"I appreciate your consideration, but I will decline both offers this time as well."
As for the downfall of the Claudio family, Medea had no intention of allowing anyone other than herself to intervene.
As if he had expected Medea's rejection, he raised both hands.
"I understand."
Medea stared at the mercenary, hiding her rising suspicion beneath a faint smile.
'Zeta clearly said that he had left Valdina. But why did he come back here now?'
The small sense of comfort she felt with him in the forest that day was like a mist that disappeared when she opened her eyes.
Although she had become quite friendly with Acares through many tasks, Medea never forgot that he was the head of the Facade.
'He must be to search the palace while the regent's rebellion is causing chaos. To find the antidote for the First Prince that Magix Tower was talking about.'
The dawn's droplet.
The tower and facade seemed to have figured out that it was in this Valdina Palace.
Medea glanced over Cesare's shoulder.
Medea's gaze lingered for a moment on the same scenery as before. A faint light flashed across her green eyes.
'You didn't come alone.'
It was because she noticed the presence of those who had hidden themselves and were hiding inside the palace.
There was no intention of blocking the shadows of the Facade.
Now, Medea could not handle them alone, and she had a bigger and more important task to do: strangle Claudio.
'It was a good thing I made a copy and hid it away.'
They won't find what they want today anyway.
The dawn's droplet is in Medea's hands.
'This belongs to Valdina. The price for saving the First Prince should be given to Valdina, not the Magic Tower.'
The dawn's droplet will be given to whomever she wants, whenever she wants.
There were no exceptions.
So Medea slightly rolled her eyes, pretending not to notice their presence or their intentions.
"Acares, then go back safely."
Leaving behind a polite greeting, she turned away without any hesitation.
There was no hesitation in the steps she took as she left him behind.
"Your Highness, I have brought you a horse. But..."
"Let's go quickly, Neril. There's not much time. Come on!"
Medea, having finished getting ready, mounted her horse.
There were no frills in the movement of turning the horse's head toward the wall. In an instant, three people left the palace.
"Boss!"
Cesare couldn't take his eyes off the Princess's back as she left. A small light headed towards the castle wall without even a moment's hesitation.
Can death hold that girl?
"Say it."
Cesare ordered, his gaze fixed on the direction where the Princess had disappeared.
"I'm searching the palace. But I think she has precognitive powers. The rebellion really happened just as she wished."
A bright color appeared on Gallo's face.
Her words proved to be true, and she had a chance to hide in the chaotic palace. Moreover, everyone was gathered at the wall, making the search easier.
"Gallo, you fool with no plan. What are you going to do by dragging Cesare here? He's not even finished with the treatment yet-"
Terence gave a scolding.
Cesare's condition was so bad that Magic Tower was amazed at how well he was maintaining his senses.
The chest that had been consumed by the curse was covered in black marks that could be seen with the naked eye.
Gallo bit his lips and glanced at Cesare.
"I told you it can't be done. You raised both hands on the Magic Tower, so what other way is there?"
While moving to the tower to treat Cesare, whose condition was becoming increasingly serious, he suffered another seizure.
It was only a few days ago that Cesare, who had reached his limit, finally came to his senses.
"I thought a great star would rise on the continent that would never be seen again, but it is a shame to see it fall like this."
The monologue of Magix Tower, who was shaking his head and clicking his tongue.
Gallo's thick hands clutched the parchment. It was news from Valdina.
"Boss, there's been a rebellion in central Valdina. The rebels are currently advancing toward the castle."
"..."
"The leader is a man named Horrols, who was originally a farmer. Upon further investigation, I found out that his original name was Bakaro. Until about five years ago, he was a mercenary from the Repalia pirates.
Gallo told Cesare the news, despite Terence's objections.
Because he had a feeling that if he heard this story, Cesare would get up at dawn or for some other reason and head to Valdina.
And Cesare really did it.
"If the Regent himself offers to empty the palace with his own army, why would you turn down such a good opportunity? Right, Boss?"
Gallo glanced at the bulging blue veins on Cesare's forearm and spoke with determination.
