The morning in Everhart was pale, almost reluctant. Sunlight crept over the towers and rooftops, touching the scars of fire still etched into the stone. The city stirred—merchants reopening charred stalls, knights marching through soot-stained streets—but the mood was heavy. A dragon had been slain, yet its shadow lingered.
Andy sat on a balcony overlooking the city. His elbows rested on his knees, his gaze fixed far beyond the walls. From here, he could see workers lifting beams, patching holes, children pointing at rubble as if to convince themselves it was really over. Every sound of hammers striking wood echoed inside him like judgment.
He could still hear the court's whispers: Is it not strange he arrived, and the dragon followed? Perhaps his blood draws them… Perhaps he is a curse.
He clenched his fists until his knuckles whitened. Images of fire haunted him—the dragon's flames mingling with his own, overwhelming him, threatening to consume everything. If Nia hadn't steadied him, if she hadn't poured her mana into his…
Would I have lost control? Would I have burned them all?
The thought gnawed like teeth at his soul. He wanted to believe he was a savior. But the truth whispered louder: he was fire in human skin. A disaster waiting to happen.
"Andy."
Her voice came soft, pulling him back from the edge of that thought.
Nia stepped into the balcony, silver hair catching the morning sun like spun glass. She wore a simple gown, no jewelry, no staff—just herself. To Andy, she looked more real, more beautiful than when she wore any crown.
He tried to smile, but it faltered. "Couldn't sleep?"
"Not when you're out here brooding." She sat beside him, shoulders brushing. For a while, they watched the city together, saying nothing. Then she turned, her silver eyes searching his face. "You're blaming yourself again."
His breath hitched. "What if they're right, Nia? What if my blood is the reason? Dragons… dragon-kin… what if I drew them here? What if I'm just… a spark waiting to burn this city to ash?"
Her heart clenched. She had known he carried weight, but hearing it aloud tore at her. Andy—the boy who stood between her and death again and again—saw himself as a curse.
"Andy…" She reached for his hand, prying open his clenched fist with her fingers until he let her in. "You are not a curse. You saved them. You saved me."
His voice cracked. "I only survive because of you. If you weren't there—"
"Then I am here," she cut him off, her tone sharp as steel. She turned, both hands gripping his, her forehead brushing his temple. "I am here, and I will always be here. You are not alone. Even if the world calls you a monster, I will call you Andy."
His eyes widened. The fire in him, restless and hungry, stilled at her words. Her voice slid into the cracks of his doubt, sealing them with something stronger than flame.
He laughed shakily, pressing his forehead against hers. "Bossy as ever."
Her lips curved faintly. "Someone has to keep you in line."
For a heartbeat, they lingered like that, the distance between them too fragile to break. Their breaths mingled, her silver gaze holding his molten one, and something unspoken burned in the space between them.
The System chimed softly in their minds.
> [Optional Task Complete: Heart's Reassurance]
Bond Progression: +2%
Bond Level: 100% — Reset Pending.
Andy stiffened as he felt the pulse in the ring on his finger. It glowed faintly, heat and light spiraling within. Something was changing.
Before he could speak, footsteps broke the moment.
"Father summons you both."
Andrew stood in the doorway. His eyes flicked briefly to their joined hands. A muscle ticked in his jaw, but he said nothing more, simply turning with military sharpness.
They followed him to the throne room, the silence heavy.
The chamber was smaller than the court, but no less imposing. Lord Everhart sat on the high seat, a few trusted nobles at his side. His eyes swept over them—calculating, cold.
"The kingdom does not wait," he said. "Whispers travel faster than fire. The nobles demand stability. The people demand reassurance. And so—" His gaze fixed on Nia, hard as iron. "You will be betrothed to Lord Albrecht's son. The announcement will be made tomorrow."
The words landed like steel.
Nia froze, her blood turning cold. Andy's eyes widened, fury sparking instantly. The silence in the hall was deafening, every noble watching, waiting.
"No." Nia's voice shook, but she forced strength into it. "I refuse."
Lord Everhart's gaze sharpened. "You will obey. This is not about you. It is about Everhart. About survival. If binding you to Albrecht secures our House, then it will be done."
Andy stepped forward, flames stirring in his veins. "You can't—"
Nia's hand caught his arm, stopping him. She shook her head, though her eyes burned with defiance.
Everhart leaned forward, eyes narrowing. "You would risk war among the Houses for your… attachment? You would risk Everhart's ruin for a boy you barely know?"
"I know him," Nia said, her voice breaking but fierce. "Better than you ever will."
The hall fell silent. Lord Everhart's face darkened, his jaw a rigid line. Andrew's lips parted, but he said nothing—his fists clenched at his side.
The System surged, its voice echoing within Andy and Nia like the toll of a bell.
> [Engagement Trial Complete.]
[Maximum Bond Achieved: 100%.]
Resetting Bond into Star System.
Their rings glowed suddenly, silver and gold light twining into starlight. Nobles gasped as the air shimmered. Andy and Nia clutched their hands together instinctively, the power rising between them.
The glow intensified until it carved a constellation in the air above them. Their bond—reset, reforged, ascending.
Lord Everhart's eyes narrowed, unreadable. He saw only power to be claimed.
Andrew's eyes burned with something else entirely: envy, fear, and the faintest flicker of hatred.
And Andy, though flames roared in his veins, looked only at Nia—her hand in his, her eyes locked on his. Whatever came next, they would face it together.
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