I walked down the seemingly endless corridor.
Above me, magic crystals glowed softly, bathing the hallway in warm, golden light. The polished marble floor reflected my footsteps—the rhythmic click of black military boots replacing the dress shoes I had just taken off. I had returned to my grand uniform.
On either side of the hallway, large Renaissance-style paintings stared at me from behind gold frames. serene pastoral landscapes, portraits of gallant knights, all digital art brought to life.
Between the paintings, silver Knight Golems stood stiff as tomb guard statues, their spears perfectly upright, unmoving.
Sofia walked behind me. Her steps were light, almost silent, like a loyal shadow.
Occasionally, we passed other maids. They paused from their duties, stepped aside to the edge of the hallway, and bowed deeply as we passed.
Finally, I arrived in front of a wooden door. Akane's room.
I decided to see her first. She was here, on the Ninth Floor. While Lily was on the Fifth Floor.
Knock… knock…
I knocked softly.
It only took a few seconds before the door opened.
"Good afternoon, Lord Arthur."
Akane stood there. She was wearing a simple white nightgown. Upon seeing me, she immediately bowed her head deeply.
"Please come in, My Lord."
I stepped inside, followed by Sofia.
Akane turned and bowed respectfully to Sofia as well. "Good afternoon, Miss Sofia."
Sofia just nodded stiffly, her expression icy.
I pretended not to see the disgusted look Sofia threw at Akane's back. A look like one gives an insect that accidentally wandered into a palace.
I pulled out a simple wooden chair and sat down.
I placed the gift box I brought on the small table beside the bed. The box looked conspicuous amidst the simplicity of the room.
Akane's room… was different.
There were no luxurious tapestries or golden wall decorations that usually filled every corner of Felius Castle. The room was almost empty. Just a bed with clean white sheets, a slightly flat pillow, a thick blanket, a plain wooden desk, and a wardrobe in the corner. The walls were a pale cream color, giving a warm and minimalist impression.
It seemed Akane had removed—or asked the maids to remove—all the luxurious furniture that used to be here. She had created a space more akin to a dorm room or a hospital room than a guest room in a fantasy palace. Perhaps the luxury of this place was too overwhelming for her.
Sofia stood straight behind my chair, her hands folded neatly in front. But I could feel it. A cold aura of hostility radiating from her, directed straight at the human girl standing awkwardly in the middle of the room. Her gaze was empty and contemptuous, like a dead fish staring at its prey.
I cleared my throat softly, breaking the stifling tension in the air.
"How are you, Akane? Are you feeling better?"
"A little better, My Lord," she answered softly. She sat on the edge of the bed, her hands clasped in her lap, her pale hands kneading the fabric of her thin nightgown.
I looked at her for a moment. Her face still looked tired, dark shadows circling under her eyes. She looked like someone who had just woken up from a very long and confusing dream.
"If you want to return to Japan and reunite with your family, just say the word," I offered gently.
"I will send you back. Today."
Akane fell silent. Her brown eyes stared blankly at the wooden floor. Then, slowly, she shook her head. A faint smile, sad yet resigned, etched on her lips.
"It's alright, Lord Arthur," she said. Her voice sounded distant. "Even if I go back… everything must have changed. My father and mother… might have passed away. It's been twenty-five years. If they are still alive now, they might be sixty-five, or older."
She lifted her face, looking at me. Her smile widened slightly, but it didn't reach her eyes.
"I don't want to disturb their peace. I am a ghost from the past, My Lord. It's better if I remain a memory."
"I see…"
I nodded slowly, but I knew she was lying.
Words can deceive, carefully arranged to hide the truth. But eyes can never lie. In those brown eyes, I saw painful longing. Fear. And shattered hope. She wanted to go home. She wanted to see them. But she was afraid. Afraid of what she would find, or perhaps… afraid of what she wouldn't find.
I didn't press her. Everyone has wounds they want to hide, burdens they want to carry alone.
"Akane," I asked, changing the subject. "Do you need me to find the culprit who buried you alive in that suitcase?"
The question hung in the silent air. Akane didn't answer immediately. She looked down again, staring at her wringing hands. Her breath hitched for a moment.
"Thank you, Lord Arthur," she whispered finally.
"I appreciate the offer."
She took a long, trembling breath.
"But… I'm sorry. I decline your offer."
"Why?" I asked, slightly surprised.
"Let what happened, be," she answered. She forced a smile again, this time looking more fragile. "Besides… my death wasn't entirely his fault. He… he just panicked. He thought I was dead after hitting me. So he buried me in the suitcase… maybe he really thought I was dead."
Her voice sounded like someone trying to convince herself, not me.
"None of this would have happened if I hadn't run away from home," she continued, her voice growing quieter, full of regret. "Just because of a trivial argument with my family… I ran into the street that night."
Her eyes welled up.
"If only… back then, I had returned immediately instead of trying to leave… maybe… the future would be different."
I was silent. My tongue felt stiff. I wanted to refute that argument. I wanted to tell her it wasn't her fault. That running away from home out of anger didn't justify someone hitting you, putting you in a suitcase while you were still breathing, and burying you in the middle of nowhere.
Akane Shizuha died because she was buried alive.
She didn't die from the collision. She died of suffocation, alone, in the darkness of a cramped suitcase, while dirt piled on top of her. She died because of the panic and cowardice of an irresponsible driver.
