Of course there was no reply. The person before her was Aster, not Kylance.

Ariel hadn’t spoken those words expecting an answer. She just needed to share her feelings with someone.

She wanted to admit, if only once, how difficult it all was.

Every day that passed, every time she closed her eyes at night, she wished that tomorrow would never come.

She wished it was all just a terrible nightmare.

And if this was indeed her reality, she wanted nothing more than to erase every memory she had of Kylance.

The thought had crossed her mind only moments ago.

“Maybe it’s because I’m struggling so much… but I can’t seem to shake the thought of Princess Faelin. Knowing that she’s OK doesn’t change my situation, but… for some reason, hearing that she’s OK makes me feel like I can get through this too. It’s irrational, I know.”

“My lady…”

At the sound of Aster’s bittersweet voice, Ariel lifted her eyes.

When her eyes met Aster’s clear blue, she finally realised that she had said far too much. As she smiled awkwardly, about to apologise, Aster spoke first.

“Faelin got over it.”

Ariel’s eyes trembled and Aster confirmed his words.

“Faelin has successfully overcome her pain. And now she’s very well. So, my lady, you will overcome this too. You’re much stronger than Faelin ever was.”

“…….”

Overwhelmed with emotion, Ariel couldn’t bring herself to respond and simply held her tongue.

Hearing Aster’s reassurance that the princess had overcome her wounds brought her some comfort and eased the turmoil in her heart, if only a little.

Perhaps, as Aster said, she too could overcome this.

For the first time in a long time, she felt a glimmer of hope.

Trying not to cry, Ariel steadied her trembling throat with a deep breath. Then Aster spoke.

“And, my lady, since I’ve guaranteed you, you’re not thinking of selling me to that miserly merchant’s head, are you?”

His tone was so casual, so light, as if nothing serious had just happened. It was as if he hadn’t even noticed her reddened eyes.

Caught off guard, Ariel stared at him, confused, not sure what he was talking about. Aster, feigning genuine horror, shuddered dramatically.

“The head of the trading company clearly seems to be a bad person. I’m sure he would treat me like a slave.”

A merchant head turning the Archmage into a servant? The sheer absurdity of the thought left her speechless.

No one could possibly afford to “buy” the Archmage, let alone enslave him. Such a notion was ludicrous – anyone who dared to suggest it would probably be struck down on the spot.

Ariel, stunned by his cheeky bravado, stared at Aster before bursting into laughter. It was the kind of pure, carefree laughter she hadn’t let out in a long time.

Aster narrowed his eyes and added in a playful tone, 

“Not answering makes me very uncomfortable, you know… Don’t even think about it, my lady. If you do, I might just take revenge by stealing your watch when you’re not looking.”

His gaze flicked briefly to her waist, where a pocket watch was securely fastened. 

The pocket watch was said to hold an ancient enchantment. Though she hadn’t been told exactly what the enchantment was, Ariel had carried the watch with her ever since she’d learned of its significance. 

It was almost ridiculous, but having it with her somehow eased her fears. 

But… how could he even know about it? 

Almost instinctively, Ariel covered the watch at her waist with her hand, as if to shield it. 

It was safely tucked under the lace of her dress, out of sight. 

Noticing her defensive reaction, Aster chuckled softly, clearly amused.

“It was a joke. Surely you don’t think I would actually steal anything from you, my lady.” 

“Well… I was just startled for a moment…” 

Feeling slightly embarrassed, Ariel lowered the hand that had instinctively moved to cover her waist. Without hesitation she asked, 

“But how did you know? You couldn’t have seen it…” 

Aster replied matter-of-factly, 

“That’s because I don’t need to see the pocket watch itself. I can feel the magic circle inside it. There’s no need to look at it physically – magic is an invisible force.” 

“Oh, right…” 

Of course. The reason she wore the pocket watch in the first place was because of the ancient magic circle inside it. And here she was, asking the very person who had discovered it how he knew. 

Ariel bit her lip, a little embarrassed, before answering quietly.

“I’m a bit scattered today… That was such a stupid question.”

“It’s understandable. You’re not a mage, so you wouldn’t know these things. But, my lady…” 

“Yes?” 

“Now that the clock is here, and I’ve conveniently found myself in your carriage, I think this would be the perfect time to tell you.” 

“Tell me what?” 

As Ariel gave him a curious look, Aster’s lips curved into a slight smile before he spoke. 

“About the magic circle in this pocket watch.” 

The ancient magic in the watch – something she hadn’t been able to learn about before, thanks to the sudden arrival of Kylance’s assistant that day. 

