Chapter 63

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 63

Chapter Title: His Kiss and Her Soul (7)

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‘I have to do something. I have to be able to do it.’

There had been a time when she’d steeled herself to do anything just to catch a whiff of Adelia’s scent before dying. But now, with something even worse than death on the horizon, this wasn’t the moment to hold back or get flustered over a mere kiss.

Her heartbeat settled completely.

Petria continued speaking.

“So, there’s a banquet tonight for the knights departing this evening, and if it’s alright with you, Princess, Her Highness has asked you to attend.”

Roxiana gazed out the window at the setting sun.

“Not much time left. I should get ready to go.”

In the past, she would have refused, thinking it wasn’t her place. But now, she had no intention of cowering inside Lily Palace, digging holes in the ground.

It was time to move. No matter how favorable Floyd was toward Roxiana, not all the knights would feel the same. When Floyd issued orders for her sake, she needed to be someone they’d willingly obey—not out of blind loyalty, but from genuine camaraderie welling up from their hearts.

While Petria prepared for the banquet, Roxiana thought of Floyd’s knight orders.

Arsen Chetek’s White Eagle Knight Order.

Adrian Tellis’s Red Spider Knight Order.

Kain Tellis’s Black Bear Knight Order.

Hexston Lenardo’s Golden Lion Knight Order.

Torkan had many knight orders, but these four stationed at the Grand Duke’s palace were the elite of the elite. Roxiana had heard tales that no enemies survived in their wake.

‘Sir Lenardo has shown me friendship. Sir Kain Tellis didn’t seem to dislike me either. But...’

Arsen and Adrian were the problems. Their speech alone made their hostility clear.

‘They can’t help but feel wary since I might bring danger to Torkan. I need to find a way to enter Kanta with minimal risk. If I can do that, they’ll accept me to some degree.’

In the midst of her serious thoughts, an image flashed of Arsen in Lily Palace, waving a huge bone to lure Lion. Roxiana forced down the laughter tugging at her lips and glanced around.

Come to think of it, Lion was nowhere in sight.

“Petria, where’s Lion?”

“Oh, Lion? After confirming you were awake earlier, Princess, he just wandered off somewhere. But Princess, Lion’s gotten enormously big. I screamed at first, thinking it wasn’t even Lion.”

The gray wolf Lion, now so massive that his former shape was unrecognizable, sat motionless by a stream cutting through the forest. Upon closer look, a small white otter, no bigger than a hand, sat beside him. To the giant wolf, the otter was barely a mouthful, yet it showed no wariness at all beside him.

Lion looked around.

This was the forest that, just days ago, had been scorched black by Floyd’s flames. Those flames, fueled by hatred for magical beasts and humans alike, had burned everything to ash, ensuring the woods wouldn’t recover for ages. They’d been kindled with the desperate wish to keep humans from returning to their homes, from surviving here.

Yet Roxiana had revived it. Using the power of spirits who hated humans.

The humans who’d lost their homes were returning to the reborn land. For two days now, processions had streamed back to their villages.

“Can you believe it?”

A human voice emerged from the tiny otter’s mouth.

“Roti revived this whole forest with just Undine and Shuriel.”

The wolf wrinkled his muzzle.

“It was madness. Without Lit, Roti would’ve shattered into pieces, taking decades to recover. An eternity for humans.”

“Still, it worked out. But Well, how was that even possible? Could Lit always do something like that?”

“Probably because that poor child’s soul fully merged with Lit’s. They say a spirit fused into a human soul can work miracles.”

Even as wolf and otter, they’d never seen anything like how Floyd had saved Roxiana, so they didn’t know the exact cause.

The otter spoke.

“I thought Lit was just tormenting the poor kid, but who knew it’d turn out helpful like this.”

“......”

“Anyway, what do you think, Well? Can Roti get us out of here?”

The wolf growled at the otter’s words.

