Chapter 38

"What have you done, Eugenie?"

"What?" Eugenie shook her head, "I did nothing."

"Don't act like a fool."

"I am not. The whole banquet knew I am here enjoying the night."

"If someday I can prove it to you that you meddled with her tonight, I will not hesitate to kill you Eugenie." Iowyrthe didn't know why he was so mad about. Is it because she was harmed? Or is it because he regretted to not kiss her by the end the dance? He didn't know.

He walked back to the eastern palace. He knocked on her door and found she was already asleep. All of them was already there.

"She was exhausted. Sir Metuselah said it was a magic stoned that was put in the fountain. It sucked her health energy and change the maze map randomly." Doctor June explained.

"It is Metuselah, Lady June. You only may call me that. Ahem, but good things you can stop it from changing. We have broken the spell. This is the stone."

"Purple?" asked Iowyrthe.

"Baltasar?" Judah commented.

"I felt like it was her too. But she said she stays at the banquet. Many people saw her."

"There's also this note, Your Highness. It has same mana traces with the one who wrecked this room." Felix showed him.

"Them again. They must have run again."

"Impossible," said Metuselah, "since the incident in this chamber, I put protective bubble around this palace complex. If they used the same mana, they cannot get outside. I have filtered it. They were inside this palace started from the incident until today. Maybe if not Lady Baltasar, she might have use somebody else. That somebody else were still be here."

"I have to discuss this with the Emperor. Tonight, keep an eye on everybody's activity. Nicholas, you do it. Felix and Metuselah, it will be best if you stay here. It seems that they use a lot of magic."

"I will be here too. In case something happens to her."

"Okay, June."

"Your Highness, about tomorrow," Sir Thomas paused a while, "have you prepared?"

Iowyrthe's mind abruptly thought something else. He looked at Iris sleeping. Deep inside his heart, he wants to protect her. But his mind kept thinking about the promise he made to himself. He wants to look for Iris the Healer who saved him 13 years ago. If he accepts her, he has to bury his dream of meeting Iris the Healer. Such a waste to search it after all of this time. Some of the shadow warrior has been sent to search her in some other countries. No one came back yet to give him information about Iris so far. The update was only to find that, there's no such healer in the country they were assigned to. If he rejected her now, the worst will be her sent back to Musou Kingdom and the pact was withdrawn. It will hurt his reputation and trust from the royal family. Not to mention, the devil and his cronies will get her there because she left unprotected. She will get hurt more. He couldn't decide.

The room grew silent. Until Marquis Kvasir said, "Io, I think to better inform the Emperor soon about this matter. He can help by stationing more of his knight here."

"Agree." He walked away, but turned his back one more to see Iris sleeping. His heart was overwhelmed, but he should put aside his feeling for his duty.

Upon hearing the information, Emperor decided to only invite Royal Family, and some trusted official to the procession tomorrow. They limited the people and kept it secret. They don't want any incidents happens again in the Palace.

Iowyrthe actually want to tell about the prophecy, but he hesitated. He thought better to clear up these incidents first before actually discuss about the possibility of the devil's attack.

Metuselah and Felix was on guard on every mana activity that night. Nothing happened. Iowyrthe, Judah, and Nicholos cooked up some strategy on guarding the whole palace complex. Knowing that this intruder won't be able to break the protection bubble. They ensured no one can hide anymore this time. Nicholas and the shadow warrior were on the move to monitored every suspicious activity that night. They kept communicating through the magic ring.

It was a long night for all of them. One can only to their best and hope for the best too. That's the end of the 13th night the Princess came to Lleuelyn.