The grand marble doors of the imperial palace creaked open behind Lucian as he stepped out into the fading afternoon light. The air outside was crisp, yet heavy with the lingering tension from the meeting. The announcement of the northern campaign still echoed faintly in his mind like the toll of a distant bell.
Everyone had been dismissed, told to assemble again in one week's time. The nobles and knights had already begun to disperse, their polished boots clacking against the stone steps as they murmured among themselves about logistics, ranks, and borders. Lucian, however, didn't move right away.
He stood near the palace's main gate, staring out over the sprawling city of Ardenfell that stretched below. The white towers caught the sunlight and glimmered, but to him, it felt wrong—too bright, too clean, too peaceful for what he had seen today.
This isn't a dream
he told himself quietly.
This is real.
But saying it aloud didn't make it easier to accept. None of it made sense—the executions, the priest, the hatred that should have died years ago. The world he remembered was gone, replaced by one that felt familiar and alien all at once.
And then, something struck him like a spark in the dark.
The letter.
His eyes widened slightly. The letter from yesterday. The one he had crumpled and tossed into the garbage bin without a second thought. At the time, he had assumed it was one of Elaine's childish pranks, another one of her attempts to drag him into one of her games.
But now…
After everything he had witnessed—the missing races, the execution, the strange shift in history—it couldn't be ignored anymore.
Lucian took a deep breath, letting the air fill his lungs before slowly exhaling. His pulse steadied. His body still trembled faintly, but his mind began to focus. Whether he liked it or not, he was trapped in this reality, and if there was even a chance that the letter held answers, he had to find it.
"For everyone's sake," he whispered.
He straightened and turned toward the stone path that led from the palace steps. Just then, he spotted his brother passing nearby, already heading toward the carriage line outside.
"Garrick!" Lucian called out.
His older brother stopped mid-step, turning back with a raised brow. The same cold confidence he always carried lingered in his eyes. "What is it now?"
"I'm going to visit my friends first," Lucian said firmly.
Garrick crossed his arms. "I'm not waiting for you."
Lucian clenched his jaw but forced a calm tone. "I never asked you to. Just go back and send another carriage later. I can wait here."
Garrick scoffed, muttering something under his breath that Lucian couldn't quite catch, and walked past the main gate without a care in the world.
Lucian watched him leave, resisting the urge to punch him square in the face for his attitude earlier. There was a time he might have done it—but now, with everything falling apart, his brother's arrogance was the least of his problems.
As he turned back toward the palace courtyard, a familiar presence approached from behind.
"I'm going to pay a visit to your sister," Lucian said as he noticed her. "Want to come along?"
Elektra stood there, her long white hair rippling in the breeze. She tucked a few strands behind her ear before answering softly, "I already saw her this morning before coming here."
"Ah. I see." Lucian gave a small nod. "Well, see you next week, then."
He turned to leave, but before he could take another step, he felt a tug on his sleeve.
He glanced back. "What's up?"
Elektra's expression was serious, her hand still gripping his sleeve tightly. "Come with me to my house."
Lucian blinked, unsure if he heard that right.
"...What?"
"To my house," she repeated, her tone matter-of-fact. "Our mission will take us to the northern border anyway. It's close to my home. We can join the army from there when the time comes."
Lucian blinked again, his mind processing her words like a slow machine. Then he gently pulled his sleeve free and sighed. "…I don't think that's a good idea, Elektra."
For a moment, she said nothing. She just stared at him, her lips pressed together so tightly they quivered.
Lucian's stomach sank. Oh no. Not this again.
He already knew where this was heading.
Without a word, Elektra brushed past him and began walking away, her white hair swaying behind her like snow in the wind.
"Elektra," he called.
She didn't respond.
"Elektra!" He caught up quickly and grabbed her wrist, halting her mid-step. "Look at me."
Slowly, she turned, and his heart sank when he saw her face—tears streaking down her cheeks, her expression trembling with hurt.
"You keep pushing me away," she whispered.
Lucian froze. "No… I—"
"Am I not good enough?"
Her voice cracked, and it felt like someone had driven a knife between his ribs.
"That's not true," he said softly. "I… just…"
He stopped, unable to finish the sentence. He wasn't even sure what to say anymore.
Lucian took a steadying breath and forced himself to meet her gaze. "Elektra, if I say 'I love you,' I'd be lying. And I don't want to lie to you."
Her lips trembled, and he saw the dam about to break again. He quickly added, "But… I'm not blind to reality. I'm getting older. Sooner or later, I'll have to marry someone. And if that time comes…" He offered a faint smile. "I'd rather marry someone I already know and trust than a complete stranger. My father's been eager to form another alliance through marriage anyway. You… fit that role perfectly."
Elektra's eyes brightened instantly. "Then—"
"But," Lucian interrupted gently, "your father already said no to you. Twice."
Her face fell like shattered glass.
Lucian's tone softened. "You know how he is. He doesn't care about noble connections or power. All he wants is someone strong enough to protect his daughter . After what happened to your sister… he won't settle for anything less."
And Lucian? He doesn't fit the bill.
Elektra's hands balled into fists, her shoulders shaking. She muttered something under her breath that he barely caught.
"…run away…"
Lucian blinked. "Pardon?"
She looked up, eyes blazing with reckless determination. "We should run away!"
Lucian's mind went blank.
What the hell is this woman talking about?!
"Elektra, stop joking around."
"I'm serious!" she said, shaking her head. Her voice was steady now—dangerously so.
Lucian slapped his forehead. "Your parents would lose their minds—"
"Your parents probably wouldn't care," she said quickly.
"That's not the problem, idiot! The problem is your father!" Lucian exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air. "You're the only heir to the Snowden Duchy! He'd hunt me down day and night if we did that!"
Elektra tilted her head thoughtfully, tapping her chin. "Hmm. Then we just need to have a child first. He wouldn't mind after that."
Lucian's face went pale.
She's insane. Her father would execute me and mount my head on the palace wall!
He sighed heavily, dragging a hand down his face. "No permission, no marriage," he said firmly.
Elektra pouted, her shoulders slumping.
Lucian gave her a gentle smile, trying to ease the blow. "But… I'm letting you know that I wouldn't mind marrying you someday. Just not like this."
Her face instantly flushed crimson, her eyes going wide. She clenched her fists, took a deep breath, and shouted at the top of her lungs,
"I will never give up! I'll make Lucian Merrick my husband one day!"
And before he could even react, she spun around and bolted down the street, her white hair trailing behind her like a comet.
Lucian stood there in stunned silence, watching her disappear into the distance. Then, slowly, he exhaled and muttered under his breath, "That woman's going to get me killed."
He shook his head, running a hand through his hair, and turned toward the opposite direction. There were more pressing matters to deal with now—answers he needed to find, and people he needed to see.
He began his walk once more, this time toward a different destination. One that awaited him quietly beyond the city's edge.
His beloved friends.