The two guards next to the Empress, only then, scrambled to find something for Her Highness who was now coughing and choking on the tea she was having.
"Is everything alright, Your Highness?" The Magician asked with a smug on his face. "If it is your health that is writhing, I strongly suggest you should take a Long break from the royal duty."
While the Duke and his subjects in the room were treated as invisible objects, Lucas snapped his fingers again and a piece of napkin appeared and dropped right on Athanasia's thigh.
Her Highness mumbled a low "Thank You" as she took the cloth and wiped the corner of her lips.
Please do not say something like this in front of these people, My Love... She communicated with him telepathically.
Need I remind you that you set my cloak on fire when I called you Ugly?
Because you're not supposed to?
What am I supposed to call you? Pretty Ugly?
You're sleeping on the sofa tonight.
"HEY!"
The Empress cleared her throat, dismissing the retort that should have only rang in her head. But Lucas' voice was so loud that he sent everyone in the room shivering in fear.
Everyone excepted Athanasia.
"My health is in perfect condition. Thank you for your concerns, Sir Magician. But is there something else urgent for you to come and find me?" She asked, still not looking at the Magician because it would cause a great neck ache to look up at a person who could already easily tower over her, standing on a human rug while standing on top of the table.
Lucas glanced behind his shoulder with the corners of his eyes, staring right at the Duke.
The aura in the room intensely shifted. It was suffocating air, as if someone was trying to rid one of the ability to breathe. Cold penetrated through skin and bones, deeming to tear flesh apart from the body.
"I sensed danger. So I came," the Magician spoke as he bruised his foot on the neck of the soldier. "You allow these insolent fools to disrespect for too long, Your Highness. Every last one of them."
"If you considered this situation to be a harmful threat to me, then you must have underestimated your Empress."
Lucas looked back in front to find her leaning to the side of the armchair that resembled a throne, using her elbow to stabilize herself. She smiled, not for him but for the old man across the room. Her eyes focused ahead as she rested her chin on her palm.
"I am a ruler for a reason," she added. A vibrating mana surged throughout her body, though could not be seen by naked eyes or mortals. "You should know that too well, Sir Magician."
The Magician secretly developed a sense of pride toward this woman of his life and the way her confidence grew each and every day.
For centuries years, Lucas watched the rise and fall of many Emperors of Obelia. Because there was an unspoken contract that the Magician of the Black Tower was destined to help the Obelia Empire, Many late emperors drank with the wage of war. Some feasted on wealth and prosperity. One was bold enough to ask him to be the apprentice of the Magician of the Black Tower with a pathetic level of mana.
Not many led the Empire the right way.
Maybe the rule was written by his late father, but to Lucas, it was not entirely his responsibility if the Empire would be in ruin after he woke up from his slumber. Better yet, he would not have to babysit children who wanted to play king anymore.
However, it changed everything once he was awakened by a small... Child of no more than seven years old.
It surprised him when he woke up at a certain timeline to see a pair of hardworking De Algers despite being a half-blood royalty. What impressed him was the amount of absurdity of their mana.
Twenty-five years passed in the blink of an eye and he grew up with her.
She was likely the Only Empress among the De Alger bloodline. She was a fierce lioness, but gentle and forgiving at the same time. Something that the late De Algers, even her own father could not have been and never would.
Even if you're my husband now, but it is still creepy to look at me without saying a word, you idiot.
Lucas heaved his brow at the telepathic comment.
You're pretty. How do I not stare?
Athanasia lifted her hand to her forehead, shielding her face which was now growing red as she sighed.
"Please step off the table, Sir Magician. I am in the middle of something important, And if you do not mind waiting-"
"Oh, yes. I do mind. You're taking too long, Your Highness. Everything should have been solved with the flick of my fingertips."
The Magician snapped his fingers and a small spark of flame lit in his hand.
"Do you want me to teach them a lesson?"
"No, I do not," replied the female ruler. "I want you to let me finish talking to them."
"After this..." Lucas tapped the front of his boot to the back of the soldier's head. "Thing did that to you? Any disrespect to the Royalty is equal to a death sentence, Your Highness."
"Sir Magician!" She snapped. "Can you Please let me work?!"
He clicked his tongue and folded his arms in response.
"Fine. But if you take more than five minutes, I'll kiss you in this hall and kill all the witnesses," he added nonchalantly, leaving Her Highness gasping slightly as he successfully broke her character. "So, hurry up, Your Highness."
There was no word spoken in the meeting hall. Simply a few coughs or two from the two soldiers besides the Empress who was now glaring up at the Magician.
Lucas! Stop embarrassing me!
You like it when I make fun of yo-
In the mid conversation, Lucas' body shifted as the body, twice his size, quivered beneath him. His eyes followed the hand that reach for the blade again and Lucas' boot bruised on the mercenary's wrist, crushing all his bones.
"The rest of you, Kneel," Lucas said sharply as he glanced at the Duke with the corner of his eye.
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