Within the sun-drenched, peaceful walls of the Ruo Han residence, the main dining hall of the mansion was suffocating under shroud of unspoken tension.
The family was seated around the long, polished table for dinner. Riosuka sat with elegance beside her husband, her eyes occasionally darting nervously toward her children. On the opposite side, Karas sat closely to his younger sister Riru.
Aunt Mei had come for an unexpected visit and was seated at the far end of the table. Ever since the day Karas had ruthlessly scalded her hand with boiling water, she had harbored a deep resentment for her nephew.
She sat stiffly in her seat,unable to look Karas in the eye, her fingers twitching nervously against her linen napkin.
The soft clink of porcelain echoed as Karas quietly set his teacup down into its saucer.
"Pardon my manner-"
Before the sentence could fully leave his mouth, Riosuka quickly cut him off, her voice laced with a strained politeness. "Can it not wait, Karas? Must you bandon dining etiquette in front of your aunt?"
Karas gave a slowly nodded his head, humoring her request for a second. Beneath the tablecloth, he felt a sharp tug. Riru was gripping the fabric of his robes with trembling fingers, her knuckles turning white as she silently begged him not to back down.
Riosuka knew exactly what her son was about to say, and she desperately wanted this rare, fragile peace within their household to continue. She opened her mouth to speak again, hoping to steer the conversation toward safe, trivial matters, but her husband abruptly cut her off.
Lord Caius raised his hand, signaling his wife to shut up without even looking at her.
"Let him talk," Caius commanded, his deep voice vibrating through the room.
Riosuka remained quiet, her lips pressing into a thin line as she lowered her head, staring at the polished wood of the table.
Karas was a notoriously blunt person. He had never been one to beat around the bush or waste his breath on useless pleasantries. He locked his blue piercing gaze onto his father.
"Yesterday, under my management, the family estate made a full year's worth of profit in a single day. The main inn is running perfectly fine, and wealthy merchants are flocking to our lands from all over the central plains. Our coffers are overflowing. Therefore, I do not see the need for a marriage alliance."
"It is not a marriage alliance," Lord Caius replied smoothly, taking a slow sip of his wine. "It is a highly prestigious marriage proposal from a respected family."
"I do not see a difference between the two terms," Karas countered.
Aunt Mei saw an opportunity to curry favor and opened her mouth to interject, a smug smile forming on her lips. But before she could speak a single word, Karas subtly shifted his gaze toward her. He flashed her a warm smile that didn't reach his cold eyes. Aunt Mei gasped and instantly shrank back into her seat, her face draining of color. She knew better than to interfere when the young master was in such a foul mood.
Riosuka spoke gently, her eyes softening with maternal worry as she looked across the table at her daughter. "Ri... are you truly against this proposal? The young master of the Li family is an honorable man."
Riru's gaze remained glued to the floor, her teeth biting into her lower lip as her fingers tightened around Karas's hand beneath the table. She didn't possess the courage to look up and tell her parents the truth. Her father had always showered her with love and extravagant gifts, and her mother had pampered her since infancy; the thought of bringing dishonor or disappointment to her family filled her with guilt. But at the same time, her chest tightened at the thought of being bartered away to a complete stranger. She didn't want to be a confined housewife. She wanted to travel, to explore the vast corners of the world just like her elder brother did. Trapped in her own fear, she could only lean into Karas's strength, silently relying on him to fight her battle.
Karas looked at his mother, his voice gentle. "Ri is still too young to accept marriage proposals. I intend to send her to the Imperial Capital next month to secure a proper, high-level education."
Riru's eyes widened with shock. She snapped her head up, a big smile spreading across her tear-stained face.
In contrast, Riosuka's hands flew to her mouth in horror. "K-Karas... what on earth are you saying?! Sending her away? To the Capital city, completely alone?"
Lord Caius broke into a loud sarcastic laugh that lacked any genuine warmth. "You must have gone crazy," he snarled. He violently slammed his palm down onto the table. The concussive force made the delicate porcelain dishes and silver cutlery rattle against one another.
Terrified of his escalating wrath, Riosuka gently placed her hand over his, desperately trying to calm her husband's raging temper. "Caius, please, let us not do this in front of Ri-"
Caius yanked his hand away from her grip, pointing a trembling, enraged finger at Karas's face. "You ungrateful, insolent demon!"
