Kael stopped his hand from touching her and clenched his hand. His eyes twitched, and his face turned sour, retracting his hand. He sighed and nodded.
"Don't… harm yourself," he begged softly, his brows creasing. He turned away and walked out of the bathroom.
Valencia closed her hands and took a deep breath before falling to her knees. She stared at the palms of her hands, partially healed by Kael. Then she cupped her hands together and frowned.
"Why does he worry for me?" she asked, her heart skipping a beat.
Half dazed, Valencia stepped inside the bath after taking off her last remaining thin clothes. She sat there, hugging her knees and thinking. I guess he's not a bad bastard after all… he healed my hands even when he didn't need to.
She reached her hand out, testing the control of her aura. A ball of void formed at the tip of her fingernails. She closed her hand as the void disappeared, then began cleaning herself.
Soon, she stepped out of the bath and wore the clothes that he brought in for her.
A white coat with a blue gem and a black dress with a black belt.
She bit the lower corner of her lip before putting it on. Then she looked at her gloves… the gloves she had worn her entire life. The one her mother left behind.
"Mother, is this the right choice? Here… with the Young Duke, whose blood shares with the royalty?"
After contemplating, Valencia headed to the bedroom, where Kael sat by his desk. He stared at her as she walked awkwardly to the couch. She sat down and avoided his eyes. He smiled and stood to sit next to her.
"Yes?" she mumbled.
"I'm not going to bite… unlike someone," he teased. Valencia blushed, recalling that she bit him. He chuckled as he leaned back on the couch. "I'm sending a formal statement to the Royal Palace that you will be my Guide from now on. The Office of Affairs should be getting the notice as well."
Valencia nodded and bowed.
"Thank you…"
"No need to thank me. I will make sure the dukedom's security is extra tight for you…" he said. Then he looked at her, grabbing her chin and pulling her in. She gasped. "So, that no one will dare to kidnap and harm my Guide, as you've asked."
She pushed his hand away and shifted to the next seat.
"Yes… thank you."
He laughed and twisted, letting his head fall into her lap. She jumped like a frightened stray cat.
"I haven't had any rest the entire night…" he muttered, closing his eyes.
Her hands raised in the air as she looked around for where to place them. Kael peeked at her and noticed her hands. He grabbed the nearest one and placed it on his chest. She stiffened.
"Young—"
"Kael…" he interrupted.
She swallowed her humility.
"Lord Kael… I don't think—"
"Sh… let me rest."
She clenched her hands, sighing in frustration. She watched him sleep peacefully on her lap before closing her eyes and soon fell asleep herself.
Meanwhile, the knights, who searched the slums, returned to the Eastern Palace of the Royal Palace. They took a deep breath before knocking on the door.
"Your Highness, the Crown Prince, Gerald… we have returned empty-handed."
Gerald groaned as he looked at the door, scoffing.
"How hard is it to find one Void Esper? An unregistered one at that…" he questioned.
The knights looked at each other, sweating.
"We… there was no sign of any lady with the description that Commander Leon gave us."
Gerald slammed his hand on the table and glared at their incapabilities.
"How are you unable to find her? She definitely hasn't had a Guide for many years and is spiraling! She's definitely on an easier scale of being found!"
The knights tightened their jaws and lowered their heads.
"We will search again—"
"Prince Gerald!" his personal butler, Newt, screamed, storming in hurriedly. Gerald looked at him as he waved a paper. "Urgent news… Young Duke Kael requested an official Guide contract…"
Gerald's tongue clicked as he sneered. Just before he could say another word—
"Brother! I need your help with dealing with this lady who seduced Lord Kael!" Barbielle declared.
Gerald groaned as he brushed his hand in the air.
"Go away… there are other important matters—"
"No! This is important!" Barbielle urged. She slammed her hands on his table. "He claims to want her in public! Not just that, he took her to his bedroom!"
Gerald flinched and glared at her. He stood and leaned closer.
"Kael himself? A man who lost his Guide eight years ago?" he sneered, then he cackled. "So the mighty Light Esper begged for a Guide contract to be approved? There wasn't even a single link… not just that, the Void Esper hasn't even evolved yet!"
Barbielle huffed and crossed her arms.
"What does this have to do with a Void Esper?"
"The Void Esper is a direct contrast to the Light… swallowing his power, making him useless…" Gerald grinned.
Barbielle snapped her face at him.
"What did you call Lord Kael?"
He menacingly stared at her.
"A useless Light Esper who should have died by now…" Gerald claimed.
Barbielle stomped toward him and slapped him.
"How dare—"
"Do you want to die?" Gerald threatened as his eyes darkened. Barbielle suddenly gulped as she took a step back. "Once I take that auracore from him, he can be yours… but for now, I need to visit this Guide of his."
Newt stepped before Gerald, panting.
"His Majesty… has already allowed him to have extra security to prevent any accident like the incident that happened eight years ago," Newt stated. "Any interference will be treated as treason. Lord Kael has full authority to execute you on the spot—under His Majesty's order."
Gerald smirked, grabbing Newt by the collar.
"Why would Father allow a Duke's heir to harm a Prince?" he questioned, clutching the collar tightly. "If anything, Father would argue against it!"
Newt trembled as he raised his two hands together.
"Please… Prince Gerald. You must not cause problems anymore. Her Majesty asked me to take—"
"Is my Mother the master that you follow, or is it me?!"
Barbielle lowered her head in fear, realizing that Gerald only thought about himself. Newt closed his eyes.
"You… I follow you!" Newt yelled.
Gerald released Newt's collar and kicked his table.
"Send word to the little Duke's house… that the Crown Prince will visit."
Newt bowed reluctantly.
"Yes, Prince Gerald…" he replied. Then he hurried out of the room and prepared the letter to Kael's house.
Barbielle bit her lower lip and bowed, leaving the room as well. The two knights closed their eyes as they waited for their dismissal. Gerald seethed as his back was turned on the knights.
"Keep searching for her… hell will break loose if she's not found soon…" Gerald ordered.
The knights nodded.
"Yes, Prince Gerald."
As they left the room, Gerald crossed his arms and pondered. Who could Lord Kael have found as a Guide? There was only one possibility that every Esper could have one Guide linked to them.
"Was she really a better match than the first Guide, Kael? Are you fucking with the Royal Family after pretending that you don't want the throne?" Gerald muttered, frowning.
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