Perspective: Celia
Date: January 19, 2018
Time: 8:45 AM
Location: Sylvaris — Medical Clinic Guest Quarters
The smell hit me 1st.
Burnt sulfur and dried blood.
I was standing in my own head again—the calcified bone graveyard where my mind retreats whenever my body gives out. Violet lightning ripped across a bruised purple sky, totally silent. Millions of dead husks lay half-buried in the black soot.
10 paces ahead, sitting on a broken dragon rib, was Evelina Blackrose.
The 1st Queen of Curses.
She wore her usual trailing crimson silk, twirling a black rose between 2 fingers and peeling off the petals.
"My, my," Evelina purred without looking up. "Look who crawled back into my domain. You look awful, adorable."
A fever dream. Really?
"Shut up," I said, crossing my arms. "I'm not here for a lecture from a demoness."
"You're in your own rot," she replied, tossing the stem into the ash. "The dead ash from that chasm ate your lungs and turned your veins into brittle glass. But you're extraordinarily lucky. The greatest man alive has crossed kingdoms to take you."
Pride flared hot in my chest. I couldn't help the smirk spreading across my face.
"Well, obviously. Kai wouldn't leave me behind. He's mine."
Evelina threw her head back and laughed until the bones rattled.
"Kaiser?" Her voice dripped with pure mockery. "Not that magicless boy. He's an E-rank nobody surviving off tap-water and free samples."
My blood went from warm to boiling. Black thorns shot from the dirt around my hair, hissing with static.
"Call him that again," I snarled, stepping into her space, "and I'll burn this graveyard down."
"Such fierce loyalty for a stray dog," she sighed, waving a pale finger dismissively. "You would've slept for 2 more days. But unfortunately... he already found you. The next time we speak, it won't be in your sleep."
"Wait—who found me?!"
She dissolved into black mist.
"Wake up, little Queen. Your prince is in the room."
*
My eyes snapped open.
I gasped, sitting bolt upright. Pain tore through my ribs like a dull saw. My fingers scrambled across the sheets, desperate for Kai's hand or his coat.
Cold linen. Nothing.
Panic spiked my heart until my hand shot up to my collarbone and caught the frayed silk ribbon in my hair.
The ribbon's here. I'm alive.
I looked around. My clinic room. White plaster, a wooden washbasin, cold morning light through the curtains.
Then I froze.
A man was sitting right beside my bed.
He was massive. Broad shoulders, tall frame, easily 6'5". Thick white hair fell neatly back from his forehead, and his long black coat had deep crimson silk lining the collar.
He was drinking dark tea from a porcelain cup.
Seeing me move, he didn't jump. He set the cup down, flicked his wrist, and the cup simply vanished into thin air.
No incantation like Lucas? He just made it disappear.
In my shadow, Crownless suddenly shrieked.
[ MY QUEEN! ]
The giant demon was hyperventilating.
[ Do not move! Something is wrong! His curse density is off every known chart! ]
[ I cannot light my fire, ] Ronan whispered, his voice shaking with pure dread. [ The curse essence is sealed! ]
I kept my face flat. Showing terror to a predator gets you killed.
"Who the hell are you?" I demanded. "And why are you in my room?"
The man leaned forward, his crimson eyes locking onto mine with terrifying, unhurried calm.
"I'm Demon Lord Lucifer."
A beat of dead silence.
"Your future husband."
Hmm
HMMMMMMMMM
Lucas's brainrot has finally reached me. Is this a sign from the gods above.
"Great," I muttered. "1st Evelyn, now a giant delusional demon."
Lucifer let out a low, genuine laugh. "Most women receive an introduction before a declaration. Given your lungs, I thought brevity would save you stress."
"That wasn't shortness, that was a threat. Get out before I paint this wall with your blood."
"Fiercely put," he said, utterly amused. "Though if you intend to kill me, try sitting up without shaking first."
I looked past him toward the window. 4 floors up, firmly latched from inside.
"How did you get in here?"
"The window."
"It's locked."
"Locks don't bother me."
"So you're a thief."
He tapped a silver signet ring on his knee. "Demon Lord, technically."
"That's worse. I don't really care."
"A matter of perspective," he smiled.
I shoved myself up on the mattress. Big mistake.
My chest convulsed. The dead ash in my throat tore like broken glass, cutting off all air. A violent, suffocating cough doubled me over, black spots clouding my eyes.
Before I hit the sheets, a heavy arm caught my back.
He moved in a blur. His grip was steady and gentle, holding me upright while bringing a glass of water to my mouth.
"Slowly," he murmured.
Don't touch me!
I tried to slap the glass away, but my fist hit his wrist like stone. He didn't flinch. He just caught my trembling fingers and set them down on the blanket.
"I don't need your help," I wheezed.
Lucifer didn't argue. He placed 2 bare fingers against my collarbone.
A surge of ice-cold mana flooded my throat. The coughing stopped instantly. The tearing heat in my lungs went numb, replaced by cool, clear air.
I blinked in shock.
"Better?" he asked, leaning back. "The dead ash is eating your mana. I can cure every particle."
I wiped my mouth, glare still fixed on him. "And the price? Playing along with your marriage nonsense?"
"There is no price for your life, Celia." He met my eyes. "Though I wouldn't mind if you found me slightly charming."
"Keep dreaming. I'm already taken."
His red eyes chilled. The air dropped 2 degrees.
"Taken? By whom?"
I lifted my chin. "Kaiser Everhart."
Lucifer blinked. "Who?"
My eye twitched. "The best man alive! He dragged me out of the abyss while you were probably busy brushing your hair. He's worth 100 of you!"
Lucifer didn't yell. He watched me with quiet intensity.
"I see," he murmured. "You actually love him."
"With everything I have. So climb back out that window."
"Do you know why I came here?" he asked calmly. "An 800-year-old demon prophecy. 'The Sovereign shall kneel once—not before a god, but before the Queen who made curses obey.' My court thought it meant politics. I thought it was drunken nonsense."
"Then why are you here? Falling for me?"
"Because the prophecy gave me your name," he said, his voice dropping into raw sincerity. "It didn't prepare me for you. I read what your village did to you years ago. I read how they threw you in a cellar out of fear. I inherited my kingdom because of my blood. But you? You made the nightmares bow to you. You grown strong despite the knives thrown at your back."
My breath caught.
He... knows about my past?
A hot prickle rose behind my eyes. Nobody spoke about my childhood like that.
Stop it. He's a Demon Lord. Demons are liars and tricksters.
"You're a smooth talker," I muttered, looking away. "Did you practice that in a mirror?"
"Only 3 times," he chuckled.
He unbuttoned the strap of his black leather glove, peeled it off, and offered his bare palm.
"Would you like to see a trick, My Queen?"
"From you? I'd rather swallow needles."
"May I?"
I hesitated. Crownless was whimpering in my shadow. But my pride refused to let me look scared.
I laid my fingertips in his palm. His bare skin was warm, clean, and completely devoid of hostility.
A thread of gold-black light traced from his fingers onto my knuckles, spinning into a tiny, perfect crown of starlight.
"A magic trick?" I scoffed.
"No," Lucifer murmured.
He leaned down.
Before I could pull away, his lips pressed softly against the back of my hand.
My mind short-circuited. My cheeks blazed crimson.
He kissed my hand?!
Sting!
The Ring of Empty Chaos on my left hand flared with a violent spark of blue-red light. A sharp shock jolted up my arm.
Kai's ring!
I pulled my hand back like it'd touched fire, slamming against the headboard.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"
Lucifer straightened, looking thoroughly pleased. "That was the trick."
"THAT WAS SEXUAL ASSAULT!"
"A standard greeting between rulers."
"You're a pervert!"
"And yet, you were speechless for 4 seconds."
