Her mother's pupils sharpened as she heard Irene's question. The pleasant conversation they had shared as mother and daughter had now touched upon a sensitive subject. Irene held her gaze—fearful, yet fixed—on her mother's eyes.
"Explain yourself more clearly, Irene."
Hearing her name, her heart pounded. She instinctively lowered her gaze; however, she would not retreat. She would face any problem head-on.
"W-what I m-mean is…," she clenched her dress tightly at her thighs. "T-that your husband has a basement beneath the castle. S-since I was six years old, I knew he had imprisoned—"
'Say it. Say it! But what if I was wrong? What if I ruin both of their lives?'
"Imprisoned who?" her mother insisted.
"M-many… many women…"
Her mother stood up. Irene lowered her head even further.
"Lead me. Now," she ordered in a severe voice.
Irene obeyed and walked ahead of her mother. The only sound she could hear was the echo of her heels striking the marble floor behind her. When they reached the basement door, Irene opened it and descended the stairs.
When she turned on the light, she saw the familiar office she had always known—but not the immense entrance to an inner dungeon. She froze, confused, and looked around in every direction.
"Which way now?" her mother asked.
"U-uh… one moment."
'It's been twelve years since I came here. I was stupid not to check if it was still here. I remember it being open, like a normal passageway.'
She could see her mother walking silently beside her. Irene was nervous, but her mother's expression was sharp and serious. She approached a wall, placed her fingers against it, and pressed her ear to the concrete.
Closing her eyes to focus on the sound beyond the wall, she felt faint vibrations. She knocked with her knuckle, and although it sounded normal from the inside, her ears detected a hollow space beyond it.
She stepped back, looked upward, and tried pushing the wall. Her eyes darted to the sides, searching for shelves or any place that looked suspicious.
'A secret passage. Not surprising—there are plenty of those around here,' the queen thought.
Unable to find a way in, she looked over her shoulder at Irene and spoke:
"What did you see on the other side of the passage?"
"Umm… it was some kind of prison. There were more cells than I could count, and all of them were filled with women. I think they were slaves."
"And what else? What were they doing there? Did you see experimental machines? Ritual objects? Were there others involved?"
With every word, her mother stepped closer to Irene. She felt intimidated, but she still explained:
"I only remember seeing some kind of table in the center of everything. He…"
She fell silent as the memory resurfaced. If it had been anyone else, she would have said it without hesitation—but her lips refused to move.
'He was having sex with the slaves… He's keeping them all imprisoned. But he's the head of the Aetheris bloodline—what will she do after hearing this? What if I put her in danger? What if I ruin her life?'
Her arms drew tightly against her chest. She lowered her gaze and said:
"I-I don't remember anything else. Just the cries for help."
Her mother inhaled deeply without taking her eyes off Irene. As she exhaled, Irene spoke:
"I want to leave the castle."
"What?"
"Forgive me, but I can't stay in this place knowing what lies beneath it. I made that decision when I was six, and it never left my mind. I only waited until I came of age so I could leave without trouble. I want to… travel the world and see it. I wasn't born to stay in one place."
The queen kept her gaze locked on her daughter. The playful, coquettish smile she always wore had vanished some time ago. The news was hitting her all at once, and she didn't know how to react.
"I already have a plan to survive out there," Irene continued, lifting her eyes to her mother while maintaining a fearful expression. "I prepared myself and researched countless things about our country and my possible destinations. I know exactly what I need to do—and how to survive."
She clenched the black fabric of her dress near her heart. Her mother watched her in silence for a moment before speaking:
"And do you know how you'll defend yourself? Have you learned how to use your power?"
"Huh? P-power?" she asked with subtle curiosity.
"Then you don't know…"
The queen sighed and began walking toward the exit. Irene followed her with her eyes and, seeing that she wasn't being addressed, asked:
"M-mother… what power are you talking about?"
"Enough, Irene," she said without looking at her. "I won't lie to you—I'm upset with you. You should have told me this a long time ago. And I'm not talking about your father, but about wanting to leave. I see you made all your preparations without taking me into account. Not even a little."
She began climbing the stairs, leaving one final remark:
"Then continue investigating on your own and learn about yourself. I'll take care of your father's matter."
"Mother, please don't take it that way; I never meant for this to happen."
The queen paused for a moment, glanced at her sideways, and before leaving, replied:
"You said it yourself: you were determined to do it even if we told you no. That's why you waited until you came of age. If what you wanted was my permission, you should have trusted me long ago. Do you think you're an adult now? Then you should know that an adult must take responsibility for their decisions without seeking someone else's approval."
Once she was gone, Irene let her ears droop downward as she lowered her head.
