Around a week later, Athy was having a picnic with the girls again, I'd refused to show up because I hadn't been sleeping well and growing cranky.

My usual behaviour was bad enough, I didn't want those poor girls to be traumatized and take away the slim chances of Athy making friends.

After my sword training, I walked back towards Dad's palace as I was too tired to use magic. I had managed to finish most of the paperwork last night that's why I could at least take a small break.

But since I was too tired to even walk at some point I just lied down under the shade of a tree and before I knew I dozed off.

The scene of the bloodbath replayed in front of my eyes again, Dad was lying dead near Anastacius' feet and I felt someone beside me.

Athy stood beside me this time she was trembling with fear and crying as Dad wasn't moving.

"Ara..." She whimpered as she clung to my arm.

Anastacius walked towards me and Athy, I pushed her behind me.

"With you gone, I'll get what I want." He had a mad grin on his face as he swung his sword but instead of slashing me someone who threw themselves before me.

I was too shocked to see Jeanette who stood before me with tears running down her face but before I could do anything she fell.

"Y-Your Highness?"

I gasped as I felt someone touching me, I gripped their hand and glared at the person who'd dared to do that.

The gaze of a terrified girl met mine and slowly realized who it was.

Jeanette? Why is she here?

I let go of her hand sitting up and she held it to her chest looking like she was in pain.

"I'm sorry." I said and she shook her head.

"It's okay." She hesitantly met my eyes.

"Y-You seemed like you were having a bad dream, so, I tried to wake you up." She said and I sighed running my hand through my hair. If I'd known something like this would happen then I would have just gone for Athy's tea party.

That's when I recalled why Jeanette must be here.

"Are you lost?" I asked and she looked at me.

"You must be here for Athanasia's tea party, right? Did you get lost?" I asked as I placed my hand on my propped up knee.

"Ah, yes." She said and I looked behind her.

"Did you come from there?" I asked gesturing behind her and she looked back once before nodding. She seemed scared, was I really that violent? Or did she...?

"Did you by any chance run into my Dad?" I asked and she gasped.

"H-How did you..."

"That explains why you look like this," I said as I sighed.

"Did he say something to you?"

She looked down at her gown.

"H-He told me not to roam around the palace and not to show him myself again." She said in a low voice and I was slightly surprised.

Did he really say that to her? Was something like this in the story? Well, since I had forgotten quite a lot of minor details so, I wasn't sure.

I noticed the bruises forming on her hand from where I'd grabbed her and I felt slightly guilty. She seemed quite weak.

"Give me your hand." I said and she slightly flinched.

"Pardon?"

"Give me your hand." I repeated as I presented my hand to her.

She hesitantly placed her hand in mine and I healed the bruises from her hand, feeling the throbbing in my head disappear.

"I-I talked with Princess Athanasia just now... She seemed like she loves Her Highness a lot, she said that since childhood even before His Majesty, you had been there for her. You had been taking care of her and protecting her... I felt slightly envious hearing that."

She then chuckled, "I have a Ijekiel but I really wanted a sister..."

"Alpheus household is taking care of you, right?" I asked as I let go of her hand after healing it.

"Yes," she said and then admired her hand, "Wow, it doesn't hurt anymore."

"Sir Roger said his cousin, your mother is recuperating in the countryside. How's her health now?"

Jeanette looked like she was at a loss for words as she avoided my gaze.

"Sh-She's doing well... I so-sometimes write her letters, so... yes, she's, uh, she's fine."

She's a really bad liar.

"What about your father?" I asked and she slightly flinched and didn't say anything.

"Ah, pardon me, it's none of my business to know after all. You should head back now."

I said as I lied back down feeling sleepy.

"M-My father..." I looked at her as she started speaking.

"Hopefully, I'm soon going to meet him." She said with a smile.

"I'm going to meet my family soon."

There was a strange feeling in my chest, I still couldn't understand what my exact feeling for her was. Earlier I was angry and hostile towards her but, somehow, I couldn't feel that hatred anymore. It was as if there was a strange warm glow that emanated from her that made me feel at ease.

How ironic! She was a Chimera made by black magic but she was acting like a warm angel-like presence for me.

"By the way, can you tell me what's your favourite color, Princess?" She asked and I slightly frowned.

"Hah... uh..." I suddenly recalled Lucas' ruby red eyes.

"Red." I blurted out and she smiled.

