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  Eva, Kyel, Luca, and Aranel sat together on the couch, an uneasy silence hanging between them.

  Eva sat with her hands folded tightly in her lap, shoulders drawn inward. She couldn’t bring herself to meet either Kyel’s or Luca’s eyes. Her face burned with embarrassment, shame weighing heavily on her chest.

  Luca broke the silence first.

  “Sister-in-law,” he said gently, “don’t feel so bad. It was just a misunderstanding—and I’m to blame too. I shouldn’t have come here disguised as a woman.”

  Eva’s voice was barely above a whisper. “I… I apologize once again.”

  Luca smiled and waved it off. “Please, Sister-in-law. I already told you—it’s fine. There’s no need to keep apologizing.”

  He then stood up and cleared his throat dramatically, as if announcing himself on a stage.

  “Allow me to introduce myself properly,” Luca said. “Greetings, Sister-in-law. My name is Luca, and I am Kyel’s childhood friend. We grew up in the same orphanage—we’ve known each other since we were kids.”

  Eva looked up, surprised. “You two… grew up together?”

  “Yes,” Luca nodded. “Like brothers.”

  Aranel crossed her arms, clearly unimpressed. “Mr. Luca,” she said bluntly, “why did you come to meet her disguised as a woman? None of this would have happened if it wasn’t for you.”

  Eva immediately nudged Aranel’s arm. "Aranel—"

  Aranel turned to her. “What? Did I say something wrong? It his fault. And because of him, you doubted your own husband.”

  She pointed sharply at Kyel. “Look at his face—it’s still red from your slap. And you haven’t even apologized to him yet.”

  Eva swallowed hard, guilt tightening her throat. She turned toward Kyel. “Honey… I—”

  “It’s alright, Lady Aranel,” Kyel said calmly, cutting her off. “It was just a misunderstanding. Everything is clear now.”

  He didn’t look at Eva.Instead, he stood up from the couch. “You three should talk,” he said quietly. Then he turned and began walking toward the stairs.

  Luca frowned. “Hey Where are you going?”

  “I’m going to sleep,” Kyel replied without turning back. “I feel a little tired. You can leave after dinner.”

  “What?” Luca asked. “You’re not going to eat with us?”

  “No,” Kyel said. “I’m not hungry.”

  With that, he walked upstairs and disappeared into the bedroom. Eva watched him go, her chest tightening painfully.

  For the first time that night, the misunderstanding was gone—but the distance between them felt heavier than ever.

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  (Dining Table)

  Eva, Luca, and Aranel sat around the dining table, quietly eating the dinner Eva had brought back from the market. The earlier chaos still lingered in the air, but the atmosphere had softened—awkward, yet calmer.

  Eva glanced at Luca and spoke carefully, “So… brother, you’re a magician?”

  Luca chuckled lightly. “I wouldn’t really call myself a magician. I only know a single disguise spell. That’s about all I can do.” He scratched his head sheepishly. “That’s why I came here disguised as a woman—I wanted to show off my little magic trick, but…”

  “But you ruined everything,” Aranel said bluntly.

  Eva immediately kicked Aranel’s foot under the table.

  “Ow!” Aranel hissed.

  Eva smiled politely and turned back to Luca. “Brother, do you and Kyel work together?”

  “No,” Luca replied. “We don’t. I work at the Magic Tower as an assistant.” He pointed to himself casually. “So if you ever need anything from the Magic Tower, just send a letter to me.”

  Eva’s eyes lit up. “Of course—”

  “Mr. Luca,” Aranel interrupted again, “you’re just an assistant, yet you speak as if you own the Magic Tower.”

  Luca smirked. “I don’t own it, but I do have a very good relationship with the master of the Magic Tower.”

  Eva leaned forward, impressed. “Really? You know him?”

  “Yes,” Luca nodded confidently.

  He continued eating, but suddenly something in his pocket began to glow. Luca froze. He reached inside and pulled out a small marble. Its surface pulsed with a deep red light.

