"Are these Prova petals enough?"
Enoch came to Rosenta with a pouch full of red petals.
"That's enough."
"That's a relief.”
Prova plants were all over the place wherever the white bones were. Because of that, the petals weren’t difficult to obtain.
Rosenta couldn’t leave the temple until they’d collected all the petals he needed, which was the reason he’d gone there in the first place.
They began to turn back to where they entered so that they could finally exit.
They reached the entrance of the pit in no time.
"Ah…….”
Only then did he remember.
"I did something stupid. I can't believe I came down here without asking how to get out.”
At that time, he had only thought of keeping Theodore out. When he got down there, he was blown away by what he found.
Actually, there was nothing major to worry about. They could use Enoch's powers.
The problem was...….
"How would I explain it?"
"Do I have to explain it?"
"I can't reveal that you're a wizard."
He knew Enoch's past, but Enoch wasn’t aware of that fact.
Therefore, he spoke generally, asking whether it would be difficult for him if Rosenta revealed him to be a mage.
"Hmm."
Enoch pondered lightly for about a second. Then, without hesitation, he said, "I don't care."
‘Does he even know what that means?”
‘It doesn’t matter whether your magic is revealed even though you’re being pursued by the magic tower?’
Conversely, Rosenta was embarrassed.
He quickly put his feelings aside and pretended nothing was wrong as he asked Enoch again, "Are you sure?"
"Yes."
It was such a cheerful answer.
It was so cheerful that Rosenta almost said, 'Really?'
‘Sigh.’ No matter how positively Enoch answered, he couldn't let the tower catch him.
That would be a shortcut to him becoming even more dark-hearted.
Above all...….
‘Having him by my side, I’ve realized firsthand that his presence is both a convenience and necessity.’
There was no way he would give Enoch up so easily.
"Magic tools."
"Magic tools?"
"Yes. We’ll say we got out of here using magic tools."
"No matter how powerful the magic tool is, do you expect them to believe it?"
Rosenta shook his head at Enoch's retort, and he spat out an articulate response, "They’ll believe it. I'll make them believe it. Even if I have to make up a plausible lie."
Enoch's smile deepened at this reply. He took off his monocle and brushed his bangs back.
"It feels strange. The fact that the earnest duke will become a liar because of me."
Rosenta made no attempt to respond to that remark.
He just laughed at him.
He was a liar anyway. Ever since he’d come here and learned what type of character he was.
He spread out his arms and said to Enoch, "Let's go up."
Coming into Rosenta’s arms, Rosenta felt Enoch's arms hugging him.
He wrapped one around his waist and held the back of his head with the other hand.
Rosenta dropped his open arms, not bothering to hug him back.
Soon he heard Enoch's voice in his ear.
"Wollatus."
After that, their bodies began to float upward toward the opening of the tunnel.
***
The end of this trip was similar to their original entry.
When Rosenta opened his eyes, Enoch's face was the first thing he saw. As he pushed his cheek away, he said, "I want you to come with me...….”
He couldn't finish the sentence. It was because he heard a voice suddenly call him.
"Rosenta!"
He could tell without looking. It must have been Theodore.
He thought it would be okay, but he was confused when he heard the voice.
First, he got out of Enoch's arms. Then he immediately terminated the curse he had put on the entrance.
"Dismissal."
The black flames surrounding the entrance crept under his shadow.
In a moment everything disappeared.
Then Theodore ran forward as if he had been waiting for that.
Theodore's hands shook as he hugged him. It seemed as if his fears were being conveyed to him.
Rosenta couldn't bring it up.
He just waited for Theodore to calm down.
"Ah, thank God. I'm so glad. I’d imagined all kinds of things...….”
Theodore's embrace became stronger. Rosenta had a good idea of what he was imagining.
"I thought I was going to go crazy."
As soon as he said that Rosenta could feel a gaze looking at them.
Those eyes were chilling to the point of giving him literal chills. Rosenta turned his head stealthily to look at the place where he could feel the gaze coming from.
As if he wanted to tear them apart immediately, he could see Enoch looking at them with lifeless eyes.
It was like right before an accident.
Filled with anxiety, he issued a warning to Enoch.
"Don't make trouble."
Even though his eyes became gentle, he was still ferocious.
Rosenta thought it would be best to manage this situation quickly.
