A heavy silence filled the hall, broken only by a sigh from Evering.
"I don't understand why Kylian keeps running away... That bastard, if I catch him, I swear I will imprison him and strip him of all his magic... Evianos."
"Yes, brother."
"Create something a device that can suppress magical powers."
"Why"
"I want to seal his powers as soon as we capture him. Make it something like a collar around his neck but invisible. There's no need for everyone to know we've restrained our cousin. That scoundrel will see my other side. Make sure it works well; Kylian is very strong, probably the strongest among us."
Evianos sighed in reluctance.
"I don't like this, but I'll obey your orders."
"Brother, we have a bigger problem here"
"What is it, Alexander"
"Dem has a child He's Kassial’s sonAfter all, we can't leave him there in Miracia "
Evering rubbed his face with his hands and sighed heavily
"Let's postpone this discussion until Dem wakes up. He will be the one to bring him from there. Everyone must know who Demik Kassial is... That damned Aron dared to make my little brother feel unloved."
He slammed the small table in front of him with his hand, splitting it in half.
"Oh, brother... calm down a bit. When he wakes up, I’ll go with him and Kylos, and we’ll burn Miracia."
"Phoenix, can you calm down? We can't breach the peace treaty on the continent," Alexander replied.
"Your calmness will kill me someday, Alex," Phoenix responded with deep frustration.
"Kal, have you seen him? How is he? What's his name?" Evering asked.
"Yes, I saw him once, on one of my visits. Fortunately, it wasn't hard to remember, but his eyes were black, clearly under a magical influence as well... He’s as beautiful as his father, blonde like our dad. His hair color resembles our father's a lot... He looked very much like Dem. It seems they have a good relationship. Honestly, I'm worried. If he finds out his father has disappeared, he will be sad."
Evering smiled.
"Don't worry, our little one will return home. Now, off to bed. I've been too lenient with you all."
"Haha, alright, Papa... but there's something important I need to tell you."
"Alright, Kal, tell me on the way to my room; I want to sleep."
Evering stood up, followed by Kylos, who opened the hall door to leave.
"The thing is... you... brother, isn’t it time to tell us what's going on with you?"
Evering turned to him in shock before opening the door.

"What? Me? What kind of question is this... Brother, you’ve been bothering me with this question for a while... I'm fine. What kind of things could I possibly be hiding from you "
"Something about your health... isn't it "

"Nothing. Stop this foolish talk."

"Brother, you're the fool here. We're trying to understand you, trying not to pressure you... but we barely know you these days. You’ve been distant, withdrawn, always pale and exhausted, like you're on the verge of death."

Phoenix said this, then returned to his bottle.

"Brother, let go of this stubbornness... because of your coldness towards your wife and child, and with us most of the time... even the servants in the palace have noticed. We don't know what kind of rumors might have arisen about you... Forget the rumors. What about your wife? You're just like Kylian; you seem to enjoy abandonment... Look, we're bearing this for now only because we’re occupied with finding our brothers and organizing the kingdom after losing our father and the chaos that followed our stupid war with Miracia."

Evering averted his gaze from his brother's eyes.

