Chapter 18 Cat Allergy "At least we met in a sorry state together..."
Melia immediately ordered, "Zelan, lock them up. Tara, contact Nicholas II right away and have them sent back to Helian City the next day."
“Wait, that’s completely unnecessary! I can cure Lord Aidan’s allergy!” Ashlind exclaimed.
Melia gave a cold laugh.
"Save your sorcery, witch. Human magic is unwelcome in Ilovenia."
Aidan was sneezing incessantly, his eyes were red and swollen, and tears were streaming down his face like a torrential downpour. Anyone who didn't know him would think he had just emerged from a tragedy at the theater.
But he still elegantly covered his nose with a handkerchief in one hand and comforted his sister's shoulder with the other.
"Don't, don't be too harsh on them," he said sullenly. "They don't even know about the allergies."
Melia was annoyed: "You're still here? Go back inside now and don't leave for three days."
It is quite possible that Aidan will not follow his sister's instructions.
When Lucas opened his eyes again, all he could see were dark iron bars. Their equipment had been stripped off, but fortunately, only Ashlin's spatial backpack could be opened by herself.
It's hard to say whether being locked up or being allergic to his idol is more painful for him.
Lucas was puzzled as to why the Queen would make such a fuss over something so trivial, when it was just a minor allergic reaction.
Do elves generally have some kind of opinion about cats?
"This... is truly a pleasant surprise," Lucas said dejectedly.
“I’ve been preparing my lines for a long time,” Ashlin said. “I kept thinking about what I would say if I met Aidan while I was at the palace. Like, ‘Your Excellency, may I ask for your signature on my hat?’ or ‘As your most loyal fan, I’ve become friends with a dragon because of your songs!’ instead of ‘I can cure Lord Aidan’s allergies!’”
“Half of the famous songs in Helian were written by Aidan, and there isn’t a single one I don’t know. I can’t believe I’m seeing him like this,” Lucas said bitterly. “My life is ruined.”
“Me too,” Ashlin sighed. “At least we both met our idol in a sorry state.”
“If it were at a different time, I would find this hilarious,” Lucas said.
"I don't understand. Just a second ago, she seemed like she was about to be convinced."
“Melia is not a tyrant; she wouldn’t imprison us just because her brother is allergic to cat fur,” Lucas speculated. “There must be another reason.”
He paced back and forth in his cell.
What did he see and hear in the palace?
“Who is Hida?” he asked.
"who?"
"Aidan said he found a portrait of Sheeta."
“Oh, I wasn’t paying attention at all,” Ashlin said sheepishly. “I was just staring at Aidan. I mean, did you notice his eyes?”
An incurable fangirl. Although he was also staring at Aidan, he at least noticed other things as well.
“Great, so now you know how long Aidan’s eyelashes are?” Lucas said sarcastically. “Or is it that his eye color is different from the one in the book?”
Ashlin glared at him angrily.
"How dare you say that to me? I think you're so excited you're about to faint, probably imagining the Grand Musician grooming you."
"I won't let anything other than my own tongue groom me!"
Ashlin leaned back and laughed, but then accidentally bumped into a hard stone wall, seemingly remembering their miserable situation.
The dungeons in Ilovia were different from those in Dias. Here, the shackles and bars were inscribed with elven runes, suppressing all magic. The gaps in the bars were so small that even a kitten like Lucas couldn't squeeze through.
The guards stood straight at the door like statues, never tiring.
In the cell opposite them was a fast-sleeping, unshaven elf who hadn't opened his eyes even once since they arrived.
Things couldn't get any worse.
“By the way, Lucas,” Ashlin said, as if making a very difficult decision, “there’s something I need to tell you.”
"What?"
“In the environment of the Dragon Crystal Cave, the Forest Goddess… mentioned something else,” Ashlin said carefully. “She said that soon you will become like Zack, completely turning into a cat, and eventually losing your human mind.”
Lucas was very wrong; things could have gotten even worse.
“I’m so sorry, Lucas. I never meant to…”
“It’s alright, we’ve already completed a quarter of it,” Lucas said. “Aesuza has left Dias’ territory, and unless Knox finds the dragon’s territory, he won’t be able to find even the first item. So the only thing preventing us from lifting the curse is time.”
"And the Elf Dungeon."
“And the Elf Dungeon,” Lucas agreed.
He tried to calm down.
Take a deep breath, Lucas. You're a prince of the human kingdom, what's a little thing like being turned into a cat forever? It's nothing...
Permanently ridiculed by everyone in the country, it became an enduring joke of Dias. A thousand years later, when people talk about the great continent of Dias, they can still remember that there was once a prince who was accidentally cursed by a witch and turned into a cat, never to return to his original form.
