The sunlight streamed through the glassy window, spilling warmth across the room like soft clouds. The breeze brushed against my skin, and—wait, was something licking me…?
I jolted upright, wiping my cheeks with a grimace. Sticky. Wet. Saliva.
"Eww…" I muttered, blinking groggily—only to find a black panther's face staring right at me. A white lion lay curled beside me.
It wasn't a dream. They were really here?
"You're up, Master," the panther said, licking my cheek again.
"Ugh—stop!" I pushed his face back slightly and grabbed some tissues to wipe the spit off. When I turned back, both creatures were watching me intently.
"What… are you guys?" I asked, staring at them in confusion.
…
"Umm… hey?" I tried again.
Instead of replying, they both circled around me, brushing against my sides.
"We're the guardian beasts of your rings," said the panther, settling down onto my lap.
"I am Oran, the guardian of the Sun Ring," the lion spoke next, his voice calm and soothing.
I turned toward him, placing a hand on his head. His fur was impossibly soft, his presence impossibly gentle. Oran… his eyes glowed like gold spun with light.
"And I'm Nyx," said the panther, "guardian of the Moon Ring."
I looked at him, meeting eyes as deep as the star-filled sky. I reached out and gently stroked his sleek fur.
"But why now?" I asked. "Why didn't you show up when Ari did?"
They exchanged a long glance. Then Oran stepped forward.
"We believed you couldn't see us," he said, voice low and sincere. "Since the beginning of the rings' existence, no one—neither Edward nor his predecessor—has ever been able to. You're the first and only one."
"They've existed that long?" I murmured, astonished.
"But why me?"
"We'd like to know that, too," Nyx said. "All we know is… our sin would only be lifted on the day of decision."
"Sin?" I echoed, frowning.
"It's a long story," Oran said quietly, "and truthfully… we don't even fully understand it ourselves. Aurelian could be seen by Edward, yes—but we've been trapped inside the ring since its creation. Never seen. Never heard."
Before I could ask more, a familiar flutter of wings echoed through the air. Aurelian burst into the room, flapping wildly as he landed on the bed.
"I told you not to show yourselves yet! At least come out one at a time!" he scolded them immediately.
"Oh, calm down," Nyx growled back. "At least we weren't as chaotic as you were when you met Edward."
I blinked. "Wait. My uncle could see you too?"
I picked Aurelian up. "Then… do you know what he gave to Thorne? What he owed him?"
"I'm sorry, Noa," Aurelian said gently. "Edward could only see me within the ring realm, not in the human world like you. And… he never shared much with me either."
A cold wave of disappointment crashed over me. Another dead end.
"Anyway, Master—" Oran began.
"Just call me Noa," I interrupted softly. "Like Ari does. You too, Nyx."
…
They both froze for a heartbeat—then leapt at me all at once, licking me in unison.
"Noa!!" they both cried joyfully.
"Stop—ugh!!" I laughed, struggling to push them off as they wagged their tails like oversized puppies.
Was hearing their own voices say my name such a happy event…?
"Noa," Oran said, suddenly serious. "We saw what happened yesterday… what he did to you."
Nyx growled again, low and sharp.
"Why did you allow it?" Oran asked.
I dropped my gaze. My fingers curled slightly in the sheets.
"…It's not like I wanted to," I said bitterly. "But I couldn't stop him. Yesterday… I overused my powers. I won't be able to use them again until next week. And even if I could, they're not strong enough to push Liam off me."
Oran studied me with a soft but unreadable look. Aurelian flapped his wings and landed beside me.
"You weren't in the wrong," he said. "Don't feel ashamed."
Oran stepped forward and gently pressed his forehead to mine. His warmth seeped into me like golden sunlight. Kind. Steady.
When he stepped back, he said, "Your mana core… it's small. Damaged. But despite that, you've developed two abilities."
My eyes widened. "You can tell that?"
"We're more powerful than we look," Nyx said proudly. "Don't underestimate us."
"We'll help you repair and expand your mana core," Oran said. "And guide your abilities to their highest potential."
"You can do that?" I asked in disbelief.
"Of course," Oran said gently. "So trust us. From now on, you're not alone."
"And that brat who dared hurt you—" Nyx growled, "I won't forgive him."