A cold anger began to spread in my chest.
"It can't be like that, Akane," I said, my voice hardening. "This bastard has been free for twenty-five years. He lived his life as if nothing happened, while you rotted in the ground. There should be a punishment for him."
Akane looked at me. There was a deep exhaustion in her eyes. She didn't look angry. She just looked… resigned.
"If Lord Arthur wishes to do that," she said softly, "then do it. I won't stop you."
"Why do you say that?" I asked, confusion clearly displayed on my face. "Don't you feel upset? Or angry?"
I looked at her, trying to find the fire of anger in her calm brown eyes. If I were in her position—my future stolen, left to rot in darkness—I would definitely be angry.
Akane didn't answer immediately. She toyed with the edge of her blanket, her eyes gazing into the distance.
"It would be a lie if I said I didn't feel upset or angry," she whispered finally.
"Then why?"
"I don't know… I don't understand either." She chuckled, a laugh that sounded hollow. "I came back to life after twenty-five years. Twenty-five years, Lord Arthur. It's 2025 now. Maybe… the shock of that reality is far greater than my desire for revenge."
She lifted her face, looking at me with a strange glint in her eyes.
"You know, Lord Arthur… since I was little, I always hoped for a miracle. Nonsensical things like Magic. And now…" she spread her arms slightly, as if embracing the air around her. "…You have shown me a true miracle. Resurrecting the dead. Like the stories of prophets in holy books."
I was silent. My mind spun, trying to understand Akane's logic. For some people, a miracle might be enough to erase a grudge. For some, a second chance is more valuable than revenge.
Maybe she was right.
"Alright." I cleared my throat, trying to break the atmosphere that suddenly felt heavy and philosophical. "That is your decision. I respect your choice, Akane."
I glanced back. Sofia was still standing there, stiff as an ice statue. Her gaze on Akane grew sharper, filled with unconcealed disgust. As if Akane's presence in this room was a personal insult to her.
I ignored her for now.
"So, Akane," I asked, looking back at the girl. "What do you want now? Do you want to stay here, in Avanheim?"
I leaned forward slightly. "Or go back to Earth? I can give you a new identity. Passport, birth certificate, everything. You can start a new life there. Go back to school, college, fall in love. I will also give you enough money to live comfortably for the rest of your life."
Akane's eyes widened. She looked at me straight on, as if weighing the offer of freedom.
Then, with surprising determination, she answered.
"I decided to stay here, My Lord! I want to see more miracles I've never seen before."
She got up from the bed, standing tall even though her legs were still a little shaky.
"If I choose a new identity and go back there… I feel I will regret that decision for the rest of my life."
She looked around the simple room, then back at me.
"Besides, this is my repayment. To Avanheim, and to you, Lord Arthur. For giving me a second chance at life. I know it's late, but… I am very grateful you resurrected me."
She bowed deeply, her forehead almost touching her knees.
"Please allow me to work for you, My Lord!"
Her voice trembled, full of pleading.
I stood up from the wooden chair, nodding slowly. The decision had been made.
I turned, looking at Sofia.
"Sofia," I said, my voice firm. "From now on, Akane Shizuha is part of us. I expect you to treat her well."
Sofia's face turned red with anger and disbelief. Her mask of calm cracked.
"But… but My Lord! She is just a lowly human! How can she join us?!" she exclaimed, her voice rising.
My eyes narrowed.
"Sofia," I said, my voice dropping an octave, becoming cold and heavy. "Are you defying my order?"
I released a little, just a little, of my pressure aura. The air in the room instantly became heavy, as if gravity had increased tenfold.
Sofia's face paled. Her knees trembled, and she immediately fell to her knees.
"Forgive me, My Lord! I was so presumptuous! I deserve to die!" She pressed her face to the floor.
I sighed, pulling back my aura.
"Rise."
Sofia got up slowly, still trembling. She didn't dare look into my eyes.
"I was just reprimanding you, Sofia. Don't look at me as if I'm going to behead you."
"But…"
"I have forgiven you, Sofia," I cut in quickly. "Now, behave politely."
A small laugh sounded from behind me.
I turned. Akane was covering her mouth with her hand, her eyes crinkling in amusement.
"Lord Arthur turns out to be that kind of person, huh? Strict but forgiving," she said. She stood up straight again, then gave a perfect Japanese bow. "In that case, please guide me, My Lord."
"Yeah…" I answered awkwardly.
"By the way, Akane." I picked up the gift box still on the table. "I brought you this."
"What is this, My Lord?"
"A gift."
I handed the box to her. "I just got back from China, so I thought I'd buy a gift for you while I was at it. I hope you like it."
Akane accepted the box with both hands, holding it carefully.
"I like it, My Lord."
"Even though you haven't opened it yet?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Even though I haven't opened it yet," she answered. A gentle, sincere smile bloomed on her face, erasing the traces of fatigue that were there earlier.
Seeing that smile, I felt relieved. It seemed Akane had started to accept her situation. She was stronger than I thought.
"Alright, I'll be going now. I still have a lot to do," I excused myself.
I walked out of the room. Sofia followed me in silence, her head still bowed.
Akane walked us to the door.
"Thank you, Lord Arthur! For the gift and the visit!" she shouted cheerfully as we walked away down the crystal-lit corridor.
I waved my hand without looking back, a small smile forming on my lips.