The moon hung high above Silver Heaven Palace, its silvery light spilling gently through the arched windows of Princess Nina Heavenstar's chamber.
The night was quiet — too quiet — save for the faint hum of enchanted lamps and the delicate scent of white roses drifting from the balcony.
After the incident at the academy courtyard, Princess Nina Heavenstar sat silently inside her lavish chamber, surrounded by the gentle scent of roses and the faint hum of enchanted moonlight.
Though her body remained poised, her heart was restless. Her black eyes — usually calm and dignified — now shimmered with guilt.
She could still see it clearly — Shaun, bloodied and bruised, standing helplessly under Vince's blows.
And all because of her.
Her friends, Natsumi and Julia, lounged on the embroidered divan nearby, giggling as they gossiped about what had happened earlier.
"Honestly, Princess," Natsumi said, twirling a strand of her hair, "you're so lucky! Lord Vince is such a man — so bold and protective! Most girls would die for a fiancé like him!"
Julia chimed in eagerly, "Totally! Did you see the way he fought for you? It was like a knight defending his queen! You must be proud, Lady Nina."
But Nina didn't smile. She didn't even respond. Her gaze remained fixed on the small silver pendant in her hand — a keepsake from her late father.
The laughter faded when Reina, her quiet yet perceptive friend, finally spoke.
Her tone was calm, but her eyes searched Nina's face carefully.
"Nina," she said softly, "you haven't said a word since morning. Are you really… happy about what happened?"
The question hung in the air like a sharp blade. Natsumi and Julia glanced at each other, frowning.
"Of course she's happy!" Julia said quickly. "Vince just protected her honour. What's wrong with that?"
But Reina ignored her. She waited for Nina's answer.
After a long silence, Nina spoke — her voice barely above a whisper.
"I'm… not happy, Reina. I'm grateful that no one was seriously hurt, but… what Vince did to that boy was cruel. Shaun didn't deserve that."
Natsumi rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on. That commoner was asking for it! He dared to talk to a royal fiancée like you. Vince just put him in his place."
Nina looked down, her hands trembling slightly.
"That's exactly the problem," she murmured. "Everyone sees rank before humanity."
The room went quiet. Reina took a small step forward, lowering her voice.
"Nina… can I ask you something?"
Nina looked up, meeting her gaze.
"Do you truly love Vince?"
The question struck like lightning. Natsumi gasped; Julia's eyes widened.
"N–Nina doesn't have to answer that!" Julia said defensively, but Reina didn't back down.
After a long pause, Nina sighed. "No, Reina. I don't love him."
The honesty in her words silenced the room completely.
Nina turned toward the balcony, the moonlight outlining her figure in a soft, silver glow. The city below shimmered faintly beneath the stars, serene and distant.
"My father, the late Emperor David Heavenstar, was very close friends with Lord Robert Dragonblade, Vince's father. Their friendship was strong… and so, when I was a child, an engagement was arranged between Vince and me."
Her eyes dimmed with sorrow.
"After Father's death, my mother and I lost our position in court. Lord Robert took us in — out of kindness, he said. And I'll always be grateful to him for that. He gave us shelter when no one else would, protected our honour, and carried out Father's last wish to keep peace among the royal families."
She smiled faintly, though her voice trembled.
"I believe Lord Robert's intentions were sincere. He's been like an uncle to me since childhood. I owe him and his family a great debt."
Her hands tightened on the pendant around her neck.
"So even though this engagement is not what my heart desires, I must accept it — to protect my father's name… and to repay the kindness shown to us after his death."
She looked down, her voice turning faint.
"This engagement may be against my will… but it's the least I can do for those who once stood beside my father."
She paused, her reflection shimmering faintly in the moonlit glass.
"This engagement was never my choice," she said softly. "It was a political bond… and a cage."
Reina listened silently, her expression softening. "Then why do you still stay by Vince's side?"
"Because…" Nina hesitated, her voice trembling. "Because I can't bring dishonour to my father's name. His last wish was for peace among the Five Royal Families. If breaking this engagement causes conflict… I'd only be repeating the same mistakes that led to the wars he died trying to end."
Her gaze lifted toward the moon beyond the balcony — vast, radiant, and lonely.
"I want to change that. I want to bring true peace to the Silver Heaven Region — to end the endless power struggles between the families. One day… I'll unite all the regions and build a world where no one has to suffer because of their bloodline or birth."
Reina's eyes widened slightly. There was a quiet strength in Nina's voice — fragile yet burning with conviction.
"You're serious about this, aren't you?" Reina said softly.
Nina nodded. "It's my dream, Reina. Even if I have to walk this path alone."
Silence settled over the room once again — heavy, yet filled with quiet determination.
Nina's gaze drifted toward the silver clouds outside, her reflection faintly shimmering on the glass. For a long while, she said nothing — until a soft memory surfaced.
Then, a faint smile flickered across Nina's lips. Her thoughts drifted back to that moment in class — the boy who stood proudly before everyone, fearless and sincere, his voice echoing through her mind:
"I will become the world's strongest Magus!"
A small laugh escaped her, soft and wistful.
"He really was fearless," she whispered.
But as quickly as the warmth came, it vanished — replaced by the haunting image of Shaun's bruised face and Vince's merciless rage. Her smile faded, her eyes darkened once more.
Reina noticed. Her heart clenched as she watched the moonlight catch on Nina's golden hair — chains of light binding a girl who could no longer smile freely.
In that moment, Reina made a silent vow.
One day… I'll help her smile again. The same way she smiled when she first welcomed me — the girl no one noticed — into her world.
Outside, the night wind carried a faint melody from the palace gardens, brushing against the curtains like a whisper of fate.
Far beyond those silver walls, under the same moonlit sky, Shaun Thunderhawk gazed upward, feeling a strange pull in his chest — as though someone, somewhere, was thinking of him.
The moon glowed brighter, bathing both hearts in its quiet light — two souls bound by unseen threads of destiny, neither yet aware that their fates had already begun to intertwine.
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