She felt so sad that she wanted to cry again.
Isabella wanted to get to Rubella Castle as soon as possible, but it was too difficult.
“Do you go to that market often? Can you tell me where I can see you again?”
Isabella ignored Evan’s questions and walked towards Ifrit, who waited for her.
“Cheer up, Isabella,” Ifrit said as she hugged her gently but that even failed to encourage her.
“Why don’t you reveal that you can control a fire spirit and join the Knights, as I said?”
At Ifrit’s words, Isabella shook her head.
She felt guilty about joining the Royal Knights just for her nefarious purpose of wanting to be by the Grand Duke’s side.
She didn’t want to use the fire spirits for that either.
Furthermore, if she did join them, the fire spirits would have to fight the beasts and she didn’t want to sacrifice the fire spirits that Ifrit had worked so hard to save just like that.
The barrier had already disappeared, but monsters were still hunting the dark forest in the North.
It was a large, shadowy forest created where the barrier was supposed to be.
If those monsters didn’t exist, the Kya family wouldn’t have such strong power and enormous wealth.
To protect the Empire from demonic beasts, the nobles had to pay a huge amount once a year for their protection.
For that reason, it appeared like the terrifying monsters would never disappear from the world of ‘Ice Flower’.
Although the barrier had disappeared, the Kyar family still actively served Acnis Empire as guardians, protecting the North from monsters existing in the dark forest.
Grand Duke Kyar and his knights went to the dark forest once a month to defeat all the monsters in the forest before returning to civilization.
A month later, new monsters would be born at the swamp without fail.
The dark forest only replaced the barrier, but nothing had changed in his daily life so far.
“Anyway, you’re thinking too much. Just let me know if you change your mind.”
“Yes. Thank you, Ifrit.”
Still, with Ifrit, Ignis, and her cute fire spirits by her side, Isabella was not alone.
Her chance of entering Rubella Castle got delayed for a year, but she hadn’t completely lost hope yet.
Isabella looked at Ifrit with a bright smile.
**
Archduke Kyar opened the bedroom door tiredly.
He hadn’t been able to sleep well lately, and an annoying headache kept plaguing him nonstop.
Upon entering the bedroom, he drank the natural pain reliever Marc had bought from the pharmacy.
He had always taken this natural pain reliever these days.
Duke Kyar had no idea who made it, but it worked pretty well.
He had to drink this medicine constantly but at least he was able to survive the day with a clearer mind.
When his headache subsided a bit, he laid down on the bed.
As soon as he closed his eyes, the image of the beautiful silver-haired woman he had seen today came to mind.
He didn’t expect to meet the woman at the archery competition.
Every time he crossed paths with her, he suddenly felt strange for no reason.
Was it because she kept crying while looking at him?
Why would she regard him with such sad eyes?
Maybe, that was why he couldn’t ignore her at all.
Every time he went to meditate at the mountain once a month, she would hide behind the tree to spy on him.
When he opened his eyes after training, he would see her leave the tree, her silver hair fluttering behind her back.
He could have grabbed her if he wanted to, but he strangely didn’t want to.
Should he tell her that he didn’t want her to get on his nerves somehow?
Maybe, he wanted to avoid her getting too close under his skin.
Archduke Kyar closed his eyes even tighter, ignoring the woman’s alluring face flashing more vividly behind his lids.
He had no idea if his headache had gone completely but he was slowly falling asleep.
He opened his eyes again to keep himself awake, but he had already lost the battle.
How long did he fall asleep?
Shouts mingled with sobs erupted from his mouth.
Archduke Kyar tossed and turned in his bed, covering his face with his trembling hands.
Once the sobs burst out, they would never stop.
He couldn’t figure out why his heart hurt so bad, and why he was sobbing.
Every time he woke up from his nightmare, he would always bursts into tears for no reason.
He didn’t like it so he forced himself to sleep and endured it.
Every once in a while, he would lose the battle and wake up in great sorrow.
His chest was so tight that it was hard to breathe.
He didn’t know the cause of this excruciating pain.
Marc searched everywhere for a doctor or a healer with excellent skills, but none of them could solve the pain in his mind.
Even if it cost a billion dollars, it didn’t matter.
If only he could put an end to this.
He desperately hoped that one day someone would come to save him from this terrible heartache.
