As soon as they had entered, Asidius’s aid, Fabian, had snatched him away for important business to be discussed with the Emperor. 

It’s strange, isn’t it, mother? This is the second time this month he’s summoned me for an audience. That’s more than the number of times he’s visited you in your short-lived life. 

Asidius hastily closed the picture fitted in his golden pocket watch and opened the audience room’s door. 

“Your Majesty,” he greeted, bowing his head slowly. 

“Sit down.” The old man waved his hand aimlessly.

Asidius quietly took a seat opposite the Emperor. For the first time in years, he peered at his face properly. He was getting older, skin sagging at the chin, gray streaks in his hair, the sluggishness in his movement increasing by the day.

Good. That means he’ll be handing over the position to me any day now. 

His father leaned forward, holding up his hands near his chin. 

“Are you aware that Valles has announced their support for Tenshujichi?” he questioned tentatively, eyes narrowing slightly. 

“I’m afraid not, Your Majesty.” Asidius curtly admitted. 

Isholde, a citizen of Valles who had come to the Empire without any security, was the only person in grave danger—leaving aside Tazuki if she wasn’t declared a princess by the time Asidius ascended the throne. 

“That vermin you keep by your side…make sure he’s gone by next week or I shall use my own methods to take care of him.” The Emperor slowly warned. 

The low growl in his voice and his livid expression made it clear that Asidius couldn’t argue.

“As you wish, Your Majesty,” Asidius accepted, bowing on his way out. 

Isholde. He had to inform him as soon as possible. 

He sprinted to Isholde’s room and barged in, breathless. 

“Why didn’t you tell me sooner, idiot?” he asked bitterly.

“Is that guild of yours only for decoration?” 

Isholde, who was currently putting away his new earrings, turned back slowly with a wide grin.

“I thought the Crown Prince of the Great Vardünheim Empire relied on better sources. Like that mountain Bluebird who’s always in your office,” he snickered, seeming to not take it seriously. 

“Isholde.” Asidius breathed, grabbing him by the shoulders.

“You have to go back. There’s nobody to protect you here.”

“Not even you?” 

“...” 

“I used up all my magic to bring Tazuki here. There’s no way I can manage to cross the continent in one day even by air…” Isholde confessed, still smiling but his eyes avoided Asidius’s gaze.  

“Use mine, I don’t care! Just get the hell out of here. Please.” Asidius pleaded. 

“Don’t you have to restore the Map?” he debated. That got Asidius right in the heart. He had to restore the Map if he wanted to have the power to protect the people precious to him. 

“How long have I got, Asidius?” Isholde looked up at him. Really looked at him. 

“... A week.”

Isholde sighed and sat back. They could work within a week if they used magic to get him to Valles. If only they had a mage on their side…

The next day, Asidius’s schedule had an addition: visit the Prayer Room first thing in the morning. 

There, he found to his surprise that Tazuki was already there, dressed in cream-colored robes, facing the Reliquary. 

“Princess. Have you transferred your powers before?” he asked, voice gravelly from sleep. 

The incident at Kamakura flashed before her. Tazuki had transferred the energy to surroundings but not into one object.

“Not yet. But I think I can manage.” she replied shortly, holding her hands flat towards the object and closing her eyes. 

Transferring the energy from powers took immense focus and determination. 

Even the smallest distraction could disrupt the flow of energy. 

They both took a deep breath and lightly let it out, letting it flow out of their hands towards the Map of Rule on the Reliquary. 

By the time they were done, the Map didn’t immediately split the ground in two or make it rumble.

However, there were tinges of carmine and mignonette at the borders, the outline of places glowing in the same color. 

“Could releasing all this energy at once cause some sort of natural anomaly in the levels of different forms of energy?” Tazuki turned and implored after a long silence, her green eyes glistening with curiosity. 

“There’s no research regarding the restoration of the Map of Rule done.” Asidius replied. 

“This is the first time such an unprecedented transfer of powers has taken place so we’ll see the results as we go.”

The last sentence made it hard for Tazuki to hide her bewilderment but she managed to stay composed, she nodded.

Tazuki went about her day as usual, spending her meals chatting with Sybenzia and learning History. 

Meanwhile, Asidius sat—rubbing his temples—in the study.

The Second Empress, his mother (according to official records), had requested his presence at her palace for tea next week. 

Strange. Almost two decades have passed and gone by—yet she never so much as held a proper conversation with me. It was always the contemptuous glances she’d throw at me from corridors in which we’d brush past each other. 

The small child, who’d feel smaller than ever at being a sight of displeasure for their own mother, would quietly walk away to his room each time.