Chapter 185: Leaving the Palace Soon
{Third Person}
On the other hand, Amara’s eyes remained fixed on Alexander.
For the first few seconds after hearing his question, her thoughts moved in the wrong direction entirely.
She immediately assumed that he had asked because of what happened earlier—because she had cried after seeing her friends off, and now he was testing her with this question.
Did he think she wanted to leave because she missed home? Because she missed her friends?
That thought alone made her react quickly, so she shook her head almost at once.
"No." Her answer came a little too fast. "I’m fine here."
Alexander’s expression did not change. His gaze remained steady on her, calm and unreadable.
After a brief silence, he asked again, "So, you don’t want to leave the palace?"
This time, Amara did not answer immediately. Something about the way he asked the question made her pause.
It was not merely the question itself. It was his tone, and then the look in his eyes. There was no mockery there. No hidden test. No sign that he was asking casually.
He sounded serious, and that made her realize something. Perhaps... she had misunderstood his intention from the beginning.
Her brows drew together slightly as she studied him more carefully. What exactly was he trying to ask?
For the first time, she began thinking beyond her initial assumption. If this was not about her missing her friends, then what was it about?
She became thoughtful, so much so that the silence between them stretched longer than expected.
Alexander noticed. After waiting for a while, he seemed to lose interest in pressing further. He casually reached for his cutlery again, clearly prepared to move on from the subject entirely.
But just as he was about to continue eating, Amara suddenly spoke.
"Wait."
That single word drew his attention back to her.
Amara looked at him properly this time. Then, after gathering her thoughts, she decided to answer honestly. "It’s not that I want to leave."
She paused briefly, then continued in a quieter voice. "It’s just... life in the palace isn’t easy for me."
Alexander’s gaze sharpened slightly.
Amara lowered her eyes to her plate, though her thoughts remained fully on her words. "Sometimes, I wake up in the morning and wonder what kind of trouble will find me that day."
The honesty in her voice was impossible to miss. There was no bitterness in her words, only truth.
Alexander said nothing at first. He simply watched her for a while before asking, "What kind of place would you prefer to live in?"
The question caught Amara slightly off guard. Her gaze returned to him.
This time, however, she did not rush to answer. She carefully turned the question over in her mind. Unlike the earlier question, this one felt different.
She instinctively knew this had nothing to do with returning to the Human Kingdom. No. He was asking something else entirely, something more personal.
What kind of place would she prefer?
In that second, Amara allowed herself to think freely. If she could choose... If she could truly choose the kind of life she wanted... What would it look like?
She quietly imagined it. A peaceful life. A quiet home with no constant tension or palace politics. No endless need to watch her words and actions.
When she finally spoke, her voice was soft but certain. "I think..." She hesitated briefly, as if rethinking her answer, then she continued. "I would prefer a private house."
Alexander listened quietly as she slowly went on. "A place with fewer people." Her expression softened slightly as she spoke. "Somewhere quiet."
She almost smiled at that thought. "Somewhere peaceful."
The room fell silent again.
Alexander listened without interrupting until she was done, and only then did he give a small nod, almost absentmindedly.
"So." His voice was calm. "That is your kind of home?"
Amara looked slightly confused by the way he phrased it. Still, after a moment, she slowly nodded.
"Yes."
Alexander’s full attention remained on her for a few seconds longer. There was something thoughtful in his gaze now. It was like he was quietly processing every word she had said.
Then, just as suddenly, he seemed to return to himself. He gestured lightly toward her plate. "Continue eating."
Amara stared blankly at him for almost five seconds before blinking. That was all? No explanation? No further questions?
She slowly picked up her cutlery again and resumed eating, but her mind was no longer calm. In fact, it was moving faster than ever.
Her thoughts spun in all directions as she replayed every question he had asked her.
Why had he wanted to know whether she wanted to leave the palace?
Why had he asked what kind of place she preferred living in?
And most importantly... Why did it feel as though her answers mattered so much to him?
Amara kept stealing brief glances at Alexander while pretending to focus on her meal, but his expression had returned to its usual unreadable calm, giving absolutely nothing away.
