"Fascinating," Princess Aracelle said after Siri had finished her tale. "But there's one thing bugging me."
"And that is?" Siri asked.
"Why is Zion so strong? He's supposed to have restrictions on his body, right?"
"Even I want to know the answer. It's difficult to believe that a mere Rookie defeated me in battle. It's simply not possible."
Princess Aracelle had already used her ability to check how strong Zion was when she had been captured by him.
However, the teenage boy's strength was only slightly stronger than an ordinary human in her eyes.
Princess Aracelle could, in theory, kill him with a single punch if she wished.
But she refrained from doing so because her instinct was telling her that doing so would be a bad move.
Because of this foreboding, the young lady lost the initiative and ended up subjugated by the teenage boy.
But she didn't regret it. In fact, being separated from him made her heart ache.
She wished they could fly faster so she could be by his side a second sooner.
"Hey, I've been meaning to ask—what kind of relationship do you have with Zion?" Siri inquired. "I have no idea what happened between the two of you. All I know is that he interrogated you for answers.
"You were with him for only half a day. But the next time I saw you, you seemed to have completely fallen from grace.
"The worst part is, I can instinctively tell that you… now care about Zion. Just what happened back then? Can you tell me?"
Princess Aracelle pondered for a bit before answering Siri's question.
"For all of you, it might have only been half a day," Princess Aracelle answered. "But for me, it felt like days… years even. During that time, Zion never left my side.
"At first, I thought he might have cast a charm spell on me. But I soon realized it was just me making excuses because my willpower wasn't as strong as I thought it was. In the end, I was the one who begged him to forgive me and show me mercy."
The young lady then raised her hand and placed it over her chest, inside of which her heart was beating wildly at the moment.
"As for our relationship… I'm hoping I can make him treat me more kindly in the future. But since that doesn't answer your question, you can think of me as a willing tool who will do anything he wants."
"Anything?" Siri arched an eyebrow. "Even give birth to a half-blood that will make House Pavereth treat you like a disgusting worm?"
"Yes," Princess Aracelle replied without hesitation. "Frankly, I didn't think I would feel this way towards a human. I'm sure the me a month ago would look at my current self in disgust.
"Although I don't want to admit it, the mere thought of staying by his side makes me feel liberated. All the burdens, responsibilities, and shackles that bound me as a member of House Pavareth start to disappear when I'm with him."
"Girl, you have fallen big time." Siri didn't know if she should pity the Princess or be in awe of Zion for successfully taming the proud and arrogant lady of House Pavareth.
"I once heard Shana say that the Zion Virus is a very potent virus. Looking at you, she was certainly right."
Princess Aracelle couldn't help but smile at the term "Zion Virus". It sounded very endearing, and she didn't mind getting infected by it.
"Shana is the Saintess, right?" Princess Aracelle asked.
"And does she have a relationship with Zion?"
"Her? I don't think so. Why did you ask?"
"Oh, just a bit curious since you said she might have discovered the Zion Virus first."
The string of fate that bound her to Zion allowed her to know a few things about the young man.
She could hear the discussion of the people around him, and to a certain extent, see them if she concentrated hard enough.
The world likely thought of the Saintess as someone pure and innocent.
But Princess Aracelle already knew her secret through her connection with Zion.
'I was forced to hear her moan for hours,' Princess Aracelle's face reddened a bit as she remembered what happened several hours ago.
Due to the time difference between the Cygni and Antares Continent, she stumbled upon this piece of news while she was taking an afternoon bath.
Even with the water washing over her body, Princess Aracelle couldn't help but feel hot as the images of Zion and his two lovers flooded her mind.
'Well, even a Saintess is still a woman in the end,' Princess Aracelle thought. 'She's just like me. Neither of us probably expected that we'd have a complicated relationship with Zion Leventis.'
"Still, I can't believe that a brat younger than me by a few years is already engaged to Erica and Sherry," Siri commented from the side, not knowing what Princess Aracelle was thinking.
"What's wrong? Are you jealous?" Princess Aracelle arched an eyebrow. "If so, go and look for the Vermilion Prince. All you need to do is say yes, and a wedding will be held before you can even blink."
"Hahaha. Very funny." Siri scoffed. "So, tell me, do you really like Zion? Or are you just waiting for an opportunity to get revenge?"
"How about both?" Princess Aracelle replied.
"So you really like him, huh?" Siri rubbed her chin. "What part of him do you like? I mean, yeah, Zion isn't bad looking. But your standards should be high, right? So, what's so good about him that made you, Erica, and Sherry unable to resist his charms?"
"It was never about his looks." Princess Aracelle shook her head. "It's his… confidence. It's like, no matter how much I struggle, I feel like I'll always be dancing on the palm of his hand.
"He has a way with words. He's a liar, a schemer, and a straightforward person merged into one. The contradiction about him is what makes him very appealing in my eyes.
"Also, his wisdom seems to surpass his years. I find myself captivated by his eyes that seem to know all the secrets of the world. And once you have fallen for it, he will seal it with his touch, making you addicted to it."
Siri stared at the princess beside her with a conflicted expression on her face.
Her mother once said that she shouldn't antagonize Zion because he could become her most steadfast ally.
That said, Siri knew that the teenage boy was a very capable person.
But deep inside, she was afraid of him.
Because in Siri's eyes, Zion Leventis wasn't a human.
He was also more terrifying than monsters.
Perhaps Princess Aracelle was right. The contradictions surrounding the young man made him a very attractive person in the eyes of those who were looking for that missing part in their lives.