Night settled quietly over Delcra Castle.
The halls that had been filled with voices earlier now lay still, lit only by soft lanterns that cast long shadows along the stone walls. Outside, the wind moved gently through the garden, carrying with it the faint scent of flowers.
Inside Kael's chamber—
Silence.
Kael lay asleep on his bed, his breathing slow and steady. The potion Robert had given him earlier had taken effect, allowing his body to finally rest without struggle.
Beside him, Elric sat quietly.
Her fingers moved gently through his hair, brushing it back from his face with care. Her touch was light, almost afraid to disturb him.
A small breath escaped her.
Relief.
Seeing him like this—peaceful, resting—was enough to ease the tightness in her chest.
"You've done well…" she whispered softly.
She leaned closer and pressed a gentle kiss against his forehead.
Then she leaned back slightly, watching him.
Her gaze softened.
Her fingers drifted lower, brushing faintly against his lips.
She remembered earlier—
The way he had asked, so seriously, so innocently—
"You're not pregnant?"
A faint smile curved her lips.
"I never thought you could be that innocent," she murmured.
Her fingers lingered there for a moment.
Then her expression shifted—something quieter, more thoughtful.
"If we had one…" she whispered, almost to herself. "…would you be happy?"
Her voice was barely audible.
Her mind wandered.
She imagined it—
A child.
Small.
Fragile.
Kael holding them carefully, as if they were something precious beyond measure. The faint smile he would have. The gentleness in his hands.
Kael liked children.
She knew that.
If it were his own—
He would love them deeply.
Her smile softened further at the thought.
For a moment, the world felt… peaceful.
Then—
The door opened quietly.
Elric turned.
Robert stepped inside, closing the door behind him. His movements were calm, careful not to make unnecessary noise. His gaze immediately fell on Kael.
He was asleep.
Peaceful.
Robert exhaled quietly.
"Thank you, my lady," he said softly as he approached. "Master Kael seems much better since you arrived."
Elric gave a small smile.
Her hand moved to the blanket, adjusting it gently over Kael's body to make sure he was properly covered.
Then she looked at Robert.
"…Did Kael ever tell you how he fell?" she asked.
Robert blinked.
Then slowly shook his head.
"…Did he tell you?" he asked in return.
Elric sighed softly.
"It's the same as before," she said quietly. "You remember, don't you? When he fell from the old tower."
Robert nodded slightly.
"That time… he knew he had fallen," Elric continued. "But this time…"
Her voice trailed off.
She hadn't pressed him.
Kael had already said it clearly—he didn't remember.
Elric's grip on Kael's hand tightened slightly as memories surfaced.
That night.
Everything had finally calmed.
The nobles had left.
The hall had been filled only with servants cleaning up after the celebration.
Then—
A sound.
Something falling.
When they ran outside—
They found him.
Kael.
Lying on the ground.
Blood pooling beneath him.
The memory made her chest tighten.
She looked down at his hand, still pale, still fragile.
"I think…" she said slowly, "it might be related to the Demon King's curse."
Her eyes darkened slightly.
"He lost his memories. And this… doesn't feel like a coincidence."
Robert remained silent, watching her.
"I've already informed His Majesty that Master Kael has awakened," he said after a moment. "He may arrive tomorrow."
Elric nodded faintly.
"If he sees Kael himself… he might understand what's happening."
Her gaze returned to Kael.
There was something deeply unfair about all of this.
If she could—
She would take half of his burden.
No.
More than half.
All of it, if possible.
"I'll stay here for a while," she said quietly.
Robert looked at her.
"For months, if needed."
Her voice was steady now.
"Before, I could only visit occasionally…" she added softly. "But now…"
She paused.
Her eyes lingered on Kael.
"I want to stay with him longer."
She remembered five months ago.
The night of his ascension.
When she told him she would have to return to Vaelthorn.
The look in his eyes—
Quiet.
Sad.
Now, he lay here again.
Weak.
Fragile.
She wouldn't leave this time.
Not yet.
Robert watched her for a moment.
Then nodded.
He understood.
There was no need for further words.
"Then I'll inform Lord Sebastian to prepare a room for you beside his," Robert said.
Elric smiled faintly.
"Thank you, Robert," she said softly. "I really appreciate it."
The room fell quiet again.
Only the soft rhythm of Kael's breathing filled the space—
As two people stayed beside him, each carrying their own silent promise.
-----------------------------------------
Days passed.
With Elric staying at Delcra, the atmosphere around Kael began to change—slowly, but noticeably.
At first, he had only allowed Robert near him.
Anyone else… he avoided.
Even the servants who had once worked closely with him were kept at a distance.
But now—
That distance began to soften.
It wasn't immediate.
