Karina sighed…
The real reason was that he had cured her from the curse just as he did in the past… but she couldn't say that… not now… she could only say a small part of it… as tears shimmered again in her eyes:
"Because… thanks to you, I was able to live… you helped me."
Indeed, he was the one who saved her… the one who healed her during that time… until her power awakened before she was executed…
As for Damian, he knew nothing of these events… yet a strange feeling passed through him… as if he had truly done it… as if he had saved her once…
Karina quickly wiped her tears, trying to compose herself… Damian was moved and gently placed his hand on her shoulder:
"Karina… I promise I'll help you with whatever you want."
Those words reached Karina's heart directly… she smiled unconsciously… and held his hand with a hint of hope:
"Yes… please!"
He nodded… then their fingers shifted as if sealing a silent promise:
"And I promise… that I will be your support as well."
A faint smile spread across both their faces… a feeling of comfort, calm, and something warm flowing between them…
As for Damian, he understood one thing clearly… Karina had been suffering… he didn't know the details, but her expression while speaking was enough to tell him everything…
"First, I'll help you with many things you might need… and I promise I'll make the Verchi nominations and most of the southern regions favor you… so that you become the Emperor."
They spoke calmly about their goals and everything each could offer the other… then she said:
"As for me, for now I have one request from you… and I would be very grateful…"
She paused for a moment… this was something she hadn't told anyone…
"I've decided to convince my family to let me go to one of the great academies to study magic… I want you to take care of just one person…"
Damian looked at her with interest:
"Who is it?"
She fell silent for a moment… then his name appeared in her mind…
"Ron… a boy about my age… about my height… he lives in Verchi City… white hair and blue eyes… an ordinary person… he lives in a small house on a residential street across from the Mage Tower…"
She expected him to be surprised or to ask more… but Damian's expression changed slightly… it wasn't annoyance or confusion, but a faint smile… he didn't think much about who Ron was… but about one thing… that he could do something to make her happy…
"Alright… during your absence, I'll make sure he's fine."
Karina nodded with relief and felt a weight lift from her chest… then their conversation continued calmly until it was time for her to leave… they bid each other farewell… and she returned to the palace safely… with a lighter heart… and for the first time, she truly trusted Damian…
---
In the stillness of dawn… where everyone slept peacefully… the Verchi palace was quiet, free of noise… everyone was asleep… even the servants…
The moon lit the calm night… and the stars shone as if carrying good news to arrive with the morning…
The sound of barking dogs was the only thing breaking the silence…
The warmth of the room… and the silky covers… gave Karina a sense of comfort and tranquility…
The girl who had lived through long exhaustion…
Her thoughts were unusually calm…
After her day with Damian… she had emptied what was in her heart… and began to trust him… as a loyal person… and as the son of her aunt…
She turned on the bed… right… left… then right again…
Until she slowly opened her eyes…
She saw the light…
Morning had arrived…
She rose from the bed… walked to the curtain… opened it… then opened the window… wanting to breathe in the morning air…
She opened both windows…
She closed her eyes…
Breathing deeply… smelling the flowers from the garden… the fresh air brushing against her face…
But…
Noise…
An unusual sound… coming from outside the city…
Verchi City was known for its extreme quiet…
Usually… only the voices of vendors could be heard…
As for the rest… they spoke in whispers… even children… had grown used to silence…
Because of the strict laws of old Verchi…
A habit that remained until now…
But today…?
Clear noise…
Not vendors…
But cheers… gatherings… people watching something…
Something Karina couldn't see…
But could clearly hear… from afar…
What was happening…?
She quickly closed the window…
And left her room with clear irritation…
But…
The servants…
And everyone… were whispering…
The same whispers… the same tension…
She stopped…
And looked at them sharply…
"What is going on here!?"
Silence suddenly fell…
All eyes turned toward her…
Then one of the maids stepped forward slightly and said:
"My lady… Lord Yuri Verchi has just arrived in the city."
The moment Karina heard the words… she jumped with joy, and suddenly ran through the corridors and opened a small simple room—Carla's room… she was sitting calmly…
"Good morning, Carla! Come help me get ready, my uncle is back!!" she said quickly and excitedly, grabbing Carla's hand and pulling her along without waiting, wanting to see him after so long… not just an uncle, but her first true friend in life…
"Alright, dear, wait," Carla laughed and followed her… she fixed her hair and dressed her, while Karina could barely stay still from excitement… then she rushed out, knowing her father hadn't woken up yet since there was no meeting or anything today…
She opened the door without knocking and found him asleep… she ran toward him, climbed onto his bed, and began shaking him strongly:
"Dad, dad, dad, daaaad wake up! Enough sleeping!!"
She shook him harder, and he woke up immediately: "What is it, Karina? What do you want? I'm tired…" he said sleepily… but she didn't care, quickly got down, pulled the blanket off him, then grabbed his leg trying to drag him… he was too heavy, but she insisted…
"Wake up!!"
Theobald sighed at his daughter's madness, then with an annoyed yet playful tone, suddenly pulled her toward him, lifted her, and placed her on the bed, leaning his back slightly on her…
"Ahhh dad, you're crushing me!" she cried while laughing from the heart…
"Girl, I didn't sleep well today!"
"Father, my uncle is coming today, we have to welcome him!"
He nodded slowly… "I know, calm down, he'll go to the Mage Tower first…"
Karina froze—not with joy, but with shock and anger:
"Traitor! I'll call him Uncle Traitor!"
Theobald laughed and nodded: "Don't worry, he won't be late, less than an hour and he'll come, go wake your grandmother… she always sleeps a lot, and he's her son… go on…"
He was trying to get rid of her to sleep a bit more… but she crossed her arms stubbornly:
"No! I won't go unless you wake up and we go together!"
"You stubborn girl…" he sighed and sat up, then pinched her cheek hard until it turned red…
"Ow! That hurts!"
Theobald laughed a real laugh and pulled his daughter into a tight hug… the room filled with laughter and warmth, and for a moment… it was as if the portrait of Rivelina on the wall smiled at the sight of her husband and daughter sharing such happiness and love…