I opened the office door abruptly, and Calix looked at me with wide eyes, stammering. However, that wasn’t the important thing right now.

“Please look at this, Your Highness.”

I held out the note I had received with a very serious face.

“I checked, and it seems someone has infiltrated the Crown Prince’s palace. A suspicious person gave me this note in the dining hall today.”

But Calix still had a blank look and gave no answer. He should have taken some time alone… He’s still in a daze.

“Your Highness. You need to focus on your duties. This is a serious matter. Can’t you see the writing? It says the First Prince is looking for me.”

“…Why are you so calm about this?”

Calix looked at me with a very aggrieved expression. He seemed a bit angry too.

I returned his gaze with a troubled expression, matching the serious atmosphere.

It wasn’t that I didn’t understand how he felt. But that wasn’t what was important right now.

Feeling I needed to appease Calix first, I spoke to him in the gentlest voice possible.

“Your Highness. I understand what you’re thinking, but that’s not what’s important right now. Let’s think about our matter later.”

At my words, Calix frowned and made a face full of discontent.

He suddenly stood up, came over, and grabbed my sleeve, yanking me toward him.

“No. Right now, immediately. I need to know how you feel about me.”

The hand gripping my sleeve seemed to tremble slightly.

I let out a short sigh.

Despite his prickly exterior, Calix is a much more emotional person than one might think.

So I needed to be the rational one.

Taking a deep breath, I gently took hold of his hand.

“Your Highness.”

“….”

At my call, Calix looked down at me with a still confused face.

“Don’t be hasty.”

At those words, his other hand completely covered our joined hands. I could feel him squeezing tightly.

“Right now, you are the most important person to me.”

My original goal had long since disappeared.

Besides, my body back there was already dead.

No matter what fuss I make, I can’t go home.

“Well. I’m not so sure about that.”

Calix said with a slight smile.

“If I’m the most important, why did you go to meet that woman without saying anything? I just can’t understand it, no matter how I think about it. Why would you meet a woman who destroyed the temple and even threatened my life?”

His face came closer.

“Because she’s a ghost like you?”

He cupped my cheek with a confused look.

“Because she came from the same place?”

Faced with this sudden, serious question, I just stared back with wide eyes, not knowing how to answer.

This isn’t right. I just came to tell him that the First Prince was trying to meet me.

But as my answer was delayed, his breathing became increasingly rough, and eventually his voice rose.

“Because you want to go back?”

I swallowed. I had nothing to say.

Thinking slowly, the reason I met her was…

“Why aren’t you answering?”

Despite his forceful tone, gentle fingers caressed my cheek.

“Do you know what research the Tower Master is conducting now?”

His firm thumb rubbed the corner of my eye.

“Research on opening new dimensions that was used during the Magic Era.”

Then, still with an angry face, he lifted my chin, silently commanding me to look at him.

“Everyone said he was crazy. Saying you’ll open a new dimension is no different from saying you’ll challenge the Absolute by summoning beings from another dimension who dare to meddle with fate.”

I bit my lip. Why is he telling me this now?

“So that’s why he helps that woman even to the point of destroying the temple. To use a body touched by divine power to complete his research. That’s the kind of being a magician is.”

Calix hung his head low and grabbed both my shoulders.

“Even so, am I still the most important to you?”