IT WAS TOO BRIGHT for her to see what was happening in front of her when all she can hear was her father and some girl that is unknown to her. it wasn't Diana for sure because that person's voice is rather more beautiful and nice voice but of course, Diana also has a nice voice but somehow this person felt so different.

everything was now clear to her just to see a beautiful lady as her starlight-coloured hair flew just as the breeze blew across her complexion and her golden hues gazed as it shines as she looks around the palace.

just by looking at the lady, Antanasia can tell that this was her mother, her biological mother who was in the painting that her father had in his room and the one who died by giving birth to her as what she is seeing right now is one of the memories that her father had with him and her mother together.

"Estelle." the young lady looked at the emperor as she smiled at him. "greetings, your majesty." she said as the now emperor smiled back at her. while the two were having a lovely day, Nas just kept looking at them as she can tell that Claude loved his mother more than she thought. the way he looked at her mother was something she can tell and it was called love.

those two are in love with each other so much that not even Diana would be able to get Claude if her mother was still alive right now. she wants to at least hold her mother's hand or at least feel her love too like how her father felt when her mother was still alive. she wants to know how the emperor loves her too much for him to still have the painting with the two of them together and a painting where she's wearing like what Diana wore when she first came in the palace. before she could even hold her mother's hand... she woke up.

Antanasia suddenly opened her eyes to see a familiar person she didn't want to see the first thing she woke up was beside her right now.

"finally you're awake, you must think you're some kind of sleeping beauty and didn't I tell you that you're not allowed to use your mana as you pleased because it's too powerful for you to use?" the raven-haired said. Antanasia quietly stared at him and then shut her eyes. pretending to sleep and ignoring him.

"oh? now you're pretending to sleep after what you have done?" Lucas asked. "should I fetch a prince for you from abroad? which country would you prefer? arlanta? huale? sycansia?" Lucas angrily said, making Nas pissed off.

"can you shut up for a second? I was in the middle of an important dream but you decided to ruin it!" she said as she was pissed right now because of the warlock.

"you owe me your life again." Lucas smirked as the girl just rolled her eyes as she sighed.

"I have a question though." he said as the girl just looked at him permitting him to continue speaking. "I'm curious why is that you absorbed your sister's mana when your body isn't even compatible with your own mana." he said as he looks at her seriously. "I told you years ago that you have a weak body so having a lot of mana is bad for you and might kill you one day." she just look down while clenching the blanket. of course, she knew that there was a chance she will die but she also doesn't want her sister to be hurt despite Lucas helping her in the future too.

the door suddenly creaked open and there came Felix, Claude and Athanasia who were being held by Felix walking through.

"your highness!" Felix said happily while Athanasia was also looking happy to see her sister finally awake from her slumber. Nas raised her hand as Claude immediately came to pick her up. Claude's hand made contact with the back of her head as he hugged her tightly. he also quickly scanned her before asking Lucas some questions. "there won't be any side effects?" Claude asked.

Lucas started coughing like crazy making Athanasia glare at him as the oldest just looked at him uninterested. "ah... it seems I may have used up almost all my power to heal the princesses." Lucas said.

"certainly, you deserve praise for your hard work. of course, that will be after confirming that the princesses are completely recovered." Claude said as Lucas started sobbing with a sparkling aura surrounding him making Antanasia sweatdrop.

"I beg your pardon, your majesty, but the princesses is still not completely healed." Lucas said with fake tears and bright sparkles surrounding him.

"What do you mean she's not completely healed?"

"I beg your forgiveness, I am still a boy in training, and I was not able to stabilize the princesses mana completely. but the worse has passed, so their mana will slowly be returning to its place now… kegh!" he fakes coughs to add another dynamic to his acting skills. "this sort of thing may happen a few more times in the, *cough* future, but I'll make sure when that happens... I will sacrifice my body to help the princ- uhp *cough* *cough*"

Felix rushes to Lucas' side and grabs his shoulders lightly. "your majesty, I think it would best if we give him some rest. we can hear the details later, it seems the young warlock has exhausted himself.