That only made her more curious and more confused.
---
By evening, the Alpha Prince’s residence had grown quiet again.
Inside the sitting room, Alexander sat in his usual seat. And not long after, Elder-Mage Seraphina arrived.
Jasper personally ushered her in.
Seraphina stepped into the room with her usual composed expression, though the slight tightness in her face did not escape Alexander’s notice.
He immediately understood that she had not come solely to check on his health.
After exchanging greetings, Seraphina sat opposite him.
Alexander did not waste time. "You found something." It was not actually a question.
Seraphina’s brows lifted slightly, then she released a quiet breath. "As expected of Your Highness."
She folded her hands neatly in her lap before speaking. "After our last discussion, I went back to the records I brought with me from the Mage Kingdom."
Alexander remained silent, his gaze fixed on her.
Seraphina continued. "I focused my search on that particular mage bloodline." Though she did not say Amara’s name aloud, both of them knew exactly who she was referring to.
Her expression gradually became more serious. "What I found was... troubling."
Alexander’s eyes narrowed slightly.
Seraphina lowered her voice. "It appears that important information regarding that bloodline was deliberately wiped."
Silence settled in the room. Even Jasper’s expression shifted slightly.
Alexander’s face remained calm, but the air around him noticeably changed. He did not take those words lightly.
Records in the Mage Kingdom—especially bloodline records—did not simply disappear by accident.
If the information had truly been erased, someone had made a deliberate effort to hide something important.
After a few moments, Alexander finally spoke. "You are certain?"
Seraphina nodded. "Yes."
There was no hesitation in her answer.
She continued carefully. "The missing information is too precise to be natural. Someone deliberately removed key details while leaving enough behind so the absence would not be immediately obvious."
Then her gaze lowered briefly. "Had I not known exactly what to look for, I might have missed it myself."
Alexander remained silent. His mind was already moving through possibilities.
Someone had hidden Amara’s origins. Someone with enough access to manipulate Mage Kingdom records.
That alone said far too much.
Seraphina looked at him again. "However, Your Highness, this does not mean the truth cannot be found." There was firmness in her voice now. "As soon as I return to my kingdom, I will continue investigating personally."
Alexander’s gaze shifted slightly, then he gave a small nod. "When you find something, do not send word to the palace."
Seraphina’s brows furrowed slightly. Meanwhile, Alexander continued calmly. "I will be leaving the palace in a few days."
That statement clearly caught her off guard. She had not expected that. The Alpha Prince leaving the royal palace? That was not a small matter.
Naturally, questions arose in her mind, but she was wise enough not to ask. She kept her thoughts to herself.
"When you have something important to report, do not send a letter here." Alexander’s tone remained calm and matter-of-fact. "Send one of your trusted subordinates into the city. Let them come find me there."
Seraphina quickly understood. Though surprised, she bowed her head respectfully. "As you wish, Your Highness."
Silence followed for a brief moment before Seraphina shifted the discussion. Now she returned to the original reason for her visit.
Alexander’s health.
After carefully observing him, her expression softened slightly. "I am pleased to say that Your Highness has recovered well."
Jasper visibly relaxed at those words.
"Your body is stable now." Then her expression turned serious again. "However..."
Alexander already knew what was coming, but he still listened as she continued.
"This changes nothing regarding the curse," Seraphina spoke gently but honestly. "The curse remains as active as ever."
There was no point hiding the truth, so she looked directly at Alexander and said, "Your Highness should find your mate soon."
The words hung in the air. Jasper lowered his gaze slightly while Alexander’s expression remained unchanged. He didn’t utter a single word.
When no response came, Seraphina understood that the conversation had reached its end, so she slowly rose to her feet. "Then I shall take my leave."
Alexander gave a small nod.
Before turning away, Seraphina added, "The other mages and I will be leaving tomorrow morning."
Alexander looked at her, then he simply said with a trace of sincerity in his tone, "Take care."
Seraphina bowed respectfully. "Thank you, Your Highness."
Without saying anything more, she turned and left the room.