"What happened?" Eunbin muttered coldly as she stepped into the royal chambers, her voice sharp and demanding. These quarters were reserved only for the princesses and the Queen of Worms herself. Yet the Queen rarely required rest, her own chamber remained perpetually empty, untouched by time.
Luna's chamber, however, was different. It was alive, bright, warm, and fragrant unlike Revel's room, which was drowning in darkness. A single grand bed occupied the center, surrounded by a set of chairs and a desk of dark wood. Lanterns glowed softly, casting golden light across the polished floor.
And then, there were the flowers, far too many of them. The room resembled a garden rather than royal quarters. Yet those flowers were as breathtaking as they were dangerous. Crystal-blue blossoms shimmered faintly; a single careless touch could freeze flesh solid, though much depended on one's elemental resistance and rank. Beside them bloomed red and violet petals, their scents charged with lightning and fire. Green vines curled around the balcony and windows, weaving the chamber in beauty and slight unease.
Luna's experiments with plants had been, more or less, a success. After all, she had created them.
Seishan stood near the bed, her brow creased, eyes fixed on Luna's pale, tense face. "I don't know… the pilgrims found her in the forest and brought her back," she said quietly, biting her lower lip.
Behind her, the pilgrims stood in silence. They were the queen's personal army... Well, an army of the dead. All of them were nothing but corpses, puppets in a sense.
Eunbin nodded slightly, though irritation flickered in her eyes. The Princess of the Song Clan, found wounded in a forest? Absurd. What could she possibly have been doing there alone? Especially when so many Awakened had already disappeared in those same woods.
Was she trying to hunt the creature? The thought felt both foolish and frightening. Nothing about this made sense.
And what were her guards doing? Were they blind or idiots not to notice the princess disappearing? Incompetent mongrels… she thought coldly.
She sighed and shook her head, taking a seat beside the bed. Resting her chin against her slender, delicate hand, she stared at her unconscious sister, her expression unreadable.
"There is no need to worry," came a voice from behind. It was calm, cold, and unmistakably familiar.
Both Eunbin and Seishan turned sharply toward the sound.
"Mother?" they breathed in unison.
The animated corpse of a boy stepped forward, his hollow eyes glowing faintly. The aura surrounding him was suffocating, chilling and merciless, thick enough to still the air itself.
Ki Song stared at Luna for a few seconds before approaching the bed with slow, deliberate steps. Her expression was emotionless, her gaze fixed not on Luna's face but on her belly. Slowly, a faint trace of emotion flickered across the Queen's face, her lips curling up ever so slightly.
"Now this is… surprising."
"What is?" Eunbin asked, irritation creeping into her tone.
The Queen only smiled, ignoring the question entirely.
"I asked you, what is it?" Eunbin pressed, glaring at her mother. Her annoyance only grew when she received no reply. Ugh, that's such a disgusting habit. Always dropping cryptic words and never explaining them. Why even speak if you won't elaborate!?
"Is pregnancy really that interesting?"
The soft, playful voice beside her made Eunbin nearly jump out of her seat. She spun around, clutching her chest, only to find Hel squatting by the chair, chin resting on her palms, watching everything with childish curiosity.
"Stop appearing out of nowhere and being creepy, Hel," Eunbin hissed, exhaling sharply as she tried to calm her racing heart. Well, she wasn't really that scared but she did enjoy playing the role of the helpless, delicate maiden. It was just too fun. Hehe~
But as she thought that, she froze. Her mind replayed what Hel had just said. She blinked, looked at Luna, then at her mother, then back at Hel who was now giggling to herself. Seishan wore the same expression of disbelief, though it was barely noticeable.
"Pre-pre-pre-pre-pre-pregnant?" Eunbin stammered, her eyes wide.
"Mhm," Hel nodded cheerfully, as if it were the most ordinary thing in the world.
"Looks like… the prince will be born in few months," Ki Song murmured to herself before turning away. The body she possessed went still, emotionless once again, its empty eyes staring ahead like a puppet. Which, in truth, it was.
"Oh my~" Eunbin quickly composed herself, her expression filled with delight, though tinged with confusion. She wasn't certain, but she had a suspicion about who the father might be.
