“What are you doing in this place in the early hours of the morning? Shouldn’t you be enjoying your time with those two girls?” The one who spoke in that prickly tone was the woman Ziel had also met last night by the lake. She was Queen Helena and still wore the clothes she wore last night. She looked angry that Ziel suddenly left her alone last night.

After Ziel left her last night, Queen Helena quickly chased him into the cottage and wanted to complain to him. But when she couldn’t find him, she ventured to ask the girls gathered in the living room.

When Queen Helena discovered Ziel had gone to Clara and Lilith’s room, jealousy rose in her heart. But she was a smart woman and quickly got an answer about Ziel’s purpose in coming to their room at night.

Queen Helena felt it must have something to do with the information she had given Ziel. She also remembered that Lilith and Clara had come with Ziel to the village of those gray-haired people. When Queen Helena linked the matter with her information to Ziel, she concluded that Ziel must have thought that the two girls had the same Mana disorder as her.

If his guess is correct, Ziel meets the two girls to confirm their condition and immediately treats them if they suffer from a mana disorder. Queen Helena heaved a sigh of relief when she thought of that. But that feeling of relief quickly dissipated once she remembered how her treatment was going back then.

Queen Helena was sure that the two girls would react the same way to her during the treatment. But since Lilith and Clara were Ziel’s lovers, it was possible that they would do what lovers usually do after the treatment was over.

While imagining that, Queen Helena clenched her fists tightly as her heart was filled with jealousy. She waited for Ziel all night with her daughter and the other girls. But Ziel still hasn’t come out of Clara’s room. Queen Helena and the others could vaguely guess what was going on there.

Queen Helena and the girls waited until midnight. Ziel had not yet come out of Clara’s room, and they decided to stay at the cottages, including Princess Irene and Princess Cordelia. They hoped to hear from Ziel as soon as he finished his business and found out what had happened. But Queen Helena had trouble sleeping and instead read books until dawn.

She decided to take a morning walk and refresh her mind. But in that place, Queen Helena saw Ziel’s figure standing by the lake and contemplating something. The image of Ziel alone with two girls in a room resurfaced in his mind, and jealousy welled up in his heart. Then Queen Helena unhesitatingly said to him with thorny words.

“That’s my business. Then, what are you doing in this place at a time like this, and how do you know I was with Lilith and Clara last night?” Ziel looked at Queen Helena and said casually.

“It’s also none of your business because I’m free to go wherever I want. As for how I found out that you were with those two girls, I have no obligation to answer your question.” Queen Helena retorted in annoyance. She realized she was childish but had to do it to put her mind at ease.

Queen Helena knew that Ziel had done nothing wrong, and she shouldn’t have behaved like that to him. But when she remembered Ziel being alone with the two girls in the bedroom, she felt like a wife who had found out that her husband had an affair with another woman.

“You can go anywhere you want on this continent, but this is where I live, and you must follow my rules. If you have objections to that, you can leave this place immediately.” Ziel looked at Queen Helena sharply and said coldly. He wasn’t in a good mood to deal with Queen Helena’s attitude.

Queen Helena trembled when she heard those words. She felt her heart being squeezed after hearing Ziel’s words. Queen Helena lowered her head while gripping the hem of her dress tightly, and tears fell from her eyes without realizing it.

Ziel sighed when he saw Queen Helena crying. He realized his emotions had consumed him because he still couldn’t control them well. Ziel knew that his words were harsh to Queen Helena, and her feelings must have been hurt. He felt guilty for his actions. After all, that woman was Princess Freya’s mother.

“I’m sorry I got a little carried away by my emotions. I have something to think about here. So can you leave me alone?” Ziel said softly and tried to comfort Queen Helena.

“No. I’m the one at fault here. I shouldn’t ask such things and interfere in your private life. I apologize. I know I’m nothing to you. I’m an old woman and can never be compared to those girls.” Queen Helena said depressingly but showed no sign of leaving the place.

“Alright. You can stay here but don’t bother me with your questions.” Ziel gave up on asking her to leave because maybe she would cry again, and he didn’t want Kalya and the girls in the cottage to see it, especially Princess Freya.

“Thank you!” Queen Helena smiled sweetly and wiped the tears from her eyes. She had lost her elegance and grace for only a few days she had stayed in the academy. The current Queen Helena looks like a spoiled little girl.

Ziel sat by the lake instead of on a chair because he didn’t want their situation to end like last night. But, instead of sitting in an empty chair, Queen Helena sat beside him with their bodies pressed against each other.

“Wouldn’t it be better for a Queen to sit on a chair than on the ground like this?” Ziel sighed and had a headache facing Queen Helena.

“No. I feel happier being an ordinary girl. I feel my life is calmer and more comfortable. You can call me Helena when we’re alone. Didn’t you say that my appearance is no different from those girls? Then you have to prove it by your actions.” Queen Helena said and slowly leaned her body against the man beside her.

