Reincarnated as a Sickly Princess, She was Kidnapped by the Evil Dragon Lady - Chapter 19

Initially, Illycia hadn’t noticed anything amiss. But as she came to her senses in Aria’s arms, feeling the soft warmth of Aria’s embrace and inhaling her intoxicating fragrance from such close proximity, Illycia felt her cheeks begin to flush uncontrollably.

This was likely the first time she had been held so intimately by someone with no blood relation, especially by such a tall, beautiful woman—a Dragon Girl, no less.

The combination of these factors and the intimate gesture sent Illycia’s imagination spiraling.

In stark contrast to Illycia’s flustered heart, Aria remained remarkably calm, her mind filled with curiosity about Illycia.

Thus, with entirely different emotions swirling within them, the two entered a restaurant run by the Dwarf Race.

“Just the two of you, ladies?”

“Yes.”

“Very well, please come in. There are two seats available right over here…”

Before long, Illycia and Aria were seated across from each other in the Dwarf restaurant, their eyes meeting across the table.

“What do you want to eat?”

“I… anything is fine…”

“Oh, right! I picked those fruits for you. Why didn’t you eat them to tide you over when you were so hungry?”

Faced with Aria’s question, Illycia didn’t know how to respond.

Should I just tell her these fruits were personally picked by the Dragon Queen and are incredibly valuable? That I couldn’t bear to eat them?

Seeing Illycia’s silence, Aria thought the human before her was utterly foolish.

With that thought, Aria casually ordered some mild, non-stimulating dishes with light flavors, remembering what she thought would be suitable.

What else can I do when the human before me is so weak?

“Just these dishes, please. And quickly.”

“Certainly, no problem.”

The Dwarf Race server took the menu and left, leaving Aria and Illycia to stare at each other.

“Tell me about what’s going on with you,” Aria said, picking up her water glass and taking a small sip before looking at Illycia.

Illycia, meanwhile, found her heart racing slightly as she gazed into those sharp yet profound eyes. Realizing the question she’d been asked, she couldn’t help but feel puzzled.

“With me? What’s wrong?”

Illycia genuinely didn’t know what was wrong with her body, except for…

“Are you talking about the Anti-Magic Physique? I don’t know much about that either.”

Aria stared at Illycia’s innocent expression, unsure if she was feigning ignorance or truly clueless.

“No, I mean your absurdly weak body right now…” Aria paused, then continued, “I’ve seen countless humans, but your constitution is… ridiculously frail. It’s nothing like a normal person’s.”

Only then did Illycia realize what Aria was questioning.

But why her body was so weak remained a mystery to Illycia herself. Whether she drew from the memories of the body’s original owner or her own experiences since arriving here, she found no clues about its sickly nature.

“I… I don’t really know either,” Illycia said, her eyes betraying a hint of confusion.

Illycia’s expression convinced Aria that she genuinely had no idea about her body’s condition.

“Do you think… could it be caused by this Anti-Magic Physique thing?”

As Illycia spoke, she glanced at Aria before her.

In Illycia’s mind, Aria, as the Dragon Queen, should know why her body was so frail. After all, Aria’s status and power spoke for themselves.

Back when Illycia was still in the Roland Empire, she remembered that even a hundred Paladins and Overlord Mages combined couldn’t defeat Aria.

“How could those two be related…?” Aria murmured, then suddenly recalled something.

“By the way, Human, how old are you?”

Aria remembered that while the Anti-Magic Physique was formidable, those who possessed it rarely lived past sixteen.

Illycia pondered for a moment before replying, “Twenty, I think.”

At those words, Aria’s pupils widened in shock.

“You’re twenty?”

Aria was visibly stunned by Illycia’s answer.

Given Illycia’s short stature and petite frame, Aria had assumed she was around fourteen or fifteen. Now, Illycia claimed to be twenty.

“Give me your hand.”

Aria’s tone suddenly became tense and serious.

“Wh-what are you doing…?” Illycia asked, her voice tinged with confusion as she hesitantly extended her hand.

Aria immediately grasped Illycia’s hand.

This intimate gesture made Illycia’s thoughts stray momentarily.

But when she saw Aria close her eyes, as if sensing her hand, Illycia quickly suppressed her thoughts, replaced by growing curiosity.

It was only when the Dwarf Race waiter brought their food that Aria finally released Illycia’s hand.

“Enjoy your meal, ladies,” the waiter said, placing a bowl of what looked like some kind of porridge between them. Despite its simple appearance, the dish smelled and looked quite appetizing.

Aria opened her eyes, gazing at Illycia with an unreadable emotion in her gaze.

“Eat,” Aria said, pushing the bowl toward Illycia.

Her tone was noticeably softer, lacking the sharp, aloof edge from before.

“What… what’s wrong with you?” Illycia asked, her voice laced with concern.

Illycia wasn’t foolish; she immediately sensed the subtle shift in Aria’s demeanor, which left her puzzled.

Though the change was slight, almost imperceptible, Illycia’s keen senses picked up on it.

“It’s nothing,” Aria said, her gaze softening slightly as she looked at Illycia. “I was just curious about your life before.”

Aria’s sudden shift made Illycia feel deeply uncomfortable—the kind of discomfort that made her want to squirm.

But Illycia couldn’t voice her unease. After all, the Dragon Queen might simply be prone to such mercurial moods.

Still, Illycia hesitated to speak about her past. Her days had been monotonous, utterly devoid of excitement. Sharing such a dull existence might displease Aria, and she didn’t want to risk that.

With these thoughts swirling in her mind, Illycia picked up her utensils, scooped up a spoonful of the mushy food, and brought it to her mouth.

“Surprisingly, it tastes quite good,” she remarked, savoring the unexpected flavor that spread across her palate.

“You still haven’t answered my question,” Aria said, her eyes fixed on Illycia. Sensing an attempt to change the subject, she steered the conversation back on course.