Aerstrone had been sitting quietly, his eyes fixed on Shakky as he listened to the conversation. He didn't particularly care where Shakky went or what she did. But the moment he heard that she intended to stay in their mother room, something inside him snapped.
His face flushed with anger.
Aerstrone slammed both hands against the table and shot to his feet.
"DON'T JOKE AROUND!"
Everyone turned toward him. His sudden outburst silenced the entire room.
Aerstrone raised his voice, his anger clearly showing in his expression.
"How dare you even say something like that?"
The words that came out of Aerstrone's mouth made it painfully clear just how much he hated his own sister.
Their father, Aureline, looked toward him.
"Aerstrone, is that how you speak to your own sister?"
Aerstrone looked at his father. He still had more to say, but the words refused to come out.
His gaze shifted toward Shakky.
She sat there with her eyes lowered, looking as though she wanted to apologize for everything—even for things that weren't her fault.
That only irritated Aerstrone further.
Aureline eyes silently warned him to calm down, but Aerstrone simply pushed his chair back and turned to leave.
"Fine. Whatever you think is best, Father."
Benjin watched aerstrone walk away. He then turned toward Aureline.
"Don't worry. I'll talk to him."
Benjin stood from his seat and followed Aerstrone.
Shakky remained silent.
Aureline looked at her and gave her a gentle smile.
"It's all right, Shakky. You can stay in your mother room."
Shakky kept her gaze lowered and quietly nodded before getting up and leaving.
Aureline remained seated for a while, staring at the empty chairs around the table.
He let out a long sigh and looked up at the ceiling.
It hurt him to see his family unable to come together like they once had.
After staring at the ceiling with saddened eyes for a few moments, Aureline finally looked ahead, stood up, and left the dining hall as well.
Shakky wandered through the palace, her eyes searching for something she couldn't seem to find.
Seeing what had just happened, Ameria quietly asked,
"Princess... are you all right?"
Shakky turned toward her and immediately put on a cheerful smile.
"Why? What happened?"
Ameria narrowed her eyes slightly.
"What just happened... isn't it making you sad? I know the prince is angry with you, but..."
Shakky laughed.
The sound of her laughter made Ameria stop.
"Yeah. I know he hates me."
Shakky lowered her eyes and continued in a soft voice.
"And he loved Mom very much."
She raised her eyes again.
"Whatever the reason, I've already forgotten about it. I'm here for something else."
Shakky continued walking.
Ameria followed behind her.
"Princess, what exactly are you looking for?"
Shakky suddenly stopped in front of a room.
"Oh, me? I'm looking for Sir Horminzor."
Ameria looked slightly surprised.
"Why are you looking for the King's advisor?"
Shakky smiled.
"You'll find out soon enough."
She turned toward the door and knocked.
A voice came from inside.
"Who is it?"
Shakky answered,
"It's me, Sir Horminzor. Shakky."
The moment he heard her name, something inside the room crashed to the floor.
"Oh! Princess! You... you may come in. The door is open."
Shakky pushed the door open and stepped inside.
Several rolled-up documents had fallen near her feet.
She bent down and picked them up.
"It seems you're quite busy, Sir Horminzor. You're still working this late at night?"
Holding the scrolls, Shakky looked around.
The room was filled with bookshelves, countless books, and stacks of papers carefully rolled and stored away.
Horminzor stood from his seat when he saw Shakky.
He was tall and somewhat muscular, with the build of a warrior. He wore a black suit decorated with golden patterns, with a golden hand-shaped emblem near his chest.
His tired voice broke the silence.
"Princess, you came here yourself? If you had sent for me, I would have come to you. Besides, this is simply my daily work."
Shakky placed the scrolls on the table.
"It seems you already knew I was here."
Horminzor smiled faintly.
"You're right, Princess. It's my duty to keep track of every piece of information and report it to His Majesty. And if my guess is correct, you must have come here for a reason as well."
Shakky smiled.
"You're right. I'm leaving for the north tomorrow, and I want a copy of the report containing the information about the blast near the Aradhe Jungle, as well as everything that has happened in the north. I want it by tomorrow."
Horminzor hesitated.
"Princess... that is highly confidential information."
Shakky gave him a serious look.
