«FIVE MONTHS LATER — PRINCE MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL»
"Who can tell me the name of the Demon Crown Prince mentioned in The History of Ashkaroth — The Records of Albaton Palace?" the history teacher asked.
Thailra raised her hand, and the corner of Daniel's lips curved into a quiet smile.
"She finally read it," he thought inwardly.
Their eyes met suddenly, and Thailra smiled brightly. Daniel returned the smile, just as the silver stone around her neck shimmered, its glow briefly flashing in both their eyes.
Daniel was the first to look away, lowering his gaze as he refocused on solving his mathematics equation.
"Galveston Asylum," Thailra said calmly. "The author of the book, according to him, Duncan Tharagon, is the name of the Demon Crown Prince recorded in the History of Ashkaroth — the Records of the Albaton Palace."
The teacher froze for a moment, visibly stunned. It was an exceptionally precise answer—far more accurate than she had expected.
Daniel's smile deepened.
He had given her the book five months earlier, back at the hospital. At the time, she hadn't wanted to read it—her mind had been too consumed by the chaos and pain surrounding her father's disappearance.
But the accuracy of her answer left no doubt.
She had read the book.
But ever since then, she had been avoiding him. Now, however, she looked at him with the same gaze she once had—and that alone rekindled his hope for them.
As soon as the teacher left the classroom, several students immediately gathered around Thailra's desk.
"How did you know the name?" one of them asked.
"That book isn't even in the library. It's said the author wrote only a single copy, and it's not available on the internet. So how did you manage to read it?"
Thailra's gaze flicked briefly toward Daniel, who was busy with his calculations, before she looked back at them.
"It was a gift from someone… very special," she murmured, her gaze fixed on Daniel.
His fingers stilled mid-calculation. Slowly, he turned toward her, and their eyes met.
"Someone special?" one of her classmates echoed.
"Then you must be descended from royalty—or maybe one of the prime ministers. That book is extremely rare. There's only one known copy, no revised editions, and it's hardly ever seen."
The others nodded in agreement, their curiosity growing as their eyes moved between Thailra and Daniel.
Daniel turned his gaze back to his book.
That book was more than just a rare text—it was an heirloom. It had sat on the shelves of his father's private library for as long as he could remember, ever since the days his father had isolated him from the world.
In that lonely silence, the book became his only companion.
He had read it more than fifty times—so many times that he could recount every event, every name, every detail without missing a single word.
According to his father, it was Daniel's great-grandfather who had written the book—Ramons Harrison.
However, he had deliberately concealed his identity, adopting the name Galveston Asylum as the book's author instead.
The decision was intentional.
By forging a false biography and erasing the man's true background, he ensured that no one would ever uncover the real identity behind the book—or the dangerous truths it contained.
But now, he had given it to her—and still felt no regret.
Daniel turned his gaze toward Thailra, watching as she spoke confidently with the others and saw them nod in agreement.
A small smile tugged at his lips.
Who exactly was she? Why did he feel this strange pull whenever he was near her?
Had they… really met before?
The reason she still came to school, despite everything that had happened, was simple: her school fees had just been paid.
Once they ran out, she would have no choice but to drop out and find a job to support herself.
For now, she showed up every day, determined to be seen. Wherever her father was, she wanted him to know that she was still standing—still surviving.
She would pay off every penny her father owed.
It was a promise she had made to herself. Though the task was daunting, she would see it through.
This was the burden she carried simply because she was his daughter.
Meanwhile, at the doorway, Kyla's teeth were clenched as she glared at Daniel, whose gaze remained fixed on Thailra, who was busy discussing something with her classmates.
A daughter of a criminal… looking so happy and unbothered.
She scoffed, folding her arms tightly and shooting daggers at Thailra with her eyes.
"What's going on over there?" she asked the student who was about to enter the classroom.
"She answered the history teacher's question correctly," the student replied, starting to step inside—but Kyla suddenly grabbed his hand.
His eyes widened in surprise.
"Mind sharing the question and her answer?" she asked.
The student sighed and told her everything. Kyla's eyes widened. The fact that Thailra had answered so accurately proved she had read the book—and that could only mean one thing.
Her gaze snapped to Daniel.
She clenched her fists tightly, veins bulging as anger and jealousy surged through her.
