The sound of water filled the place, steam rising quietly.
Adrian sat in the bathtub to wash himself, and between the silence and the waves of rising steam, his thoughts focused on the time gap that had occurred during the summoning of the Lord of Magic.
"Even though I thought about it more than once, I couldn't figure out why I didn't notice the passage of time…"
He looked at the rising steam and whispered,
"Maybe I was mistaken? Maybe I didn't notice because I wasn't paying close attention."
He furrowed his brows with slight irritation.
"But I was certain that only about twenty minutes had passed… so how? Could this be an effect of the summoning?"
After much thought, he closed his eyes and sighed before standing up to finish his bath.
He put on clothes Albert had brought him as a temporary replacement, then left.
He headed to Albert's room and entered. Albert, who had been sitting by the window watching the sky, stood up and said,
"Are you done? Those clothes look good on you."
Adrian frowned.
"Are you making fun of me? They're too big."
Albert chuckled lightly.
"Hahaha, don't be upset. They're just bigger than your size… The head butler will bring you clothes that fit later, so bear with it for now."
Adrian looked away in silence, then stepped forward and sat on the sofa. Albert followed and sat across from him, saying,
"So… are you going to tell me exactly what happened? It seems I missed some very dramatic events."
Adrian let out a deep sigh and began recounting what had happened in the palace, how he confronted the empress, and then her execution…
When he finished, he said calmly,
"That's everything."
Albert rested his hand on his chin, thinking deeply.
"Hm… I understand what happened now. But there's something that puzzles me."
Adrian raised an eyebrow.
"And what is it?"
Albert hesitated slightly before speaking.
"According to what you told me… the empress was nothing more than an angry mother who did everything she could for the sake of her child."
Adrian tilted his head in mild surprise.
"And what about it?"
Albert replied steadily:
"It's just a hunch… but I believe the Empress was not acting of her own will. She was… a puppet."
Adrian's expression stiffened. "You mean—"
Albert cut him off firmly: "Yes. Someone was pulling her strings from behind. Her erratic behavior doesn't seem like that of a mastermind. There's no doubt someone pushed her into all of this."
Adrian clenched his fist in anger. "Could it be… the Emperor?"
Albert shook his head with confidence. "No. Not him. The one who did it… might be the last person we would ever suspect."
Adrian lowered his gaze in grim silence.
Albert tried to lighten the mood with a faint smile: "Anyway… you're late returning. Several days have passed since the Empress's death. Did you stay in the palace despite the danger?"
Adrian slowly shook his head. "No. I encountered some strange matters in one of District Zero's neighborhoods… on my way."
Albert's eyes widened. "District Zero?! What took you to a place like that?"
Adrian replied in a low voice, gazing toward the window: "It's a long story… and an unpleasant one."
Then he suddenly turned to Albert. "Albert… do you know anything about forbidden magic?"
A heavy silence fell. Albert's face darkened, as if the word itself tore something inside him… Then he smiled a hollow, lifeless smile.
"I don't know. Why do you ask?"
Sensing the shift in mood, Adrian dropped the subject. "Nothing… just curiosity."
But Albert's thoughts churned with unease. "Why would he ask that?"
A memory flashed through his mind… A woman standing within a magic circle, laughing as tears streamed down her face…
And a trembling whisper echoed within him: "He… wouldn't do what I'm thinking, would he?"
Silence fell.
The cold air drifting in through the window made the curtains tremble… as if the room had lost its warmth.
Then— a knock on the door.
Albert turned toward it, while Adrian remained motionless, gazing at the sky through the window.
Albert opened the door, and one of the maids appeared. "Young master… the meal is ready. The Count and Countess are waiting for you."
Albert nodded politely. "Very well."
Then he turned to Adrian. "Come on, let's go down to the dining hall."
Adrian replied calmly, "Ah… I'm not hungry. You go ahead. I'll stay here."
Albert raised an eyebrow. "Even if you're not hungry… you still need to eat."
Adrian stared into the void for a moment, then sighed and stood up.
---
The two entered the dining hall, where the Count and Countess stepped forward toward Adrian.
The Count bowed respectfully and said, "Glory to the Empire. This is the first time I've met you in person, Your Highness Prince Adrian… it is truly a great honor for me."
The Countess bowed beside him and added, "I was truly shocked when I heard you were here. It is a great honor for us, and I hope you will find comfort in this humble place."
Adrian looked at them silently and calmly, which only heightened their tension. The Count spoke again in a firm tone: "As for what happened… I heard everything from the head butler this morning. I truly do not know how to apologize to Your Highness. I failed to raise my son properly, and what happened is the result… I deserve death."
The Countess stood silently, tense, without saying a word.
Adrian said calmly, "That boy… is your son, then."
Albert asked in surprise, "Wait—what are you talking about? What about Freddy?!"
Adrian replied coldly, "It's nothing important… just a small insult directed at a prince."
Albert's eyes widened in shock. "What?!"
He placed a hand on Adrian's shoulder, restraining his anger. "Why didn't you tell me until now?"
Adrian glanced at him coldly. "There was no need."
Albert suppressed his anger, turned his face away, and removed his hand. "I understand…"
Adrian stepped forward, passed by the Count and Countess, pulled out a chair, and sat down, leaning back.
The Countess finally exhaled after a long moment of fear, and the Count sighed in temporary relief before everyone moved toward the table and sat down.
The Count said, "Your Highness… please, have some food."
Adrian glanced at Albert, who was watching him anxiously, then sighed, picked up a spoon, and ate a little.
Deep inside, he wondered: "I wonder… has Lucia already returned home? I didn't want to drive her away like that, but my next destination… is something no one should know about."
---
In the imperial palace.
The scent of ink filled the room, papers piled high atop the desk. The Emperor sat reading documents and signing them one after another.
Since the incident of Adrian's appearance, and Kieran's appointment as Crown Prince, the nobles had begun sharpening their fangs in secret. No one wanted the second prince as heir to the throne, and everyone was demanding that Adrian be appointed in his place.
Such are humans… irritatingly strange. Those who once rejected Adrian and shunned him for his inability to use magic were now strongly supporting him. The reason was obvious to all: his return alive from the jaws of death.
No one knew what had happened there, yet no one believed that a weak human could have survived that terrifying place.
Speculation increased, theories multiplied; Some believed Adrian possessed a hidden power, Others thought he had learned to use magic, While others claimed he had been chosen by the universe itself and granted its protection.
And yet… no one knew the truth, and everyone was unaware that Adrian had already died once.
A light knock on the door broke the silence, and the advisor Aileron entered, saying:
"Your Majesty… Duke Bristan requests an audience."
The Emperor replied as he signed the final document in his hand: "Let him in."
The advisor bowed and left, and moments later the Duke entered.
The Emperor set the papers aside and lifted his gaze toward the Duke with calm sharpness.
The Duke offered his greeting in a low voice: "Glory to the Empire."
The Emperor asked coldly: "What brings you at such an hour, Duke?"
A faint smile appeared on the Duke's lips, carrying more than it revealed: "Well… I do have an important reason for coming."
Interest glinted in the Emperor's eyes, and a slight smile curved his lips. "Hm… it seems something interesting has begun to move."
The Duke's smile widened briefly before vanishing, cold resolve flashing in his eyes. "The planets have begun to appear."