IBTCETEC 07

~Chapter 7~

Regina quickly sat up in bed. Her hair fell down, and she saw her bare arms. She touched her body and got out of bed without thinking.

Her legs were weak, but she needed to find a mirror. She forced her legs to move and finally stood in front of the mirror—then her strength gave out and she sat down.

“What is this?”

Her old, torn clothes were gone. Her hair smelled nice. She looked like a person again.

If it weren’t for the crescent moon mark, she could mistake this for her room in the Permang Empire.

She blinked at her reflection, wearing a light dress. Red hair and blue eyes—it wasn’t a dream.

“Who changed my clothes…?”

She wondered who had dressed her.

Then she noticed the beautiful furniture around her. Everything looked expensive.

Before she could figure out what was going on, the door opened and a woman in a maid’s outfit walked in.

“Oh, Lady Madarin! You’re awake!”

Hearing herself called “Lady Madarin,” Regina snapped to attention.

“Yes, but where am I?”

The maid didn’t stop to answer and spoke quickly.

“This is the imperial palace of Fredericks Empire. There’s someone waiting for you to wake up.”

‘Someone waiting for me?’

Before Regina could reply, the maid clapped her hands. Suddenly, other maids rushed in.

“Lady Madarin! This way, please!”

After changing her clothes and being decorated, Regina stared at herself in the mirror, still in shock.

She remembered when the Empress once gave her a dress like this for her first party, and a noble girl spilled grape juice all over it.

“You look beautiful!”

The maids all stood behind her, smiling.

‘The one waiting must be the emperor.’

Regina finally guessed who wanted to see her.

If they were dressing her up this much, it must be to stand before the emperor.

Thinking of Conrad brought back the strong memory from before she fainted.

‘My magic came back.’

Regina squeezed her fist. Her heart beat so hard she felt dizzy with hope.

‘Maybe… for the first time in my life, luck is on my side.’

With all her heart, she put her hand over her chest and tried to call her magic.

But—

“Ugh…”

Her magic didn’t work. The seal squeezed her mana core tightly.

She saw a faint light from the mark and bit her lip. Luckily, the maids had their heads down.

Her magic seal was not broken after all.

That meant there was only one way.

‘That man’s aura and my magic must have mixed.’

In ancient times, when the Permang and Fredericks families were one empire, some family members could exchange power.

‘Magic exchange.’

There were two conditions for magic exchange:

First, both people must have strong blood from the founders of Permang and Fredericks.

Second, the person must be strong enough—a magician at least fifth circle, and a knight must be a Swordmaster.

‘I didn’t think the Emperor of Fredericks was strong enough for magic exchange.’

Regina suddenly realized something chilling.

If Conrad felt the same thing she did, he might have figured out her real identity.

“Lady Madarin, are you feeling unwell?”

A maid asked with concern when she saw Regina turn pale.

Regina forced herself to look calm.

“Ah… I’m just a little nervous. I’m fine.”

But her face was now determined.

If Conrad knew her true identity, he might question her, punish her, or even torture her.

She was the one who caused the monster wave in Fredericks by raising the magic barrier. She was also a princess of Permang.

‘If there’s a price I must pay… I will accept it.’

She needed to be ready.

Just as she clenched her fist, the bedroom door opened.

“His Majesty is here.”

The maids bowed deeply to Conrad, then quickly left the room and closed the door.

When the heavy door shut, Regina was alone with Conrad for the first time since she fainted.

“You really look like a noble lady in that dress, Lady Madarin. Or should I say, Regina Permang?”

Regina tried not to lose her composure, but she couldn’t hide the shake in her eyes.

“You dared to enter Fredericks territory so boldly.”

She lowered her head under his cold gaze.

“…I had no choice but to come here.”

“After making my empire like this?”

For a second, Conrad’s emotionless eyes flashed with anger.

“I know it was you who built the magic barrier.”

“…I was just following orders as a soldier. But… you and the people of Fredericks have the right to blame me. I’ll accept any criticism.”

She wanted to say she had always been against that plan, but couldn’t. Conrad was right.

Her head lowered even more. She blamed herself for obeying Heraith.

She bit her lip and couldn’t even make an excuse.

“There’s only one reason I brought you here.”

Regina slowly lifted her head at Conrad’s words.

“Break that barrier.”

That’s the responsibility you must bear.

Regina’s eyes went wide.

The magic barrier she thought would be her burden for life—he was telling her to destroy it.

Could she really break it? Was it okay to do that?

With her own hands?

Then Conrad’s mocking voice cut in.

“Ah, but you can’t do it, can you?”

His eyes moved to the mark on her chest, and Regina felt it sting.

She pretended to rub her shoulder to hide the seal.

Conrad spoke again.

“Your magic is sealed, so you’re useless now.”

Regina’s face went white. Conrad laughed at her.

“So what kind of punishment does a powerless princess deserve?”

All Regina could do was wait for his decision. But when he came closer, she remembered the “magic exchange.”

She remembered his blue power flowing into her body.

Since everything was revealed, there was no point hiding anymore. Regina spoke directly.

“Since Permang abandoned me, I have no problem destroying the barrier. But… like you said, I need to recover my magic first.”

“Hmmm.”

Feeling Conrad’s sharp blue eyes, Regina swallowed and kept going.

“You must have felt your aura and my magic mix. As you know, the royal families of Permang and Fredericks…”

“Can share power. I know. I also know how it’s done.”

Their eyes locked. They were thinking the same thing.

How to share magic.

It required deep physical contact.

Holding hands was enough for a little, but to get full power, there needed to be much deeper contact—skin to skin, even more.

“So, to make you take responsibility for the barrier, you want me to help you get your magic back? By giving my own body?”

Conrad’s last words made Regina clench her fist.

“How bold.”

His voice was mocking, but there was interest in his eyes. Regina noticed and swallowed hard before speaking.

“That’s the only way. If the seal is broken, I can destroy the barrier.”

“Really?”

Conrad looked a little curious now, not just arrogant.

Regina spoke again, firmly.

“I’m strong. Much stronger than you can imagine.”