Azphira Tales

In principle, secretly feeding something to the Crown Prince was impossible. There was always someone attending his meals, and no one could touch the food before it reached the table. The servants who carried the dishes were invariably shadowed by the Royal Guard. And that was only if one were invited to dine. Eating with the Crown Prince was as difficult as plucking a star from the sky. Therefore, she had to create an opportunity when he came to her room. [Roserikta] "I will

[Kalart] "Did you say a scandal?" It felt as though the temperature in his voice dropped by a degree. Lafitte instinctively shuddered and bit the tip of his tongue. [Kalart] "Why?" [Lafitte] "Your Highness. Surely you are not asking because you do not know......" [Kalart] "I do not know. I remember only one thing. You were one of the people who prostrated themselves and wept, begging me to date anyone at all. Does this mean your loyalty toward me has changed in the meantime?"

The soft rustle of fabric filled the air. A cloak settled onto her shoulders. Kalart had removed his own garment the moment she mentioned the chill. She clutched the edges of the cloak with both hands, her face still flushing a deep crimson despite the cold. Memories surged—vivid images of a day when she had worn nothing but a cloak over her bare skin. [Roserikta] "I feel as though I should start singing." She whispered the words. Kalart, who had been walking with his arm dra

[Roserikta] "Is something wrong with the Investiture Staff, Your Highness?" The night remained so quiet it seemed the brilliant moonlight had evaporated every sound. At this distance, she could hear his every breath—steady, then pausing, then deepening with an unspoken intensity. Fearing he might hear the frantic thundering of her own heart, she grasped at the first topic she could find. [Kalart] "Wrong?" He turned his gaze toward her, his eyes reflecting the silver moon. He

[Roserikta] "......" This situation had spiraled far beyond a mere breach of etiquette. She didn't need to look at the Chamberlain to know his gaze was currently boring into the back of Kalart’s head like a volley of arrows. Accepting the bite would ignite a catastrophe—for the Chamberlain and for her own sanity. [Roserikta] "I will...... feed myself, Your Highness." She offered her refusal, and Lafitte’s eyebrows, which had arched toward his hairline in fury, lowered a fract

[Courtier 1] "Welcome, Your Highness." [Courtier 2] "Welcome to Kyrien." [Courtier 3] "May the gods' grace follow your every step." The greetings never ended. From the moment they crossed the castle gates, courtiers in attire as lavish as those in the capital lined both sides of the path, bowing in a rhythmic wave. The reception far outshone her first entry into Trifolim Palace. Only then did Roserikta realize that a journey to the Crown Prince’s secondary estate was no casua

[Eaton] "Pardon?" [Lafitte] "Excuse me, Your Highness?" Eaton and Lafitte reacted with identical shock before Kalart even finished announcing his departure for Kyrien. Ignoring them both, Kalart divided the mountain of documents on his desk in half. One pile consisted of reviewed papers; the other contained tasks yet to be addressed. Pointing to the latter with his chin, he spoke. [Kalart] "Hand these over to the Imperial Secretary. I will be absent for three days." [Lafitte]

[Kalart] "It is nothing much." His voice lacked its usual steady confidence. He averted his gaze, offering the words like a reluctant excuse. [Kalart] "They informed me the investiture staff would take a few days to arrive...... so take this instead." [Roserikta] "Your Highness." He had come to find her. He now held out a hairpin encrusted with several large, brilliant diamonds. It was an imperial treasure with a storied history—an object most people would never even glimpse

[Roserikta] "......Nothing else, Your Highness." He leaned his head against the back of the sofa, his brow furrowed. His eyelids hung heavy with exhaustion. [Kalart] "That is an order. Think of something else." [Roserikta] "Allowing me to use the sapphire is more than enough." [Kalart] "I know you want for nothing; that is precisely why I want you to think. Take your time. To put it plainly, I have no desire to leave yet." [Roserikta] "But......" [Kalart] "I wish to stay by y

[Elona] "I know of one. A sapphire of that magnitude resides right here, in the Crown Prince’s Palace." She met Elona behind the staircase leading to the basement of the dining hall. Tucked away beside the dining room fireplace, a small, hidden door opened into a passage used exclusively by the maids—a perfect sanctuary for a clandestine meeting. [Roserikta] "It is here in the palace?" Fortunately, Elona possessed a vast knowledge of gemstones; her relatives served as the roy

[Lafitte] "It seems your grip on your duties has loosened." Countess Aldwin, the Head Maid, glared at him instantly. [Aldwin] "Is that directed at me, Baron?" [Lafitte] "I merely state the undeniable." Baron Lafitte, the Chamberlain, took a sip of his tea with practiced elegance. The brew tasted exceptionally bitter today—resembling dishwater more than Darjeeling. Given his recent friction with the Head Maid, he suspected she might have actually used a floor mop to brew it. [

[Roserikta] "Your Highness......?" The Crown Prince's bedchamber defied every expectation. She had imagined a sprawling, opulent hall swarming with court physicians and head maids. Instead, she found a void. The room lacked gilded ornaments and exquisite furniture. No breathtaking ceiling frescoes or portraits of the late Empress adorned the walls. Only a fireplace and a bed occupied the space. Heavy curtains smothered the massive windows, plunging the room into gloom. In thi

The sensation was unmistakable. A resolute, impenetrable wall stood between them, leaving no room for negotiation. [Kalart] "That felt worse than a simple rejection." He closed his eyes as the water lapped against his skin. Anger simmered within Eaton. His fury stemmed from a different source—undiluted loyalty. [Eaton] "Who would dare reject you? Punish her, Your Highness." [Kalart] "What......?" Kalart opened his eyes and stared at Eaton. His gaze, sharpened by the frigid wa

His kisses grew more intense by the second. Panic flared within her. She knew she should stop him, yet the words remained trapped in her throat. [Kalart] "I am afraid. I fear that one day, I will lose control and do exactly that." [Roserikta] "......" He pulled his lips away. Instead of releasing her, he tugged at her wrist, pulling her closer. Her frozen body dragged toward him without resistance. The distance between them, already dangerously narrow, vanished entirely. If s

A completely different landscape unfolded behind her. As if appearing out of nowhere, a lush forest materialized in the middle of the open fields. It was less a typical forest and more a sprawling colony of Lumarr trees. The Lumarr tree was a species familiar even to witches. Unlike other trees, its trunk was bone-white down to the very roots—a mark left behind by the spirits that once dwelled within them. Consequently, the Lumarr trees emitted a uniquely pure energy and harm

Her heart hammered against her ribs with terrifying force. Her breath grew shallow for reasons she couldn't name. Her mind was a chaotic blur; she couldn't even begin to decipher what he meant by feeling "filthy." A part of her wanted to vanish. Another part, however, wanted to take his hand and soothe him until that foul mood dissipated. Her lips stung as if they were on fire. Why? Why did they hurt? She hadn't even realized she was injured until he touched her. Why now? [Ro