INTEC 07

Chapter 7

When she woke up in the middle of the night, she didn’t even realize that Kai was holding her in his arms. Reassured by the warmth of his body, she must have fallen back asleep almost without awareness.

‘Ah… I forgot in the chaos this morning!’

It had been a pure act meant to save a life, but if others were to find out, it could become a stain on a duke’s daughter who was destined to become a princess consort.

People liked to simplify and distort other people’s circumstances. And…

‘Neither of us did anything wrong, but… somehow, I’m embarrassed to tell Mother.’

After hesitating briefly, Roabellyn decided to make up a suitable excuse.

“He kept talking to me and shaking me awake so I wouldn’t lose consciousness from the cold. When dawn came, we both ended up falling asleep.”

For the first time in her life, she had a secret from her mother.

The Duchess still looked doubtful, but she couldn’t keep questioning her sick child. She patted her daughter and stood up.

“Alright. Get some more sleep. You still have a fever.”

Only after confirming that the Duchess had left the room did Roabellyn begin to recall the events of that night one by one.

‘Come to think of it… that means my divine power has grown enough to heal an injured person, right?’

She smiled proudly. But when the thought returned that she had slept with a boy she had just met, wearing only undergarments, her face heated up to the tips of her ears and she couldn’t calm down.

Black hair, golden eyes, a handsome face flickered before her eyes. The reliable figure who had walked ahead while firmly holding her trembling hand also came to mind.

That wasn’t all. The urgent, desperate voice that had called her in the cabin, and the careful touch of his hands…

‘Ahhh, why do I keep thinking about it?!’

It seemed she wouldn’t be able to fall asleep easily today.

When Kaisertern arrived in Prahenfelt, he lay sick for three days with searing pain and fever throughout his body.

While suffering, he repeatedly had the same nightmare: a huge mansion—or perhaps a castle—burning somewhere unknown.

He could hear the clash of swords and the desperate screams of people.

“…!”

Waking with a start from the hellish dream, Kaisertern shuddered slightly at the ominous feeling. After closing his eyes briefly to steady himself, his mind slowly cleared.

Fortunately, it had been just a dream, and this was his bedroom in the Third Prince’s Palace. Though relieved, the unpleasant sense that had seized him for a moment refused to fade.

Then he suddenly realized that his body no longer hurt and rose from the bed.

The first thing he noticed were his long, sturdy arms and legs. His larger hands and broad shoulders. He had become the body of a full-grown adult man.

‘Could this be…?’

It wasn’t only his body that had changed. His deep golden eyes had grown darker and more profound, and his nose stood even higher. His sharp jawline carried the wildness of a well-built beast.

The faint sensuality he once possessed had become intense enough for anyone to notice. His appearance was far too alluring for a mere prince.

He stood before the mirror, staring at his unfamiliar self for a long time.

‘I hate to admit it, but… I look so much like the father I loathed.’

After dismissing the attendants, he bathed alone and returned. While he was still gazing at his reflection, the attendant Hile approached with a smile.

“Congratulations on your ‘explosion,’ Your Highness. You have grown splendidly.”

“Hile.”

“I have had all your clothes remade. For now, we borrowed some garments from the Second Prince, so please wear those first.”

Clothes his older brother had worn—he didn’t like the idea, but he had no choice.

‘Still better than borrowing Hile’s clothes.’

As Kaisertern awkwardly put on a much larger shirt than before, a man with dark gold hair, green eyes, and handsome features entered the room.

The First Prince—though only temporarily, the current holder of the throne—Heimelric. Upon hearing that Kaisertern had completed his ‘explosion,’ he had rushed over immediately.

Although he had already received detailed reports about how much Kaisertern had suffered and how much he had grown over three days, Heimelric acted as if he knew nothing and exclaimed in admiration.

“Oh, incredible! I finished growing in ten days during my ‘explosion,’ but you became this big in just three days… truly amazing. Where did my cute little brother go, and what is this creepy grown man doing here?”

Grinning, Heimelric tried to ruffle his brother’s hair as he used to, but when he realized Kaisertern was now slightly taller than himself, he quietly lowered his hand.

“……”

Regardless, Kaisertern kept his eyes lowered as he fastened the remaining buttons.

After hesitating briefly, Heimelric resumed cheerfully.

