NEOMA did a cartwheel in the air to avoid the ice roses Delwyn threw at her. Then she swung Skewer in the Ice Spirit's direction. A boomerang-shaped red flame was sent flying to attack Delwyn.

But the Ice Spirit deflected her attack by creating a wall of ice in front of him. The fire boomerang that she created was immediately put out upon hitting the wall of ice.

His ice is really something.

She did a back-to-back somersault in the air while avoiding the ice roses that came at her like daggers. Then, on her third somersault, she put her feet on the Dome's roof while hanging upside-down like a bat.

Of course, it was only possible because Mochi was using flight magic on her.

The Wind Spirit opted to be an invisible support because, according to her, she might lose her cool if she faced the traitor.

But, to be honest…

"I don't hate you, Delwyn,

" Neoma declared while looking at Delwyn whose ice wall just crumbled into pieces.

"I know you betrayed my mother, and I'm pissed at you because of that. But it isn't as strong as the hate I have for William.

"

"Are you trying to appeal to me in hopes I'd give in?

" Delwyn asked while looking up at her with a lazy look on his face.

"It won't work. I'd rather die than become your slave.

"

"I told you I don't need a slave, and I'm seriously against slavery,

" she said firmly.

"I'm being honest here. Plus, I've thought about it. My mother mentioned your betrayal, but she didn't warn us about you.

"

Her mother immediately warned Nero to make her stay away from her appa.

But her Mama Boss never mentioned Delwyn as a threat.

"I wonder why Mama Boss didn't hold a grudge against you,

" she pondered loudly.

"Could it be she realized why you had to betray her? You did say you just did what you had to do during that time.

"

She was pretty confident in her gut feeling.

Delwyn, despite betraying her mother, didn't feel evil at all. At most, the Ice Spirit was just probably a weirdo. And it wasn't in a creepy sense.

I mean, every friend group has that one

"alien friend

" who's hard to understand, right?

"Don't trust me too much, Little Mona,

" Delwyn said, then he positioned his arms as if he was about to hit her with an arrow. And soon enough, a bow made of ice (except for the string) materialized in his hands. The arrow was a single ice rose with a long stem. Of course, the pointed and sharp end of the stem was aimed at her.

"You'll make the same mistake as your mother did if you do.

"

She smiled while holding Skewer like she was holding a baseball bat and was about to make a home run. Since Delwyn was going to hit her with an arrow shaped like a rose, she intended to deflect it while pretending she was hitting a baseball.

"I have a feeling we'll get along well better than you did with my mother. I'll treat you well if you come to me, Delwyn.

"

He just yawned, then he let go of the arrow-slash-ice rose.

Ah.

The arrow-slash-ice rose was sent flying in her direction faster than she expected. But she noticed it wasn't aimed at her head or chest. Judging by its route, it seemed like Delwyn targeted her shoulder.

As I thought, Delwyn doesn't intend to kill me.

She was happy to know that.

But that happiness was short-lived when her whole body suddenly went numb and heavy. She was shocked when she dropped Skewer, then she found herself falling fast. Worse, she wasn't able to avoid the arrow-slash-ice rose that Delwyn launched earlier.

As a result, she was hit by the arrow-slash-ice rose in her chest.

She couldn't feel pain at the moment, but she could tell her heart was grazed by the sharp end of the ice rose's long stem.

Goddammit!

And soon, she plummeted to the ground. Mochi's flight magic still protected her because if it didn't, she would have been crushed when she fell. But her Wind Spirit's protection cushioned her fall, so she was safe.

But now she couldn't contact the Wind Spirit, as if their connection was suddenly severed.

That was when the numbness disappeared and she felt the pain all over her body. She couldn't tell where she was hurting because every fiber of her being hurt like a bitch. There were cuts all over her, but the most painful was her bleeding stomach. It was like she had been stabbed, and the culprit twisted the blade to torture her.

My cheap trick didn't work.

It was her plan to make Lewis fight William while she dealt with Delwyn.

She knew William would use his ability to switch two people's physical

/health conditions, so she asked Paige to create a spell that would deflect it and return it to the caster (William).

Paige succeeded, but since it was on short notice, the mage didn't have the time and the strength to cast her spell on two people. Thus, only Lewis was left with protection against William's ability she'd like to call as 'Switch.'

If William used his ability on Lewis to switch Lewis's injuries with mine but it bounced back on William, then Uncle Scumbag probably switched his own injuries with me.

It was a lapse on her part.

She forgot to consider the possibility of William passing his own injuries to her directly.

Argh, I'm feeling sleepy.

The arrow-slash-ice rose was definitely laced with a sleeping potion. Or poison. So she'd either fall asleep or die.

Neoma groaned as her eyelids turned heavy.

"`Guess I'll die then…

"

***

DELWYN looked up when the Dome crumbled as soon as Little Mona fell asleep because of the sleeping potion he put in the ice rose he aimed at her earlier. To be honest, he didn't expect Little Mona to go down easily. But he knew it wasn't because of his own effort.

William meddled, huh?

He waited for South, the flaming Vermillion Bird, to attack him. But instead of that happening, the Soul Beast just transformed into its human form.

Now, a long-haired man wearing a red robe stood in front of him. The top of the man's two-toned hair was black, while the strands were a dark shade of pink. It was proof that the Soul Beast was a Roseheart in the past.

