The Devil's Cursed Witch

Meanwhile, after Cornelia and Leeora left his study, Draven found himself having a phantom headache, trying to put together the things he heard from the Head of the Witches today. After a while, he heard a knock and Erlos entered the room to start cleaning the lounge area and Draven found himself staring at the young elf.

Due to the council meeting, they never had a chance to talk about his trip to the human kingdom to bring back the books for Ember to read.

"One and a half days," Draven commented dryly out of the blue, and Erlos blinked his ignorant eyes at Draven, a little confused by his master's words.

"Huh?" was his reaction. He was still upset at Draven for sending him among humans so since morning he kept his talk as minimal and as formal as he could with the King.

"You took less time to return," Draven commented. "That's progress."

"Thank you, Sire," was all he said and was about to resume his work when Draven spoke once more.

"Seems like you are not happy about your performance." Draven was aware of what his servant was trying to do and continued, "Would you like to go back and improve your duration of return to just a day?"

The young elf's long ears twitched in fear. 'No way! Is he going to throw me among those humans again?!' He immediately turned his full attention to the King and smiled as if he was never upset with the King in the first place.

"Sire, I am very much satisfied with my progress! Isn't there a saying, 'More haste, less speed'! Returning in one and half days is an achievement, considering that I also bought many different books from the human city. I should use this time to consolidate my learnings..."

He smiled awkwardly, trying to talk more to divert Draven's attention from sending him back. "S-Sire should see how many books I have brought for Miss Ember. It filled an entire side chamber. I've already told Yula and Garros to start constructing a library for the Miss."

"You did well," Draven praised.

Those words shocked the elf.

'I got praised?! Am I not dreaming?'

Erlos felt excited as he was yet to tell his master how he got those books. "Sire, you don't know how disgusting I felt in that crowded market of that kingdom's capital. I felt like I would be suffocated by the presence of those humans around me. Somehow, I found one shop where people were buying books. I paid that shop owner more than he deserved and he happily let me take each and every book in that shop. Now, Miss Ember doesn't have to worry for at least a year or two even if she finishes reading one book a day."

"You seemed to enjoy shopping. Rest assured. When she needs new books, I will send you there once again," Draven replied and the happy smile on Erlos's lips disappeared.

With his servant staring at him with an aggrieved look, Draven stepped out of the study, only to catch a whiff of his mate's scent in the hallway. His gaze searched for her, but as the sweet scent of jasmine was barely there, it was easy to guess Ember wasn't in the immediate vicinity.

He had failed again and again from finding her whereabouts by using his powers, but by tracking her through her unique aroma, he could easily find his little mate.

His feet moved on their own towards the direction of the sensual scent, leading him out towards the main garden of the palace. Soon his ears caught the sound of movement in the garden. It appeared to be Ember talking to someone while walking in a hurry.

His walking pace increased, and soon, he found a delicate figure in a frilly pink gown rushing along the uneven ground like a playful spirit while holding her long skirt in her hands.

Chirp, chirp?

Getting back to his senses, Draven then noticed she seemed to be following a bird which was flying from one tree to another like it was playing with her.

He could hear her starting to pant and Draven's eyes narrowed at that bird who was troubling his mate.

Draven continued to walk towards Ember with his gaze following her movements. When the girl finally stopped running to catch her breath, the man's death glare was thrown in the direction of that bird.

As if the bird had sensed the danger, it quietly flew towards Ember. She immediately put forward her hands and it sat in the cup of her palms.

"You...You made me run... so much...hah... See, I am tired," she talked to him while caressing its soft feathers with her thumb, unaware that someone was standing a distance from her and glaring at that bird in her hands.

"Sire? What are--"

Erlos had come looking for his master to report something, but what he found was the funny scene of Draven glaring at a little bird with his fists clenched tightly.

Erlos could see right through him after knowing his master for a long time.

"Ahem, Sire, that white cockatiel is a female bird. It's a tamed animal who belongs to one of our servants."

'Female Bird.'

Only then Draven did release his tight fists, his glare turning into a flat gaze at the little bird that was enjoying being petted by his mate.

After informing him about the newly-arrived documents sent by the council on his desk, the young elf excused himself while Draven stayed back. Though her scent was messing with his senses, he didn't wish to let go of her from his sight. It was a chance to know more about his mate.

'She looks like she's enjoying herself? Does she like birds?' he wondered. Something inside him was urging him to understand her better. 'I want her to continue smiling like that...'

Just then, she turned around. It might be pure coincidence, or perhaps she felt his gaze, but she discovered Draven standing while watching there at a distance. His sudden presence startled her and her hands that were holding the bird shook, causing that white bird to fly away from her in panic.

"Ah?" Unconsciously, she tried to catch the bird but the next moment--

Thud!

She fell on the ground flat on her face when her feet tangled with her long skirt. Draven was so immersed in her smiling face that he didn't get to react by using his powers.

He walked towards his clumsy little mate who was sprawled on the grassy ground flat on her stomach.

"Are you hurt?"

Ember heard his familiar cold voice but didn't dare look at him. She wanted to just hide. Yesterday, she already made a terrible mistake when she barged into his bath, yet here she was once again, embarrassing herself in front of him for the second time.

Not getting any reply from the blushing girl, Draven asked again, "Are you hurt?"

"Uhm, yes...?"

As she calmed herself, Ember tried to sit up while Draven kneeled on one leg to help her balance herself. He looked at her face where her left cheek had a blade of grass and a smudge of soil stuck to it. The front of her dress was even dirtier as she fell on her stomach.

Unconsciously, his hand moved towards her face to remove that dirt from her cheek, but she panicked and moved her head back. "I-I am fine, Your Majesty!"

His hand was left hanging midway as the human girl shot to her feet and ran away from him. Her face was as red as an apple, embarrassed to face him due to her clumsy actions.

Draven continued kneeling on one leg as he sighed, his helpless gaze following his escaping mate when--

Thud!

Once again, the exact same sound he heard earlier--the sound of a body falling down--reached his ears. He closed his eyes briefly, feeling annoyed as he knew what had happened.

Draven saw that frail little thing lying flat on the ground once again a few feet away.

Unaware of the complicated gaze being thrown her way, Ember wanted the ground to swallow her whole.

'Three times! In a span of two days! Why? Why is this happening to me?!'

She felt like a joke to have embarrassed herself in front of the King for the third time. She wanted to cry but no tears came out, and this made her feel frustrated. She wasn't this clumsy usually, and she banged her head on the ground, wishing she could make herself erase her own memories.

'Ouch, it hurts,' she inwardly complained. 'Ugh, should I hit my head once again and see if it'll make me forget?'

Several awkward seconds passed by. The human on the ground didn't move like she was pretending to be one with the grass. Ember was hoping that the King would ignore her and leave her alone to swim in shame, but there was no chance that was happening. Draven stood up, and when he approached her this time,  he offered her his hand like a gentleman.

"Get up."