Dry, sore lips brushed against Franz's.
The instant those soft lips met his, Franz's heart hammered violently in his chest.
He lost himself completely in the kiss, passion overwhelming every thought.
It no longer mattered who she was, what her name was, or her social status.
Franz, in his very soul, ached for her with an intensity that frightened him.
Is this what spiritual attraction means?
He was finally beginning to quench a thirst he hadn't even realized he possessed.
“Huh...”
The woman clung to Franz and returned his kiss with equal fervor.
When she exhaled deeply, light began to glow between their lips.
It was a golden light saturated with Franz's magical energy.
Even though he knew his mana was transferring to her, he couldn't stop kissing.
He just couldn't.
Stopping felt like it would kill him.
The glowing light from their lips began to surround their bodies together.
Fearing she might pull away, Franz hugged her even tighter.
It had completely slipped his mind that she had initiated the kiss.
What mattered now was that she was in his arms.
“Hmph...”
With each kiss, her body temperature gradually cooled.
As it grew colder, the light dimmed little by little.
The woman wrapped her arms around Franz's neck and surrendered herself completely to him.
Franz groaned as he hugged her thin waist.
It was her.
She was the one chosen by his soul—the link of his soul.
He realized this in an instant.
That widening void in his chest, he felt for the first time that it was filled.
He, who had always felt indifferent toward the world, was now overwhelmed by an overwhelming feeling.
He wanted it.
He craved it.
This was the first time in his life that he felt such an intense desire.
“Ah...”
As they kissed, the woman's head bowed.
She fainted and fell into his arms.
Franz kept panting as he held her for a long time.
He didn't know what to do with this strange feeling of fullness.
He wanted to make her his, right then and there.
To remain forever intoxicated by her sweet, intoxicating scent.
"You promised to bring me a deer!
And this is a rabbit!"
"Did I?"
Franz answered coldly, moving his fork.
He was sharing a formal meal with Roshanak and her daughter.
The spring fishing trip was still continuing.
Which meant he had to eat with Neres every day.
"I was very excited for him."
Franz let her complaints pass, as if he hadn't heard them.
According to her, he had promised to bring her a deer.
But he didn't remember any of that.
Ever since that kiss in the classroom, Franz's mind had been elsewhere.
He could no longer concentrate, no matter what others told him.
How could he remember what Nerys had asked of him?
'Have you left already?'
Franz scanned the table carefully.
It was full of familiar faces.
The only one missing was the one he had been desperately searching for.
A whole week had passed since “that night.”
Since then, Franz had not seen that woman.
She had fainted during their kiss, and he had gone to call a doctor.
But when he returned, she was gone.
If it weren't for the faint scent that lingered in the study room, he would have thought everything that had happened was just a dream.
But it was real.
A person who radiated the warmth of a living body.
She was the first to awaken Manah—the partner chosen for him by fate.
Since that day, Franz had attended every small event in this palace, hoping to find her.
Even this meat, which Neres claimed was hers, had been caught during one of the hunting trips he had joined just to find it.
But, as if mocking all his efforts, not a trace of her appeared—not even a single strand of hair.
'A lock of hair...'
Franz lowered his hand to the table and stared at his plate.
Her hair was red like flames at sunset.
Her eyes were as green as a green meadow.
Her eyes were wide and clear, and her calm features were captivating.
Her pale, delicate hands made his heart tremble with just one touch.
Franz bit his lip as he imagined her face for the hundredth time.
'Where are you now?'
He began to feel hopeless.
As if he would lose his soul bond forever if he continued like this.
It is true that they have not performed the ritual of spiritual connection yet—but that is no longer important.
Franz, in his heart, had already chosen her as his soul bond.
And his mana stone will not work with any other woman.
This is the fate Franz chose for himself.
"Yes!"
Franz clutched his chest.
The excruciating pain in his heart returned.
He collapsed to the ground, dripping with cold sweat.
While Franz writhed in pain, Aaron quietly opened a bottle of medicine beside him.
Franz quickly drank the potion Aaron gave him.
He felt heat spread through his body as the liquid slid down his throat.
As he panted, he could barely sit up.
Then a displeased voice came from the other side.
"You really showed off your Mana Stone at the party?!"
Aaron handed Franz the mana stone he had just returned.
It was an amber-colored stone, the same one displayed at the ceremony today.
