Chapter 92

Suddenly, Ignis pressed a hand to his forehead.

‘To think the young lady is beautiful… What am I thinking?’

Once again, his face grew hot, and he rubbed it with his hands to cool himself down.

To have such thoughts while looking at a woman, surely there must be something wrong with him.

‘I should probably have a physician from the Order look me over.’

Had he been cursed somehow, ever since he saw that dark-haired woman in the forest?

He let out another long sigh. Karentina seemed to have no interest in him at all. If anything, it felt as though she were looking at someone else through him.

‘That doll… Zion, was it?’

His mood plummeted instantly.

What a petty, wretched thought to have.

Of course she would cherish the doll she had made.

Yet Ignis’s face was filled with confusion he couldn’t hide. Even so, he found he couldn’t tear his gaze away from Karentina. She was beautiful as she slept, but what he truly loved were her eyes, the color of the bluest sea. He wanted to see her look at him and smile, again and again.

‘Something must be wrong with my head.’

He quietly rose from his place.

Though he knew he needed to leave for the forest where the subjugation force was camped in order to return to the capital, he took in the sight of Karentina and Stella one last time. And even then, he lingered there for quite a while, his feet rooted to the spot.

It was only at dawn, when the first light crept over the horizon, that he finally left Stella’s room.

He left the castle alone. It was exactly one week later that the knights who had fought the monster subjugation at his side returned to the northern castle.

︵‿୨ ₊‧꒰ა ୨ৎ ໒꒱ ‧₊ ୧‿︵

“Brother went back to the forest again?”

Stella let out a sigh, sounding deflated at the news that Ignis had returned to the subjugation grounds.

“He’ll return soon.”

“Mhm… I’ll wait. Once we’re back at the castle, we can be together again.”

She could’ve easily pouted or thrown a tantrum, as any child might, but instead Stella simply smiled with quiet composure.

‘Zion, please stay by Princess Stella’s side for a while.’

Zion stuck out his lips in a sulky pout and grumbled.

[ Hey, Master. I’m your bound familiar, not some plaything for that chick of a girl! ]

‘Yes, that’s true.’

[ Right? ]

For the first time, he sounded almost triumphant.

‘But, Zion, I think you’ve forgotten something. You were the one who agreed to be my butler because you wanted to serve me, remember?’

[ W-Well! I’m doing a good job as a butler, aren’t I? ]

‘Of course you are. But think about it, who holds the highest rank in this world? The imperial family. I’m a rank below them.’

[ T-That’s easy, you could just get rid of all the imperial family! If you give me enough magic, I can handle it. ]

Karentina shot him a cold, icy glare. Zion flinched under her gaze.

‘There will come a time when I’ll need the power of the imperial family to get my own magic back. So, here’s a question: how should a butler serve guests his master needs to stay on good terms with?’

[ Fine, I’ll do it. I’ll do whatever you ask! ]

She smiled and soothed Zion, who was still pouting.

Although he always claimed he didn’t want to spend time with Stella, in the end, he gave in to her every wish. Perhaps because Zion’s face so closely resembled Ignis’s, the little girl seemed comforted and soon returned to her usual self.

︵‿୨ ₊‧꒰ა ୨ৎ ໒꒱ ‧₊ ୧‿︵

With the north now secure and the New Year’s festival having ended smoothly, Karentina found herself with so much free time that she was almost bored.

Still, she was glad to have more time to spend with Stella.

They shared meals together, visited the glass conservatory for walks, and sometimes, she would even sit in on Stella’s lessons in court etiquette with Gemma. Whenever she was there, Stella put in even more effort, to the point that it felt as though they were taking the lessons together. The history lessons, especially, were far more vivid than anything she had ever read in a book.

As expected, the tangled love affairs surrounding the imperial palace were by far the most entertaining.

Today, with no lessons on Stella’s schedule, the two of them had enjoyed a hearty lunch and were now thoroughly engrossed in a history of the empire that Gemma had recommended.

Thud—

At the sound of something falling to the floor, she quietly looked up.

“How adorable.”

Stella must have been so full and sleepy that she didn’t even notice her book falling to the floor, completely lost in her afternoon nap.

Karentina set her book aside and walked over to the couch where the child was lying. Gently, so as not to wake her, she lifted the sleeping girl and placed her on the bed. She then took off her tiny, fluffy slippers and tucked her in snugly so she could sleep comfortably.

When she heard the gentle sound of Stella’s soft snoring, Karentina couldn’t help but smile.

Cradling both the book and Leah, she returned to her own room. As she sank deep into the sofa and let out a long sigh, Leah looked up at her in puzzlement.

[ Lady Karentina, is something troubling you? ]

“Mmm. It’s nothing serious…”

As she absentmindedly flipped through the pages of the history book, her expression darkened. Leah perked up her ears and tilted her head in curiosity.