Chapter 72: The Mysterious Spell

After napping in the arms of Richard’s future mate, her headache gone, Aurina poked her head out from under the thin blanket.

Sophia was fast asleep.

She fell asleep quickly, nestled in the soft bedding, snoring softly in no time.

Aurina crawled out of Sophia’s bed.

Unless it was for mating, she had no interest in sharing a bed with a female.

Instead of lying on this pathetic, gold-less bed with Sophia, she’d rather go to her beast of burden, observe him closely, and uncover the secret of the fiancée spell.

Aurina slipped off the bed quietly.

Though Sophia posed no threat to her safety, Aurina was accustomed to sneaking away from a female’s bed with light steps to avoid trouble.

She tiptoed, alternating between the big toe and second toe of each foot, moving silently toward the door like a cat crossing cotton.

She opened the door and closed it gently.

The loudest sound was the creak of the door’s hinges.

At Richard’s door, Aurina suddenly thought this was too much like a lover sneaking into someone’s room at night to court them—though she certainly wasn’t that.

So, she took a few running steps, lifted her foot, and kicked open the poor door with a bang.

“Bang!”

In the darkness, a sharp sword rose.

“Beast of burden! It’s this king,” Aurina said, hands on hips.

The door, which had made a tremendous crash, swayed back and forth behind her, creaking and squeaking.

Richard pulled the thin blanket tight and asked, “Aurina, what are you doing?”

Aurina jumped onto the table—her usual sleeping spot—and said confidently, “This king is sleeping.”

Richard stared at her, as if seeing a dragon barging into the room at night, claws bared, rather than a little girl.

Even though Aurina had slept in his room just a few days ago.

Squatting on the table, Aurina spat out a pile of gold coins, jewels, and gems, sweeping them flat with her hands and tail.

Miraculously, not a single coin fell to the floor.

She curled up on the table and fell asleep instantly.

Richard, sword in hand, stared at her and got out of bed.

He felt it was improper to sleep in the same room as Aurina.

Before was before, but now was now.

The dividing line was Aurina declaring herself his wife in front of his fiancée.

But where else could he sleep?

Go to Sophia’s room?

That was difficult.

After all, Sophia wanted him to maintain strong boundaries, and he had sworn not to touch her before marriage.

Richard pondered for a moment, looking at Aurina curled up asleep on the table.

Her tail tip dangled off the edge, gently swaying from left to right, then right to left.

Her sleeping posture was curled up, draped in a sky-blue cloak.

The soft white soles of her feet were fully exposed.

The snowy white of her foot wraps rested in the arch of her foot.

Aurina’s arch was smooth and graceful, like an arched bridge, evoking her light steps and bouncy figure.

Her arch was so delicate—did the foot wraps tickle her soles when she leapt?

The white foot wraps marked a dividing line: forward were her soft soles and five toes; backward was her round heel.

No dead skin, no imperfections on the surface—Richard had confirmed this.

It was like fine porcelain, exuding an innate texture and luster.

As someone who had studied cooking, Richard thought of various delicacies: clotted cream, sticky rice balls with clotted cream, tiramisu, cheesecake, pavlova.

Sometimes rules and oaths needed flexibility, but one had to be prepared to pay a price.

As if enlightened, Richard stood up, walked out, and closed the door, heading to Sophia’s room.

The awakened Sophia unleashed her morning grumpiness on him.

A few minutes later, Richard emerged from her room, the door shutting tightly behind him.

Richard shook his head, walking back to his room with heavy steps, his mood akin to entering the Dread Dragon’s lair.

The next morning.

Aurina opened her golden eyes.

The slight failure of last night’s spell backfire was swept away, and the pain from Richard’s punch was mostly forgotten.

That was the most serious offense her lowly beast of burden had committed, striking her with the hardest blow yet.

What does this prove? 

It proves this spell is indeed too powerful, and thus its backfire is equally strong.

But why did the spell backfire?

Did Sophia hold something back?

Impossible.

This king has completely conquered her.

She’s already one of the twenty females I’ve subdued.

Aurina rubbed her chin, deep in thought.

Richard, now in his armor, glanced over and couldn’t help but say, “The way you’re thinking makes me nervous.”

“Why?”

“Because I’ve almost never seen you use your brain.”

“Gah, stupid Richard.”

What earth-shattering scheme will Aurina’s miraculous brain concoct after all this thinking?

Richard gripped his holy symbol, praying to the one-handed Tyr for strength to face the coming trials.

Aurina continued to ponder.

Could a spell with almost no cost and such powerful effects have a flaw?

Aurina’s gaze sharpened as she looked at Richard.

Could it be that a servant can’t serve two masters?

“Aurina, what are you thinking?” 

Richard said. “You’re staring at me like you’re planning something very strange.”

“Can you only have one fiancée?”

Just then, Sophia pushed open Richard’s battered door and walked in.

Hearing Aurina’s “innocent” words, her eyes widened, glaring at Richard like a tigress.

Richard: “…”

“What’s that got to do with me?” Sophia said.

“Can’t you answer her, for the Lord’s sake?”

“One,” Richard said. “I swore to be with Sophia, one and only, for life.”

Aurina nodded, once again proud of her world-shaking wisdom.

As expected, Richard swore to serve only one master.

But this small obstacle—how could it stump the king who reigned as red dragon champion ten times?

It’s not about me, it’s about her.

The spell’s prerequisites, she fulfilled too.

Sophia was a female, and for now, Aurina was a female too.

Sophia had guided Richard—hadn’t she taught him about mating knowledge?

Sophia said she affirmed his talents—hadn’t Aurina confirmed he was the strongest little bug?

She didn’t even mind that he was a mere bug.

How many creatures are worthy of being this king’s mount?

As for the rest, in every way, she far surpassed Sophia.

Sophia was merely one of the twenty females who had fallen under her majesty.

If Sophia could be Richard’s fiancée, why couldn’t she?

It was just a matter of time, gah gah gah!

Aurina puffed out her chest, strode to Richard’s side, and in front of Sophia, nudged his calf with her foot, commanding, “Beast of burden, carry this king, quick!”