"What's the name of the book again? History of Ashkaroth, maybe?" one student asked, rubbing his temple as he tried to remember.
"I think it's The Albaton Palace Records," another replied. "Back in the old days, people often named books after the places they were written about"
The others nodded in agreement, murmuring their approval.
"Actually, it's Tale of the Ashkaroth," Thailra replied.
The students' eyes widened in surprise. She smiled brightly, then shifted her gaze to Daniel—and their eyes met.
Kyla, furious, stormed toward her and raised her hand to slap her. But Thailra was quick; she caught Kyla's hand as she stood.
Everyone at her desk quickly moved back, pulling out their phones to record the confrontation.
Daniel slammed his mathematics book shut, his expression dark with anger.
"How dare you! After all my warnings, you have the audacity to take him away from me?!" Kyla yelled.
Thailra yanked her hand free, and Kyla staggered back, her hair falling across her face and her breath coming in heavy pants.
"Oh, it's about a man? Interesting," one student chuckled, adjusting his phone camera to get a better view.
"So shameless," one student whispered to her friends, smirking as she aimed her phone at the scene.
"I heard they were childhood playmates. Daniel doesn't have any feelings for her, yet she became obsessed because her family always visited his and they had dinner together. Tsk, tsk, tsk… fighting over a man who doesn't love you—now that's another level of madness."
The group laughed quietly, capturing every moment on their phones.
"Shut up, you losers!" Kyla yelled, and the classroom fell completely silent.
She whipped her gaze back to Thailra and stormed toward her, jabbing a finger aggressively.
"Stay away from my man! Daniel belongs to me, you—bitch!" she shouted, swinging her hand to hit her.
But before she could make contact, a firm hand grabbed hers and started pulling her out of the class. It was Daniel's.
"Thailra Romans, I'll make you disappear just like your criminal father did. Mark my words!" Kyla screamed as she was finally dragged out of the classroom.
Tears slid down Thailra's cheeks, but she wiped them away immediately. Her fists clenched tightly at her sides, her nails digging into her palms.
The students slowly turned off their phones and rushed toward her, crowding around her desk.
They tried to lighten the mood—cracking jokes, making silly faces, doing everything they could to cheer her up.
But Thailra felt nothing.
Her smile never came back.
Meanwhile, Carlos stood outside the classroom, staring at her. His guitar case hung from his back, the strap cutting across his shoulder. His expression was unyielding.
Then his eyes fell on the silver stone pendant around her neck. Suddenly, a sharp pain exploded inside his head.
He staggered slightly, squeezing his eyes shut as beads of sweat formed across his forehead.
Something about that stone… It wasn't normal.
Carlos pressed his palm against the wall to steady himself. The pain did not fade.
It grew.
A low ringing filled his ears. The hallway around him blurred, students passing by becoming nothing more than shadows and distorted sound.
His gaze snapped back to the silver stone around Thailra's neck. It shimmered faintly.
And then—A voice. Not loud. Not clear.
But ancient.
"Ashkaroth…"
Carlos inhaled sharply, the name echoing through his skull as though it had been carved there long ago.
The ringing in his ears intensified, swallowing the sounds of the hallway entirely.
His fingers dug into the wall for support, knuckles whitening as another wave of pain crashed over him.
It wasn't just a headache—it felt like something awakening, something forcing its way through layers of sealed memory.
Behind his closed eyelids, darkness shifted.
A throne of black stone rose from a sea of fire.
Crimson clouds churned violently overhead. A crown hovered above the throne, forged of shadow and silver flame, pulsing like a living heart.
The air trembled with power. Then he saw it—two silver eyes opening slowly in the inferno, ancient and merciless.
Carlos gasped and staggered back, nearly losing his balance.
The guitar case slid against his shoulder, thudding lightly against the lockers as he caught himself.
Sweat dripped down his temple, his breathing uneven and shallow.
Inside the classroom, Thailra suddenly stiffened.
The silver stone around her neck radiated warmth, spreading through her chest in steady pulses.
Her fingers rose instinctively to grip it, her brows knitting in confusion. She didn't know why—but she felt as though someone was calling her from far away.
Daniel noticed immediately.
His gaze sharpened as he watched her clutch the pendant.
The air felt heavier somehow, charged with something unseen.
