Auther stood outside Elizabeth's private chambers, still slightly damp from the water he had poured over himself earlier. Most of it had dried, but the faint chill lingered on his skin. He had originally planned to give Lana some of his own clothes, but quickly abandoned the idea. Women in this world simply weren't used to wearing men's clothing. It would only make her more uncomfortable and self-conscious.
Elizabeth wasn't in the throne room, nor was she out on a walk or handling royal duties. Today was one of her self-declared rest days — days she took whenever the mood struck her. After all, her main responsibilities were keeping the nobles appeased and managing taxes. What else was there really for the ruler of a medieval kingdom to do?
He had already sent a maid ahead to announce his visit. When he knocked, he was granted entry almost immediately.
The moment he stepped inside and closed the door, Auther was struck by how much more luxurious her chambers were compared to his own. The room wasn't significantly larger, but the sheer opulence — the rich fabrics, intricate carvings, and heavy use of gold and silver — made it feel worlds apart. There was only so much weight the stone architecture could support without advanced engineering.
Elizabeth sat near the large brown-tinted windows, a marvel of the age that even he didn't have. She looked elegant as always, but today there was a noticeable warmth in her expression, a softness that replaced her usual icy demeanor. She smiled when he entered.
"Hello, mother. Hope you have been having a lovely day."
"You don't have to be so formal," Elizabeth replied, her voice gentler than usual. "I am your mother, after all."
Auther gave a small, tired smile.
"You know… ever since I was maybe six years old, you made sure I had to request an audience just to see you. Bad habits die hard. I'm still trying to get used to this new version of you."
The warmth in Elizabeth's face faltered instantly. Her smile faded, replaced by something tighter, almost pained. For a brief moment, her eyes flashed with a mix of irritation and self-directed anger. She knew he would say something like that. He had inherited her sharp tongue and her quick mind — she would have reacted the same way. Still, a quiet hope lingered in her chest that he might have taken after Aurelious — that he would possess some of his father's easy kindness and openness. Maybe she had secretly wished he would be a little more gullible.
"It seems you didn't come here for an emotional reunion," she said, her tone cooling noticeably. "What do you want? An early lesson?"
Auther paused, momentarily thrown off. The ice queen had returned so quickly. A small part of him had wanted to keep talking, to push past the wall between them, but he knew it wasn't that simple. Fixing their broken relationship would require real effort from her side, and he wasn't sure she had it in her.
"I wanted to borrow a dress of yours."
He felt embarrassed just saying the words aloud. He braced himself for a look of disdain or at least a questioning glare he wouldn't know how to answer. Instead, Elizabeth simply pointed toward a drawer near the large windows without saying anything, though her fingers tensed slightly on the arm of her chair.
Auther walked over and opened the drawer. He gathered what he thought he might need, but hesitated when his fingers brushed against her stockings and undergarments. The casualness of it struck him oddly. Not once in his old life had his ex-wife ever let him or his sons touch her private clothes so freely.
He quickly took everything he needed and turned to leave. But before he stepped out, he paused at the door and looked back at her.
"Thank you. You know… if you get some leisure time next week, we could visit the duke. I missed playing with his daughter."
He was lying through his teeth. He hated that girl — she was spoiled and cruel. Still, he left the offer hanging in the air. The door was open. Whether she chose to walk through it was entirely up to her.
He closed the door behind him.
Inside the room, Elizabeth stared at the closed door for a long moment. A faint, complicated smile touched her lips, though her eyes remained troubled.
"I knew he took after his father…"
Auther left the neatly folded bundle of clothing outside the bathroom door, knocked once, and walked away to give her some privacy.
A few minutes later, the door opened.
Lana stepped out wearing Elizabeth's magenta dress. It didn't fit her perfectly — a bit loose around the bust and waist — but the oversized look somehow made her appear even more striking.
Auther stopped in his tracks, visibly stunned.
"Whose dress is this?" Lana asked, her voice suddenly laced with nervousness. She was clearly afraid it might belong to Viola or even Elizabeth herself.
"It's my mother's," Auther replied casually. "Any other question, nosy nilly?"
Lana's yellow eyes lit up with pure delight. She hugged the soft fabric tightly against her body, visibly swooning over its quality and beauty.
"I'm assuming you're a fan?"
"Yeah… she's so cool," Lana said, her voice full of genuine admiration. "The only survivor of the heavenly demo—" She stopped herself mid-sentence, suddenly aware of what she was about to say. Aurelious had died at the hands of that person. She had no idea how much Auther actually cared about his father.
"Sorry about that."
"No need," Auther said with a small shrug. "I didn't even know him anyway. How was the bathroom experience?"
Lana knew he was deliberately changing the subject, and she was grateful for it. Still, a quiet suspicion lingered in the back of her mind. She wondered how she could ask him about the strange bathroom later without revealing too much.
She couldn't expose her ability to see mana. Not after what happened with Neon.