  His expression instantly turned serious. “Sister-in-law,” Luca said, standing up, “I have to go. There’s an emergency.”

  Eva stood as well. “At least finish your food.”

  “I can’t,” Luca replied, already moving toward the door. “I really have to go.” He paused at the doorway and smiled. “Goodbye, Sister-in-law. I’ll come again. Thank you for the food.”

  The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  Eva smiled back. “Goodbye. Take care, brother. Good night.”

  The door closed behind him.

  Aranel dropped back into her chair. “Sit down. He’s gone.”

  Eva slowly sat back down and rested her head against the table, her appetite completely gone.

  “Aranel…” she murmured. “Kyel didn’t even eat dinner. I think he’s angry.”

  “Of course he is,” Aranel said plainly. “You said harsh things to him—and you slapped him.”

  Eva swallowed. “Then what should I do?”

  Aranel looked at her seriously.

  “When I leave, go upstairs and apologize to him properly.”

  Eva let out a quiet sigh. “…Okay.”

  But even as she said it, her heart ached— because apologies were easy, and facing Kyel was not.

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  Later that night

  Aranel left soon after dinner, promising to visit again once things had “calmed down.”

  The house slowly fell quiet.

  Eva stood alone in the kitchen, washing the dishes one by one. The clinking sound of porcelain echoed softly, matching the heaviness in her chest. When everything was clean and put away, she wiped her hands and glanced toward the staircase. Her gaze lingered there.

  She let out a slow sigh.

  “…I should go apologize.”

  Summoning her courage, Eva stood and climbed the stairs. Each step felt heavier than the last. When she reached the bedroom door, she stopped, her hand hovering in the air.

  She inhaled deeply.

  “Eva, you can do this,” she whispered to herself. “It’s just an apology…”

  She opened the door carefully.

  The room was dark. Kyel lay on the bed with the blanket pulled completely over his head, his back turned to her—as if he didn’t even want to see her. Eva lit a candle. The faint glow revealed his unmoving form.

  She walked closer and sat on the edge of the bed, her heart pounding painfully.

  “Kyel…” she said softly. “Are you sleeping?”

  No answer.

  She swallowed. “Don’t look at me. Just… listen, okay?”

  She clasped her hands tightly together. “You should have told me you were bringing a friend home. If you had told me, nothing would have happened.” Her voice hardened slightly. “This situation happened because of you. You’re to blame too.”

  The blanket shifted. Kyel sat up slowly and turned toward her. His eyes were dark, but there was something fragile beneath them.

  “So… it’s my fault,” he said. His voice wavered, just slightly. “That’s all you came here to say?”

  Eva frowned. “That’s not what I—”

  “I didn’t even get to explain,” Kyel continued, his voice cracking. “You saw one thing and decided everything.” His hands curled into fists. “I stood there, Eva. I tried to speak—but you didn’t hear me.”

  "I didn't know you were so selfish; you only care about your own feelings." The word escaped him before he could stop it.

  Eva stiffened, anger flaring instantly. “What did you just call me?” she snapped. “Do you have any idea how much that hurt? What you’re asking me to ignore? I walked in and saw you on the bed with another woman!”

  Kyel swallowed hard. His throat tightened. “And do you know what it felt like,” he said hoarsely, “to be slapped by the woman I love without being trusted even for a second?”

  Eva laughed bitterly. “Oh, so now you’re the victim?”

  Her arms crossed tightly over her chest. “You want an apology? Fine.”

  Her words came out sharp, trembling with anger. “I’m sorry for hitting you after seeing —my husband on the bed with another woman. There. Are you satisfied now?”

  Kyel’s breath hitched. “Eva…” His voice broke completely. “Couldn’t you trust me—even a little?” His eyes shone faintly. “I would never betray you. Never.”

  She heard accusation where there was only pain. “So now it's my fault?” Eva snapped. “For not trusting you?”

  Kyel closed his eyes and rubbed his temple, his shoulders sagging.

  “This conversation… it’s not going anywhere,” he said quietly, exhaustion thick in his voice. “Let’s stop. Please.”

