CHAPTER 07
Asterios followed the emperor’s long strides with quick steps as they made their way toward Roziana’s room.
“How did it sound to you, Young Duke?”
“I believe it would be wise to grant the Great Sage’s request.”
Allowing a Graham agent into the palace was no different from planting a spy.
Leodian frowned. “And why is that?”
“Because Your Majesty and the Gold Guardians are within the palace, even the Great Sage cannot act carelessly. However, we cannot predict when Her Highness will need divine power again.”
That was true. The princess’s life came first.
Finding out the sage’s true intentions could come later. His proposal, for now, offered an ideal opportunity to both save the princess and uncover the full prophecy.
“It will also take time to determine whether the mana stone will be effective for Her Highness. Until then, allowing the Great Sage to remain would be the prudent choice.”
Indeed, just as Asterios said, the sage’s divine power might serve as an emergency remedy.
“A backup plan, is it,” Leodian muttered.
With that thought, he found the idea rather acceptable and nodded.
If the sage remained in the palace, he would simply be watched carefully.
“But, Your Majesty, may I ask—why the sudden urgency now?”
“Roziana has reportedly summoned a guardian beast.”
Among the current Dreatian royals, those who could summon guardian beasts were few and far between.
“Congratulations.”
The six-year-old boy offered the emperor a sincere word of celebration.
“You don’t seem all that surprised, Young Duke.”
“I found it to be a likely outcome. But after manifesting such powerful divine power and immediately using the power of a dragon, I fear Her Highness’s body may not endure.”
Though he voiced concern, Asterios continued in an emotionless, composed tone—as if carefully choosing only rational words.
Shortly after, the two arrived at Roziana’s room. Just then, two young princes and a chick burst out of the room in tears.
“Father! Rozie’s forehead is burning up!”
“She’s too young to be given any medicine, Father!”
- Ppyak! Ppyak! Ppyaaaak!
It seemed their concerns had already become reality. As the emperor entered, he saw the empress’s tear-streaked, worried face.
“Your Majesty! Rozie…”
The princess’s face in the empress’s arms was flushed with fever. The palace physician reported her condition.
“Newborns sometimes run fevers, but Her Highness’s temperature is excessively high.”
The two forces that had just awakened within her appeared to be clashing.
“I never expected to have to rely on it this soon.”
Murmuring to himself, Leodian turned to his aide.
“Cedric, go to where the Graham priests are staying and bring the Great Sage.”
Asterios stepped forward then.
“Your Majesty, please allow me. There’s something I wish to confirm.”
“Very well, Young Duke.”
The emperor was already suspecting Roziana’s sudden fever wasn’t coincidental.
“Bring the emergency medicine. Tell him I’ll allow him to remain in the palace if he heals Roziana.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Asterios headed straight to the priests’ quarters.
From afar, he could already see Daniel standing at the door.
“I’ve been waiting for you, Black Breath of Dreat.”
There was no need to introduce himself. The sage already knew him all too well.
Asterios’s young face immediately turned chillingly cold, as if even his blood ran icy.
“Did it really have to come to this?”
His voice was eerily calm for a child—and unnervingly cold.
Daniel, wearing the face of a child, smiled innocently.
“Come now. You know better than anyone how long I’ve waited.”
Asterios stared at him with clear disapproval, then spoke.
“The Emperor has sent word. Come at once and lower Her Highness’s fever. If you do, he will permit you to stay in the palace.”
“Oh dear. I feel terrible for Her Highness, but I must admit this situation is quite fortunate for me.”
Despite clearly anticipating this very outcome, Daniel wore an expression of sympathy. Asterios’s golden eyes briefly flared red.
“I should have gotten rid of you back then…”
“What a hurtful thing to say. Besides, that was over two hundred years ago.”
It had been so brief he wasn’t sure if he imagined it—but the beast-like gleam in the young duke’s eyes vanished as if it had never been there.
“You’d better pray Her Highness remains safe, Daniel.”
At his low warning, a wave of dark energy swept through the air.
Daniel sighed, then chuckled softly.
“You haven’t changed a bit. But don’t worry—I wouldn’t dare harm someone so precious. You know she’s important to me too.”
Brushing past Asterios, he whispered:
“So relax… old friend.”
Then Daniel led the way toward the princess’s room.
I opened my eyes after exactly five days.
How do I know? Because the moment I opened them, chaos broke out and everyone cried out:
“Heavens! The princess has awakened after five days!!”
“Your Majesty, the Empress!”
“Our Rozie! Do you see Mama?”
My mother and nursemaids burst into tears, and later, my two older brothers arrived and sobbed dramatically at my bedside.
Seriously—I wasn’t dead, you know?
I just woke up, and now the room’s a sea of tears.
Later I learned I’d been feverish and teetering between life and death, and finally understood their reaction.
“They were really that worried about me…”
It was unexpected—and made my nose sting with emotion.
Maybe it’s because I’d been so ill, but my family, who already adored me, now seemed even more deeply attached.