The first time a maid approached to help adjust his blanket, Kael's hand trembled slightly. His shoulders stiffened, his breath uneven—as if his body remembered something his mind could not.
Elric noticed immediately.
She stepped closer, gently taking his hand.
"It's alright," she whispered softly. "They're here to help you."
Her thumb brushed over his knuckles.
Grounding.
Reassuring.
Kael hesitated.
Then—slowly—
He nodded.
And allowed it.
From that moment on, things began to shift.
Little by little, Kael started accepting help from others.
A servant bringing him water.
A maid arranging his room.
A guard assisting him when he walked through the corridor.
Each step was small.
But each step mattered.
Robert watched it all quietly.
Relieved.
Even so—
Kael remained stubborn.
Despite Robert's constant reminders, he insisted on regaining his strength as quickly as possible.
Walking on his own.
Standing without support.
Training his body, even when it trembled in protest.
"Master Kael, please—" Robert had tried more than once.
But Kael would only shake his head.
"I need to recover… quickly," he would say, his voice soft but firm.
He didn't want to stay weak.
Not again.
-----------------------------------------
But there was something—
Something he didn't tell anyone.
The visions.
The blood lake.
They didn't stop.
Sometimes they came in dreams.
Sometimes—
Even while he was awake.
A flicker of red.
A shift in the air.
The faint image of that endless lake, the dying flower, the suffocating silence.
Kael would freeze.
Just for a moment.
But it was enough.
Elric noticed.
Of course she did.
She saw the way his eyes would lose focus. The way his hand would tremble without reason. The way his breathing would change—sharp, uneven.
"Kael…" she called softly one day, cupping his cheek.
Her eyes searched his.
"Are you alright? Are you tired?"
Kael blinked.
The vision faded.
He looked at her.
Then slowly shook his head.
"I'm fine."
A lie.
But a gentle one.
He didn't want her to worry.
Elric knew.
But she didn't push.
Not yet.
Instead, she simply held his hand a little tighter.
-----------------------------------------
A few days later—
The castle was thrown into sudden movement.
Word spread quickly.
The Emperor had arrived.
Without prior notice.
Servants hurried through the halls, preparing, adjusting, ensuring everything was in order. Guards stood straighter. The air shifted—tense, alert.
At the front hall—
Kael stood waiting.
Though still weak, he forced himself to stand properly, fulfilling his role as Archduke.
Elric stood beside him.
Robert just behind.
The doors opened.
Reinhardt stepped in.
And the moment his eyes landed on Kael—
Everything else disappeared.
He didn't slow down.
Didn't acknowledge protocol.
Didn't wait.
He walked—no, ran—forward.
And pulled Kael into a tight embrace.
"Kael!"
Kael stiffened slightly, caught off guard.
"Reinhardt—"
He barely had time to react before being held firmly.
Reinhardt pulled back just enough to look at him, his hands still gripping Kael's shoulders.
"You look better than what the letter said," he said, his voice carrying clear relief.
His gaze briefly flickered toward Robert and Elric.
"I suppose having both of them here helped."
Then back to Kael.
Kael exhaled quietly.
"I'm fine, Your Majes—"
Reinhardt immediately shook his head.
"That sounds strange," he interrupted lightly. "Calling me 'Your Majesty'."
A faint smile formed on his lips.
"When I'm here, in your estate… just call me by my name."
His tone softened.
Kael stared at him for a moment.
Then sighed.
He gently removed Reinhardt's hand from his shoulder and took a step back.
Formality returned.
He bowed.
"Even so, you are still within your empire," Kael said calmly. "I greet you—Your Majesty."
Reinhardt smirked.
Of course.
Even now—
Kael wouldn't break that line in front of others.
"Do as you please," Reinhardt said, amused.
Then his expression softened again.
"But I'm glad you're alright."
There was no mockery in his voice this time.
Only sincerity.
"You don't know how worried we were these past five months."
Kael slowly lifted his head.
His gaze met Reinhardt's.
"…Then," Kael said quietly, "can you tell me what I missed?"
The question lingered in the air.
Simple.
But heavy.
Because the truth—
Was not something easily told.
-----------------------------------------
The Archduke's office was quiet.
The door had been closed firmly, leaving only two figures inside.
Kael and Reinhardt sat across from each other at the long desk. Papers had already been arranged neatly—evidence of the work Kael had attempted the night before, with the help of Count Albert and Sebastian.
Outside, just beyond the adjoining room, Elric remained with Robert. Neither of them wished to interrupt. They understood—
This conversation was something only the two of them could have.
Inside—
Silence lingered for a moment.
Kael sat upright, though his posture still carried a slight stiffness. His hands rested on the table, fingers lightly intertwined, as if grounding himself.
"I want to know everything," Kael said quietly. "What happened… during these five months."
Reinhardt leaned back slightly in his chair, studying him.