Riosuka and RiRu both yelled out at the exact same time, their voices echoing off the high ceilings.
"Caius, stop!"
"Dad!"
Caius snapped his head toward his wife, his eyes wild with fury.
"Stay out of this, Riosuka! Do not shield him anymore!" He turned his venomous gaze back toward Karas, his chest heaving. "I secured the most renowned tutors in the entire central plains to educate you! I ensured that only the finest, most expensive silks graced your ungrateful back! You have never struggled for a single day in your wretched life, and this is how you choose to repay my generosity, Karas? By defying my authority in my own home?!"
"It is entirely owing to your benevolence and your strict guidance that I am the capable man I am today," Karas spoke, his voice calm, his posture perfectly straight. "I remain forever grateful to you. I can only hope that my current management of your trade routes scratches the surface of the gratitude I owe you."
Lord Caius roared, his face twisting into an ugly mask of contempt. "Cut the bullshit, Karas! Do you think I don't know why you are still here?! The only reason you haven't abandoned this family, the only reason you keep pretending to be a loyal son, is because you are desperately hoping for the day he returns!"
Karas's thick brows furrowed, His hand tightened, tightly squeezing Riru's fingers.
Riru lifted her head, her voice trembling as she looked at her brother's expression. "Elder brother...?"
"Caius... stop... please, I beg of you," Riosuka sobbed, burying her face in her hands as the family's darkest wound was ripped wide open. At the end of the table, Aunt Mei stood up slightly, a small, malicious smile ofbsatisfaction dancing on her lips as she watched her tormentor get publicly humiliated.
"You must truly think me an idiot, Karas!" Caius sneered, leaning over the table, his voice dripping with venom. "Every single night, I see you roaming around that empty room like a pathetic, restless ghost. You ordered the servants that his room is never to be touched. Nothing within it is to be altered or moved. You keep piling rare trinkets, jewelry, and expensive gifts on his bed after every single trade trip you take. Let it go. He is never coming back. The boy was a shameless whore who fled into the dark, and I will not let you drag your innocent sister into a life of degeneracy and ruin!"
Caius's fingers were trembling with rage.
Tears began to stream down Riru's face as the shouting overwhelmed her, while Riosuka sobbed bitterly, her shoulders shaking.
Karas slowly reached down, smoothing the wide sleeves of his fine robes. He gently stood up, his towering height casting a massive shadow across the dining table.
"Ri is not getting married. Excuse me."
Without waiting for his father's response, Karas turned on his heel and walked out of the dining room. Riru quickly stood up, ignoring her father's roaring commands to come back, and ran after her brother's retreating form.
Karas walked briskly through the grand corridors, stepping outside into the cool, crisp air of the estate's private garden. The midnight moon shined brightly overhead, casting a luminescent silver glow over the entire sanctuary. The soft light made some of the rare, exotic flowers sparkle like stardust.
On his recent trade trips across distant lands, Karas had spent fortunes acquiring these rare, delicate seeds. He had been acutely aware that their ethereal beauty would perfectly fit Zaliyah's refined, delicate tastes, and he had strictly instructed the head gardener to plant them immediately.
This beautiful, quiet garden was the only piece of Zaliyah he had left to hold onto. As he stared at the shimmering petals, he suddenly felt two tiny arms wrap tightly around his waist from behind.
Riru hugged him with all her might, burying her face against his back as her hot tears soaked through the thick fabric of Karas's robes.
Karas let out a quiet, heavy breath. He slowly turned around within her grip, holding her gently by her shoulders. He lifted his wide sleeve, using the soft silk to gently wipe the tears from her red eyes, a warm smile returning to his face. "You are eighteen years old now, Ri. And yet you still weep like a helpless toddler at the slightest inconvenience?"
Riru sniffled, her voice cracking with sadness. "Maybe... maybe I am just like brother Zi."
Karas let out a soft laughter, a wave of bittersweet nostalgia crashing over his chest. He remembered how Zaliyah used to be. Zaliyah had always cried at the slightest inconvenience; whenever things didn't go his way, the silver-haired boy couldn't help but weep in frustration. Whenever he wanted to get his way, he weaponized his tears perfectly. And he would cry so bitterly over his own deep-seated insecurities, even though Karas thought those very flaws were the prettiest things about him.
