"The spirit, once it takes an order, acts on its own. After that, it follows no command—it can kill anyone, anytime. Promise me you'll never use it," Prince Agnus said firmly.
I gently placed my hand over his. "Alright, I won't use it. But… my parents were poor," I said softly.
"What if they were never your real parents?" Prince Agnus replied.
The moment I heard those words, a strange joy ran through me—because somewhere deep down, I had always felt that the people who raised me were never truly mine.
Prince Agnus smiled faintly and placed his hand on my head, then teasingly pulled my cheeks. "Now sleep. By tomorrow I'll be fine, and if not, I'll ask Princess Reana to heal me. Your training starts tomorrow," he said gently.
I nodded and went to sleep.
---
The next morning, at exactly four, Master came and shook me awake.
"Everyone else is already up, and you're still sleeping? What about your punishment?" he scolded.
I blinked, half asleep. "S-sorry, Master," I mumbled.
"Come with me," he said, grabbing my hand and dragging me outside.
"Stand on your hands. Don't move until I tell you," he ordered coldly.
"But what about Prince Agnus?" I asked.
"He's had his healing. He'll call for you when he needs you," Master said, then walked away.
I obeyed, though confusion clouded my thoughts. What kind of training is this? My arms trembled, but what bothered me more was the sleepiness that refused to leave my eyes. The sun hadn't even risen. Every time I closed my eyes, I lost balance and fell.
Still, one truth became clear — if I didn't learn to stay awake during this training, I might have to live two years without proper rest. And sleep… sleep is a basic need, even for the strongest humans.
When I opened my eyes again, I saw Master training the others. Everyone who passed by gave me a strange look but said nothing.
Prince Jack was training nearby. He approached a student quietly and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"How long will you keep hiding your aura, Philip?" Prince Jack said calmly.
"Y-your Highness… how did you know it was me?" Philip stammered.
"You can lower your aura to hide from others, but not from me. I've been watching you for a while," Jack said.
Philip sighed. "Even with my aura reduced, you still saw me? How?"
Prince Jack's gaze drifted toward the clouds, lost in a distant memory. "Because mine… might be even lower than yours," he said quietly. Then his tone hardened. "So? What did you find about Wellness?"
"I've found out something… but I'm not allowed to tell anyone," Philip replied.
Before Jack could press further, the sound of horses echoed through the grounds. A royal carriage arrived—its emblem shining in the sunlight. From it stepped a king and a furious queen.
They stormed toward Master. The queen's voice thundered. "Who dared to harm my son? Who hurt Prince Agnus?!"
Hearing his mother's voice, Prince Agnus came running. The queen rushed to him and embraced him tightly.
"Your Majesty, Queen Ena," Master said calmly, "that girl has already been punished."
"Punished?!" the queen shouted. "Agnus is my only son, and that girl tried to destroy our bloodline! I will decide her punishment myself!"
"No, Your Grace," Agnus said firmly, bowing slightly. "I've accepted her as my sister. As her brother, I won't let anyone harm her."
The queen scoffed. "You may call her your sister, but to me—she's an enemy."
Master intervened. "Your Majesty, Wellness is not an ordinary girl. She comes from a noble family."
"Which kingdom?" the queen demanded.
"We… don't know. Soldiers brought her here," Master said.
"She might have power," the queen hissed, "but I don't bow to power. She deserves lashes in front of me!"
"Yes," I said softly, kneeling before her. "Punish me if it will ease your anger."
"No one dares punish her without my command!" Prince Agnus said loudly.
My eyes widened. For a moment, I saw him like a guardian… my savior...
"She doesn't need lashes," the king finally spoke, his tone calm. "A single slap will end this matter. Look at her — such innocent eyes."
The queen's expression softened. She walked toward me, touched my cheek gently, and said, "When your training ends, there will be a celebration for Agnus's recovery. You must attend."
She kissed my forehead before stepping back into her royal carriage. The king followed, and the carriage rolled away toward the palace.
But as it departed, the queen whispered to a guard, "Kill her."
I smiled faintly, unaware of what awaited me. I ran toward Prince Agnus, arms wide open to hug him. But before I could reach him, he slapped me hard.
"Are you out of your mind?! If she had struck even once, you'd be dead!" he yelled, anger blazing in his eyes.
Still, I hugged him tightly, tears rolling down my cheeks. "Thank you… for standing up for me," I whispered.
Master appeared again, furious. "Who told you to leave your spot?! Go back, now!"
Startled, I ran back to where I was and stood on my hands again, trembling.
---
By evening, the training grounds turned quiet. The princes and nobles were bathing in the royal spring. Prince Agnus approached Prince Jack, his expression serious.
"What I said earlier… was a lie," Agnus admitted quietly.
"Get out of my sight, ba***d," Jack snapped.
"My mother… she's not someone who forgives easily," Agnus warned.
"What are you implying?" Jack asked, eyes narrowing.
"Where's Wellness right now?" Agnus asked.
"She's probably with Master," Jack said.
"No… I can feel something. There are people from my kingdom nearby — and they're waiting for the moment she's alone," Agnus said gravely.
Jack froze. "You mean… they're after her?"
Agnus nodded. "They're near the restaurant, where it's quiet."
"Then call her here — now!" Jack ordered.
"Are you crazy? This place is filled with men bathing!" Agnus protested.
"Distract her somehow," Jack said, pulling on his clothes. "I'll go deal with them myself."
And with that, Prince Jack disappeared into the mist — to protect me.