Phoenix rise from his seat and walked towards them, staggering slightly as he walked. He seemed a bit drunk. He shoved Kaylos out of Evering's way and grabbed Evering’s face between his hands with such force that Evering felt Phoenix's fingers digging into his skin. He looked up to meet Phoenix’s eyes, which were deep and void of any emotion, and the scent of wine emanated from his breath. Phoenix wasn’t one to get drunk easily, but he did when his sadness overwhelmed him. He tried to hide his feelings, tried to be as strong as possible in front of his brothers, but today he let himself go. In that moment, a heavy silence cloaked them, growing thicker the closer their faces got.
His breath, tainted with the stench of alcohol, bothered Evering.
"Get away from me, Phoenix. You're annoying me."
Phoenix tightened his grip on his brother's face, then shoved him hard, slamming him against the door.
"Have you gone mad"
"You're the one who's gone mad Why are you acting like this? What are you hiding from us"
"I'm not hiding anything."
"Hahaha… Brother, you really made me laugh. You're a liar… a good liar. Sometimes I tell myself to leave you alone, not to interfere, but this is enough. I can feel it. We all can feel it. Your aura isn’t right. I mean, it looks the same, but it feels dim."
"Phoenix, calm down. You can't solve the problem this way."
"Then how should we solve it, Kal? Tell me. Evi, are you going to die? Do you have some life-threatening illness, is that why you're acting like this? Or do you want to escape too, like Kilian… Kilian was like this a week before he disappeared."
"Phoenix, have you lost your mind? I’m perfectly fine. And why would I run away? I don’t do that."
Phoenix grabbed Evering’s arms firmly, pressing him back against the door with all his weight. His grip was tight, like an expression of his stubborn will. He leaned in slightly, his face so close to his brother's, his features strained with tension and anger. Evering tried to free his arms but found himself trapped between Phoenix's grip and the harsh tone of his brother’s voice, which was deep and filled with challenge. The air between them was charged with the need for answers, and each time Evering tried to move, he felt like every movement only added to the force of Phoenix's grip on his arms, making him confront Phoenix's sharp gaze, which seemed to press on him more than the physical pressure.
"So, what's happening to you, Evi?"
"Nothing, it's just your imagination."
"Phoenix, please, we don't know what's going on with him. Maybe it’s something personal that he doesn't want to share."
"Alex, shut up. You're just like him. You also divorced your wife without any reason. We still don't know why… You’re all fools."
"Brother, it's not the same. She asked for a divorce, and I granted her wish

"Phoenix, let me go."

Evering’s heart was racing from the tension. He didn’t want to break down in front of his brothers now; he was trying to free himself from Phoenix's grip without hurting him.

"I’ll let you go, but you’re going to prove to me that you’re fine. Or at least, you’ll talk. But if I find out you’re suffering from something serious or planning to leave us, then only then—"

"Heh, then what? Are you going to kill me?"

Phoenix smiled with intense malice, tightening his grip on Evering.

"No, I'll tear up that ridiculous treaty and burn Mirasia and everyone in it. And if I find out that you are indeed hiding something from us… then believe me, I’ll make you regret it. Don’t you dare die, Evi… don't you dare run away… I’ll kill you myself if you do."

Phoenix's grip loosened, and he collapsed to the floor; Evering caught him before he hit the ground.

"Phoenix… Phoenix, you fool."

He looked at him, smiling sadly.

"This idiot was bragging all morning about not getting drunk, and look at him now."

"Evi, you know he only drinks when he's deeply sad. Despite the coldness and rebellion he shows, he's deeply emotional… Let me carry him to his room."

Kaylos lifted Phoenix in his arms and took him to his room. Evering tried to get up, but Avianos stopped him.

"Brother, your face has scratches from Phoenix. Let me heal them for you. You shouldn't go out in front of the servants looking like this."

Evering touched his face, feeling the scratches.

"Oh… Hahaha, this idiot seems determined."

Evianus focused his energy on Evering’s face, and the wounds healed quickly.

"Brother, Phoenix is right. We deserve to know everything about you. Let’s finish this discussion now, and tomorrow your child will return. Please, treat him well… Goodnight."

Everyone headed to their rooms. Evering walked toward his room, feeling utterly confused. He thought he had succeeded in deceiving them all these years, but no, his brothers suspected him. His wife, damn it, he couldn't face her. He reached the door, hoping she was either asleep or in the bathroom, or anywhere else. He felt embarrassed to death; he didn’t have the usual energy to handle their daily cold encounters that had persisted for years. Today, he truly felt an overwhelming weakness. He didn’t want to see her because he would surely weaken or maybe reveal the truth about his illness, which would sadden her. He would rather have Yursina hate him than see her sad—that was his reasoning.

He finally opened the door after a long hesitation.

"Damn you, Phoenix. I'm suffering all this because of you."

The doors of the royal bedroom opened, revealing a breathtaking space. The ceiling was adorned with a meticulously painted scene that reflected a serene natural setting, where golden light mingled with the dark shadows of the night. The dark-colored walls were decorated with exquisite gold engravings, wrapping around the luxurious bed with its skillfully carved headboard, giving the room a mythical feel. Candles arranged neatly on side tables cast a soft glow, enhancing the room’s allure, while white flowers were scattered on a gilded-framed mirror, reflecting an air of elegance and warmth.

This is strange—why is he noticing this room like this when he’s slept here for years? He feels like he's seeing it for the first time.

The silence in the room was only broken by a faint breeze blowing through the nearby window, making it seem like a stage set in a fantastical world, waiting for life to breathe into its details.

