Chapter 26 · Two Powers (3)

I shook my head vigorously.

‘Fond? There’s no way that could happen so easily. If he were that kind of person, he would have done something in my past lives long ago.’

Even as I tried to steady my heart again, these thoughts kept drifting up like haze on a spring day.

‘Disgusting, really! I’m not some pushover! Anastasia, how many more times do you have to be burned before you come to your senses!’

The sweetness turned into self-loathing in an instant. Perhaps because my expression kept shifting, Paeon adjusted his hold on me.

“Are you uncomfortable somewhere?”

I stared intently at his beautiful red eyes.

If this man were to risk his life for me. Then maybe I could reconsider.

Only if he truly had grown ‘fond’ of me.

◇ ◆ ◇

After returning to the bedroom, the three priestesses wept when they heard the whole story.

“Hngh… Poor princess. Why does such hardship befall an angel-like princess?”

“It seems Lord Lux intends to use the princess greatly.”

“But Sir Parsiel was going to keep this from us and stay silent about it, wasn’t he?”

Yuz glared at Paeon. He was her superior, and a few months ago she couldn’t even have imagined doing such a thing.

“Just you watch. Until the princess succeeds in adapting, we’ll help with everything we’ve got.”

“And how did you plan to do it when you can’t stay glued to her every minute and second anyway, Sir Parsiel?! Were you planning not to eat, not to sleep, not to wash?”

When the barrage of realistic facts came flying, Paeon was taken aback too. It seemed he hadn’t thought that far.

“Even you can’t avoid running out of divine power, Sir Parsiel. If you keep that up all day, you’ll collapse.”

“Please lean on others a little too.”

Sigh. Sisters, you know him well. This man would rather bite his own tongue and die than lean on someone.

Still, their scolding seemed to sink in a little, because Paeon no longer refused their help.

They decided to work out concrete measures after dinner.

“If you need help, be sure to send a signal.”

When Rosa whistled, a small, adorable bird-shaped divine beast appeared. The divine beast, radiant with golden light, fluttered around the room and gently settled on my head.

“Wow! Wosa can summon a divine beast too.”

“It’s so small that it’s not for attack or defense, but it’s useful for communication.”

“So, so cute!”

I could even feel its fluffy texture. When I petted the bird on my head, it chirped happily and bobbed its head.

The three priestesses watched fondly as I played with the divine beast, then left the room with reluctant steps to carry out their duties. I was alone with Paeon again.

“Then we’ll begin training right away.”

I, who had been playing with Rosa’s divine beast, was startled.

“Huh? T-twaining?”

“The sooner you adapt, the better.”

That’s true, but… I’m not mentally prepared! As expected of the commander famous for being spartan!

And I had no idea how he intended to train me, which was frightening. He was still holding my hand tightly and sending divine power into me, but to train, he would probably…

“I will let go of your hand.”

“No!”

I flinched and clutched his hand tightly. The thought of that pain from before repeating made me dizzy.

“If we do this, you’ll never adapt! Without my power, the mana and prana inside the princess must come to accept each other.”

“B-but… but… I’m scawed.”

He watched me trembling for a moment, then spoke quietly.

“…I am here.”

“…!”

That one sentence was truly astonishing. For such words to come out of Paeon’s mouth! It really was something a knight protecting a princess would say.

“I undewstand… If Asha huwts, you’ll weally help, wight?”

He pressed his lips firmly together and nodded. I carefully let go of his hand.

“Try to feel the prana. It will definitely be different from mana.”

Enduring my fear and focusing all my attention, I could feel—faintly, but truly—a force other than mana. While mana felt cold, prana felt warm.

Wow, so I really do have divine power now too. Only now does it feel real. However…

Zap!

“Aaaagh!”

Just as I expected, that electric, stinging pain came crashing through my body again.

“It hurts, it hurts! Papa…! It hurts…”

I called out to him desperately and reached out my hand, but he just screwed up his face and didn’t take my hand.

Hey, you liar! You said you’d help!

I thrashed in pain and pounded on Paeon’s chest, but he didn’t budge. He even closed his eyes!

“Why! Why won’t you howd my hand…! Waaah!”

After what felt like an eternity of minutes, he finally took my hand. As his divine power seeped into me, the pain gradually subsided. I let out a shallow breath and collapsed onto the bed.

“…I apologize. You must gradually increase the time you endure in this way.”

“What…?”

Are you insane?! What kind of barbaric training method is this! This is just torture!

I was so furious I wanted to vent, but somehow he looked as miserable as I felt, so I had no choice but to hold it in. After repeating that several times, I soon became exhausted. My whole body was soaked with cold sweat.

“Papa… Asha can’t do anymowe…”

‘Ah, so this is why everyone couldn’t last two months.’

“Princess!”

I blacked out again.