  He lay back down, pulling the blanket over himself like a shield.

  “I don’t have the strength to argue anymore. Let’s talk in the morning.”

  Eva stared at his back, feeling dismissed—ignored. “So that’s it?” she said bitterly. “I don't understand what you are angry about?”

  No answer.

  She stood abruptly. “Fine. Don't answer....Sleep all you want.”

  She grabbed a pillow, then yanked the blanket off him angrily. “Sleep in the cold.”

  With that, she stormed out of the room and slammed the door behind her. The sound echoed painfully through the house.

  Kyel sat up slowly, breath uneven, one hand pressing against his chest. “She still doesn’t understand why I’m angry,” he whispered.

  Eva’s voice echoed in his mind—sharp and furious.

  Kyel’s voice trembled as he whispered to himself, “It hurt me deeply when she said she hated me.”

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  (Royal Palace — Night)

  A low, rasping breath echoed through the narrow underground tunnel as a lone knight crawled forward, his armor scraped raw against damp stone.

  “Just… a little more,” he panted, sweat dripping from his brow. “I’m so close.”

  At last, he pushed through a hidden opening and collapsed onto the cold marble floor. The tunnel sealed behind him with a soft grind, leaving him alone inside a secret chamber untouched by time.

  At the center of the room, resting upon a velvet cushion, lay a black marble—smooth, flawless, and faintly pulsing with an ominous glow. Darkness itself seemed to breathe within it.

  The knight froze. Then his eyes lit up with manic greed. “Hahaha… finally,” he whispered, his laughter quickly spiraling into madness. “I found it. The Dragon King.”

  He staggered to his feet and stepped closer, reverence twisted with obsession. “I endured everything for this,” he muttered. “Sneaking into the palace… disguising myself as a royal knight… bowing my head and licking the emperor’s boots like a dog—just for this moment.”

  His trembling hands closed around the marble. “The emperor isn’t even in the palace tonight,” he said breathlessly. “No one can stop me now. All I have to do is rub it… and the dragon will awaken. Immortality will be mine.”

  Laughing wildly, he rubbed the marble with frantic desperation.

  Nothing happened. The glow remained steady. Silent. Unmoved.

  His laughter faltered.

  “…Why?” He rubbed it again, harder this time. “Why isn’t it working?”

  A voice suddenly whispered behind his ear. “Boo.”

  The knight screamed. He jumped back in terror, losing his balance. The marble flew from his hands as he crashed to the floor. Before it could touch the ground, another hand caught it effortlessly in midair.

  Luca stood there calmly, one arm folded, the other lazily tossing the black marble into the air and catching it again.

  The knight stared up at him, face drained of color. “M–Master Luca?” he stammered, trembling violently. “W-What are you doing here?”

  Luca tilted his head, amusement flickering in his eyes. “That’s my question,” he replied lightly. “What are doing here—stealing the Dragon King?”

  The knight scrambled to his knees and bowed until his forehead hit the floor. “Please forgive me, Master Luca!” he begged. “I was just—”

  “Forgive you?” Luca repeated softly.

  His smile sharpened. “I was in the middle of dinner with my sister-in-law,” he said, his tone deceptively calm. “And because of you, I had to rush all the way here.”

  He looked down at the knight, eyes cold now. “And you want forgiveness?”

  “Master Luc—”

  Snap.

  Luca snapped his fingers. In an instant, the knight’s body crumbled, turning to fine gray dust that scattered across the marble floor as if he had never existed.

  Luca sighed, brushing imaginary dirt from his sleeve. “…That makes him the thirty-fifth one this year alone,” he muttered.

  He walked back to the cushion and carefully placed the black marble where it belonged. The glow softened, obedient, almost alive.

  Luca gazed at it, a faint smile curving his lips. “I’m getting closer, Eyan,” he murmured. “Just wait a little longer.”

  He tapped the marble gently. “Until then, sleep peacefully… Zeradros.”

  Turning away, Luca vanished into the shadows, leaving the secret chamber silent once more.

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