steel chair had no cushion. The only soft thing here was the blanket on the bed.

"Where... is this?"

"My room. My bedroom."

"Your Highness's bedroom?"

Roxiana was stunned. She had woken up here with him, but she never imagined it was his bedroom.

"Yeah. Not bad, huh?"

"Ah..."

Unable to respond, her words caught in her throat, and he grinned.

"Normally, there's not even that blanket. But thanks to you, I slept under one."

"Thanks to me? You could have one anytime if you ordered it, Your Highness."

"Sure, I could. As long as it doesn't burn up. At least the clothes I'm wearing don't catch fire—quite the blessing."

Hearing him mock his own plight, Roxiana recalled being suddenly engulfed in flames on the merchant ship.

"Does it catch fire? From your body?"

"Yeah. You know a bit, huh?"

Roxiana pressed her lips together and lowered her gaze.

"It's bizarre. There's this mad thing inside me that flares up out of nowhere, giving me one hell of a headache. Especially when I get angry—it unleashes uncontrollable flames that can wreak havoc on anyone nearby."

Having drained the pitcher, he set it down and plopped onto the foot of the bed.

"But strangely, when you're around, Princess, that thing quiets down."

"......"

"What do you think this is? And what are you?"

"......"

"Yesterday, you collapsed in the treatment room. You were emitting such cold air that frost formed on my clothes. Just like I spew flames. It was the first time in ages I'd felt something cold."

She hadn't known about that. The water spirits and Undine must have been worried she'd die because of something like that.

"I carried you here and tried to do something, but flames sparked in my hands. I couldn't do a thing, afraid they'd hurt you. But do you know what happened?"

She didn't know exactly, but she could guess.

"This crazy flame flowed into your body like it wanted to save you. And I even heard the voice of that mad presence—which hadn't spoken to me since our first encounter. I had to save you, so I lay down holding you and fell asleep. Eh, that's not the point."

He leaned forward, bringing his face close to hers.

"What the hell is this? Do you know what this mad thing inside me is?"

In the old days, she never would have told. Her mother had said to hide this power and their existence. If it got out, assassins from the Grand Temple would come for her life.

But now, it didn't matter. Even if the Grand Temple learned of this power and sent assassins after her, she didn't care.

"It's not a mad presence. And you're not cursed, Your Highness."

"Then what is it?"

"A spirit."

"Pardon?"

"It's a spirit."

Floyd's thick brows twitched. He seemed torn between laughing, being appalled, or getting angry at her for invoking such a profane being.

Roxiana lowered her eyes and explained calmly.

"The ones that helped me treat the patients were water spirits. And the presence inside you must be a fire spirit. I don't know how it could stay in your body for so long, but that's probably it."

"Spirit."

Floyd uttered the long-forgotten name with displeasure. It felt so absurd that even saying it seemed unreal.

"A spirit."

"Yes."

"Spirits exist."

"They do."

"Not an evil spirit."

"Not an evil spirit."

Floyd tapped his thigh with his index finger, lost in thought.

Long ago, when the temples and empire joined forces to exterminate spirit mages, spirits were branded as evil spirits that beguiled humans. They lured people away from God's embrace, creating rifts—demonic entities.

Of course, there might still be some who believed in and served spirits in secret, but no one admitted it openly.

"Spirit."

Floyd repeated the unbelievable, unfamiliar name once more, then stared at Roxiana, who still had her eyes downcast.

"Are you sure? That this is a spirit?"

Roxiana lifted her gaze. She hesitated a moment before speaking.

"May I touch you for a moment, Your Highness?"

Floyd nodded, and she reached out. Her palm touched his chest. Floyd watched her hand move over his chest like she was playing an instrument.

It tickled strangely.

"I don't hear anything."

Roxiana said after withdrawing her hand. Her slightly furrowed brow in puzzlement was so novel that Floyd couldn't look away.

"It usually chatters nonstop, annoyingly so."

"The spirit chatters?"

"Yes. You said you heard its voice too."

"I did. Twice in my life. No matter what bullshit... excuse me, no matter what I did, it never responded."

When she'd first suspected a fire spirit in Floyd, she'd wondered if he might be a spirit mage too. But the spirits had chattered.

-That man's not a spirit mage, Lotty.

-He's just a toy. Poor guy.

-Pitiful fellow. Of all things...

The spirits gave information, but not precise details.

'A toy? Whose?'

But even the talkative spirits hadn't answered that.

Roxiana debated telling Floyd what she'd heard but decided against it. He probably wouldn't want to hear he was someone's "toy."

"I'm sorry, Your Highness. I don't know much myself."

"No need to apologize. Whatever it is, it doesn't change things now. But you'd better not spread around that you're using spirit powers. The knight captains are trustworthy, so I'll tell them alone."

"Yes, do as you wish, Your Highness."

Her resigned reply made Floyd's brow twitch. He opened his mouth as if to say something, then closed it, shook his head, and stood.

"Head back to Lily Palace and rest now, Princess. This place is uncomfortable."

"Yes."

"I'll be away from the grand ducal palace for a while on the subjugation. Tell the chamberlain if you need anything."

Roxiana's head snapped up.

"You're going on the subjugation?"

"Gotta hunt that magical beast polluting the water. It's quick and clever, so it might take time."

"Then take me with you."