"I was deciding how to kill you!" I snapped.
Lucifer smiled, reaching for his glove. Then his eyes caught the red ribbon tied in my hair.
His smile vanished.
He reached toward the silk. "That ribbon carries decaying demonic resonance. It's suppressing your cursed output. Is someone leashing you?"
His fingers came within 2 inches.
"DON'T TOUCH IT!"
Crack!
A razor-thin black thorn sprouted from the mattress, stopping millimeters from his skin.
I was shaking with pure, murderous fury. "Touch that ribbon, and you will leave this room in a body bag."
Silence fell over the room.
Lucifer looked at the thorn, then at my eyes. Slowly, he pulled his hand back and slid his glove on, snapping the gold clasp shut.
"A gift," he said, his voice entirely devoid of humor. "From someone who isn't here to protect you."
"He gave me everything I could ever ask for." I hissed.
Lucifer stood up to his full, towering height, looking down at me with unyielding, dangerous pride.
"Then I shall leave it alone. For now. I have no desire to steal another man's cloth by force, Celia."
A faint, chilling smile touched his lips.
"I prefer my gifts to replace others by choice."
The heavy oak door swung open with a quiet creak.
Lucas strolled in, holding a steaming ceramic mug of black coffee in his left hand. White medical bandages wrapped tight around his right wrist down to his knuckles, and dark circles bruised the skin beneath his eyes like soot. He took a slow, relaxed sip, humming a lazy rhythm under his breath on his routine morning checkup.
Then his gaze drifted toward the bed.
He froze mid-sip. His mouth fell wide open.
"What the hell?"
The coffee mug clattered onto the bedside table. Lucas lunged across the rug, his relaxed posture shattering in seconds. He smacked the back of his hand against my forehead, checking my heat without the slightest warning.
"Hey—"
Before I could shove him off, his arms wrapped around my shoulders in a rough, bone-cracking hug. He squeezed so hard my ribs popped.
Then, just as abruptly, he shoved me back to arm's length by my collarbones.
"Celia, you bothered me way too much," he groaned, his voice cracking with comedic exasperation. "You owe me at least 14 days of sleep! Do you know how many nights I spent LEARNING CHEMISTRY?"
My cheeks flared with immediate irritation. Physical affection with Lucas was like wrestling a porcupine. I swatted his bandaged wrists off my blanket.
"Get off me, idiot," I snapped. "Your bandages smell weird."
"That is the perfume of medical dedication, ungrateful patient," Lucas scoffed, snatching his coffee mug back up. He blew across the rim, turned his head toward the armchair—and froze.
His gaze traveled upward.
Then upward some more.
Lucifer sat comfortably in the high-backed velvet chair, legs crossed, an effortless smile resting on his porcelain face. Even seated, his broad shoulders and towering frame made the entire room feel 2 sizes smaller.
Lucas had to crane his neck back at a 45-degree angle just to meet the demon's eyes.
He slowly blinked. He pointed a bandaged finger at the silver-haired giant, glancing at me in absolute disbelief.
"Celia... who is this demon in our room?"
"Apparently my future husband," I deadpanned.
Lucas turned on his heel, walked over to the open balcony window, and leaned over the stone sill. He peered down the sheer 4-story drop into the royal courtyard, then looked back at Lucifer.
"Did you climb through the window?"
"Flight magic," Lucifer replied smoothly.
Lucas spun around on his heel, stabbing an accusing finger at him. "THIEF! Celia, check your purse—"
"That's what I said!" I chimed in, nodding proudly.
Lucifer let out an audible sigh, pressing a gloved palm against his face. "I rule the demonic continent. Why in the world would I need to steal from poor people?"
Lucas didn't miss a single beat. "Yeah. That is exactly what rich thieves say."
A sharp, rattling cough tore through my chest before I could smirk.
My throat burned, a sudden spike of ash scraping the lining of my lungs. The lingering Abyssal Maw venom was stubborn, still clawing at my ribcage.
Lucas's comedic grin vanished instantly. He reached into his coat pocket and produced a sealed glass vial glowing with a layered golden-blue serum.
"Don't talk," Lucas commanded, stepping toward the bed. "I spent the last 4 days synthesizing this emergency stabilizer. It took 96 hours of arcane distillation to bind the catalyst. Drink the whole dose, and you'll be fully clear in 2 days—"
"That crude potion will not be needed," Lucifer interrupted.
Lucifer rose from his chair in 1 fluid motion. The shadow of his 7-foot frame fell across the bed like an eclipse. He stopped beside the mattress and looked down at me, his crimson eyes gleaming with calm authority.
"May I?" he asked.
It was phrased as a polite request, but the sheer sovereign weight behind his gaze left 0 room for refusal. Before I could swat him away, he raised his bare right hand.
He didn't chant. He didn't pull out dried roots, ground crystals, or runic circles.
A brilliant emerald-and-white sigil ignited beneath his palm. Pure, ancient nature magic intertwined with supreme anti-curse authority, washing over my chest in a warm, surging wave.
The cold weight inside my veins evaporated. My blood temperature spiked, turning delightfully hot. A violent spasm seized my diaphragm.
I leaned over the side of the bed and coughed hard into a clean linen cloth.
Splat.
A thick clot of grey ash tore free from my bronchi, landing on the fabric. Heavy beads of sweat broke across my brow, dripping down my collarbone.
I drew a long, shuddering breath.
My chest expanded fully. No burning. No suffocating ache. The air tasted crisp, cold, and entirely clean.
Lucas stood frozen in the center of the rug. He stared at the stained cloth, then at the empty air where the spell had vanished, and finally at his glowing vial.
His jaw dropped. His eye twitched with pure, unadulterated outrage.
"Are you joking right now?" Lucas choked out, his voice climbing an octave. "I spent nearly 2 weeks crafting stabilizers! 2 weeks without proper sleep! I was 1 dose away from finishing the cure, and you just cleared it out of thin air in 3 seconds?!"
Lucifer glanced at him with cool condescension. "True magic requires no tedious human chemistry. Detoxification is universal when a master understands the fundamental laws of nature and curses. You are simply an inferior sorcerer."
Lucifer turned toward me, tilting his head with aristocratic disdain. "Why do you keep company with a brother so utterly incompetent? You do not even share facial features."
My eyes narrowed into lethal slits. "Shut your mouth. He worked his ass off to keep me breathing while you were busy playing peeping tom on my balcony."
Lucas nodded violently, pointing his vial at Lucifer like a dagger. "Yeah! What she said! I did my best! I'm no chemistry pro, I'm a KCMSC dropout!"
Lucifer chuckled softly, adjusting his silk cuffs. "Your loyalty to the weak is admirable, Celia. Misguided, but charming. A Queen should be protected by someone who solves calamities with a flick of his wrist, not someone crying over boiled water."
"I don't need a babysitter with horns," I fired back.
"I did not offer babysitting. I offered my companionship," Lucifer said, his tone casual and imperial. "The northern palaces are yours whenever you wish to claim them. You need only speak the word."
"I already told you, I belong to someone else."
Lucifer's smile grew faintly mocking. "A human who left you bleeding in an unfamiliar clinic while your lungs dissolved into ash? You place your faith in someone who cannot match your status."
"He isn't just someone special to me," I said, each syllable dropping like lead.
"I'm married to him. I am his wife."
Lucas chimed in from behind his mug. "Yeah, buddy. Trust her. She's 100% taken."
I shot Lucas a lethal glare for the peanut gallery commentary, but he just shrugged shamelessly.
"What? My bro is the best," Lucas declared, grinning smugly at the Demon Lord. "You're way too late, horn-head. My bro is so talented he could sell filtered gutter water to a drowning man for 10 gold."
