CHAPTER 06
“Nox!”
[Yes, it’s me.]
You’ve got some nerve, you jerk!
“What is this?! You never said anything about turning me into a completely different species!”
I’m a witch—how do you explain blue flames suddenly shooting from my hands?!
I was about to lose it when—
Whoosh!
Suddenly, a golden ripple came out from the tip of my finger and transformed into the shape of a tiny chick.
“Wha—?”
The knights and attendants in the room erupted in chaos.
“H-Her Highness the Princess!”
“She used the dragon’s power to summon a guardian beast!”
Me??
– Chirp!
As if the blue flames weren’t enough, now I’m summoning a chick? Seriously?
“Damn it!”
I risked my life for this contract, and now—my name, my powers—there’s nothing I like about this life!
In my crib, the nanny had just laid me down on my side with a plush doll in my arms.
– Chirp, chirp! Chirp chirp!
I glared at the fluffy yellow ball dancing in front of my face.
‘It’s strutting around my room like it owns the place.’
It was bouncing and chirping nonstop. I couldn’t believe it.
‘I can’t even lift my head, but that thing is already walking around?’
My temper flared again, and the blue flames started rising from my hands.
No! Hold it in.
If I let it out again, people will come running, worried about divine powers and all that.
‘I hate noisy situations.’
The room had only just quieted down.
Breathe. Endure.
After I summoned that golden chick with my energy, it must’ve been a big deal—most of the people left the room, leaving just one knight and the nanny behind.
‘I hope they all stay gone for a while.’
I need peace to think.
But the adorable chirping immediately got in my way again.
– Chirp. Chirp!
Sigh… I’m hoping for too much.
“Dya, auuung!”
‘Hey, shut up!’
I yelled at the chick in baby babble. Then the two shiny black eyes on its yellow fluff turned to look directly at me.
Huh? Did it understand me?
“Aung.”
‘Sit.’
– Chirp.
“Dyauung.”
‘Stand up.’
– Chirp.
The round little thing sat and stood perfectly on those stubby legs!
I couldn’t help but be amazed that it understood me so well—even though I was just babbling!
“Dyaua!”
‘Good job!’
– Chirp chirp chirp chirp!
One compliment, and it went wild again, dashing around the room, chirping like crazy.
“Kaung!”
Silence!
– Chirp.
With one command, it froze on the spot.
Why is this thing so cute?!
‘Nox. Did you choose a cute chick on purpose so I wouldn’t get mad at you?’
[Hmm… more like… it’s the form most similar to my attributes.]
What? A chick??
Wait a minute.
What does a chick grow into?
A chicken.
‘Did I really sign a life-risking contract with a chicken-brain?’
[What did you just say??]
Ah, right. I forgot—Nox can hear my thoughts.
Okay, okay. “Chicken-brain” was too much.
It’s a chick that can bend time and space, after all.
‘Ahem. So, you’re saying Nox isn’t the chick—it’s a guardian beast created from a fragment of your power?’
Trying to shift the topic.
[Exactly. It’s technically a manifestation of my consciousness.]
So, the chick wasn’t Nox himself but a beast formed by a part of his power.
A guardian beast that only appears to royalty.
And only those with strong, pure dragon blood can summon one—at least, that’s what the knights were freaking out about earlier.
‘So this means I have a dragon-related bloodline?’
Maybe Nox is a dragon spirit.
He never had a physical form to begin with, and his power to manipulate time and space did seem like something fit for a dragon.
‘Well, this is convenient. Since I can barely move after being born, I’ll have to use the chick for now.’
[That may be cute now, but it will grow into something quite formidable later.]
‘Stop reading my thoughts!’
[I’m bound to you through the contract. It can’t be helped. But that doesn’t mean I can read everything.]
Well, that’s a relief.
But… it’s getting hot in here?
“Naung, daung?”
‘Am I the only one sweating?’
[It’s coming faster than expected.]
‘What is?’
Wait, my vision’s spinning. My head feels heavy—
My eyelids are closing against my will.
‘What’s happening to me?!’
Haa—haa—
Even my breathing became ragged. A sharp ringing pierced my ears.
[Rest for now, Erica.]
‘Wait—wait! I have questions for you!’
“Heavens! Her Highness!”
Even the nanny’s cry grew distant.
And then—darkness.
In the imperial audience chamber of Dreat.
Emperor Leodian sat atop the steps of the throne, with the young Duke Astérios Tenebres standing at his feet.
The Emperor’s golden eyes bore down on three priests in white robes standing below.
Behind the tall, elderly priest stood one armed priest with a sword and another small figure with their head bowed.
‘An elder, a holy knight… and the third?’
Who is that?
“Blessings upon the birth of Her Highness the Princess, O Emperor of Dreat.”
The elder priest stepped forward and offered a polished greeting. But Leodian’s brow furrowed deeply at the flattery.
With a dazzling yet cold smile, the handsome young Emperor replied:
“Thank you, priest of Graeham. I received your letter. But I must say, I didn’t expect you to show up before I even had the chance to respond.”
