Lilith was walking through one of the palace corridors when a hand suddenly wrapped around hers.
She gasped in surprise and turned around.
"Your Majesty?" she asked, startled. "Is something wrong?"
Xylon gazed at her with an unusual softness in his eyes.
"You're very beautiful," he said. "Have you lived in this palace for a long time?"
Lilith blinked in confusion.
The question—and the way he was looking at her—felt strange.
"Your Majesty, the Queen will be upset if she sees this," she replied carefully. "Shouldn't you be spending time with her?"
A frown formed on Xylon's face.
"The Queen?" he repeated. "Do you mean Jade?"
Lilith nodded.
To her surprise, Xylon sighed in annoyance.
"That woman is troublesome."
His expression hardened.
"I don't like her."
Lilith's eyes widened.
"Your Majesty—"
Before she could finish, the sharp sound of shattering glass echoed through the corridor.
Crash!
Both of them turned.
Standing several feet away was Jade.
A glass tray lay on the floor beside her, its shattered pieces scattered across the marble.
Her trembling hands were empty.
Her face had gone pale.
"J-Jade..." Lilith whispered.
Immediately, she pulled her hand away from Xylon's grasp.
For a moment, Jade simply stood there.
The pain in her eyes was enough to break anyone's heart.
Then she turned and ran.
"Jade!" Lilith called after her.
But Jade didn't stop.
She disappeared down the corridor, leaving only silence behind.
.
.
Cedrick had only just left Aria's room when another visitor arrived.
A knock sounded at the door.
Aria opened it and froze.
"Titus?"
The demon prince stood before her.
"Do you need something?" she asked.
Without warning, Titus stepped forward and pulled her into his arms.
Aria's eyes widened.
"Titus!"
She struggled against him, but his grip was firm.
For several long moments, he simply held her as though he never wanted to let go.
Finally, he released her.
Aria immediately stepped back, staring at him in disbelief.
"Why did you do that?"
Titus lowered his gaze.
The confidence he usually carried had vanished.
"I'm sorry."
The answer only deepened Aria's confusion.
She searched his face.
Then realization slowly dawned on her.
"Wait..." she said softly.
"Do you... have feelings for me?"
Silence.
Titus couldn't meet her eyes.
His reaction was answer enough.
A painful smile touched his lips.
"Forget what happened today."
His voice was barely a whisper.
"And forgive me."
Without waiting for a response, he turned and walked away.
Aria stood frozen in the doorway.
Watching his retreating figure, she felt an unfamiliar heaviness settle in her chest.
She had always seen Titus as a friend.
.
.
Meanwhile, in the palace gardens, Jade sat alone among the roses.
Tears streamed endlessly down her cheeks.
She had spent days hoping.
Praying.
Believing that somehow Xylon's memories would return.
But now reality had finally shattered that hope.
He truly didn't remember her.
Not their love.
Not their promises.
Not the countless moments they had shared together.
Nothing.
And what hurt even more was the way he looked at Lilith.
The admiration in his eyes.
The curiosity.
The growing affection.
Everything that had once belonged to Jade.
A sharp pain pierced her heart.
Jealousy.
For the first time, she hated feeling it.
Yet she couldn't stop herself.
The thought of Xylon falling in love with another woman was unbearable.
A sob escaped her lips.
Her tears fell onto the ground.
As her grief deepened, the magic within her responded.
One by one, the roses surrounding her began to wither.
Their vibrant petals lost their color.
Leaves curled inward.
Flowers that had been blooming only moments before slowly drooped and died.
It was as though the garden itself shared her sorrow.
The stronger her heartbreak became, the faster the roses faded.
Soon, an entire circle of lifeless flowers surrounded her.
Jade buried her face in her hands and cried harder.
.
.
Zander, Blake, Heberlin, Xenon, and Yvess were gathered around a table, completely focused on their card game.
The room was filled with laughter, complaints, and accusations of cheating.
"You definitely cheated!" Zander complained.
"I did not!" Blake said.
"You've been holding that card for ten rounds!" Zander accused.
"Because I'm smart." Blake just shrugged.
They were busy when suddenly, a ripple distorted the air in front of them.
Everyone froze.
A glowing figure slowly materialized in the center of the room.
It was a young girl.
Her body flickered like a hologram, as though she wasn't truly there.
Heberlin immediately stood up.
"Who are you?"
Zander's eyes narrowed.
"That child..." he muttered. "She's a demon."
The child looked at them calmly. "Father has sent a message."
"Father?" Blake repeated, confused.
The child nodded.
"Lord Leviathan wishes to inform you that he is close to conquering the First District."
Her expression remained emotionless.
"He says you should prepare yourselves."
The room instantly fell silent.
A dangerous tension filled the air.
Heberlin slammed his hand onto the table.
"Tch!"
His eyes burned with anger.
"Tell your demon father that we'll be the ones who kill him!"
The child simply stared at him.
Then she gave a small nod.
"I will relay the message."
Without another word, her image dissolved into countless particles of light and vanished.
Silence remained for several moments.
The playful atmosphere from earlier was completely gone.
Xenon crossed his arms.
"Leviathan is planning something again."
"And our district is probably his next target," Yvess added grimly.
No one disagreed.
They all knew it was only a matter of time before war reached their doorstep.
.
.
.....
Meanwhile, far from the kingdom, Luna took a frightened step backward.
Standing before her was Xerxes.
His crimson eyes seemed to glow beneath the fading afternoon light.
Quickly, Luna grabbed a wooden cross hanging nearby and pointed it at him with trembling hands.
"Who are you?"
Her voice shook.
"Don't come any closer!"
Xerxes continued walking toward her.
Completely unfazed.
"That thing is useless."
His voice was calm and cold.
"It won't work on me."
The moment he finished speaking, the wooden cross suddenly began to melt.
Like wax exposed to intense heat, it dissolved in Luna's hands.
She gasped and dropped what remained of it.
"Y-You were sent by that demon..."
Her face turned pale.
Xerxes finally stopped a few feet away.
"I was sent here to protect you."
Luna blinked in surprise.
"If anyone discovers that you are carrying Leviathan's child, many will try to kill you."
The weight of those words settled heavily between them.
Slowly, Luna lowered her head.
One hand moved instinctively to her stomach, which had already grown noticeably larger.
Her fingers gently caressed the life growing within her.
Tears gathered in her eyes.
"Even if his father is a demon..."
Her voice trembled.
"I won't allow anyone to hurt my child."
The fierce determination in her words surprised even herself.
For a moment, Xerxes simply watched her.
Then he stepped closer.
Unlike before, there was no hostility in his gaze.
"Do not worry."
His deep voice carried an unusual gentleness.
"I will protect you."
Luna looked up at him.
Their eyes met.
It was strange.
The promise had come not from a human...
But from a demon.
And somehow, she believed him.