"Well," he began, his tone calm, "since I announced that you were stationed at the Western Gate, no one dared to question your absence."
His fingers tapped lightly against the armrest.
"Your workload was handled by Count Albert and your Head Butler. They've done well in maintaining stability."
Kael exhaled softly.
A hint of guilt flickered in his eyes.
"…Still," he murmured, "I've done nothing."
Reinhardt's gaze sharpened slightly.
"But I want to understand what's happening around me," Kael continued, his voice more firm this time.
"I don't want to remain unaware."
Reinhardt blinked.
Then—he smiled faintly.
"Before that," he said casually, "I have a question."
Kael looked up.
"How did you fall from your own room?" Reinhardt asked directly. "Enough to put yourself into a coma."
There was no hesitation.
No attempt to soften the question.
Kael froze for a brief second.
Then answered—
"…I don't know."
His voice was steady.
"The memory of that night… is too blurry."
Reinhardt folded his hands together.
"Really?" he asked. "You didn't try to recall it?"
Kael shook his head slowly.
"No."
Reinhardt stared at him.
Long.
Carefully.
Even after all this time… he still couldn't fully read Kael.
This boy—no, this man—who had stood beside him since before the title of Hero… still remained distant in ways Reinhardt couldn't reach.
He didn't know about everything Kael had endured.
The dragon.
The past.
The things Kael never spoke about.
Reinhardt exhaled quietly.
"You know," he said after a moment, his tone softer, "I'd prefer it if you told me the truth."
Kael's fingers tightened slightly.
"I understand that you don't want others to worry," Reinhardt continued. "But I'm not 'others.'"
His gaze locked onto Kael's.
"I do worry about you."
A pause.
"And as your friend… I think I deserve to know."
Kael remained silent.
His knuckles turned pale under the pressure of his grip.
The blood lake.
The visions.
The way they intruded even when he was awake—
He couldn't say it.
He didn't know how.
And more than that—
He didn't want to.
Reinhardt watched him carefully.
"…You don't know how to tell me, do you?" he said quietly.
Kael stiffened.
Then—
Slowly—
He nodded.
Reinhardt's gaze softened slightly.
He studied Kael more closely now.
The faint exhaustion in his eyes.
The way his movements were slower than before.
The subtle strain in his posture.
He had noticed it earlier—when they walked here.
Kael was still struggling.
"I came to see if you had truly recovered," Reinhardt said, rising slowly from his seat.
Kael's eyes followed him, slightly startled.
"But it seems… you still need time."
"But I can't—" Kael began, his voice tightening.
Reinhardt cut him off.
"You said it yourself," he said firmly. "This is my empire. And I am your Emperor."
His tone carried authority—
But beneath it, concern.
"So follow my advice."
Kael fell silent.
His gaze dropped.
Frustration welled inside him.
His fingers clenched tighter.
Reinhardt saw it.
Of course he did.
Slowly—
Unexpectedly—
He lifted his mantle and stepped forward.
Then—
He knelt.
Right in front of Kael.
Kael's eyes widened.
"Reinhardt—?"
Reinhardt took Kael's hand.
And bowed his head.
"You are the savior of this world," he said quietly. "The Hero."
His grip tightened slightly.
"My kingsmaker."
His voice lowered.
"So why… do you keep enduring everything alone?"
Kael froze.
The words—
They echoed.
A memory surfaced.
Five years ago.
The same question.
The same tone.
Kael slowly pulled his hand back.
"…Just let me do my duty," he said softly.
His voice wasn't loud.
But it was steady.
"You said it yourself… this title is important."
He lifted his gaze.
"I just want to fulfill it."
Five months.
Gone.
Lost.
While he slept.
Reinhardt stared at him for a moment.
Then—
He smirked faintly.
"You really are stubborn," he muttered. "Only you would speak to me like that."
There was no anger in his voice.
Only resignation.
And something close to fondness.
He stood up again.
"But listen," Reinhardt added, his tone turning serious once more.
"While you carry out your duties… your health comes first."
His gaze sharpened.
"I cannot allow one of my guardians to remain in such a weakened state."
A pause.
"Don't forget," he said quietly, "you are the Western Guardian."
Kael exhaled softly.
"…I will," he said.
A promise.
Reinhardt's smile returned—wider this time.
"Good."
He turned slightly, walking back toward his seat.
"Then let's begin."
His tone shifted—back to the Emperor.
"To ensure you can return to politics… without anyone suspecting your condition."
Kael straightened slightly.
The tension in the room changed.
From personal—
To strategic.
And just like that—
Their discussion began.
-----------------------------------------
By the time the sun had fully set, Kael returned to his room.
His arms were filled with notes—papers covered in his own handwriting, summarizing everything Reinhardt had told him.
