The soft breeze danced through the garden as Sion walked quietly with the women closest to him. Surrounded by laughter and warmth, he felt oddly out of place—flustered, even. In his past life, he was feared. Admired. But never vulnerable like this. Never... loved.
Janet, clinging to his arm, teased, "Big brother, why are you blushing?"
Sion cleared his throat. "It's nothing."
"Ohhh, I get it!" she grinned. "You're blushing because your fiancées are here too! Should I tell them to go away so you can calm down?"
"No—Janet!" he quickly protested, face turning even redder.
Sara and Katherine exchanged knowing glances. They approached Lady Mary, whispering something. Mary smiled gently and turned to Janet. "Come on, sweet one. Let's give your brother a moment."
"But I don't wanna go!" Janet pouted, wrapping her arms tightly around Sion.
"You'll see him soon," Mary said softly, prying her away with some effort.
As Janet reluctantly left, Sion stood frozen—alone now with Sara and Katherine. The air grew heavy. Silence wrapped around them like a storm waiting to burst.
"Oh, now this is a scene," Raphael whispered nearby, grinning. "Should've brought snacks. A hero stuck between two angry fiancées? What a romance."
Sion laughed nervously. "I-I just remembered something important... I should get going—"
"Don't you dare," Sara snapped, stepping forward.
"Move an inch and I'll smack you," Katherine added, voice low but firm.
Sion stood still as a statue.
"Why do you always run from us, Sion?" Sara's voice trembled slightly. "Do you… not love me?"
His lips parted, but no words came. His mind raced. What even was love? In his former life, there was no room for such emotion. Only duty. Power. Survival.
Katherine stepped forward, her tone softer. "We're scared, Sion. You carry everything alone. You've made more enemies than allies—and we're proud of your strength. But we're yours, and you are ours. We just want honesty. Don't hide from us."
For a moment, Sion looked down, completely silent.
It wasn't rejection that made him speechless—it was the warmth. The pain. The unfamiliar comfort of being cared for so deeply.
He took a breath. The past whispered to him, and Raphael's voice echoed in his mind.
"This is the path you chose, Allen. Not just to fight—but to feel."
Katherine placed a hand on his arm. "We said what we needed to say. Please… understand us."
Sion nodded slowly.
"I'll try."
And for the first time in a long while… he meant it.