The dungeon was cold and silent. The torchlight flickered against the stone walls, as if illuminating the dying breaths of the past.
Kais stood in the middle of the hall. His eyes looked tired, but something inside him still refused to break.
He closed his eyes and spoke in a quieter voice, filled with pain.
"I risked my life... because I thought there was still something left inside you worth saving..."
He paused for a moment before his gaze sharpened.
"But you... you destroyed everything yourself."
Ashlor Ashborn stood a few steps away. His expression was cold, though hidden anger burned beneath it.
"You never understood, Kais... what power really means."
His voice grew heavier.
"That throne... belonged to me. I bled for it, not you."
Kais let out a bitter laugh.
"You bled for it? Or did you sacrifice everyone else just to keep yourself on top?"
For the first time, Ashlor's smile faltered.
In a dark corner, Valkrist sat silently. Every word seemed to burn part of his mind away. His eyes remained fixed on his father, but the certainty he once had was gone.
Ashlor stepped forward.
"You've always been too emotional... that's why you'll always lose."
Now standing behind the black iron bars, Ashlor glared at Kais. Veins bulged along his neck with rage.
"Look at yourself..."
His voice echoed through the dungeon.
"After all these years, you're still the same coward."
Kais didn't answer.
Ashlor smirked.
"Do you know why you can't kill me? Because deep down, you're still hoping I'm the same brother you once loved."
Silence.
"But that man is dead, Kais."
His eyes glimmered in the darkness.
"So either set me free... or cut my head off right now."
Valkrist looked at his father with concern.
But Ashlor didn't care.
"Move!"
He slammed his fist against the bars.
The sound of metal echoed throughout the dungeon.
"I'm tired of this cursed life!"
Another punch.
"Either kill me..."
A third strike.
"Or save me!"
This time, his voice cracked.
"Just end this suffering..."
Kais remained motionless for several moments.
His eyes stayed fixed on his brother.
Then he quietly asked:
"Do you remember that day?"
Ashlor frowned.
"What day?"
"The day everyone abandoned you."
Kais' voice was calm, but every word landed like a blade.
"The day everyone wanted you dead."
Ashlor said nothing.
"I stood against them all."
Kais clenched his fist.
"I bled for you... I was wounded for you... I almost died for you..."
A heavy silence filled the room.
"But you..."
His gaze turned colder.
"The moment you gained power, I was the first person you betrayed."
Ashlor's face twitched for a moment.
But he immediately shouted back:
"Because you were weak!"
He slammed his fist against the bars again.
"That throne was mine! It was my right!"
Kais laughed.
Not out of happiness...
But out of disappointment.
"After all these years... you still don't understand. The throne was never the problem."
Ashlor gritted his teeth.
"Then what was the problem?!"
Kais looked directly into his eyes.
"You."
Silence.
For the first time, Ashlor had no answer.
Kais turned around and began walking toward the exit.
Suddenly, Ashlor grabbed the bars.
"Kais!"
"Kais, come back!"
His voice grew louder.
"Damn it! Get back here!"
"Kais! If you don't kill me here, your family will suffer for it!"
Kais stopped.
Without turning around, he said:
"I'm not going to repeat Father's mistake."
Ashlor froze.
Kais took another step.
Then he spoke one final time.
"And besides..."
His voice was cold.
Colder than the dungeon stones.
"I'm not as merciful as I used to be."
A brief pause.
"Not even for you."
Then he continued walking.
The sound of his footsteps slowly faded away.
And for the first time in his life, Ashlor realized that some wounds never heal.
Crown Prince Itsuki's Room
The light of the setting sun streamed through the tall windows, casting a golden glow across the royal carpets.
Zeno sat on one of the couches, curiously looking around the room.
Arisa stood beside the window, while Itsuki lay on his bed with his arm and stomach wrapped in bandages.
For a moment, nobody spoke.
Then Zeno asked curiously:
"Hey, Itsuki... is your father really that Kais everyone talks about?"
Itsuki gave a faint smile.
"Yeah... that's him."
Zeno immediately leaned forward.
"People say he's insanely powerful. Some even say that when he's angry, even the Holy Knights are afraid of him."
Arisa let out a small laugh.
"Some people? Almost everyone is afraid of him."
Itsuki sighed.
"People only see the king's side of him."
Zeno frowned.
"There's another side?"
Itsuki was silent for a few seconds.
"When I was a kid... he came to my room every night before I went to sleep."
Zeno blinked.
"Seriously?"
"Even when he was exhausted. Even when he'd just come back from war councils."
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"I remember one night I woke up because of a huge thunderstorm. I thought monsters had come."
Arisa smiled softly, as if she remembered that moment.
Itsuki continued.
"A few minutes later, my father came into my room. Without saying a word, he sat beside my bed."
Zeno listened carefully.
"I told him I was scared."
Itsuki's eyes softened.
"And he said, 'As long as I'm breathing, nothing can hurt you.'"
The room fell silent.
Zeno whispered:
"He actually said that?"
"Yeah."
