The Two Empresses
Burden

Julian was preoccupied with taking care of the plants when the butler came with a special guest. Julian stared at his guests with a slab face, but held back a laugh when he saw Saciel was small.

"Looks like your trip was pretty fun, huh?" Julian. Saciel gave a smile, but his forehead twitched.

"Yes, it's so fun. The death forest arena is a very attractive~ place for those who want to greet the angel of death," Saciel said scathingly. Julian just grimaced and patted her on the shoulder.

"Handering. So where's the plant?" ask Julian. Saciel took out a large glass ball with an Onyx orchid inside. "Oh, is this the plant?"

"You know what?" ask Nero.

"Unfortunately no. This plant is only in the forbidden book and I can't access it" Julian lamented.

"I think Phillip has some banned books" Saciel murmured. Julian was shocked to hear it.

"Oh yeah, he's got wide access here. Let's go" Julian said. Before they left Zografos' residence, the royal army fenced the house off complete with weapons in their hands. "What the fuck?"

"Who gave you orders?" sahut Saciel. A warrior head advanced with firm steps, yet a fearful expression could not be hidden.

"No. I mean, Archduchess Arakawa, we have orders from one of the elders to detain you."

"How dare you hold us! Where is Lao?" saciel's thunderbolt.

"...Duke Requiem is currently being held underground," whispered the soldier's head. "He was incapacitated by Elder Boldstone and his condition was critical."

"Damn. Change of plans, we'll help Lao!" saciel's Saut. A shield covered the house. "Hey!"

"You're not allowed to leave this place" said the head soldier with a face of a predator. Saciel grew increasingly angry, but he refrained from attacking him. He walked inside, followed by the others.

"Why is Boldstone now advancing?" chirps Julian.

"I think he's still in contact with Erika and Yorktown" Cerlina said. "His shield is blocking us."

"We just destroy it" proposes Nero.

"Come on," Saciel said as she pulled the sword from behind her back. He came out at high speed and tried to stab his shield, but he got bounced and was electrocuted. "Aragh!"

"Well, it's good that I didn't attack him" Julian said. "Head of the warrior is of Arlestine descent huh?"

Saciel tried to get up, but his body went numb from the electricity. Cerlina tries to get close, but Julian prevents her.

"Don't. You see he's still covered in lightning? You could have had the same fate as him" Julian said. Cerlina groaned, but she gave up.

"Then how?" nero. A rapier darted quickly and shattered the shield with just a single stab from above. The rapier was enveloped by lightning.

"Oh, the prince of lightning has come" Julian said, before Nero made a sound, Phillip landed right in front of Cerlina in his cool style. "Welcome home."

"Trouble again?" phillip lamented while releasing Saciel from the lightning blanket. "You still can't escape the lightning?"

"...no, yet" Saciel replied with a frown. Phillip helped him stand up and looked at the soldier's head with an astonished look. The one being stared at immediately lowered his helmet so that his face would not be seen.

"...hey cousin, before I beat you up, you better leave now. Take your troops all the way from here, too" Phillip threatened. The soldier's head jolted and lifted his helmet.

"I'm sorry, I can't just give up on you. The order is absolute, we can't let you roam."

"You are too arrogant, stupid and slow. How obedient you are to the elders compared to the representatives of the kingdom," said Cerlina firmly. All the soldiers retreated in order, but the head of the soldier still held on by raising his sword.

"Esteemed Great Priest, we are soldiers who defend the people. We are there for the people" said the chief soldier. Julian let out a small laugh and advanced towards the head of the soldier in a haughty style.

"Which people do you support?" ask Julian. The chief soldier was silent, confused and did not know what to answer. "Which people?"

"Of course, we're just wasting time here. Phillip, grab the forbidden book" Saciel said in her cute style. Phillip who saw him put on a lazy face. "Hey!"

"Begging the good first, boy," Phillip said. Saciel folded both his hands and pouted. "Bocah~"

"No want! Don't want to!" scream Saciel. He began sulking, hitting Phillip but only managed to hit his thigh. "Phillip!"

"Oh, my God, what a barbaric kid this is," seduced Phillip. Saciel frowned and sulked, trying hard to melt Phillip's defense. "No."

"Phillip!"

"Now I know Saciel can act like a kid. Is it because of the magic effect?" chirps Nero. The others just shrugged, engrossed in observing Saciel's adorable-looking behavior. Phillip sighed and raised Saciel with one hand.

"Listen, Saciel. Since you look cute today, I will obey your wishes. But only today" Phillip said. He threw all the soldiers on guard in one wave and walked leisurely out of Julian's house. "The rest I leave to you!"

"Jeez, is that right?" julian lamented. He grew tendrils and tied the soldiers in one place. "I'm sorry, you guys have to be here for a while. Let's go back inside, it's hot outside."

"You're right," Nero said as he covered Cerlina in his cape, "sunlight could have damaged Cerlina's skin."

"This is no time for jokes" Julian grumbled.

"Who said I was kidding?" reply Nero relax. Cerlina just chuckled, then walked inside with Nero by her side. Meanwhile, Phillip continues to walk until he reaches the city's large and magnificent library.

"It's so big for a bookstore" Saciel sneered.

"Because not only books are kept, stupid," Phillip replied as he walked inside and was greeted by an old man with opaque round glasses perched on his nose. "Good day."

"Hm? Oh, hello Phillip. You don't usually come at this hour. Is there anything you need today?" tanyakanya.

"I want to borrow the forbidden book about plants. Any?" reply Phillip. The man's forehead wrinkled and limped towards the table.

"Superficial, so weird. The book is still borrowed to date and has not returned" the man muttered as he opened the loan book. Both were surprised to hear it.

"But not that a forbidden book can only be borrowed by a few people?" saciel asked in a cringed voice, making Phillip struggle to not let out the slightest laugh so as not to be hit by it. The man glanced and nodded.

"Yes, Lady. Only a few people can access it. But the person who borrowed the book was the former head of the Arakawa family," he said, showing off Daisuke Arakawa's signature that was firmly attached to the book. "And he hasn't returned it in a long time."

"Papa?" muttered Saciel astonished.

"Is there no backup book?" ask Phillip. Again the man simply shook his head, unable to give a satisfactory answer. "If it's the Great Lord who borrowed it, it looks like we should go home and check whether the book is still there or not."

"We're going home?" ask Saciel.

"How else do you want? The book was borrowed by your father and inevitably we had to check it out at home" Phillip said. "You're returning your body to its original size."

"What you're saying is, let's go. The sooner the better," asked Saciel. Phillip clasped his hand and teleported away from the library.