"Okay."

Her eyes glistened and I heard a familiar voice which made her flinch.

"Ara?!"

I sighed and looked at Jeanette, it was impossible for her to escape.

"Be quiet and don't speak." I said as I snapped my fingers, she looked confused as she quickly turned and Dad walked from behind the bushes.

"What are you doing?" He asked as I lied there with my eyes closed.

"I'm tired, I need some rest." I answered and heard him approaching. I heard Jeanette gasping.

"Don't worry, he won't be able to see you. I've casted an invisiblity spell on you." I told her through telepathy.

"Don't you have your own bed to sleep in? Or my room where you usually lounge around?"

"Excuse me? I mostly work in your room and when do I have a chance to go to my room?  I'm always trapped in my  office or your room." I said looking at him as he stood above me.

"These days, I'll forget that I even have a bedroom." I said and then ran my eyes through his outfit and then over to Jeanette who was staring up at Dad.

"There are guests around in the palace, Dad, don't go around dressed like that. Girls will want to be my and Athy's mother." I heard a sound of someone nearly bursting out laughing, I saw Jeanette quickly covering her mouth.

"Lack of sleep has filled your head with nonsense again."

I turned to the other side waving my hand dismissively at him as I said, "Whatever, just go back, I'll take a nap h-"

My eyes widened as I felt a pair of arms scooping me up from the ground.

"Wha-What are you doing?" I asked as I looked at Dad who was carrying me.

"You're light. Are you not eating well these days?"

"I always seem light to you." I said.

"Your sister is heavier than you."

"Don't tell me you go around carrying her too."

"You don't want me to?"

"You're growing old, you'll break a bone if you keep doing this."

"Who are you calling old?" Dad stared down at me and I stared right back but then I sighed.

How could I call this man old? This man didn't look a day older than 30. Wait, maybe 30 isn't a good figure...

"Fine, my bad. Just put me down I'll go back to office. There's still some work pending."

But he started walking and I frowned.

"Since you're free, take a nap with me." He said.

"Hah?!"

I looked at Jeanette who stood up watching us leave and I snapped my fingers. I gestured her to go on and she smiled at me.

"What are you doing?"

"I should be the one asking you, what if someone sees us like this? They'll think you're taking away my dead body."

His gaze turned sharp again and I sighed.

"Geez, fine. Do as you please."

Dad carried me back to his room and placed me down on his bed.

"Just take a nap here." He spoke as he turned to walk away.

"What was the problem there?"

"I didn't want some unnecessary pests to disturb you." He said and I sighed shaking my head before I just turned on my side and closed my eyes. My head was starting to throb again, it was as if something was hitting the insides of my head with a jackhammer.

The nightmares and my time of falling asleep was somehow increasing, it was as if I was put under the sleep spell, my body kept growing tired with each day and my head most of the times had immense pain.

I was still trying to keep up with work but I had stopped eating the meals properly which was the case of worry for Athy and Dad.

The next day, I went over to my office and after working with a pounding headache, I walked over to Dad's room and placed the paper work on the table as I plopped on the sofa.

"Don't work so hard," Dad said as he checked the pile of papers and I looked at him.

"Don't ruin your health for the work you can't handle." He spoke coldly.

Work I can't handle?!

Now, since I was already having headaches, I snapped at him.

"Fine, do it on your own. I won't show myself to you again!" I hissed at his face and stormed out of his room.

It had been three days for that and I hadn't gone around Dad's palace, I would usually hang around Athy who seemed like she was trying to make peace between me and Dad, and the only other person whom I was spending most of my time with was Lucas.

"Why do you look dead on feet?" He asked as he appeared in my room with Athy behind him.

"What do you want?" I asked as I sighed running a hand through my hair.

"Ara... are you still having problems sleeping?" She asked and I shook my head.

"My head hurts." I said and Lucas approached me and tapped my forehead taking away the excess mana making my head feel lighter.

"Your mana keeps on growing quickly." He said and I just lied down on my bed.

"I'm going to sleep now."

"I'm taking your sister out in town." Lucas said.

"Date?" I asked.

"Hell, no!"

"Fine, just take care of her. Ah, wait." I said and used my magic to pull out a pouch of money and dropped it in Lucas' hand.

"Use this." I snapped my fingers to change their attires.

I also changed Athy's hair and eye color deep black hair and red eyes as Lucas now.