A strange familiarity stirred in his chest—not pain like Carlos felt, but recognition. As if the moment unfolding had been written long before any of them were born.
Outside, the voice returned—fainter now, but unmistakable.
"Ashkaroth…"
Carlos forced his eyes open, chest heaving. The hallway snapped back into clarity.
Students passed by without sparing him a glance, unaware that his world had just fractured. The pain receded slowly, leaving behind a dull throb and the lingering image of silver eyes in fire.
He swallowed hard and breathed out shakily, steadying himself.
His gaze lifted once more toward the classroom doorway, toward Thailra.
She looked fragile in that moment despite standing upright, her classmates crowding around her in forced cheerfulness.
The silver pendant rested against her skin, deceptively innocent.
But he knew better now.
That stone was not ordinary.
And neither was she.
His jaw tightened as realization settled into his bones like cold steel.
This wasn't coincidence.
It was a summons.
Images flashed behind his closed eyelids again.
A throne carved from black obsidian rose from a sea of fire, towering and merciless. Flames spiraled violently toward a blood-red sky, twisting like living serpents as ash rained downward in slow, endless descent.
A crown hung suspended in the darkness above the throne, forged of shadow and silver light, pulsing faintly as if it possessed a heartbeat of its own.
Then—
She appeared.
A lady dressed in regal attire stood before the throne, her gown flowing like liquid moonlight across scorched ground.
Silver threads shimmered through the fabric, reflecting the inferno around her without burning.
Upon her head rested a delicate yet commanding diadem, its edges sharp as blades.
Her eyes were silver.
Not soft silver.
But blinding—burning with white flames that did not consume, only judged.
Behind her, a massive white dragon circled in the crimson sky, its scales gleaming like polished ivory.
Along its armored body were striking red markings that streaked across its shell like spilled blood, glowing faintly against the smoke-dark horizon.
Its wings beat slowly, powerfully, stirring whirlwinds of fire with each motion.
The dragon roared once—deep and ancient.
The world trembled.
The woman lifted her chin, her gaze piercing through realms unseen. When she spoke, her voice did not merely echo—it commanded.
"I belong to one man."
Her voice thundered across the burning kingdom.
The sky cracked.
The flames surged higher in response.
Even the throne itself seemed to bow beneath the weight of her declaration.
The dragon coiled protectively behind her, its red markings blazing brighter, as if sealing her vow into the fabric of existence itself.
And somewhere in the darkness beyond the fire— Silver eyes opened in answer.
Blood suddenly escaped from Carlos's nose, spilling down over his lips before he could react.
A thin trail followed from the corner of his mouth, warm and metallic against his skin. The pain in his head pulsed violently, forcing him to stagger sideways as his shoulder hit the wall for support.
His vision blurred.
For a moment, the hallway tilted.
He forced himself to look up.
Through the open classroom door, he saw her.
Thailra stood there, surrounded by her classmates, her expression distant, her fingers resting lightly over the silver pendant at her chest. It looked harmless.
Silent. Ordinary.
But it wasn't.
His breathing grew heavier as the memory of burning silver eyes flashed behind his own. The echo of that voice still thundered faintly in his skull.
"I belong to one man."
Another drop of blood slipped from his nose.
Carlos swallowed hard, tasting iron.
Slowly, he raised his hand and wiped the blood away with the back of his sleeve, smearing red across the fabric.
He brushed at his mouth next, erasing any visible trace before anyone could notice.
He stared at Thailra one last time.
Not with anger.
Not with confusion.
But with something deeper—something unsettled.
Then he turned away.
Each step down the hallway was uneven, his balance faltering as he walked.
The guitar case shifted against his back as he staggered forward, forcing himself to keep moving.
"Ashkaroth…" He whispered .
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«ROOFTOP»
Daniel roughly let her go, and Kyla staggered, her hair falling across her face. She chuckled dryly, brushing it back before turning to face him.
"You'd hit me… all because of her, huh?" she scoffed, raising an eyebrow.
Daniel gritted his teeth and stepped closer, standing directly in front of her. Without warning, he grabbed her collar and yanked her roughly toward him.
Kyla's eyes widened in shock.
"I don't mind beating you up because of her," Daniel said in a deadly cold voice. "But if you ever try that nonsense in front of her again, that will be the beginning of your first real beating."
