The following morning.
The sun reluctantly logged itself into the sky, casting a bleak, grey light through the shattered acoustic wards of the royal residence as if it was about to rain. The dense, overcast clouds perfectly mirrored the heavy, exhausting atmosphere settling inside the estate.
Downstairs in the foyer, Elias sat in the exact same position he had occupied at midnight. His silver hair, usually a monument to flawless butler decorum, had a single, rebellious strand hanging over his forehead. He was slowly, rhythmically stamping a stack of "Maintenance invoices" with a heavy brass seal.
*THUD. THUD. THUD.*
The dry sound of the stamp was the only thing competing with the low, ominous sound of the creaking desk vibrating through the floorboards from directly above. Seemingly, the Crown Prince and Sora were still at it once again, the frantic waves of their synchronized mana rattling the very framework of the room.
Just then, the heavy front doors hissed open, and Sir Lucien Arden stepped into the foyer. He looked completely hollowed out, his ice-blue eyes fixed on the ceiling with a glazed, hyper-fixated intensity that suggested he hadn't slept a single wink. His large hand was practically superglued to the golden pommel of his broadsword, his posture stiff and tense.
"Mhm, at this point shouldn't we stop them ourselves?" Lucien muttered, his voice gravelly with exhaustion as he stared upward. "What if something dangerous happens to them while they pound each other like wild animals in heat?"
Elias didn't look up from his invoices, his brass seal continuing its rhythmic descent. "We would be the absolute fools to do that, Sir Lucien. In fact, His Lord the Crown Prince might even execute us on the spot. If the soul resonance requires them to consume this much energy, then nothing can physically stop them. We would simply die trying."
"Mhm, can humans form a soul resonance between each other too?" Lucien asked quietly. His curiosity was shifting now, his focus dwelling heavily on the hidden desires of his own heart.
"Yes," Elias admitted flatly.
Lucien quickly looked up at him, his brow furrowing. He had asked the question entirely rhetorically, because it was widely believed throughout the continent that soul resonance only occurred among magical races other than humans. But for Elias to say this so definitively—
"But it is only possible through dark magic, Sir Arden," Elias continued, finally raising his eyes to lock onto the knight. "Hence, it is highly unrecommendable and entirely unpracticed. In our Empire, dark magic is strictly forbidden. And for a high Holy Knight like yourself, I am completely sure I do not need to explain the structural reasons why."
Lucien only blinked once, his jaw tightening slightly. He cleared his throat, shifting his large body toward the open door to face the outside air, attempting to clear the sudden tension from his mind. "How long do you think they will take up there?"
"Well, judging by how the ceiling turned out, they will be done soon enough," Elias noted, his voice drier than the parchment before him. "No matter the intensity of the desire, physical exhaustion eventually catches up to the system as well."
The butler slowly pointed the sharp tip of his quill toward the ceiling, where a distinct, jagged hairline crack had formed in the white plaster directly above the grand crystal chandelier.
"The Crown Prince's stamina is undeniably impressive, mhm?" Lucien commended, a low, tracking chuckle escaping his lips as he shook his head.
Elias shook his head in return, his expression entirely deadpan. "Commend the elf instead, Sir Arden, for being able to endure that monster to that extent."
Lucien almost laughed out loud, the grim reality of the situation breaking through his fatigue.
And right on cue, the grand marble staircase creaked.
Cassian descended smoothly into the foyer, his dark hair sticking messily to his damp forehead. He was wearing only a loose silk robe, which did very little to cover the violent, vivid red marks trailing across his collarbones and chest. But more than anything, the brilliant prince looked thoroughly exhausted to the absolute core of his being. His usual calculated posture was slightly slouched, his crimson eyes heavy.
"Elias," Cassian drawled, his voice rough and quiet. "A hangover tea, and send the maids to run Sora and I a hot bath immediately, please. Prepare food to rejuvenate our systems, and we will head straight up to the private bedroom after the bath is concluded. I feel like I might collapse at any given time. Sora drained even my blood last night."
Elias cleanly set his quill down, analyzing the prince's depleted metrics. "I am sorry, Your Highness, but are you not going to check up on your Vanguard squad today? Tomorrow the tournament trials resume, remember."
"Yes, I am aware," Cassian sighed, rubbing the back of his neck where more marks were visible. "But I desperately need to rest for a few hours first, then I will go check on their training. For now, please prepare exactly what I asked for. And... Sir Lucien, good morning."
Lucien shifted his weight, offering a slow, deep bow of his head. "Yes, good morning, Your Highness."
Cassian nodded weakly in response, turning on his heels to head back toward the quiet safety of the study.
Elias watched him go, letting out a long, heavy sigh as he rubbed his aching temples. "I will need to take a thorough rest as well during the day. Sir Arden, you should do the same."
"Of course," Lucien muttered, straightening his broadsword as he prepared to step out into the courtyard. "Have a great one then, Elias."
"Yes, you too, Sir Lucien."
*****