Poison

At the top of the plateau where the royal castle of Reilaea resides, an unforseen attack almost put Edle's life in danger. But thanks to king Ordeus's quick reflexes, he managed to push the prince out of harm. However, instead of the prince, Ordeus was the one to take a hit on his waist.

"Amazing~! As expected of the King of Cartha, always quick to react."

Edle noticed that Ordeus got hit by the sharp object that came from the ground. He consults the king if he is in pain.

"King Ordeus, are you all right?"

Ordeus nodded in response. "It only grazed me. This is nothing."

The corner on the side of Edle's lips curled up as he switch his gaze into the princess who's standing on top of the royal castle.

Fumed up, he asked Celestine, "Where is everyone? Where is my Mother? Where is Queen Elena?!"

Celestine quickly answered with another question. A question with the words that immediately exasperates Edle. "If I say that I killed all of them including your Mother, what would you do?"

"Then burn to hell!"

As a result, the blazing fire in Edle's hand blasts towards Celestine. But despite that, Celestine remained still in the same spot she's standing. Instead of moving her feet and avoid the flames, she held her arm forward.

Edle's magic were about face-to-face with the princess, but suddenly the flames stopped from going up front. Instead, it scattered around at every direction.

"What?!" Edle was utterly surprised. He was sure he was going to hit her but he failed miserably as though something went on the way for his fire to reach Celestine.

"You're always so heated up, just like your flames, my Big-brother. I guess everyone would do the same if they find out that the ones who are important to them have been killed." Celestine commented, followed by a villainous smirk.

"Tsk!" Edle grinds his teeth as he retracts his fist and his flames.

"Why.. Why are you attacking our country? What are you planning to achieve with all this?" After calming himself, Edle was able to articulate a question without involving aggression.

"Hmm? You look more calm than usual. But that isn't bad either, soon it'll go back to that face full of despair."

Edle remained unfazed and silent as Celestine continues to speak. "I have no interest in taking over a country, nor wanting to start an attack like this."

"You have no interest?" Edle was puzzled. He narrowed his eyes.

"Yes. I'm not interested in any of this. Rather, I'm interested in people. Especially you." The princess of Kruule remarked followed with eyes staring at Edle as though she really wants her.

"...!" Edle was taken aback from Celestine's lustful eyes. But that lust doesn't seem to be an intimate desire, rather, something chilling and nerve-wracking. Edle thought so.

*Stare*

While in the middle of his thoughts, though he did not look, he felt Ordeus's eyes staring at him as though the King of Cartha is trying to tell Edle something.

Though he was not sure what the King is trying to tell him, he remained silent for a moment while still keeping his gaze onto Celestine.

"I see. So you're interested about me. I'm not gonna bother asking why, I want to know where my Mother and everyone else are right now." He demanded to the princess of Kruule.

"You really want to know their well being, do you? Fine, I'll answer you." Submissively, she responds, "Well, everyone else including Queen Elena is in Kruule as of this moment. Ah I forgot to mention, one of them tried to put a fight against me but ended disgracing herself and ran away."

"What?"

Edle started thinking. Who could the person who tried fighting Celestine be. Obviously, Elena wouldn't be the one in that situation as she is a captive just like Celestine mentioned. The people he could think of is either the Queen of Meleia, Dina, and the Queen of Loisiln, Athilia. Or the three princesses present in the banquet hall who can do combat: Belfiore, Pina and Atalante.

Either way, that sure gave him a slight relief. "That's great to hear. Thank you." He commented.

"I just have one last question." Edle goes on with his final question. "These people that mysteriously lost consciousness. What happened to them?"

Celestine postures herself by doing a sitting stance in the air, with her index finger pointing vertically up while the rest are supporting her left cheek. "Them? They just simply passed out. By the sleeping poison I personally made, I mixed it all to the drinks that was given out to everyone in the castle, and even to the people who are celebrating from the streets."

"It was my first time creating a poison myself. And surprisingly it turned out pretty well." She remarked.

"You bastard..." Edle's lips curled up and his fist were shaking in anger.

"The people will remain asleep. As if they are a princess waiting for their savior to save them from their eternal slumber." Celestine continues as she pulls out a tiny potion. "Well, a savior is not what they particularly need, but rather this. Drink this anti-poison and they will instantly regain their consciousness."

"But who will give this to everyone...?" Celestine shows her malicious smile to Edle.

"There's no need for that question..." Edle holds his arm with his left hand while his other open hand is aiming at Celestine. "...I will take them all from you and give them to everyone!"

Edle looks as though he was about to start his attacks once again. But suddenly, out of nowhere, King Ordeus appears on Celestine's right side.

He retracts his arm and clenches his fist as he prepares to throw a punch. Ordeus goes on with his attack.

The king thought to himself that he got the princess of Kruule on her blind spot. But, as if she knows what's coming, Celestine's eyes rolled at the right corner of her eyelids, staring directly at Ordeus.

"...!" He was so fixated of looking into Celestine that he failed to see and react against a man who caught the King of Cartha in his own blind spot.

He only realized it after a fist already sent him downward right near Edle with great force.

"K-King Ordeus...!" Edle shouted with concern.

"I failed to notice it..." With his back lying on the ground, King Ordeus tries to get up on his feet. "...Hmph! Waiting for a perfect chance to strike, eh?"

"Sorry, King of Cartha. You see, I don't like seeing my family in harm so I had no choice but to step in."

Edle turns back to see the King of Kruule - Castile, standing alongside her daughter and the princess of Kruule.

"You..." He glared at Castile.

"Hm? Are you sure you're giving that kind of look in front of your Father?" Castile mockingly told Edle.

"You're not my Father!!"

Enraged, Edle goes forward, charging in towards the two. Until...

"If I were you, I would just sit there and not make a move."

Celestine's voice rends him from going forward. Then, behind Edle...

"Ack...!"

"King Ordeus, what's wrong...?"

Ordeus's head falls forward on the ground as he is seen seemingly suffering in an intense pain around his trembling body.

"King Ordeus...?"

"Looks like it's already taking effect." Said Celestine.

"What?" Edle looks at Ordeus, confused.

"It's true that you managed to save Edle from one of my tools. But being grazed by it is more than enough for my poison to get into your body." Celestine commented.

"Another... poison...?!" Ordeus struggle to move his head and glower at the princess.

"I'm quite impressed. You can still hold yourself and speak even after the poison had taken effect." Castile responded to Ordeus.

"That poison isn't deadly in itself. But that poison will give you tremendous pain." Celestine followed suit.

"The pain will start from the point where the poison entered your body. And then slowly crawling around every corner of your skin, not leaving even a single part without making you feel in agony." Celestine told Ordeus and Edle followed by a wicked chortle.

Edle's anger has started to erupt as a circle of reddish yellow flame flares up around him. "You fuckers! You better have a cure for that poison...!"

"There's no need to worry, I have another anti-poison just for King Ordeus." Celestine pulls out another small potion bottle alongside the other she displayed earlier. "I'll give it to you."

"What?" The prince asked. She responded, "You heard me. I'll give you these potions to save Ordeus and to bring back everyone onto their consciousness."

"But first... You will have to answer my Father's question."

"Ha?!"

Castile shortly flies forward as he looks down at Edle.

"Now then, it's time for you to tell me what you know about it."