Lucifer raised an eyebrow, entirely unimpressed. "A con artist perhaps? A weak human hardly qualifies as a suitable companion for the future Queen of the Nether Realm."
"He isn't a con artist, idiot," I snapped. "It means he makes the impossible happen with what he has."
"I offer infinite resources," Lucifer countered smoothly. "I am offering you everything, yet you throw it away for him?"
"I'd rather drink dirty water with him than drown in your gold."
"Poetic. But foolish. Wealth buys security, Celia. It is our duty to protect our beloved ones from suffering."
"I don't need you or your protection."
"Look at me. Have you ever seen anyone whose presence matches yours so completely?"
"I've seen plenty of arrogant peacocks who like listening to their own voices."
"You are still beautiful, little raven."
"Don't call me little raven."
"A fierce title for a fierce woman. Every rejection from you sounds like an invitation to prove myself."
"Then you need your ears cleaned along with your ego."
Lucifer took half a step forward. The playful warmth in his posture vanished.
The air in the bedroom instantly plunged below freezing.
A suffocating, cosmic pressure descended from the ceiling, pressing down like an iron vault. Deep inside my spiritual core, my contracted demons shrieked, curling into tight, terrified balls against the floor of my soul. The aura of a true demonic sovereign was crushing.
Lucas's smirk evaporated, his knuckles whitening around his coffee mug.
Yet I didn't flinch. I glared directly into Lucifer's glowing crimson irises, my own red eyes flaring with untamed bloodlust.
"Taken by a nobody is temporary," Lucifer whispered, his voice carrying the deep rumble of a collapsing chasm. "If this Kaiser were to be removed from your life, you would be free to choose again."
My breath hitched in my throat. "What did you just say?"
"I stated a simple, objective truth," Lucifer continued, unbothered by my rage. "Humans break under very little pressure. An unexpected accident, an unseen sickness, disappearance without warning... and suddenly, your vow is unfulfilled."
"Are you threatening his life?"
"I am outlining the fragile nature of humanity. You tether your destiny to a fleeting weak human. 1 mistake, and he is gone."
My fists clenched the sheets until the woven seams tore.
"Listen to me very carefully," I hissed, my voice deathly calm. "I will never let him go. I will never let him disappear from my life. And even if that ever did occur... I would be a widow who remains alone for the rest of my days."
Silence stretched between us, taut as a drawn bowstring.
Then, Lucifer laughed.
It was a rich, genuine sound that shattered the suffocating pressure in an instant.
"I like your loyalty," he said, his smile returning with dazzling brilliance. "It will suit me perfectly."
Before I could pull away, his hand reached out and lightly caught a lock of my snowy hair between his fingers. "Snowy white hair, just like mine. We were truly fated."
I slapped his wrist aside with a sharp crack. "No touching."
Lucifer withdrew his hand smoothly, dipping his head. "I apologize."
His eyes burned with intense, possessive amusement. "Whatever human rank he holds, whatever petty title he wears, it will not matter. I am the Demon Lord. I have already fallen for your soul, Celia. Watching you defy me only makes me want you 10 times more."
A snort echoed from the corner.
Then a choke.
Lucas set his coffee mug onto the nightstand and clamped both hands over his stomach, bending completely double.
"What are you gonna do to him?" Lucas wheezed.
"Maybe I'll go after him... who knows?" Lucifer mused, his eyes sparkling with malice.
Then came the roar.
"HAHAHA! HAHAHA!"
Lucas slapped his thigh, tears leaking from the corners of his eyes as he struggled to draw breath. He slammed a hand over his mouth, trying and failing to muffle the hysterical laughter echoing into the ceiling beams.
"System! Bro said he's gonna go after Kaiser! Kaiser Everhart!" Lucas choked out between breathless gasps. "I've heard that line so many times! System, clip that, let's put him in a downfall video on YouTube!"
Lucifer's eyes narrowed into razor-thin slits. The amused smile died on his face.
"What is so funny, insect?"
Lucas mockingly wiped a tear from his cheek, grinning with pure insolence. "Look, Horn-Boy. Kaiser has already claimed my sister. You stand 0 chance. Not in her life, and definitely not in challenging him."
Snap.
A silent cursed rift cleaved through the air.
Lucas's right arm severed cleanly at the elbow.
A spray of crimson mist painted the wall as the severed forearm flew 6 feet through the air, thudding wetly against the floorboards.
My heart stopped. "Lucas!"
Lucifer stood cold as a glacier, his crimson eyes gleaming with terrifying, lethal detachment.
"That was your 1st warning," Lucifer said, his voice devoid of warmth. "Do that again, and I stop joking."
Lucas didn't scream. He didn't even drop to his knees.
Before the 1st drop of blood could pool on the hardwood, a blinding golden circle of celestial light erupted over his raw stump.
"[Full Heal]."
Muscles, bone, blood vessels, and pale skin burst outward in a shower of golden sparks, reconstructing his entire right forearm in less than 1 second. He flexed his new fingers, leveled his palm toward the severed limb on the floor, and fired a silent pulse of white mana.
The severed arm vaporized into fine dust.
Lucas slowly lowered his arm. The goofy slacker was gone. His bright green eyes flared with an icy, celestial flame that radiated pure, unyielding venom.
"I don't advise testing my patience either," Lucas said, his tone chillingly level.
Lucifer looked at the newly formed arm, a rare flash of genuine surprise passing through his silver brows. Then, he inclined his head with graceful, aristocratic composure.
"That was excessive of me. I apologize."
Lucas looked down at his right arm and clicked his tongue in disgust. "Great. Now my favorite shirt is ripped."
The tension hung thick and sharp, but Lucifer did not leave. He stood tall, towering over both of us like an immovable monument.
I looked at him, my throat dry, my anger warring with total bewilderment.
"Why are you even doing this?" I demanded, my voice raw. "Why annoy me so much? After everything I've said, after seeing what I am... what is there to fall in love with?"
Lucifer looked down at me. The arrogant smirk, the aristocratic teasing, the dangerous pride—all of it faded, replaced by an unsettling, quiet gravity.
"Because in the ages I have lived, I have never seen someone like you," he said softly.
The words carried 0 mockery.
"A woman who refuses to give up. You carry a horrific, blood-soaked past, yet you turned every wound into a lesson. You adapt. You learn. You fight through agony that would make any being question their will to live."
He stepped closer, his voice dropping into a reverent cadence.
"I searched for you across the continent. I read the records of what was done to you before you became this. I know what you endured before you took up title of Queen. And I want to give you the peace, the joy, and the life that a true Queen deserves."
He leaned slightly downward, his crimson gaze boring into my soul.
"I have fallen deeply in love with you, Celia."
The room went utterly still.
My breath caught in my chest.
What is wrong with this guy?
My mind scrambled to process the words, bouncing between disbelief and an inexplicable, hollow panic. He stood there like a painting of perfection—peerless white hair, royal demonic lineage, magic powerful enough to reshape landscapes with a flick of his fingers.
Any woman on the continent would have fallen to her knees in gratitude. A Demon Lord offering his entire throne, his absolute protection, and genuine devotion.
And yet, my thoughts immediately dragged me back to someone else.
To Kaiser.
Kaiser didn't offer to carry all of my burdens, he does promise sometimes... But he never did. He lets me fight, make my choices and grow. He accepts me for who I am.
Lucifer seems like the perfect man every woman needs... someone who could protect them, love them, and cherish them.
But he's not Kaiser.
And Kaiser... he just feels different.
A sharp, dizzying pang struck my ribs. I hated that Lucifer's words had landed anywhere near my chest. I hated that for 1 fraction of a second, the raw sincerity in his eyes had made my throat tighten.
I violently shook my head, squeezing my eyes shut to shatter the thought.