"This time, I'm going to make sure I get to the places I've never been before."
"..."
"... Boss, are you listening?"
Gallo asked Cesare, hiding his impatience, but he still did not answer.
Then Alpha came and reported.
"My lord, I think I have found it."
"What? Really?"
Gallo was delighted and intervened first to ask.
"Yes, I found a secret room behind the King's study. It seems to be connected to the royal treasury where the Book of the Sage was kept."
"Okay, let's go. Come on!"
He gave a gasp.
The Book of the Sage. A report. A secret room. Doesn't it create an atmosphere that is more likely to have a waterfall than any other place?
Gallo, who was about to run excitedly, stopped and turned around.
"Boss, aren't you going?"
"..."
Cesare, who had been staring intently at one place, finally took a step forward.
The mercenaries of the Facade quickly put the knights guarding the King's quarters to sleep.
Unlike the previous tight security, only a minimal number of people remained, allowing movement without much disturbance.
"Don't hurt me."
The shadows nodded at Gallo's request.
The secret room discovered in the King's study was connected by a spiral staircase.
The entire tower-shaped space seemed to be used as a treasury for the Valdina royal family.
Swish. Swish.
With soundless footsteps, the sturdy men stepped inside.
They examined each and every decoration and treasure placed between the walls of the stairs.
However, no object containing a liquid that would appear to be a drop of water was seen.
And finally, they reached the end of the stairs.
The space they entered after opening the small door was a circular space located at the top of the tower.
On the central platform stood a huge chest that once contained the books of the Sage.
Gallo carefully examined the box.
And then, when he discovered that there was nothing inside or outside, he sighed.
“No. No.”
He sighed.
Really, is there no such thing as the dawn's droplet? Were they trying to catch something invisible?
"For a moment."
At that moment, Cesare gently pressed the bottom of the chest.
With a creaking sound, a small drawer popped out.
It was a dual device.
The moment they discovered the small cylinder with polka-dot patterns on the velvet of the drawer, everyone held their breath.
"..."
Cesare bent down and picked it up. The liquid in the small cylinder sloshed.
"... The the dawn's droplet."
The statue of a Goddess carved on the cylinder sparkled in the sunlight as if welcoming him.
"We found it, Cesare! We found it! Finally!"
Even Terence, a nobleman who had never raised his voice in his entire life, forgot his manners and cheered.
In contrast to the bright, bursting laughter, both eyes were red.
"It really, really was there. I searched the entire continent and now here in Valdina..."
Gallo fell to his knees in front of the cylinder. Soon, he bent down and kissed the floor several times.
In fact, he was so overcome with emotion that he didn't even know what he was doing.
"Thank you, the Gods and ancestors of Valdina, the royal family, and everyone who lives here... I will never forget this favor. I will repay this country with my whole life... Damn it, why am I crying..."
It seems like there were so many anxious days.
"Why is this happening?"
He asked, but he couldn't hold back the tears of emotion welling up in his eyes.
Cesare's shadows also could not hide their joy. Even Alpha, who was second to none in bluntness, trembled with joy.
"Now you can return to Katzen. You can reclaim your place, Your Highness."
The return of Prince Cesare, whom everyone feared and tried to prevent.
How long has he been waiting for that moment?
The empire was still full of people bent on erasing his name.
Now they will have to be content with a brief moment of sweet dreams.
"My lord?"
But Cesare's face, the person involved, was mysterious.
Whether he was happy or sad, was not apparent because of the half-mask he wore on his face.
Since he was a person who did not show his emotions, his subordinates were not sure what he was thinking.
"...Yes."
Cesare held the cylinder. The cold piece felt like it was sticking to his palm.
It was the moment when the primordial curse that had tormented his life and filled him with despair for three years finally gave in to his obsession.
Cesare raised his head.
He could see the white walls in the distance.
Even though the time he had been so fervently looking for had arrived, he couldn't understand why he couldn't fully feel the joy.
Cesare was not sure where his desire to run to the walls came from, rather than here. In fact, he did not understand it.
The golden eye holding the cylinder sank deeply for a moment.
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