He turned a corner. Then another. And another. Nothing.
The boy had vanished as if swallowed by the village itself. Cesar came to a halt, his chest heaving, frustration rising like a tide. He could feel it—that sharp, undeniable instinct. He had to follow that boy. It wasn't just curiosity anymore; it was a pull in his very blood.
Then, a thought struck him like lightning: The Castle.
Ignoring the ache in his lungs, he began running again, heading toward the great stone fortress that loomed at the village's northern edge. The perimeter was vast, stretching far beyond what he had imagined. He was forced to circle the massive outer wall for what felt like miles before he reached the only way in.
A single, massive gate. And to his shock... it stood wide open.
Cesar stopped at the threshold, his legs stiff. A wave of unease washed over him, heavy and suffocating. What if the stories were true? he wondered. What if my grandfather really came here? What if this place was his end?
He backed away from the gate, pressing himself into the shadows of a nearby building. The silence gnawed at him. Seconds passed like hours until—footsteps. Familiar ones.
"There he is," Cesar whispered.
The boy appeared, stepping confidently into the courtyard. He didn't hesitate. While Cesar lingered in fear, this stranger moved with cold, calculated purpose.
This is my only chance, Cesar thought. He forced his legs to move, driven by a cocktail of memory, grief, and a desperate hope. He peered through the opening, watching as the boy scanned the area.
"You don't need to hide," the boy said suddenly. His voice was calm, but it cut through the silence like a blade. "I heard you."
Cesar froze. But the words didn't feel like a threat. There was something in the boy's tone—steadying, almost reassuring in its bluntness. Gathering his courage, Cesar stepped into the light.
"I thought you didn't like me following you," he said, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Why would I care?" the boy replied, not even looking back. "You're not a guard. This castle doesn't belong to me. Entering is your risk to take."
"Well... yeah, that's fair," Cesar mumbled. "Can I ask your name?"
"Lefelob."
"Right. I'm Cesar. Nice to meet you."
The courtyard was a desert of grey stone. Not a single guard was in sight—a haunting emptiness that felt intentional.
"Lefelob... I've wanted to come here for so long, but I never had the courage." Cesar hesitated, looking at the looming spires. "Can I... join you?"
Lefelob paused, then gave a single, silent nod. It was curt and emotionless, but for Cesar, it was enough.
The inner entrance was less grand than the gate, but far more intimidating. It wasn't the size that unnerved Cesar; it was the darkness. It felt alive, pulsing, as if the castle itself was breathing, waiting for them to step inside.
Lefelob peered into the gloom. "This one's open too. Strange."
"Maybe the guards were pulled out to deal with those intruders," Cesar whispered, his eyes fixed on the yawning void of the hallway.
Lefelob didn't reply immediately. He kept his gaze on the shadows. Then, without turning, he asked, "Are you sure you want to do this?"
Cesar felt a pulse of fear, but then Yuusaba's voice echoed in his mind. Your grandfather never returned. He clenched his fists.
"Yes. I have to know. The authorities have kept everyone away from this place for as long as I can remember."
"Mmh. Then you really don't know anything," Lefelob said quietly. "I suspected as much."
"What do you mean? Do you know something about this place?"
A faint, almost amused grin touched Lefelob's face—a rare crack in his stoic mask.
"This castle? It's not the only one. There are others like it, scattered across the entire world. Most people don't even know they exist. And those who do are told never to enter." He paused, his voice dropping an octave. "The Kormanys forbid it. Without exception."
"The Kormanys? Who are they?"
Lefelob gave him a sidelong glance, a mix of amusement and disbelief in his eyes. "Oh... right. You really are in the dark." He stepped into the hallway. "They're the core. The highest tier of the global government. The ones who actually pull the strings."
Cesar stood stunned. "But... my grandfather... why would everyone hide this from me? About the castles? About the Kormanys?"
Lefelob offered a faint shrug. "Most people are kept in the dark. It's easier to control them that way."
"That's not a reason!" Cesar snapped.
"I know," Lefelob replied calmly. "But trust me... there are things you shouldn't know. I'm not being cruel. I'm trying to protect what's left of your innocence."
Cesar's heart pounded, not with fear, but with a burning frustration. That sliver of information was a spark in a dark room—it showed him just how much had been hidden his entire life.
They stepped into the corridor. No windows. No torches. Only the oppressive weight of stone and silence. Cesar was finally inside the forbidden place, and whatever truth lay at the end of this darkness, he was done running from it.