The next day, Lina decided to seek out Caelis through one of the maids.
The maid led her directly to the Grand Duke’s office and knocked before announcing that she wished to meet.
After receiving permission, Lina entered the room and found Caelis engaged in a serious conversation with Edgar.
“If there are no further matters, you may leave for now.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
For some reason, Lina noticed that Edgar’s expression looked dark, as if he had just confronted a formidable enemy.
Ignoring the butler’s expression, Lina stepped forward.
As she passed him, she suddenly sensed a faint trace of familiar magic.
This magical aura…
For a moment, Lina felt a strange sense of familiarity with the lingering aura surrounding Edgar.
Had the Northern Territory captured a mage who had secretly infiltrated this place?
“Lina, what brings you here?” Caelis asked.
Lina immediately refocused on the purpose of her visit.
“Your Grace, there is something I have not yet had the chance to tell you.”
“Oh?”
“Actually… I have more than one contracted beast.”
Caelis simply smiled calmly, showing no trace of suspicion.
“Most summoning mages would never reveal the number of their contracted beasts to anyone.
Why are you telling me this?”
“Because this particular contracted beast of mine is… special.”
“Hm?” Caelis’s brows lifted slightly.
“Would you like to introduce him to me?”
Lina nodded, then cast a summoning spell.
A magic circle formed beneath her feet.
Moments later, Elric appeared in the room.
This time, he had concealed his fox ears and nine tails, though the powerful aura of a sacred beast still radiated from him unmistakably.
“A sacred beast?” Caelis asked.
“That’s right.”
Caelis narrowed his eyes slightly.
There was something strangely familiar about the creature’s aura.
He remembered a story his brother had once told him after he returned from his years of wandering.
“I met a fox.
It was young and had not yet taken human form.
I saved it from a mage’s trap, and from then on, it followed me everywhere.”
“Where is it now?
Why didn’t you bring it back with you?”
“Unfortunately, once it evolved and gained a human form… he chose to leave.”
At that time, Caelis had never met the fox his brother had mentioned.
But now, he could clearly sense traces of extreme ice energy—the same energy he had once felt from Klaude—mingled within the fox’s aura.
“What is your name?” Caelis asked calmly.
“Elric, Your Grace.”
That confirmed it.
His brother had once mentioned giving that fox a name. This story is hosted at g.com.
Caelis was now completely certain—Claude was indeed his brother’s bloodline.
Meanwhile, Lina was quietly suppressing her anxiety.
She had feared that Caelis might react negatively upon learning that she possessed a sacred beast.
But her worry faded when she saw the Grand Duke’s calm and welcoming smile.
“I understand.
Thank you for telling me.”
Lina paused briefly, surprised by his composed reaction.
“Your Grace,” she continued, “I would like to request permission for Elric to protect Claude.
After what happened last night, I have realized how dangerous Claude’s position as your potential successor truly is.”
“I see,” Caelis replied without hesitation.
“Permission granted.”
Lina let out a quiet breath of relief.
“Thank you, Your Grace.
In that case, I will take my leave.”
Just as she turned to go, Caelis called out.
“Wait.”
“Yes, Your Grace?”
“Then what about you?” Caelis looked at her intently.
“Your contracted panda is clearly not suited for combat.
If Elric is assigned to protect Claude, who will protect you?”
“I can protect myself.”
“With magic?” Caelis shook his head.
“At present, only Edgar and I know that you are a mage—and we intend to keep it that way.
Do not use your magic while you are here.”
Without giving Lina a chance to respond, Caelis retrieved a small jewelry box and handed it to her.
“Wear this.”
Lina hesitantly accepted it, questioning whether it was a magical artifact hidden in the form of jewelry.
If so, she wondered, since when had the beast clans been willing to use such items?
When she opened the box, she found a necklace with a simple gold chain, unadorned and elegant.
At its center was a topaz stone of deep, muted gold—clear and dignified.
She sensed no fluctuation of mana from it.
It appeared to be nothing more than an ordinary ornament.
“I don’t need jewelry,” Lina said flatly.
“I know,” Caelis replied calmly.
“Just wear it.
It will protect you.”
How could something like this protect me?
At that moment, Elric narrowed his eyes.
He could sense something unusual about the necklace—an overwhelming presence hidden beneath its surface.
Through their contract, he immediately informed Lina.
[Mistress, that is no ordinary necklace.
It carries the aura of a beast god.
No creature of the beast clans would dare harm you while you wear it.]
“I see…” she murmured.
Then she looked at Caelis.
“Can you help me put it on?”
Caelis fell silent, clearly conflicted for a brief moment.
After a short pause, he nodded.
Lina turned around and brushed her silver hair over one shoulder.
Her outfit was simple—collarless, with short sleeves—leaving the back of her neck and upper back fully exposed.
Caelis raised his hand to place the necklace around her neck—then stopped.
Her skin looked too smooth… too close.
He realized he had unconsciously held his breath.
Forcing himself to move, he carefully fastened the clasp around her neck.
For a fleeting moment, an unfamiliar urge surfaced—the desire to press his lips against her milky skin.
As soon as the clasp clicked into place, Caelis immediately stepped back and averted his gaze.
“Is there anything else?”
Lina did not notice the shift in his demeanor.
She let her hair fall naturally again.
“For now, nothing.
Thank you, Your Grace.
If you will excuse me.”
“Lina,” Caelis called, “you should not be so formal with me.
People may grow suspicious.”
“Don’t worry.
I know how to act.”
After giving a graceful curtsy, Lina turned and left the room.
No one noticed Caelis’s lingering gaze on her retreating figure.
Except Elric.
[Mistress, you should be careful.]
[What do you mean?]
[He has already set his sights on you.]
A crooked, mischievous smile appeared on Elric’s face before he vanished back into the contract space.
“Set his sights on me?
What does that even mean…?” Lina muttered in confusion.
Meanwhile, inside the chamber, Caelis pressed a hand to his temple.
“Caelis… have you lost your mind?” he murmured quietly.
“How could you possibly desire that woman?”
Even though Klaude was no longer present, and nothing technically forbade him from approaching Lina, a lingering sense of guilt still weighed heavily on his heart.
That was how deep his bond with his older brother had been.
[Master, the mage still refuses to speak.]
Caelis’s jaw tightened.
The previous day, he had captured a True Mage who had infiltrated his territory.
Any high-ranking mage who dared cross into the Northern Region was hunted without mercy.
Before executing the prisoner, he intended to extract information—forcing his subordinate to search through the mage’s memories for answers.
He wanted to locate and eliminate the White Calamity as soon as possible.
The greatest threat to the monster clans.