Is he slowly losing his human thinking ability? Is his brain gradually shrinking and turning him completely into a cat?
The scene from the Dragon Crystal Cave resurfaced in his mind. As a prince, he certainly had a lot of fears.
What would Elaine see if she were in the cave? He suddenly became very curious about what his most formidable sister was afraid of.
For some reason, he couldn't imagine Elaine feeling any fear.
He could never surpass the excellent Elaine, nor did he ever even think of surpassing her, and that was his greatest sin.
If it weren't for him, Elaine would have easily secured the throne long ago. The court officials often gossiped behind her back; the old guard called for Lucas to become crown prince, but the truly enlightened supported Elaine. A son's right to succession always takes precedence over a daughter's, but there are exceptions.
On the one hand, Lucas is traditionally the eldest son and the rightful heir apparent; on the other hand, his ability and desire to become king are far less than Elaine's. Elaine is universally loved and flawless, impeccable in social, political, and even martial arts matters.
Lucas knew it wasn't just because Elaine was exceptionally talented; she also put in far more effort than he did. Sometimes, he was just pretending to work hard so they would realize he wasn't cut out for it. But if Lucas hadn't developed a serious lung disease, they might very well have already held a ceremony to designate him as heir apparent.
When Lucas heard arguments about them, he would plug his ears, trying not to think about how much of a hindrance he was, and he dared not face the scrutiny of the ministers.
Ashlin was much braver than him. And in some ways, much smarter too. Lucas thought to himself as he secretly watched the girl playing with the pebbles in the corner.
On the surface, she looked a bit disheveled, with her blonde hair tangled messily over her shoulders and her hat full of holes.
Only her olive-green eyes betrayed that she was not as simple as she seemed.
She possesses the power of a forest goddess, yet still behaves like a country girl.
At first, Lucas only saw her as a careless and annoying intern witch. But she could see things that Lucas couldn't and do things that he could never do.
For example, making friends with dragons.
In the past, Lucas's father went to great lengths to gather and train dragon warriors. It is said that he even summoned mages from all over the country just to teach the dragon warriors the art of dragon training.
Although the ban on magic had been lifted some time ago, Nicholas II abhorred it and had little fondness for mages. Sanova Bailey enjoyed such a reputation with the king solely because he had cured Lucas's illness.
King Nicholas II once told Elaine and Lucas how magic corrupts the soul, easily turning people into pawns of darkness. The dark witch Cynthia is the most typical example. Legend has it that she was originally a talented young woman of divine birth, a devout follower and descendant of the moon goddess Celeste, but she became increasingly entangled in dark magic. Her greed for power captured her heart.
Ultimately, the magic bestowed upon her by the moon goddess could no longer satisfy her.
Later, the shadow of dark magic still loomed over Dias, and Cynthia's followers remained, but witchers and knights continued to capture them. The royal family's attitude towards magic changed unpredictably from generation to generation. When magic was needed, it suddenly became benevolent; when it was not needed, it became abhorrent.
Besides black magic, Dias's greatest enemy is the dragon.
Lucas had long heard of the brutality of the Dragon Wars. Dragonfire was an extremely terrifying power, and dragons wielded it with unbridled abandon. They were, by right, to be tamed, controlled, and banished.
Sometimes, Lucas couldn't figure out Ashlyn's thoughts at all.
“Ashlin, what did you see in the cave earlier,” he cautiously began.
Ashlin glanced at her, then resumed playing with the pebbles.
I'm afraid you'll laugh at me if I tell you.
Even if you don't say it, I'll still laugh at you.
Ashlin pouted.
“I see myself making herbs day after day, fulfilling repetitive orders… I can’t escape this life,” she whispered. “Some people might think it’s stable. But for me, this is not what I want.”
She threw the stones over the fence, the clattering sound echoing through the dungeon.
When she said those words, her tone was full of hope, as if a ray of sunlight had shone into a dungeon.
That's normal, isn't it? She's lived a carefree life since she was little. Growing up in the forest must have been so wonderful that she could even blurt out such an unrealistic dream.
How would an adventurer support herself? He chuckled self-deprecatingly. Ashlin was a child of the forest, not some ordinary witch who could only barely learn a little magic through practice. He reminded himself that she certainly had a way to support herself. The forest was always free, and magic had liberated her even more.
"That's... really good."
"And you?"
Lucas wasn't sure what she was asking. Was it his future dreams, or his fear of dragon glass?
He didn't really want to answer either of them.
“I might become the husband of some lord’s daughter, to maintain the relationship between our families,” he said in a nonchalant tone. “Or I might continue to assist Elaine in court. Or perhaps, I’ll be nominated by those dry, unambitious ministers to become the crown prince and inherit the throne.”