Itsuki:
"My father isn't a kind man. At least, that's how he appears. A lot of people even think he doesn't have a heart."
A bitter smile crossed his face.
"But the truth is, he's fought harder than anyone else for his family."
Arisa spoke softly.
"A lot of the time, he'd get hurt himself so others wouldn't have to."
Itsuki nodded.
"When I was little, I never understood why he would always stare at the sky alone."
He paused briefly.
"Later, I realized that some wounds never truly heal."
Then he looked directly at Zeno.
"My father is the kind of man who would fight the entire world to save someone he loves."
A short silence followed.
"But if someone harms his family... not even the gods could save them."
Zeno unconsciously swallowed.
Arisa laughed.
"That part is completely true."
Itsuki chuckled as well.
"That's why it's better if he never finds out you've caused trouble."
Zeno immediately sat up straight.
"Me?! I've always been a good kid!"
Arisa and Itsuki looked at each other.
Then both burst out laughing.
---
Zeno smiled and placed his hands behind his head.
"So tell me, Itsuki... is he stronger than you?"
For a moment, the room went silent.
Then suddenly, Itsuki burst into laughter.
"Stronger than me?"
He laughed so hard that tears formed in the corners of his eyes.
Zeno frowned.
"Why are you laughing?"
At that moment, Itsuki's wife, who had been sitting on the sofa, smiled and said:
"I don't think Zeno realizes who he's talking about."
Zeno looked at her curiously.
She continued:
"I didn't witness that war myself, but my father was there. Back then, he was King Kais's right-hand man."
Itsuki's smile slowly faded.
His wife spoke softly.
"My father used to tell me about the time the Northern Alliance invaded the Empire's borders with over two hundred thousand soldiers."
Zeno's eyes widened.
"Two hundred thousand?!"
"Yeah."
She took a sip of tea before continuing.
"The generals were preparing for a war that would last for months. Everyone thought it would be a long and brutal conflict."
She paused.
"Then King Kais stepped onto the battlefield."
Without realizing it, Zeno leaned forward.
"What happened next?"
"My father said that before that day, he believed all those legends were exaggerated."
Her expression became serious.
"But the moment Kais drew his sword... nobody laughed anymore."
The room grew quiet.
"My father swore that the very first wave of his power was enough to make thousands of soldiers lose the courage to even approach him."
Zeno whispered:
"Thousands...?"
"And that was only the beginning."
A bitter smile appeared on her face.
"My father always said the greatest mistake their enemies made was believing they were facing an ordinary human."
Itsuki nodded.
"Father never liked talking about that war."
"Why?" Zeno asked.
"Because he said too many people died that day."
Zeno thought about Itsuki's wife's words for a few moments.
Then an excited grin spread across his face.
"Honestly... I'd really love to fight Kais someday!"
Silence.
A heavy silence filled the room.
Itsuki slowly lowered his head.
His wife covered her mouth.
And Arisa...
Slowly turned her head toward Zeno.
"What did you just say?"
Zeno continued excitedly.
"Just think about it! Fighting the strongest warrior in the Empire! That would be amazing!"
A vein popped out on Arisa's forehead.
"Zeno..."
"Hmm?"
"You want to fight my father?"
"Yeah!"
Zeno nodded enthusiastically.
"A friendly match, of course!"
Arisa immediately stood up.
"A FRIENDLY MATCH?!"
"Yeah!"
"You're talking about fighting a man who is the subject of half the legends on this continent!"
"So?"
"SO?!"
Arisa looked like she was about to explode.
"Are you seriously not afraid of dying?!"
Zeno thought about it for a few seconds.
"Not really."
Arisa covered her face with one hand.
"Oh my gods..."
At that moment, Itsuki's wife, who had been trying not to laugh for several minutes, finally gave up.
"Hahaha..."
Everyone looked at her.
Still smiling, she said:
"Honestly..."
Her eyes shifted between Zeno and Arisa.
"You two are actually perfect for each other."
...
The room instantly fell silent.
Arisa froze.
"W-What?"
Her cheeks slowly turned red.
Then redder.
A few seconds later, her entire face was practically scarlet.
"W-What are you talking about?!"
Itsuki's wife wore a mischievous smile.
"Nothing. I'm just saying that one of you is always causing trouble, and the other is always worried about him."
Itsuki smiled as well.
"She's right."
"You stay out of this!"
Arisa immediately snapped back at him.
But at that exact moment, Zeno spoke with a completely confused expression.
"Wait..."
Everyone turned to him.
"What does 'perfect for each other' even mean?"
Silence.
Itsuki's wife burst out laughing again.
Even Itsuki couldn't hold it in anymore.
Arisa wished the ground would open up and swallow her whole.
Meanwhile, Zeno continued speaking with absolute seriousness.
"No, seriously! What does it mean? Like... because we both use swords?"
That was it.
Itsuki completely lost control and nearly fell off the bed laughing.
His wife was laughing so hard she could barely breathe.
And Arisa—
Her face redder than ever—
Grabbed a pillow and hurled it straight at Zeno.
"SHUT UP!"