Time passed until dinner time. Since no one showed up in the meantime, I took the opportunity to explore the mansion a little.

  Each room was huge, extravagantly luxurious, and almost surreal. I only managed to explore a handful of rooms before returning to the main entrance, which remained empty and silent.

  Then, suddenly... a clattering sound.

  The door opened gradually, producing a controlled creak, as if a hidden spirit had activated it. And in the opening, bathed in the last golden rays of the setting sun...

  A man.

  But not just anyone.

  Kael Dravenwald.

  He must have been six feet tall. Pale as the moon. A sculptural face, splendid yet icy. Blood-red eyes, piercing and expressionless. He exuded a haughty, arrogant, and cold presence. His hair, as dark as onyx, was combed back, highlighting every sharp contour of his face.

  He was even more handsome than the novel described.

  THUMP... THUMP...

  My heart began to beat more intensely. In an incomprehensible way.

  He was dressed in a sumptuous black coat that fit perfectly across his broad shoulders and dark leather gloves. His entire silhouette exuded power, elegance... and something terrifying. Behind him, the setting sun made the ends of his hair glisten with a reddish glow. As if he had just stepped out of a dream. Or a nightmare.

  I didn't even have time to open my mouth; he walked past me without a glance and said in a neutral tone:

  “It's time for dinner.”

  No emotion. Just an order. I followed him without comment.

  We took the wide corridor on the left. As we walked, his coat seemed to dissolve into the air like smoke... and he didn't turn around once.

  After passing through many imposing doors, we finally reached the dining room. It opened by itself, as if it had been waiting for us.

  The room was vast, and the table was already set, laden with dishes still glowing hot. Delicate fragrances filled the air. I felt as if I had entered a work of art.

  We sat down in silence. Feeling uncomfortable, I whispered:

  “Bon appétit...”

  Kael did not reply. He began to eat with almost mechanical precision.

  Luckily, I had learned the basics of etiquette by watching my father throughout the month, I thought, trying to keep my composure.

  Every bite was a real treat. I had never tasted anything so delicious; it was like exploring a new universe, a new dimension of life through taste. However, he... did not deign to glance at me once.

  When the meal was over, he rose slowly, delicately wiped his lips in a cold manner, and then simply said,

  “Follow me.”

  I got up silently and followed him through the mansion. We climbed the wide steps of the vestibule, and once we reached the upper floor, he turned left and walked to the end of the corridor. He then opened the last door.

  “You will sleep here from now on,” he said in a deep, calm voice.

  I nodded, entered the room... and the door closed behind me. He had not come in.

  I turned around, slightly disappointed, and sighed.

  Although it had a certain strangeness and remoteness about it, the room was fit for a princess: spacious, elegantly decorated, with a sumptuous four-poster bed in the middle. Everything had been meticulously planned.

  Would it kill him to say a few words? To greet me? A word of welcome, perhaps?

  Depressed, I lay down on the bed, letting my thoughts scatter in the soft silence of the room.

  And now... what am I supposed to do?

  Night fell silently. I got up and explored every corner of the room: empty drawers, a decorated but empty closet, and hollow furniture.

  Just silence.

  That damn silence.

  The same silence that greeted me when I arrived at the mansion. The only thing there was the nightgown lying on the bed.

  I put on the nightgown, surely prepared by an invisible servant, and lay back down. Sleep refused to come; my mind was racing with questions.

  Why did he welcome me without a word?

  Why is this mansion empty?

  And why... did my heart react like that?

  I turned on my side. Again and again. Finally, I got up and left the room silently. Wandering barefoot through the dark corridor, I was guided by the moonlight filtering through the stained-glass windows.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

  I had to understand.

  I quietly descended the stairs, walked around the vestibule, and found myself in front of a large, dark door that was slightly ajar. Light was filtering through. A candle, perhaps.

  And... voices.

  No: one voice.

  His.

  I approached delicately and listened carefully.

  “...no, I didn't agree to that. She's not ready yet. And I don't want to repeat the mistakes of the past.”

  A heavy silence. Then his voice resumed, lower and hoarser:

  “Don't compare this girl to her... ever.”

  I lost my breath. He was talking to someone... However, I couldn't hear any other voices.

  Or maybe...

  He was talking to himself.

  I walked away before he noticed me, my heart pounding in my chest. I returned to my room, more confused than ever.