◇◆◇
When night fell, Irene was crouched down, resting her forehead on her arms, which were draped over her knees. Her hips were raised from the ground, and her pink tail lay still, stretched across the green grass.
Her hair fell over her body, barely visible under the faint moonlight. Her ears instinctively folded back along her spine when she heard the grass rustle.
"It was really hard to find you," Rynelle confessed as she approached. "This time, it's obvious you didn't want to be found. What are you doing hidden behind all these trees and bushes?"
"Leave me alone…" she murmured in a broken voice.
"We can do this two ways, little fox. I can give you a long monologue you've probably heard a hundred times, or I can just sit here in silence and say nothing." As she spoke, she sat beside Irene and hugged her knees.
Silence embraced them.
The wind swayed the leaves of the trees.
Chirp… Chirp… Chirp…
Crickets chirped, and tiny fireflies drifted through the air.
After a while, Irene spoke:
"I'm leaving tomorrow."
Rynelle opened her eyes, emerging from her meditation, and looked at her from the side.
"Where are we going?"
"I don't care what you say—wait… huh? What?" she asked, lifting her head.
Rynelle noticed the princess's glassy eyes. Despite the dim light, they shimmered.
"I won't stay here if I have no one to protect. Besides, I wouldn't be doing anything wrong—I'd just be honoring my oath. I'm your bodyguard, and it's my duty to protect you."
Her expression softened, and she smiled warmly, placing her hand on Irene's head, right between her ears.
"Besides, you're also my best friend. It would be really boring without you. I told you years ago, didn't I? My loyalty would follow you wherever you go."
Irene smiled gently beneath her sadness. She even felt her heart flutter.
"Just remember to tell Hanami too," Rynelle added as she pulled her hand away. "She's done and sacrificed a lot for you. Don't betray her trust."
Irene nodded, wiping away her tears.
"I'm surprised by how much you've changed with her. You used to not even let her leave her room after her shift ended."
"She's changed a lot over the past three years. Over time, she proved that I was wrong—and she's a very good companion. She's learned and matured a great deal."
Irene nodded. When she felt ready to speak again, she brought up the topic:
"Hanami always mentions Lockdon, but it's really far away. Still, it would be nice to make it our main objective. Our Journey to Lockdon. What do you think?"
"It's a good goal. Life is good there, and it has a huge market for adventurers—but where will we go while we're getting there?"
"I already mapped out the route, so don't worry. Azuryth, Nerathis, Luminavia, Aeloria—and I'd also like to visit the birthplace of the kitsune. My mother mentioned it today. Maybe I'll find that power she said I have."
"Hm? Kitsune energy?" Rynelle asked calmly. "It's no secret. Want me to tell you?"
Irene's eyes lit up. She wanted to know—but instead, she closed her eyes and answered:
"No. I want to go and discover it myself. I want to use my life to explore this world and every corner of it. I'm a kitsune, a long-lived race—I'm sure that wasn't a coincidence. And I'll enjoy every place I set foot in."
Rynelle gazed up at the night sky and said:
"Then we'll go to the kitsune country first."
"Huh? That wasn't my first destination."
"Irene. If you're going to live a life of travel and adventure, it's better to learn how to defend yourself as soon as possible. There are many dangers out there, and the day may come when Hanami and I can't protect you. You need to be able to defend yourself."
Irene laughed awkwardly and said with a nervous look:
"I-is it too late to take back wanting to wait before discovering my power?"
Rynelle laughed, throwing her head back.
"Don't be afraid. That country isn't far from your father's territory, Ronel. We'll be fine—there's no danger I can't handle."
"I see… Are you really that strong?"
Rynelle smiled confidently and replied:
"If you weren't such a spoiled little fox, you'd know I've been outside the castle more than a few times. Of course I'm strong—strong enough to protect you. But I'm not the strongest in the world. I could run into trouble at any time."
Irene's innocent eyes watched her in silence. She didn't know that side of her—but she also couldn't imagine Rynelle as someone strong. After all, she was slender and didn't have visible muscles.
Noticing that Irene was feeling a little better, Rynelle stood up and said:
"I'll go inform Hanami that we're starting a journey tomorrow. Do me a favor and don't go off on your own, okay?"
"I wouldn't without you," she replied, gently shaking her head.
"Good, obedient little fox. Now go back to your room."
"I'm not a pet," she said, frowning with a pout.
"Just do it," she said softly.
Irene obeyed and headed to her room, her mood lighter than before. Only one thought echoed in her mind:
'We'll be fine—the three of us together. Finally… I'll be far away from here tomorrow.'
"Hm? Oh, my daughter—you're still awake."
The voice of her father, Ronel, stopped her in her tracks. Her heart lurched, and her once-happy expression turned anxious and fearful. All those emotions rushed back and twisted in her stomach.
"F-father?"