Chapter 2 – Goodbye
"…Goodbye?"
The single word lingered in the evening air. Hason's crimson eyes narrowed, searching Youshan's face for an answer he did not give.
"What do you mean by that?" His tone was calm, almost indifferent, yet something sharp flickered beneath the surface.
Youshan's silver gaze drifted toward the horizon. The capital lay beneath them, bathed in twilight, yet he seemed to be staring far beyond it—at something only he could see.
"I will leave for the frontline," he said at last, voice steady. "From now on, I will remain there. I will not be able to attend your crown ceremony."
A silence heavier than stone fell between them.
The frontline.
Avaloria had been at peace for centuries. No battles. No enemies. No need. To speak of such a duty now was nothing short of strange.
Hason's thoughts swirled, though his face remained impassive. Was this truly his reason—or merely a veil for something else? An excuse to turn away?
Slowly, he suppressed the sourness rising in his chest, and when he finally spoke, his words carried only distance.
"…If that is what you have decided, then I have nothing to say. Go, if you wish." He turned slightly, his gaze cold as the fading light. "After all, whether you are here or not changes little."
The words fell like ice.
Youshan's composure did not break, but inside, his heart trembled. Each word pierced him, leaving behind a hollow ache he dared not show. His chest felt tight, his breath unsteady, yet his face remained calm, as though carved from stone.
At last, he bowed his head. His voice was soft, respectful, and unbearably distant.
"Then allow me to bid Your Highness farewell."
He turned, leaving only the sound of his footsteps against the earth.
And Hason—though his lips pressed into silence—felt an unfamiliar hollowness settle in his heart, one he refused to acknowledge.