Chapter 161

Elise drew her quilted coat tighter around her shoulders, bracing against the cold—and the nerves.

She always found herself fidgeting before Andrei’s bedchamber, smoothing her sleeves, adjusting the buttons at her collar. A small, unconscious ritual born of guilt. After all, she still hadn’t told him she was pregnant.

It had been three weeks since they arrived in Riosa. Today marked the tenth day since Argan’s surprise assault had ended in victory. Riding that momentum, they were already preparing for another strike.

The reconnaissance phase had gone on long enough. It was time to push—decisively, while they still had the advantage.

I’ll tell him after the battle… 

With the situation hanging by a thread, any news that could sap morale needed to be kept under wraps. Thankfully, Barnon and the knights from Norella had honored her request to keep her secret.

Let’s hide it as long as I can. Though I doubt I have much time left.

As she steadied her thoughts in the hallway, she heard footsteps. Barnon approached, his brows drawn in concern.

“You alright, Elizabeth?” he asked.

“I’m fine,” she replied with a small smile. “Why? Do I look that pale?”

“It’s not that…” He hesitated, then frowned. “You’ve been running around without a break. I just wonder if you’re really okay.”

“I’m not doing anything strenuous,” Elise said lightly, brushing off his concern. “All I do is show my face and say a few words.”

But her presence mattered more than she let on. The news of the princess’s return had rekindled the soldiers’ morale. When people had someone to protect, their will to fight burned brighter. So instead of hiding away in her chambers, Elise often took walks around the fortress, offering words of encouragement where she could.

“It’s still bearable,” she added, her voice softening. “Don’t worry too much.”

In truth, she was holding up far better than she had expected. The healing magic Andrei had inscribed for emergencies was working, restoring her strength even as it rapidly consumed her mana. It wasn’t sustainable—but it was keeping her on her feet, for now.

And if she did reach her limit… she’d already made preparations. Her eyes dimmed as she recalled the terms of the new pact she’d forged with the dragon just two mornings ago.

Because the future was uncertain—and Elise had learned to prepare for the worst.

Elise took a deep breath, steadying the flutter in her chest, and knocked gently on the door. In the brightest, most cheerful tone she could summon, she called out, “Andrei, it’s me. May I come in?”

This had become their quiet ritual.

Every evening, the twins would share dinner, then fall into long conversations about magic. Or rather, Elise would barrage Andrei with endless questions while he patiently answered each one, drawing intricate formulas across parchment. Elise had grown skilled at memorizing them and replicating the diagrams with near-perfect precision.

Their routine, calm and consistent, had shaped the rhythm of their nights for weeks now.

But tonight felt different.

As she settled into the armchair across from him, smoothing her skirt absently, she felt the weight in the air before a single word was spoken. Andrei sat at his desk, eyes fixed on her in thoughtful silence. After a moment, he spoke in a low, measured voice.

“Elise. About the magic circle engraved on your back… I think it needs a few adjustments.”

She blinked, caught off guard mid-motion as she began to unroll a large sheet of parchment.
“…What?”

“The one I inscribed on you seven years ago,” he continued, his tone calm but resolute. “It was designed to keep our connection to a minimum. I want to revise the formula to make the link more fluid.”

Elise looked up, brows furrowed. “Why now? What changed?”

Andrei met her gaze evenly. “Right now, neither of us can transfer power. Whether your magic flows to me or mine to you, it doesn’t matter—it’s a critical step. We need to be able to act, no matter the situation.”

Her lips parted, but no answer came. She knew what the adjustment would require.

The magic circle ran from the center of her spine down to her lower back. To reveal it, she’d have to remove her cape and unfasten the row of buttons lining the back of her dress. There would be no way to hide it then. The truth she had buried—her body’s subtle changes, the one secret she had yet to share—would be exposed in an instant.

Unconsciously, her fingers curled, crumpling the corner of the parchment in her lap.

Andrei spoke again, his tone as flat and unreadable as ever. “Of course, there’s no need to fully expose your back. I can sense the magic circle well enough through your indoor clothes. Just take off your cape and gown.”

Elise didn’t answer. Silence stretched between them.

“Is it because you’re cold?” he asked after a pause, glancing toward the hearth. “Should I stoke the fire, Elise?”

“No.” She shook her head quickly, lips pressed into a thin line. “It’s just… it’s been a while. I feel a bit strange, that’s all.”

Andrei nodded slightly, as if he understood. “We’re not children anymore. Even between siblings, physical contact can feel… awkward. If it truly bothers you, we can find another method.”

“That’s not what I meant,” she said quietly, her voice tight.

What should I do? Should I just tell him now, before it’s too late?

But when she opened her mouth, her tongue betrayed her heart.

“Will it… only take a moment?” she asked instead.

“Of course,” he replied without hesitation.

Her lips felt dry, as if every drop of moisture had been drained by nerves. Elise’s fingers trembled slightly as they reached for the buttons on her cape—the garment that had shielded her like armor for weeks. Just one layer of fabric, and yet it felt impossibly heavy to remove.

As she stood, Andrei moved as well. The soft sound of his footsteps grew nearer, quiet and steady.

Her breath caught. With painstaking care, she began unfastening each button, but her chilled fingers kept slipping. After several clumsy attempts, she finally managed to peel the cloak from her shoulders and drape it over the back of the chair.

Next came the velvet robe beneath—thicker, warmer, but even more difficult to part with. She slipped it off with slow, deliberate movements, folding it over her arm before clutching it tightly to her chest like a barrier she couldn’t yet bring herself to lower.