Behind him, Robert followed closely, holding half of the stack.
His gaze never left Kael.
There was something different.
Kael looked… lighter.
Relieved.
As if finally understanding what he had lost had eased something within him.
"Master…" Robert called softly.
Kael turned his head slightly.
Robert smiled faintly.
"…You won't do it again… will you?"
Kael blinked.
"…Do what?"
Robert's smile wavered.
"Everyone thought… you tried to take your own life," he said quietly.
His voice carried something deeper.
Fear.
"But I didn't believe it," he continued. "If that were true… you wouldn't be standing here now."
Silence followed.
Kael stared at him.
Confused.
Suicide…?
He didn't remember.
He didn't understand.
Why did he fall?
How did he fall?
If it wasn't that… then what was it?
The question lingered heavily in his mind.
Kael said nothing.
Instead, he turned his gaze toward the window at the end of the corridor.
The moon had risen.
Cold.
Distant.
And with it—
A memory surfaced.
The dream.
The woman.
Her voice.
"You are destined to die young."
Kael's expression dimmed.
Seeing his silence, Robert exhaled softly.
He understood.
Kael didn't know how to answer.
"…You must be tired," Robert said gently, changing the topic. "Let's head to your room."
He stepped forward, walking past Kael—but not leaving him behind.
Kael followed.
A few steps behind.
The corridor stretched long and quiet.
Kael's eyes were unfocused as he walked.
Robert's words echoed in his mind.
You won't do it again… will you?
Earlier—
Reinhardt had asked him the same thing.
Different words.
Same meaning.
Kael closed his eyes briefly.
He tried to remember.
This time—
He didn't force it.
He let it come naturally.
Slowly.
Carefully.
Then—
A flicker.
A vision.
Blurred.
He was in his room.
Alone.
Then—
Something.
Someone.
He couldn't see clearly.
The image distorted—like a broken mirror.
It flickered.
Shifted.
Then—
Pain.
Sharp.
Sudden.
Kael gasped.
His hand flew to his head as a splitting ache tore through him.
The notes slipped from his grasp, scattering across the floor.
His body faltered.
He leaned against the wall, his strength giving out.
"Master!"
Robert's voice cut through the moment.
He rushed forward, dropping the papers he held and kneeling beside Kael.
Kael's face had turned pale.
His breathing uneven.
The ringing in his ears drowned everything else.
The vision returned—
Clearer.
That night.
He wasn't alone.
He was speaking to something.
Someone.
Calm.
Then—
A sudden force.
A push.
His body falling—
Then—
Darkness.
Kael gasped sharply.
And everything went black.
His body collapsed forward.
"Master?!" Robert caught him just in time, his hands gripping Kael's shoulders.
"Master! Wake up!"
No response.
Fear surged instantly.
The same fear—
From five months ago.
"Help!" Robert shouted. "Someone, help!"
Guards nearby rushed toward them, their footsteps echoing urgently.
They froze at the sight—
Kael unconscious in Robert's arms.
Robert's face filled with panic.
"Call the physician!" Robert ordered sharply. "Now!"
The guards didn't hesitate.
They ran.
Robert gently tapped Kael's cheek.
"Master… Master, wake up…" he called, his voice trembling.
But Kael didn't respond.
His face tightened slightly, as if even in unconsciousness—
He was in pain.
"We need to move him!" one of the guards said quickly.
Without waiting, he carefully lifted Kael into his arms and rushed toward the chamber.
Robert followed closely behind.
When they reached the room—
Elric was already inside.
Waiting.
The moment she saw them—
Her expression changed.
"Kael?!"
She rushed forward as they laid him carefully on the bed.
"What happened?" she demanded, her voice tense.
"I don't know…" Robert replied, his voice unsteady. "He just… collapsed."
Fear was clear in his tone.
Elric took Kael's hand immediately.
Her other hand moved to his forehead.
Warm.
Sweat clung to his skin.
Her brows furrowed.
Moments later, the physicians arrived.
They worked quickly, checking his pulse, his breathing, his mana.
After a tense silence—
"He is stable," one of them said. "There's nothing critical."
Relief filled the room.
"He likely fainted due to exhaustion," the physician continued. "This is common for someone who has recently awakened from a long coma."
Robert stared at Kael.
Still.
Unmoving.
Elric tightened her hold on his hand.
"For now, let him rest," the physician added. "His body is still adapting. Even if he shows signs of recovery… he is not fully stable yet."
They stepped back.
Leaving the room quieter again.
Robert exhaled slowly.
"I told him…" he murmured. "He needs to rest."
His voice carried frustration.
And worry.
"But he's too stubborn… always pushing himself."
Elric didn't respond immediately.
She only looked at Kael.
Her fingers gently tightened around his.
As if afraid—
That if she let go—
He might fall again.