A Measure of a Widow (Ch.24)

"How did I even do that?" Chantria wondered in awe as she stared down at her hands.

Somehow, she had known exactly what to do and how to summon a portal, just like she knew her way around this palace without having to ask.

Chantria could still feel the strange energy surging within her as though right at her fingertips, and she knew if she just reached for it, it would answer to her call.

'How is this even possible?' Chantria thought to the Harem System.

'Doesn't host already know why?' The Harem System responded in an indifferent tone.

Chantria had a basic understanding as to why this could be possible, there was only one possible reason,

There were fragments of Saint Chantria's soul left behind in this body she currently occupied, and those fragments enabled her to have access to gifts that rightly should only have belonged to Saint Chantria.

Feelings of protectiveness towards these five men also seemed to be as a result of this same reason, though what Chantria had heard of Saint Chantria's thoughts on these men was quite different from the feelings she sensed.

Chantria understood why the harem system had so strictly declared that it was time she accepted the fact that she had already become Saint Chantria,

There was no going back, other than this...it was only death.

"Your Grace's focusing is a part of you, it's like instinct, you do not need memories to focus." Zevon explained from where he stood.

All three men still watched Chantria in shock, waiting for her to blow up at them at any moment but she merely continued staring at her hands.

"Focusing...so you mean to say, I can just do anything I want with a wave of my hand?" Chantria asked in wonder.

"Focusing is a little bit more complicated than that." Zevon replied and Chantria nodded in understanding.

"Y... your grace, Prince Dewei..." Irvine finally aired the question on everyone's mind.

Chantria glanced up at Irvine with a raised brow, not certain what he was getting at.

"What about him?" Chantria asked in confusion,

Irvine shook his head in disbelief as though it was completely obvious what he was hinting at.

"Uhmm...where did you portal him off to?" Zevon continued when he realized Irvine was too stunned by Chantria's innocent response to speak further.

"Oh... there's just one cliff in this palace I recall..." Chantria replied with a casual shrug.

"You actually sent him off the cliff?!" Irvine exclaimed,

"What else? Should I have let him take Amir away? Besides you said he wouldn't die... right?" Chantria asked, now beginning to feel apprehensive.

A moment ago, she had not been too concerned. 

Prince Dewei could shoot ice and magic attacks out of his fingertips and shatter walls and other unbelievable things, certainly he could survive a fall off a cliff?

Wasn't this supposed to be a magical world? However Chantria had only assumed and relied on Zevon's assurance that he would survive, but if he actually didn't, then...

"He won't die...but, he is an Imperial Prince..." Zevon said with a wince,

"And Your Grace's twin brother too..." Irvine finished.

"I know..." Chantria replied without thinking and then she paused, she had already figured out who Prince Dewei was,

From the moment she had set eyes on him, she felt an intense sense of familiarity and trust.

"Wait...how do I even know that?" Chantria asked aloud,

"Because we share a bond that supercedes even your memories and I do not like being tossed off a cliff Chan... when will you learn to choose diplomacy over violence?" Prince Dewei's voice reached Chantria.

Chantria spun around to see him stepping out of a portal, pulling a twig out of his hair.

"It was instinct..." Chantria murmured with a casual shrug.

"He won't hurt you... be at ease." Chantria assured Amir.

Amir had begun retreating warily after setting eyes on Prince Dewei who fixed a hateful glare on him.

"He should be locked up in his room Chan and they set him free! He was convicted for your murder! Why is he roaming around your palace free?!" Prince Dewei demanded.

"They didn't set him free, I did. And it's attempted murder, I'm alive, aren't I?" Chantria asked in an adamant tone.

"That doesn't change anything! It is not even a matter of guilt or not, he did what he did!" Prince Dewei hissed.

Chantria frowned slightly, passing a look over to a now guilty looking Amir.

"It is good to see you alive." Prince Dewei murmured beneath his breath although his gaze revealed deep relief.

Prince Dewei then sighed as he passed a glance over at Amir and then back to Chantria.

"We need to talk Chan... about this..." Prince Dewei said, referring to her stance shielding Amir from him.

'Prince Dewei is someone you can trust, he will tell you what you need to know about the Kalavan Deep.' The Harem System said to Chantria.

Chantria nodded as she slowly relaxed her stance.

"You three come along too and for the deep's sake, stop standing so close to my sister! It's unnerving!" Prince Dewei exclaimed, his words directed at Amir.

Chantria frowned when Amir Naeem made to move away from her side but her hand darted out to grab his wrist.

Chantria knew the mission to save Amir Naeem still was not completed and had only increased by a little percentage.

Which meant this Amir Naeem was still in danger, Chantria was beginning to believe this husband of hers was a fire hazard.

Right from the moment she had set eyes on him, he attracted danger from all around, Chantria would be damned if she let him out of her sight.

"You stay right where you are!..I take my eyes off you for a moment and it's either you're trying to jump off a cliff or someone is trying to run you through."

"Who knows what trouble you'll get yourself into this time? I just came back to life... I don't intend to become a widow anytime soon." Chantria declared.

"Or at least a measure of a widow..." Chantria added as she passed a glance at the other two and shook her head.

A blush of embarrassment colored Amir's cheeks but one could see Chantria's words had chased away all the fears and tremors from a moment ago.

'Host is beginning to get the hang of it... keep at this and you'll be winning harem points in no time.'

The Harem System thought to Chantria approvingly.

"You be quiet!" Chantria thought to the Harem System.