The sunlight had long since spilled into Rina Amberheart's room, stretching across the lavish velvet rugs and the shimmering floor of polished white marble, yet she remained on her bed, unmoved. The scent of roses—always present in her room—now mixed with the faint aroma of aged paper from a half-read book lying nearby. Her fiery red hair cascaded over her silk pillows, golden eyes dulled from crying the night before.
She sat up slowly, hugging her knees to her chest as if to shield herself from the world.
*"An engagement... to someone I've never even met. jin rochei
The name echoed in her mind again, sharp like broken glass underfoot. The Rocchi family was infamous—mysterious, untouchable. And now, she was being bound to it, like a pawn being moved across a political chessboard.
Her mother's cold words still rang in her ears, *"You will marry him. It is a strategic alliance, not a matter of your emotions."*
Emotionless. Always emotionless.
Rina let out a breath, trembling fingers reaching for the sleek black console resting beside her desk. The computer shimmered to life as she sat before the curved screen. Her reflection on the monitor caught her eye—flushed cheeks, tear-streaked skin, but that same radiant hair like flickering fire, and those brilliant golden eyes that once seemed to burn with ambition.
She forced herself to steady her breathing.
*"I need them."* Her voice was nearly a whisper. *"I need to talk to them."*
Her fingers flew across the keyboard, initiating the call. The system pinged once, twice—
—then the screen lit up.
Four screens populated her monitor.
First was **Ethan Hartley**, leaning casually back in his sleek chair, his dark blue hair tousled, matching the sharp, serious gleam in his dark blue eyes. He looked half-concerned, half-curious.
"Rina? You look like hell."
Rina gave a tired laugh, brushing a strand of her hair behind her ear. "Nice to see you too, Ethan."
Next came **Leona Lionheart**, her white hair perfectly brushed and pinned to the side, her blue eyes wide and sparkling with curiosity—and a touch of concern.
"Is it true?" she asked, skipping any greetings. "Is it true what we heard?"
Before Rina could answer, **Lilia Crown** popped into the frame, bright as ever. Her long green hair was braided loosely down her back, and her vivid green eyes were already scanning Rina's face with worry.
"Oh no… Rina, did you cry? Your eyes—oh sweet stars, what happened?"
And finally, **Nox Lionheart**, Leona's older brother, appeared. Though his hair was also snowy white, his style was more tousled and wild, and his blue eyes always carried a cool, unreadable edge. He gave a soft grunt of acknowledgment, folding his arms across his chest.
"Whatever it is, spill it," he said bluntly.
Rina took a breath. The way their eyes focused on her reminded her why they were her closest friends. Because they cared—even when they didn't understand, they listened.
"I…" she began, then stopped. Her throat tightened.
Leona leaned closer to the screen, "You don't have to if you're not ready."
"No," Rina said firmly, voice still fragile. "I want to. I *need* to."
She shifted in her chair, letting her hair fall over her shoulder like a crimson curtain, and looked straight into the camera.
"My mother… told me last night that I'm being engaged. To someone I don't know. A political marriage."
There was silence.
Ethan blinked. "What the hell?"
Leona's mouth fell open, and Lilia gasped audibly.
"To who?" Nox asked sharply.
"His name is…" Rina hesitated. "Jin rochei."
The air in the call changed immediately.
Ethan frowned. "rochei? As in *the* rochei family? The one no one talks about? The one that lives behind blood-soaked rumors and power walls?"
Leona looked at him. "You think it's *that* rochei?"
"There's only one," Ethan replied grimly.
Rina nodded slowly. "I don't know anything about him. None of us do. No one's even seen his face. Just whispers about his mother—Naoko Rocchi."
The name alone seemed to drop the temperature in the room. Rina's golden eyes flicked down for a second.
"She's terrifying. I've never even met her, but everything about her feels wrong. Wrong in that powerful, choking way. The way storms feel before they hit."
"She's not just terrifying," Nox said quietly. "She's a legend. Half the high council fears her. And your mother wants to *tie you to that?*"
Rina looked to her side, gripping the edge of her desk, nails digging into the polished wood.
"She doesn't care what I want," she whispered. "She never has. To her, I'm not her daughter—I'm just a piece to move for the family's name."
Lilia put her hand over her heart. "Rina… that's not fair. You're more than that."
"But it's the truth," Rina replied bitterly. "Last night, when I cried in front of her, she didn't even flinch. She just stood there, cold and beautiful, like always. Like I was a child crying about spilled milk."
Leona's voice softened. "We're here. You're not alone in this."
Rina gave a faint smile, tears burning again at the corners of her eyes. "Thank you."
There was a moment of silence between them, not heavy—but filled with something fragile and unspoken. Then, Ethan spoke again, voice edged with restrained anger.
"We'll find out more. About him. About the Rocchis. I don't care how locked up that family is—someone has to know something."
Lilia nodded eagerly. "We could ask the Arcanum Library contacts! Or sneak through the archives. Maybe even check old digital registers—someone like him must have *some* trace!"
"I'll help too," Leona added quickly. "We'll do it together."
Rina watched them, her eyes wide with surprise. "You'd… really do that for me?"
"No," Nox said flatly. Then, seeing her stunned face, he added, "I'd do it *with* you. You're one of us. That's what we do."
Rina's heart swelled—both from the ache of everything she'd endured, and from the warmth of this moment. She wiped at her face, her golden eyes glistening with renewed strength.
"I don't know what the future holds… I don't know who Jin Rocchi is, or what I'll face—but knowing I have you all with me…" She smiled softly. "That changes everything."
Lilia leaned in, smiling brightly. "We're with you until the end."
"Always," Leona said.
Ethan nodded once. "And if it turns out that this Jin guy is bad news, well… he'll have to deal with us first."
Rina laughed quietly. For the first time in what felt like days, the laugh felt real.
And as the sun climbed higher in the sky outside her window, painting gold across the glass, Rina sat straighter, steadier.
This wasn't the end.
It was the beginning.