Seishan, however, shared none of her confusion. Her face was tense and conflicted. She knew exactly who the father was, there was no doubt about it.
"This makes things… complicated," she muttered under her breath. "Damn it."
Would that guy even accept such a thing?
Seishan understood exactly why her mother was pleased. With this, if Amon and his cohort ever returned, it would be easier to tie them to Ravenheart through marriage. A child was the perfect excuse.
After all, if Amon refused, her mother would have every justification to act. Leaving behind an illegitimate child born of a princess? That would stain Luna's name, after all.
And the child… if her mother was correct, it was a boy. A bastard, huh? Well, he'd be a prince but that title wasn't exactly a pleasant one to bear.
But even so… Seishan wasn't sure how Amon would react to the news. Knowing him, she could already imagine the scene.
***
"Oh my~ now I'm overjoyed. Every father must bring milk for the baby, correct? It would be terribly inappropriate not to. That's why this task is of utmost importance! Thus, I shall take my leave and return shortly, without fail, without doubt! You can trust me."
Amon had said it with a pleasant, gentlemanly smile, bowing politely before strolling away.
A long time passed. And the search for milk… took an eternity.
***
Damn it... That might actually happen, Seishan thought grimly.
As for how she even knew about all this or what "getting milk" meant… well, Amon had joked about it enough times whenever she pestered him to take his relationship with Luna seriously, so she understood it. If she didn't, she might as well write on her forehead that she was an idiot.
Seishan sighed, rubbing her forehead. She truly didn't know what to do anymore.
"There's really nothing to worry about, just as Mother said," Hel chirped brightly, wiping sweat from Luna's forehead.
"What do you mean?" Seishan asked, face blank and indifferent.
"Well… from what Luna told me, I can guess who the father is. And he'll be coming back soon." Hel giggled as she said it.
Both Seishan and Eunbin immediately grabbed her shoulders.
"Who's the father?"
"When is he coming back?"
Under her sisters' intense questioning, Hel shifted awkwardly, shaking them off and placing her hands on her hips. Then she declared proudly:
"I don't know!"
Both of them stared at her with narrowed eyes that slowly shifted from curious to icy.
Hel giggled nervously, taking a step back.
"F-fine… it was a joke! Geez, you two are going to die alone."
Their expressions somehow grew even colder. Hel coughed innocently, deciding to change the subject entirely.
"Well… I don't know when, nor have I seen him in my visions."
"Then why would you even say that?" Seishan muttered, exasperated by her sister's attitude.
Hel beamed, a brilliant smile spreading across her face.
"But while my divinations showed nothing about him, they did show me his subordinates. Which means, if they return… he will too."
Hmm… that's logical, Seishan thought, nodding in approval. So Amon was coming back, huh? He wouldn't escape from this.
"Great. Send our spies to the academy. Tell them this is a direct order from me, observe Amon the Blasphemer's and his cohort's bodies in the academy, and report back regularly."
But before she could issue the command, the door opened, and another person stepped into the chamber.
"Veil?" Eunbin asked, surprised.
Moonveil was delicate and beautiful, with a slender build and a soft, enchanting face. Her hair was white, and her eyes shimmered with the pale glow of moonlight. In some ways, she resembled Luna. The only difference being that Luna's skin was dark as obsidian, making her even more exotic and captivating.
"There's no need to give orders," Moonveil said calmly. "A report just came from the Waking World. The Blasphemer's cohort has returned."
Eunbin's scarlet lips curved into a soft, playful smile as she crossed one arm under her chest and rested her chin on her palm. Her crimson silk dress hugged her voluptuous figure, making her allure almost distracting. Despite her aloof expression, her demeanor was tender and teasing, like that of a naive young maiden.
"Now…" she murmured with a lilting giggle, "I'm really looking forward to meeting this gentleman~"
***
On one of the underground levels of the Academy's hospital complex, a small room stood silent, filled with the massive rectangle of a dream pod and a clutter of medical machinery. Inside the pod, beneath its transparent glass lid, a charming young man with jet-black hair slept peacefully, his face surrounded by drifting wisps of cold vapor.
