"So, when do you want to start studying?"
"Tonight," Irene answered without the slightest hesitation, making Arielle surprised.
"Aren’t you tired? How about we start tomorrow morning? I’m sure Miss Aie has also returned to her room to rest after a long journey."
Ronan tapped on the table thoughtfully. He could see the Blackthorn’s blood flowing in his sister’s eyes. Even though Irene was still shy about expressing her thoughts, he could see that the girl had an unbreakable determination.
"But, Arielle... I... can’t study alone right now because... I don’t even know the basics. I just want to put my free ti to good use to do my best," Irene replied, then lowering her head.
Ronan really understood it. He smiled in satisfaction with his sister’s answer. He hoped that the child’s determination could last until the end.
"Finish your dinner first. You don’t need to worry about that. Aie can teach you starting from tomorrow. And tonight, I will be your teacher. How about that?"
Arielle wanted to stop Ronan because Irene must be tired from having gone through such a long journey, but looking at the girl who was nodding her head enthusiastically, there seed to be no opening for Arielle to chi in.
"Okay, let’s go to my study after this," Ronan said then asked Arielle and Irene to quickly eat their dinner.
***
Arielle couldn’t accompany Ronan and Irene who were going to study together. She had to visit Abigail’s three dragon eggs again. She wanted to visit them first, do her task, and then co back to see Irene later.
Ronan didn’t mind it at all. He told Arielle to rest imdiately when the girl had finished her task. He would follow whenever Irene felt enough with their studies.
Arielle visited the dragon eggs. The room where the embers of the flas never went out was scorching hot. Arielle looked at every part of the eggs and they were still as hard as steel. Not a shred of chipping or cracking could be seen. It was still the sa as yesterday.
Arielle took a deep breath. She concentrated herself on releasing her power, and from the tip of her hand, a very hot fla ca out. Perhaps if the container keeping the eggs was made of iron, it might lt instantly. They used a carved stone so it could last a long ti.
Arielle’s short hair began to flutter. The mana in her body radiated out completely, making her body start to glow and it continued radiating brilliant light. She didn’t know how long she had been staying there. There was no clock to tell her about ti, so she just did it until her energy was drained.
Sweat started pouring down all over her body and her hands had gone numb. It was a sign that Arielle should stop and rest soon. She put down her still red hand and slowly the flas in her hand disappeared. Again, she checked the eggs, but nothing changed.
Arielle kept wondering, did she make a mistake? But, she had done everything she could that Otis and Maxieno had told her. Then, she heard three knocks on the door, which ant it had been three hours since she was staying in the special room.
Arielle felt more tired today. Usually, she could sit up and do it for four hours, but tonight her hands were numb. Arielle touched the three eggs then stood up to leave the room.
After passing through two layers of doors, she t Tania. The woman brought her coat and helped her put it on.
"Tania? You haven’t slept? You can ask another maid to assist ," said Arielle who was surprised because Tania rarely woke up until midnight like this. Lucas was also beside the woman. He greeted Arielle and said that she needed to clean her body imdiately before resting.
"His Majesty the King left a ssage that you can imdiately rest without waiting for him, Your Highness."
"Thank you, Lucas."
Lucas bowed then asked permission to leave, while Tania accompanied Arielle back to her room and helped her to clean her body.
"Really, Tania. I can do it myself," said Arielle with a chuckle because Tania offered to wash her hair in the middle of the night like this.
"It’s fine. I really want to do it. It feels like I haven’t taken care of you in person in a long ti. Even though Princess Irene looks a lot like you, I still miss you," the old woman answered, making Arielle blush.
Arielle then let Tania help her clean her body. The woman even helped her put on her clothes so she could go to sleep as soon as possible.
"Tania? Do you need sothing?" asked Arielle who felt Tania’s attitude was a bit different from usual. The old woman just shook her head.
"No, Your Highness. I just want to help you. After this, I will return to my room."
"How about your leg? Does it still hurt?" Arielle asked worriedly. She rembered Tania once complained that her joints were a little stiff every ti she woke up. Arielle had repeatedly told the woman to rest, but Tania said she would feel even more sick if she didn’t do anything.
Arielle was worried because Tania was getting older. She looked at Tania who just left the room. Maybe lately, she didn’t pay too much attention to Tania. Her focus had been divided. She had to do her task as a queen, take care of Abigail’s eggs, up to visit the cathedral. Arielle’s ti was limited, but what she had to do kept piling up every day.
Perhaps after this, Arielle would ask Aie or Lucas about Tania. Her attitude just now was a little worrying. Arielle tried to close her eyes and go to sleep. The clock showed it was already past midnight, yet she didn’t feel sleepy at all.
She turned her body to lie on the other side, then tried to sleep again, but it was difficult. Thirty minutes after she tried to sleep, Arielle got up from her bed.
Reviews
All reviews (0)