"I look like I could be his sibling."

"Good enough." I mumbled before going back to sleep.

I woke up when I heard the sounds of Athy and Lucas when they came back and started bickering.

"The hell are you doing?" I groaned and the two looked at me.

"Ah, sorry."

"Tch," Lucas came up to me and tapped on my forehead, "Just sleep."

He put a slumber spell on me and I fell asleep quickly.

Just like that two weeks passed and Athy was having another party near the lake, good thing Dad removed that monster from that lake after Athy and I nearly drowned the last time.

I hadn't gone near the lake after that incident and even Athy never insisted that we should.

The only thing that I did consistently was my morning training and swords fighting which usually made me tired enough to fall asleep quickly.

Even now like a few days ago, I ended up falling near the tree where I had met Jeanette two weeks ago.

I groaned as my head was starting to pound uncontrollably now as if my brain was swelling from within and gripped it.

"Ara?!" I heard a familiar voice and looked up to see Dad's figure rushing over to me.

The pouding in my head started spreading towards my frontal lobe and the back of my eyeballs started burning making my eyesight blurry.

"What's wrong? Are you hurt?" He asked and I held onto his hand to keep myself from falling.

"My head hurts." I groaned and he grabbed my shoulders trying to keep me facing him but the dizziness took over.

I was completely blacked out but I wasn't conscious either, I could feel Dad picking me up and rushing towards somewhere possibly his room.

After that I really blacked out.

I woke up in the dark room and looked at Dad who sat at the edge of the bed.

"Dad?" I spoke up and he looked at me.

"You should rest some more." He said and I sighed turning to face him.

"I'm sorry... I didn't realize the work load will be too much for you." He said and I narrowed my eyes at him.

"You think I'm so weak that I couldn't handle a little work?"

"What will you say about your condition then?" He countered and I sighed.

"I'm fine."

"Didn't I tell you not to say that again?" He said and I reached out and touched his hand.

"As long as you and Athy are here, I'll be fine, Dad." I said and his gaze softened a little.

"Just go to sleep." He said and I smiled before closing my eyes.

The other night I was in my room trying to fall asleep when I felt the dip on the edge of my bed and I inhaled Lucas' scent.

"Why are you here, Lucas?" I asked and opened my eyes to see him sitting beside me. I pushed myself up and sat beside him, he looked quite serious.

"What is it? Did your crush reject you or something?" I asked jokingly and he looked at me seeming like something very intense swirled in his eyes before he turned away.

"I'm leaving." He simply said.

"To find the Sacred World Tree?" I asked and he nodded.

"Yes, it's time I go look for it. Your original mana as well the black mana are acting up in your body. I will need to get stronger to get rid of it."

I sighed as I rested my head on his shoulder.

"Find it quickly and come back as soon as you can." I said and he wrapped his arm around my shoulders.

"You sure you'll be fine while I'm away?" He asked and I sighed.

"I don't know, I took away Dad's black mana so, even if there is a mana explosion he might not lose any memories. No, I won't let him be anywhere near it." I said and he sighed.

"You know sometimes I hate you for being so obsessed with your sister and your father."

I chuckled.

"You'll know this feeling when you fall in love, Lucas. The feeling of wanting to see them happy each and every day, you'll want to take away everything that would even pose a little danger to them."

"You'll want to hold them close to you all the time, you'll wish that even if you're in pain they would be happy. And you know what? You won't feel bad even if the death meant for them came your way."

Suddenly I felt Lucas pulling me into his arms, I was slightly surprised as he held me like that. I simply closed my eyes and let him hold me like that.

"I don't wish to fall in love," he said.

"It sounds like a hassle." I chuckled as he said that but I patted his back and wove my fingers in his silky black hair.

"I wish you do." I said.

"Then you'll see that the world looks more beautiful when you have that one person around."

Lucas left that night telling me that in a few days he would leave to look for the World Tree and I waited... waited for the biggest thing that was to come.

***

Hello everyone!

How are all of you? I know some of you might not be well but... Fighting!

Anyways, how did you find this chapter?

And also, while reading chapters can you guys drop some manwha recommendations, it'll be helpful for me as well as for other readers who are looking for some good manwhas to read.

Well, I've just started, "The Heroine wants me to be her sister-in-law." Had anyone read it before?

Let me know in comments.

Have a great day everyone!