Claude sighed. "very well."

as Felix and Lucas walk by, Athanasia catches the smirk behind Lucas' covered mouth. she wanted to make a fuss but Amana burst into the room in a frazzled state.

"your highness!" she called out after seeing the princess awake. "Amana!" Nas beamed as Amana rushed in front of her and Claude.

Amana cries and hiccups, "I finally get to see you again. I… I'm so… for the past months, I've thought I might never see you again, so I…" she rubs her hands against her eyes.

"A month?"

"yes. you have been asleep for exactly 48 days while princess Athanasia has been asleep for only 24 days." she answered.

─────────────────────

it's already afternoon and right now she's sitting right next to Athanasia on the couch while Lucas is sitting across them.

"consider yourself lucky. you'd be dead if I had got there even a moment later." Lucas said while munching the chocolate. "seriously, why are these so good? ask the maid for more when she comes in."

'why don't you explain first what you're doing here?' Athanasia thought.

"oh yeah. turns out your Dad isn't the son of Aetarnithas?"

"are you stupid? Aetarnithas has been for 200 years already." she said while looking at her pet. Athanasia looked at Lucas again, "what, you want some of this? wanna trade?" he said.

"I don't want it! And I'm not trading!" Athanasia said while hugging the magical beast.

"even if that thing is the reason why you and your sister were like that in the first place?"

"What?"

"you keep touching it like that, so the mana got absorbed back into your body and caused all this hullabaloo. It's rare, but it seems that your mana has a strong will to return to you. or you just have way too much and your sister is an idiot trying to use her mana deciding to help you made her be like this too." Lucas clarified.

"t—then does that mean I can't spend time with raven anymore?" Athanasia said sadly.

Lucas chuckled. "you take me for an idiot who can't even solve a puny problem like that? you think I'd end up killing someone I just saved?" Lucas smirked.

"N-No?"

"you should be grateful that I stopped your Dad from killing this. anyways… your dad seems to really care for the both of you, huh? he tried to play this thing the moment he heard that it was the reason you both were dying. It would actually have been more dangerous if he had since all the mana this holy beast was holding would flowed back at you."

'I'm hungry…" Antanasia said in her mind.

minutes have passed and the door opens revealing none other than their dad.

"Daddy!" Athanasia runs to her father.

"he's being…"

"I'm sorry if my words have upset you, princess. but your pet is a tricky magical creature to handle even for skilled magicians. It would be best if you separated yourself from it. but since your highness does not wish for that to happen, I recommend that you at least decrease the time you spend with it." Lucas said, trying to act cute.

"you're right. But I think it would be best if you threw it away."

"d-dad. he said raven isn't that dangerous anymore though.." Athanasia tried to explain.

Claude hugged her and spoke. "There's no saying whether a dog that bit once won't bite again," Claude said coldly.

'but raven is not a dog' Athanasia and Nas thought at the same time.

"the princesses mana is still unstable. It would be dangerous for them to spend too much time together. It would be best if they didn't come in contact for more than 3 or 4 hours a day." Lucas said.

the three just kept talking when Lucas finally spoke. "I'll be going now," Lucas said.

"take that thing with you," Claude said carrying his two daughters.

"daddy, can't Athy feed Raven? Raven is probably hungry. please?" Athanasia said acting all cute.

"I'm also hungry dad…" Antanasia said while holding her belly.

"I should chuck it after all."

"hmm? what was that, mr magician? you'll feed Raven for Athy? thank you!"

"I've changed my mind. get rid of it right now."

"A, Ahhhmmng, I can't stop yawning. Athy's sleepy daddy. I wanna go to sleep."

Antanasia and Lucas are trying not to laugh at the scene in front of them.

"since the princess says she's tired I'll take my leave as well."

"Hng, so sleepy."

"I'm hungry…"

❲ EDITED ❳