Morning light slowly entered through the palace windows, spreading a calm warmth through the quiet halls. Igna woke up slowly, his mind still carrying pieces of yesterday—the dagger, the story, and everything Andre had said.
After a moment, he sat up and stepped outside.
Most of them were already awake.
May and Sele were sitting calmly, talking quietly. The atmosphere felt peaceful.
But something was missing.
Igna looked around.
Igna: "Where's Yash… and Hena?"
May glanced toward one of the rooms.
May: "Still sleeping."
Igna followed her gaze.
The door was closed.
Locked from inside.
He paused for a second, then looked away quickly.
Before he could think more about it—
A familiar voice came from behind.
Emily: "Still sleeping… both of them…"
Igna turned.
Emily was leaning against the wall, arms crossed, clearly amused.
A slow smile formed on her face.
Emily: "Interesting."
May: "Don't start."
Emily ignored her.
Emily: "What do you think they're doing in there?"
Igna immediately looked away.
Igna: "Nothing—just sleeping."
Emily laughed.
Emily: "You're too innocent."
May sighed.
Sele stayed silent as always, just observing.
Igna shook his head slightly, trying to ignore her, but something else was still on his mind. He looked at Emily again.
Igna: "How do you all talk to Andre like that…?"
Emily blinked.
Igna: "He's the king… and people say he's very egoistic."
Emily stared at him for a second.
Then laughed.
Emily: "So, little cutie… you really don't know anything."
Igna frowned slightly.
Igna: "Then tell me."
Emily leaned back casually.
Emily: "He's May's cousin."
Igna froze.
Igna: "…What?"
May nodded.
May: "Yeah."
Emily continued.
Emily: "We've known him since he was just a prince."
She smiled slightly.
Emily: "We used to play with him all the time."
Igna's confusion only increased.
He thought for a second, then spoke.
Igna: "But he looks like he's around 35 or 40…"
A pause.
Igna: "And you all are around 19 to 21… how does that make sense?"
This time—
Emily didn't joke.
Her expression softened slightly.
There was a small silence before she spoke.
Emily: "A curse."
The room grew quiet.
Emily: "Someone placed a curse on him."
She looked slightly away.
Emily: "It made his body age very fast."
Igna stayed silent.
May lowered her gaze slightly.
Sele listened quietly.
Emily: "We broke the curse… eventually."
A pause.
Emily: "But the damage stayed."
She looked back at Igna.
Emily: "He aged about eighteen extra years."
Igna's eyes widened.
Emily: "So he looks like he's nearly forty…"
Another pause.
Emily: "…but he's only twenty."
Silence followed.
This time—
No teasing.
No jokes.
Just understanding.
After a few moments, the quiet was broken.
The door behind them clicked.
Everyone turned.
The door slowly opened.
Yash stepped out.
His eyes were half-closed, his movements slow, like he had barely slept. He looked completely different from usual—calm, quiet, and… sleepy.
For a moment, Igna just stared.
(This is the same person…?)
Emily noticed instantly.
Her eyes lit up.
Emily: "Oh… look at you."
She walked straight toward him without hesitation and reached up, grabbing his face lightly and pulling his cheeks.
Emily: "You look cute today."
Yash didn't even react properly, just letting it happen, still half-asleep.
May walked closer.
May: "Why so late today?"
Yash answered slowly.
Yash: "Hena had a fever last night."
Everyone looked toward the room.
Hena hadn't come out yet.
Yash continued.
Yash: "She's better now."
Emily finally let go of his face, still smiling.
The atmosphere slowly returned to normal.
But Igna stood there quietly.
Yesterday, he had seen power.
Something overwhelming.
Something unreachable.
But today—
He saw something else.
Care.
Silence.
Softness.
And for the first time—
He realized that the people he was walking with weren't just strong.
They were human too.