Elisia took Franz's hand.
As soon as she touched it, a bitter cold swept over her, as if she'd been swallowed by ice.
She bit her lip at the familiar sensation of mana.
Every time she neutralized Franz's mana, she endured this horrific cold.
Within that cold, she had to draw out the fire buried deep within her body.
Neutralization was exhausting—like trying to start a fire with wet branches in a snowy field.
"Franz.
Look at me."
Elisia called to him in a trembling voice, her breath pluming in the air.
Despite the warm banquet hall, she felt like she stood in a blizzard.
But even after she called his name, Franz's face remained frozen, as if imprisoned in ice.
“Franz!”
She called again, sharper this time.
Only then did his body tremble slightly, and focus return to his eyes.
'Good.'
Elisia breathed out in relief as Franz regained consciousness.
Neutralizing mana wasn't a matter of will alone.
The minds of the neutralizer and the neutral had to connect.
Elisia turned fully to Franz, taking both of his trembling hands.
Her brows furrowed as she looked at his hands.
'Having to do this again...'
She did this because the Empress had ordered it, but anxiety gnawed at her from within.
Even when mana was stable, neutralization hurt.
In this case, when he stood on the verge of explosion, the pain would multiply exponentially.
But she couldn't retreat from fear of pain—not before the imperial family.
She had to prove her worth to them.
Only then would she avoid being discarded as in her previous life.
She swallowed hard and closed her eyes.
She focused all her senses, as if no one else existed in the world.
With time, the warmth of mana flowing through her body began to shift.
Elisia gathered her strength and directed mana toward her connection point with Franz.
Through their joined hands, warm flame mana flowed into him.
Little by little, his frozen mana melted, and the frigid air in the hall gradually returned to normal.
'It hurts.'
When neutralization began, a sharp, needle-like pain pierced her heart.
But Elisia kept her expression steady.
She was used to the pain of neutralization.
She was generally accustomed to enduring pain.
Golden threads of light formed around their intertwined hands.
A mysterious glow, mingled with her red hue, surrounded them both.
Even nearby servants held their breath as they watched.
The Empress watched with a dry expression as Elisia neutralized the mana—judging whether she was suitable for her second son.
She exhaled.
"It's done."
When Elisia's eyes began to shake, the Empress calmly gave her order.
Only then did Elisia release Franz's hands.
"That's enough."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Elisia answered with heavy breaths, rubbing her calloused hands.
She felt as if every cell in her body had frozen, and her mind clouded.
"I'm sorry."
Franz said in a regretful tone after regaining his composure.
But Elisia didn't look at him, focusing on rubbing her hands.
While rubbing her fingers, she suddenly froze.
Her face turned pale.
"Elysia, are you okay?"
Franz extended his hand toward her, but Elisia quickly rose.
The sound of her chair scraping against marble echoed in the hall.
Even the impassive Glenna showed astonishment.
"What's wrong, the prince's second wife?"
"Your Majesty...what...will happen to me now?"
Elisia ignored Glenna's question and made an urgent inquiry to the Empress.
Her body still shivered as if the cold hadn't left her.
The Empress gently raised her hand to her chin and examined Elisia.
Her face was pale, she held her right wrist with her other hand.
Her worried look made the Empress furrow her eyebrows slightly.
"It seems you need to stay in the Second Prince's Palace for a while."
"Excuse me?
But—"
Elisia was about to object, but her jaw trembled, so she stayed silent.
As she tightened her grip on her wrist, the Empress spoke with a puzzled expression: "To be affected like this by a single neutralization… This is something you will do all your life.
Isn't that a lot?
For now, stay by the Second Prince's side and stabilize the mana together."
"I...I'm fine, Your Majesty.
I can handle it.
You've seen for yourself."
"Because of what I just saw, I have made this decision.
I am worried about you, the Prince's second wife."
"But—I..."
"Your Majesty, if the Second Prince's wife says she is fine, isn't that enough?
Neutralization only happens once a month.
There's no need for her to stay in the Second Prince's Palace."
Glenna muttered angrily, dissatisfied with the direction of the conversation.
But the Empress ignored her and continued: "It is for her own good.
She is now a member of the royal family, under my care.
It would be cruel to leave her in a separate palace and only call her in times of need—especially when neutralization is this painful.
If the Second Prince's palace is small, I can expand it."
"No."
Elisia hurriedly shook her head.
Even if the palace expanded, it wouldn't change the fact that she would stay with Franz.
Besides, she was planning to leave the palace after two years.
No need to cause more trouble.
"I will follow Your Majesty's orders."
"A wise choice.
Let's end the banquet here."
The Empress smiled sweetly and rose.
So Glenna and Crichton rose with her.
Glenna gave her a sharp look before leaving.
But Elisia was in no position to care.
All her focus centered on her right wrist.
After the servants had withdrawn, Elisia gently revealed her wrist.
She stared at it with dark eyes.
A sharp wound, as if from a blade, marked her delicate wrist.
Her eyes trembled as she stared at the red injury.
'Why is this happening so quickly?'
Usually, these symptoms didn't appear before at least six neutralization sessions.
So why now?
Something was wrong.
"I'm sorry, Elisia.
You're still sick, and yet I forced you—"
"Don't touch me."
When he approached her, she instinctively jerked her hand away.
I grabbed her wrist and stood.
The chair crashed to the floor with a loud thud.
Franz froze, staring at the overturned chair, then looked back at Elisia.
"This is all… my fault."
His words faltered as he tried to explain himself.
"When you said you wanted to leave, I lost control of my emotions.
I... I couldn't bear the thought of losing you."
"So, how do you feel now?"
"What...?"
Elisia laughed coldly at his shocked face.
"It must be convenient for you.
In the end, you got everything you wanted—I'm staying in the Second Prince's Palace, neutralizing mana.
You got exactly what you wanted."
"I didn't do it on purpose."
Franz extended his hand again, but Elisia turned away desperately.
"Do you think saying 'I didn't do it on purpose' will fix things?
Will it make it less painful?"
Her voice cracked as she screamed.
"Maybe you didn't even think about how painful it was to be neutralized.
Or how I felt being tested in front of the Empress and the First Prince and his wife.
No—maybe you did, but you didn't care.
Because neutralizing your mana is my job.
That's why you married me—to use me when you needed me."
"...Liz."
"Don't call me that."
Elisia gritted her teeth as she held her wrist as if she would break it, and glared at Franz angrily.
"Liz?
When have you been so nice to me in the first place?
You only caused all this chaos because you were afraid I wouldn't neutralize your mana."
"That's not true.
It's not."
"So, what's the reason?"
Her lips twisted, and her vision blurred.
"If not that, what other reason do you need me for?"
Tears gathered in Elisia's eyes.
Franz's face began to distort.
When hot tears ran down her cheeks, he approached her.
He gently reached out and cupped her face, wiping away her reddened tears.
Then he whispered softly: "You're someone I need—just the way you are."
So, please...don't be sad.
Franz spoke softly...then planted a kiss on her lips.
And Elisia, exhausted, opened her lips without resistance...