Chapter 8

　　In that moment, Astina realized she had a significant weakness for a handsome face. The King of Gail, who paled in comparison to Theo in every conceivable way, screamed so loudly the audience hall seemed to tremble.

　　As the knights surrounded them, the king, now emboldened, bellowed at Theo, "I don’t know what gives you the courage to be so insolent, but don’t think for a second you’ll leave here alive!"

　　Despite the threat, Theo leisurely rolled up his sleeve. On his left arm were three bracelets, identical to the one he had used to seal Bergin. He unfastened one, a faint, chilling smile playing on his lips.

　　"When you say things like that, Your Majesty, it makes me want to be truly insolent."

　　"What are you waiting for! Seize him at once!"

　　At the king’s command, the knights drew their swords. A blinding light erupted from Theo’s hand as he clutched a magic stone. But in that same instant, a volley of fire arrows rained down, embedding themselves in the floor before the charging knights. Faced with hundreds of arrows that had appeared without a magic circle or incantation, the knights and the king alike swallowed hard.

　　Her pretty face, her innocent smile, and her disarming friendliness often made people forget a crucial fact: the small woman standing before them was a terrifying being who could turn an entire city into a sea of fire in the blink of an eye. The golden eyes of the woman, who was once called a monster, now burned with a cold, lethal light.

　　"Are you trying to harm my fiancé in my presence?"

　　"N-no, that’s not it, Tower Master!" the king stammered, struggling to stand his ground against her overwhelming presence. "That insolent man dared to insult me!"

　　With a single gesture, Astina extinguished the fire arrows and let out a sigh. "You started it, Your Majesty. You shouldn’t treat someone who came to your aid so poorly."

　　The King of Gail could only gape, his mouth opening and closing like a fish. Stripped of his royal status, her words were undeniably true. While Bergin had been rampaging, the king had been cowering in the deepest part of the palace. If not for Astina and Theo, the casualties would have been immense. He might have even lost his own life. He had mocked his saviors, making him the one at fault, not Theo.

　　Having successfully silenced the king, Astina turned to chide Theo. "And you, put that away. Are you trying to kill everyone here?"

　　Without a word, Theo fastened the bracelet back onto his wrist, his expression once again serene as he gazed at Astina with a gentle smile. It was a remarkably placid look for someone who had just been preparing to obliterate the entire audience hall.

　　Astina shot him a glare before turning back to the king. "Release the kidnapped mages, and I will consider this matter closed."

　　"I told you, I know nothing of them!" the king blustered, but Astina refused to back down.

　　She played her most moderate, yet most effective, threat. "If you continue to feign ignorance, then I will return to Dresden and tell my Sister everything."

　　"What does that… What would you tell her?"

　　"That you begged for help with a rampaging mage, so I rushed here in the middle of the night to save you, only for you to make a ridiculous marriage proposal, pick a fight with Theo for no reason, and then try to have him killed."

　　To the king, this was a warning more terrifying than any fire arrow. If the empress, whom the emperor cherished more than life itself, decided to act, the consequences would be unbearable. Having already lost Bergin, an all-out war with Dresden would mean the utter destruction of his kingdom. While he would face condemnation if his collusion with Bergin came to light, it was a far better fate than becoming the king of a fallen nation.

　　The King of Gail gritted his teeth and shot a sharp glance at a servant. "Follow them."

　　Then, he shoved himself up from his throne and stormed out of the audience hall, fuming.

* * *

　　The servant led them to a dungeon-like cellar where the kidnapped mages were imprisoned. They were all alive, but their conditions were grim; it was clear they had been left to languish after having their cores stolen. Astina wasted no time, opening a transportation circle directly to Hingis’s house.

　　Hingis, who had been pacing with worry, was overjoyed at the mages’ return. But his relief turned to horror when he heard what they had endured at the palace. He wasn’t the only one. The mages of Gail, who had desperately awaited their colleagues’ return, were plunged into shock. It was this betrayal that led every mage present to a single, unified decision: they would leave for the Magic Tower. The King of Gail would surely be furious at the mass exodus of every mage from Olgen, but he had no one to blame but himself.

