" if your highness would be kind to explain further, we will deeply appreciate it "

Mimori who has been silently keeping his guard ever since, finally spoke. His tone and words were respectful, unlike Augustus's, but he still gazed suspiciously at Lennox.

It can't be helped, this whole matter was suspicious from the start. When Teneale received Lennox's invitation to the capital, she immediately decided to decline. The crown prince of Sitia wasn't someone she wanted to get involved with. However, with the church influencing people into believing that God is punishing them and they have to return back to god's righteous instructions.

The number of believers is in rapid increase. If things were left as it is, in no time, the church would gain political power and stand in equal foot to the nobles and royalty. Such a turn of events will certainly put the royal family under pressure, thus, Teneale had no choice but to take the fastest and guaranteed solution, even if it meant to collide with the devil.

Lennox's tone seemed colder than usual, as if he was irritated that Mimori asked instead of Augustus.

" the holy oases are in blessed areas. With blessings come riches, Agriculture, life resources as well as mana. But since you have banned magical activities around them, it stayed unconsumed. And along with the already existed ones, mana is in continuous generating, gradually increasing the mana concentration in these areas. Naturally, when it reaches a certain level, mana crystal starts forming "

As soon as he finished explaining, he turned to Augustus saying with a smile, his eyes carried a trace of slyness.

" do you have another question? "

" wouldn't consuming mana solve the issue? "

Lennox asked Augustus and Teneale answered instead. He was already doing his best to not let his pheromones leak, but those air-heads just kept disturbing him while he was trying to bother (court) Augustus.

Lennox looked at Teneale with a frozen smile that was indicating his inner thoughts quite obviously.

' Bitch, shut the fuck up '

" that is not possible, Princess Teneale. The crystal has already formed, such measures will only stop them from increasing in numbers only "

" Then you surely have the solution, right? "

Lennox brightened again after hearing Augustus finally talk to him. He responded wearing that weird and cunning expression again.

" yes, I do have. As expected from Augy, you understand me very well "

"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU CALLING AUGY?!! "

" ah, Augy is so heartless "

" Just tell us WHAT do you want already!!!!! "

Teneale cried bitter tears in her heart as she clung to her younger brother's arm, trying to stop him from jumping on their host and causing troubles.

After meeting with the crown prince of Sitia, Teneale and her company returned to the residence he prepared for them. Both her and Mimori's faces were ashed, dealing with that 10-years old was more brain wrecking than dealing with the actual Emperor.

Although he had given them a logical explanation and a guaranteed solution, his condition was so unpredictable that they had to ask for some time to think about it.

Seeing their lifeless faces, Augustus asked:" what is wrong, Ten, Mimori? "

Mimori responded with a question:" that's our line. How come you look fine, and even had the guts to argue with him?! "

" That's right. The pressure prince Lennox gives is out of this world, it was bearable at the beginning but gradually, it became hard to breath "

Augustus became bewildered. He did think that Lennox looked cool and a little evil, he also was annoyed by his continuous teasing, but that was all. Augustus couldn't feel any pressure, naturally, it's because Lennox blocked his pheromones from him.

How Lennox was supposed to tease (court) someone afraid of him?

Teneale didn't push the matter any further. She patted on Augustus's shoulder a couple of times saying.

" forget it. Maybe it's a good thing that the prince has taken a liking to you "

Maybe....

******

With her eyes closed, Everly felt the warm breeze of summer brushing on her face, making her more drowsy and lazy. Once the person carrying her stopped moving at high speed and started walking leisurely, the warm air rushing to her also stopped.

Everly slowly opened her eyes. What greeted her was a pair of moon-like eyes glowing in bright red. She pondered at the handsome man to her heart's content before calling for him.

" Bun-Bun..."

" ah, young lady Everly. Did I wake you up? "

Everly shook her head. They were at the garden of the imperial palace, heading towards her quarters. A few patrolling guards passed by and Bun-Bun dodged them skillfully, as light as a feather. He had walked half the distance when Everly suddenly tapped on his arm, pointing at a corner of the garden.

" Bun-Bun, there. Midnight candies have bloomed "

Bun-Bun headed to where she pointed and crouched down next to a bunch of flowers. He was still holding her in his arms, and the late action made them cosily closer. Everly picked the most blooming flower and presented it to him.

Bun-Bun was taken aback for a moment, he smiled softly as he received the flower and placed it between her hair strands.

" I appreciate lady Everly's kindness, but I am a pure blood vampire. I can't eat flowers, they cause me nuisance "

" oh, Right... "

She again fixed her gaze on the flowers carefully scanning them before reaching for one of them. This one didn't have anything special, neither was it the biggest, smallest, most colourful or brightest. It looked so ordinary, yet she specifically aimed for that one.

" here, this one is sterile, it should taste better "

Bun-Bun stayed speechless. He bit one of the flower petals and like what she said, it did taste better. As one of the purest blood, all the flowers Bun-Bun had in his life were chosen with utmost mindfulness. Unexpectedly, Everly picked the right one in less than a minute.

" How does lady Everly knows that? "

" hm? Everly knows, Everly is a flower too "

Bun-Bun pondered that blunt answer for a good while before he chuckled stood to keep walking towards Everly's room.

"that makes a lot of sense. Then, is young lady Everly a jasmine flower? "

" hn. Everly is made of flowers and love! "

He fixed her posture from Princess carry, to warping her arms around his neck. Bun-Bun patted her back until they reached her bedroom, by that time, Everly had fallen asleep again.