Meanwhile, inside the palace, little Claude gazed up at the sky from the window of his bedroom. His father and mother were nowhere near him, while Elric and Fatty had also disappeared to who-knows-where, leaving only a few guards standing watch outside his room.
"Did something happen to Mama? Why did all of her contracted beasts suddenly disappear?"
Claude closed his eyes and held his chest gently. He could still feel warmth there, and he sensed the familiar aura of both his mother and father lingering faintly in the air.
"Papa and Mama are still alive. That's the most important thing."
Claude rested his chin on top of his hands, which were propped against the windowsill. Although he felt relieved knowing that his parents were still alive, loneliness still quietly filled his heart.
