It didn't take too long for me to run out of breath, but I persisted since having that creature out in the open might attract unwanted attention from the Church.

They haven't tried to make contact, even though I've been out and about for a while now and I'm starting to think that Konrad's influence sure has its uses.

Heaving for air, I forced my legs to continue running even though I've slowed down and they're moving out of my sight.

I stopped at the corner, pressing a hand over my racing heart while panting heavily.

Damn it. To think I used to run laps around the football field and compete in sprint races for fun back in my youth…

Why the heck is Aine's body so weak? Her role as a Holy Maiden shouldn't have affected it.

Did she really sit around that stuffy castle like some hermit?

Wiping the sweat from my forehead and trying to keep the nausea in as this body wasn't used to the strain, I sighed deeply, knowing that I've lost the boy and the creature.

"There you are!" Konrad called out to me as he ran up quickly. "Why did you run like that out of the blue?"

Letting out a puff of air from my nose, I rounded up to him with a scowl.

"You—!" I started angrily as I raised my hand. "You careless, good-for-nothing prince! How dare you lose the one important gift from my mother?"

I poked his shoulder hard on each word to emphasise how upset I was, and Konrad only stared at me wide-eyed.

"Why are you bringing that up all of a sudden…?" He stupidly asked while Darius finally caught up behind him.

"Aine! What got into you?" Darius huffed as he stopped in front of us. "Wha—?"

I stomped on Konrad's foot childishly before turning away from him, pressing a hand over my mouth to stop myself from fully vomiting due to that sudden action. I blinked my eyes fast to clear my eyesight but somehow, everything was blurry and my head felt lighter than usual.

I didn't realise I was staggering already and luckily enough, Darius caught me in his arms.

"Who were you chasing…?" He frowned at me as he helped me be steady on my feet.

"A child…" I mumbled. "He…has something he shouldn't have…"

Darius gave me a confused look. "You ran after a pickpocket? Aine Fiore, darling sister, I'm proud of your keenness for justice but you shouldn't go out of your way to personally solve every little problem."

"She's quite a runner though. I didn't expect she'd be that fast." Konrad commented.

"Shut it, Konrad." Darius hissed.

"What did I say now that pissed you off?"

"My lady." Fion's voice cut through the conversation and we turned to see him not far ahead of us, with the boy I was chasing.

In his arm is a cat-like creature with white fur, light blue tufts of hair at the tip of its ears, red feline eyes and a luxurious red stone on its forehead.

Pushing myself away from Darius, I approached the two newcomers.

The boy has dark hair, deep crimson eyes and fair skin; judging by his overlook look, he's probably around nine or ten years old.

A sense of familiarity came to me when our eyes met.

"You…why do you have that divine beast?" I asked the boy with a frown.

Fion looked down at the boy as well, not even surprised by what I had said.

Well, he's from that side of the family so he should be familiar with it.

"No, he's not a divine beast." The boy said nervously, holding onto it a little tighter. "It's…"

"Edmund, I told you lying is not good." A man's voice came from behind us.

Darius and Konrad turned to look, surprised to see Allen and a taller, muscular version of the boy walking next to him.

Darius lit up on seeing him while Konrad scowled darkly as if the mere sight of him was an eyesore.

"Kieran!" Darius exclaimed happily before stopping short. "I don't remember the residence we gave you being this close. How did you end up here?"

Konrad scoffed. "You conquered their territory  because they were the reason why Aine got hurt, gave me extra work yet you treat the former Prince well."

"For the last time, it wasn't us." Kieran almost snarled at Konrad. "We were framed. If it wasn't for me, your dear princess consort wouldn't have survived. Good thing the men of House Carran listen well to the truth, unlike the prince you are supporting."

Konrad bristled at his words, and the dark haired prince nonchalantly shrugged to further annoy him.

"We didn't get conquered. We surrendered our territory willingly, with a detailed, fair contract made by the young master here. We're only loaning the Principality to the kingdom for the time being."

Konrad and Allen glared at Darius, who flinched and looked away from them.

He drew up a deal with the Prince and omitted it from his report?

"Father didn't mind…" Darius mumbled defensively.

Kieran shook his head, placing his hands on his hip to look at his younger version.

"Edmund, you can't fool the people from that family. Tell them the truth."

The boy curled his shoulders at that, sneaking glances at the two adults near him.

Those golden eyes, gentle though they may be, terrifies him.

"This…this carbuncle came to our house four months ago. It was in pain and weak so we nursed it back to health. Then my older brother said he had to go save someone and somehow…we ended up living in the kingdom."