"Are you refusing an order from your princess?"
Horminzor quickly shook his head.
"No, Princess. I will obey your order, but I need His Majesty's permission for this."
Shakky slammed her hand against the table.
"No one is to know about this. I'm going to the north to investigate the changes in the monsters' behavior, and I need to know everything that has happened there. If you can't provide me with the information, I may have to ask His Majesty to find another advisor."
Horminzor's expression became troubled.
After a moment, he finally gave in.
"Very well, Princess. You'll have the information by tomorrow. But please don't expect too much from me. There are still many reports coming in, and no one knows yet which ones are true and which ones are false."
Shakky nodded.
"All right, Sir Horminzor. I want the confirmed information by tomorrow morning."
She turned around and began walking toward the door.
But just before leaving, she stopped and glanced back.
"Oh, and don't tell anyone about this. I'm very curious to see these monsters with my own eyes."
With that, Shakky left the room.
Horminzor let out a relieved sigh and sat back down. He looked at the documents lying on his desk and smiled faintly.
"Let's get back to work."
Shakky had now returned to her mother room.
Ameria helped her change into a white nightdress decorated with numerous little stars.
Shakky looked at herself and frowned.
"Seriously?"
Ameria chuckled.
"If your mother could see you wearing this, I'm sure she would be happy."
Ameria was still smiling when her eyes suddenly moved toward the doorway.
King Aureline was standing there.
Ameria looked toward Shakky.
"It seems I should leave."
Shakky glanced at her, then looked toward her father.
"All right."
Ameria was about to leave when Shakky gently grabbed the edge of her clothes.
In a quiet voice, she said,
"I want to sleep alone tonight. Would it be all right if you didn't stay with me?"
Ameria bowed.
"As you wish, Princess."
She walked toward the door, bowed to the king, and quietly left the room.
Aureline said nothing.
He walked over to the bed and sat down.
Shakky sat beside him.
She knew that no matter what she did, her father would never hate her. Yet she kept her eyes lowered, unable to say anything.
For a while, neither of them spoke.
Then Aureline looked at her and spoke in a quiet voice.
"Forgive me, Shakky. As your father... I failed to raise you properly."
Shakky looked at him in surprise.
Aureline continued.
"The promises I made to your mother... I couldn't keep them. I don't even know how I'll ever be able to face her when I meet her again."
Shakky froze.
She had been distancing herself from her father because she thought she was protecting him.
But she had never realized that, little by little, she was breaking him instead.
She looked at her father's saddened face.
Slowly, she placed her hand over his.
"No, Father. You're wrong."
Her voice trembled slightly.
"You did everything you were supposed to do. I just... I don't want you to cry over me after I'm gone, the way father you cried for Mom. That's why I keep my distance from you."
Shakky lowered her eyes.
"I'm scared... that I'll never become the kind of daughter who can bring happiness to you."
A faint smile appeared on Aureline's face.
It was as though those were the words he had been waiting to hear—the words that finally allowed his daughter to open her heart to him.
"You're just like her."
Shakky looked up.
Aureline smiled softly.
"You suddenly get angry, then suddenly become happy. No one can ever tell what kind of mood you'll be in next."
Shakky laughed.
She took her father's hand and gently pressed it against her cheek.
Then she asked,
"By the way, Father... you never told me what caused Mom's death."
Her smile faded slightly.
"Even Ameria never tells me when I ask her. And Brother Aerstrone hates me because of it."
Aureline's expression changed the moment he heard the question.
He was visibly shaken, but he quickly composed himself.
In a quiet voice, he said,
"I don't think you're ready to hear about it yet."
Shakky lowered her eyes.
"Yeah... I know, Father."
She paused.
"But before I die... I want to know."
Aureline couldn't refuse her anymore.
After a long silence, he finally spoke.
"All right. I'll tell you."
His voice was heavy.
"When you were born... your mother's Saint Power passed into you."
Before Aureline could say anything more, Shakky interrupted him.
"You're lying to me, Father."
Aureline stared at her.
Shakky continued, her expression serious.
"I know Saint Power doesn't simply transfer into someone like that. I know about Saint Power... and I know what happens to the person who gives it away."
She tightened her grip on his hand.
"So please, Father... tell me the truth."