Chapter 340: A Reality Gate Rune (2/2)

The Order was gone, but a sliver of his powers remained in her core, allowing Dia to know his location. She didn't know where he went to, but she got a general inkling.

Leaving the chair and her sand watch, Dia strode toward the door. As she opened it, she found someone standing in front of her. Dia scowled at the witch.

”What are you doing here?” She said to the witch, who had a mysterious smile on her face.

”That should be my line. Why are you still following the Seika? If you lend Freda your powers, then ruling Alva wouldn't be too much to ask.”

”We had a deal,” Dia said with a frown. ”I'll follow him until he gives me Alva. Those nobles would never negotiate with a Demi.”

”Are you sure of that?” Gala walked in, like before, without asking her for permission. ”Are you sure that when he gives you Alva, you will leave his side?”

”After we create Hidden City, Freda will have the resources to win the war. The Seika is the only one capable of achieving that. At that time, King Solomon will listen to his suggestion, and I'll leave.”

”You'll leave his side?”

”... Yes.” Dia frowned. She hated repeating herself, but the witch still looked doubtful.

”Let me ask you this.” Gala walked over slowly until she was inches away from Dia. ”What would you do if the Seika dies after you leave?”

”That's none of my business,” Dia said calmly. The witch smiled and turned to look around the room. With confusion, Dia turned as well.

”Oh Princess, you're either lying to yourself or me.” The witch said as she looked at the room.

It was frozen.

Dia gritted her teeth as flames appeared on her hands. She waved her arm and sent a blade of fire at the witch, who dodged easily and walked toward the door.

”I don't care if you leave or not. Just make sure that you won't regret it. After all, the Seika won't be around forever.” The witch said before she left.

Dia stood in the room with her fist clenched. The frozen room melted and the furniture dried under her flames. As she was trying to calm down, a knock arrived on her window.

She glanced through the window and found Arthur's puzzled expression. Calming herself down, Dia opened the window to allow him inside.

”What?”

Her tone was harsher than she intended because of the incident with the witch. Arthur looked stunned by her reaction, and he looked around the room.

”Are you alright?” He asked with a frown. ”I can feel that you are...”

”That's none of your business,” Dia said again, feeling as if he was intruding on her mind. She wondered if he can also hear her thoughts. Can he tell what she felt?

”...” He stared at her silently, the moonlight reflecting off his golden eyes. Dia felt something cold touch her forehead and realized that it was the back of his right hand. ”You're feverish.”

Her mind told her body to slap his arm away, but she didn't do it. Arthur retracted his hand with a slightly concerned expression on his face.

”There's nothing I can do if it's none of my business,” Arthur said, turning away and walking toward her desk. ”I have something to tell you.”

”...What is it?”

”I think you should stay here in Livia.” He tapped on the sand watch, a slight glow covering his fingers, and the frost covering the sand melted. The grains of sand resumed their falling. ”Of course, it's none of my business, but that's my opinion.”

He turned toward her with a light smile on his face. Her mind needed to process the words he said, and Dia couldn't help but let out a baffled laugh.

”You want to leave me here?”

Her voice sounded hurt, which made her angrier. The anger gathered in her chest like an unmovable mountain, crushing her insides.

”Leave...?” Arthur looked confused. ”I just think that you need to start forging connections with the nobles of Freda. Not all of them oppose the idea of handing Alva to you, and you need to give them the incentive.”

He was thinking politically now. Even in her moment of rage, Dia admired how fast he adapted to the rhythm of political life. This proved her correct: that he was capable of being a ruler. His suggestion was the right course of action.

'However, why does it hurt?'