The Duchy of Solareth was a vast and powerful place, and at night its grandeur sparkled beneath the dark sky, its lights competing with the very stars themselves. Solareth was not the richest noble house in the kingdom, but it was by no means any less affluent than those that claimed such a title. Tall walls surrounded the main castle of Duke Solareth—polished marble, white and immaculate, glistening beneath the day's sun and shimmering faintly under the moon's pale glow. Well-manicured gardens sprawled across an estate bearing a hundred-year heritage. Magnificent greenery and lush shrubbery stretched as far as the eye could see. Even at night, the marble gleamed as though a second sun had risen when the first had set.
The duchy was well-guarded and quiet for most of its days, and patrols were usually uneventful for Alex.
He had begun serving House Solareth a few years ago—three or four, perhaps. After graduating with much more than fairly passable grades from the Central Academy, he was by no means a mere lackey within the House's hierarchy. He had spent three years training and honing his abilities to the best of his potential. And although a commoner could never truly outshine the true monsters of noble scions, one could still excel enough to stand shoulder to shoulder with and perhaps even surpass the lower-ranked nobles. Alex was one such individual. By a stroke of fortune, he had been scouted and granted a scholarship by the duchy. In return, he was contracted to serve for five years before being free to pursue whatever path he wished.
Tonight was a quiet night, and he was carrying out his usual patrol. He had just completed his circuit around the gardens and was now making his way through the castle halls. The castle, though grand and sprawling, was not overwhelmingly large—certainly not comparable to the palace in the royal capital.
His hand rested firmly, though relaxed, on the hilt of his sword as he lazily scanned the corridor. He expected little in the way of danger. Very few dared infiltrate these walls—mighty, ancient, and radiant with the Solareth legacy. The power of the sun was not associated with weakness, not in these lands.
Gosh, I should have taken that snack the maids offered earlier when I was speaking to Marable, he thought. A low growl from his stomach made the regret even sharper. He grimaced.
"Hungry, are we?" a voice came from behind him.
Alex spun instantly, his essence churning within his core. His hand tightened around his hilt, feet shifting into a practised stance. But when he lifted his gaze, his breath caught.
Standing under the moonlight was a young man with raven-black hair and golden irises—eyes that seemed to glow faintly, unnervingly, as though reflecting a light no one else could see the source of. Moonlight framed him like a halo, and shadows gathered behind him while the cool night breeze played with his hair.
"I would like to think sheathing your sword is the wiser choice when standing before your master," the voice said—baritone, low, unmistakable. "For unsheathing it would be considered treachery… don't you think?"
Alex froze.
He knew that voice all too well. It belonged to the young master—Young Master Levi—who, in truth, was regarded as little more than a nuisance within the House of Solareth. A threadless failure, an embarrassment of lineage.
But Alex could not bring himself to lower his weapon. Every instinct inside him screamed.
Why… why am I so afraid? he wondered as cold sweat trickled down his spine.
Levi tilted his head slightly, golden eyes narrowing with faint amusement.
"Hmm… what's this?" he murmured. "Did I scare you?" A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "At ease, Commander. I'm unarmed. What could I possibly do to you? I'm just a threadless failure."
But Alex still did not move.
His instincts—honed through years of training, battle drills, and survival exercises—were roaring.
Something was deeply wrong.
The young man before him was not Levi Solareth, the failure of the Duchy of the Sun. No—this presence, this pressure—he had the same air the Grand Duke had: overbearing, suffocating, sharp, and intimidating.
What the hell am I doing? Alex thought. He's just a boy. His core hasn't even awakened. He doesn't even have one to begin with. Sheath your sword, Alex.
He forced himself to obey. He sheathed his blade and straightened, standing at attention.
"Apologies, young master. I greet the young master of House Solareth."
A hearty laugh erupted from Levi as he studied him.
"Hm. I see you're polite. What's changed?"
There was no malice in his words, yet they were sharp—sharper than Alex expected. The young master had changed. He could feel it. He just couldn't prove it.
"Nothing, my lord," Alex managed. "May I ask what troubled you enough to leave your room? It is dangerous outside. I suggest you return inside."
Levi offered him only a passing glance, a faint smile forming as he turned his gaze toward the moon.
Alex frowned."Young master, forgive me if I sound rude, but I speak for your safety. I believe it would be better if you returned to your quarters. I'm sure the guards at your door should have warned you that it is unsafe to be walking around. I'll see to it that they are punished for—"
Levi cut him off with a simple wave of the hand.
"No, no, it's fine. I told them I wanted a stroll alone. Am I not allowed to, commander?"
Alex stiffened."You are, my lord. However, at such odd hours, it is quite unsafe."
"Only a fool would attempt assassination inside the Duchy of Solareth," Levi replied calmly. "Surely you know that, commander."