Only male Rosehearts could be turned into a Soul Beast, but this one looks like a woman because of his pretty face and slender figure.

"Are you going to hunt me down now that Little Mona is out of commission?

" Delwyn asked while watching South approach him. He wanted to step away from the Soul Beast, but he couldn't move because of South's threatening aura. It was as if this punk was saying he'd melt him on the spot if he tried to run away.

"Cool it down, will you? You know I'm weak against fire elements.

"

"And I'm weak against handsome men,

" South said while laughing softly. Then he stopped approaching him, leaving a decent space between them.

"Don't worry, I won't attack you.

"

But the heat coming from South's aura was making him sweat profusely.

If I get exposed to his aura more than this, I'd melt.

"You won't attack me?

" he asked, confused.

"I thought Little Mona borrowed you from her father to catch me.

"

"That's not the order I received,

" South said, then he put his hands behind him. Was the Soul Beast acting cute?

"Princess Neoma just asked me to help her strengthen her Dome. Now that I'm done with my job, it's time for me to return to my actual master.

"

"You're leaving just like this?

"

"Princess Neoma lost, and that's none of my business,

" the Soul Beast reasoned quite casually.

"Her Royal Highness didn't ask me to save her or catch you if she lost. Moreover, she's not my master, so I'm not obligated to protect her. Princess Neoma and my master, Nikolai de Moonasterio, both understand that.

"

"That… seems lenient of them.

"

"I don't know about the previous de Moonasterios, but the current monarchy isn't as bad as you think they are,

" South said while smiling gently at him.

"Delwyn, think about Princess Neoma's offer. She may be arrogant and a little annoying sometimes, but her heart is in the right place. Give her a chance, and she'll make things fun for you.

"

"Why are you vouching for Little Mona?

"

"Because Princess Neoma is the one who helped my master get himself together,

" the Soul Beast said while laughing.

"Moreover, ever since Princess Neoma broke the wall around my master, every day has been fun. For old Spirits like us, life could turn mundane after living for so long. You need a person like Princess Neoma in your life to make your days bearable.

"

"There's a reason William and I refuse to work with Little Mona.

"

"Whatever it is, I hope you change your mind.

"

He didn't respond.

"I'm looking forward to working with you in the near future, Delwyn,

" the Soul Beast said cheerfully, his body now turning translucent.

"I'll give you a smooch when we meet again as allies.

"

"That sounds tempting,

" Delwyn said while waving his hand at the Soul Beast.

"But I don't want to melt.

"

"We can fix that– just give in to me,

" South said while laughing, then he waved back at him.

"Take care of Princess Neoma for me. If she comes home safe and sound, I won't just give you a kiss–I'll even sleep with you.

"

"Stop making Little Mona as an excuse to make advances on me.

"

South didn't deny it– the flirty punk just laughed before he disappeared.

And now, he was left with the little princess.

What should I do?

He squatted down in front of the sleeping princess.

"William, that cruel bastard,

" he whispered to himself while gently poking Little Mona's chubby and rosy cheek.

"He even sealed Little Mona's Spirits.

"

Aside from Gale (Mona's former Wind Spirit), there was also a Fire Spirit and a Water Spirit inside the young princess's body.

But when William used his ability people dubbed as 'Switch,' the Grand Spirit also sealed Little Mona's Spirits so they wouldn't be able to come out and help her. As the Grand Spirit, William's power over Spirits weaker than him was absolute. So he could seal them as he wished.

"Are you talking ** behind me?

"

He raised his head to find William standing in front of him while looking down at him, glaring.

"I just said you're a cruel bastard,

" he said.

"When I said I wanted to get rid of Little Mona, I only meant I wanted her off my back. But you're serious about killing her.

"

"You betrayed Mona,

" William snarled at him.

"You do not have the right to criticize me.

"

He ignored the Grand Spirit's accusation.

"I know why you're hell-bent on killing Little Mona. It's because of the prophecy about Nikolai de Moonasterio, right?

"

The Grand Spirit flinched.

Ah, I hit the bull's eye.

He stood up while giving William a disapproving look.

"The prophecy that you kept a secret from Mona and Nikolai de Moonasterio,

" he said, then he looked down at the sleeping young princess.

"For Mona's sake, you wanted to get rid of Little Mona,

" he said, then he looked at William straight in the eye.

"The way you eliminated the former Empress Juliet in the past.

"

In just the blink of an eye, William was already in front of her while grabbing his collar.

"Shut. Your. Mouth.

"

Oh, it was just a hunch, but I'm actually correct.

"Was it supposed to be a secret?

" Delwyn asked lazily, then he smirked.

"So, Mona and Nikolai de Moonasterio never figured out you were the real reason the former Empress Juliet met her doom?

"

He could have revealed it, but he chose to keep his mouth shut then.

After all, he agreed with William's decision during that time.

"I said shut your mouth!

" the Grand Spirit snapped at him, his veins popping out on his neck.

"If you know the truth, then why did you keep it a secret from them?

"

"Because I also chose Mona over everyone else.

"

William looked shocked by his response.

"You… you betrayed Mona to save her, didn't you?

"

"Of course,

" Delwyn said lazily.

"Trapping Mona in my ice was my own way to protect our master, you dumbass.

" He smiled bitterly at William.

"You just realized it now?

"

***

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***

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