POV Author
The great dining hall of Shou Feng's castle was usually a silent monument of stone—cold, ancient, echoing with the weight of old kings and older curses.
But today it was brightened by the unusual sight of a cheerful American girl sipping punch like it was a festival drink.
Anna sat beside Shou Feng with her innocent brown eyes and long brown hair tied loosely behind her. Her fair face glowed with curiosity as she swung her feet under the table. She looked completely at ease.
Shou Feng, God of Destruction and Darkness, looked… the opposite.
He held his cup of punch like it was personally threatening him.
For a moment, there was peace.
Until the doors flew open.
"WE'RE HEEEERE—WAIT, IS THAT ANNA?" Kiyoshi's voice bounced off all four walls before he even entered fully. He strode in with dramatic flair, as if he were the hero entering a festival stage.
Yuvan followed, calm but amused.
Behind him, bursting with energy, came Mong—the youngest, the loudest, and Shou Feng's self-appointed favorite annoyance.
Anna brightened immediately. "You all came!"
Shou Feng exhaled through his nose. "Unfortunately."
Kiyoshi placed a hand over his chest. "Rude. Very rude. And in front of the lady too."
"She's not 'the lady,' she's Anna," Shou Feng corrected sharply.
Kiyoshi gasped. "Ohhh, he corrected me! That's practically a love confession."
Anna looked confused. "Love wha—?"
Yuvan nodded seriously. "Next thing you know, he'll smile. Then the world will end."
Mong joined in happily. "Big brother likes sitting with her!"
Shou Feng shot him a warning glare. "Mong, keep talking and I'll hang you upside down from the tower."
Mong grinned. "But I'll get a nice breeze up there."
Anna nearly choked on her punch laughing.
For half a heartbeat, Shou Feng glanced at her—just a flicker—and quickly looked away as if caught doing something embarrassing… like being soft.
Kiyoshi took the opportunity to lean closer to Anna.
"Blink twice if he forced you to sit here."
"I can hear you," Shou Feng said.
"Good," Kiyoshi replied. "I want you to."
---
After several cups of punch and endless teasing, Kiyoshi straightened and cleared his throat dramatically.
"Alright, we must talk business. We need the map of Jihu Kingdom."
Shou Feng groaned. "You people cannot go one day without causing trouble."
Yuvan shrugged. "We have a talent for it."
Shou Feng stood with a reluctant sigh. "Fine. Wait here. It's in my room."
"I'll get it!" Mong jumped up instantly.
"NO."
Shou Feng's voice cracked like thunder.
Everyone froze mid-breath.
Even Anna blinked slowly.
Shou Feng coughed lightly. "I will get it myself."
The truth was simple, painful, and deeply humiliating.
His room—his mighty, dark, destructive, terrifying god-room—
was no longer any of those things.
Anna had redecorated it.
Now it was soft.
Purple.
Warm.
And smelled suspiciously like a scented candle named "Lavender Dream."
*If the three idiots discovered this, he would never have peace again.* shou feng thought.
---
Shou Feng reached his chamber, cracked the door open, and winced.
Purple curtains. Purple sheets. Purple cushions.
Sparkling charms dangling from the window.
A fluffy blanket folded neatly at the end of the bed.
He stepped inside silently as though afraid the room itself would gossip about him. He opened a drawer, grabbed the rolled map, and—
The door exploded open.
"BROTHER! Do you need hel—OH SWEET HEAVENS." Mong's voice went high with excitement.
Kiyoshi and Yuvan peeked from behind him.
Three seconds of silence.
Then—
Kiyoshi dropped onto the floor. "BHAHAHAHAH! WHAT—WHAT IS THIS—WHY IS IT SO PRETTY?!"
Yuvan held his stomach. "I… I cannot breathe… it looks like a princess renovated a monster's den."
Mong skipped inside. "Brother, I didn't know you liked purple! You should have told me!"
Shou Feng glared, "I do NOT like purple."
"Ohhh," Kiyoshi said, wiping tears, "so Anna decorated it for you? Romantic."
Shou Feng nearly threw a pillow at his face.
They continued poking around the room, touching every sparkly charm and decorative bow until Shou Feng physically dragged them out by their collars.
---
They returned to the dining hall—Shou Feng full of regret for ever allowing people into his castle.
Anna looked at him curiously. "What happened?"
"Nothing," he said immediately.
"Everything," Kiyoshi corrected. "Absolutely everything."
Mong chimed in, "Brother has a princess room."
Shou Feng placed a gentle hand on Anna's shoulder and guided her toward a waiting maid.
"Anna, go with her. I need to… take care of something."
Kiyoshi saluted. "He means murder."
Anna blinked. "Um… okay?"
She left, still confused but smiling.
As soon as she was gone, Shou Feng cracked his knuckles.
"Who wants to die first?"
Kiyoshi raised his hand. "Not me. I have dinner plans."
---
The sun slipped low behind the castle walls, and the hall gradually emptied.
The noise faded. The laughter dimmed.
Kiyoshi's expression grew serious.
"There's something else you need to know," he said softly. "Lord Kazan is furious. Very furious. He believes Anna is his Nahan."
Shou Feng's aura flickered—red mixed with black, like a quiet storm awakening.
Kiyoshi continued, "He is not letting go of this. Renji has been given the task of getting her back. I doubt Kazan will come himself… but he will send someone."
Shou Feng stared into his cup, jaw tight.
Yuvan leaned in. "Whatever you're planning, be careful."
Kiyoshi added, "I also heard you aren't sleeping lately. That's dangerous, even for a god."
Shou Feng didn't reply.
Kiyoshi spoke gently, "You never cared for anyone's nightmares before. Why hers? Why now?"
Shou Feng finally lifted his eyes.
"Because her demons don't just scare her," he said quietly. "They change her. Twist her thoughts. Make her hate herself… and me. She's innocent. She doesn't deserve that."
His voice lowered.
"I won't let her suffer alone."
The three of them fell silent.
Even Mong didn't have a joke for that.
---
Far from the castle, Anna wandered through the lively evening market. Lanterns glowed overhead, merchants shouted their last prices, and the smell of food mixed with sweet incense.
She bought a steamed bun.
She pointed at shiny trinkets.
She fed a stray dog half her snack.
Time passed gently.
Until she crossed a narrow alley.
A hand quietly covered her mouth—not harshly, not violently, but sudden enough to freeze her heart. She was pulled backward into the shadows.
Her back brushed the cold wall.
Her breath caught.
The figure stood before her, hands planted on either side of her, blocking the exit.
Anna's pulse raced, but she felt no pain—just fear of the unknown.
The hooded figure slowly pushed back the hood.
And Anna's eyes widened as she finally saw—
who it was.
---
END OF CHAPTER