A soft “Ah…” escaped Ariel’s lips as her gaze instinctively dropped to her waist, where the pocket watch rested. 

“My lady,” Aster began, his tone serious, “the magic sealed within this watch is nothing more than an incredibly powerful protective spell.”

“A protection spell?” 

A protection spell usually referred to a barrier designed to block an enemy’s attacks, but to have one embedded in such a small pocket watch was almost unbelievable. 

Ariel had never thought too deeply about it, but she had once speculated that the watch might contain a time-related spell, given its nature as a timepiece. 

As a child, she had heard stories of ancient mages from the dawn of time who could even turn back time with their magic. 

So perhaps… perhaps it was something like that. 

If she could turn back time, she would desperately want to return to the moments before this terrible reality unfolded, before she had ever met Kylance. 

Of course, she knew that ancient magic circles had long since lost their functional power, but still… 

A fleeting thought, and yet such an impossible one. 

It was too grand an idea, she realised. 

A vague feeling of disappointment crept into her heart and she lowered her eyes. 

Then Aster spoke again. 

“It’s not as simple as a protective barrier. It’s an incredibly powerful spell – one that can save a dying person.”

“A spell that can save a dying person?” 

Ariel’s head snapped up in shock. She had hardly thought about it before, but a spell that could revive someone on the brink of death? 

Even the highest circle healers couldn’t save a dying person – not to mention the fact that healers themselves were incredibly rare. 

Could a protection spell really have that kind of power? 

Ariel remembered that the realm of healing leaned more towards divine power than magic, and she had learned that instances of such feats were almost non-existent in ancient magic. 

As she struggled to process this seemingly unbelievable revelation, Aster calmly elaborated. 

“Yes. It’s an extraordinary spell that combines the powers of a protective barrier and healing.” 

“To think that such an incredible artefact… existed in my family…” 

Ariel’s words trailed off, her face still frozen in disbelief. 

It was hard not to be amazed.

“If what you say is true,” Ariel began, “then this pocket watch, with its ancient spell, could truly make a mark in the history of magic.”

Indeed, the discovery was monumental, as Aster had indicated – and it explained why he coveted the watch so much. 

Such an artefact didn’t seem to belong in the hands of a mere noble family, but rather in the royal treasury or a magical institution like the Tower. 

After a moment’s thought, Ariel carefully removed the pocket watch from where it was hidden at her waist. She held it delicately, running her fingers over its polished surface, before speaking softly. 

“I don’t think I should keep this to myself.” 

“Excuse me?” 

Aster, caught off guard by her words, looked at her in confusion. Ariel met his gaze firmly. 

“I don’t know how this old pocket watch ended up in the Blante family. Perhaps one of my ancestors came across it by chance. But I doubt they knew it was such an extraordinary magical relic.”

“….”

“Which is why I can’t accept this, Lady Ariel.”

Aster said with a gentle smile, pushing her hand back slightly to reject the pocket watch. 

Although Ariel had tried to console herself by parting with the artefact – something that had given her considerable comfort – it was clear that Aster had no intention of taking it. 

The momentary flicker of confusion in her emerald eyes didn’t go unnoticed, and Aster chuckled softly. 

“You really are remarkable,” he remarked, his tone tinged with admiration. “Like something out of a storybook – the embodiment of the ideal, virtuous noble.” 

Ariel blinked, her lips parting slightly as if to reply, but the words didn’t come immediately. The sincerity in Aster’s voice disarmed her, making it difficult to think of a response. 

“Nevertheless,” Aster continued, his expression softening further, “this clock is yours. It was given to your family for a reason, and now it’s where it belongs. Keep it.” 

“But…” Ariel hesitated. “It’s such an important artefact. Wouldn’t it serve a greater purpose in the hands of someone like you, or…?” 

Aster shook her head firmly but kindly. 

“The day may come when its purpose becomes clear,” he said. “Until then, it’s yours to guard. Trust that you’re meant to keep it for now.” 

“What?” 

“To think you’d part with such a precious artefact so easily, without expecting anything in return. Even if your ancestors were unaware of the magic inscribed in this pocket watch, it’s still a possession of House Blante, isn’t it?” 

“That may be true, but…”

“If I were in your position, I would have made a grand bargain with the Mage Tower for it,” Aster replied, his tone unyielding. “I would demand enough wealth and power to restore the Blante family to its former glory in an instant.” 

His piercing blue eyes locked with hers, unwavering, making it clear he wasn’t joking. 

Ariel’s lips parted slightly, but she couldn’t find the words to respond immediately. His confidence, combined with the seriousness of his proposal, took her by surprise.