34. Ancient Runes

"Princess Cellia, I'm hungry..." said Cemille. My steps stopped when I was a little closer to arriving in front of His Highness Yvone.

"Oh. Correct. You must feed Cemille, Young Lady. After making a pet contract, that is the first thing you have to do as the master," explained His Highness Yvone. He stepped closer to me who was already so close to him that I no longer had to bother moving my two little feet. Thank you Cemille!.

Okay. First of all. Feed cemille. Sacred animals consume mana. But, how can I feed him?. Even I don't know how to get mana out.

"I know you can't and haven't learned it yet, so I will help you again, Young Lady..." said His Highness Yvone. He must have read the expression on my face so he knew what was on my mind at the moment.

His Highness Yvone then bowed and held both of my hands like when my daddy and I held each other's hands in the temple after receiving water from the altar pool.

Instead of our hands emitting light, this time a large light suddenly appeared like a soft explosion and we suddenly seemed to be enveloped in a thick fog. I was very surprised, but when I saw His Highness Yvone's expression I came to the conclusion that all of this was not because of His Highness Yvone.

"What's this?. Trap?" muttered His Highness Yvone.

"Sister!" shouted Sala. She suddenly hugged me. Luckily, Sala was near me so I didn't lose her in the thick fog that enveloped us.

But quickly this thick fog changed and gradually became a kind of room. We seemed to be in a large white room filled with a thin mist. Even so, my vision became bad because this room was also white like the fog.

I looked around me and didn't find Cemille near me. I was worried and called him out of reflex.

"Cemille!"

"Yes. I'm here, princess Cellia," said Cemille, who was suddenly in front of me. I was curious, where had he been?.

I saw Cemille's face which didn't show any worry at all. His face was still decorated with a sweet smile in this situation. That means he doesn't feel any threat and means this room is not dangerous?.

I think, I can't just judge it when I remember Cemille's personality which seems to become excited when he finds things that interest his like butterflies on the wall at that time.

Cemille has a cheerful and enthusiastic nature, as well as a great curiosity. He's quite similar to me. I doubt he can be my guardian when there is danger.

"Oh my, it seems like we were caught in a magic trap set for security in this residence..." muttered His Highness Yvone as he finished surveying the surroundings. His face looked quite calm. So this white room doesn't seem to be a threat to our lives, right?.

"Hmm? It's an ancient rune..."

"So we're trapped in a magic trap that uses ancient runes with Aether level magic huh?. Why would a trap like this be set in the garden?" muttered His Highness Yvone. He was busy with his own thoughts.

"It seemed like this wasn't an ordinary trap that Duke Leonhart had set for the security of this residence. The arrangement is even very complicated as not only to trap but also to seal something dangerous, and moreover...

"Judging from the color of the magic circle, it is very dark. It seems like this is magic that was installed a long time ago. He's almost a hundred years old..."

I don't know what happened, but from the monologue I heard from His Highness Yvone, it seems like we were caught in a high magic trap. I know daddy is very strict about the security of this residence so I should understand this, but when I heard His Highness Yvone's words earlier, I became worried.

I doubt if a trap like this was set by dad because there's no way dad would set a security trap that would get me caught in it too!. This doesn't make sense.

So who set this trap if it wasn't daddy who set it?!.

This won't be easy if an outsider installs it. Moreover, this trap was installed inside this residence.

If it wasn't daddy who set this trap, then that means the only people left are those who are probably already in this house?. That means there is already an intruder in my residence who escaped security here and he set a trap stronger than the one my father made?. But for what?!. Is the perpetrator someone close to our family?. This is terrible.

How about this?.

Can we get out of this trap?.

"Your Highness, what happened?" I asked His Highness Yvone. I want to know, can he do something about this trap?. If he can't do something, then the only way is to wait for daddy to free us.

But what if daddy can't get us out either?. It's over!. We will be trapped here forever!.

No!. No!. It will not happen!. Throw away those bad thoughts!. We just need a way to crack these ancient magic runes right?.

But what are those ancient runes that His Highness Yvone said earlier?. What I know from books, runes are characters or alphabet used to; compose, create, write magic. And there are twenty-four characters for the basic runes of magic creation handed down by the god Rozex.