"Now that we can come out at will," Aurelian added, "if you're ever in danger—even without your powers—we'll protect you."
"Just like we said," Oran's voice soothed again. "We'll help you grow. And we'll stay by your side—whether people lie to you, betray you, or leave you lonely on your path…"
He nuzzled his head against mine. "We'll be here. Always."
And just like that, Oran faded into light, as if he'd never been there.
Nyx let out a low, satisfied purr, pressing his head against my hand before vanishing next.
Finally, Aurelian flapped his wings once more.
"Later, Noa."
He disappeared into thin air, leaving me alone in the wide, sunlit room.
Everything still wasn't clear about them—but somehow, they put me at ease. At the very least, I knew now… the rings were really on my side. That was enough for me.
I watched the rings quietly for a moment longer before standing up to wash.
After a long walk through the luxurious halls of the estate, I reached the wide stairs. As I descended, I caught sight of the butler who had shown me to my room yesterday. He looked normal, perhaps in his thirties, but something about his overly formal tone still caught me off guard.
"Sir Noa, if you're ready, let me guide you toward the dining room. Sir Thorne is already present, enjoying his breakfast. Your plates will be brought immediately."
He gestured elegantly to his right.
"Uh… sure," I said awkwardly, following him.
The dining room was circular, lined with tall windows. The curtains were pulled back, letting golden sunlight flood in and rest gently over the polished table. A single circular table sat in the center, set beautifully with silver cutlery and crisp porcelain.
Thorne sat there already, one hand holding a book, the other cradling a cup of coffee. Without looking up, he spoke—his voice calm but clear.
"Come in, Noa" said Thorne raising his head slightly.
.The servants have prepared everything. Would you prefer tea or coffee this morning, sir?" one of them asked beside me.
"Oh… a cup of tea, please." I nodded. "Also… you can talk casually with me."
The servant smiled slightly and poured the tea into a delicate white cup in front of me. I picked it up. It looked beautiful, softly glowing in the sun's light, little curls of steam rising off the surface. But when I tasted it—ah, it was like nothing I'd had before. So rich. So aromatic. Deep, even.
"Hah, looks like you like it," Thorne chuckled without looking up from his book. It was eerie how he could still somehow watch me.
I didn't care. "Yes. Very much."
For a moment, peace settled. It felt like… maybe I could rest.
But then—
"BROTHER!!!"
A sudden scream broke through the quiet.
Letisha.
I turned around in shock. "Wha—what happened, Tia?!"
She burst into the room, breathless like she'd sprinted the whole way. "BROTHER! THE KITTEN—THE KITTEN—!!"
I stood, heart racing. "What about the kitten?!"
Her face looked genuinely horrified. "SHE WON'T EAT HER MEAT!"
...
I stared at her. "Tia… she's a kitten. How do you expect her to eat meat, plus she is guardian kitten?"
"But she doesn't even eat meat. What am I supposed to feed her?! She's gonna starve at this rate!"
"Maybe milk?" I said not sure about it.
"Alright, alright, I'll ask Ari later. But don't try to feed her anything else for now. She's not a normal pet." I finally gave up.
"A kitten is a kitten," she grumbled, folding her arms.
We were still in the middle of that argument when Thorne, still calmly sipping his coffee, spoke up.
"Kids, shouldn't you be getting ready?"
Letisha blinked. "Ready for what?"
"It's your second period at 11 a.m., isn't it?" he said, turning a page in his book. "Or does your school operate differently?"
Letisha stared. "But… didn't we decide we were moving to Italy?"
"Ah, yes." Thorne took another sip. "But that won't be happening so soon. Could take up to two years, actually. You'll stay here till Noa graduates."
Both of us froze.
"AHHHHHHHHH!!!"
We bolted out of the room.
"Tell the drivers to take them," Thorne said with a sigh.
"Right away, sir," one of the servants replied, already moving.
…
After nearly destroying our bags and throwing on uniforms half-wrinkled, we finally made it out. The servants rushed us to the sleek, newest-model cars waiting at the front of the estate. It was already past noon.
Letisha was still yelling about the kitten as she got in.
I jumped out of the car the second we reached school and dashed through the gates, backpack swinging, my tie flapping behind me. The second bell had already rung.
I didn't even notice how silent the courtyard was—or how every single pair of eyes had turned toward me.