Xylon stood alone in the royal garden, quietly admiring the sea of blooming roses before him.
A wave of sadness suddenly washed over him.
They had been Jade's favorite flowers.
Behind him stood Arden, silently watching his King.
Xylon reached out and plucked a single rose from its stem. He stared at the delicate petals, his gaze distant and filled with longing.
"Look at them, Arden," he said softly. "Aren't they beautiful?"
Arden nodded. "They are, Your Majesty."
A weary sigh escaped Xylon's lips.
As his sorrow deepened, the rose in his hand began to wither.
The vibrant petals lost their color.
The stem dried.
Within moments, the flower crumbled into dust between his fingers.
Xylon's eyes widened slightly.
Then he noticed the other roses.
One by one, they too began to wilt.
The lush garden that had once been full of life slowly faded under the weight of his grief.
"It seems the flowers are affected by your emotions, Your Majesty," Arden remarked quietly.
Xylon lowered his head.
"I know..."
Just then, footsteps approached.
"What happened to the roses?"
Xenon had arrived carrying a cup of tea and a book tucked beneath his arm.
Xylon glanced at the withered flowers and sighed. "My apologies."
He closed his eyes.
A soft surge of magic spread throughout the garden.
Moments later, fresh green stems emerged.
The roses bloomed once more, more beautiful than before, filling the air with their sweet fragrance.
Xenon sat down on a nearby bench and casually opened his book.
A few moments later, Xylon sat beside him.
"For someone who has lived this long, you spend an awful lot of time reading books," Xylon remarked.
Without lifting his eyes from the page, Xenon replied, "Because I enjoy it. Reading makes me happy."
"Makes you happy..." the words lingered in Xylon's mind.
Sensing his silence, Xenon finally looked up from his book.
"Why don't you try doing something you've always wanted to do?" he suggested. "Anything is better than locking yourself away and drowning in your own misery."
Xylon shook his head. "There is nothing I want to do."
Xenon let out a long sigh. "Don't let fear and sorrow consume you," his expression softened. "Are you really going to spend the rest of your life chained to the past?"
Xylon remained silent.
"Jade wouldn't want that," Xenon added.
A faint laugh escaped Xylon's lips.
"When did you start sounding so much like Kan?" he asked. "All you ever do is lecture people."
Xenon chuckled. "At least I don't sink into the shadows and just pop up out of nowhere."
He reached over and lightly patted Xylon's shoulder. "Find something that makes you happy."
For a moment, Xylon simply stared ahead.
Then he slowly nodded.
Perhaps Xenon was right.
Without another word, he stood.
Arden immediately followed behind him as they left the garden together.
.
.
"Wow! That outfit suits you perfectly, Viel!" Aria exclaimed.
Viel looked down at his new clothes and smiled.
"Really, Lady Aria?" he asked hopefully. "Do you think Father will like it?"
"Of course he will," Blake answered before Aria could speak. "Not only your father, but every young lady who sees you."
Viel's face brightened.
He truly considered himself fortunate.
Even though his father was often absent, he was surrounded by people who cared deeply for him.
Aria, Cedrick, Blake, Lilith, and the others had become the family he cherished.
"I hope my future wife will be someone like Lady Aria," Viel said with a grin. "She's beautiful, kind, and gentle. No wonder Lord Cedrick loves her so much."
Aria laughed softly. "Then the woman you fall in love with will be very lucky."
Viel blinked. "Really?"
"Yes. Because you're handsome, kind-hearted, and a true gentleman." Aria replied.
Viel puffed out his chest proudly.
"And intelligent too," he added with a mischievous grin.
Everyone burst into laughter.
The warm atmosphere filled the room.
Then suddenly—
The laughter died down.
The door opened.
Xylon had entered.
The room instantly fell silent.
Viel hesitated before gathering his courage and approaching his father.
His hands nervously clenched the fabric of his clothes.
"F-Father..."
Xylon looked down at him.
Viel swallowed.
"Do you... like my outfit?"
For a moment, Xylon carefully examined him.
The boy stood tall.
Polite.
Well-mannered.
A fine young prince.
Yet for reasons he could never explain, a strange distance always remained between them.
After a brief silence, Xylon finally spoke.
"It suits you."
Then he turned and walked away.
As always.
Without another word.
Without another glance.
Yet despite the brief response, Viel's face lit up with happiness.
A bright smile spread across his lips.
"Father likes my outfit," he said happily.
To everyone else, Xylon's words had been short and indifferent.
But for Viel—
Those three simple words meant everything.
.
.
.