His heart was racing bit by bit; he placed his hand on his heart.

"Damn me, my heart will stop if I'm not careful… Wait, where’s Yursina?"

He stepped further into the room and heard the sound of water coming from the bathroom.

"Oh, she must be taking a bath. I'll change my clothes before she comes out and pretend to be asleep. That’s the best solution… Phoenix, damn you, my mind is muddled because of you."

He quickly changed into his nightwear and collapsed on the bed, falling asleep from sheer exhaustion. His heart was truly weary from everything he had gone through that day.

Yursina came out of the bathroom, drying her hair. She noticed him lying on her bed.

On a bed of pure white silk, he lay peacefully, as if his soul had separated from the real world and drifted into a realm of dreams. His golden hair flowed like waterfalls over the pillows, gleaming under the gentle rays of sunlight that peeked through the white curtains, like a celestial touch embracing his features. His serene face exuded peace, his lips curled into a subtle smile, as if he were dreaming of the hidden secrets of the universe.

His loose white clothes enhanced the aura of purity surrounding him, as if he were a mysterious prince from a fairy tale, sleeping and waiting for the moment he wakes to reveal the truth of his existence. The room whispered tranquility, as if it knew that this being lying there was not an ordinary human but from a distant world, where he controlled time and destiny.
"Oh, Evi, it’s you. You look like a little angel."
She gently ran her hand through his hair.
She brushed her hair and changed her clothes, lying down beside him, pretending that he wasn’t there—or at least, that’s what she tried to convey.
Both of them drifted into a deep sleep for the first time in a long time.
On a cold night, a gentle breeze sneaked through the window, silently observing what was happening inside. On the large bed covered with dark velvet sheets, the couple lay, each on the edge of the mattress, their backs turned to each other, as if the icy wall of anger they had built was impenetrable. The distance between them was silent, heavy as stones, filled with memories of the abandonment that had ignited a fire in their hearts, the abandonment that Yursina still hadn’t found an answer for, leaving an empty space devoid of the warmth that once united them.
But as if a hidden force controlled the scene, their bodies began to move slowly in their sleep. Unconsciously, the distance between them started to shrink little by little. His hand rose gently, hesitantly, before finding its way to her waist, as if seeking comfort in the warmth of her body. She, in turn, slipped closer to his chest, as though asking his scattered mind for refuge from both the external and internal cold.

When the moonlight shone on their faces, it revealed an unintentional embrace, bringing them closer than their conflict. Despite their anger, their bodies knew what their troubled hearts had ignored: that love, even at the height of discord, still existed, waiting for the right moment to resurface.

This embrace, born from their dreams, was not just an unspoken agreement but a symbol of their ongoing connection, even in moments of doubt and anger. Yursina and Ivering shared a great love, which Ivering destroyed with his fear. He couldn't tell her about his illness; he didn't want to involve her in his sorrow. His heart was so weak that it couldn’t even bear to be with her. So, he decided to withdraw slowly, against his will, believing that if he died, she wouldn’t grieve for him. This is what he thought, but Yursina would never stop loving him, even after witnessing his betrayal. That’s how much she loved him.

When the golden rays of the sun began to sneak through the heavy curtains, she woke up first, opening her eyes slowly to find herself lying in his arms. She felt the calm beats of his heart and the warmth of his body holding her as if the conflict between them had never existed. For a moment, she allowed herself to savor this intimate moment before remembering his abandonment and coldness towards her all these years. Suddenly, shame filled her heart and anger flooded her mind, causing her cheeks to flush as she cautiously moved her body, trying to free herself from his arms without waking him.

But it was too late. With her first movement, he woke as well, their eyes meeting in a moment of silent embarrassment. A strange mix of warmth and shyness swept over them both when they realized their unintended closeness. He quickly pulled his arm away, as if he had touched a burning ember, then sat at the edge of the bed, avoiding her gaze. His heart pounded rapidly as if it would leap out of his chest.

In a low voice, he said, "I. I didn’t mean to..."

But he didn’t finish his sentence, as the tension weighed heavily on his words.
She, too, sat up, nervously touching her hair ends as she searched for words to ease the awkwardness of the moment. "It was just... sleep," she said softly, as if trying to convince 

herself before convincing him.

.Damn it, what am I doing..."
He placed his hand on his chest, trying to calm his ailing heart, cursing silently within.