The guards and other wizards who had been following the prince could only stand behind him, several meters away.
"Find out who brought in the Nych. Equestria has a thick protective dome, and they managed to break through the barrier in the backyard," said the prince. His brow furrowed as he tried to analyze the situation, compounded by his failure to help Violet. Prince Roger bowed his head for a moment and looked around again. "Check on the injured," he said again.
After saying that, the prince immediately left using a portal. The portal was connected to Violet's room. For a moment, he closed his eyes and enjoyed Violet's distinctive scent.
On the bed, the small creature in Violet's room immediately perked up its ears. It jumped and hugged Prince Roger as if missing the man, while the prince opened his eyes and smiled slightly.
"Hello, Wine, how are you?" asked Prince Roger. The creature spoke softly, and the prince stroked its neck until it felt comfortable. "Wine, if yesterday I ordered you to watch over her, from now on I order you to protect her."
Once again, the cat only meowed softly and instead sniffed the prince's hand. Prince Roger, who understood, immediately pulled an apple out of thin air, and the creature named Wine devoured it greedily.
Both of them vanished into the portal the prince had just created and headed toward where Violet was.
The girl lay unconscious on a stretcher, with a doctor sprinkling powder into the air. The powder was a shimmering green, beneficial for refreshing the air and calming the patient. Next to Violet on the right was Nalina, also being treated. Prince Roger wanted to approach, but hesitated when he saw Edgar sitting there, holding Violet's fingers.
"Your Highness," whispered one of the guards who had just arrived breathlessly. Prince Roger turned his head, and the guard immediately said again, "One of the wounded Nychs has been secured."
Prince Roger nodded slowly and immediately turned around. He and his guards headed to the place where the creature's body was being held.
Meanwhile, Edgar glanced at the prince's departure out of the corner of his eye and silently sighed in relief. The man's eyes fixed on Violet, who was still unconscious with a pale face and a cold body. His jaw tightened as he noticed a long wound near Violet's left elbow and small scratches in other areas. Without a word, Edgar stood up and left the room.
Edgar's horse galloped alongside the setting sun. He rode through the forest and deeper into his secret hideout. The place was on the side of the dark mountain, and Edgar was skilled at building structures made of stone that could be used for forbidden activities.
When he dismounted, his steps sounded rough and impatient. He parted the hanging leaves that served as camouflage and rushed into the cave. His breath was labored with suppressed emotion, and when he reached the room where the Nych leader was, Edgar immediately attacked the creature, sending it flying into the wall.
"I told you not to attack that girl!" he shouted angrily.
"You can't blame their instincts, Ed. They don't have the same reasoning as me," replied the Nych leader. The Nych leader laughed loudly because he knew Edgar wouldn't dare to harm his body any further. So, he quickly returned to his original position to continue absorbing the essence of Violet's corpse. "I want that girl, Edgar. Her energy is excellent," he added.
Edgar was furious. He raised his sword and channeled energy into it until it glowed navy blue. He warned the ugly creature, "If you or your minions dare to touch it, I won't think twice about sealing you back up. It's mine!"
The leader of Nych no longer laughed, but he still smiled, and it was truly painful for Edgar's eyes. The handsome man quickly exited the cave and reinforced the protective dome to prevent anyone else from discovering this place. Edgar also summoned the wind to erase all traces of his footsteps or energy in the area.
It was already night when Edgar arrived at the Novtiglass residence. He opened his cloak and threw it at the servant who stood fearfully before him. "Prepare warm water. Quickly!" Edgar snapped.
Several young servants moved quickly to fulfill their master's request, while others immediately prepared clothes or aromatic baths for their master. Given Edgar's expressionless face, they knew that even a moment's delay would result in their dismissal. The Novtiglass family was known for frequently changing servants.
Edgar collapsed onto the sofa, lowering his head to massage his aching neck. However, the sound of elegant yet simple footsteps caused him to lift his face.
"How is the academy?" Lily asked. Her voice was soft and polite.
Edgar smiled slightly and shifted his seat so his mother could sit beside him. "It's quite chaotic. The Nych suddenly started targeting Violet."
"Are you worried about her?"
"You told me to learn to love her, didn't you?"
"Marry him quickly so that our family will be even more successful, Ed."
Edgar looked at Lily and said, "I will do more than that, Mom. Don't worry."
The mother and son watched as two servants descended the stairs. One of the servants announced that the warm water was ready, and upon hearing this, Edgar immediately stood up and walked toward his room.
Bathing is one way to clear the mind. Especially when combined with ingredients that help relax. Edgar himself loved bathing with grated ginger. After finishing his bath, the man immediately put on the clothes prepared by the servant. He wore a black shirt and matching trousers.
***
Nych's legs were chained, both wings folded behind his back—bound together—and chained as well. He growled and glared at the man wearing a small crown on his head. His legs were scratched so badly that his bones were almost visible. He was forced to reveal who had opened the barrier for them. Nych let out a shrill cry, and Prince Roger immediately struck the creature's face with a black whip.
"You are loyal to your master, it seems," said Prince Roger.
Prince Roger stroked his whip with a crooked smile. He bowed his head and quickly raised his face when a guard entered with hurried steps. "Your Highness, Mr. Noah has just left Miss Violet. You can see her now," said the guard.
Wine, who had been silent in the corner of the room, slowly approached Nych. When the two made eye contact, Nych glared, screeched, and struggled, the clanging of chains disturbing the ears. Wine's gray eyes flashed red as he growled and roared. Then, flames began to surround Nych, and a black door suddenly appeared. The door opened slowly as Nych's screams grew louder. The scorching heat was clearly felt, and as the door opened, many black shadows emerged and feasted on Nych's body.
Prince Roger, Wine, and his guards immediately left the room. They headed to where Violet was being treated. Apparently, Noah had moved Violet to his room at the academy after dinner so she could be more comfortable. Of course, this was done with the approval of the doctor responsible for Violet.
Four guards waited at the front door of Violet's room, while Prince Roger had just entered it. There was a faint scent of medicine that the prince could smell. On the bed, Violet was sitting up, leaning back, and smiling at the prince.
"How are you feeling?" Prince Roger asked as he sat down on the edge of the bed.
"I'm feeling better, Your Highness," Violet replied.
However, Violet's attention was diverted when she saw a creature peeking through the wall. Roger looked at what Violet was looking at and said, "I brought him when I visited your room earlier. Wine, come here."
Wine meowed, ran over, and jumped onto the bed. He sniffed Violet's hand as if to say, "Get well soon."
Violet stroked the animal. "Its name is... Wine?" asked Violet.
Prince Roger nodded, then lifted Wine so it was illuminated by the lantern and said, "Look, its fur color is very unique. It's like purple, but with a hint of red, and I think it's adorable. Just like you, Vio."
No! No! Violet screamed inside her head. Her eyes fluttered several times as Prince Roger kissed the back of her hand. This is too romantic!
Meanwhile, Edgar, who had just stepped out of the lift, shook his head when he saw the prince's guard. He smiled wryly at his cousin's actions. Looking for trouble, apparently.
"Tell Roger I'm coming in," said Edgar.
One of the guards entered and reported that Edgar was at the door. After receiving permission from Prince Roger, Edgar immediately entered without waiting for the guard to leave. He saw that Prince Roger was healing Violet's wounds with his energy.
"Didn't I already warn you, Roger?" Edgar said angrily. He sat on the sofa near the window in an uncomfortable position.
"Didn't I also tell you that, Edgar?" replied Prince Roger. "Violet is my fiancée," the prince added.