Visil couldn't shake the worried feeling that he has for Ayumu.
The sudden introduction to the mansion where her father used to stay alone must have reminded her of her childhood memories.
The blank look on Ayumu's face in the garden lingered in his mind. But duty called, and he had no choice but to push the concern aside for now.
He entered the meeting hall, where Kaiser stood among the nobles and administrators. It was not a large gathering, but foreign envoys had arrived to discuss trade agreements, and their presence demanded the emperor's full attention.
Visil stared at Kaiser and had a thought. As much as Visil hated to admit it, he needed Kaiser's help with something far more important.
He called the black magis aside.
"You may be excused from this meeting Kaiser." Visil said quietly.
Kaiser's red eyes flickered with curiosity. "What do you want me to do, your majesty?"
Visil's voice dropped lower, meant only for Kaiser's ears. "Ayumu will leave for the cottage tonight. But I am worried that incident might happen again. So, I want you to follow her. Keep guard of her so that nothing bad happens."
Kaiser heard the words, and something shifted in his expression—a flicker of understanding, of concern. Without a word, he turned and strode toward the door.
Visil's voice stopped him. "Kaiser!"
Kaiser paused at the threshold.
"Just...let her grieve." Visil said, but then his tone turned sharp. "And keep your hand off her! Got it?"
Kaiser gave a single, curt nod—his expression unreadable—and disappeared through the doorway.
True to Visil's words, Kaiser spotted a lone figure riding through the woods on horseback, the white of her robes catching the moonlight like a ghost.
He followed silently, keeping his distance, his horse's hooves muffled against the soft earth.
She went in the forest and then didn't go inside the cottage. She only passed by it and tied her horse to a nearby tree. Then she walked up a hill, her steps slow and heavy, until she reached a massive old tree.
Beneath it was two gravestones stood side by side.
Ayumu knelt between them. Her hands reached out, trembling, and caressed each stone with a tenderness. Her fingers traced the carved names, lingered on the weathered surfaces.
Then—crystals.
Tears fell from her golden eyes, catching the moonlight as they dropped to the earth below.
Kaiser watched from afar, his heart clenching with an emotion he could not name. He felt her sadness as if it were his own. But he did not approach as he did not want to intrude.
His duty, as per the emperor's order, was to guard her.
The minutes stretched. The moon climbed higher. The night grew colder.
And slowly, Ayumu's tears subsided. Her shoulders stopped shaking. Her breathing steadied.
Kaiser finally walked up to her, his footsteps deliberately loud so as not to startle her.
She did not flinch as she had known he was there all along. Watching her and guarding her.
Ayumu spoke without turning. "Do you ever feel this way, Kaiser?"
Kaiser stopped beside her. He thought about his own life—the father he had killed with his own hands, the mother who had lost her mind and now lived locked away for her own safety. He had never known proper love. He had never grieved.
"No," he said quietly.
Ayumu smiled—a small, sad curve of her lips. "Perhaps it is a good thing you do not need to feel this. It is… very complicated feelings."
"Perhaps I am just lucky that way." There was not a hint of sarcasm in his words. It was just his genuine thought.
Ayumu's smile grew, just a fraction.
Ayumu knew Kaiser had always been a man of few words. But somehow, his presence had a way of giving her comfort. Without him saying much, he was like a steady, silent anchor whenever Ayumu was weighed down by complicated emotions.
They sat together, side by side, looking up at the moonlit sky.
Kaiser stole a glance at her. Her features that were soft and delicate—looked most ethereal under the silver light. Her face was still puffed from crying, her eyes red-rimmed, her lips slightly swollen.
At this sight, his heart felt tight.
Ayumu then broke the silence.
"Kaiser, is it true you wish to… marry me?"
Kaiser's eyes widened. He turned to look at her, his composure cracking for just a moment.
"Where did you hear that?"
"Sir Drobar and Sir Levain. A while back…they were talking about it..."
Kaiser's jaw tightened.
Those two idiots. He would kill them as soon as he saw them. Slowly. Painfully.
Ayumu hugged her knees to her chest, her voice growing quieter. "I… I know what marriage is. I saw it between my parents. How they were there for each other, protect each other and...the love they had for each other." She paused. "But I… I do not know what love is, Kaiser."
Her voice was bitter on the last words. She had been only six when her mother and father was killed, and since then, her life had been one of loneliness—of running, hiding, surviving. Love had been a distant memory, like a song she had once heard but could no longer recall.
Kaiser felt the weight of her words. But to him, this did not sounded like a rejection.
"Me too," he said.
Ayumu looked at him.
"I might not know what love is, either." Kaiser continued, "Perhaps in time, we will come to understand what love is."
She stared at the moon for a moment longer, her golden eyes reflecting its silver light. Then she turned to Kaiser, a flicker of conflict crossing her features.
"If you do not understand love," she asked quietly, "then why do you want to marry me, Kaiser?"
Kaiser held her gaze for a long moment. Then he looked up at the moon as well.
"Do you know the history of your grand aunt and my grand uncle?"
Ayumu blinked. "You mean Theana Velmiar and Rokhan Wrath?" She turned her gaze back to the moon, her expression thoughtful. "Father used to tell me about them. How they disagreed on the governance of Graitan. But even in their silence and protest, many people knew of their love…"
She fell silent, her thoughts wandering.
Is that it? she wondered. Their love story is known as one that was realized too late.
Kaiser spoke again, cutting through her complicated thoughts. "Vesta once told me that the feelings we may have are because of the unsettled feelings of our ancestors."
Ayumu stared at him. Kaiser had difficulty meeting her eyes as he explained, his usual composure cracking just slightly.
