Whish- The sound of wind leaking from somewhere created an eerie atmosphere.
Diana pressed her chest and took a step forward to find the lost Noel.
There are no ghosts. There are no ghosts. She chanted as she walked through the enormous passage that seemed like something would suddenly jump out.
How long had she walked? At some point, the wind stopped blowing, but the candles illuminating the space began to flicker here and there.
It was an ominous sign. This is when something jumps out. Diana made a sorrowful expression. As expected.
[Beatus?]
Eek! It was a breeze like human breath. Startled by the gentle wind brushing past her ear, Diana collapsed to the floor right there.
[This is the timeline separator]
Noel, who had entered the secret passage holding Diana's hand, tilted his head.
The mana, too familiar, was calling out to the child as if pulling him.
That's why he knew about the secret mechanism in the knight's armor. Because of the mana latent beyond the wall.
"What was this made for?"
Following the passage, a wider space appeared, and there were multiple paths. Diana and Noel walked wherever their feet led them.
To be precise, Noel was walking while reading the familiar mana. His red eyes moved, following the familiar mana.
Since the mana was spread out everywhere, Diana was unaware of Noel's subtle change.
At that moment, as they were exploring, a longing voice reached Noel's ears.
[Noel?]
Noel's pupils dilated. His heart pounded wildly at the sound calling his name.
[Noel.]
"Noel! Where are you going!"
Diana called out from behind, but Noel shook off her hand and started running in the direction of the voice.
His irregularly beating heart couldn't be controlled. His body reacted first.
"Huff. Huff."
How long had he run? Due to his small body, there were physical limitations. He walked and walked, following the voice calling him.
[Noel.]
"Ah."
The child's small body stopped at the end of the passage. At the end hung a life-size painting.
It was a portrait so realistic that one would believe they were looking at the real person.
Come quickly. I've been waiting. The woman in the portrait seemed to say that as she smiled.
Moisture gathered in the child's eyes, which had widened as if in shock.
Crack- Without warning, the spell sealing his heart cracked, and memories flowed out.
"Why."
The child's face contorted.
"Why. Are you here."
The child, his voice cracking, slowly approached the portrait.
As he reached out and brushed the rough surface of the painting, the familiar mana whoosh- affected the child's body.
The child. No, the man who had returned to his original body, stroked the woman's portrait with sorrow and bit his lip.
"Why are you here? Why? Why are you in Schwartz Castle!"
The man vented his resentment towards the unresponsive portrait. The tears that had gathered in his eyes finally flowed down his cheeks.
"How much. I missed you."
Closing his eyes tightly, the pupils of the red eyes beneath his fluttering eyelashes elongated like a reptile's.
"Don't tell me, that bastard Schwartz brought you here?"
Just seeing her traces here, after searching for so long, he could tell. This was all the doing of that bastard Schwartz.
He dared to touch what's mine. As he became enraged, the space shook as if an earthquake had occurred.
[Noel. Stop.]
A familiar voice seemed to be heard. The voice he had longed to hear so much was contained in the portrait.
Noel, looking at the woman as if he had never been angry, smiled poignantly.
Not much time remained. When his body reverted, his memories would be incomplete.
"Beatus. I met that child. She treats me very well. So don't worry."
I will live on without dying. With those final words, his body shrank, and the sound of Diana calling for Noel was heard from behind.
"Noel!"
For a moment, Diana rubbed her eyes as if she had seen an illusion. Did I see wrong? Noel had looked like a beautiful young man.
However, seeing the child's streaming tears, all thoughts disappeared as if evaporating.
"Noel, what's wrong? Are you hurt somewhere? Are you okay?"
Diana ignored the shoulders that had cramped up due to the ghost and lifted Noel into her arms.
As the child cried sorrowfully, she rocked his body and comforted him.
"What happened? Hm?"
Noel tightly hugged Diana's neck without answering.
Burying his face in her bosom, Noel continued to shed tears as if his emotions were consumed by sorrow. He himself didn't know the reason.
Diana patted the child's small back, not minding the dampened shoulder. Then, feeling as if someone was watching, she raised her gaze.
"...!"
She gasped in surprise. Perhaps because she had only focused on Noel. She hadn't noticed the portrait's presence. No, it wasn't visible from a distance in the first place.
The woman, dressed in a style popular a few generations ago, had her distinct purple hair draped down and was brightly smiling at someone.
It felt as if she was making eye contact with Diana, as if welcoming someone.
"Pink..."
Beneath the long eyelashes crafted with delicate brush strokes were pink eyes. Eyes resembling Diana's, excluded from the distinct red characteristic of the Beatus family.
Search "seduce" at redcatty [.] com to read ahead up to chap 70.