I looked down at my right hand resting against the blanket. My skin still carried the faint ghost of his touch from earlier—the reverent, warm kiss on my knuckles.
Lucifer saw the conflict playing behind my eyes. He didn't press forward. He didn't mock my silence.
Instead, a gentle, patient smile touched his lips.
"Take your time, Celia. I have waited years for someone like you to enter my life."
He stepped back toward the window, the morning breeze catching his long silver coat.
"I can wait a little longer."
*
Perspective: Kaiser
Date: January 19, 2018
Time: 9:00 AM
Location: Sylvaris — Rented Lodging
My eyes opened to the smell of cheap pine and cold morning mist.
I blinked once. Then twice.
My head felt heavy, haven't felt it in a long time. Weak winter sunlight filtered through a single rectangular window, cutting across plain wooden floorboards and a low ceiling.
A rented room. Modest, drafty, and quiet.
I lay motionless for a few seconds, maybe I should check if I am alive.
Ribs intact probably, though it throbs if I expand my chest. Some broken bones, but the burning necrosis is fading. Pulse steady. 62 beats per minute.
I stared at the unpainted ceiling beams, waiting for the lingering fog in my brain to clear.
The last memory my mind offered was collapsing in the frozen fog, lungs on fire, blood sputtering against my teeth, and throwing both arms around someone in a desperate, bone-crushing hug.
Elfie.
The name alone twisted something raw and jagged behind my chest.
Wait... Elfie is long gone.
She died years ago.
I sat up slowly, the rough linen blanket pooling at my waist. My spine gave a series of dry, muted pops like snapping kindling.
If Elfie is gone... who did I latch onto as a drowning lunatic?
The latch clicked.
The wooden door swung inward on oiled hinges, cutting my calculation short.
A girl stepped into the room, balancing a steaming clay mug on a small wooden tray.
My breath stalled in my throat.
Soft, pastel-pink hair fell in gentle waves down past her collarbones—longer than before, framing her porcelain cheeks with airy lightness. 2 small white ribbon bows were tied delicately into the sides of her hair, keeping the stray locks from her eyes. She wore a vintage-style dress of pale ivory with ruffled lace roses tracing along the collar and cuffs, looking completely, adorably pretty.
Eve...?
Seeing me sitting upright, her bright pink eyes widened in delight. A radiant, blushing smile bloomed across her face as she lifted 1 trembling hand to touch her cheek.
"Kaiser! You're awake!"
Her voice was soft, melodic, and slightly breathy. She rushed over, setting the tray carefully on the bedside nightstand before leaning down to look at my face, her pink irises scanning my forehead as if checking for cracks.
I cleared my gravelly throat, scratching the back of my messy black hair.
"Eve."
"Yes?"
"Hypothetically speaking..." I looked her dead in the eye, keeping my face as flat as possible. "When I passed out... did I hug you?"
Eve froze mid-lean. A deep crimson blush surged from her lace collar straight to the tips of her ears. She snapped upright, clasping her hands together in front of her dress, her fingers fidgeting frantically with her cuffs.
"Um... uhh..." She averted her gaze, her cheeks burning. "A little bit... You held on really tight. Even after you fell asleep, you wouldn't let go of my sleeve for hours."
My left eyebrow twitched.
Wonderful. I didn't just collapse with shame, I had to cling to her like a scared little child.
"Oh, no," I muttered, rubbing my face with both hands. "I'm sorry about that."
Eve raised both hands frantically, waving them back and forth in front of her chest like twin white flags. "No! It's okay! It's completely okay, Kaiser! You were so cold, and you were shaking so hard... I didn't mind at all! Really!"
"I'm made of bad habits and rough edges. Latching onto people isn't usually on the daily schedule."
"It really was fine," she said softly, her pink eyes shimmering with genuine, quiet relief. "I was just... happy you were breathing."
She was looking at me like I had returned from the dead. Given the state of my lungs a week ago, that wasn't an exaggeration.
I looked at her closely. The pale morning light caught the soft curls of her pastel hair.
"Your hair has grown a bit."
Eve blinked, her hand immediately drifting up to touch a pink strand near her temple. Her eyes filled with sudden, nervous curiosity, like a student waiting for test results. "Do you... do you not like it? I was thinking of letting it grow out a little..."
"It makes you look really pretty," I said plainly. "I like long hair."
Eve went entirely rigid.
Her brain visibly short-circuited. The blush on her cheeks deepened into a vivid rose, spreading all the way down to her collarbones. A tiny, flustered smile tugged at the corners of her lips, and she looked down at the wooden tray to hide her face from me.
1 compliment, and she looks like she's about to evaporate into steam. Dangerous. If I say another nice thing, she might pass out.
"Th-thank you..." she murmured, hurriedly picking up the clay mug with both hands. "Here. I made hot tea with wild honey. You need it."
I took the mug. Steam hit my nostrils, carrying a sharp herbal tang that coated my dry tongue just from the scent. My throat felt like someone had dragged a rasp down my windpipe, so I tilted the mug back and downed the entire scalding contents in 3 massive gulps.
"Kaiser!" Eve gasped, her hands flying to her mouth in pure panic. "Don't drink it so fast! It's boiling! You'll burn your throat!"
I let out an exhale of hot steam, lowering the empty mug with a satisfied click against the saucer. The scalding heat hit my stomach like a furnace, burning away the cold numbness in my gut.
"I'm just really thirsty," I drawled, leaning back against the wooden headboard. "Relax, nurse. Like I said, I have a lot of bad habits, and drinking too fast is 1 of them."
Eve puffed her cheeks into a soft, adorable pout, placing her hands on her hips. "That's not something to be proud of. You're supposed to be resting, not rushing to finish your drinks like you're in a competition."
"Lesson noted." I rubbed the tension between my eyebrows. The domestic comedy was fun, but I needed to be aware.
"How long was I out?"
Eve's pout softened into quiet worry. "You collapsed on the 12th of January. Today is January 19."
My hand froze against my forehead.
7 whole days.
A full week erased from my schedule. That means we're in Sylvaris proper. Lucas and Celia are somewhere in the district, and the clock on the chasm extraction ran down 3 days ago.
I looked at the simple room. 1 door, 1 window facing an alleyway, cheap pine furniture, zero surveillance traces. Then I looked back at Eve's delicate frame. She had dark smudges beneath her bright eyes, and her wrists looked thinner than usual.
"7 days," I muttered. "And you kept me alive in this room the entire time?"
"Mhm." She nodded earnestly, clasping her hands.
"Eve, the dead ash from that chasm was eating my organs alive. It turns blood into sludge and rots lung tissue. Basic healing spells can't touch it. It takes extreme-tier detoxification magic just to halt the necrosis. How did you stabilize me?"
Eve lowered her head, nervously playing with the lace frills on her sleeve. "I... I don't really know."
"You don't know?"
"I was so terrified, Kaiser," she whispered, her voice trembling slightly. "When you fell, your skin was grey, and your pulse was fading. I tried every healing spell I knew, but none of them did anything. I even ran to the market and bought an old manual on detoxification theory, but the theory was too complicated... Nothing worked."
Of course it didn't. High-order curse-ash laughs at beginner healing spells.
"So what did you do?"
"I just... I felt an impulse," Eve said, looking up with genuine earnestness.
"I couldn't just sit there and watch you slip away. So I went back out into the market, and it was like something was pulling me toward certain stalls. I bought silver-root, crushed moon-moss, and dried sun-bark. I brought them back here, ground them in a bowl, and boiled them down."
My eyes narrowed into sharp slits.
Silver-root, moon-moss, sun-bark.
I ran the alchemical formula through my heads.
