The darkness was chilling and suffocating. Celeste could hardly breathe as the purple haze encased her body like a whirlpool. She tried to wave her hand to summon her elements, but her power was cut off as if utterly nonexistent in this particular dimension.

‘What is this place?’ She maintained a calm demeanor and tried to assess what was happening despite the despairing situation.

It couldn’t be a nightmare. ‘Or perhaps… those witches had pursued me to the North? But Levonne is a fortress. There’s no place for black sorcery inside the Archduke’s territory unless those black witches are in for suicide.’

Either way, they could not move freely under the reaper’s nose. But she had a disconcerted thought that these malevolent witches could be capable of creating complex magical spaces. Though it was close to impossible, and besides, she had never heard of something like this before. 

'Is this one of the ancient spells then?' Her forehead formed a crease as she tried to juggle her memory of the spells she acquired from her predecessor, still, nothing came to mind.

She would be in serious trouble if someone very skilled like this one was hunting her.  Fighting in this anti-magic space was fatal to her survival. She had to admit, she needed help from a powerful sword master to break this force and there was only one person in mind who had that kind of penetrating power. As much as she hated being indebted to the elusive Northern Lord, he was the only one who could interrupt this isolated dimension.

“Hah…” Her rugged breath was the only sound that echoed through the darkness. There must be some way to get out from the miasma.

Celeste drew a quick sharp snuffle and fixated her mind to her core. In every magical space, there was always a loophole and she must find that at least before her body could be taken over by the haze. It was aching her skin as the miasma crawled over it, leaving partial redness on the flesh. Her sweat began to build up in her pores, making it even more difficult for the White Witch to concentrate because of the burning sensation.

She tried to extend her arms; in an attempt to adjust her discomfort and gasp some air. “Anyone… please!”

Just as someone listened to her desperation, a brilliant light appeared out of nowhere and a hand as soft as a feather pulled her out from the haze. The darkness that ruled the space was overwhelmed so rapidly just as though Celeste was transported to a different place after the malefic air was withdrawn by a strange entity. All she could see now was a green scenery of a hill and the pink skies that stretched above her.

The blinding light coming from the entity gave Celeste a hard time recognizing it, yet the gentle hand holding her carried familiar ease to her being. Without even noticing it, tears poured ceaselessly from her eyes.

Such unprompted emotion of yearning bewildered the white witch. Her mouth quivered open, “Who are you?”

“My adored forest witch… you must live for our sake,” came the tender response from it that shook her heart with grief for some unknown reason.

“W-Who are you? Please tell me, I beg you…” Celeste couldn’t stop her sobs as she clung to the faceless being.

‘Tell me why I feel great sadness…’

Yet she never heard its voice again, and the hands that held her fondly were slowly fading into a white mist. She stared at the fading glow with sorrow, left with questions unanswered.

“Live for our sake.”

Wasn’t that a responsibility that was quite heavy to bear?

“Celeste… Evergreen…”

‘Hmmm… someone’s calling my name.’ She looked around the closed space but no one was around. She strolled through the meadow, aimlessly searching for the sound that kept uttering her name.

“Miss Evergreen…”

Something snapped on her temple, and a swirling twinge on her head almost immediately caused a nauseating consequence. Her vision became blurry as she fell to her knees; unable to resist such pain. The surrounding space started distorting everywhere simultaneously.

All she could do was scream at the throbbing agony that lunged at her all at once.

“Miss Evergreen, take hold of yourself!”

A sharp deep gasp followed by a few forceful coughs escaped from the white witch’s mouth as her consciousness finally returned to the real world. Celeste was still experiencing the warping sickness; thus, having difficulty in breathing and balancing herself.

She could only slump helplessly at someone’s arm to support her debilitated body but most of all, relief flooded her system when she could feel her mana circulating once again. That was a close call. She could have truly lost her life in that powerful, strange dimension which able to completely strip off her elemental energy.

“You look rather comfortable at present, Miss Evergreen. Is my arm a good substitute for your pillow?” A baritone voice broke the silence inside the dim-lit room.

Celeste was startled and turned her head slightly to her right to see the owner of that deep voice. Her eyes twitched wide open when she found Ezekiel’s face gazing at her at a very close distance. Moreover, she was now aware of the High Noble’s arms supporting her weight on the side of the bed.

“You! I mean, y-your Highness! Why are you here?” She wanted to push him away but then his grip overpowered her shabby strength.

Well, of course, she already knew the answer as to why the Archduke came to her chamber. It was probably him that broke the miasma on the closed space. She should be grateful that he came to her aid; even dared to ask the Archduke’s help earlier, however, her phobia of this certain man was severely significant that she shuddered at the mere thought of acknowledging him.

She immediately justified her concern, ‘Desperate times call for desperate measures!’

However, this closeness was unforgivable. Celeste could feel his hot breath lightly grazing her nape which triggered the abnormal sensitiveness of her skin all over with even the lightest touch. It surprised her. She felt like her whole body was burning, and even more blazing in the area where his hands were placed steadily.

What was happening to her? Her face must’ve looked by now as red as ripened tomatoes. How embarrassing could that be?

“Miss Evergreen, you…” The Archduke’s expression rarely changed, yet at that moment, his face showed visible hesitance at what he was about to say. “… your cheeks are flaming red.” And he lifted his finger to trace it out of curiosity.

Ah, how she wished he never said that.

“My Lord, I will appreciate it more if you can remove your arms around me. Isn’t this inappropriate for an unmarried gentleman to have such skinship to a lady with no one around?” She muttered, hoping she would be free from his grasp.

“Hm, but it is you my lady who was desperately clinging unto me just moments ago,” the Northern Lord replied with acerbity in his tone. “I was generous enough to lend my body to soothe such desperation.”

‘To hell with this man!’ She placed her palm on her chest to calm herself. If Celeste compared Adonis who could annoy her to no end with this man, the Archduke undoubtedly took the cake. He was the pinnacle of the most vexing individual she ever came across.

A contempt smile formed on the white witch’s lips; hiding away the fury of her being. “Archduke, you look like you’re enjoying this too much.”

“Sort of.”

She let out the fakest laugh she could ever muster, hands forming a ball of fists to suppress the stifling irritation. “What a humor!”

“You’re burning up, Miss.” The Archduke dismissed the topic with no trouble as he carefully shifted her to the comfort of the mattress.

Sure enough, her face and neck were sweaty since then. It must be the reason why she felt red-hot and not because of the strange sensation of being close to Archduke De Clarzus.

Yes, that was the only plausible answer for every intrusive thought she had for this man.

She beheld her eyes again towards Ezekiel who was now standing as stately as he could be, sophisticated and dignified, on the side of her bed. The light from the small lamp on the bedside table cast a perfect shade that enhanced his already gorgeous facial structure. How could he look so effortlessly stunning with only a white long-sleeve undershirt and black trousers?

‘What a piece of art.’ She thought as she indulged her eyes more of his male beauty.

“I feel feverish, your Highness,” Celeste breathed in ember, as her eyelids fluttered heavily. She felt incredibly exhausted after a while of conversing with him.

“I know. Your body, perhaps, is not used to the cold in Levonne.” Somehow, he sounded uncharacteristically kind as he responded to the private investigator.

“I hate the cold.”

“Rest now,” He commanded before walking towards the door and opening it. The servants who were waiting for him outside her room greeted him, and although, incomprehensible, she could hear the Grand Duke give orders to them.

“Archduke, I…” She wanted to say a few words but her mind leisurely drifted away to la la land.