There was clear mockery in his tone.
“We came in person to respectfully escort the future Great Saintess to Graeham. As I’m sure Your Majesty is aware, Her Highness was born with a rare and powerful divine power.”
‘“Already aware,” is it?’
So they did know Rosiana’s divine power would manifest immediately after birth.
Leodian let out a short, dry laugh.
“Respectfully escort? You speak as if it is only natural for my daughter, who bears the blood of dragons, to become a saintess. Do you think such wording is appropriate?”
His lips were still smiling, but his golden eyes were like those of a predator, more chilling than open anger.
But the old priest held firm.
“If Her Highness becomes a saintess, she will serve both Dreat and Graeham. It would benefit both nations.”
‘The audacity…’
“We at Graeham are ready to give everything to serve Her Grace, the Saintess, and to contribute to peace and prosperity between the two lands—”
‘Unbelievable.’
“Enough. My patience ends here.”
The Emperor’s smile vanished.
“Even if you offered all of Graeham, I would not trade it for my daughter. Remember well that I am not such a merciful Emperor.”
As he stood to leave, the elder priest cried out urgently:
“B-but according to the divine prophecy, Her Highness shall wield unprecedented power and bring salvation to not only our nations, but the entire world—”
“This so-called divine prophecy of yours—!”
His voice echoed, shaking the chamber.
The Emperor’s blatant distrust toward the gods made the elderly priest tremble.
“Forgive me, but I must question it.”
Unable to bear the provocation, the priest’s face finally contorted in anger.
“How dare you insult the divine—!”
Just as Leodian wanted—getting them to overstep, so he could refuse their demands under the guise of righteous indignation.
‘If they say something that could spark a war, even better.’
“Even if you are the Emperor, you cannot speak so of the god who rules above—!”
Got them.
“And you dare say that above a descendant of dragons? That heaven reigns supreme?”
At once, the Emperor’s eyes sharpened and the palace guards’ swords gleamed in their sheaths.
Though a thousand years had passed since the war between dragons and celestials, the animosity had not vanished.
A heavy air filled the chamber instantly.
At that moment, someone behind the old priest held him back and stepped forward.
“Please, Samuel. That’s enough.”
A soft, youthful voice echoed through the hall, surprising Leodian.
The figure who had kept their head bowed now stood revealed—a very small person.
“B-but, Sage—”
‘Sage?’
Leodian’s eyes snapped to the tiny priest.
When the figure raised their head—it was the face of a child.
‘A kid?’
“Forgive my delayed greeting, Your Majesty. I am Daniel, Sage of Graeham’s Grand Temple. May the glory of dragons and the sacrifice of darkness be with you.”
The way he delivered the ceremonial greeting was almost hypnotic.
‘This little boy is the Sage? I thought the current one was supposed to be incredibly old…’
The Sage of the Grand Temple. A figure said to hear the voice of God and deliver divine wisdom.
Though revered across nations and races, his true appearance was rarely seen, and rumors were all anyone had to go on.
Now this young boy bowed deeply to the Emperor.
“If our letter has offended you, I apologize on behalf of Graeham. It would be an honor to bring Her Highness to us, but if that is not possible, we wish to offer another solution.”
“And what would that be?”
“As you may know, excessive divine power that cannot be contained within the body can be as deadly as poison.”
As expected. Leodian’s golden eyes narrowed.
“So now you threaten me—saying I must give up my daughter if I wish to save her life?”
They had yet to confirm whether Rosiana could control her power using magic stones, and it wasn’t even certain if the Mage Tower would cooperate.
So, Leodian was tolerating them only because outright rejection would complicate things further.
“No, Your Majesty. We truly do not wish to harm Her Grace in any way.”
“Then what do you propose?”
“Let me stay in the Empire, with your permission and Her Highness’s, to guide her power.”
So, he wanted to stay in the imperial palace and hover near Rosiana, using divine power as an excuse?
“And if I say no?”
“Then would Your Majesty not wish to hear the entire divine revelation from Graeham?”
“!”
Leodian’s eyes burned as they locked onto the Sage’s youthful face.
‘You clever little fox.’
“I am the one who personally received the latest divine message. Only I know its full contents.”
Sage Daniel pleaded with earnest conviction.
‘Interesting. Offering to help manage the divine power personally and reveal the full prophecy in return—’
Leodian had suspected Graeham would try anything to take the princess.
He’d even considered war if needed.
But never had he expected the Sage to show up himself with such a proposal.
‘Is this a poison or a cure?’
Just as a smirk curved the Emperor’s lips, his aide Cedric rushed in, pale-faced, and whispered in his ear.
The Emperor’s expression instantly hardened.
“Sage of Graeham, I have heard you. I will give you my answer after a day’s consideration. The hour grows late—Chamberlain, arrange rooms for our guests.”
Without waiting, the Emperor swept from the room and murmured to Astérios:
“Follow me, Young Duke.”
