Selene, who had been chatting with Gareth, suddenly stopped and walked toward us, her usual sweet smile blooming across her lips. Behind her trailed Charlotte,
Charlotte's eyes met mine for a brief moment. Cold. Empty. As if I didn't exist, as if I wasn't even worth her notice. That hollow gaze pricked at something inside me, a nerve I struggled to steady. I forced myself to remain calm and turned my focus back to Selene.
She stopped right in front of us. Liana's eyes narrowed ever so slightly.
"Welcome, Lady Selene," Liana said, bowing politely.
She knew her well enough. After all, Liana had served as my maid in House Thorne for years. In fact, Liana even had a faint liking for her, back then—because Selene never dropped that gentle, sugary mask she wore before others. But now?
Now, Liana's expression carried no warmth. She wasn't happy to see her.
"Thank you, Liana," Selene said sweetly, her smile soft as she looked at her.
"I missed you very much. You know, when you came to this place, I was so sad… worried that something might happen to you here. And now I see I was right. You've even lost weight, your cheeks are hollow. Just as I expected—this place isn't meant for you."
She paused, studying Liana's expression, which had already tightened in discomfort. Then Selene's smile returned, gentle but firm.
"But now… you don't have to worry anymore. If the rumors are true, then you won't have to live in this place again. You can come back to the main house, without fear, without burden. You can leave this place… and the people here."
Her words were wrapped in sweetness, but they cut like a blade.
Liana lowered her head, hands trembling in her lap. Her voice came out small and strained.
"I… I—"
Before she could finish, I stepped in front of her.
I stared at Selene with cold, unwavering eyes. Normally, I would have looked away, too afraid to meet her gaze. But now… nothing. No fear. No trembling. My emotions felt muted, sealed away—perhaps because of the sigils. Whatever the reason, I could hold her gaze without flinching, as if I were watching a stranger.
Selene's brows lifted ever so slightly in surprise. Then her lips curved into a smile—warm on the surface, but her eyes betrayed nothing. They were sharp, calculating, watching me like a hawk waiting for the smallest mistake.
"Kael, how are you?" she asked softly. "I was worried about you."
"I'm fine," I answered flatly. A faint smirk tugged at my lips as I added, "In fact, I was enjoying my time here… until some clown decided to show up and ruin it."
The words slipped out sharper than I intended, laced with mockery, but I didn't regret them. I knew I shouldn't speak to her that way. Not to her. But watching the way she spoke to Liana, as if she owned every breath in the room, I couldn't hold back.
No, it wasn't anger. My emotions were steady, untouched. This wasn't rage—it was calculation. I had shifted her attention from Liana to me, pulling her focus away. If she was going to play her little games, then I'd make sure she played them with me, not with her.
I knew Selene.
Not just from Kael's memories—where she played the sweet, caring sister—but from the pages of the story itself. I knew how she really worked. How she thought. How she manipulated everyone around her with her beauty and feigned innocence.
And I hated it.
That kind of person—someone who toys with others using sweetness as a mask—disgusted me more than anything. No matter what she tried, her games would never work on me.
My words must have cut deeper than she expected, because her smile faltered. For just an instant, her carefully polished façade cracked.
Charlotte noticed immediately. Her hand went to her sword, fury blazing in her eyes. But I didn't care. She couldn't touch me—not when I was her master's son, far above her in status. And more importantly, I could feel it—the invisible pressure of Commander Arvel's gaze.
Even when he seemed relaxed, he was watching. Always. If Charlotte tried something foolish here, he would stop her. Not for me, not for her, but because his pride wouldn't allow chaos beneath his roof. He had already given her an unspoken warning—just with his presence.
I shifted my eyes back to Selene. The mask had returned, her usual smile restored… though this time, it looked just a little too forced.
"How sad, Kael," she said, her voice dripping with false sorrow. "How can you say that to me? I, your sister, was only worried about you."
The act worked, at least on Charlotte. The knight's anger wavered, replaced by concern as she glanced at Selene with sympathy.
Pathetic.
Charlotte had too little experience with people like her. That blind trust was the very reason she had been killed by Kael in the original story.
"I don't need your sympathy," I said flatly.
"How cold…" Liana muttered, her voice trembling. Her gaze lingered on me, searching. "You've changed a lot, Kael."
"Yes," I replied without hesitation. "Coming here was the best decision for me."
Even if I hadn't made that choice.
"I see…" she whispered, almost to herself, her words carried away like fading smoke.
Her eyes shifted toward Gareth. "Can you please show us our rooms? I'm tired from the journey. I'd like to rest. Tomorrow, we'll finish the task given to us by the Lord."
"Of course. Please, follow me," Gareth answered with a polite bow before turning to lead the way.
Selene glanced back at us one last time. A knowing smile tugged at her lips. "Spend your time together while you can," she said softly, then drifted away with Charlotte at her side.
Something tugged at my sleeve as I stared at Selene's back. I turned my head and saw Liana looking up at me, her eyes shadowed with worry.
"Why do you do it?" she asked softly.
I sighed. "Well… I don't like the way she was talking to you."
Her lips tightened. "But making her angry won't be good."
I shrugged, forcing a small smile. "Don't worry. She can't do anything to me here."
"Really?" Liana tilted her head, disbelief lacing her tone. She knew Selene too well. "She never forgets a grudge."
"Yeah," I said casually. "But as long as Commander Arvell is here, both Selene and Charlotte can't touch me."
Her eyes flickered with surprise. "Commander Arvell…?" she muttered, almost to herself.
Even standing before Selene—the heir to the Thorne family—he didn't bow his head, didn't tread carefully. There was no fear in him, no reverence either. Just calm, steady confidence.
I couldn't help but think, he really is different. Others tiptoed around Selene, but Arvell treated her as if her title meant nothing.
"Come on," I said, breaking away from my thoughts. My stomach gave a faint growl. "Let's eat something. I'm starving."
"Alright," Liana brightened, her earlier sadness melting away. "Today, I'll make something special for you!" She said it with a burst of cheer, already tugging me along.
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Hello everyone! 🌙
I'll be deleting this version of the novel in about a week. I've already re-uploaded it under the same name with proper cover pictures and I'll be posting all new chapters there regularly.
Please head over to the other version, add it to your collections, and continue reading there. Thank you for your support—it means a lot! 🙏