Roselight Brothel, Red House district
Intimacy filled the air as night passed, one singular Lantern scattered dim but warm light across the corridor. Thea Roselight was climbing the stairs, stepped foot into the corridor.
A soft cry escaped one of the rooms.
"Seems Lady Flora's having her fun — enough to make the walls blush," Thea hummed, gliding past and climbing toward the next floor.
Inside the room
Flora tipped the bottle over her lips and frowned when nothing came out.
"It's empty… traitor," she muttered, shaking it once, then twice, before giggling. "Guess I'll have to hunt down another."
The man in bed stretched, his skin catching the light like oiled bronze.
"Let me get it for you," he offered, his voice a velvet drawl.
Flora waved him off with a lazy grin. "No, no, stay. You look far too pretty lying there. Besides—" she tried to find her shoes and failed— "I've got other things to do. Secret royal business."
She stumbled to the door, adjusting the strap of her half-fallen gown. The corridor swam softly around her, painted gold by the lanterns.
"Now where was that… bathroom? They said there's a mirror—no, a crystal, right? You can see your whole soul in it… hehehe."
Her laughter echoed faintly as she climbed the stairs, mumbling to herself, "Only the rich ones get to use it. Guess I'm rich tonight."
Upon reaching the third floor, Flora looked around but saw no bathroom, only rooms filled with couples and corridors with some windows.
"Maybe it's on the fourth floor, it's the top floor after all…"
On the other side of the third floor.
Thea Roselight was lighting the Lanterns as she mumbled to herself, "All the guests are occupied now… Lighting these lanterns is quite a relaxing time for me after all of the sweet talks…." She sighed as she moved to the next one.
"After this floor, Only the top floor is left. Only a few remains here."
Fourth Floor
As Flora arrived at the top floor, Moonlight kissed her. The Entire Fourth floor consisted of one chamber. A Luxurious bed carved by the finest craftsman of the kingdom, Lanterns that burned fragrant candles and paintings that showed Scenery of the highest mountains.
The moonlight poured through the window, soft and slow, as if even light itself hesitated to touch him. His hair—pale pink, almost white—slid down his shoulders like melting silk. The air seemed to hold its breath; the candle's flame leaned toward him and stilled. His skin carried the faint shimmer of frost at dawn, and his lips, touched with pink, curved as if at some private secret.
Flora forgot she was drunk. Forgot where she stood. The world simply... waited.
"No veil…" Flora breathed, blushing despite herself. "You're so beautiful. Shame you're not on the menu."
"Would you wish I was?" he smiled lightly, amused.
"Yes… I do." She stopped in front of him, just close enough to not be too close. "Would you be kind enough to entertain me tonight?"
He giggled, "Maybe some other day, you have to go back to the one you were keeping company, don't you?"
"Yeah… Yeah, I do. But sadly enough, I won't be able to focus on him for the rest of the night."
Old Lady Thea sighed as she stepped onto the fourth floor, her face was calm as she sighed.
"This is the last floor."
Infront of her she saw Flora flirting with him, she noticed her appearance and Thea's eyes widened.
"Lady Flora, this isn't the place for you to be, please go back to your room, someone is waiting for you there." Thea said strictly.
"Fine…. Fine, I will go. But are you not losing a lot of business Matron? Keeping your finest honey here, hidden from everyone?" She giggled as she went back downstairs.
Thea Roselight sighed with relief as she walked towards that beautiful man, her eyes filled with awe, "My Apologies, I hope she didn't disturb your rest."
The man opened his arms as Thea nestled into his embrace, "It's quite Alright."
"I'm so disappointed in myself," Thea whispered, bowing her head. "Even when you grace us with your presence, I let one of them disturb your rest."
He smiled and touched her face — gentle, almost divine.
"It's quite all right," he said. "In my eyes, everyone in Arian is my child."
"Thank you for looking after us, Mother."
Far from the red glow of Roselight, the silver towers of Aethercastle slept beneath moonlight.
Crown Prince's Chambers, Aethercastle
The door opened as the maid escorted Prince Orion into his chambers.
"If you'll excuse me, Your Grace, I'll take my leave now."
Orion nodded and sat at his desk, his gaze drifting toward the portrait Granny Suri had drawn years ago.
"I wonder how Grandmother is doing… I should visit her in Roselight Hollow," he murmured.
King's Chambers, Aethercastle
Knock… knock.
"Come in," a deep voice resonated through the room.
"Yes, Your Majesty!" The door opened, and a royal knight stepped in, immediately kneeling.
"Your Highness, Duke Glykeria requests an audience tomorrow afternoon," the knight reported in a firm tone.
"Duke Glykeria… Is this about the marriage between our children?" King Orios Crusch muttered under his breath as he dismissed the soldier.
"Orion has been cooped up in his room for a month now. I hope he warms up before the coronation arrives."
Knock… knock.
"You may enter, Knight Silus," King Orios said in a commanding voice.
"Yes, Your Majesty!" came the reply as another knight entered and knelt.
"Stand, Silus. Tell me how the coronation preparations are progressing."
The king's voice rolled through the chamber, deep and steady. His silver hair and right eye caught the candlelight, his left eye hidden beneath a black patch — the mark of Arian's "Jade Dignified Prince."
"Yes, Your Majesty. The cuisine has been finalized, decorations will be completed in two days, and all guests have sent their replies—none have declined. The gifts are being prepared, and the coronation has been publicly announced as well…" Silus continued, listing the details he had memorized for the next fifteen minutes.
"And with that, I've covered all the details." Silus gave a slight bow. "Your Highness, may I speak of a concern of mine?"
"Speak, Silus. You know I don't mind hearing a thing or two."
"Your Highness, could you please dress more appropriately while working? Wearing a knight's attire without armour is… concerning some of the new recruits," Silus said, frowning slightly.
"Oh? Is that so?" Orios chuckled. "But you know, the one who bears the title Hero of the Leviathan March can't exactly dress in luxury. Perhaps you should defeat the Leviathan at the next march—then I'll gladly be rid of this 'curse.'"
"Can you give the same excuse for your office, though?" Silus remarked dryly, glancing around.
A simple wooden table. A candleholder with three candles. Piles of scattered files. A window without curtains.
"Even your chair has no cushion," Silus sighed.
King Orios frowned and cleared his throat. "Ahem… that's… that's because of the curse I received from slaying the Pale Wyrm. Yes, that's it."
He's lying.
"I understand, Your Highness. I'll reassure the new recruits myself, after all everyone have heard of your title, "Slayer of the Pale Wyrm"."