Chapter 57: I know you are anxious, but don’t worry.

Lustia’s scream pierced the night, her fear raw.
“I’m gonna die!”

She’d thought Cynthia was their savior—a goddess’s envoy—but the blood-soaked carnage shifted her view.
Fleeing with the princess, she’d hoped to escape.
Now, facing Cynthia’s mocking smile, she saw death by golems as kinder—at least her body would stay intact.

“What’s your name?” Cynthia asked, confused by her panic.

“Lustia!” she blurted, too rattled to think.

“Huh? I didn’t ask for it.”

“You just—ow!”

Lustia stumbled over a root, tumbling to the ground, the princess slipping from her arms.

Cynthia swiftly caught the princess, setting her against a tree.
“Dangerous move.”

She glanced at Lustia, sprawled in the dirt.
“Sorry about her.”

“It hurts!” Lustia groaned, then froze.
“Your Highness!”

She glared at Cynthia, voice weak.
“Don’t mess with her!”

“You’re the one acting weird,” Cynthia retorted, looming over her.

“I’m about to die! Can’t I be weird?”

Lustia’s frantic eyes and shaky tone made Cynthia question her.
This is Barlia’s court magician?

“I heard about you from those men,” Cynthia said.
“Lustia, right? Really a court magician?”

“What’s that mean?”

Lustia’s pride flared, overriding fear.
She shot to her feet.
“Of course I am!”

“Doesn’t seem like it.”

Cynthia coughed, turning serious.
“Any oddities in the palace lately?”

“You’re… not here to kill us?”

Lustia blinked, dazed, then collapsed, wailing.
“You should’ve said so! I was scared to death!”

Cynthia sighed, exasperated.
“So? Anything unusual?”

“Is it normal for the king to exile his beloved princess for no reason?”

Lustia wiped sweat, glancing at the unconscious princess.
“And the Church—they’ve been in and out of the palace daily.”

She squinted at Cynthia.
“Wait, you’re a vampire! Why’re you near the capital?”

“Why not?”

Cynthia frowned.
No vampire bans here.

“Don’t you avoid outsiders?”

Lustia studied her, muttering.
“You’re not as scary as the books say…”

“I’m an exception,” Cynthia said, dodging.
“The Church—frequent palace visits?”

“Yeah. The king’s been ill, not responding to medicine. They brought in Church healers.”

Lustia relaxed, growing chatty.
“But he’s shut himself away. Only the crown prince, the Saint, and the Archbishop see him.”

“The crown prince relays his orders… including…”

She trailed off, eyes on the princess.

“Including you and her… what’s her name?”

“Prim Romde… Her Highness Prim,” Lustia said hesitantly.
“You saved us, but what’s your name?”

“Cynthia.”

She refocused.
“You didn’t see the king directly?”

“No,” Lustia said, anger flaring.
“I tried confronting him, but unfamiliar guards stopped me, accusing me of treason. If the crown prince hadn’t opened a secret passage, we’d be dead.”

She punched the air, furious.
“It’s all wrong!”

Then, annoyed, she muttered, “The capital’s magic is getting stronger. My experiments are stalled!”

“Stronger magic?”

Cynthia’s ears pricked, her mind snapping to the Blood Crown.
She grabbed Lustia’s shoulders, voice urgent.
“Tell me more!”