Chapter 23: A Trail Behind the Misty Forest
The palace was silent. Xebec had not been seen for two days. The servants were panicking, the advisors restless, and even the usually calm Archduke Tristan had begun to wonder. But no one knew that their young king had quietly left—leaving behind the crown and his royal robe—wearing only a simple cloak and carrying a single sword: his father's, King Phillipe's.
Xebec journeyed east, passing through villages and small towns, asking anyone who might have seen a silver-haired woman with a sharp, noble gaze. But none could offer a satisfying answer.
Until one night, in a crumbling old tavern near the ruins of the old Malefic fortress, an old sorcerer—once Astrid's personal attendant—approached him. "You're searching for her," he said, staring straight into Xebec's eyes, "but you don't know the right direction."
The sorcerer told him that Astrid had vanished due to a curse laid upon her by her stepmother before death—a curse preventing Astrid from ever surpassing a 6-star mana core. But Astrid had a dream: to become the first Archmage in her family, reaching the 9-star level. She exiled herself to the Artheron Mist Forest, searching for a magical beast whose mana heart could neutralize the curse.
Xebec's eyes widened. Artheron Forest... a place not marked on any map, shrouded in eternal mist.
Without hesitation, he rode his horse straight into the fog.
---
Three days passed.
Through the thick mist, Xebec finally found an old yet sturdy tower rising like a spire. Several young students were training in the courtyard. And in the center of them stood a woman... Astrid.
She turned slowly, as if she already knew he would come. Their eyes met. No words. Only a silence louder than thunder.
"I… was searching for a cure," Astrid whispered. "This curse—"
But Xebec stepped forward and embraced her. "You can be anything you want, even an Archmage who surpasses every star in the sky. I don't care about the crown or the throne... I just want you back."
Astrid paused, then smiled softly. "Idiot."
And that night, inside the tower, they shared their struggles. The curse. The pain. After exchanging stories and old wounds, Astrid cooked a surprising dinner—rainbow root soup and century-aged enchanted wine.
"I didn't know you could cook," Xebec teased while sipping the soup.
Astrid rolled her eyes. "And I didn't know you could sit still for more than five minutes without talking about war or politics."
They laughed together, and the wine began to take effect.
One glass.
Two.
Three.
Their laughter grew louder, their conversation more absurd.
"I used to think you were arrogant and smug," Xebec murmured, leaning close.
Astrid, her face flushed from the wine, smirked flirtatiously. "And I used to think you were just an annoying crippled prince."
They both fell silent. The distance between them vanished. Their breaths mingled with the sweet scent of old wine. Then, without planning it, their lips met. They moved from the table to the bed, sharing an intense, intimate night. Astrid's beautiful pale face flushed as she surrendered to pleasure. Afterward, Xebec stroked her loose maroon hair, kissed her forehead, and whispered, "Sweet dreams, Astrid…" They fell asleep peacefully in each other's arms.
The sun rose, gently chasing away the embrace of darkness. They woke in warmth that had long been missing, laughing awkwardly, a few plates clattered, and Astrid even got stuck under the table from slipping while still tipsy.
"You knocked me over twice last night," Xebec teased, helping her up with a laugh.
Astrid punched his chest playfully. "Perverted noble."
"You started it, Lady Malefic," he replied, kissing her forehead.
---
Three days later.
Xebec stood in the courtyard of Astrid's tower, watching the students who had started to warm up to him.
"Astrid," he suddenly said, making her stop on the tower stairs.
"What is it?" she asked.
"I... want to be honest. Since our journey to the north, since you stood by me through storms and war—I've realized one thing."
Astrid's cheeks turned pink.
"I fell in love with you, even before you held me in this tower." Xebec took a deep breath. "Come back to the capital. Not just as my lover... but as the Archmage of the Kingdom of Phillipe."
Astrid looked at him for a long moment, then smiled softly. "And my students?"
"I will fully fund the construction of your tower in the capital. From the foundation to the crystal roof. Your students will receive full scholarships, top-tier magical gear, and legal protection from the crown."
"Hm... and salaries?"
"They'll be paid more than royal advisors."
Astrid pretended to think. "And if I want a private hot spring on the roof?"
"Done."
"A lavender garden with singing birds?"
"I'll call the beast tamers."
Astrid laughed, then stepped forward and gave Xebec a quick kiss.
"Alright, Hero King... I'll come back. But on one condition."
"What is it?"
"You have to cook tonight."
Xebec looked panicked. "But—wait! I can only make burnt eggs—!"
"Too late," Astrid replied, pushing him toward the kitchen, while the students giggled behind the windows.
And the mist of Artheron Forest began to fade, as if ushering back a love that had once been lost.
Their final night in Astrid's tower was spent in a silence that wasn't awkward. Under a starry sky and the forest wind carrying the scent of damp earth and wildflowers, they sat side by side on the upper balcony, watching a shooting star streak across the heavens.
"Xebec," Astrid whispered, resting her head on his shoulder. "Are you sure about all this? I... I know when I return to the capital, there will be spies, politics, maybe even threats from what remains of Malefic's influence."
"I know," Xebec replied, taking her hand. "But this time, I won't let anyone take you from me."
He turned to her, his face bathed in moonlight.
"I'm no longer a pitied, crippled prince. I am Xebec von Phillipe—and I love you."
Astrid smiled, holding back tears. "And I love you. Even if our path is full of thorns."
They kissed gently. Unlike the passionate nights before, this was a simple kiss—filled with meaning. A promise for tomorrow.
The next morning, Xebec and Astrid left the tower. The students stood by the door, waving goodbye with smiles and tears. One of them—a red-haired little girl named Elynn—ran up and hugged Astrid.
"Teacher Astrid, don't forget us!"
Astrid stroked her student's head. "I'll never forget you. We'll meet again, in a grander tower, in the capital."
Xebec nodded to them all, then looked back at the old tower one last time. "We'll build a new home for knowledge and magic. A place where the future will begin again."
As they walked away from Artheron Forest, the morning sun cast light on their joined shadows.
Meanwhile, far away in the royal palace, the Chamberlain unrolled a royal proclamation:
> "By order of Crown Prince Xebec von Phillipe, the construction of the Grand Tower of Astrid in the capital shall commence. A sanctuary for young sorcerers under the protection of the kingdom."
And across the land, whispers rose:
"The hero has returned… and so has his long-lost love."
---
To be continued..