Chapter 87

"Preparation...?"

"Yes, Noah."

Noah, keeping a wary eye on Lewis, extended the teacup in front of him. Claudia was next in line because there was a custom at tea parties to serve the lord last.

Lewis took the cup, sipped it gracefully, and let out a sigh of relief.

"I decided to become a member of the royal family of some country first. If that person was reborn, they would likely be a baby with a lot of magical power. I thought it would be highly probable that they would be of royal blood, and a position of power would be convenient for searching for people."

"To that end, you built your identity as a prince of this country?"

"If it was a royal family descended from Carlos, they would excel in the same barrier magic as me. I thought it would be easier to blend in as a family member after brainwashing them with magic."

Then Lewis looked around the ice garden.

"---I didn't expect to have a 'brother' whose barrier magic skills were so good that he could unconsciously block brainwashing magic."

That was probably why Stuart alone noticed Lewis's peculiarity and was afraid.

"My brother is very talented, but he hasn't realized it yet. Look at the barrier magic in this garden; to maintain such a perfect world... I wanted to talk to him more and see his magic. This beautiful barrier magic will surely be useful for the 'plan' for Lady Adelheit."

Saying that, Lewis lowered his eyes.

"Still, I couldn't find Lady Adelheit. I spent empty, boring days just waiting."

Claudia smiled and asked Lewis.

"When you were in the town, you were looking at the children, not to observe the people as the next king, but to find me, right?"

"Of course, I couldn't find you in such a place, but I couldn't help checking unconsciously. In the end, the person I was waiting for was right next to me, which is quite amusing."

Lewis chuckled wryly, and Noah looked at him with complete wariness. It seemed he had decided there was no need to hide his hostility towards Lewis.

"---What is your wish?"

"Me?"

"If finding and reuniting with the princess is your goal, there's no reason to put people to sleep and prevent them from waking up. Could it be that you're trying to keep the princess asleep and under your control?"

"Of course not! I want the people I care about to be alive, awake, and smiling. I'm sure you can understand, Noah?"

The more straightforward Lewis spoke, the more Noah looked as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing. Claudia, sipping her tea, voiced her thoughts.

"...I met the princesses in the tower. They were all beautifully dressed and treated with great care while they slept."

"I'm very glad to hear that."

"There were signs that the sheets were changed frequently, and it seemed they were given a lot of attention. I felt they were being 'preserved' on a luxurious bed."

Then Noah, understanding, said:

"...For some kind of ritual."

In other words, as sacrifices.

Claudia, looking down at her teacup, said calmly:

"They were all around eighteen years old. The vessels with royal blood had a lot of magical power... just like me, who was a princess five hundred years ago."

The women collected had the same conditions as the witch 'Adelheit' from five hundred years ago.

Noah, glaring at Lewis, spoke with a voice filled with revulsion.

"The sacrifices started appearing eight years after the princess was born..."

"---..."

Lewis, having finished his tea, smiled brightly.

"Do you have a favorite vessel, Claudia?"

"What are you...?"

Noah stood protectively in front of Claudia, and Lewis gently placed the teacup back on the saucer.

"Let me know if you choose one. I'll transfer Claudia's soul into one of them. Then you can live in an eighteen-year-old body, just like five hundred years ago, with Lady Adelheit's soul."

"Are you seriously suggesting such a ridiculous thing for the princess?"

"Of course. Otherwise, I wouldn't have spent over five hundred years implementing this."

Claudia blew on her cold fingers. Lewis, watching her with a loving gaze, continued.

"I've learned over these eight years that there's still much to research about stabilizing souls with barrier magic. No matter how much I cared for them, they still showed signs of damage in their hair and nails. If I could have used my brother's magic, I could have 'preserved' them more perfectly."

"..."

"I'm sorry I couldn't prepare a perfect vessel. But the body you're in now..."

Lewis's slender finger pointed at Claudia.

"Should be much more comfortable than that one."

"Oh? Why do you think so?"

"Because I can see it, Claudia. Trapped in that child's vessel, you can't even use a fraction of the power of your soul. Every time you try to act freely and be yourself, you lose consciousness or bleed from the magical strain, right?"

Then Lewis murmured softly.

"...That's not Lady Adelheit."

"..."

In the next moment, the table between Lewis and Claudia vanished. Lewis had used magic to make it disappear. Claudia stopped Noah from moving forward with a look.

"Lady Adelheit must be free from all entanglements. And this time, she must be free from the ugliness of death."

"What...?"

"I can't ask or demand anything from the one who died five hundred years ago... but Claudia, if you are the one who is alive now, you can 'make it in time.'"

Lewis, getting off his chair, knelt on the snow.

"I've been waiting for five hundred years. I've missed you so much, and I almost went mad if I let my guard down even a little."

"Princess, don't listen to this man's words."

"The witch we loved, who was cruel and left us all behind in front of her disciple... "

"Princess...!"

Lewis raised his head, and his hand reached out towards Claudia.

"I have come to fetch you, Lady Adelheit."

"...Seville."

Calling her former disciple by name, Lewis smiled happily.

He had said she could call him whatever she wanted, but his gaze betrayed that he had desperately wanted to be called by that name.

She understood that she had indeed left him behind five hundred years ago.

Lewis's expression was like that of a small lost child who had finally been found.

"Come, Lady Adelheit."

"..."

"Please, this time, don't die. Let's become the free and perfect Lady Adelheit...!"

Claudia slowly smiled.

While Noah frowned, Lewis's eyes sparkled. But the hope in his face vanished in an instant.

"...I must scold you."

"..."

In a gentle but clear voice, she told Lewis:

"---You're a bad boy."

"..."

Lewis's eyes widened in despair.