Movement becomes slow. Breathing feels choked. A cold stream of air spread from the fingertips. It's terrible. Ah, what an excruciating pain. Surviving, the remaining breath is so painful.
Before the death I had experienced countless times in my dreams, I became calm again. Because I know, if I just wait a little longer, I will escape this pain and find rest. A feeling of relief even arose from that realization.
Gradually, old memories drifted back. Is that a towing light? The image of me taking my first steps, the smile when Annalisa and I made eye contact, the first festival we saw, the songs the two of us used to sing together. Then the back turned away, Annalisa's eyes were filled with tears without any vitality, her eyes firmly held my hand, telling me to survive even though she was coughing up blood due to illness.
So cold. A cold feeling ran through me, I wanted to hug myself. But even the strength to move a finger was gone, and that wish could not come true.
Annalisa has never hugged me. She also doesn't allow me to call her mother. She always told me to live resiliently. If you fall down, you must stand up and absolutely do not fall. She said, I have to live like that.
These are my memories. The memories are old, broken, almost forgotten. Perhaps, because they are so painful and cold, I have to use all my strength to push them back to the hidden corners of my consciousness.
I know, the end is really near. Finally, this moment found me.
Memories that were once as vivid as paint, now begin to distort from the edges, blurring like smeared colors.
Bone-chilling cold. The cold water is draining my body heat. Is it like this…
‘Ce…sar.’
I wish I could see him one last time. But the hazy, flickering consciousness was quickly submerged into the black swamp, as if falling into a deep sleep.
I slowly sank to the bottom of the cold water.
In the audience room of Luc Ngoc Palace, a tall man stood alone, without any entourage. He was wearing a deep hooded cloak, the darkness under the black fabric was so thick that his face was completely invisible.
This was the guest who had been looking for Cesar since early morning, the man called National Master Richard.
He looked intently at the painting hanging in the audience room. It is a portrait of the previous Emperor and Empress couple.
At that moment, a knock sounded on the door, and Cesar walked in with Delfina. Seeing him, Cesar happily ran to greet him:
“Richard!”
Richard turned his back, welcoming Cesar.
“During this time, is your highness still safe and sound?”
“Um.”
Richard silently crossed his arms for a moment, blinking a few times. Then, he exclaimed in surprise:
“This is…”
Richard approached Cesar, examining his entire body. What particularly interested him was Cesar's left hand. He carefully turned and observed closely.
“It's amazing.”
“Hmm?”
“Since when has your Highness become like this?”
“Since when?”
Cesar tilted his head in confusion.
“Although further examination is needed, your highness is much better than the last time I saw you.”
“Um.”
It's still difficult to determine whether Cesar really understood this conversation. Feeling his concentration keep getting distracted, Richard slowly placed his hand gently on his forehead.
“Then we will begin the diagnosis as usual.”
Immediately, a brilliant light radiated from his hand. It was one of his magical powers. After a while, Richard exclaimed in an admiring voice:
“…The curse has settled.”
“Curse?”
Cesar tilted his head to the left. Seeing that appearance, Richard smiled slightly. He checked again to be sure, but each time the result was the same.
Although Cesar had not completely regained his reason, compared to last time, he had become noticeably calmer. It's clear that the symptoms have improved and are no longer as bad as before.
At this point, he couldn't help but ask:
“While I was away, what happened to your highness?”
However, Cesar remained silent and did not respond, only blinking his eyes. Anyway, Richard didn't expect a complete answer from him.
The Curse of the Dragon is not something that can be easily broken. However, Cesar's current condition is extremely good. Even though I don't know what happened, isn't this what people call a 'miracle'?
Richard is not an optimistic person, but he can look at this situation in a very positive way. Perhaps, someone must intervene.
“Traces of magic…”
The remaining traces were too faint for him to perceive clearly, but he still felt a stream of magic power surrounding Cesar's aura.
It was a trace of a very special type of magic that had been cast. Magic always leaves a unique vibration depending on the caster. With some types of magic, just by reading the vibration wave, you can know who the caster is.
Richard knows someone who can use this type of magic. It is a trace of ancient magic that existed a long time ago.
