The carriage finally came to a halt at the heart of the Lilum Clan territory.

Nestled deep within a valley of shimmering white flora stood the clan’s main estate—a breathtakingly beautiful villa carved from pristine ivory stone. A translucent, iridescent magical barrier rippled over the entire sky above the area, humming with immense defensive power. Guarding the perimeter were rows of hollow, metallic puppet knights. Their gears clicked in unison, their empty visors glowing with a cold, artificial light.

But inside the carriage, the beautiful scenery was completely eclipsed by a frantic argument.

"I told you, it was just a giant bird! It wasn't an assassination attempt!" Rin huffed, his voice laced with a sudden, uncharacteristic nervousness as the carriage doors warped open. He was fidgeting with the silk hem of his sleeve, his usual playful confidence completely vanishing the closer they got to the front steps.

"My duty is to neutralize risks," Kael responded flatly, stepping out of the carriage first to survey the area. "Your reckless actions increased the risk parameters by eighty percent."

"You are so stubborn, fish-face!" Rin snapped back, though his tone lacked its usual joyful bite. He looked genuinely anxious now, his eyes darting toward the grand double doors of the villa.

As they crossed the threshold into the opulent, high-ceilinged entrance hall, the heavy silence of the estate swallowed them whole. Waiting for them at the center of the room stood a strikingly beautiful lady. She wore heavy, layered silk robes of deep midnight blue, her long hair pinned up elegantly with silver needles. In her right hand, she held a polished metal fan, snapping it shut with a sharp, echoing clack.

"Oh, my," the woman murmured, her voice dripping with ice. "What do we have here?"

The moment Rin saw her, he froze. A flicker of raw dread washed over his delicate features before he forced a bright, desperate smile onto his face. He took a step forward, raising his voice to mask his fear. "Mother!"

Rin hurried toward her, perhaps hoping for a warm welcome after his brush with danger. But the moment he reached her, Lady Lilum’s expression twisted into one of pure disgust.

SLAP.

The sharp, brutal sound echoed violently off the marble walls. The force of the strike threw Rin back, a bright red mark blooming instantly on his soft, pale cheek.

"Cursed child," the woman hissed, her eyes glaring down at him as if he were filth. "You dare run off and cause a scene? You are nothing but a burden to this clan's lineage."

In a fraction of a second, Kael’s world snapped from grey to blood-red.

He didn't think. He didn't calculate. His assassin instincts completely took over his body. With a lethal hiss of dark energy, Kael’s hand flew to the hilt of his daggers, his body coiling to strike down the threat to his client.

Instantly, the clicking of gears filled the room. A dozen magical puppet knights snapped to attention, their spears and iron halberds dropping in unison, aiming directly at Kael’s throat. The magical barrier of the room flared, locking Kael in place.

Rin, holding his bruised cheek, saw the impending bloodbath. "It’s okay, Kael!" he yelled desperately, his voice trembling as he looked at his bodyguard. "Stand down! Please! I am fine... it’s just family issues. It's always like this."

Kael stared at Rin. The beautiful boy looked small, hurt, and utterly broken—yet he was still begging Kael not to get hurt. Slowly, with an agonizing resistance, Kael forced his muscles to relax. He slid his hand away from his daggers, calming down his volatile magic. The puppet knights remained tense, but they didn't strike.

Lady Lilum looked past her son, her cold gaze landing on Kael’s dark, blood-stained armor. She wrinkled her nose in distaste. "And who is this stray dog you've brought into my halls?"

For a moment, a rare flash of panic hit Kael. He was an assassin, a blank slate, an emotionless tool known only as Number Four. He didn't know how to speak to nobility. He didn't belong in a beautiful villa.

But before Kael could stutter, Rin stood up straight. He tossed his hair back, lifting his chin with a sudden, fierce confidence that surprised even his mother.

"He is my knight," Rin declared, his voice echoing clearly through the hall.

Lady Lilum blinked, utterly stunned, before letting out a harsh, mocking laugh. "Your knight? What utter, pathetic drivel. A cursed thing like you doesn't deserve a shadow, let alone a protector."

Furious at his defiance, the woman raised her hand again, her heavy metal fan glinting in the light as she swung it down toward Rin’s face with enough force to draw blood. Rin flinched violently, closing his eyes tightly and bracing for the pain.

He never felt it.

With a burst of supernatural speed, Kael vanished from his spot. Before the metal fan could touch a single strand of Rin's hair, Kael’s iron-grip hand shot forward, clamping down like a vice around Lady Lilum’s wrist.

The sound of the impact was a dull thud. Everyone in the room—the clan elders, the servants, and the puppet knights—froze in absolute shock. Nobody touched the Matriarch of the Lilum Clan. Nobody dared.

Kael stood towering over the woman, his dead, monochrome eyes staring directly into hers. His grip was unyielding, completely halting her hand mid-air.

"My mission is to keep him alive," Kael said, his voice dropping into a terrifyingly low, demonic whisper that sent a shiver down the spine of every guard in the room. "And that includes protecting him from anyone who tries to extinguish his flame. Even you."

Rin slowly opened his eyes, looking up through his tears at the broad, dark silhouette of the assassin shielding him from his mother. For the first time in his life, someone had stood between him and the dark.