Silver-root binds necrotic heavy metals. Moon-moss stabilizes mana flow along damaged meridian walls. Sun-bark neutralizes curse decay through concentrated solar resonance. In a 3-to-1 ratio, they form the exact catalytic tri-compound required to dissolve Abyssal Ash.
To calculate that without blowing up the beaker required a master chemist with 10 years of laboratory theory.
"Who taught you that ratio?" I asked carefully. "Did you study medical theory?"
Eve tilted her head, blinking in absolute innocence. "What's... medical theory?"
I stared at her for 5 long seconds.
She has zero idea what she just did. None.
Most people train their entire lives to memorize herbal harmonics. This girl walked into a market, followed a gut feeling, and accidentally brewed an A-rank antidote on a cheap iron stove.
"Nothing," I muttered, shaking my head with a dry chuckle. "Forget I asked."
She had saved my life on pure, miraculous intuition.
No equations, no mana calculus—just an unexplainable, desperate instinct to keep me breathing.
I looked at her tired, delicate face.
It makes me wonder why she cares...
"Why did you go that far, Eve? You could have left me on the street and walked away. Nobody would have blamed you."
Eve's fingers tightened around the fabric of her skirt. She looked down at the floorboards, her voice dropping to a fragile whisper.
"B-because you saved me first," she stammered, her voice thick with emotion. "You retrieved my ring. You stayed beside me when I was stubborn, and you took hits for me that you shouldn't have taken. I... I know I'm useless in fights. I don't know how to cast powerful spells, and I get scared so easily. But I wanted to take care of you. I didn't know if I was bothering you... but I couldn't leave you alone."
She looked up, her pink eyes glossy with unshed tears.
A quiet, unexpected realization settled.
In this world, everyone wants something from you. Mercenaries want luxury, nobles want status, guild masters want power, and enemies want your corpse. But this girl? She almost worked herself to exhaustion for 7 straight days just because someone treated her nicely once.
"You value kindness," I said softly, my raspy voice dropping its sarcastic edge.
"You help people because deep down, you know what it's like to want someone to reach out to you. That isn't useless, Eve. That's rare."
Eve's lips parted slightly. A look of quiet, stunned wonder washed over her face, as if someone had just handed her a mirror that reflected a version of herself she had never seen before.
"You have a beautiful heart," I added, meeting her gaze steadily. "I mean it."
Eve turned scarlet in an instant. She threw both hands up to cover her burning cheeks, shaking her head frantically like a panicked bird.
"Th-that's enough! That's way too much, Kaiser!" she squeaked, hiding behind her fingers.
A faint smirk touched my lips.
Too easy.
"Just stating facts, Princess."
"It was nothing... really," she mumbled, peeking through the gaps between her fingers before slowly dropping her hands.
A brief shadow crossed my thoughts, pulling my attention back to the broader picture.
January 19.
Celia and Lucas.
My mind ran through the tactical reality:
7 days have passed since the chasm collapsed.
Lucas's emergency stabilization window was 4 days maximum.
Either Celia is dead, or Lucas already resolved it.
Rushing out into the street half-dressed with ash in my lungs won't change what already happened. If Lucas succeeded, they're fine. If he failed, panic won't bring her back.
Lucas is an idiot, a slacker, and an absolute brainrot to common sense. But he's my bro. He wouldn't let her die.
Afterall, he calls her sister too.
Trusting him was the only logical move. There was 0 point in wasting energy over things already decided.
Eve tilted her head, studying my expression with uncanny sensitivity. "Is something wrong, Kai?"
She picks up on micro-expressions faster than I expected.
"Nothing," I said, brushing the thought away with an easy shrug. "Just thinking."
I leaned my back against the headboard, crossing my arms over my chest. Time to steer the conversation somewhere lighter before she started worrying about my mental health.
"So, Princess. Tell me something. What was your 1st impression of me when we met?"
Eve blinked, caught completely off-guard. A faint pink tint returned to her cheeks. She looked at the floor, then at the window, clearly struggling to assemble an answer that wouldn't sound rude.
"My 1st impression?" she asked shyly.
"Yeah. Did I look like a shady scammer who was going actually kidnap you?"
Eve let out a soft, melodic giggle, covering her mouth. "No! You looked... very tired. And a little grumpy. But when you stepped in front of danger... you felt like a truly strong person. Someone dependable. Handsome..."
Dependable. Coming from a girl who looks like she gets scared by loud claps, that's practically a medal of honor.
"Strong, huh?" I chuckled. "I'll take it. Thank you for trusting me."
Eve looked at me with curious, wide eyes. "Do you trust me, Kaiser?"
"Yes," I answered without 1 second of hesitation. "I do."
"Why?" she blurted out.
I laughed, the sound dry and relaxed. "That was quick coming from you."
Eve puffed her cheeks slightly, picking up a small glass jar from the tray. "Well... I had to give you this bitter medicine every morning while you were unconscious. If you trust me, will you take the rest of it now?"
"Hand it over."
I took the jar and swallowed the dark, pungent liquid in 1 go. The sharp taste of silver-root and sun-bark bloomed across my tongue—clean, potent, and perfectly balanced. The tightness in my chest eased almost immediately, a warm current spreading along my ribs.
Eve took the empty jar back, setting it down with a quiet clink. She sat on the edge of the wooden chair, resting her chin on her hands, watching me with quiet fascination.
"Kaiser... what does trust look like to you?"
The question was innocent, but heavy.
I looked at the sunlight pooling on the floorboards, letting my mind drift through years of dirt, blood, and broken promises.
"To me? Trust means being able to close your eyes in a room and knowing the other person won't stab a knife in your spine. It means leaving your back to someone without having to look over your shoulder. It's simple."
Eve listened quietly, absorbing every word. Her eyes were deep and thoughtful, completely free of judgment. Then she offered her own answer, her voice soft and sweet.
"To me... trust is knowing someone won't leave you alone when things get difficult. It's knowing you can share your secrets with them, and they'll smile with you instead of laughing at you."
Simple. Childish on the surface, but it cuts straight to the bone. She wants safety.
"I like that," I said, nodding with genuine approval. "It's a good way to look at the world."
Eve beamed, clearly relieved that I didn't mock her idea.
"So," I asked, folding my hands behind my head. "What do you actually like to do when you aren't playing nurse to a broken wanderer?"
"I love sweets!" she answered instantly, her eyes lighting up like twin lanterns.
"Just sweets?"
"Cake, honey pastries, berry tarts, sweet cream biscuits..." She listed them off on her fingers with total devotion, her eyes sparkling.
"Anything with sugar!"
"Do you know how to bake them?"
Eve's fingers paused. She shrank back into her chair, sheepishly looking away. "Um... no. I'm really bad at cooking. Everything I touch in a kitchen burns."
"So what do you eat?"
"Cake," she whispered.
I stared at her. "For breakfast?"
"Mhm."
"Lunch?"
"...Cake."
"Dinner?"
Eve hid her face behind both hands, her voice muffled in complete shame. "Sometimes fruit tarts..."
I couldn't help the dry bark of laughter that escaped my chest.
This girl has an insane diet. She's survived entirely on refined sugar and hope.
"Eve, that is extraordinarily unhealthy."
She peeked out between her fingers, her large pink eyes wide with guilt. "Is that a bad thing?"
"Yes. That makes you a very bad girl."
Eve gasped, dropping her hands in utter horror. "I'm sorry! I'll eat n-normal food next time, I promise!"
"I'm joking, Princess," I chuckled, waving my hand lazily. "Though your teeth are going to fall out before you turn 20."
"You worry me so much," Eve grumbled playfully, huffing as she brushed her ruffles.
My gaze drifted down to her lap, landing on her slender left hand.
A silver band was wrapped around her finger, set with a swirling gemstone of cobalt blue and soft pink.
The Sea of the Heart.
