For the next several weeks, Rune did nothing but train under the blazing sun and the pale moon. She no longer had to hide in the shadows just to sneak a listen to military basics. It was incredibly satisfying to finally work openly in the blacksmith shop without hiding.

But her favorite time was the night shift, guarding the castle under the moonlight.

One night, a northern shadow attack struck in the pitch darkness. A squad of knights, including Vesper, rushed to defend the old west tower, while others—including Soren—were assigned to hold their ground and protect the inner castle.

The moment Vesper stepped inside the old tower, the shadows began to swirl. The air grew heavy, and dark whispers started echoing in her mind. They were her own locked-away thoughts, the raw vulnerabilities she fought so hard to keep buried.

"You will never be loved," the shadow hissed, surrounding her.

"Maybe," Rune gasped, her breath heavy and strained. She forced a smirk to hide her weakness, even though she knew the shadow could read her like an open book. "And that is exactly why I have to love myself harder."

"We both know that will never be enough," the shadow whispered, tightening its suffocating grip around her. "It was never enough."

Rune Vesper’s smirk widened. She kept fighting because she truly had nothing left to lose. Her whole life had been a gamble in a losing game. "That might be true," she said, pulling herself up weakly. "But since when has that ever stopped me? After all, I am a knight. A fighter, not a lover."

Gathering every ounce of her remaining strength, she swung her quartz sword. Her inner light flared brighter, burning into the dark entity. The shadow roared in agony and began to dissolve.

When the darkness vanished, it didn't leave an empty room. Instead, a little child sat on the floor, sobbing. The girl looked exactly like a young Rune Vesper—with pale snow skin, bloody red hair, and frightened autumn-brown eyes.

Rune’s gaze softened. She walked over slowly and knelt before the weeping child, wrapping her arms around her. "I'm Is this the right thing? she thought bitterly. The royals and maids who had been terrified during the shadow attack were already back to mocking her and whispering behind her back. She didn't blame them; she was, after all, the only lady knight in Silex.

"Why do you have to be so useless!" the King bellowed when she entered the throne room to report.

"But Father, I defeated the shadow—" Rune tried to defend herself.

"Silence! One shadow out of many! And you dare speak back to me, calling that a success?!"

Rune dropped to one knee. From the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of her older sister, Princess Amara. Amara was looking at her with a sympathetic expression. She was the pure, perfect princess who could do no wrong.

Rune snapped her gaze back to the floor, enduring the harsh criticism of the King and Queen. She reached into her bag, her fingers finding comfort against her weird plushy toy. Don't you dare cry, Rune told herself. You are the cursed child for a reason. But could she really be blamed for blooming into a knight? Her own father would never protect her against a stranger, let alone cherish her the way he did her siblings and cousins. Don't think like that, she chided herself internally. They all have their struggles. You just happened to bloom as a knight. As she walked out of the throne room after surviving another humiliating insult, her heart began to race. What was more nerve-wracking than facing her father was the haunting doubt of whether she was doing enough for her kingdom.

Her dark thoughts were interrupted by Sir Kaelen and one of the ten knights who had stood up for her weeks ago.

"Well done, Knight Vesper," Sir Kaelen praised, hope gleaming in his eyes. "Did you tell His Majesty about your discovery in the tower?"

Rune kept her gaze fixed on the floor. Sir Kaelen’s expression fell. He understood instantly; the King hadn't even let her speak. "I see."

"Auntie Luniiii!" a tiny voice cried out.

Rune’s expression instantly transformed. It was her little niece, Princess Jasmen Elena. Rune dropped to her knees, scooping the little girl up into her arms and kissing the top of her head.

Princess Jasmen reached out, her small fingers gently touching the fresh, red bruise on Rune's cheek. "Why Grandpa mean?" she asked softly.

Rune forced a warm smile—a look she almost never showed anyone else in the castle. "Don't say that, sweetie. Grandpa isn't mean. He and I are just... different."

Standing nearby, Sir Kaelen and the other knights watched in stunned silence. They were completely captivated whenever they caught a glimpse of this hidden, remarkably gentle side of Rune. She walked away, carrying Jasmen safely in her arms.