◇ ◆ ◇

Paeon watched Rosa’s divine beast fluttering about and agonized over whether to call her, then soon rose and went to fetch a wet cloth. Then he carefully wiped down Anastasia, drenched in sweat, and changed her into her nightclothes.

“…”

Anastasia was sleeping with even breaths, looking a little more comfortable. After gazing at her quietly for a long while, he carefully touched her hair. The white strands twined softly between his fingers.

Suddenly something hot surged up from deep inside him. He hastily turned his back to her and sat down. But even without looking, the image of Anastasia screaming in pain rose in his mind, and his heart was torn to shreds. Paeon clutched his head until his golden hair was in complete disarray.

Those large emerald eyes brimming with tears… If only he could bear the pain in her place, he felt he could do anything.

“…You are truly cruel.”

Paeon said, glaring at the symbol of the god Lux hanging on the wall.

“Just… just punish me alone. Why must this person suffer like this? What wrong has she done!”

He bit his lip until it nearly bled.

“Yes! This must be because it is the cruelest punishment for me. But I believed I had been punished enough… I believed it was settled when You took her.”

The symbol of the god Lux gave no answer, as if mocking him. It merely glittered in the light.

“But I was mistaken. To think there was a deeper hell.”

He clenched his fists and murmured with blazing eyes.

“…I do not know what Your will is, but I will keep my vow.”

The vow never to grow close to Anastasia. If he grew close to her, he would surely come to love her, and then he would repeat the same mistake.

Princess Beatrice’s death was entirely his fault. If not for him, she would have become a dazzlingly great archmage and a promising heir to the throne, soon to be the monarch who ruled Santra.

But because of him, she incurred God’s wrath and lost her magic, and so she was struck down helplessly by the enemy. Had she been in her proper state, she would have turned the enemy to dust the moment she sensed them approaching.

All of this happened because he loved her. He was a man who must not love anyone but the god Lux. A man who must not break the vow he made to God.

Anastasia groaned as if having a nightmare. Paeon rose and took her hand.

“I…”

He whispered so softly it was almost inaudible.

“I am not worthy to love the princess.”

‘So I will help you through this crisis… and then leave for a place where I cannot see you.’

◇ ◆ ◇

By the time the three priestesses returned, it was dark outside. They were startled by the sight that greeted them in the room. Paeon had his head pillowed on the bed, fast asleep, still clutching Anastasia’s hand.

“Oh my, oh my. This is the first time I’ve ever seen Sir Parsiel dead to the world. Actually, I never even saw him sleep during the war, so I wondered if he might be something other than human.”

Sierra marveled.

“He must have been so exhausted… I knew it from the way he never called us till the end. He’s so stubborn.”

When Rosa whistled softly, the little bird that had been dozing beside them was absorbed into her.

“Still, it seems we misunderstood Sir Parsiel. We thought he was heartless, inflexible, and rigid to the bone, but…”

“Right. Unexpectedly, it seems he truly cherishes the princess.”

The three of them grunted and moved him onto the bed. Then Anastasia tossed and turned and snuggled tightly against him.

“Kuh… Princess, you’re so cute…”

Yuz clutched her chest and groaned.

“But seeing them like this, they really look like a father and daughter.”

“Pfft, haha, they do. Maybe that’s why the princess calls him Papa.”

“I’d love to record this in an image stone and use it for blackmail forever.”

Rosa said with a satisfied smile, making a terrifying suggestion.

“Then shall we just leave them to sleep for now?”

“Yes, he hasn’t slept for two days either.”

They turned off all the lights in the bedroom and crept quietly out of the room.

“…May the light of Lord Lux be with you.”

Gentle moonlight poured down over their heads.

◇ ◆ ◇

At that hour, Ollentia Palace.

“To summon me at such a late hour—there must be a reason important enough for it, Lord Alter.”

Aquila, her hair elegantly pinned up, wore a charming smile. A few faint candles lighting the dim room made her white skin stand out.

“The reason men come secretly to see a beautiful lady at night is usually the same.”

Alter, with his boldly handsome face, grinned and shot back.

“I’ll take the jokes only so far. So, what is it you wish to say?”

“The central council of the senate is being held in a few days, isn’t it? Have you made your preparations?”

“What kind of preparations do you mean?”

“Haha, there’s no need to play dumb with me. The right of succession.”

“…”

“Surely His Majesty will slyly try to gloss over that part. But that can’t go on forever, can it?”

“I, as a member of the royal family, cannot participate in the central council. What exactly could I do?”

Alter approached Aquila with a silent grin. From him drifted a sensual scent blending black rose and oakmoss. At a distance so close they could not get any nearer, he whispered softly into her ear.

“However…”

Aquila’s deep green eyes wavered greatly.

“However, you were Tris’s betrothed, weren’t you.”