Dining Room, Royal Castle
About thirty minutes after Paul's departure, the king looked around at the guards and maids who stood silently nearby.
"You may leave us," he said calmly.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
With synchronized bows, the attendants exited the room in silence, their footsteps fading down the long corridor.
Once the doors shut behind them, only the king and queen remained seated at the grand dining table. A stillness hung in the air, broken only by the faint clink of silverware and the distant echo of wind brushing the castle walls.
Then, without turning his head, the king spoke.
"Come out. It's just us now."
Both he and the queen turned their eyes toward the corner of the room, where shadows danced in a dim pool of candlelight.
For a moment, nothing happened.
Then—a woman's voice slipped through the darkness, smooth and laced with amusement.
"As expected from the True Hero of Wind... your instincts are as sharp as ever."
After the voice echoed through the room, the shadows near the far end stirred—and without warning, the woman was suddenly there.
The witch.
She now sat lazily in the very chair Paul had occupied earlier, her posture relaxed, one leg crossed over the other, as if she'd been there all along. Her dark coat shimmered faintly in the low light, and a knowing smile tugged at her lips.
"Right… Mrs. Grand Mage Cecilia," she said, tilting her head slightly toward the queen, her voice laced with playful mockery.
The queen's eyes narrowed, clearly irritated by the witch's insolence. She straightened slightly, but before she could speak, the king gently raised his hand, silently asking her to stay calm.
He turned his sharp gaze toward the witch.
"Stop playing games. You heard what he said, didn't you?"
He leaned forward, his tone heavier.
"What do you think?"
When asked that, Lilith answered without hesitation.
"Let him out—let him hone his skills within the kingdom," she said calmly, reclining in the chair Paul had just vacated. "Given his current state, especially after touching what is forbidden… it would be wiser for him to learn how to read threats—before those threats come bearing the name of the Church." The room stiffened with tension.
Both the king and queen responded at once, alarmed:
"The Church?!"
"What do you mean by that?!!"
Hearing the sudden outburst, Lilith casually covered one ear with her hand. "Wait a minute…" she muttered with an amused tone, reaching into her coat with the other. "Here it is."
From her hand, she pulled out a white apple.
The moment their eyes landed on it, both the king and queen froze. Their faces turned pale.
Then, without warning, she stood up, her chair scraping loudly against the floor.
"Damn, emperor's lackey… What does he want with my son?!! Is he trying to turn him into a pawn?!!"
Her voice cracked with a mix of rage and fear, mana pulsing faintly from her fingertips.
The king gently took her hand.
"It's okay… calm down," he said softly, holding her steady.
After a few minutes, Cecilia sat back down beside the King. Once the tension in the room began to ease, the King spoke again, more calmly this time.
"What did you mean… it's safer outside?"
At his question, Lilith let out a tired sigh and rubbed her temple.
"Oh, right… you just got back from the outside," she muttered, tilting her head back lazily. "So of course, you wouldn't know what's really going on."
Then, without even looking at them, she waved a hand dismissively.
"If you're curious, ask your queen. I'm too lazy to explain it all."
"So… Cecilia, what really happened? Weren't they just a group of assassins?" the King asked, his voice tinged with confusion.
Cecilia shook her head slowly, her expression dark.
"Not just ordinary assassins," she said, her tone heavy. "They were elite soldiers… teleported directly into the castle."
The King's brows furrowed. "And…?"
Cecilia took a deep breath before continuing, her voice barely above a whisper.
"They teleported five of them… straight into Paul's room."
The King's eyes widened, and his face drained of color. Silence hung thick in the air.
After a moment, the King furrowed his brow, remembering something.
"Wait… wasn't Paul perfectly fine just now?"
Before anyone could answer, Lilith cut in with a wide grin, her tone almost too cheerful for the topic.
"This is the best part…! You know, Your Highness, your little prince defeated five professional soldiers. And not just any soldiers—they were already in formation."
The King blinked in disbelief, slowly turning his gaze toward Cecilia.
"My Queen… is that true?"
Cecilia, still looking unsettled, gave a slow nod.
"He was calm… precise. He even climbed onto the roof and helped the guards—took down the intruders with frightening accuracy. "
"You still don't believe it?" Lilith asked with a knowing smile.
"It's not that…" the King replied, his gaze drifting. "It's just… I remember the first time I killed someone. It's nothing like fighting monsters. It changes you."
He spoke quietly, as if lost in memories long buried.
Lilith tilted her head, her smile deepening.
"Oh… maybe I know why he could be so decisive."
"Say it…" the King urged, his voice firm with curiosity. Both he and Cecilia leaned in, tension hanging in the air.
Lilith smiled and casually raised the white apple in her hand.
"With this," she said simply.
"That...?" they echoed, their brows furrowing in confusion.
"Yeah," Lilith replied, twirling the apple between her fingers. "Your son's quite lucky, you know. When he took his thirteenth bite… something snapped. A memory fragment broke free—and his soul absorbed it."
Her tone was almost wistful, as if she envied him.
The moment the words registered, both the King and Queen shot to their feet, eyes wide.
"What?!!" they exclaimed in unison, the room suddenly heavy with alarm and disbelief.
Lilith continued, her voice calm and almost proud.
"Yeah… and at that moment, he was like… you know, like someone used to the battlefield. No hesitation. Quick, sharp decisions. Every move had purpose."
She gave a small smile. "You know, like a veteran who's survived more wars than he can count."
The King stared at the floor for a moment, deep in thought, before muttering,
"So that's why… he said that."
"That's why it's better for you to let him out," Lilith said, leaning back casually. "It's safer outside than in this castle."
The king and queen remained silent, still conflicted.
"But it's still not secure," Cecilia insisted, her tone firm and protective.
Lilith groaned, rubbing her temples. "Ah… you're so stubborn."
Cecilia's words seemed to spark something in Lilith's memory. She straightened, her eyes sharpening.
"Oh, right. I almost forgot—might want to let Paul go sooner than later. Because when I left him… I intercepted a Grand Mage trying to cast a teleportation spell with a 150-meter-wide radius just outside the royal capital."
The room fell silent for a heartbeat—then both the king and queen shot up from their seats, their voices overlapping.
"WHAT?!!"
While covering her ears from their sudden screams, Lilith sighed dramatically and said,
"Ugh—no need to shout. I already took care of it. When that Grand Mage was preparing to chant, I slashed the teleportation zone with a special sword. So now, he's probably suffering from magical backlash."
Hearing her nonchalant explanation, both the king and queen slowly began to regain their composure.
"…Is that so…" the king muttered, standing up.
He stepped forward, eyes sincere, and bowed respectfully toward her.
"Thank you, Lady Lilith. I truly mean it. Without your intervention, I can't imagine what would've happened to my son… I am deeply grateful."
While receiving such a respectful gesture, Lilith's eyes widened slightly—clearly not expecting it. For a brief moment, her usual lazy and teasing demeanor slipped.
After a beat, she composed herself and chuckled softly.
"As expected of King Louis Ferdinand—the wise king indeed."
She crossed her legs and leaned back with that familiar mischievous glint in her eyes.
"Now you see why you shouldn't keep the prince locked up, don't you?" she added, voice cool but firm.
At her words, the king and queen instinctively turned their faces toward one another, a silent exchange passing between them. Worry. Doubt. But also understanding.
They both knew—times were changing, and their son was already moving far ahead of what they had prepared for.