At that moment, Cesar suddenly stood up.
“Is something wrong, Your Highness?”
“…”
However, Cesar remained silent. His forehead wrinkled fiercely. Grrr, grh, a growl like a wild animal rang out from his throat. It's a sound of warning about something.
Immediately afterwards, Richard also felt an explosion of aura. Although it was impossible to know exactly, it was clear that something had happened.
“What is it all about…”
That was the moment he hurriedly tried to pull out the staff from his sleeve.
Suddenly, a golden light floated in front of Cesar. That light was first as small as a pea, then as large as an adult's fist, and finally transformed into a specific shape.
Richard's eyes narrowed.
“Chip!”
Appearing is a chick with golden feathers. Suddenly, a chick appeared again.
Richard frowned slightly. When did Cesar know how to summon spirit beasts?
“When did Your Highness summon this thing?”
As soon as the little chick appeared, it flapped its wings continuously, hurriedly calling out something.
“Chip, chirp, chirp!”
The level of the spirit beast is still low, so it cannot speak clearly. However, Cesar nodded a few times as if he understood the chicken's words, then his eyes flashed brightly.
In fact, even before Ave appeared, Cesar sensed that Irenea was in danger.
“Grrrrrrrrrr…”
His primitive instincts have been awakened. Cesar acts as if he can no longer hear or see anything. He glanced around once then rushed towards the window.
“Your Highness, this is the third floor—”
Before Richard could finish his words, the solid window with iron bars split in half. Startled by the deafening sound of broken glass and crumbling wall stones, he quickly stepped back.
When he calmed down, Richard was alone in the audience room. Where there used to be a window, there is now only an empty hole.
He quickly lowered his head to look down the window, but Cesar had disappeared.
Giovinetta arrived at the Moonstone Palace early in the morning to meet Queen Cornelia.
“May the radiance of the Iron Cross shine, I greet Her Majesty the Queen.”
“May the radiance of the Iron Cross shine.”
They meet at Cornelia's greenhouse. The Queen invited the young lady, who would be her conversation partner, to tea and sweets.
"This is the famous garden of Her Majesty the Queen. I heard it is very beautiful, but it is truly beyond my imagination."
Giovinetta looked around emotionally. This place is filled with beautiful unknown flowers and birds with strange plumage, pleasing the viewer's eyes.
Cultivating foreign plant species requires a lot of resources. Indeed the Queen. But Cornelia muttered somewhat boredly:
"That is the only joy in the boring life of the Royal Palace. An insignificant pleasure."
At that moment, the Queen's maid pushed the cart in and poured tea. The scent of premium tea leaves from the Southern Mainland stimulates the sense of smell.
The Queen rested her chin and looked intently at Giovinetta. The girl seemed restless, not knowing where to put her eyes.
“Looking closely now, you look a lot like your sister.”
At that moment, a feeling of resentment welled up in Giovinetta, but she did not dare to show it in front of the Queen, so she could only force a smile. The Queen did not care about her reaction and continued the story:
"Youth is indeed good. By the way, have you met your sister?"
“Your Majesty, I have met, and also the First Prince.”
“I see.”
Recalling the meeting with Irenea yesterday, the anger in her heart flared up again. She tried not to show it, so much so that the corner of her mouth almost twitched.
The Queen had received reports that the two of them had encountered each other at the Jade Palace, and of course, knew the level of tension between the two sisters.
Therefore, the Queen wanted to challenge this young girl. After a long silence, the Queen spoke:
"Did you know? I made a bet with your sister about something."
“A bet?”
“Yes, your sister is really… daring.”
The Queen told Giovinetta the story between the two, with a few additions. The story of Irenea's declaration to turn the First Prince into a perfect person, and her declaration of challenge to the Queen.
It's beyond imagination. That spoiled girl dared to rampage all the way here. Giovinetta, on the other hand, secretly rejoiced in her heart and replied:
“Your Majesty, please forgive my sister for her rudeness.”
Queen Cornelia smiled faintly, somewhat lazily:
"Indeed, you are wiser than your sister. As Queen, I must maintain my dignity, so I cannot stop such an impudent child. I always have to endure such restraints."