Ziel knew how Queen Helena felt about him. He didn’t think the side effects of her treatment could stir Queen Helena’s heart like that and turn her into a maiden in love.

“I can’t. You are Freya’s mother, and I should have called you politely.” Ziel shook his head and quickly refused.

“It is only when we are alone. Freya and the girls should not find out. Besides, I don’t want to be called by using honorifics in this place, making me feel old. Didn’t you say that my appearance is no different from theirs? You can do it, can’t you?” Queen Helena looked at Ziel with moist eyes. She looks like she could cry again if Ziel refuses her request.

“Alright, Helena.” Ziel sighed and could only comply with her request. He realized that Queen Helena had affection for him but did not know why the graceful Queen Helena had turned into a spoiled girl.

“That’s better! Then, what were you thinking by the lake at a time like this? Does that matter have anything to do with our conversation last night?” Queen Helena asked curiously and pressed her body against him even more.

Ziel didn’t know if Queen Helena was on purpose, but he could feel the softness of her chest. If he moved his hand just a little, he could shake that beautiful lump of hers. Ziel let out a long breath to calm his mind. He felt that Queen Helena was becoming more and more daring in expressing her feelings, which made him feel overwhelmed.

“Yeah, you’re right. I did think about that problem.” Ziel answered honestly. Queen Helena had met those gray-haired people and had a mana disorder. She may have other information about them.

“Hmm… About that, I found their village by accident. I was hunting for a strange magical beast that suddenly appeared. No, I guess it can’t be called a magical beast but as a mutated animal?” Queen Helena recalled the events in the past while playing her lips with her fingertips. Every movement of her body looks very sexy and exudes an aura of maturity.

“Could you tell me more about it?” Ziel’s face changed after hearing that. Right now, he didn’t care about Queen Helena’s sexiness in front of him but focused on the explanation she gave. Ziel thought that the information might be related to gray-haired people and would be useful in the future.

“Of course. I would gladly do it. But can we do it while drinking something? My throat will dry after a long story, and I want our atmosphere to be more relaxed.” Queen Helena looked at Ziel and smiled coquettishly.

“Then, please wait a moment.” Ziel quickly brewed warm honey tea for the two of them and gave one cup to Queen Helena. He had better go along with her request as he didn’t want to waste time arguing with her.

“Thank you!” Queen Helena accepted the cup and immediately took a sip. She felt that her body was being warmed from the inside as well as from the outside. Queen Helena enjoyed the tea little by little while glancing at the man beside her

“Okay. Can you tell me now?” Ziel said seriously and urged Queen Helena. He noticed the woman’s stalling and felt a little impatient. Ziel indicated that he would not tolerate another request from her.

But Queen Helena smiled and didn’t seem afraid because she knew that Ziel wouldn’t hurt her and couldn’t bear to see her cry, or so she was thinking.

“Yeah, I’ll tell you. But can I get closer to you? I feel the air in this place is very cold.” Queen Helena made another request, and she boldly showed her intentions openly.

“Can you be more serious? Aren’t you a Queen? If you feel cold, then we can chat inside the cottage.” Ziel replied calmly. Although he found Queen Helena’s behavior annoying, he couldn’t be angry with her. Otherwise, he would repeat what he had done before, and the woman would cry again.

“No. Freya and the girls will see us if we chat inside the cottage. After all, I want to spend some time alone with you because I will return to the Aurelia Kingdom soon.” Queen Helena looked at Ziel with a sad face, and her hands gripped Ziel’s shirt tightly like she didn’t want to part with him.

“I understand. Just this once, I will fulfill your request.” Ziel sighed heavily in his heart. Then he put his arm around her shoulders and hugged her gently. Queen Helena secretly smiled. She rested her head on Ziel’s shoulder and wrapped her arms around his waist.

(Warm…)

Queen Helena felt addicted to that feeling and wished their current situation could last forever.

“Can you start with your story? If you have any other strange requests, then it’s best if you forget them because I’ll lose interest in hearing that information of yours.” Ziel warned Queen Helena firmly. He felt that she was deliberately pressing her big breasts against him.

Ziel’s nose twitched, and he smelled the same sweet scent from Queen Helena’s body again as last night. He was sure she wouldn’t use perfume when she strolled by the lake in the early hours of the morning. So the sweet scent Ziel smelled came from her natural body odor.

“You don’t have to worry because I won’t make any other requests. This is enough for now.” Queen Helena said happily. She felt her heart beating loudly and the chill around her dissipating as her body began to heat up. Queen Helena even secretly smelled the scent of the man in her arms.

“I want you to tell the full story and not miss the slightest detail.” Ziel said seriously. Queen Halena knew she couldn’t tease Ziel at this point and started to open her mouth.

“Before I married Leonida, the ruler of the Aurelia Kingdom, I was the daughter of a duke of that kingdom…” Queen Helena recounted her life experiences around the time she met gray-haired people. It was quite long, and the explanation ended just after sunrise. The light shone beautifully on the lake’s surface and Queen Helena’s golden hair.