Moonlight bathed the imperial gardens in silver.
Far removed from the suffocating politics of the ballroom—
the night air was cooler.
Quieter.
Almost peaceful.
Azriah stood before a cluster of rare night blooms.
Luminescent flowers.
Silver-blue petals glowing softly beneath celestial light.
Beautiful.
Fragile.
Temporary.
Through his mana perception—
their life signatures shimmered delicately.
Fleeting.
Sham appeared beside him, arms crossed with visible amusement.
"So…"
A pause.
"Are we fleeing from the life hazard?"
Azriah's brow twitched.
'I am not fleeing.'
Sham smirked wickedly.
"Strategically retreating?"
Azriah sneered.
'I simply desired air.'
Another pause.
Then—
'I am also fairly certain she witnessed the Auremont incident.'
Sham snorted.
"Oh, definitely."
Azriah exhaled slowly.
'Wonderful.'
Then—
a soft, melodious voice emerged behind him.
Elegant.
Smooth.
Dangerously charming.
"Night blooms are fascinating, aren't they?"
A pause.
"They bloom for only for one night…"
Another.
"Then vanish forever."
Azriah turned.
And froze.
Before him stood a young woman in flowing white.
Graceful.
Elegant.
Her long purple hair shimmered beneath moonlight like woven starlight.
Purple eyes.
Sharp yet warm.
And her mana—
perfect.
Balanced.
Harmonious.
As though mana itself adored her.
For a brief moment—
Azriah's body visibly tensed.
Recognition struck like lightning.
'…Veyrin?.'
Something buried deep within him stirred.
Fragments.
Emotion.
Memory not fully grasped.
But enough.
Enough to unsettle him.
Euphemia.
Though his mind still lacked complete understanding—
his soul reacted.
The young woman smiled gracefully.
"Seraphine Veyrin."
A refined bow.
"Daughter of Veyrin Dukedom."
Azriah's composure tightened immediately.
"Azriah Antioch."
A pause.
Then—
"Though I imagine you already knew that."
Seraphine smiled wider.
"Oh?"
A teasing tilt of her head.
"Does the mighty heir assume noble ladies stalk his reputation?"
Azriah internally sighed.
'This is already exhausting.'
Outwardly—
his tone remained calm.
"Shouldn't you be attending the ball?"
A pause.
"Considering your status."
Seraphine visibly perked up.
Then—
smirked.
"My."
A pause.
"Are you trying to get rid of me already?"
Another pause.
"How cruel."
She placed a hand dramatically over her chest.
"Am I not a beautiful company?"
Azriah's brows twitched.
Sham immediately began laughing internally.
'Oh, this is excellent.'
Azriah's response was perfectly deadpan.
"I wouldn't know."
A pause.
"I'm blind."
Technically—
not entirely true.
Seraphine gasped theatrically.
Then looked deeply offended.
"That was rude."
A pause.
Then—
"I'll have you know…"
Another pause.
"…I am one of the most beautiful flowers in the Empire."
Azriah remained silent for a beat.
Then—
"…That sounds narcissistic."
Seraphine narrowed her eyes dramatically.
"Narcissistic?"
A pause.
"It's called facts."
Before Azriah could formulate a response—
another voice emerged.
Cooler.
Sharper.
Dangerously familiar.
"She's as narcissistic as ever."
Azriah froze internally.
'....Heck no.'
Sham wheezed.
'Oh fuck yeah. More drama. If only there was popcorn .'
Diana Elysium.
Pink hair.
Imperial elegance.
A regal gown befitting royalty.
And mana so radiant it practically screamed heroine.
Diana approached with practiced grace.
Though her tone—
carried unmistakable warning.
"Lady Seraphine."
A pause.
"Do try to mind your own affairs."
Another pause.
"And refrain from acting like a thieving cat and stop eying other peoples thing."
Seraphine's smile sharpened instantly.
"Oh?"
A pause.
"Other people's things?"
Another pause.
"How possessive, aren't we?."
Diana's eyes narrowed.
"I simply dislike opportunists."
Seraphine smirked.
"And I dislike territorial princesses."
Silence.
Azriah stood between them.
Internally dying.
'…Why.'
Sham was openly enjoying this.
'This is spectacular.'
Azriah's mental voice was pure suffering.
'This is a impending disaster on becoming.'
The air practically crackled.
Political tension.
Romantic implications.
Heroine conflict .
And Azriah—
at the center of it.
Seraphine folded her arms elegantly.
"Surely His Grace can decide for himself."
Diana's smile remained polite.
Sharp enough to draw blood.
"Certainly."
A pause.
"Though some of us do not ambush blindfolded nobles in gardens."
Seraphine gasped.
"You wound me."
Diana's response was immediate.
"I considered it."
Azriah's soul visibly threatened to leave his body.
'…A catfight.'
A pause.
Then—
'Perfect.'
Another pause.
'What a wonderful evening.'
Sham was utterly useless.
'I retract previous complaints.'
A pause.
'Your life is extremely entertaining.'
Azriah mentally cursed every god currently observing him.
Because somehow—
despite fractures, divine cores, forbidden rituals, and prophetic burdens—
his greatest immediate threat remained—
noblewomen.