Akuma was unusually quiet when they arrived home.
"Akuma, why are you so quiet?" Xerxes asked, noticing his gloomy expression.
The teenager looked at him with troubled eyes.
"Brother... are we really human?" he asked softly.
Xerxes froze.
"What are you talking about? Of course we're human," he replied.
"But why don't we have reflections in mirrors?" Akuma's voice trembled. "Earlier, I looked into a mirror at one of the shops in town... and I couldn't see myself. I couldn't see you either..."
His eyes began to well up with tears.
Xerxes fell silent.
The day he had always feared had finally arrived.
"Brother... who are we really?" Akuma asked, his voice filled with uncertainty.
Xerxes forced a smile. "Perhaps your eyes were playing tricks on you, Akuma. We are human."
Akuma let out a long sigh. "Maybe you're right, Brother. I'm sorry."
Xerxes gently patted his shoulder. "Forget about it. Let's eat."
Akuma nodded quietly.
.
.
.....
From one of the palace chambers came the soft melody of a piano.
The one playing was none other than Blake.
His fingers glided across the keys as he played a sad music, a sorrowful melody that perfectly matched the atmosphere of the palace.
His eyes were closed as he immersed himself in the music, so he didn't notice Stephen entering the room.
"That's quite a sad piece you're playing," Stephen remarked as he sat down on a nearby sofa.
Blake gave a bitter smile. "This palace has been shrouded in sorrow for a long time."
Stephen absentmindedly played with a teddy bear resting beside him. "It's been years, Blake. You should move on."
Blake's hands paused briefly on the piano keys.
"That tragedy took two vampires from us..." he said quietly. "And because of Maddison's death, Zander chose to enter solitary confinement."
Among vampires, solitary confinement was a form of eternal slumber. A vampire would seal themselves inside a coffin and sleep for as many years as they desired. Those who chose this path were often vampires who had lost everything and whose hearts had become consumed by grief and loneliness.
Unable to bear the pain of losing Maddison, Zander had willingly entered solitary confinement.
He had been asleep for many years now.
No one knew how much longer he intended to remain in his slumber—or if he would ever awaken again.
"Tsk..." Blake lowered his head. "Why did he do that? Why did it have to happen?"
Stephen released a weary sigh. "It was Zander's decision. There's nothing we can do about it."
He stood from the sofa.
Blake looked up at him. "Aren't you saddened by what happened?"
"Of course I am," Stephen replied. "But we have to stay strong for the King. He needs us now more than ever."
Blake nodded silently and turned his gaze back to the piano.
The room once again fell into silence.
.
.
Meanwhile, Lilith sat quietly on the edge of her bed.
Her thoughts drifted back to the demon she had seen in town earlier that day.
"Who are they?" she whispered.
She stood and walked toward the window of her chamber.
The moonlight bathed the kingdom in silver as she stared into the distance, her mind filled with questions.
.
.
"Here."
Arden handed a flyer to Xylon.
Xylon took it and glanced at the contents.
"It seems Paradiso Bar has become incredibly popular these days," Arden remarked.
"It has been around for quite a long time," Xylon replied.
"Do you want to perform there again?" Arden asked.
Xylon chuckled softly. "People would start wondering why I haven't aged a single day."
Arden slightly smiled.
"There are many ways, Your Majesty."
Xylon simply shook his head with an amused smile.
.
.
.....
Xerxes stood beside Akuma's bed, quietly watching the boy sleep.
Sooner or later, Akuma would discover the truth about who they really were.
He had to be prepared.
No matter what happened, he could not allow Akuma to fall into darkness.
With a heavy sigh, Xerxes left the room and stepped outside.
Standing at the doorway, he gazed at the full moon hanging high in the night sky.
"Luna... forgive me," he whispered.
"It seems I won't be able to hide his true identity from him much longer."
He slowly closed his eyes.
The cool night breeze brushed against his face as worry filled his heart.
.
.
.....
Viel knocked on the door of his father's chamber.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
But no one answered.
"The King isn't here today," Aria informed him.
Viel turned toward her.
"Where did he go?" the young prince asked in confusion.
Aria simply shook her head. "I don't know."
A frown appeared on Viel's face.
His father had left again.
Sometimes, he wondered if his father truly loved him.
The way Xylon treated him often made him feel like a stranger rather than a son.
After thanking Aria, Viel left.
He walked out of the palace and made his way toward the royal garden.
The moonlight illuminated the flowers as he wandered through the quiet pathways until he reached a fountain.
Slowly, he sat down on its edge.
"When will you finally notice me, Father?" he murmured sadly.
His eyes drifted toward the full moon above.
The opening of Serolf Academy was approaching.
Soon, he would be away from the palace for a long time.
A bitter smile formed on his lips.
"Will you even miss me, Father?" he whispered to himself.
The question disappeared into the night, unanswered.
Closing his eyes, Viel sat quietly beneath the moonlight, feeling more alone than ever.