"Your Majesty, I am all right now."
"Okay. Were you hurt...… You're not hurt anywhere, are you?"
Theodore grabbed him by the shoulder and began to turn him around.
He seemed to be looking for any wounds. Rosenta quickly opened his arms and let him have a good look.
He then grinned to reassure Theodore.
"Not a single wound. Sire, why don't we go down from here before the sun goes down any further?"
"Ah……. Okay. That's a good idea."
Theodore looked very distraught. Rosenta had known him for a long time, but he’d never seen him like this.
He didn’t think he was this nervous when they’d gone to Terran.
Was it because of the recent situations facing him that he became more anxious?
Rosenta didn't bother to think deeply. He just patted Theodore on the back.
He spoke quietly so that only Theodore could hear him.
"I am all right, Your Majesty. I assure you."
"Yes…….”
A little smile appeared around Theodore's mouth.
He felt Theodore's tremor gradually stabilize.
Soon, he began to revert to the Theodore he knew.
"Prince Cardia."
Aphra Trembled at Theodore’s call.
He even answered vigorously as if he were a soldier with a lot of military discipline.
"Yes!"
"As the duke said, take the lead again and guide us."
"Yes! All right."
After that, things went smoothly.
They crossed the rope bridge again and rode the jaguar back safely.
Even in the dark of the night, the jaguar's eyes shone brightly, and he ran through the darkness, riding the wind.
When they reached the castle of Cardia again, it was the middle of the night when everyone was asleep.
The middle of the night when only lanterns, which lit up the streets, casually strewn throughout the trees, could be seen.
"Then I'll get going."
Upon arrival, Aphra bowed his head and headed to his room without looking back.
Theodore, Enoch, and Rosenta just stood there.
No one thought of following Aphra.
The two sets of eyes looking at Rosenta were burdensome, so he volunteered to be the next to leave.
"Sire, then I shall go in first."
“……Yes."
He turned to go up the stairs.
Then he felt a step following him. He turned back to engage in a familiar exchange.
"Enoch, I think I'll fall asleep right away today, so I don't need any help. So, you, too, go to your bedroom and get plenty of rest."
Enoch nodded slowly at his words, without answering.
He then turned his head, not to Rosenta, but toward Theodore who was standing alone in the hall on the first floor.
Rosenta didn’t know why, but for a moment, the two seemed to be glaring at each other.
Then Enoch looked at Rosenta again and answered slowly, "Yes, sir."
***
The first person to visit Rosenta as soon as the day broke was Nike.
Even though it was early, Nike was not bothered at all.
On top of that, she even brought tea for him, who was fatigued.
He managed to come to his senses over a cup of warm tea.
"I’ve come too early. I didn't think that you would be so fatigued since you were traveling in an unfamiliar place."
"That's all right. Rather, I'm sorry to show you this sorry state."
In fact, Rosenta was not well-groomed at the moment.
He brushed his hair in a hurry, but his hair was still a bird’s nest, and he’d been unable to wash it, so he felt uncomfortable.
‘I can't believe I'm staying in someone else's house and being so lax.’
It was natural to oversleep when one was tired, but he was embarrassed for some reason.
"No. After arriving late yesterday, you must have been tired……. I'm just sorry for not being considerate of that."
Fortunately, Nike understood his situation, saying it was her fault.
Rosenta felt more at ease.
"Then may I ask why you’ve come this early in the morning?"
"Let me give you this first."
Nike took a pouch out from her bosom. She put it on the table and pushed it towards Rosenta.
"This is...….”
He opened the pouch.
A bright yellow flower with brown roots was inside. It was the last of the ingredients.
This meant he had all of the ingredients.
He thanked her without hesitation.
"Thank you."
He’d received the goods, so he knew he should pay in some way.
‘How much will Nike ask for?’
He kept calculating in his head the amount of money she would ask for, waiting for the shoe to drop.
However, what Nike said had nothing to do with "money."
"I have a favor to ask of you."
"What is it? Please tell me what you need...….”
"I would appreciate it if you would consider this favor in exchange for that item."
‘If it’s something that can be exchanged, I wonder what it is.’
He had no idea what he could offer Nike.
Nike smiled and said exactly what she was trying to barter for.
"I want you to take my first son, Aphra, back with you."