  And that night, as my eyelids struggled to close, a strange dream came to me.

  A garden.

  Black roses.

  A lonely violin crying in the rain.

  And a man... with red eyes, watching me from afar.

  The next day, nothing unusual happened.

  I woke up. Breakfast was already ready, but Kael was conspicuous by his absence.

  Several days passed.

  Since my arrival, I have only seen him during dinner. And even then, he didn't say a word. Even when I tried to talk to him, he avoided me or left the room without a glance.

  Three days.

  Three days of silence, isolation, and avoidance.

  What annoyed me even more was that I had been wearing the same clothes since my arrival! My suitcase had disappeared. Nowhere to be found. I had searched every room at my disposal, every closet. Nothing.

  I was convinced he had taken it.

  Tonight, I was going to confront him.

  “Today, I'm going to talk to him,” I muttered through clenched teeth, my fists clenched.

  I waited for him to return. He always arrived at around the same time, just before dinner. So, as soon as the sun began to set, I rushed downstairs and stood in front of the door.

  Click.

  It opened.

  I wanted to talk to him. To shout, even. But the words died in my throat.

  Kael stood in the doorway, panting. His hair was messy, and his white shirt was unbuttoned and stained with blood. He was breathing heavily, his eyes burning with a troubled glow.

  “W-What happened to you?” I whispered, worried.

  He smiled crookedly, almost amused, and approached me slowly, dangerously. His face was inches from mine. My heart skipped a beat. I blushed, took a step back, and exclaimed,

  “What are you doing?!”

  “Nothing,” he replied simply before climbing the stairs without another word.

  I stood there, frozen, confused.

  “What the hell is wrong with him?” I muttered under my breath. “He distracted me so much that I forgot what I wanted to say to him! Aaaah!”

  But I wasn't going to give up. I would tell him what I had to say at dinner. This time, he would listen to me.

  However, the image of him covered in blood remained etched in my mind. Knowing his nature, he had probably killed something or... someone.

  The novel perfectly described his power through the victims he left in his wake.

  Even if he is a villain destined to perish at the hands of the hero, he is nonetheless a character of great power that I could exploit to ensure my survival!

  As usual, the meal was already prepared and served. The large dining room table looked as if it had been set by invisible hands. Kael was sitting in his usual seat at the other end of the table. Silent. As usual.

  His hair was still damp. A few strands stuck to his forehead. He seemed darker than usual... But I didn't let it unsettle me.

  I took a deep breath.

  “Could you explain to me what's wrong with you?”

  Kael paused for a moment, without giving an answer. He simply resumed his meal.

  “Since I've been here, you haven't spoken to me! It's been three days now!”

  He smiled slightly. Then, for the first time, he really spoke up.

  “From what I understand, it's the king who wants this union. And the ones who really benefit from it... are your family and him. Not me.”

  I remained silent. He was right. This alliance gave the king the support of an influential family, the Dravenwalds, while bringing my lineage redemption, opulence, and the possibility of regaining a respectable existence. Refusing would have been suicidal for us.

  But I couldn't blame him for seeing it that way.

  “I'm not going to marry a stranger... for whom I have no feelings.”

  These words struck me with their truth.

  “...if you want there to be a chance for this marriage,” Kael continued, scrutinizing me. “Then you'll have to prove your worth to me.”

  “Excuse me...?” I whispered.

  “If you don't feel up to it, you can leave.”

  He was provoking me. He was doing it on purpose.

  But I had a lot to lose. And I wasn't the type to run away.

  “Okay,” I said, my eyes sparkling with defiance. “I'll take you up on your challenge!”

  A sparkle flashed in his eyes. A new interest.

  “Hmm. Interesting. I can't wait to see that.”

  He stood up, ready to leave the room, but I stopped him:

  “Wait!”

  “What is it?”

  I looked down, blushing bright red.

  “It's been three days now... and I'm still wearing the same clothes. And the same underwear. Where did you put my things?”

  Kael turned slightly, a mischievous smile playing on his lips.

  “So that's what was worrying you so much?”

  He laughed softly, then said casually,

  “I abandoned them.”

  “Excuse me?!” I gasped, shocked.

  But he had already left, leaving me alone in the dining room, in shock.

  No. He's not being sincere. He couldn't possibly have done that.

  He probably hid them... I know he did; I'm sure of it!