His eyes bored into hers.
"And if I ever see fingerprints on her cheek or bruises on her body, you will truly face my wrath, Kyla Adams." His gaze pierced straight through her soul.
Kyla's blood ran cold instantly.
He shoved her away roughly, and she fell hard to the floor, clutching her arm in pain.
"You're not even royalty—how dare you threaten me, Daniel!" Kyla yelled angrily. "Just because we grew up together doesn't give you the right to speak to me however you please, all because of some worthless nobody!"
Daniel squatted down in front of her.
Kyla instinctively shuffled backward, her breath coming in heavy, uneven gasps as she stared up at him.
"Royalty?" Daniel's lips curled into a dangerous smirk—a look Kyla had never seen before. There was nothing amusing about it.
She shifted away instinctively, swallowing hard as beads of sweat formed on her forehead.
"You clearly haven't read the history of my family," he said calmly. "But that's a story for another day."
His eyes hardened. "My warning still stands. One bruise on her, one finger of yours will be gone, Kyla Adams. From today onward, consider me the monster you created."
He straightened, his voice cold and final.
"Stay far away from Thailra and me. Touching either of us will be disastrous."
He paused, his gaze locking onto hers.
"I hope I've made myself clear." The icy certainty in his tone sent chills racing down Kyla's spine.
Standing up, he slipped his hands into his pockets and began to walk away.
Kyla's body suddenly began to tremble.
She hugged herself tightly, her heart racing wildly as she watched the devilish figure retreat into the distance.
"Duncan Tharagon's descendants… could it really be his family?" she whispered, her eyes widening with fear.
Her life suddenly felt unsteady. She hugged herself even tighter, burying her face in her knees.
If it was true, she knew one thing for certain—she would stay far away from Thailra and Daniel.
*
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Daniel entered the classroom and walked straight to Thailra. Without a word, he grabbed her hand and helped her to her feet, then started leading her out.
The other students erupted into shouts of admiration, and some even rushed toward the door to get a glimpse of them.
Daniel led her to the basketball court, locked the door, and slammed her back against it, effectively trapping her.
Thailra swallowed hard, her eyes darting toward him, fists clenched tightly.
"Thailra, I have something very important to tell you," he said, his gaze locked on hers.
She blinked twice, her heart racing uncontrollably. This… this couldn't be what she was thinking, right?
"I…" he began, and Thailra swallowed hard, her eyes locked on his.
"I love you, Thailra. Will you be my girlfriend, please?" he asked, his voice steady but gentle.
Her eyes widened in shock, and hot tears slid down her cheeks.
He lifted his hand, brushing his thumb softly over her lips, sending a shiver through her as the world seemed to fade away around them.
She remembered the first time she had started crushing on him—long before she even attended the school. It had been at the mall, when he had paid for an elderly woman who had forgotten her card.
That small act of kindness had sparked her admiration.
Then, by coincidence, she was admitted to the same school, and he was in her class. From that day on, her crush had grown steadily, blossoming into a love that had never wavered—steadfast and unwavering, right up to this moment.
She thought of everything he had done—how he had fought off the men who attacked her father, how he had handed them over to the police, how he had paid for her father's hospital bills, and how he had been there for her through it all.
Everything rushed back, bringing hot tears to her eyes.
Could this really be happening?
Could it be a dream come true?
The man who had always seemed completely out of her league had just asked her to be his girlfriend.
Hot tears rolled freely down her cheeks again.
"Is this… a dream? It's not real, is it… my Daniel… standing here in front of me?" she whispered, her voice trembling as if it had suddenly abandoned her.
She lifted her hands to his face, gently rubbing it, tears spilling from her own eyes.
"I love you so much… you know that, right? You know how long I've been crushing on you, Daniel… I love you… so much… so very much! I love you, I love you so—"
Her words were cut off as he pressed his lips to hers, capturing her mouth in a searing kiss, pinning her against the wall.
She shut her eyes and clutched his shirt tightly, immediately returning the kiss with all the emotion she had held back.
The silver stone around her neck glowed brighter than ever, catching the light.
He kissed her with a fierce intensity, as if he had been longing for her for years.
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༆𝑻𝑩𝑪༆