“So who’s the girl that made you explode like this? Just say the word and I’ll bring her here. Want to get married right away? Or will you keep her as a concubine first, like me? A better woman might appear later. First love doesn’t always have to be the last woman of your life.”

Kaisertern slowly lifted his eyes to meet his brother’s gaze.

They were clearly different from before. They were still golden, but now they were so deep that they felt like the eyes of a beast rather than a human.

Faced with that overwhelming gaze, Heimelric swallowed.

Then Kaisertern spoke.

“…There was a wild beast in the hunting grounds of the Aventador Palace.”

It was a resonant, low voice. Heimelric was momentarily distracted by the mature man’s voice, and only after a moment did he register the meaning of the words.

In an instant, the orders he had once given flashed through his mind.

‘When did I say I’d carry it out… and how?’

Feeling cold sweat trickle down his back, Heimelric replied, sounding quite startled.

“What? Is that true? How did you escape?”

He had often half-jokingly, half-seriously tried to harm his younger half-brother. But this time felt different. Perhaps because that small boy had suddenly grown into a large adult man.

Kaisertern answered slowly.

“I wonder.”

“How did something like a leopard get in there? Did the palace investigate?”

At those words, Kaisertern’s golden eyes flickered.

“I never said it was a leopard. And I never said I encountered it.”

‘Damn.’

Heimelric tried to act casual.

“Ahaha…! I was just guessing.”

At his flimsy excuse, Kaisertern gave a small laugh and spoke in a low voice.

“Your magic must be getting stronger, brother. You can tell the whole story just from one sentence now.”

He turned leisurely toward the mirror and finished buttoning his shirt. Heimelric glanced at him and thought:

‘I should’ve killed him when he was small and weak… Now he’s fully grown. Damn it. It’s going to be much harder now.’

As he stood behind him, Kaisertern suddenly spoke, as if remembering something.

“Oh, and I don’t know who that girl is. So you don’t need to look for her.”

“Huh? Your first love, and you don’t even know who she is? And you won’t look for her?”

“Yeah.”

He sounded indifferent, but his thoughts were different.

‘If it’s my brother, I don’t know what he might do to her. I’ll quietly find her myself and meet her again. I’ll ask her if she can see me as a man now, not just as a boy her age. I’ll tell her directly.’

Kaisertern began secretly preparing to go back to Aventador to meet her again. He had already had her full name and status quickly obtained.

“Your Highness, here is the report on the Hertness Ducal House, known as the Huga family. And… since they are a ‘Queen’s House,’ that young lady has been designated as Aventador’s future princess consort since birth.”

“I see.”

Even at the agent’s report, Kaisertern showed no concern. It was the arrogance befitting a prince of a great empire.

“Aventador may be an independent kingdom, but it can’t compare to the Empire’s power. Since Roabellyn isn’t married yet, if the Empire demands her, a mere kingdom won’t be able to refuse.”

Roabellyn’s bright smile flickered before his eyes.

“Let’s go quickly.”

For some reason, his heart felt impatient, and he rose from his seat at once.

“Aunt! I missed you sooo much!”

“I missed you too!”

Welcoming Estina, who had returned to the ducal residence from magic school for vacation, Roabellyn threw herself into her arms.

Though she was called “aunt,” there was only a six-year age difference between them, and since they had grown up together from Roabellyn’s childhood, they were like real sisters. Moreover, both had platinum-blond hair, violet eyes, and dazzling beauty, so strangers often mistook them for sisters.

Estina had been born a direct daughter of the Huga family, but after her brother Bartias gave birth to Roabellyn, she was classified as collateral from age seven.

Freed from the fate of becoming queen, she entered magic school at fifteen after long consideration, to learn how to handle and use her divine power properly.

Unlike ordinary priests’ divine power, the Huga daughters’ power could be strengthened through effort, making it quite similar to magic.

“Ha ha, you two are still so close.”

“I missed you too, Brother~ And Sister-in-law, Itan, and Emil too. I really missed everyone.”

“We missed you terribly as well. You must be tired from the long journey. Dinner is ready, so let’s go inside.”

What Estina had missed most while living in a dormitory was this warm family.

They celebrated Estina’s belated eighteenth birthday and spent time with Itanistad, Roabellyn, and Emilric, and the vacation passed quickly.

“Wow… time flies. It’s already tomorrow.”

Before they knew it, it was the day before Estina was to return to magic school.