As soon as he returned to Sibareth, Leca went to see Lily. She appeared in his room before he could even catch his breath and got straight to the point.
"Don't even think of hiding this from me."
"Hiding what, exactly?"
Leca replied flatly, but Lily gave him a peculiar look.
"You've been off since the beginning. This whole situation… it's not like you at all."
"You're not the first to say that. I've already been chewed out enough from every direction."
Leca was polishing his armor with a weary expression.
"So why haven't you visited her once in a whole week? She clearly seemed to be waiting for you."
At those words, Leca paused and set down the dry cloth in his hand. Then he stared at Lily.
"You're deliberately avoiding her."
"What exactly do you want to know?"
Leca's tone sharpened.
"Why are you avoiding that girl?"
"I'd prefer if you didn't presume to interpret my feelings."
Leca moved toward the door, clearly ready to leave. But Lily stepped in front of it, blocking his path.
"You weren't like this with Mithys. Spirits changing their behavior based on their master—it's unsettling."
"Lily."
Leca raised his head and looked down at her, eyes dark with intensity.
"You are an old friend. That's why I entrusted her to you. When I served Lady Mithys..."
He trailed off, as if unsure how to continue.
"Anyway, the situation is different now. You know that too."
"Hmph."
Lily crossed her arms, still standing firmly in the doorway.
"If I asked you how you feel about her, I already know you'd give the same predictable answer."
"I don't believe I owe you one."
His expression returned to stoic indifference.
"She's been looking for you."
"For me?"
"Yes. What do you expect? You left her a cryptic one-line message."
"..."
"You'd better go. Something interesting has happened."
Only then did Lily step aside. Something interesting? Leca considered asking—but changed his mind and hurried toward Mia's quarters. It was already 10 p.m., so her training would be over. Hopefully, she wasn't asleep yet.
He took a deep breath and knocked on her door. A clear voice rang out immediately.
"Who is it?"
"It's me, Lady Mia."
"Just a moment."
Moments later, the door creaked open—and Mia pulled him inside by the hand.
But the moment he stepped inside and saw her, Leca involuntarily took a step back in shock.
Her hair, once chin-length, now reached her shoulders. The tips of her ears had become slightly pointed. Her brown eyes had taken on a strange golden hue.
But the most astonishing thing of all—
From her back fluttered large, transparent butterfly wings, tinted in green and pink hues.
Leca stammered,
"Y-you… you've undergone metamorphosis…?"
Mia let out a breathy laugh, somewhere between a sigh and a chuckle.
"I feel ridiculous. So stop looking at me like that."
"My apologies. I didn't mean to—"
"I honestly thought I was going to die. I couldn't go through that again if I tried. Am I supposed to do this regularly or something?"
"Well… from what I've heard, it happens roughly once every seven years."
"Seven years, huh? Could be worse."
Mia giggled. Seeing Leca's face made her feel relieved. It had only been a week, but he looked thinner, a bit more tanned. Somehow, it made her heart ache.
Leca, meanwhile, couldn't help but feel strange. Something about Mia had changed. Not just physically—emotionally, they felt… closer.
But why? He wasn't even of fairy blood.
"If you've undergone metamorphosis… have there been changes in your mana?"
"It's… intense."
"Intense?"
Mia scratched her head.
"I didn't train yesterday because I felt awful, but… yeah, something's definitely changed. So, about that."
"Yes?"
"Could you take over my training from now on?"
"Me…?"
"Yeah. You told me to keep studying magic, right? Well, now you have to take responsibility for those words."
Her eyes sparkled mischievously. Leca cleared his throat and looked away, a faint blush on his cheeks.
"Lily said something weird."
"What did she say?"
"That in the palace, you have to see what isn't visible and hear what isn't spoken. That's why you sent that message, apparently."
"Lily… she talks too much."
Leca turned his head away. Mia blinked.
"Then tell me—why did you send it?"
"It was merely a greeting. A message to encourage your training, even though I couldn't be by your side."
"That's all?"
"What else would it be?"
Mia felt a little confused. So that was it. Nothing special. Besides, Leca seemed more eager to crown her queen than anything else.
Still… the thought of being apart from him was unsettling. And since he rarely revealed his true thoughts, the only solution was to keep him close.
"I have a question."
"Yes, Lady Mia?"
"If I gave you an order… would you obey, no matter what it was?"
Leca looked surprised by the question. He hesitated, then answered.
"If it is within my power, then… yes, I would."
Mia smiled faintly.
"I'll remember that."
Leca stared at her quietly. For some reason, it felt like a tide was rising in his chest.
In the royal audience chamber of SIBARETH.
King Minophon sat with Grand Duke Julius and several senior officials, receiving emissaries from Muria. One of the delegates, wearing a pointed green hat, removed it with a stiff expression and spoke.
"We have waited long enough. We can no longer trust Your Majesty and the council, who have failed to keep your promises."
Julius's face darkened with fury, but the king raised a hand to stop him.
"We understand your position. However, I have been unwell, and it is true that some matters were neglected. We will take appropriate action promptly."
"This time, we won't leave after hearing vague assurances of 'action to be taken.' We are here to receive specific answers—that is our duty—"
Before he could finish, the king erupted in violent coughing, spitting up blood. Attendants and physicians rushed to assist. The Murian envoys looked on with evident displeasure.
Once the king's condition had stabilized, one of the envoys resumed.
"We regret causing further distress to His Majesty. But we must insist on receiving a proper response today."
"Of course. From this day forward, I promise that no citizens of Sibareth will illegally migrate into Muria's territory."
Julius spoke calmly. But the envoy wasn't satisfied.
"Thank you, Your Grace. But that alone will not suffice. What about the Sibarethn rabble currently causing havoc in Murian lands?"
"Rabble? That's uncalled for. They are poor refugees who lost their homes to disaster."
An elder of SIBARETH, his forehead adorned with a glowing pearl, answered sharply. But the envoy countered.
"Is that so? Then why are they disturbing our residents instead of living peacefully?"
"When populations grow, you inevitably get bad actors among them. We will assign magistrates and guards to the refugee districts. Will that satisfy you?"
"Actually, Your Grace..."
The eldest of the envoys spoke for the first time.
"Not long ago, one of Muria's sacred mountains was irreparably damaged by Sibarethn settlers. We ask for compensation."
Julius tilted his head and sneered.
"So it's about money after all. You should've said so from the start."
But the elder envoy shook his head.
"Not at all. We fairies have no desire for material wealth."
"Spare us the righteousness."
"Your Majesty, Your Grace, and honored elders—congratulations on the emergence of your new queen candidate."
"...?"
Julius's eyebrow twitched. The elders glanced at each other, their jeweled third eyes flashing.
"While we grieve the disappearance of our own Lady Mithys, we are overjoyed to learn that a girl who has inherited her powers has appeared. Therefore..."
The peridot in Julius's forehead flickered ominously.
"His Majesty King Thorpel III, our great sovereign and the light of the world, has made this proposal.: Muria would be honored to take responsibility for her magical education."
"What?"
Julius leapt to his feet. The elder envoy bowed deeper.
"Is it not obvious, Your Grace! The one who entered the waters where a fairy underwent molting did so five hundred years ago. Surely SIBARETH has no precedent for such a being. Isn't that so?"
Silence. No one—neither Julius, nor King Minophon, nor the elders—said a word. They waited for the envoy to continue.
With a faint, knowing smile, he did.
"Thus, it is only right that we take her under our care and train her. Where else in history will you find such a pivotal figure for both Muria and SIBARETH? Am I wrong?"