"Ryoma, did I get infected again?"
Astra finally met his deep blue eyes. the ones she had been avoiding lately but could no longer ignore them.
Ryoma gave a small nod, confirming her fear. She let out a shaky breath, pressing a palm against her forehead. Worry crept onto her face as her other hand instinctively reached for her throat, covering the marks left behind by her own nails when she had struggled for air.
Ryoma noticed and silently pulled out a small box the very reason he had come to her.
"Don't try to hide it. You need to treat them before they become permanent. Here, apply this. It'll heal faster." He extended the box toward her. When she didn't take it immediately, he raised a brow, his voice turning colder.
"Take it."
At the shift in his tone, Astra immediately snatched the box from his hand. As she applied the ointment, she hissed in pain at times, but more often, rolling her eyes at him. Ryoma nodded slightly.
"That's better now."
Thud ! Thud !
The knocking sound echoed the room and the door slid open with a crack, and in an instant, Kaen rushed in. Without hesitation, he knelt in front of Astra, his hands hovering as if unsure where to check first. His questions came in a storm.
"Astra, how are you feeling now? Can you breathe properly? Any pain? Even the slightest discomfort? If there's anything, tell us immediat—"
"I'm good now," Astra interrupted, giving him a tired but reassuring look. "This time, it wasn't that severe."
Kaen's brows furrowed. "You sure?"
"Sure,"
Just as she spoke, a small cough escaped her lips. Kaen and Ryoma exchanged a quick glance.
Noticing their sudden shift in expression, Astra waved a hand dismissively. "It's just a cough, nothing serious." But their concerned expressions didn't change.
"What? You want me to sing to prove it?"
Clearing her throat, she took a deep breath, ready to start.Their faces immediately twisted in horror. Kaen lunged forward, grabbing her hands to stop her. "No, no! it's fine! Take rest. We'll visit you later."
Turning to Ryoma, he quickly added, "We should leave now." He stood, yanking Ryoma up with him, and before Astra could say anything, the two of them had already made their escape, vanishing through the door in a flash.
Standing in a quiet corner their face towards the open window, they leaned against the wall, their expressions grim.
"It's back," Kaen said, turning to Ryoma.
Ryoma let out a slow breath, shaking his head. "Evil's Breath… After two years, why is it returning now?"
"This time, it didn't cause as much damage as before, Last time she was infected, she didn't wake up for days, but it still drained most of the spiritual energy she had left."
"That's why we need to be more careful," Kaen said, crossing his arms. "She doesn't have much spiritual energy left for now. Also… have you heard anything from those two? Don't you think we should inform them?"
Ryoma shook his head. "No word from them yet. And it's better this way. If we tell them, they'll rush back without finishing what they set out to do. That'll just become a headache." He shot Kaen a look. "Make sure Shion doesn't tell them either."
Kaen sighed but nodded. "those two better finish their it without causing a disaster."
____________
The sky was clear, and the bright blue colour reflected on the lake's surface, where the bright sun stood at its peak. Lush greenery surrounded the water, making it a good midday sight.
Not far from the water's edge, a group of men busied themselves beneath the shade of the trees, packing up their tents.One of them was putting out the remains of last night's campfire sending a thin trail of smoke into the air.
Amidst the quiet rustling of movement, the prince stood near the lake, his hands clasped behind his back, Facing the water. After a moment, he knelt, cupped a handful of the cool water, and brought it to his lips drinking it without spilling a drop.
Zuzu, who had been watching from a distance, approached eagerly, his hands full of freshly picked berries. His face lit up with excitement as he held them out.
"Your Highness, you know what I found nearby?" He extended his hands, revealing the small crimson berries.
"You should try them! They're good I already tasted them,you will love it." Zuzu assured with a proud nod. The prince took a few, biting into one without a word. Zuzu watched closely, waiting for his reaction.
"Are they sour? I thought they would be… or maybe they're sweet?" he asked, tilting his head still in doubt.
For a moment, there was no response. Seeing this, Zuzu's face fell in disappointment. But just as quickly, his expression brightened as he noticed the prince's lips curve into a smile,and he let out a soft hum.
"They're so sour," the prince finally said, sounding satisfied.
The prince's satisfaction was not from the sweetness of the berries, but only because they were too sour.
Zuzu beamed with pride. "See? I told you you'd love it. I know what you like better than anyone," The prince nodded, a warm smile playing on his lips. He reached out and gently patted his head.
"Zuzu surely knows what I really like."
As the prince and Zuzu shared a moment by the lake, a guard approached and bowed.
"Your Highness, we're ready to depart and should reach the city by tomorrow night. Do you have any other orders?"
The prince paused for a moment, then said, "Alright then…..We'll leave in fifteen minutes. Until then, everyone should rest as much as possible, because this time, we won't stop until we reach the city tonight."
The guard's face paled, but he nodded and left to pass on the orders. While Zuzu's eyes widened. "T-tonight, Your Highness? Are you serious? Traveling through the night—"
The prince cut him off by grabbing more berries from his hands and walking away, enjoying the sour taste.
Zuzu hurried after him, nearly tripping. "Please tell me you're joking, Your Highness! At this pace, we'll be dead before we reach the capital. Ah, why did I ever suggest we hurry?"
Forgive me YOUR HIGHNESS!