The hall of the house glowed with a soft amber light.

The scent of simmering herbs and a fresh fish dish still lingered in the air as everyone gathered around the low wooden table.

The fire crackled quietly in the hearth, painting warm shades over Kael's relaxed posture as he leaned back on the couch, one arm draped lazily over the backrest.

Alenia sat opposite him, calm and composed as ever, while Evethra stood at Kael's side, refilling his cup before settling down just close enough to be within reach if he so much as raised a finger.

Lyra was helping Rue and Rina untangle the strings of a wooden toy they'd somehow managed to knot beyond recognition, and Selene was quietly scribbling on a slate board, pretending not to eavesdrop.

Druvarn—still in his plushy bear form—sat cross-legged beside the twins, nibbling on a piece of bread that looked far too big for his tiny paws.

Kael broke the silence first, his golden eyes glinting with lazy amusement.

"So," he said, swirling the cup in his hand as he looked at Alenia, "you decided to declare yourself the evil overlord of our little paradise?"

Alenia looked up from her notes, blinking once.

"If you're referring to how I handled Leron, then yes," she said evenly. "It was intentional."

Kael tilted his head, intrigued. "Intentional?"

Rue gasped softly. "Miss Alenia did it on purpose?!"

Rina tugged on Rue's sleeve, whispering, "Shh… maybe she's secretly a villain."

"I heard that," Alenia said dryly, her lips twitching despite herself.

Kael chuckled. "Go on, then. You've piqued my curiosity."

Alenia folded her hands on the table. "In every stable group, there are always two leaders—one who's feared and one who's loved. Fear keeps order; love builds loyalty. The more one is hated, the more the other is cherished."

She met Kael's gaze evenly. "I made myself the bad one, so you could be the good one."

That silenced the room for a heartbeat. Even Druvarn stopped chewing.

Kael blinked, his usual smirk faltering for the first time that evening. "You what?"

Alenia's tone softened, though her expression remained steady. "You're the one they follow, Kael. Not me. They need to trust you and to admire you. If someone has to take the blame when things go wrong, better it be me than you."

Kael leaned forward slightly, his smile faint but unreadable. "So you're making yourself the villain… to make me look better?"

She nodded. "Someone has to manage discipline and order. You're too kind for that. If I play the strict one, it balances things."

"I'm kind?" Kael muttered to himself, tilting his head, but no one heard that, and the chatter continued.

Rue's hand shot up. "Oh! Like in stories—the scary headmistress and the nice teacher!"

Druvarn puffed his chest proudly. "Then I must be the adorable mascot!"

"Adorable nuisance, more like," Rina mumbled, hugging his soft paw.

Kael's laughter came low and warm. "You all make it sound like some fairy tale."

"Maybe it is," Lyra said quietly from the side, smiling as her red eyes shimmered in the firelight. "A village that's learning how to be happy again."

Kael looked at Alenia for a long moment, his smirk fading into something gentler. "You didn't need to do that, you know. I'm fine with being disliked, too."

"But they already worship you," Evethra murmured, her eyes downcast. "Making them love you even more… was the correct move."

Kael shot her a half-glare, half-smile. "You're supposed to disagree with her, not encourage her, Evethra."

"I only speak truth, my lord," she said serenely.

Alenia chuckled, a rare and quiet sound. "See? Even your maid agrees."

Kael groaned, dragging a hand through his hair. "Great. Now I have two schemers running the place."

"You needed at least one," Alenia said smoothly, her smile teasing. "Someone has to think of the boring details while you're out being mysterious and charming."

Rue giggled. "He is charming!"

Rina nodded shyly. "And mysterious."

Kael pointed lazily at Alenia. "See? You're creating monsters."

"Little monsters who adore you," Alenia corrected, leaning back with a knowing smile.

Kael sighed, but there was laughter in his eyes now. "You're dangerous, Alenia."

"Efficient," she corrected. "Dangerous is your job."

That earned a chuckle from everyone—even Druvarn, who finally swallowed his bread and raised a stubby paw. "Then what's my job?"

Kael smirked. "Comic relief."

"Unacceptable!" The plushy bear squeaked, scandalized, which sent Rue into a fit of giggles and even made Lyra's shoulders shake with laughter.

Like that, another evening passed.

