The imperial family possessed mana stones imbued with their own mana.
The location of the stone containing the essence of their mana is considered one of the greatest secrets of the royal blood.
If a mana stone is shattered, its owner's life is in danger.
Despite these risks, these stones are kept for one reason only: to keep the empire running smoothly.
It is the imperial family's responsibility to find solutions when disasters or abnormal phenomena occur.
Their means of performing this duty are mana stones.
If it became public knowledge when and where imperial family members used their mana, issues of fairness and discrimination among the nobles would arise.
So when disaster strikes, the imperial family secretly sends the stone to the chief magician to activate it.
This way, the Imperial Family maintains its influence without leaving Calebs, and without revealing when they used their mana.
If everyone had known, they would have rushed to beg for help for their regions first.
Who doesn't despair in the face of disaster?
But the imperial family cannot meet all these demands.
Blindly interfering with nature's will may upset the world's balance.
As harsh as it is, sometimes monsoon rains, droughts, or heavy snows are necessary.
Some things cannot be harvested without a year of hardship, and dams are built only with the wisdom gained from a rainy season.
Everyone needs some kind of adversity.
The imperial family arranges this carefully.
They plan for humans to face only as many trials as they can bear, all in secret.
And only one person knows about this: the chief magician, Harunika Melakizerina.
>But even the chief magician doesn't know where the mana stones are hidden.
Elisia's eyes sparkled as she scanned the dimly lit room.
Since Franz is of royal blood, he must have a Mana Stone.
It is most likely hidden in this room.
Elisia had previously seen Franz's Mana Stone—at the ceremony where his future bride was chosen.
His mana stone was golden amber, just like his eyes.
A pure, flawless round gem.
Not all mana gems are actual gems.
Only a few members of the Imperial Family possessed Mana Gem Stones, and Franz was one of those few.
When Elisia saw the sparkling Manah Stone for the first time, she felt as if her soul had been stolen.
That the Mana Stone alone fascinates me...so how can he be the prince himself?
Inside the barrier set up by the chief mage, Elisia touched Franz's Mana Stone.
She approached him with a trembling heart, and the amber stone responded to her.
It glowed with a bright golden color, and in return, a red light shimmered from her body.
Then it was over.
As soon as the girl who responded to the mana stone appeared, the chief mage snatched it away.
In the blink of an eye, the stone was gone, and the evaluation was over.
From that moment on, Elisia never saw Franz's Mana Stone again.
Because she wasn't worthy of him.
In rare cases, when the spiritual bond is mutual, both parties can hold each other's Mana Stone.
But their relationship was not that beautiful.
Elisia was related to Franz one-sidedly.
He wasn't her soul mate.
So she didn't know anything more about the Mana Stone.
>Who would have thought I'd ever care about that?
Elisia thought bitterly as she approached Franz's bed.
In her previous life, it never occurred to her to wonder where the stone was.
She didn't even have the luxury to think about that.
All she wanted was Franz's attention.
One look, a kind word, anything from him—that was just what life meant to her.
>At least I'm lucky he wasn't my soulmate.
She thought coldly as she pulled the curtains off the bed.
As twilight faded, moonlight flooded the room.
She looked coldly at Franz lying on the bed, his face pale.
>He seems calm...it's unbelievable that he had a seizure.
Elisia reached out to touch his cheek, but stopped.
What's the point of touching him?
She wondered.
Especially since she had entered the room stealthily.
>If he were my soulmate, he would wake up as soon as I appeared.
She thought quietly, looking at him without moving.
How happy she was that he wasn't her soulmate.
If it had been, Elisia would not have lasted two years in her previous life—she would have died quickly.
The spiritual bond derives its energy from mutual affection.
Franz would have enjoyed great power thanks to Elisia's abundant love.
But the opposite was not possible.
If he was her soulmate, she would dry up day by day.
She would feel her mana running out, and endure the torment of neutralization day after day.
Just imagining it was terrifying.
She was going to have to beg Franz... just to survive.
Elisia's expression changed as she suddenly stepped back from the bed.
>Could it be that his mana's instability...is because of me?
She stopped in her tracks.
Moonlight filtered through the shadows of the blue room as she stood motionless, looking at the prone Franz.
If she hates him, he receives almost no mana.
>Is it possible...?
Elisia's eyes suddenly widened.
She swallowed hard.
>Has my influence on him become that strong?
She wasn't sure.
Even if the bond affected mana, this seemed excessive.
Franz was...as if he was dying!
>True...I hate him enough to wish him dead.
Elisia looked at Franz's face, still in the shadows.
From his features, she couldn't tell if he was in pain or relieved.
>First, I need to find the Mana Stone.
She raised her eyes and began hurriedly scanning the room.
She had entered Franz's room searching for the Manah Stone.
If his heartbeat slows, his stone will start to turn black.
The mana stone is the easiest way to know its condition.
And he also…
>If you destroy it, it's all over.
He is the means to destroy Franz.
Elisia clenched her hand.
It's not the first time she's thought about the stone.
But she didn't want to give him an easy ending.
She wanted him to suffer, writhe, bleed, cry—and then fall.
To taste even an ounce of the hell she had lived through.
Suddenly:
“Ah…”
Elisia froze as she was about to open the side table drawer.
She turned her head slowly, like a broken doll, and looked at Franz.
Blood was pouring from his mouth.
A line of red ran down from his pale lips to his chin.
He was on the verge of death.
“Cough…!”
Franz suddenly coughed.
Elisia trembled.
She quickly opened the drawer, frantically searching for a bottle of medicine.
“Where did Aaron put the medicines?
Where—”
She was roughly fumbling through the drawer's contents, then...
“Wait.”
She parted her lips slightly.
What am I...doing?
She stared with blurred eyes into the chaos.
She bit her lip hard.
That's why...I always get scammed.
The drawer slammed shut.
She had sneaked into the room to begin the attack, only to find the Mana Stone.
But his cough alone made her forget everything.
What an idiot.
She took a deep breath, and placed her hand on her lower stomach.
Despite her hatred for Franz, she hated her own fragility even more.
She must remember what he stole from her.
Her marriage.
Her love.
Her dear child.
No.
I can't continue like this.
I will be hurt again.
I will die again.
Her features began to return to calm.
She removed her hand from her stomach.
It should not be shaken because of its condition.
That he was broken like this…pleased her.
She regained her composure.
Her green eyes turned icy.
She started picking up the things that had fallen on the floor, ignoring his whimpers.
“Huh...”
She didn't even look at him...
Until he called her.
“Lee...leez...”
Elisia's back stiffened as she picked up a tissue.
She froze, as if she had forgotten how to breathe.
“Huh... for me...”
“Stop.”
She twisted the handkerchief in her hands.
Without looking at him, she spoke with difficulty: “Don’t call me.”
“Don't speak my name.
Franz Eustace.”
Her voice trembled.
Ignoring her tears, she continued: "Liz is dead.
You killed her, didn't you?"
She said coldly, and got up.
But her legs gave out under her, and she fell onto the bed.
“Yes!”
Her hand touched Franz's body as she balanced herself.
Confused, I quickly backed away.
But Franz caught her.
In the dark room, his golden eyes slowly opened.
Two stunned, lost eyes stared at Elisia.
As if he had bewitched her, she froze.
She couldn't move.
Just like when she first encountered the Mana Stone.
He gently pulled her toward him.
His touch wasn't rough.
However, she couldn't resist him.
As if a hidden force was pulling her to him.
Her body leaned toward him...
And their lips met.