"I may not know if that is right or wrong," he continued. "But what I do know is that my footsteps will always follow you. I care for your safety, your livelihood… and your happiness. Those feelings are something I have never experienced before." He paused, his voice dropping lower. "It may not be the love that other people know. But for a black magis like me… perhaps that is my form of love."
White magis and black magis were such complex creatures. They bore powers that many people dreamed of possessing, yet the simple processing of emotions—the kind that came naturally to everyone else—was something they often lacked.
Ayumu was quiet for a long moment, turning his words over in her mind.
"Perhaps I am still young in Kaiser's eyes." she said at last. "Can you give me time to figure out what 'love' is?"
Kaiser looked at her, and a small smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "Take your time with it." His voice softened. "But I do ask one thing of you."
Ayumu blinked, wondering.
"Care a bit more for yourself," he said. "My black heart can only take so much stress."
Ayumu's eyes widened. Then—she laughed. Not her usual bright giggle, but a soft, genuine laugh that seemed to surprise even her.
"I understand, Kaiser." She smiled. "I will try my best not to create trouble."
Kaiser smiled slightly.
That was what Ayumu had promised.
But it turned out that promise of hers was difficult to keep.
---------------------------------------------------
The next day, at the palace, Ayumu stepped into the meeting room.
She had called for a gathering—the emperor, Kaiser, and the rest of the expedition team. They sat around a long table, their expressions ranging from curious to wary.
Ayumu stood at the head of the room, dressed in her formal white robes, her short veil drawn over her face. Her features were still visible beneath the sheer fabric.
Fifi leaned forward and spoke first. "What have you called me here for?"
Rhea hissed, "You are in the presence of the emperor. Behave."
Fifi was startled and then straightened up immediately.
All eyes were on Ayumu. They could see her fidgeting.
And they knew. This could not be good.
Visil sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I hope you have not caused any more trouble, Ayumu." He paused, then added more gently, "But even if you have, we will sort it out. Let's just be honest about it."
Ayumu looked down.
Her shadow, cast by the morning light, was light and faint. She walked to the sunlit window, and her shadow grew darker, more defined.
People shifted in their seats, wondering what this was about.
"Please," Ayumu said softly, "do not be too surprised."
She winced, squeezing her eyes shut.
From her shadow—it began to contort.
The dark shape rippled, rose, expanded. It grew larger, twisting upward like smoke given form. Shadows coalesced into a massive figure—tall, imposing, with white eyes that glowed like twin moons.
The djinn.
The same one they had met in the caves of Paititi.
Drobar shot to his feet. "Ahhh! What is this being doing here?! Wasn't he freed?!"
Fifi shrieked and scrambled backward, his chair scraping against the floor. Everyone rose—hands reaching for weapons, bodies shifting into defensive stances. Rhea positioned herself in front of Visil. Levain's hands crackled with water magic.
But one person looked the most displeased.
Kaiser.
His red eyes were fixed on the djinn, then on Ayumu. His jaw was tight. His hands were clenched at his sides.
The djinn spoke, his voice a low, ancient grumble that seemed to shake the very air. "Is this the thank you I get for letting you enjoy my gold and treasures?"
As others were weary, Kaiser instead ignored him entirely. His eyes remained on Ayumu.
"Why," he said, his voice dangerously quiet, "is this djinn still here? Has it been following you all this time?"
Ayumu winced, shrinking under his gaze. She knew she was in trouble.
The djinn answered instead. "I have never left. Ayumu wished for my freedom—but not to return. I can only return by the way that is mentioned in the Book of the Sun."
Rhea's brow furrowed. "Book of the Sun? What is that?"
Ayumu spoke up, her voice small. "The Book of the Sun is one of the ancient forbidden books. It is dangerous. The Paititians were able to get a hold of it and bring the djinn here—as I explained before. And now… it seems we need to access the book again to send him back."
Fifi's eyes went wide. "And why should we do that? It is a forbidden book!" He shook his head frantically. "As a scholar, I have heard rumors of such a book. Whoever touches it will be cursed, I tell you!"
The room fell silent. All eyes turned to Ayumu.
Ayumu winced at Fifi's outburst. "Well… not cursed, Sir Fifi. Just that they might turn evil when learning such forbidden knowledge."
Fifi threw his hands up. "That is the same thing, you insufferable white magis!"
Ayumu flinched again, shrinking slightly.
Kaiser stepped forward, his red eyes fixed on the djinn. His voice was calm, but there was an edge to it.
"Ayumu... The book is now in Graitan, yes?" He looked at her.
Ayumu sweated under his gaze. "Yes, Lord Kaiser. The people who have access to it would be either me… or you, as the head of the families."
"Then we will go to Garitan, get the book and send this being back." Kaiser glared at the djinn. "But tell me one thing… djinn."
The djinn looked down at the smaller being before him and smirked.
Kaiser's voice dropped, low and dangerous. "All this while, were you with Ayumu? Plaguing her like a shadow?"
The djinn's smirk widened.
He knew. He knew exactly what this black magis felt for Ayumu. Was this jealousy? How entertaining, the djinn thought.
"After Ayumu wished for my freedom, I had the chance to see the world. Even for a short while, it was enough." the djinn said slowly, savoring each word. "But after a while, I returned to Ayumu. I became her shadow… now a part of her." He leaned in closer, his white eyes gleaming. "Perhaps replacing you, even."
Kaiser's composure shattered.
His power erupted—a wave of dark energy that exploded from his body, sending the djinn hurtling through the hall's windows. Glass shattered everywhere, raining down like glittering shards of ice.
Kaiser summoned Azhdar in a single breath, the wyvern materializing from shadow and smoke, and launched himself into the sky after the djinn.
The battle began.