But before the day passed, Kael had some things to do, so when the night fell and everyone was going to their beds, Kael stood before his room's window, staring at the only house in the village still lit.

It was the house where the killers gathered every night.

He was planning to test something on them, as he had made a breathing technique, but he wasn't sure if it would work.

After all, he was a dragon, and the breathing technique he made was based on a dragon's breathing.

One couldn't tell if it would work or not.

However, before he could move, Kael sensed the presence before he heard the knock on the door.

"You're not sleeping either, huh?" He said without turning, a lazy smile tugging at his lips.

The door creaked softly open.

Evethra stepped in, her black hair catching the faint shimmer of the fire's dying embers. She bowed slightly, her crimson eyes lowered.

"I couldn't," she said quietly. "Not until I asked something of you."

Kael turned, curiosity glinting in his golden eyes. "Oh? And what might that be?"

She hesitated, her voice barely above a whisper. "I wish to go with you. Wherever you're going."

His brow arched, the smile deepening. "Go with me?"

Evethra met his gaze now—steady, reverent. "Last night, you left. When you returned, I smelled blood on you. I have a feeling you'll go again, and I want to follow you this time."

Kael studied her for a long moment, then gave a small, thoughtful hum. "You aren't going to change your mind, are you?"

She nodded once, wordless but firm.

With a soft exhale, Kael turned away from the window and began walking toward her, slow and unhurried.

"You can come," he said finally. "It's dangerous, but not really dangerous."

Her lips parted slightly at the cryptic phrasing, but before she could respond, he stopped right in front of her—close enough for her to feel his warmth.

"Though…" he murmured, tilting his head down toward her, "before that, there's something I want to do to you."

Evethra's composure faltered. Her breath caught.

'He wants to... do something to me?'

Her thoughts ran wild, especially when Kael leaned closer—close enough for her to see the faint gold flecks in his eyes.

A sudden warmth flooded her cheeks. She tried to look away, but her body refused to move.

"L-Lord Kael…?" She whispered, her voice trembling in uncertainty and expectation.

Kael's gaze lingered on her lips for a second. Her eyes fluttered shut, lashes trembling, her lips parting ever so slightly—expecting something she couldn't name.

He almost chuckled as he realized that she was thinking of something naughty.

After all, he wasn't going to kiss her.

'Should I tease her?' He wondered, considering it for a second, then deciding against it.

'Why should I kick a chance to know how a kiss feels?'

With that thought, he closed the distance between them.

Their lips met—soft at first, like a spark brushing against kindling. But the spark caught fire instantly when Kael did something.

'Let's break the seal, shall we?'

He used his seal breaker ability, the same he had used to shatter the slave seals, on Evethra, and the next second, her whole body trembled as something deep inside her snapped.

A pulse of crimson light flared behind her eyes.

Her breath hitched as an unseen seal shattered within her, and for a brief instant, a faint red halo flickered above her head before fading away.

Kael saw it—and raised an eyebrow—but Evethra's trembling hands clutching his coat stole his attention before he could comment.

Her lips pressed back against his, more desperate now, as if something fierce and ancient had awakened inside her.

"Lord… Kael…" she breathed between gasps, her voice breaking. "Something feels… strange. Hot. I… I don't understand—"

Kael smirked faintly, his hand sliding up to steady her by the waist. "Seems like I unlocked something you didn't know was there."

Her heart pounded so loudly she could barely hear him.

The world around them blurred—the flicker of the candlelight and the whisper of the wind all faded beneath the pounding rhythm in her chest.

Evethra's fingers curled into his shirt, and before she knew it, she was pressed closer—her breath mingling with his, their foreheads touching as the air between them thickened with unspoken tension.

"I don't know what's happening to me…" she whispered, trembling. "But I can't stop… I don't want to stop…"

Kael's laughter came low, rougher than usual—the kind that sent shivers down her spine.

"Then don't."

It was all new to Kael as well, but the warmth in his voice—calm, teasing, and commanding—undid her completely.

Evethra closed the distance once more, and Kael met her halfway. Their kiss deepened—unrestrained now, carrying all the emotions she'd buried for so long.

Her pulse raced. His arms tightened.

The firelight danced, flickering wildly, casting their shadows as one.

And when the last candlelight dimmed, only the sound of their uneven breaths filled the room.

In that moment, both Kael and Evethra knew that something between them was going to change tonight.

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