Due to his poor condition, Franz had been unable to attend in person, so he had to send his stone instead.
This method of choosing the wife of the Crown Prince was completely unusual.
Rather, it had been invented by Franz himself.
"What prince would choose his bride in this way?!
Displaying the Mana Stone in front of the ladies of the nobility?"
Aaron furrowed his brow as he contemplated the mana stone.
It was clear that he was still upset with the Second Prince's decision.
"Displaying a stone attached to your heart in this way is exactly like putting your neck on a guillotine.
It is like committing suicide."
"Did it worry you?
You protected him well, didn't you?"
Franz smiled slightly.
But his features darkened as he held the mana stone.
It's been four years since the spring Narut hunt began.
Since then, Franz has tried everything he can to find the woman he met in the classroom.
But to no avail.
In that year, Count Daniel had summoned almost every young noblewoman from around Calebs.
Therefore, it was of no use to return to the guest list on that occasion.
It was easier to narrow the possibilities down to just the noble families of Calebs.
All Franz knew was that she had red hair and green eyes.
And that was never enough to find someone.
Franz spent four years without any progress.
During those years, Manah gradually grew stronger.
Until it reached the point where he started having seizures like the one that happened today.
Since he could no longer postpone the marriage, he devised a desperate plan.
He would offer his Mana Stone, not only to the nobles of Calybes, but to all the noble ladies of the Laurent Empire.
If that's what it takes to find her — so be it.
Of course, Aaron did not have complete knowledge of the story, so he was astonished.
"His Highness the Prince places great trust in me, more than I deserve.
What if I fail to protect him?"
Aaron muttered annoyedly as he helped Franz up onto the sofa.
Franz smiled at him.
"You are more reliable than Crichton."
"...Excuse me?"
Aaron's features froze at Franz's words.
He looked really insulted.
"Did you dare say I was like him?"
"It was a little rough, I admit."
Franz offered a half-hearted apology.
His half-brother Crichton, the first prince, was an outright rival to the throne.
Since his marriage to Glenna, Crichton has become much more aggressive.
"He was very cruel."
Aaron looked at the soup on the table and clicked his tongue.
It was a special soup prepared in the palace kitchens to improve Franz's health.
But it also contained poison—from Crichton, of course.
Aaron murmured angrily again.
"Honestly, the late Empress left behind a real burden.
I thought you would be calm since you are her son, but we have seen nothing but trouble from you.
You are more difficult than a spoiled child."
"Whoever hears you will think I am five years old."
"Aren't you?"
Aaron waved his hand lightly, and the bowl of soup rose into the air.
Then he made a snapping sound with his fingers.
The soup completely vanished without a trace.
"You also cannot be left unattended."
Aaron crossed his arms and looked at Franz with a stern look.
"Just kill Prince Crichton.
Aren't you tired of these petty threats?"
"He is the empress’s son."
Aaron laughed as he crossed his arms.
"At least you didn't say, 'He's my brother.'
If you had said that, I would have said you were worse than a five-year-old."
"Stop complaining.
I told you—it's not that simple.
If I kill Crichton, who will face the consequences?
He has the support of the Roshanak and Corny families."
"Remove them all, then."
"Why don't you suggest wiping out the entire empire while you're at it?"
At his scathing comment, Aaron merely shrugged his shoulders indifferently.
He seemed like someone who was fed up with all these political complications.
Franz took a deep breath and ran a hand through his hair.
He was exhausted from explaining things to someone like Aaron, who didn't care about humans at all.
Then he decided to change the subject and asked the question he had intended to ask.
"So—who is she?"
"Who…um.
The lady who interacted with the mana stone?"
Aaron blinked at the sudden change of subject, but quickly nodded and smiled gently as he answered.
"Have you ever heard of the Ambrose family?"
"No."
Franz furrowed his brow.
Aaron did not seem surprised.
"I expected so.
They are a small baronial family, who have never set foot in Calibs.
Anyway, it was Baroness Ambrose’s daughter who responded to the Mana Stone."
"What's her name?"
"Elysia Ambrose.
She is said to be twenty-four years old this year."
"Elysia Ambrose..."
"Do you know her?"
Franz straightened up in his seat and stared at Aaron, his tone tense.
"Red hair and green eyes, right?"
Aaron's eyes widened in astonishment, as if he was saying: "How did you know?"
Franz merely smiled silently.