Alex had no answer to that. It was sound logic. Completely reasonable.
And yet the silence that followed grew unbearable.
He stood rigid, hoping the awkward quiet would prompt the young master to leave. But Levi simply stood there, bathed in moonlight, his presence pressing down on Alex like an unseen weight.
Alex swallowed. Something was wrong. Terribly wrong.
At first, he thought he was hallucinating—but now he could feel it in full. The weight of Levi's presence was real. It was palpable. Overwhelming.
Surely this must be an illusion, he thought. How can a boy possess such pressure? He hasn't even awakened. What… what happened? He was never like this. What did he do? Did he sell his soul? Perform an ancient forbidden ritual?
The thought chilled him. He pushed it aside—but only for now. An investigation would have to be made. And he would have to report this to the Duke immediately, or risk being suspected of treason himself.
Silence stretched on—long seconds that felt like minutes.
Then Levi finally spoke.
"Commander, how often do you sleep?" Alex blinked.
"I… I'm not sure what you mean, my lord."
Levi turned his head, and those same piercing golden eyes bore into him—irritated for a heartbeat, then shifting into mild amusement.
"I mean, how often do you lay your head on a pillow, close your eyes, and count sheep?"
Alex hesitated."I'm not sure where this is going, my lord, but… I suppose I sleep every day?"
"And how often do you dream?" Levi asked.
This time, Alex paused. How often do I dream…?
"Hm. I'm not quite sure, my lord," he answered slowly. "Perhaps once in a while... no, actually twice a week, maybe."
Levi chuckled—soft at first, then breaking into a low, hearty laugh.
"Commander, dreams are peculiar things, aren't they? They are the only experience one can have while both awake and asleep. Quite dreadful, don't you think?"
Alex still did not understand. But he nodded. "Yes, my lord. That is… quite insightful. Have you begun reading philosophy? The Duke did not mention you had taken an interest in books."
That same amused smile tugged at Levi's lips, and for the first time, Alex felt something unsettling—as if he were the younger one between them. How absurd. How impossible. Yet the feeling pressed on him.
"Commander," Levi said softly, "although I like philosophy, I am no poet. But I will say this: dreams are not the only things we experience both awake and asleep."
He paused.
"Do you know what else, commander?"
He turned back to the moon, and this time Alex followed his gaze.
The half-moon hung brilliantly in the sky—serene, silver, and cold.
"Nightmares, Commander."
The single word that left the young master's mouth sent shockwaves through Alex's nervous system. All of a sudden, he felt as though Levi had said something truly frightening. His heart pounded violently within his chest as his gaze snapped back to the young master—only to find those golden eyes staring directly into his own. Mesmerizing. Enchanting. Suffocating. They pulled his gaze in deeper, as though intent on consuming every stray thought in his mind.
"Commander," Levi continued, voice calm, quiet, and horribly assured, "I hope you understand that although my father is a relatively soft man, I am no soft man. I remember grudges. And I love to repay evil with something far worse."
Alex felt the temperature around him drop, yet his throat was too tight to swallow. He could not tell where on earth this was coming from and where it was going. Levi's expression did not shift; if anything, the calmness in his demeanour made the threat all the more terrifying.
"Do you know what I despise, Commander?" Levi said, "More than nightmares?"
This time, Alex offered no reply. He couldn't. But his gaze—tense, uneasy—gave Levi all the permission he needed to continue.
"Commander," Levi said softly, "I despise traitors."
A cold smile, one that never reached his eyes, curled at the young master's lips. A chill crawled down Alex's spine.
"Tell me, Commander," Levi said, tilting his head slightly, "if you were ever to find a traitor in the House of Solareth… what would you do?"
He's testing me, Alex thought instantly. Obviously, anyone guilty of treason must be executed on the spot.
"I would sever their head from their body, young master," Alex replied firmly.
Levi held his gaze a moment longer. Then the sharpness faded from his features, and a friendly smile—normal, warm, completely at odds with everything before—played on his lips.
"I see. Well, Commander, I'm pleased to know your loyalty lies with the Sun." His tone shifted back to casual, almost bored. "You're doing a great job on Night Watch as well. I suppose there's nothing else to see here. I'll take my leave."
With that, the young man spun on his heel and began walking lazily down the corridor once again, hands clasped behind his back as though the entire encounter had been no more than idle chatter.
Alex, however, was left scrambling.
His mind raced. His heartbeat thundered. The conversation he'd just had replayed over and over in his head, each repetition more disturbing than the last.
What the hell is going on…?
I need to report this to the Duke.
Without a word, Alex's hand returned to his hilt—this time firmly, not lazily. His instincts screamed at him to stay alert.
Strange… how come I didn't sense him when he approached? He has no thread, after all.
The question gnawed at him as he walked in the opposite direction, each step heavier than the last.