My eyes sharpened. Without thinking, I reached out across the bed and caught her small, delicate fingers, lifting her hand closer to my face.
Eve's breath hitched. A jolt went through her body. As her hand drew near my cheek, her entire face erupted into crimson flame.
"K-Kai?" she stammered, her voice trembling like a startled sparrow. "W-what's wrong? Am I bothering you? Ummm..."
I rested my thumb lightly against the inside of her wrist. A frantic, fluttering rhythm pounded against my skin like a hummingbird trapped in a cage.
"Your heart is racing, your pulse is beating twice as fast as mine, Princess," I remarked, looking up at her with a faint, teasing smirk.
"Th-that's because you grabbed my hand out of nowhere!" she protested, trying and failing to pull away from my grip.
I let my gaze linger on the gemstone.
It's Elfie's ring. There's no doubt about it.
The swirling cobalt and pink mana is identical to the relic I remember. The resonance, the cut, the silver lattice. Why does Eve have it?Where did she find it?
So many unanswered questions. But looking at her flushed, trembling face, I bit them all back. Interrogating her right now would crush the fragile peace in this room. Soon. But not today.
I gently let go of her hand.
Eve cradled her wrist against her chest, her pink eyes glistening with an overwhelming wave of emotion.
"Kaiser... when you were unconscious, I really thought you weren't going to wake up," she whispered, her voice cracking with raw vulnerability.
"I felt so helpless. I'm incompetent. I don't even know how to cast proper healing magic, yet I wanted so badly to help you... I'm just so happy you're here. I'm so happy I managed to save you!"
The cynical walls around my chest melted away.
She really did think she was going to lose me.
"You've already done more than enough, Eve," I said, my tone soft and steady. "Thank you. Truly."
I leaned back slightly, watching her shy, sniffly expression.
"You're so cute and adorable, Princess. I could listen to you ramble forever."
Eve's jaw dropped. Her cheeks turned so red they looked ready to combust. "Wh-why are you like that?!"
I laughed, tossing the blanket aside and swinging my legs over the edge of the mattress. My boots hit the wooden floorboards with a solid thud.
Eve jumped up from her chair in alarm. "What are you doing? Where are you going?"
"Have you eaten breakfast yet?" I asked, rolling my sore shoulders.
"No... I was going to run down to the bakery and buy some cake."
"No more cake for breakfast," I stated firmly, standing up to my full height. A brief wave of stiffness hit my spine, but my balance was rock solid.
"We're making breakfast together."
"B-but I don't know how to cook!" Eve cried, waving her hands anxiously. "I'll burn the pan! And you're sick! You're supposed to stay in bed!"
"I need to prepare another compound to finish purging the ash from my lungs anyway," I said, stretching my arms. "I can brew that while I fry some eggs. It takes 10 minutes."
"No! It's my job to look after you!" Eve insisted, puffing her chest out in a desperate attempt to look authoritative.
"You're my guest in this room!"
I took a step toward her, looking down into her wide, determined pink eyes.
"I'm taking care of you now," I said, my voice low and calm. "You're my responsibility too, Princess. You did a lot for me while I was unconscious, and I always pay my debts."
"B-but—"
Before she could finish the protest, I raised my right hand and pressed my index finger lightly against her soft pink lips.
Eve froze instantly.
Her eyes went wide as dinner plates, and the heat radiating off her face could have melted butter. She stood completely motionless, rendered entirely speechless.
Got her.
I dropped my finger with a faint, satisfied smirk.
"Now," I said, gesturing toward the door. "Lead the way to the kitchen."
Eve blinked rapidly, swallowed hard, and gave a tiny, obedient nod. Clutching the frills of her ivory dress, she turned on her heel and led the way into the corridor, her heart still hammering loud enough for both of us to hear.
*
Perspective: Eve
Date: January 19, 2018
Time: 9:35 AM
Location: Sylvaris — Rented Lodging (Communal Kitchen)
My lips were still tingling.
H-he touched my lips. With his finger! Right on my lips!
I walked down the narrow wooden staircase half a step behind him, clutching the lace frills of my ivory dress with both hands. My face felt hot enough to ignite dry grass. Every time the floorboards creaked beneath Kaiser's heavy boots, my heart gave an embarrassing little flutter against my ribs.
Calm down, Eve! Breathe! He was just trying to stop you from arguing! That's all it was!
...B-but why did he have to look at me like that?
We stepped into the small communal kitchen on the ground floor. Pale morning sunlight poured through a square window above the stone washbasin, illuminating dust motes dancing in the warm air. Through the open alleyway, lively street music drifted in from a nearby square—the upbeat tempo of a tavern fiddle and a jaunty accordion.
Kaiser didn't look bothered by the noise at all. In fact, as he walked over to the wooden counter, he was humming the low tune under his breath, swaying his broad shoulders slightly in rhythm with the street fiddle.
He's... dancing? Kai is swaying to the music?
A soft giggle bubbled up in my throat, but before I could hide it, Kaiser turned around.
He stopped right in front of me.
My breath caught. He was so tall, and standing this close, the earthy scent of rain, dried herbs, and old leather completely enveloped me.
Without saying a word, Kaiser reached out. His fingers were calloused and warm as he gently brushed a stray lock of pastel-pink hair away from my forehead, tucking it behind my ear with effortless care.
Eeeep!
My knees felt like melting sugar. I froze on the spot, unable to move a single muscle as his knuckles lightly grazed my temple.
"Hair out of your eyes," he said, his raspy voice smooth and casual, as if he hadn't just shattered my ability to breathe. "Now let's see what we have to work with."
He turned toward the small wooden cupboard. I stood there for 3 seconds, pressing both hands against my burning cheeks, screaming silently in my head.
Stop being so charming out of nowhere! It isn't fair!
Kaiser found the small earthenware jar containing the leftover silver-root, crushed moon-moss, and sun-bark I had bought at the market. He measured the remaining powder into a small iron cup, poured boiling water from the kettle over it, and added a pinch of coarse sea salt.
He raised the cup, tilted his head back, and downed the bitter draught in 1 smooth gulp.
He set the tin down with a dry click, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, and looked over at me with an amused smirk.
"See? You really are a master chemist, Eve."
My hands flew up in frantic protest, waving back and forth. "I-I told you already, I'm not a chemist at all! It was just luck! A pure accident!"
"Accidents don't synthesize A-rank detoxifiers on an iron stove, Princess," he drawled, rolling his dark coat sleeves up to his elbows.
"Take the credit."
Princess again... Why does my chest get so fluttery whenever he calls me that?!
Kaiser inspected the pantry basket on the counter. He pulled out an earthenware bowl with 4 brown eggs, a clay pot of coconut milk, yellow onions, dried red chilies, mustard seeds, and fresh curry leaves.
"Egg curry," Kaiser announced, his dark blue eyes lighting up with quiet satisfaction. "4 eggs, rich coconut gravy, tempered spices, and caramelized onions. Classic comfort food."
My eyes widened in genuine wonder. "You know how to make curry?"
"I know how to keep myself fed without eating cake 3 times a day," he teased, shooting me a pointed side-eye.
"I-I said I was sorry about the cake!" I huffed, puffing my cheeks into a pout.
Kaiser let out a low chuckle. He filled a small pot with water, set it on the iron stove, and carefully placed all 4 eggs inside. "6 minutes for the eggs. That'll leave the yolks soft and runny in the center."
He grabbed a wooden cutting board and a dull kitchen knife, setting them in front of me along with a handful of fresh green scallions and herbs.
"You're on herb duty. Slice these thin. Can you manage that, or will the kitchen catch fire?"
"I can slice herbs!" I protested indignantly, puffing out my chest to look capable. "I'm not completely helpless, Kai!"
"Prove it," he smirked.
