"The Duchess is currently prohibiting anyone in the young lady's room—"

"Let them pass," Alen’s voice came firmly from upstairs.

The doctor was speaking quietly to the Duke and Duchess as they entered.

"This... it seems she's ingested Moonseed. But not enough to cause such severe symptoms. Unless she’s allergic—which there’s no sign of—I believe she’ll live. That said…" he hesitated, brows furrowing, “something’s unusual.”

“I have a cure!” Neri’s maid interrupted, holding out a slender glass vial.

The doctor’s eyes widened. “Where did you—?”

“Who allowed her in here?” the Duchess asked, restraining her wrath.

“I did, Your Grace,” a servant nearby replied. “She said she had a cure.”

The doctor took the vial carefully. His voice trembled with recognition. “W-where did you find this? This tincture is… Arcadia. There are only three known vials in the world. It can reverse the most potent poisons. No one knows who the creator is, or how to replicate it.”

Keir entered the room, holding a glass of water. “Well, don’t dally—give it to her.”

The doctor mixed it into the water and carefully brought it to Neri’s lips. Her breathing steadied almost instantly.

“It should take effect almost immediately,” he said. “But she’ll need rest. I’d like to speak with you two in private.”

The Duke and Duchess followed him out. As they turned the corner, the doctor’s voice dropped, but Nathan had already crept closer, quiet as a shadow.

“…She’s immune to poison? Isn’t that only possible through prolonged exposure?”

The doctor sighed. “Yes. It means she was fed poisons—slowly, regularly—over the years. The dose she took today, besides the Moonseed, could kill several trained swordsmen within an hour. That she’s alive… her body has adapted in a way that’s both remarkable and horrifying.”

Nathan’s heart raced as he ducked away and rushed to her room.

Inside, Alen was sprawled across the couch, Lucien leaning against the balcony doors. Keir sat beside Neri, wiping her forehead with a towel.

“Keir… what does it take to be immune to poison?” Nathan asked quietly.

Keir glanced up. “Nathan, were you eavesdropping?”

Alen sat up sharply. “Wait—Neri is immune to poison?”

They all hushed him.

“Lower your voice,” Keir muttered. “We’re not supposed to know.”

He looked back at Neri’s sleeping face, sadness darkening his eyes.

“It means... it means she ingested different poisons every day,” he said softly. “Over and over.”

Nathan frowned. “Can I become immune too?”

Keir clenched his fists. “Not everyone survives. It’s like being torn apart from the inside, every day. Like dying a thousand times.”

Lucien finally stepped forward. “I want the truth. I may be young, but I’m not stupid. Where has Neri been all this time? Azrael wouldn’t allow this.”

Keir stood, voice low. “We’ll talk outside. She needs peace.”

Once they left, the room grew still. Only Enya remained beside Neri.

Her fingers twitched. Her lashes fluttered. Slowly, she opened one eye.

Seeing no one else around, she sat up and stretched.

“Ah… that felt good,” she muttered—then froze.

Koa stood at her balcony window, expression dark.

“Oh boy,” she sighed. “This isn’t going to end well.”

Enya swiftly opened the doors to let him in before Neri could give orders.

“You... how could you do something so stupid!?” Koa snapped. “You should know no man has survived Gehenna!”

She shrugged, unfazed. “Good thing I’m not a man. Besides, I had to make it look real. You know I won’t die. If anything, it probably just increased my pain tolerance.”

They bickered briefly, but Enya cut in.

“Master, the doctor examined your vitals. He told your parents about your tolerance to poison. Lord Nathan overheard—and he told your other brothers and Lord Ikar.”

Koa sat beside her, brow tense. “Perhaps that’s for the best. Nyssa… are you planning to reveal your identity as Leader of the Shadows?”

She rose slowly, hiding the pain in her muscles as she walked to the balcony. Outside, she saw Nyx darting through the fields beside Orin.

“I’ll reveal it when the time is right. For now, I want information on the young man who helped you find me. He might know where she is.”

“Nyssa…” Koa asked, quieter now, “What will you do if you find her?”

Neri turned to him, eyes glinting cold as steel. “I will eliminate her.”

The air in the room chilled instantly. Koa shivered despite himself. She hadn’t even released her aura—but the temperature had shifted with her words.

“…Understood. I’ll send word through Cyr.”

He leapt from the balcony and vanished into the woods.

“Tell them I’ve awakened,” Neri said to Enya without looking back.

***

Downstairs, the family gathered in the Duke’s study.

Lucien sat quietly, thinking over what he’d learned. He felt a sting of guilt remembering how cold he’d been to her during their first meeting.

“So Nerissa was kidnapped by a maid at age six,” he said aloud. “Azrael left to search for her and only sent letters. He returned after hearing about ‘sunset eyes’ on a foreign auction ship... and purchased her.”

The Duke nodded. “Yes. The Angel of Rue is known for his eyes. But what most people don’t know is—Nathan has a twin.”

A soft knock interrupted them.

“The young lady is awake,” Enya said with a bow.

“Thank you. You are dismissed,” the Duke replied.

The brothers were already moving when their father raised a hand. “Keir, Alen, Nathan—you need to fetch your horses. The servants are occupied with preparations for your brother’s welcome party.”

Lucien turned and bolted toward Neri’s room. He was about to push the door open—but paused, hand hovering.

“You may enter, Lord Ikar,” came her voice.

He stepped inside. “How’d you know it was me?”

She smiled faintly. “Only one person would make such a ruckus, only to hesitate.”

Lucien looked down, ashamed. “If I had been faster… You wouldn’t be in this condition.”

“No need to blame yourself. As my brothers probably told you… I grew up in a different environment. That poison didn’t harm me.”

Lucien clenched his fists. “What made you think I wouldn’t believe you?”

She tilted her head. “I figured Lord Ikar disliked me. I assumed you’d think I was joking.”

He blinked. “Why would you think that? If I disliked you, I wouldn’t have sat beside you.”

A long pause. Then:

“Also, why do you keep speaking so formally to me?”

She faltered.

 Oh no, she had gotten so used to treating her clients formally that she was doing it to Lucien. 

"Well, I'm not quite sure how this noble system of words works." 

 Lucien burst into laughter, "Noble system of words? That's a good way to put it, I suppose. Technically, you’re right. I’m older by two and a half years. But since our families are close, and we’re friends… You don’t need to speak formally.”

Friends.

The word echoed strangely in her mind. Had she ever had a friend? The guild had been family… but friends?

Lucien’s voice lowered. “We are friends, right?”

She hesitated, then nodded slowly. “…Yes.”

But in her heart, a quiet voice whispered:
What is a friend?