Isabel's Growth

March 31.

Avalon, Silver and Tin Palace.

Yulia was intently tinkering with something in her room, a monocle specially designed for focusing and magnifying perched over her eye.

Just then, a soft knock came from her door.

...Who is it, coming at a time like this?

She furrowed her brows slightly, set her tools aside, and paused her work. "Come in."

Yulia pressed a button, deactivating the effect of the alchemical lens hanging over her left eye and letting it spring up automatically.

If she had been at home, Yulia definitely would have ignored whoever it was. But there was no helping it—this was the Silver and Tin Palace... It might be some important person, or someone with an urgent matter.

"Yulia~"

Just then, an extremely familiar voice came from the doorway.

Yulia's body stiffened. She abruptly looked toward the door.

There stood Iver, grinning as he opened the door and leaned against it, half his body still hanging outside. "Did you miss me?"

She instinctively took a step forward... but realized what was happening after that single step.

"...Your Majesty, are you bored?"

Yulia puffed out her cheeks and said sulkily.

For a moment just now, she had really thought Iver had returned! But Iver usually called her Yuli, and he would never knock so lightly.

Besides, Iver had no time to come back now...

"What's wrong with that? Doesn't this count as being Iver too?"

Isabel removed the mask from her face and casually tossed it into the air, where it dissolved into nothingness.

She skipped lightly into the room, remembering to close the door behind her.

Then Isabel plopped down on the chair beside Yulia, hugged her, and began fake-crying. "Little Yulia has grown distant from me. You've started calling me Your Majesty. Boo-hoo-hoo..."

Yulia was somewhat