Suddenly, a series of lights flickered to life across the pod's surface. The surrounding machines began to hum and beep, one after another, filling the quiet room with mechanical life.
Moments later, the door burst open, and a woman in a white coat rushed in.
She froze mid-step.
A slender young man stood beside the pod now. He was tall, refined, and dressed in an aristocratic white shirt, black pants, and a long coat. His dark eyes gleamed with mischief behind a polite smile.
Her face went pale. Her hand flew to her mouth as if to stifle a scream.
"Greetings, madam," the young man said pleasantly. "Won't you wish me a good morning?"
"A-a-a-a…"
He tilted his head, feigning concern. "Hmm? You seem rather pale, my lady. May I inquire why the sight of me made your heart race~?"
With a graceful motion, he stepped closer, took her trembling hand, and kissed it gently.
The nurse's eyes went wide, and then rolled back as she let out a piercing scream.
"AGHHHH!!!"
She collapsed before him, and the young man caught her easily, his expression softening into playful smile.
"Oh my~ it seems I frightened you. My sincerest apologies."
Adjusting his monocle, he glanced at his reflection in the pod's glass lid.
"I hardly think my appearance is that dreadful…" he mused, his tone casual. "Hmm. This lady seems familiar as well… how strange."
He chuckled softly, shifting the unconscious nurse in his arms as he stepped toward the exit.
"What a peculiar awakening," he murmured, his lips curling into a faint, knowing smile.
Twenty minutes later...
In a small office at the surface level of the hospital, a young woman dressed in black slacks and a white blouse was sitting behind a desk, hastily compiling a short report. She had dirty blonde hair, neatly tied into a high ponytail, and thick glasses that were constantly sliding down her nose, forcing her to push them back up.
The young woman was one of the administrative workers tasked with the initial debriefing of returning Sleepers. As such, she had seen a lot of incredible things, and heard a lot of incredible stories.
And, sadly, even more heartbreaking ones.
Well... all of that had happened two months ago, when the survivors of the Forgotten Shore came back. But right now... a similar situation was unfolding.
The seven sleepers who had stayed behind had returned.
It was a ridiculous sight to behold. Almost unbelie... No, it was unbelievable.
No one had truly thought they would ever come back. Almost everyone in the Academy, the personnel, survivors, clans, even the media had assumed they were dead. And yet... here they were. Alive.
Right here and right now.
Ans, the leader of that infamous cohort was sitting right in front of her.
She had heard about the young man before her from the other survivors, but the things they told her made her blood run cold. Her imagination couldn't even begin to picture it. She had even wanted to dismiss their reports as lies, but knew it was impossible, the lie-detection systems built into the walls of her office made deceit nearly impossible.
Still, she had been warned: do not trust him. No matter how innocent, charming, or pleasant he may seem. No matter what happens, don't let your guard down and don't, under any circumstances, think of him as a victim or someone to sympathize with.
When the other survivors returned two months ago, she'd felt compassion, pride, and hope. Humanity had received an unexpected but wonderful gift that day.
She'd been heartbroken to learn that the seven sleepers, among the most powerful in the Dark City, had stayed behind. But when the survivors spoke of them... their voices were filled with fear, loathing, and disgust.
That's when she understood, those seven were monsters.
Torturing sleepers for years, butchering them, imprisoning them. Fraud, torture, manslaughter... and worse.
And that was just subordinates.
As for their leader... this vile, yet seemingly soft and innocent boy sitting calmly in her office chair...
Mass destruction. Mass murder. Terrorism. Robbery. Vandalism. Fraud. Stalking. Blackmail. Conspiracy...
She exhaled shakily, her heart pounding.
Shit... this is the devil I'm dealing with.
"My lady… don't be so tense. I'm sure that someone as compassionate as you is only worried about me. But please, don't be. Making a fair lady such as yourself worry… that wouldn't be very gentlemanly, now would it?"
Amon spoke with a sincere, soft smile. His dark eyes were warm and inviting as he shifted in his seat, almost as if he felt awkward troubling her with his problems.