“We must summon a spirit-caller at once to bless our dear Rozie with health.”
My always-supportive mom, of course.
“Don’t fall sick, Rozie. I wish I could be ill in your place.”
My thoughtful thirteen-year-old brother already had the makings of a heartthrob.
“I’ll do anything you ask—just don’t get sick again, Rozie.”
My eight-year-old little brother had already surrendered to me completely.
With those watery eyes, it couldn’t possibly be fake.
“Being the youngest this life is a jackpot.”
My witch sisters had been wonderful, but brothers were a whole new vibe.
“If they’re going to dote on me this much, brothers aren’t bad either.”
After all the noisy fuss died down and I was resting quietly…
A stranger came to see me.
“It’s an honor to meet you, Princess. Thank you for opening your eyes again. I am Daniel, the one who healed you.”
“Uunng?”
I tilted my head at the unfamiliar face.
The knights my father sent before had golden armor—but this boy wore a soft, pale outfit like egg whites.
“And he’s a kid?”
“If you had stayed unconscious any longer, I would’ve paid a visit to the afterlife myself.”
“Afterlife?”
“A sage really has no filter around babies, huh.”
Oh! Dad’s here.
When I first woke up five days ago, Dad thanked me with teary eyes for waking up. I was shocked.
And then he looked at me for a long while with such tender eyes—it had been strange. But now I see… he definitely seems even more affectionate than before.
But—
“Why is that guy here too?”
The sight of Asterios made my brows furrow instinctively.
“Hmph!”
“Oh? Her Highness seems to recognize the Young Duke. Could it be… she likes him?”
At Daniel’s completely unexpected remark, I opened my eyes wide.
“What?! Egg-white boy, watch your mouth!”
Like him? People might get the wrong idea!
“Kya-ooong! Kyawng-dyawng!”
“Nonsense! Shut it!”
“The princess has awakened, so it’s time you upheld your promise, Great Sage.”
Dad took the egg-white—no, sage—and Asterios out of the room.
“He’s a sage? And what promise is he talking about?”
As I tilted my head, Nox’s voice echoed in my mind.
[That’s what they call humans who are wise or knowledgeable.]
Well, I know that.
“But he looks like a kid.”
[You’ve lived for hundreds of years, but you’re a seven-day-old baby right now.]
…Oh, true.
Appearances aren’t everything.
[You’ve done well, Erika. Or should I call you Sticky-Tongue now?]
“Nox, do you want to die?”
[I thought you liked that name better.]
“As if!”
“Awoong!”
Annoyed, I pushed my arms and legs out—and they extended forward!
“Uung?”
“Wait—it worked??”
For the first time as Roziana, my body moved the way I wanted it to! I even wobbled my head.
“Yes! It works!”
Arms, legs, head—everything moved as I wanted. I tried lifting my head.
“Whoa?! I can lift it!”
Then maybe… could I sit up?
Sadly, I wasn’t strong enough to support my weight yet. But I could try rolling over!
Flop! Flip!
“Yesss! It worked!”
Success! I rolled over!
Maybe my body grew while I was sick? Suddenly things that were impossible became possible.
But… when do babies normally roll over?
As I pondered, a ponytailed knight cried out in surprise.
“Marchioness! Her Highness just rolled over!”
“What?! That’s impossible!”
My nanny rushed over.
“Rolling over is impossible?”
Well, watch this, nanny.
I rolled over twice in a row—clearly showing off. The stunned nanny clapped in amazement.
“Oh my! She really did! I must inform the Empress right away. Most babies don’t roll over before 100 days!”
Other knights and attendants murmured excitedly and looked at me with admiration.
The excited nanny turned to the knight from earlier.
“Sir Fiona, go tell Her Majesty at once! This is truly extraordinary.”
“Yes, Marchioness.”
And just like that, the knight named Fiona vanished in a flash.
It was only a matter of time before my room descended into chaos again.
Sigh. I’m going to get tired again, aren’t I?
[Everyone will be more amazed next time. Each time your fever spikes and drops, you’ll grow quickly.]
I was stunned by Nox’s words.
“Quickly? How quickly?”
[You just leaped a few months’ growth. Next time, it might be years.]
Whoa! That’s great news. If I grow faster, I can fulfill my contract with Nox sooner. Once I get just a bit bigger, my chick and I can…
Then it hit me—I hadn’t seen my chick.
“Where’s my Ppyok-Ppyok?”
[Ppyok-Ppyok? You mean your summoned beast?]
“Yeah. I haven’t seen it since I woke up. It didn’t vanish while I was asleep, did it?”
I really liked that little guy.
[Ppyok-Ppyok… You’re the first to give it such a ridiculous name.]
“Why? It fits! It runs around chirping ppyak-ppyak all day.”
[It didn’t go anywhere. The emperor took it—it’s a symbol of dragon power.]
“A symbol? What’s he gonna do with it?”
…To brag?
“No way.”
I imagined the emperor proudly holding up a fluffy chick and couldn’t help but burst out laughing.