"We seem to have accidentally activated and got trapped in your house's security magic system, Young Lady. But don't worry, I will get you all out..." answered His Highness Yvone. He lied a little so as not to scare me because we were trapped here.

"Okay. Let's solve the arrangement of these characters ..." he muttered as his hand touched the air and a triangle within a circle appeared.

Triangle in circle. I once saw the shape of a magic circle in a book that suddenly appeared on the library floor and caused me to fall because I tripped.

The book that made me stumble was a thick book that looked very fragile and had many stains like burnt marks and the most terrifying thing was dried blood spots on the cover and several pages of the book. One of them is on the page that contains a picture of the magic circle.

It was the only shape of the magic circle that was different from the many magic circle picture I saw in magic books.

I also still remember some of the symbols around the triangle in the magic circle. If I'm not mistaken, the name is Rune Frux and it is a basic rune. Also called sky letters. But why does His Highness Yvone call it an ancient rune?.

Prang!

Prang!

Prang!

The sound like breaking glass had been heard several times and it indicated that His Highness Yvone had failed to break the ancient rune. I kept staring at what His Highness Yvone had been doing since earlier.

His calm face gradually changed into a face that showed anxiety and anger, but he tried to suppress all his emotions and preferred to focus on what was in his head so he could solve the ancient rune. I seemed to see a scene of an agent who was trying hard to crack a difficult code.

If only I could help him. But unfortunately, I haven't even learned the use of magic. I've only read some knowledge about magic and don't understand how to practice it at all. The only magic that is easy to practice is magic that can be imagined and can be activated just like my time magic.

Prang!

"Very good. It seems like this cage is also absorbing mana... if this continues, I'll run out of energy before I can break the rune," whispered His Highness Yvone. Because this room was quite empty, I could certainly hear his whispering voice.

We're in danger!.

What does it mean that this room is absorbing mana?!. Oh my. Can't I do something?!. His Highness Yvone also looked very tired as if his energy had been drained--his face turned pale slowly, his breathing became slow, his temples were covered in sweat. He looks like he has a fever. Even though we've only been here for about sixty minutes.

Work hard, my little brain!. Help me think of a way to do something about this cage!. Whatever that is!. Something like a hint to unlock!. No matter how small!. Come on!

Finally I started thinking hard while Cemille had returned to his little dog form without me realizing it. Maybe it was because of the effect of this room absorbing mana as His Highness Yvone said earlier.

I saw Salamanca, my little sister just showed a confused expression while looking around him without taking her hand off me. And it seems like there's nothing to worry about. I'm a little relieved.

My hope of being free from here is only His Highness Yvone and myself.

If this magic room absorbs mana, does that mean me and His Highness Yvone could run out of mana if we stay in here?!.

From the information I have managed, it seems His Highness Yvone has ether mana. Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to have the dragon totem, right?. Then, what if his mana runs out?.

Wouldn't that make the totem go out of control?!. This is really bad. I have to stop His Highness Yvone from using his magic temporarily or his mana will continue to be drained!.

"Your Highness. Are you okay?" I asked worriedly. I grabbed his hand which he was about to use to use magic again so he stopped for a moment because I was holding his hand.

"Young Lady. Do not be afraid. We will definitely get out of here. Wait a little longer, okay?" said His Highness Yvone. He was still trying to make me not be afraid, but I'm sorry, Your Highness. The soul in this little child's body is old enough not to worry. So just stop your lies!.

"Your Highness. Are you ill?. Your face looks pale..." I said. I tried to keep talking to him to buy time so he didn't use his magic.

Just a moment!. Please, don't use up your mana until I finish thinking!. I can definitely do something about this cage!. If you run into a totem that goes out of control, we're all done for in here!.

"Young Lady, you..." His Highness Yvone for some reason grabbed my hands tightly in response. He also showed an expression of surprise and happiness. What made him like that?. Was he moved because a small child asked about his condition?.

"You have the ability to absorb mana too?!" Said His Highness Yvone.

"Eh?" I'm confused. What does that mean I have the ability to absorb mana?.

"Ah I see. I understand now why Kharel's excess mana can be reduced even though the doctor hasn't done anything..." he said again.

So what does that mean?. Why did he bring Kharel into this situation?. What's the connection?!.