But why was he doing this now? It was my business and Julius wasnt even involved. Kaichen stepped forward and took care of everything in my absence. Why?

So, I have to stay in bed until he comes back? Where did he go anyway?

Well until yesterday there was a yellow layer in the sky but the Archmage removed it today.

Ah, the barrier. As expected, Kaichen had put the barrier on the whole of Acrab. I vaguely remembered Antares running wild with anger. That was six days ago. If he had made and distributed the medicine to all of Acrab, it meant that Kaichen had done it continuously without a break for six days!

Then what happened?

He disappeared after asking me for a favour, said Angel. He said he would be back. He needed to take care of something.

What did he need to take care of? I was about to try to get out of bed when Angel gave me a warning look.

Really, My Lady, he said. Please dont be stubborn.

What? I was just

You should tell us if you are suffering. Do you know how sorry everyone is?

I wanted to protest and brush it off as a misunderstanding but I kept my mouth shut thinking that it would have taken Kaichen a lot of thought to lie on my behalf. He wasnt normally like this. I was the one who should have been sorry. I felt nauseous so I laid down on the bed again. I felt like I had just woken up from a nightmare and everything had changed in the meantime.

It was like a game. I came across a quest that was most difficult to overcome. But I was able to pass it so easily because I had help from a powerful person. That person was Archmage Kaichen. I had overcome the problem in Acrab and it was all thanks to Kaichen. Was this a good thing or a bad one? It was definitely good to see that everything was solved but it made me feel uneasy.

Ah, why now? I cant believe this is the situation after I just realized my feelings for him!

Angel kept nagging me to rest and forbade me from getting out of bed. He then left me in peace. I did want to rest but so many things were circling in my mind. I had questions. I wanted to find out what had happened. I wanted to know every detail. But I was reluctant to go forward since Kaichen was involved in all this now.

What should I say if I meet the citizens of Acrab right now? Should I apologize to them for hiding my own sickness? Should I apologize for abandoning them? My conscience was pierced by guilt and uncertainty.

Ugh! What the hell? Whats wrong with you? I chastised myself. Even if I was his disciple and he had made it official, it was still a bit excessive for me to be thinking about him all the time. My heart pounded and I realized I was smiling without meaning to. I was happy. I was relieved and happy to find that he cared for me. He worried about me and did so much to take care of all my problems. The smile spread wider on my face and I blushed.

As I acknowledged this, I buried my face in the pillow and squeaked in delight. What is this? Is he interested in me too?! No teacher cared for his disciple this much. A teacher wouldnt get involved in matters relating to national importance just for a disciple! I realized that perhaps he had feelings for me too and that made me go red in the face even more.

I mean what woman wouldnt be wooed when the man she liked stood up for her ready to fight the empire itself if need be?

Calm down, I said to myself and took a deep breath. I laid down on the bed and placed my hands on my pounding heart. I felt the racing of my heart through my palm which gradually calmed. My thoughts became calmer. I closed my eyes and thought about the situation at hand. One at a time.

First, I was kidnapped by Antares and rescued safely. It was undoubtedly kaichen who rescued me. I vaguely remember him calling my name. But maybe that was just my imagination.

Since the antidote was made and distributed throughout, it was also possible that the Momalhaut forces hiding in Acrab were found and dealt with. Antares was probably one of them.

Did Kaichen fight Antares? I should have asked for more details from Angel. Did he kill him? I brushed aside the grim thought for now.

Kaichen had received communication from the Imperial palace. It was highly likely that it hadnt gone down well. He might have had to search for the Momalhaut as he maintained the barrier magic to prove that what was happening in Acrab wasnt an epidemic but a premeditated scheme. Only then would the Imperial Palace agree to not send those knights. The fact that the knights were here yet slaughtering the people of Acrab meant that the Acrab disturbance had been dealt with.

What did he need to take care of? Did he mean the Imperial Palace? Did he go there to take care of it? Even if he did, the Imperial Palace would want to check it for themselves before they made any kind of decision.

The current emperor of the Kalhai Empire was not stupid. However, his achievements paled in comparison to the previous emperor. The present emperor was indecisive and easily swept away. There must have been someone else! I realized that there was someone in the picture who convinced the emperor to give such a heinous order.

The villain of this novel. A person who was involved in all this and was in league with the Momalhaut. Maybe someone close who could influence the emperor very easily. I frowned. A person came to mind. I had dismissed that exact person as insignificant before. Maybe they werent as unimportant as I thought.

Princess Akshetra

I had never considered that she might be the villain of this story because she didnt have much of an appearance in the original novel. The Empress had been childless, so Akshetra, born from a concubine, had been declared an heir. The Crown princess. She had been eight years old when the Empress had finally given birth to Julius.