“Don’t talk nonsense. Roti nearly died just with mid-rank spirits. We can’t burden her more—she’s already lost everything.”

The otter’s tail drooped limply.

“Yeah, you’re right. I got greedy. Roti’s so responsible; if she knew about us, she’d try to help, even when she’s overwhelmed with her own troubles.”

“Exactly. So keep your kids’ mouths shut. How are yours so damn chatty? Especially Undine—she goes half-mad every time she meets Roti.”

“Can’t help it. Roti’s too sweet. Just being near her, her soul strokes them so gently—it’s irresistible. Humans like that are rare.”

“No idea why you blab about that pleasure.”

The wolf and otter fell silent, staring at the flowing stream. They could barely recall the freedom of roaming unbound by flesh, the crisp thrill of it all lost to time.

The wolf asked.

“What about Mine?”

“Word of what Roti did has already spread among humans. Floyd’s silencing people, but this miracle will reach the Empire soon. Mine’s probably stalled the winds near the Empire and Grand Temple right now. I was heading back after making the waters there dry up too.”

With waters drying and winds halting, the Empire and temple would be too busy to look elsewhere for a while.

“So you shrank too.”

“Bodies are such a hassle.”

The wolf had shrunk from using too much power himself. Returning to full size normally took ages, but this time, thanks to the soul and vitality Roxiana had poured into reviving the forest, he’d snapped back instantly.

The otter, wagging its tail, dove into the water. Floating buoyantly, it looked up at the wolf and said,

“Take good care of Roti. I’ll keep watch near the Empire a bit longer.”

The wolf watched the otter swim away downstream, then let out a deep sigh and rose.

She’d assumed a banquet would be in a grand hall or manicured garden, but Floyd’s was held in the vast training grounds. Bare except for torches, long tables were lined up, each seat taken by knights.

A makeshift kitchen had sprung up along the edge. Cooks toiled endlessly there, while servants bustled to feed the voracious knights.

Knights departing tomorrow for subjugation mingled with those staying to defend Torkan, eating and drinking together.

Today’s topic was singular. It had been for days.

“You been to the forest? I escorted the refugees back yesterday—couldn’t recognize it. Thicker than ever.”

“I saw it too. Never seen trees that lush this time of year. Flowers blooming, even.”

“And Lily Palace’s princess did that? How?”

“Does she wield holy power?”

“That’d be trouble. If the temple hears, they’ll come for her.”

“As if we’d let them take our princess. Ridiculous. What’s the temple ever done for her!”

The slave of Lily Palace had become Lily Palace’s lady, then princess. Roxiana downplayed her feat, but to the knights, it was a miracle.

She was irreplaceable talent, a precious guest cherished by their revered lord.

So no way they’d let some temple lay claws on their princess. Their lord would surely command the same, they had no doubt.

Amid the knights’ boisterous chatter, the table where Floyd sat with his knight captains was quiet.

The captains stole glances at Floyd.

After Roxiana revealed the horrific truth about her family, Floyd had sunk into deep worry, his face shadowed. His ash-gray eyes were somber, the muscles around his mouth taut, exuding chill despite his fiery nature.

The captains had never seen him dwell on one issue so long.

Normally, Floyd would say, “Let’s drink first. Franche royal troubles can wait till subjugation’s done!” And add, “But the princess met me, so it’s all good! If she’d been sold off as is, the Franche family would’ve stayed in that pit forever!”

But now, it was as if his own kin had been thrown down the well. He stewed in anger, hatred, and a touch of sorrow.

His unusual, quiet fury naturally tensed the captains. An hour into the banquet, Floyd hadn’t eaten or drunk a thing.

Adrian, sipping beer while watching him, nudged Kirshan’s side. Kirshan winced faintly, sighed softly, and spoke.

“My lord. We’ve silenced people, but rumors spread faster. Even with newspapers blocked, word of the princess is traveling mouth to mouth.”