Hearing this, she felt a pang of pity. A warm smile began to form on her face, ready to reassure him that he wasn't a bother but then she froze. Her body went still as a chill crawled down her spine. Quickly composing herself, she swallowed hard, forcing her expression back to neutral.
"There's no need to be concerned about it, Awakened… Blasphemer." She said his true name with a frown. It was an ominous and unsettling name... Fitting for a boy like him, she supposed.
"It is my duty to ask, Awakened-"
"There's no need to address me in such a formal way," Amon interrupted gently. "You're older than me, madam. It feels quite awkward. I'm the one who should be respectful, isn't that so? Please, just call me Mr. Amon. That will be sufficient."
She swallowed and nodded, her eyes flicking down to the reports on her desk, her expression conflicted.
"I understand, Mr. Amon. If you wish, you can request psychological counseling."
Amon smiled in gratitude, his expression alone showing how deeply he appreciated her kindness. The sincerity in his gaze made Teddy feel a little uneasy.
"Yes, I wish to receive it," Amon said softly, his pale smile fading into something hollow as he turned toward the window, staring into nothing.
Teddy didn't know what to do. Everyone had warned her that this boy was dangerous, but… he seemed so vulnerable. So gentle, even. She shook herself. Snap out of it, she told herself firmly.
Taking a deep breath, she straightened up and began typing on her pad.
"I'll ask you a series of questions about your time in the Dream Realm. The purpose of this briefing is to enrich our understanding of it and help us learn how to better support you in the future. Any bit of information you can share might help future Dreamers in their trials. Of course, you're not obligated to answer anything you're uncomfortable with. We've already collected reports from other survivors, but given your… status, your insight could be invaluable."
Amon offered her a kind smile as he adjusted his monocle.
"Of course, my lady. It would be a pleasure."
Teddy had heard the stories, how the other Sleepers were terrified of that monocle, how some had been traumatized just by looking at it. Now that she saw it for herself, she couldn't help but wonder: what was so special about it? It looked so ordinary.
Teddy pushed those thoughts aside and smiled politely before asking her first question.
"How long did you spend in the Dream Realm?"
Amon looked at her for a moment, a bitter smile tugging at his lips. "A year and three months…"
That matched the information in the file. A whole year and more out there… that's horrible. He must have been so scared and... wait, what am I even thinking? Be cold. Be professional, Teddy.
She sighed quietly and typed a few notes on her pad. She could ask about ranks, classes and the types of Nightmare Creatures that inhabited the Forgotten Shore, but she already had plenty of data from other survivors. The dark city, the crimson spire... those were all well-documented. No need to repeat them. Hmm… what I'm more curious about is…
"Have you participated in battles against Nightmare Creatures? If so, how many have you killed?"
Amon shook his head. "I'd rather be a 'Lovers' than a fighters…"
Teddy's smile widened. Got you… Huh? Why isn't the lie detector reacting? That was an obvious lie. What's happening? And… what did he mean by 'Lovers'? Plural?
Her gaze flicked toward the boy's face, which showed only faint embarrassment. This doesn't make sense…
"I-I… see…" she muttered, typing quickly on her pad. Then she looked up, her expression sharpening, her tone cold and precise. "Then tell me, how did you manage to escape?"
At that question, Amon paled. His eyes widened as cold sweat began to trickle down his temple. His fingers twitched, his gaze darting around the room, his body trembling.
"I-I-I… I didn't… I m-mean… ah…" he stammered helplessly, teeth chattering, his face contorted with fear.
Trauma? Teddy frowned. That's strange…
"I think that's enough. Thank you, Mr. Amon, for your cooperation. I suggest you see a therapist as soon as possible."
Amon raised a trembling hand, took a deep breath, and nodded. His shoulders relaxed slowly as he looked down in shame. "Then I'll take my leave..." he said quietly.
Then, as he turned toward the door, a faintly playful smile curved his lips, and his crystal monocle gleamed with an unsettling light.
"Madam Teddy," he added before stepping out and closing the door behind him.
Teddy froze. Her pupils contracted as a shiver ran down her spine from the chills the boy gave her. How… how does he know my name?