　　While the mages and Eonora prepared for their departure, Astina and Theo spent their last day in the kingdom at a leisurely pace. As the sun began to set, Theo, who had been lost in thought, finally spoke, choosing his words with care. "I acted recklessly at the palace. Forgive me."

　　"What? No, you weren’t. He deserved it."

　　Astina immediately shook her head, though she had to admit, it was the first time she had ever seen him so angry—angry enough to attempt a lethal spell on another person. It was completely unlike the calm, mature Theo she knew.

　　As if he agreed, he offered an embarrassed excuse. "I was provoked because… everything he said was true."

　　"True? Everything he said was utter nonsense."

　　"That a fake mage with no status or fortune isn’t worthy of you… that part is true."

　　"What’s true about that? It was a whole lot of bullshit!"

　　"It’s also true that I have nothing to offer you," Theo finished, his voice faint, a sad smile touching his lips.

　　She knew his reaction at the palace had been uncharacteristic, but she never imagined he harbored such ridiculous thoughts. She shouldn’t have held back. She should have hit the king with at least one fire arrow. Frustration swelled in Astina’s chest, her voice rising. "That’s the biggest load of nonsense I’ve ever heard! Theo, you took my hand so I could live as a person, not a monster. You gave me myself. What more could you possibly give me?"

　　Faced with her golden eyes, blazing with sincerity, Theo was at a loss for words. His heart hammered against his ribs at her professed, "You gave me myself." In meeting and loving Astina, he, too, had found himself. A beautiful smile, as if painted with pure happiness, bloomed on his face.

　　"You’re the one who kept me from becoming a monster, Tina. You were never someone who could have become a monster in the first place."

　　"Honestly, you keep saying the strangest things! I’m telling you, it was you who took the first step!" Astina argued, her eyes wide, but Theo just laughed and reached for her.

　　The small, white hand of his salvation, which had never once pushed him away, took his again. Theo bowed his head, pressing a kiss to the back of her hand. A whirlwind of emotions—a desperate plea for eternity, a burning desire, gratitude, and sorrow—swept through him.

　　"Tina, I love you."

　　Astina beamed, her smile so wide her eyes crinkled into crescents. "I love you too, Theo."

　　Just as Theo, momentarily mesmerized by her radiant face, was about to speak again, the door burst open. Hingis strode in with purpose. "Tower Master! We’re ready!"

　　"Oh, really? Theo, they’re ready!"

　　Excited at the thought of going home, Astina sprang up like a butterfly. She hurried off to find Mikhail, asking if he’d packed enough lemons, leaving Hingis with Theo.

　　"By the way, Sir Theo," Hingis said, "Eonora has something to tell you."

　　"Sir Hingis," Theo replied coolly, "didn’t we agree you wouldn’t speak to me for three days?"

　　"Pardon? Didn’t we agree to call that off?"

　　"Of course not."

　　"But—at least tell me why! Sir Theo?" Hingis protested with an aggrieved expression, but Theo had already vanished, following after Astina.

　　Left alone, Hingis briefly pondered what he might have done wrong. Unable to find an answer, he was the last to join the others in the garden. Theo would take the mages and Eonora to the Magic Tower, while Astina and Mikhail would take the lemons and head directly to the Imperial Palace. Waving from atop the glowing magic circle, Astina promised to meet Theo there.

　　The Imperial Palace of the Dresden Empire, where she reappeared moments later, was in an uproar for an entirely different reason than the palace in Gail. Carrying a box of lemons toward the main building, Astina ran into Hafen, who was pacing anxiously out front.

　　"Your Majesty!"

　　"Welcome, Countess," Hafen greeted her.

　　"I brought lemons! How is my Sister?"

　　"She’s doing much better."

　　"She’s regained her energy, thanks to you," Hafen chuckled, taking the box from her. "The problem now is that she has too much energy."

　　Brillin, having recovered her strength by dousing all her food in lemon sauce, was now in the chapel. Hafen had been unceremoniously chased out for getting in the way as she bustled about, preparing for Astina’s wedding. Searching for an excuse to see his wife, Hafen grinned.

　　"Shouldn’t you go see your Sister, Countess?"

　　"Yes!" Astina, taking the bait, nodded eagerly, and the two of them entered the chapel together.