🌑
Morning never truly came.
Not properly.
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The shattered sky above the capital still glowed with fractured violet cracks, leaving the kingdom trapped in an endless dim twilight.
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Snow continued falling softly across the ruined palace.
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Not natural snow.
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Kael's snow.
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Everywhere the ice magician walked, winter followed.
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Currently—
Winter was glaring murderously at Azrael across the breakfast table.
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Rosy sat between them with visible exhaustion.
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"…If one of you destroys another chair," she said flatly, "I'll bury both of you under the palace ruins myself."
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Silence.
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Kael calmly sipped his tea.
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Azrael smiled lazily.
"…She's threatening us together now. That sounds oddly domestic."
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CRACK.
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The teacup in Kael's hand froze solid instantly.
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Rosy closed her eyes slowly.
"…I regret waking up today."
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The temporary dining hall had been reconstructed inside one surviving wing of the palace. Nobles and servants moved nervously around the room while pretending not to stare at the terrifying trio sitting together.
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Unfortunately—
Pretending failed badly.
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Because visually—
They looked absurd together.
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Rosy with her endless dark hair and glowing violet eyes.
Azrael looking like temptation wrapped in black silk and dangerous smiles.
And Kael—
Cold, beautiful, and terrifying enough to make nobles cry.
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One servant whispered shakily—
"…They really look like a love triangle."
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The servant beside him whispered back—
"…No, worse. They look like the main cast of a tragedy novel."
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Meanwhile—
Rosy was one inconvenience away from violence.
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"…Why are you still staring at him like that," she muttered toward Kael.
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Kael answered immediately.
"…Because I dislike him."
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Azrael looked offended.
"…That's rude. We barely reunited."
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"…Unfortunately."
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Rosy sighed deeply.
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"…You two are exhausting."
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Kael's icy gaze instantly softened when he looked at her.
"…You should rest more."
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Azrael nearly smiled into his tea.
"…Oh, that's adorable."
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The room temperature dropped instantly.
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Kael's voice turned dangerously calm.
"…Say another word."
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Azrael leaned back lazily.
"…You're overprotective."
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"…And you're suspicious."
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Rosy slowly looked between them.
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"…Why does this sound like divorced parents arguing over custody."
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Silence.
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One poor servant dropped an entire tray.
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Kael looked genuinely horrified.
"…Aunt."
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Azrael looked seconds away from collapsing from laughter.
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Rosy frowned.
"…What now?"
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"…Please stop saying things like that in public."
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"…Why?"
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Neither man answered.
Which made Rosy more suspicious.
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"…Wait."
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Her eyes narrowed slowly.
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"…Do people actually think—"
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"Yes," Kael answered immediately.
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"At this point absolutely yes," Azrael added helpfully.
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Rosy stared at both of them blankly.
"…Humanity disappoints me."
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A noblewoman nearby fainted quietly.
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Kael ignored the chaos completely and turned back toward Rosy.
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"…Your resonance feels unstable again."
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Her expression shifted slightly.
"…You noticed?"
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Azrael immediately looked at her carefully.
"…What happened?"
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Rosy hesitated briefly.
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"…The shadow came back last night."
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The atmosphere changed instantly.
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Kael's icy aura sharpened.
Azrael's expression lost all amusement.
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"…How bad?" he asked quietly.
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Rosy looked away.
"…It spoke."
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Silence.
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Dangerous silence.
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Kael set his frozen teacup down slowly.
"…What did it say?"
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Rosy's fingers tightened slightly against the table.
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"…It asked why I was resisting."
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The room suddenly felt colder despite no magic being released.
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Azrael leaned forward immediately.
"…And?"
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Rosy laughed softly.
Bitterly.
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"…I didn't know how to answer."
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Because that was the terrifying part.
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Some part of her understood the shadow.
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Understood the exhaustion.
The rage.
The desire to stop hurting entirely.
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Kael's gaze darkened slightly.
"…You shouldn't face it alone."
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Rosy blinked once.
Then looked at him strangely.
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"…You sound older than me."
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"…Mentally, I probably am."
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Azrael snorted softly.
"…That's what happens when your aunt disappears and leaves you with emotional trauma."
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Kael's eyes turned lethal instantly.
"…You really enjoy provoking me."
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Azrael smiled.
"…You're easy to provoke."
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"…And you're easy to stab."
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"…Children," Rosy muttered tiredly.
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Kael immediately straightened.
"…I'm not a child."
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"…You're literally my nephew."
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"…Technically."
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"…That changes nothing."
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Azrael looked delighted watching Kael suffer.
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Which made Rosy suddenly suspicious again.
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Her eyes narrowed toward Azrael slowly.
"…Why do I feel like you're enjoying this too much."
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He smiled innocently.
Which meant absolutely nothing good.
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"…Watching an overprotective nephew experience emotional damage is entertaining."
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Kael looked ready for murder.
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Rosy rubbed her temples slowly.
"…I need stronger alcohol."
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"…No," both men answered immediately.
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Silence.
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Rosy blinked once.
"…That was synchronized."
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Neither looked embarrassed.
Which somehow made it worse.
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Before Rosy could continue arguing—
The palace doors suddenly burst open.
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A knight rushed inside pale-faced.
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"Grand Duke!"
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The room immediately quieted.
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Rosy's expression sharpened instantly.
"…What happened."
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The knight swallowed hard.
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"There's… something outside the northern gates."
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Kael frowned slightly.
"…What kind of something."
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The knight looked terrified.
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"…A creature."
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Silence.
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"…Describe it," Azrael said calmly.
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The knight's face went even paler.
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"…It's enormous."
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A pause.
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"Covered in black eyes."
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Rosy froze instantly.
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"…Eyes?"
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The knight nodded shakily.
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"And it keeps repeating one sentence."
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The air around Rosy began distorting slightly already.
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Azrael noticed immediately.
"…What sentence."
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The knight looked directly at Rosy.
Terrified.
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"…It keeps asking for the Eternal Sun."
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Silence crashed through the room.
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Kael stood instantly.
Ice exploded across the floor.
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Azrael's expression darkened dangerously.
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Rosy slowly rose from her seat.
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And deep inside her—
Something answered.
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Not with words.
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With recognition.
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Because whatever waited outside the gates—
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Knew her.
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And somehow—
That felt worse than any monster.
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End of Chapter 25