Chapter 63

As Noah pulled Claudia into his arms, the teleportation magic activated.

Stuart’s ice-covered fingers did not touch Claudia.

“――――……”

When Claudia opened her eyes, she was in the prepared guest room.

To be precise, she was still held in Noah’s arms after the teleportation.

“……That painting seems to have been drawn by Stuart himself.”

Still nestled in his arms, Claudia told Noah.

“Even if he doesn’t match his brother Lewis, Stuart is still a capable magic user. The fact that he didn’t let us notice him until the last moment, and the way he maintains that garden….”

“……”

“Noah?”

Since he didn’t let her go, Claudia looked up at Noah.

Their gazes met up close. In his obsidian eyes, there was a clear sign of anger.

“……That man.”

Noah gently took Claudia’s wrist, which Stuart had tried to reach.

It was a touch that was both gentle and forceful, as if he were touching something very pure, yet suppressing some kind of emotion.

“He tried to touch you, my princess.”

“…………”

At his words, Claudia chuckled.

“You don’t need to worry.”

She spoke to the grown-up Noah as if she were scolding a small child.

“I’m not hurt anywhere. Can you see that?”

“It’s unacceptable for anyone to even attempt to harm you. But more importantly, the mere possibility of that man touching you cannot be tolerated.”

The other hand remained around Claudia’s back, not letting go.

To Noah, Claudia’s slender and soft body must have seemed as fragile as a delicate ornament.

“It was my failure to put you in danger. Please allow me to return to that man and start over.”

“My Noah was so well-behaved. What exactly do you mean by starting over?”

“You intend to continue interacting with that man. If so, it’s necessary to make sure he doesn’t get any funny ideas again, and to make him understand that clearly beforehand.”

In his obsidian eyes, a quiet and deep anger burned.

Noah, still holding Claudia in his arms, looked at her earnestly and said,

“――You are my princess.”

“……”

His gaze was filled with a will so strong it was blinding.

If Claudia commanded it, Noah would use his vast magical power and talent to destroy the world itself.

Whether it was a prince of a country or anyone else, if they were Claudia’s enemy, he would eliminate them.

“My princess.”

In a low but somewhat pleading voice, Noah looked at Claudia.

“Please, let me have your permission.”

“Noah.”

Claudia looked at Noah’s plea intently. Then she smiled and reached out to touch his head.

Then, in a particularly sweet and gentle voice, she scolded this loyal servant.

“No.”

“…………”

As she stroked his black hair, Noah made a clearly dissatisfied expression.

He had been trying to remain calm just a moment ago, but now he wore a clearly bitter face.

“We are intruders, and Stuart is the prince of this country. There are many points of concern, but it’s too early to corner him at this stage.”

At this, Noah looked down.

“You act so mature usually, but you become so childish when it comes to me.”

“……That’s because”

But that’s only natural. Noah is still only eleven years old, so it’s better for him to act his age.

“Cute servant. I can’t grant your request yet. Please be patient.”

“My princess.”

“What’s your answer?”

“…………”

As she continued to stroke his head, Noah eventually furrowed his brows and closed his eyes, as if biting back something.

“As you command, my princess.”

“Good boy.”

Placing her finger under Noah’s chin and turning his face towards her, she smiled.

“Haha. But I won’t scold you too much. You were trying to protect me, after all.”

“……Please don’t be in such a good mood here….”

Noah said, releasing his arms from around Claudia’s back.

He seemed to have calmed down a bit, but now he looked awkward. Upon closer inspection, his ears were slightly red.

“……I apologize for holding you so tightly.”

For Noah, it was fine to carry the child version of Claudia, but he seemed to be careful not to get too close to the adult version.

“It was for my sake, right?”

“Even so, I realize that it was rash of me to hold you so lightly in my arms.”

(Well, he’s not looking at me at all anymore.)

Claudia chuckled and told this loyal servant,

“Reinvestigating Stuart is a decision, as you say. But that’s for later. Right now, it’s time for a nap.”

“I understand. Then, please revert to your eight-year-old form for now.”

At Noah’s request, Claudia looked up into his obsidian eyes.

“Noah can’t use the magic to change between adult and child forms yet, can he?”

“It’s advanced. …But I will master it soon and show you.”

“I’m looking forward to it. Ah……”

Claudia, already sleepy, yawned and covered her mouth with her hand while still in her adult form.

“Since we went outside, it might be bad manners to go straight to bed… …I’m too sleepy to take a bath, Noah, can you cast a purification spell on me…?”

“Therefore, if you want me to purify you, you should revert to your child form… My princess!!”

And so, Claudia enjoyed a long nap to recover her magic power until it was time for dinner.

***

“……The saint. That was definitely the saint….”

Stuart, the first prince of the Clingate Kingdom but not the crown prince, muttered in the snow garden.

From the door that had appeared in the garden, connecting to the outside of the barrier, came the sound of knocking and Lewis’s voice.

“Brother. …Brother, it’s Lewis. Continuing from earlier, please come out of your room tonight and have dinner with me if you can….”

“…Shut up.”

Stuart turned his clouded eyes towards the door.

“Brother? Brother? Don’t call me that. Anyway….”

His head immediately started to hurt, and Stuart winced.

“…Don’t think. Don’t listen. Just think about beautiful things… Yes, my saint!”

He took a deep breath, thinking of the woman with the same name as the legendary witch, Adelheid.

“To think that something so beautiful exists in this world. …I want to keep that beauty at least in my hands….”

“Brother.”

Ignoring Lewis’s call, Stuart looked up at the large painting on the wall.

He gazed at the women depicted there.

“To keep the beautiful saint in my hands….”

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To be continued in Chapter 2