A massive magical chandelier hung from the soaring ceiling of the main hall, embedded with thousands of tiny white and pale blue crystals.
These crystals did not glow from any flame; instead, they shimmered with an internal energy, casting a cool, clear milky luminescence throughout the space.
Between the golden carvings on the walls, polished sapphire stones scattered a brilliance that rivaled daylight even at this late hour, leaving no corner of the hall untouched by the light.
In the midst of this ethereal glow, Eric's crimson eyes remained anchored to Len's radiant face. He slowly swallowed the sweet morsel and repeated in a calm, steady tone, "I am not hungry right now."
The mischievous smile in Len's golden eyes deepened. "I'm not hungry either, but I love sweets!" he chirped. Before Eric could react, Len's hand moved with lightning agility.
He scooped another portion with an intricately carved Black Gold spoon and, without warning, thrust it directly into Eric's mouth. Immediately after, he filled a large spoonful for himself and began to eat with sheer delight.
As Len started to guide a third morsel toward him, Eric's hand shot out, bringing the motion to a sudden halt. "I can eat by myself," Eric said, his voice regaining its composure.
He took the deep black Obsidian spoon from Len's hand and began to eat with a heavy heart. The cold, dark shimmer of the obsidian stone looked even more mysterious under the pale blue magical light.
As the sweetness traveled down Eric's throat, a peculiar grimace surfaced on his face. His brows knit together tightly, as if the flavor were deeply unsettling to him. He chewed the final bite and then gently pushed the heavy Obsidian plate away. "I do not want to eat any more," he said flatly.
Len's discerning gaze traced the shifting expressions on Eric's face. He set his own spoon down and asked with genuine curiosity, "Do you not like sweets?"
Eric offered no direct answer. He simply stared at Len in silence, watching as Len continued to finish his plate with great relish.
"Do you eat only sweets?" Eric asked, observing the unadulterated joy etched onto Len's features.
Len paused for a heartbeat, looked at Eric, and nodded his head 'yes' with pure innocence. In the pristine light filtering from the grand chandelier above, Len's eyes shimmered even more with that sugary contentment. The entire hall remained bathed in a divine aura, free from the flickering flames or heavy smoke of any torches.
Len finished the final morsel on his plate and set the intricately carved Black Gold spoon against the edge. A few paces away, the maid—who had been standing as motionless as a statue—snapped to attention at Len's slight gesture.
"You may take this away," Len said, a subtle shift in his golden eyes directing her toward the table.
The maid bowed with deep humility and approached with measured, graceful steps. She neatly arranged the heavy Obsidian plates and utensils onto a large tray.
The faint, solid thud of the dark stone vessels clashing against one another resonated clearly through the magically illuminated hall. Just as she turned to depart, Len's voice brought her to a sudden halt.
"Is the room ready?" Len asked in a calm tone, carefully masking the curiosity that tugged at him.
The maid paused for a heartbeat. She cast a fleeting, sidelong glance at Eric, who remained seated on the sofa like a mysterious shadow. Turning back to Len, she replied softly, "Master, I shall go upstairs and check immediately. It will only take a moment."
Len gave a slow, deliberate nod of approval. The maid bowed once more in greeting and vanished behind the grand golden doors of the hall. A profound magical coolness and silence settled over the space once again.
Eric and Len sat facing each other, while the massive chandelier above scattered its pale blue radiance, making the mysterious stillness on Eric's face feel even more profound.
"Come, let's continue our game," Len said with excitement, gesturing toward the board. His fingers were already resting on one of the pieces.
Eric gave a slow nod. "Fine," he replied briefly.
With a final clink of the obsidian dishes placed in a corner of the hall, the maid freed herself. She crossed through the center of the hall with measured steps, heading directly toward the grand royal staircase.
Both Len and Eric's gazes momentarily drifted from the game. They watched as the maid's silhouette ascended the grand stairs, vanishing into the pale blue light of the upper floor.
A heartbeat later, they exchanged a glance and plunged back into the world of the chessboard. The game had reached a decisive turn.
A pile of captured pieces now cluttered the edges of the board. Only a few defenders and soldiers remained standing on the field. On both sides, the Kings and Queens surveyed the battlefield from their secure positions.
Eric's crimson eyes weighed every possible move on the board with intensity. He placed his long fingers upon a black piece, paused for a moment in thought, and then slid it forward with a calculated grace.
Eric's move had barely finished when Len, without a second's hesitation, thrust a white pawn forward with lightning speed.
The sharp 'clack' of the wooden pieces resonated. The result of Len's haste was immediate—another of his defending soldiers was swept off the board. Eric raised an eyebrow at Len, but Len's face still bore that same unbothered smile.
Suddenly, the rapid thud of footsteps began to echo through the hall from the upper floor.
The maid was descending the stairs quickly, a sense of urgency in the rhythm of her pace. Negotiating the curves of the royal staircase, she came to a halt directly beside Len, her breath hitching slightly.
Len's inquisitive golden eyes anchored onto the maid's face. He widened his eyes slightly and asked in a deeply endearing manner, "What happened?"
The maid steadied her rapid breathing and bowed her head with a soft smile. "Nothing, Master, nothing is wrong," she said gently. "The room is prepared. Shall I escort you both there?"
Len's gaze drifted back to the unfinished chessboard. "But our game isn't over yet," he said, pausing for a moment.
Before the game could proceed, Eric's voice pierced through the silence of the hall. "I don't want to play anymore." Without wasting a second, Eric took Len's hand in a firm grip, signaling him to rise from the sofa. "We should sleep now."
The maid let out a long, silent breath of relief. Len looked at Eric for a heartbeat, then gave a submissive nod to his friend's persistence. "Fine."
Eric's crimson eyes remained fixed on the pieces left on the board, as if he were capturing that unfinished battle in his mind. The maid began to lead the way, and the two boys followed with measured steps toward the grand staircase. Amidst the pale blue crystal radiance, they moved through the majestic corridors of the upper floor.
Reaching a grand chamber at the end of the hallway, the maid came to a halt. She neatly straightened a silken cloth draped over a side table and gestured toward the room's arrangements.
"Master, if you require anything at all..." the maid pointed toward an intricately carved table in the corner. "Simply press this Black Gold bell." Under the blue light, the black bell emitted a mysterious shimmer, standing out amongst the other royal artifacts arranged on the table.