The dress she wore underneath was a pale orange muslin, simple and soft, flaring gently beneath her chest in a bell-like shape. Modest, delicate—yet woefully inadequate for hiding what she needed to hide.

Maybe… maybe this will be enough. She knew full well it wasn’t the best decision. Hiding the truth like this—delaying it—was a fragile lie. But Elise still hadn’t found the strength to let it go.

Not yet.

“Excuse me for a moment,” Andrei murmured.

He stepped closer, his fingers hovering briefly before they brushed lightly against the fabric covering her lower back. Guided by the residual traces of the old enchantment, he sought the familiar lines of the magic circle he’d etched there years ago.

What he found made his jaw tighten.

The once-precise markings were frayed and partially blackened—corroded in places where the magic should’ve remained intact.

More than I thought…

The damage was worse than he’d anticipated.

If he hadn’t touched her directly, it would’ve been nearly impossible to detect the circle’s presence at all, let alone assess its condition. The cause, however, was not difficult to guess.

Who else could’ve dared to leave such marks—on a body so carefully guarded her entire life? Not just once or twice. The repeated traces of contact were unmistakable.

He must’ve clung to her… refused to let go. Andrei clenched his teeth silently, grinding them in frustration before forcing himself to speak again, this time keeping his voice steady.

“This might sting a little. I’ll be quick.”

“…Okay,” Elise replied softly.

The silence between them grew taut, sharpened by tension. The only sound was the faint rustle of fabric as his fingers brushed carefully over her dress. Elise clutched the velvet robe tighter to her chest, her knuckles white, her breath caught in her throat.

Her heartbeat pounded—loud, insistent—as if it were echoing in the room itself.

Each time Andrei’s finger tapped lightly over her skin through the thin muslin, a sharp jolt rippled outward, biting into her nerves from deep beneath the surface. Above the quiet, the low murmur of his incantation began to rise, winding like thread along the curve of her spine.

Then—cough.

A small, sudden sound. Andrei drew in a shallow breath.

Still clutching the robe close, Elise didn’t notice at first. Only when his breathing turned ragged did her head lift in concern.

“Andrei?” she asked, turning slightly. “Are you okay?”

“…Just a little more,” he said, his voice strained. “Almost done.”

But even after the stinging sensation faded, his hand lingered—motionless, suspended in hesitation. The silence pressed in once more.

The moment the pain dulled completely, Elise moved quickly. She shrugged her robe back over her shoulders, fastening it at the front with swift, practiced hands. Then she turned around in one smooth motion, the soft flare of her dress settling around her legs.

In just that short span of time, Andrei’s complexion had turned visibly pale. He raised a hand to his mouth, concealing a slight tremble in his fingers.

“Sorry,” he murmured, voice thin but composed. “It’s a spell I haven’t used in a while. Took more energy than I expected. But it’s done, Elise.”

Elise narrowed her eyes. “What exactly did you do? Why are you sweating like that?”

He didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he stepped closer and held out a sheet of parchment—thrusting it in front of her face with abrupt urgency, effectively blocking her line of sight to his expression.

“Here,” he said. “From now on, it should be easier for you to read the circle.”

She opened her mouth, ready to scold him—but the moment her eyes landed on the diagram, her breath caught.

Where once there had been only tangled symbols and fractured lines, the formation now unfolded like a living thing. The symbols restructured themselves, forming elegant geometric shapes. The drawn lines didn’t stop at the edge of the parchment—they radiated outward, expanding in every direction. A translucent magic circle rose before her, taller than she was, with threads of glowing energy stretching across the room—under the door, out the windows, brushing against the very air.

Elise gasped softly. “So this is… the circuit.”

“Yes,” Andrei replied quietly. “I’ve shared with you the world as I see it. This isn’t something you can learn from books alone.”

Her hand hovered over the formation for a moment. Then, cautiously, she channeled a small stream of magic into the circle.

Instantly, a golden glow pulsed from the center, and with a gentle fwoop, a protective barrier blossomed into existence.

Her eyes lit up. “I can feel it. I know exactly how much mana to use now. It’s like… like everything is finally making sense.”

She wasn’t exaggerating. The circuit mapped the balance of energy perfectly. With a single glance, she could anticipate flow, output, feedback—everything. It couldn’t have come at a better time. The next battlefield was a narrow, twisting valley to the west. One misplaced spell there could easily strike their own troops. But this… this gave her precision.

Andrei gave her a rare, genuine smile—gentle and proud.

“Before long,” he said, “you won’t even need me to draw your circles anymore. You’ll be able to construct them yourself.”

But Elise, caught up in the wonder of the moment, missed the weight behind his words. Beaming, she turned to him, eyes shining with the same enthusiasm she had as a child.

“Then for the second ambush next week, I’ll be able to—”

“Elizabeth.”

His voice stopped her mid-sentence.

When she turned to look at him again, all signs of exhaustion had vanished from his face. He stood tall, composed, smiling with unsettling calm—as if he’d stepped out of a painted portrait.

“It’s a bit late,” he said, “but it is the new year. Shall we go ahead and hold your engagement ceremony?”

“…What?” Elise blinked.

The words didn’t register right away. Her head tilted slightly, confused. “Engagement ceremony? Me?”

“Yes, you, sister,” he said with eerie certainty.

Even after hearing it a second time, the word engagement felt alien. Cold. Detached. It didn’t belong anywhere in the life she had imagined for herself.

It didn’t belong to her at all.