Episode 43
The night before returning to the Imperial Palace, Antonio called me to his bedroom.
Only a few candles were lit, casting a dim and heavy atmosphere in the room.
Antonio stood by the window, his shadow stretching long across the room. For some reason, I felt nervous and fidgeted with my fingers.
“…Why did you call me?”
I was the one to break the silence. His expression was hard to read in the dark.
“Do you still intend to receive my mana?”
His voice was low and calm, but carried a slight tone of reproach.
“Huh? Of course.”
I tilted my head, confused why he was reconfirming something we had already agreed on.
“Then why, during your stay at the manor… did you never once come to see me?”
Antonio looked visibly displeased.
Was he upset that, unlike at the inn, I hadn’t visited his bedroom at night?
“Well, if the manor staff saw me sneaking into your bedroom every night… it could lead to unnecessary misunderstandings.”
“What kind of misunderstandings?”
His tone turned cold as he asked.
After a brief hesitation, I answered honestly.
“That I’m your mistress.”
For a moment, Antonio’s expression froze at my blunt reply.
Though I couldn’t see his face clearly, the flickering candlelight revealed his jaw clenching tightly.
He stared at me silently. The silence stretched so long, I found myself fiddling with the hem of my clothes.
“…You care about things like that?”
“How could I not?”
His Majesty gave me a warning. Not to become your weakness.
He may one day rise to the throne. I didn’t want to tarnish the dignity of someone who might enter the political arena.
More than anything…
When I receive mana from Antonio, sounds involuntarily escape my lips.
His movements—gentle at first, exploring the inside of my mouth, only to suddenly invade its depths—leave me gasping and struggling to keep up.
I can’t suppress the moans that escape from the contact of our inner flesh. The heat that swells is impossible to contain.
The thought of those embarrassing sounds leaking through the door and spreading as gossip throughout the manor…
Just thinking about it makes my toes curl even now.
As the silence continued, Antonio took a step toward me.
His shadow crept closer until he stood right in front of me.
“Josephine.”
His voice, low and subdued, called my name.
As I looked up to see his face, his large hand cupped my cheek.
It was surprisingly warm.
“At least let me do this much.”
“…”
I tried to say something, but the intensity of his gaze and touch left me speechless.
After a moment, he gently took my hand and placed it on his palm. His callused hand was firm yet radiated warmth.
“I think it’s time I taught you the mana circulation technique.”
Antonio slowly guided my hand and placed it on my lower abdomen. When his hand covered mine, a strange shiver ran through me.
It was because he had begun to gently infuse me with mana.
“This is the core of your mana. In the Magic Continent, it’s referred to as the danjeon.”
He pressed my hand lightly to pinpoint the exact location.
“Take a deep breath and exhale slowly. Imagine the air inside you revolving around this point.”
I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply.
The warmth from his hand seeped into me and spread through my body like gentle ripples.
Starting from my palm, the warmth traveled down my arm and settled deep in my lower abdomen.
A small ember began to glow there, radiating warmth.
The warmth spreading through my body wasn’t just heat—it felt like a living energy embracing me.
“Hooaaah…”
This was nothing like when he transferred mana through a kiss.
Back then, it felt like gulping down energy. But now…
The energy he gave me was evenly spreading, reaching even the tiniest blood vessels in my fingertips and toes.
It felt like the energy was soaking deep into the invisible corners of my body, awakening every cell.
It didn’t feel like I was just receiving something one-sidedly. His energy seemed to caress mine, the two blending together slowly, as if exploring one another.
So naturally, as if we had always been one. To the point I couldn’t tell where his energy ended and mine began.
“Now that I’ve shown you, you should be able to circulate mana on your own.”
“…Yeah.”
I nodded slowly.
He then withdrew his hand from my abdomen.
Somewhere in my heart, a sense of emptiness lingered.
Would it be too selfish to wish he would always hold my hand like that during mana circulation?
“But you still need to receive more mana. You’re just getting started.”
“Of course. I know.”
Antonio placed a hand on my shoulder.
“I’m personally very curious… if you’ll awaken another new ability.”
I nodded, repeating his words in my head.
“I won’t disappoint you.”
I wanted to meet his expectations. No, I wanted to exceed them.
I never imagined I’d be able to communicate with a hippogriff.
He was the one who opened my eyes to new possibilities.
“…You might be stronger than I thought. In fact, on our journey ahead, I may end up relying on you.”
Antonio looked down at me and smiled faintly.
Is this what it feels like to receive someone’s unwavering trust?
A rush of emotion swelled in my chest.
On impulse, I rose on tiptoes and pressed my lips to his.
Smooch.
It happened in a flash. It was the first time I’d ever kissed him while completely in my right mind.
Even though I started it myself, my heart pounded as if it would leap out of my chest.
Antonio blinked, momentarily stunned.
“W-Well then, good night!”
I bolted out of his bedroom like I was running for my life.
***
With the chill of dawn clinging to me, I returned to the manor.
The knights were already up, busily packing their things.
We were scheduled to return to the Imperial Palace today.
As I brushed a few leaves off my clothes, Antonio’s voice rang out.
“You smell like the forest. Where have you been?”
He had suddenly appeared at my side.
“To the owls in the forest.”
I shrugged and answered.
A few knights nearby turned their heads to look at me.
Kallen, in particular, approached me with a surprised expression.
“It’s not even six yet! Don’t tell me… you stayed out in the forest all night?”
“You know owls are nocturnal.”
I winked at him and pulled out a map from my bag.
“There’s a pattern in the areas where hippogriffs have been sighted.”
I pointed to several places on the map. These were marked in red by Antonio earlier—areas where avian-type beasts had appeared and caused troop losses.
“They were all once independent kingdoms before being absorbed into the Empire. Kasiya included.”
A murmur rose among the knights.
Antonio furrowed his brow as he listened.
“It would be wise to call a meeting. Everyone, stop packing and gather in my room.”
Per his command, everyone assembled in Antonio’s chamber.
In the center of the room—now nearly emptied of belongings—the knights sat in a tight circle.
I took out a stack of documents I’d received yesterday from Princess Theodora.
They were newsletters from the Duke’s intelligence network, filled with gossip from noble society.
“I cross-checked these documents with what the owls told me. Most of the regions that suffered losses are governed by nobles pushing for greater autonomy.”
I spread out the newsletters and continued.
“The noble factions are split into two: the decentralists who want to empower local lords, and the centralists who support imperial authority. The areas that suffered the most are controlled by the decentralists. On the other hand, regions ruled by centralists saw almost no damage.”
Antonio listened carefully, his brows knitting deeper.
“Then…”
He muttered under his breath, biting his lip.
“It may not be a coincidence after all.”