Riru forcefully pulled at his sleeves, her voice dragging him back from his painful memories into the reality of the cold garden. "Elder brother... why won't he come back to us? Does he... does he truly hate us now?"
Karas bent down, pressing a gentle kiss onto her forehead. "He will come back, Ri. I know he will. And listen to me-"
Riru lifted her head, looking up at her giant of a brother with wide, hopeful eyes.
"You need not worry about any marriage proposals or alliances," Karas murmured, "As long as I am still drawing breath in this world, I will never allow Father to give you away to anyone."
Riru quickly wiped her wet cheeks with the back of her hand, a ray of light returning to her expression. "Really, brother? You promise? Brother, I really...really don't want to get married."
Karas gently pulled her back into his arms, wrapping his sleeves around her to shield her from the cold.
"Your happiness means the most to me, Ri. And I will ruthlessly destroy whatever or whoever threatens that happiness. Now, dry your tears, 'young mistress.' "
Hearing the familiar title, RiRu couldn't help but let out a small, watery giggle against his chest. 'Young mistress' was the formal way the estate servants addressed her when they wanted to be on her good behavior.
Thousands of miles away, the carriage rattled to a stop outside the dark, towering castle. The very moment Zaliyah stepped down from the carriage boardwalk, a small white-clad blur came rushing across the courtyard like a miniature hurricane.
Sylaris slammed directly into his legs, hugging his knees so tightly and with such force that Zaliyah nearly stumbled backward onto the icy ground.
Harun instantly extended a hand, bracing Zaliyah's lower back to ensure he didn't fall.
Zaliyah slowly rolled his eyes. He had only been gone for a few short hours yet this dramatic little girl was acting as though he had vanished for a lifetime.
Behind them, Talha stepped down from the carriage. The pink-haired youth was shivering, his teeth clicking together like castanets in the biting northern wind.
Noticing his distress, Harun immediately unclasped his own black fur cloak, walking over to wrap the thick, warm material around the boy's slender shoulders.
The poor entertainer was barely dressed in anything substantive; beneath the borrowed cloak, he wore the highly vulgar silk rags of his profession. Garments that allowed anyone to guess he was a male prostitute in a single glance.
As Talha raised his eyes toward the horizon, his breath caught in his throat, his eyes widening to the size of saucers. Before him stood a massive grand castle built of ancient black stone, its dark battlements cutting into the gray sky, surrounded by hovering demonic energies.
He had never seen a structure of such overwhelming luxury and military might. He stood frozen, paralyzed by the scale of the fortress.
While Talha was busy being awed by the architecture, Sylaris, who was still tightly clutching the hem of her father's red furs, noticed the vibrant patch of color standing behind Harun. Her little nose twitched, and her eyes locked onto the bright, exotic hue.
She stared at the strands, her mind instantly thinking of a single, glorious word: Sweets.
Without a word, the little girl let go of Zaliyah's robes, bypassed the adults and marched up to stand directly in front of Talha. The two of them stood in the snow, locking eyes in a silent, bewildered standoff.
Talha stared down at the small child, completely mute. "....."
Sylaris tilted her head, her eyes narrowing as she inspected him. "Huh?"
Zaliyah let out a long, exhausted sigh, the cold wind whipping around his silver hair.
"It is freezing out here. Move inside."
Harun quickly stepped forward, effortlessly scooping the little girl up into his arms. He smiled warmly at the child, whose large eyes remained fixated on the pink-haired man walking nervously behind them.
As the group walked through the grand, torch-lit corridors of the fortress, Sylaris couldn't contain her curiosity for even a second. She began blasting Zaliyah with a relentless barrage of countless questions.
"Dada, who is he?"
"Did you buy him from the market?"
"Dada, is he my early birthday present? Did you bring him for me?"
"No, Sylaris," Zaliyah replied, his voice flat as he walked with elegant strides. "People are not toys. You cannot buy them for entertainment."
"But why?" Sylaris asked, her brow furrowing in genuine confusion.
"Because doing so is inhumane," Zaliyah stated coldly.
"Inhumane?" Sylaris repeated the word, tasting it on her tongue before looking at him with wide, innocent eyes. "But Dada... we are not human."