— A Talisman's Protection —
On the highest floor of the Sixfold Trade Guild, the late afternoon light filtered in through tall, arched windows, casting warm bands of gold across the polished floor.
Selene sat by the low tea table, her posture relaxed in a way she herself found unfamiliar.
Steam rose slowly from the porcelain cup in her hands. Rose tea.
A scent she had once believed she would never experience.
For years, fragrance had meant nothing to her—only a distant concept spoken of by others. Since Eren cured her condition, however, the world had acquired depth. Smell, taste, warmth. Things that arrived quietly, then refused to leave.
She lowered her gaze to the tea, watching the faint ripples settle.
Her hand moved almost without conscious intent.
Beneath her long skirt, her fingers brushed against something smooth and warm. The jade talisman rested against her chest, its surface faintly heated, as if alive.
Eren's face surfaced in her mind. Calm. Detached. And the warning he had delivered with unsettling seriousness.
A blood calamity is approaching.
At the time, she had laughed it off.
Selene allowed herself a small, private smile.
A calamity? Here?
This was the Sixfold Trade Guild—one of the most heavily guarded places in the city. She was the Guild Leader's daughter. Even assassins would think twice before stepping within these walls.
Who would dare—
The thought did not finish.
BOOM!
The explosion shattered the door inward. Oak splintered like dry bark, fragments spinning through the air.
The guards stationed outside never even cried out.
A figure stumbled through the smoke and debris.
"Grandfather Seven—?!"
The old man barely remained upright. Blood soaked through his robes, spreading rapidly across his chest. His steps were uneven, each one dragged forward by sheer will.
"Run..." His voice was hoarse, broken. "Selene... traitors... they're coming for you..."
His knees buckled.
Before Selene could reach him, shadows slipped through the ruined doorway.
Black-clad figures moved without sound, their steps precise, practiced. The temperature in the room seemed to drop, as if the air itself had tightened.
One man stepped forward.
He did not hurry.
Pressure radiated from him, heavy and sharp, pressing against Selene's senses like a blade against skin.
Her breath caught.
A Great Grandmaster...?
She forced herself to remain still, even as her heartbeat thundered in her ears.
"Good eyes," the man said mildly. His gaze traveled over her without restraint, lingering far longer than courtesy allowed. "So this is the Sixfold's little princess."
A slow smile crept onto his lips.
"I'm Hawthorne."
Grandfather Seven roared and lunged.
CRACK!
The kick struck before Selene could even process the movement. The old man was flung sideways, his body slamming into the stone wall with a sickening sound before collapsing.
"Grandfather—!"
Selene's composure shattered. Rage surged hot and sudden.
"You dare lay a hand on him?!" Her voice rang sharply through the chamber. "You know who I am! My father will issue the Pursuit Decree! You won't escape the Sixfold alive!"
Hawthorne laughed softly, as though she had said something amusing.
"Terrifying," he replied.
The casualness of his tone chilled her far more than anger ever could.
That meant he truly did not care.
"Take her," Hawthorne said.
His palm rose, spiritual power condensing with a deep, oppressive hum.
Selene's body reacted before her mind did. She felt pressure crash toward her chest—
RUMBLE—!
Light exploded.
The jade talisman flared white-hot, symbols igniting across its surface. A shockwave erupted outward, tearing through the room.
Hawthorne was hurled backward like a rag doll. Blood sprayed across the air before he crashed into the far wall, leaving behind a spiderweb of cracks.
Silence followed.
Dust drifted slowly down.
Selene stood frozen, staring at her own hands. The talisman pulsed once, then dimmed, its warmth lingering.
"...Eren."
Her fingers trembled slightly as they closed around it.
"He really... saved me."
Behind her, Grandfather Seven coughed weakly.
"Go..." His voice was barely more than breath. "...now..."
She turned, seeing the life fading from his eyes.
Selene did not hesitate again.
She sprinted toward the window, shattered the stained glass with a single strike, and vanished into the mountain forest below.
Branches tore at her sleeves as she ran. Cold air burned her lungs.
Then—
Buzz.
Her encrypted communicator vibrated violently.
She answered at once.
"Selene!" Magnus's voice came through, strained, sharp with urgency she had never heard before. "Don't come back! Hide—anywhere! Don't trust anyone. Remember—any—"
The line cut.
Only a dead tone remained.
Selene slowed to a stop, breath hitching.
Even Father...?
The realization settled heavily in her chest.
The Sixfold Trade Guild—fractured from within. A rebellion large enough to strike the inner sanctum. Large enough to silence even Magnus.
Fear crept in, cold and persistent.
She stood alone among towering trees, the city lights distant behind her.
Where could she go?
Then, unbidden, a face surfaced in her mind.
Calm eyes. A faint, knowing smile.
Eren.
"Yes," she whispered. "Eren."
Right now—he was the only one who could help her.
---
— Prison Gambit —
The so-called "cell" was absurdly comfortable.
Soft lighting. Clean furnishings. A quiet sense of separation from the chaos outside.
Eren sat there as if the world had not just caught fire.
The moment Selene saw him, the tight knot in her chest loosened.
"You're here?" Eren said, glancing up.
"I'm staying," she replied immediately. "Problem?"
"Yes." His gaze cooled. "If you're joking, leave."
Her temper flared. "A great beauty comes offering herself, and you turn me away?! Are you even a man?!"
Eren did not rise to it.
Instead, his voice dropped, sharp and precise. "You're seeking shelter. We've met twice. Why should I involve myself in the Sixfold's internal collapse?"
Each word struck cleanly.
"Leave," he finished.
It felt worse than the pursuit, worse than the betrayal.
Selene inhaled slowly, forcing her pride down.
"...You're right," she said quietly. "I need your help."
She lifted her eyes to meet his.
"What would it take?"
Something flickered behind Eren's gaze.
"That depends," he replied, "on what you're willing to give."
Her mind raced. Calculations, consequences, possibilities.
Then—
She bit her lip.
"What if... I offer myself?"
The words felt unreal even as she spoke them. Her face burned. Her heart pounded painfully loud.
Strangely, the thought did not repulse her.
Eren blinked once. "You're serious?"
"Yes." Her voice steadied. "Feelings can... grow."
Eren laughed, brief and unreadable. "Then shouldn't I at least see what I'm buying? If there's a monster under that veil—"
"Monster?!" Selene snapped. "You're the monster!"
She turned to leave.
Three steps.
She stopped.
Exhaled.
Then turned back.
"...Eren." Her tone softened, dangerous and deliberate. "Besides my father, no man has ever seen my face. I swore an oath—the first man to see it would be the one I marry."
Her hands lifted, fingers resting against the edge of her veil.
"Are you sure... you don't want to see?"
Eren nearly jumped. "Stop. Don't."
His expression sobered. "I'll help you. But I don't want your body."
She froze.
"...Then what?"
"For my cultivation," he said evenly. "Century-old medicinal herbs. And a crystal called Spirit Stones. Provide them regularly, and I'll intervene."
Selene considered only briefly before nodding.
"The herbs are easy. Spirit Stones—I'll find them. The Sixfold Trade Guild can procure anything."
Eren smiled faintly.
"Good."
He stood. "Now come. Let's greet your... guests."
Selene's expression tightened.
"They've already found me—?"
Before she could finish, Eren had already stepped through the door.
She followed.