I picked up the knife, determined to show him that I could be useful. I held the green stalks down with my left hand and began chopping.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
It was going well for about 10 seconds. But then Kaiser stepped right up beside me to slice the yellow onions. His shoulder brushed against mine with every motion of his arm. I could feel the radiant warmth coming off his skin, and every time his scarred forearm flexed against the wooden board, my concentration wavered.
He's so close... H-his arm is touching mine...
I stole a quick glance at his profile. His messy black hair fell across his brow, his jaw was set in calm focus, and for the 1st time since I met him, he didn't look completely exhausted. He looked... peaceful.
He really is handsome when he isn't scowling...
Slip.
The blade glanced off the wet scallion stalk.
A sharp sting bit into the tip of my left index finger.
"Owww!"
I dropped the knife with a clatter. A bright, perfect bead of crimson welled up from a tiny cut near my nail.
Oh no! No, no, no! Clumsy, stupid Eve!
Panic seized my chest. I quickly snatched my hand away, trying to hide it behind my back before he noticed. If he saw me bleed over a scallion, he would think I was a useless, sheltered burden who couldn't even prepare breakfast without getting hurt!
"It's nothing!" I squeaked, taking a frantic step backward. "Just a little—"
Before I could hide my hand, Kaiser's left hand shot out.
His fingers locked around my wrist with lightning speed, halting my retreat.
"Let me see," he commanded.
"No, really, it's just a tiny scratch—"
He didn't listen. In 1 swift, unhesitating motion, Kaiser lifted my hand to his face and put my bleeding finger directly into his mouth.
My brain stopped functioning.
WHAT.
WHAT IS HE DOING?!
His warm lips closed softly around the tip of my finger. His tongue applied light, steady pressure against the nick, tasting the copper and stemming the blood flow.
H-HIS MOUTH! HIS ACTUAL MOUTH!
MY FINGER IS INSIDE HIS MOUTH!
A deafening roar erupted in my ears. Heat rushed through my face so violently my hair ribbons felt ready to combust. My knees turned entirely to water, and my breath came in ragged, terrified gasps.
Is this treatment?! In what world is this treatment?! Ahhh!
Kaiser pulled my finger back with a quiet pop, wiping his lower lip with the back of his thumb. His expression was completely calm, as if he had just checked the weather.
"Shallow cut," he noted casually. "Hardly enough to stain a cloth."
"I-I'll go get a bandage!" I shrieked, my voice climbing 2 octaves as I scrambled backward toward the stairs.
"There's clean linen upstairs—"
Before I could take 2 steps, Kaiser moved.
His arm snaked around my waist from behind. With 1 effortless pull, he hauled me straight back against his chest.
Thump.
My back pressed flush against his firm, warm torso. Both of his arms wrapped around my shoulders, trapping me in what felt unmistakably, undeniably like a tight embrace.
My heart hammered against my ribcage like a trapped sparrow.
Kaiser leaned his head down, his raspy whisper brushing right against the shell of my ear:
"Bandages trap kitchen grime on open cuts, Eve. You're a mage. You have healing magic."
A violent shiver ran down my spine from his breath. "I-I know I do... but I panicked! I forgot the incantation!"
Kaiser didn't mock me. He didn't laugh.
Instead, his large, scarred hand slid down my arm and gently took hold of my injured fingers. His touch was firm, steady, and grounding.
"Repeat after me," he murmured near my cheek. "Breathe 1st."
I took a shuddering breath, trying to steady my spinning head.
Kaiser spoke the verse slowly, his deep voice carrying a melodic, ancient resonance:
"Sanitas fluat, vulnus claudatur."
The syllables felt powerful yet gentle. I focused my mind, letting his steady pulse guide my scattered thoughts. I repeated the words through trembling lips:
"Sanitas fluat... vulnus claudatur..."
A soft, warm glow of pastel-pink mana surged from my core, rippling down my arm and into my fingertip. Before my eyes, the tiny nick knit itself together, the skin smoothing over without leaving even a faint mark.
Kaiser let out a quiet, genuine chuckle that vibrated through his chest against my back.
"There," he said, his arms slowly releasing me. "No more knives for you today, Princess. Go sit at the table and set out 2 plates."
The moment his arms fell away, I practically stumbled over my own skirts, scurrying across the kitchen to the wooden table like a startled rabbit. I dropped into the bench, clutching my healed hand against my pounding chest, staring at his back in pure, dazed disbelief.
He held me... He actually held me from behind...
Kaiser turned back to the stove without missing a single beat. He tempered the mustard seeds and curry leaves in hot oil, filling the small kitchen with an incredible, mouthwatering aroma of toasted spices and rich coconut. He poured in the thick coconut cream, stirred the golden sauce until it bubbled gently, and carefully peeled the 4 boiled eggs.
With a clean stroke of his knife, he halved each egg.
The yolks were a deep, glowing orange, warm and delightfully runny in the center, sitting in the creamy spiced broth like little treasures.
He spooned the curry into 2 earthenware bowls and brought them to the table, along with a stack of warm flatbread.
"Breakfast is served," Kaiser said, sliding 1 bowl in front of me.
My stomach let out a loud, traitorous rumble. The curry looked so delicious it belonged in a royal feast, but the morning air in Sylvaris had grown stiflingly warm. Heat radiated off the stove, and the heavy humidity made my lace collar cling uncomfortably to my neck.
I lifted a hand, fanning myself with my frilled sleeve.
Kaiser pulled out his wooden stool, frowning as he wiped a bead of sweat from his own brow.
"It's like an oven in here," he grumbled, looking around the small room. "Doesn't this lodging have an enchanted cooling fan?"
My cheeks warmed with embarrassment. I lowered my head, staring into my bowl. "The enchanted wind fans at the market cost 15 silver coins... I only had enough money for your medicine and the room rent..."
Kaiser paused, his spoon hovering midway to his mouth. He looked at me, his dark blue eyes softening with an unreadable expression.
"You spent your last silver on my herbs?"
"You were dying!" I protested, looking up with fierce, earnest conviction. "Of course I bought your medicine 1st! What kind of person buys a luxury fan while someone is fighting for their life?!"
Kaiser stared at me for 3 long seconds. Then, a slow, gentle shake of his head came with an amused sigh.
"No problem. I'll make one for you."
"Make one?" I blinked. "How?"
Kaiser set his bowl aside, reached down, and hauled his dark leather travel satchel onto the bench. He rummaged through the interior pockets, pulling out 4 thin strips of scrap steel, a spool of copper wiring, and a small cylindrical brass battery core.
"Wait... you can make a fan from scrap metal?"
"Physics and conductivity, Princess," he answered, pulling out a pair of small iron pliers.
With practiced, terrifying efficiency, Kaiser bent the 4 steel plates into curved, aerodynamic blades, fixing them to an iron spindle at a precise 30-degree angle. He wrapped the copper wire tightly around the base, creating a closed electrical loop connected to the brass cylinder.
In less than 3 minutes, a crude, sleek little metal fan sat on the table.
"Come here," Kaiser said, gesturing to the contact node.
I slid closer, peering at the contraption with wide eyes. Kaiser took my right hand, gently positioning my index finger against the copper terminal.
"You have a tiny latent static current in your mana," he instructed, his thumb resting lightly against the back of my hand.
"Release a tiny spark right here on my count. Ready?"
"U-um... like this?"
I focused a tiny speck of mana into my fingertip.
Snap!
A bright blue spark jumped from my skin into the copper coil.
The brass battery gave a low, resonant hum. The closed loop caught the charge, and before my astonished eyes, the 4 steel blades blurred into motion!
Whirrrrrr.
A steady, delicious stream of crisp, cool air rushed across my face. It lifted my pastel bangs, fluttered the white ribbons in my hair, and instantly swept away the stifling kitchen heat.