It was only three o'clock in the morning when Xerxes and Akuma arrived in town to deliver vegetables to Mrs. Martha's market stall.
Even at that early hour, a handful of people were already moving about the streets. Most preferred shopping before sunrise, when the markets were quieter and less crowded.
"My, my! These vegetables are absolutely beautiful, Xerxes," Martha exclaimed as she inspected the baskets. "Look how fresh and plump they are!"
Xerxes smiled modestly.
"I carefully selected the best ones for you, Aunt Martha."
"Oh, you're such a good boy," she replied warmly as she reached into her wallet. "Thank you very much."
As Martha counted the payment, Akuma glanced around excitedly.
"Big Brother, I'm going to look at the clothing stalls for a bit."
Xerxes nodded. "Alright, but don't wander too far. We'll be leaving soon."
"Okay!"
With a cheerful grin, Akuma hurried off.
His eyes sparkled with curiosity as he wandered through the marketplace.
There were colorful fabrics, handcrafted accessories, and all sorts of things he rarely saw in the countryside.
He stopped at one clothing stall and picked up a finely embroidered coat.
"Wow... this is so expensive," he muttered before carefully putting it back.
After a while, he found himself standing in front of a shop that sold mirrors.
His expression softened.
Come to think of it, they didn't have a single mirror at home.
His brother had always avoided them.
Whenever Akuma asked why, Xerxes would simply change the subject.
Curious, Akuma stepped closer.
A large mirror stood on display at the front of the shop.
The moment he looked into it—
His eyes widened.
The color drained from his face.
His breath caught in his throat.
.
.
"Tsk... where did that kid go?"
Xerxes clicked his tongue in annoyance as he searched through the market.
He had been looking for Akuma for quite some time now.
The eastern horizon was already beginning to brighten.
Dawn was approaching.
They couldn't afford to be caught outside once the sun fully rose.
If that happened, Akuma would be in grave danger.
As he hurried through the crowd, he accidentally bumped into someone.
"Oh!"
A young woman staggered back slightly.
For a brief moment, their eyes met.
Something felt strange.
Different.
There was an unfamiliar aura surrounding her.
But Xerxes had no time to dwell on it.
Finding Akuma was far more important.
Without another word, he continued on his way.
.
.
Lilith quietly watched the man disappear into the crowd.
A thoughtful look crossed her face.
He's not human.
The scent lingering around him was unmistakable.
A demon.
But why would a demon be living among humans?
Her curiosity immediately piqued.
Perhaps she should follow him.
.
.
Akuma stood frozen before the mirror.
His entire body trembled.
"W-Why...?"
There was no reflection.
Nothing.
The marketplace appeared clearly inside the mirror.
The stalls.
The people.
The buildings.
Everything...
Except him.
A tear slid down his cheek.
"Why is this happening...?"
No matter how hard he stared, he could not see himself.
It was as if he didn't exist.
As if the mirror refused to acknowledge him.
Fear slowly spread through his chest.
Questions flooded his mind.
What was wrong with him?
"AKUMA!"
The familiar voice made him jump.
He quickly turned around.
Xerxes was running toward him.
Relief instantly appeared on his brother's face.
"There you are!" Xerxes said. "I've been looking everywhere for you."
Akuma opened his mouth to speak.
But no words came out.
Slowly, he turned back toward the mirror.
His eyes widened again.
Then his gaze shifted back to Xerxes.
Just like him—
Xerxes had no reflection either.
The realization struck him like lightning.
"Akuma?" Xerxes immediately noticed the tears in his eyes. "Why are you crying?"
His voice softened with concern.
Akuma wanted to answer.
He wanted to ask the countless questions swirling inside his head.
But before he could speak, Xerxes suddenly looked toward the horizon.
His expression changed.
The sun was rising.
"We have to go. Now."
Without waiting for a response, Xerxes grabbed Akuma's wrist and hurried him away from the marketplace.
.
.
From a nearby stall, Lilith silently watched the two figures disappear into the distance.
Her crimson eyes narrowed.
"A demon... and a vampire?"
The revelation surprised even her.
She could smell it.
The scent flowing through the boy's blood was unmistakable.
A vampire.
There was no doubt about it.
But that only raised more questions.
Why would a demon and a vampire be living together?
Who exactly were they?
Lilith stared thoughtfully at the rising sun.
She wanted to continue following them.
Unfortunately, daylight was her enemy as well.
Remaining outside any longer would be dangerous.
With a disappointed sigh, she turned away.
"It seems I'll have to investigate another day."
Then she vanished into the shadows, making her way back toward the palace.