Of course, that's not true; he's already made his choice. But now he's been given a second chance, and he's no longer sure. He has nothing to complain about.
"You don't like these."
“It’s not up to me to decide. Please forget all that.” He stood up. “Now, the only important thing is to get out of here.”
"You have a plan?"
“It’s not fully formed yet,” Lucas said, “but I think I’ve discovered something.”
Just then, the guards began their shift change, and their positions became empty. Lucas pounded on the railing and meowed a few times.
"What are you doing?" Ashlin asked nervously.
“Wake up that guy across the street and ask him about Sheeta.”
So Ashlinn started banging on the ground, like she was drumming.
The elf in the opposite cell finally opened his eyes, his face full of weariness.
"What are you doing?" he pressed. "I just dreamt of the most delicious cake in Ilovia, and I haven't had a chance to eat it yet."
“Excuse me for bothering you, I only have one question,” Ashlin said, “Do you know who Sheida is?”
The elf instantly became alert.
Why are you asking this, human?
"Just out of curiosity. I have a strong thirst for knowledge."
It might be quite boring to be in the dungeon for a long time without any living beings talking, and Ashlin's perfunctory reason was enough to convince him.
“Sheda was Melia’s daughter,” the elf said. “But she died a few months ago, just seventy years old.”
An elf's seventy years old is equivalent to a human's seven years old.
Lucas realized that since arriving in Elf Valley... the number seven had appeared quite frequently.
Had he heard the legend about the Elven number seven, their art, and their souls? Seven represents order, change, and a cycle. Breaking the seven might cause problems.
Not just seven, any seven is possible. Seventeen, seventy, seven hundred...
“How could that be?” Ashlin asked.
Before answering, the elf glanced in Lucas's direction.
Lucas immediately understood the reason.
“Allergies,” the elf replied, confirming Lucas’s guess. “Unlike you, our people have lived in seclusion in the valleys for too long, their only companions being song, dance, and art… Over time, we’ve long forgotten what it’s like to live with furry creatures. Our isolation is probably our greatest weakness…”
"The beastmen from the north sent a kitten to celebrate Princess Sheeta's seventieth birthday. Poor Sheeta had an asthma attack, and the doctor didn't even have time to..."
“And what about Melia’s husband?” Lucas asked. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard of the Elf King.”
The elven prisoner shook his head, retreated into the shadows, and stopped speaking, as if he wanted to continue eating cake in his dream.
The guards returned to their posts.
No wonder Melia looked so worried, and considering what the gatekeeper said...
"That's right."
"What? Sheeta is so pitiful." Ashlin narrowed her eyes. "Your grand plan includes Sheeta?"
“Good. I suggest we wait patiently until evening.” Lucas thought of Aidan’s last look and could only pray that the Grand Musician wouldn’t disappoint him.
His love for Aidan's music was not without reason; it was lively, beautiful, and full of energy, as if it could jump right out of the score.
But what about Aidan himself?
As long as it's not like Melia.
"Then may I have the honor of knowing the specifics of Your Highness's plan?"
“Not yet,” Lucas said. “Otherwise, you might refuse.”
In the dungeon, they had difficulty keeping track of time. Their sleep schedules were completely reversed; they slept in their cells during the day and then had nothing to do when they woke up.
Ashlin had just thrown the pebbles out, and now she was missing another toy, so she had no choice but to peel off the plaster from the wall.
Lucas, however, took a liking to a spider. As a human, he had never realized how interesting spiders could be. Those slender eight legs were practically beckoning him to hunt.
Suddenly, its body grew larger, and it slammed its head against the stone wall in pain. The spider vanished in terror.
“This posture is not elegant for our prince,” a soft voice said from above his head.
Ashlin gasped, "Lord Aidan!"
Lucas rubbed his head and backed away, inwardly screaming with embarrassment.
Aidan's allergy symptoms had subsided, and he observed them with great interest through his purple eyes, fiddling with a key in his hand.
His idol certainly didn't disappoint him.
“I’ve already spoken with my sister, and she’s willing to give you another chance,” Aidan said. “She’s not an elf who’s easily persuaded. The only reason she agreed was because I promised to stay home for the next month.”
"Can you stay home for a month without leaving the house?" Ashlin asked.
Aidan chuckled softly and unlocked the cell door. "Of course not."
“Because I’m different from my sister. I see an opportunity.” Aidan answered ambiguously, his purple eyes gleaming. “To prove me right, tell me what you plan to do next? My sister isn’t easily persuaded.”
“We plan to give her a big gift,” Lucas said.
Ashlin quickly looked at him.
“A big gift? Let me remind you, Lucas, we have nothing.”
Lucas raised his eyebrows and gave her a composed smile.
“In fact, we have everything.”
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