I let out an involuntary gasp of delight, my eyes shining like stars.
"It's spinning! Kai, it's actually working!"
Kaiser adjusted the iron base, angling the cool breeze directly at me with a satisfied smirk. "Calculated power conversion with electrical feedback. That'll run for 3 hours straight on that single spark."
"3 hours?!" I beamed at him, my heart overflowing with pure admiration. "You built this in 3 minutes from scraps! You're amazing, Kai! Truly amazing!"
Kaiser picked up his spoon again, deflecting the praise with his usual drawl. "Pragmatic engineering beats overpriced market junk every day. Now eat before the curry gets cold."
The table was tiny—barely 3 feet across. There was only 1 bench, so Kaiser sat right beside me, our shoulders brushing with every bite.
I dipped a piece of warm flatbread into the creamy golden gravy, scooped up half an egg with its runny yolk, and took a bite.
The flavors exploded across my tongue. Rich coconut milk, fragrant curry leaves, toasted mustard seeds, and the savory richness of the egg yolk.
"Mmm!" I muffled a happy squeal behind my hand, my feet kicking beneath the bench. "This is so good! It's 10 times better than cake!"
"High praise coming from the sugar addict," Kaiser remarked dryly.
I was eating with such enthusiastic joy that I didn't realize how messy I was being. A tiny drop of golden curry sauce splattered right at the corner of my lower lip.
Kaiser turned his head, noticed it, and without pausing his chew, he reached his left hand across.
His calloused thumb brushed softly against the corner of my lip, wiping the sauce away.
Then, casually, he brought his thumb to his mouth and licked it clean.
"Eat slower, Princess. Nobody's taking your plate."
My entire body turned to stone.
My spoon froze 2 inches from my mouth.
H-he...
He just wiped my face with his thumb?!
AND THEN HE LICKED IT?!
He acts like... like an old married husband! Why is he so casual about this?! Does he have any idea what he's doing to my heart?!
My soul felt like it was floating out of my ears. I sat there in complete, paralyzed silence, my face burning hotter than the iron stove.
Beside me, Kaiser set his empty bowl down with a satisfied sigh. He rested his right hand flat on the wooden table, leaning back against the wall.
As I peeked at him through my bangs, I noticed his fingers.
His knuckles were pale, and a faint blue tint lingered beneath his nails. When his hand had brushed mine earlier, his skin had felt unusually cold—the lingering aftereffect of mana exhaustion from the chasm.
His hands...
They're always holding weapons, taking hits, protecting everyone...
And they're so cold.
Something inside my chest squeezed tight with tender ache.
I didn't think about whether it was improper. I didn't think about whether I would get flustered.
I set my spoon down, slid an inch closer to him on the bench, and reached out.
Gently, carefully, I wrapped both of my warm, soft hands around his cold right hand, clasping his long, scarred fingers between my palms.
Kaiser blinked. He turned his head, looking down at our joined hands in genuine surprise, then looked up into my eyes.
"What's this?" he asked, his raspy voice unusually quiet.
My cheeks flushed pink, but I didn't pull away. I looked right back at him, my heart overflowing with sincere, honest warmth.
"Your hands are cold, Kai," I whispered, squeezing his fingers gently between my palms. "I wanted to hold them to make them warm. That's... that's better, right?"
Kaiser stared at me.
The cynical smirk, the sarcastic armor, the guarded walls he always kept raised—all of it melted away. A quiet, genuine smile touched his lips. A genuine, warm smile.
He didn't pull away. Instead, his fingers relaxed, curling softly against my palms, accepting the heat I gave him.
"Yeah," he murmured, his voice soft and low. "Much better."
We sat like that for a long, quiet minute, listening to the gentle whir of the metal fan and the distant music from the street.
Eventually, Kaiser gave my hand a light squeeze before letting go. He stood up, rolling his shoulders, and reached for his dark travel coat draped over the back of the chair.
"Time to move," he said, his tone returning to business. "My friends are somewhere in Sylvaris. I need to track them down and see what kind of mess they've gotten into."
I jumped up from the bench immediately, rushing in front of the kitchen door and planting both feet firmly on the floorboards.
"You're not going alone!" I declared, puffing my chest out with all the authority I could muster. "You were unconscious for 7 straight days! What if you get dizzy and fall in the street? I'm coming with you!"
Kaiser looked down at my fierce, tiny stance, an amused grin spreading across his face.
"Are you my personal nurse now, Eve?"
"Yes! Exactly!" I huffed, crossing my arms over my ivory ruffles. "Someone has to keep an eye on you!"
Kaiser chuckled, shaking his head. "Alright, alright. You win, Princess. You can come."
I smiled triumphantly, but before I could step aside, Kaiser stopped. He looked at me, his dark blue eyes studying my face with sudden, quiet seriousness.
"Tell me something, Eve."
"Yes?"
"For keeping me alive for a week... what can I give you to make you happy? Gold? A magical charm? What do you want?"
The question caught me off-guard.
I looked down at the floor, twirling the hem of my lace dress between my fingers. I didn't care about gold. I didn't care about expensive jewelry or magical trinkets. Those things didn't mean anything to me.
"I don't need gold, Kai," I whispered, my voice trembling with honest emotion. "I just want... something I can remember. Something happy that I can cherish forever."
Kaiser's eyes widened slightly.
He looked at me for a long moment, processing my words, before his expression softened into something breathtakingly gentle.
"Come here, Princess."
My heart gave a nervous thud. I took 1 hesitant step forward. "K-Kai?"
Kaiser didn't reach for his coat.
Instead, right there in the middle of the sunlit kitchen, Kaiser dropped down onto 1 knee in front of me.
My breath stopped entirely.
He looked up at me with calm, unhurried reverence. With slow, deliberate gentleness, Kaiser reached out and took my left hand in his. He lifted my knuckles toward his face.
Then, closing his eyes, Kaiser pressed his lips softly against the back of my hand.
Right beside the Sea of the Heart ring.
GASP.
A bolt of pure lightning shot straight through my arm and exploded in my chest. His lips were warm, soft, and impossibly gentle against my skin.
"Eee—eek!"
A high-pitched, completely undignified squeak burst from my throat. My knees wobbled like jelly, and my entire hand began to shake violently in his grip.
Kaiser lingered for 2 heartbeats before slowly pulling his lips away. He rose back to his full height, looking down at my steaming, scarlet face with an affectionate, triumphant smirk.
"You won't ever forget that now, will you?"
I clutched my kissed hand against my pounding chest, my knees barely holding me upright as I nodded frantically.
"N-never!" I stammered, my voice barely a squeak. "I'll never forget it! Ever!"
Kaiser smiled warmly, reaching past me to open the kitchen door.
"Good," he said, his raspy voice rich with humor. "Let's go, Eve."
I swallowed hard, smoothed down my ruffled skirts with trembling fingers, and hurried after him.
We stepped out of the lodging side-by-side into the bright, bustling morning streets of Sylvaris. The cold winter air brushed against my heated cheeks, the chatter of merchants and the rumble of carriage wheels filled the avenue, and beside me walked Kaiser—tall, calm, and dependable.
A profound, radiant happiness bloomed inside my chest, brighter than anything I had ever known.
And yet... as I looked down at the Sea of the Heart ring on my hand, a faint, rhythmic warmth pulsed through the cobalt-and-pink gemstone.
Walking beside him like this...
Why does it feel so strangely familiar?
It doesn't feel like a new beginning.
It feels... like a memory my heart already knows, even if my mind forgot.
I glanced sideways at Kaiser's sharp profile, watching the sunlight catch the dark strands of his hair.
Who are you, Kaiser?
And why does my soul feel like it has loved you for a lifetime?