The night advanced quietly, but the castle still seemed alive. Even without the constant movement of the day, there was a persistent presence in the air, as if every wall held energy accumulated over centuries. I left the room without making much noise. It wasn't restlessness, but it wasn't rest either. It was something in between, a need to better understand where I was.
The corridors were illuminated by crystals that emitted a soft light, different from ordinary torches. Gold still dominated the architecture, but at that moment, with the dimmer lighting, the environment felt less imposing and more profound.
I walked without any specific destination, simply observing. That was when I sensed a presence before I even saw her.
"You can't sleep either?"
The voice came from behind, calm.
I turned around.
The princess was there.
Now, without the formality of the throne room, it was easier to notice the details. Her features were softer than I had noticed before, but they still carried something different, something that wasn't human. Her eyes had a faint glow, almost as if they reflected more light than they should, and there was a firmness in her posture that didn't seem trained, but natural.
"Not exactly," I replied. "I just wanted to see more of the place."
She took a few steps closer, unhurried.
"That makes sense. This castle can seem... like a lot, at first."
"It's not just the castle."
She tilted her head slightly.
"Then what is it?"
"What it represents."
She remained silent for a moment, then smiled faintly.
"You notice things quickly."
"It's hard not to."
She stopped beside me, looking in the same direction I was.
"My name is Kaelira."
"Takumi."
"I know," she replied, with a slight hint of humor.
We stood in silence for a few seconds.
"So... you really accepted it," she said.
"I did."
"Without hesitation."
"I thought about it enough."
She crossed her arms, looking ahead.
"My father isn't someone ordinary."
"I've already noticed."
"No," she said, now looking directly at me. "You still haven't fully realized it."
Her tone wasn't threatening. It was more... honest.
"Then explain it to me."
She took a deep breath before continuing.
"He hasn't fought in a very long time. Not because he can't... but because no one gets close enough."
"Not even the Demon Generals?"
"He was never interested in them," she replied. "To him, they aren't warriors. They're... things."
"But with me, it's different."
"Yes."
Her gaze became more serious.
"You're different."
I remained silent.
"You saw the fight," I continued. "So you already know what to expect."
"I did," she replied. "But seeing isn't the same as feeling."
"That applies to both sides."
She gave a small smile.
"Confident."
"Realistic."
She uncrossed her arms.
"I don't think you're weak," she said. "But I also don't think you fully understand who you're going to fight."
"Then tell me."
She took a little while before answering.
"He is... pure strength. Not just raw power, but absolute control. Every movement carries weight. Every attack has purpose."
"That's not new."
"But with him, it's different," she insisted. "There's no waste. There's no opening."
"Everyone has one."
"Maybe," she replied. "But finding his... won't be easy."
Silence returned for a moment.
"Are you trying to make me back out?" I asked.
She lightly shook her head.
"No. If I wanted that, I would have said it earlier."
"Then why?"
She looked at the floor for a moment before answering.
"Because I want to see this fight."
"But?"
"But I don't want you to enter it without understanding."
I nodded.
"Fair."
She looked back at me.
"And there's something else."
"What?"
She hesitated briefly.
"The marriage part."
"This again."
"It's not a small matter for us," she said. "Among dragons, it isn't just politics. It's recognition."
"I know."
"No... you don't fully know," she replied. "If you win, you won't just be proving your strength."
"Then what else?"
"You'll be becoming part of this place."
I looked around.
"The kingdom."
"The bloodline," she corrected.
I fell silent.
She looked away for a moment.
"And I..."
She stopped.
"What?"
She took a deep breath.
"I don't care about it in the traditional way."
"What do you mean?"
"I wasn't raised to think of marriage as an obligation," she said. "But I also don't ignore what it means."
"So?"
She looked at me again.
"If it happens... I want it to be because it makes sense."
"Not because it was imposed."
"Exactly."
I nodded.
"Then we're the same."
She seemed surprised for a second.
"You don't want that?"
"I didn't come here for that."
She remained silent for a moment, then smiled faintly.
"That... makes everything more interesting."
"Why?"
"Because now it isn't just a formality."
She took a few steps forward, then stopped.
"Do you really think you can win?"
"Yes."
"Even knowing all of this?"
"Yes."
She stared at me for several seconds, as if trying to find something beyond the answer.
"You're strange," she finally said.
"I've heard that before."
She let out a quiet laugh.
"Most people who come here... would already be backing away."
"Most people didn't make it this far."
"Fair enough."
She approached once more.
"Then I'll be watching closely."
"Be my guest."
"And I'll be rooting."
"For whom?"
She tilted her head slightly, with an almost imperceptible smile.
"I haven't decided yet."
We fell silent again.
But this time, it was different.
It wasn't tension.
It was something lighter.
"You should get some rest," she said. "The fight won't be easy."
"I know."
"So don't underestimate it."
"I won't."
She nodded.
"Good."
She started to walk away, but stopped for a moment.
"Takumi."
"Yes?"
"Don't die."
I looked at her.
"Not part of the plan."
She gave a faint smile before turning and disappearing down the corridor.
I stood there for a few seconds.
Thinking.
Not about her.
Not about the marriage.
But about the fight.
About the true weight of it.
I returned to the room in silence.
The girls were already resting. The atmosphere was calm, different from the energy outside.
I walked to the balcony one more time before lying down.
The sky was clear.
The stars seemed closer from there.
I took a deep breath.
It wasn't anxiety.
It wasn't doubt.
It was focus.
I went back inside and lay down.
I closed my eyes.
And for the first time since arriving there...
My mind was completely aligned with a single thing.
The fight that was yet to come.