The morning sunlight filtered through the gap in the hospital curtains—gentle, yet cool.
Livia opened her eyes, looking at Marcellus who was still sleeping by her side.
Though fatigue still lingered in his features, his breathing was even, and his complexion looked much improved from the night before.
She didn't have the heart to wake him. Gently, she slipped her hand from his grasp, her gaze full of tenderness and a trace of reluctant affection.
In the end, she only left the lightest of kisses on his forehead before quietly rising and leaving the room.
As she pushed open the door, a sharp wind swept through the corridor, carrying with it the lingering chill of the previous night.
At the end of the hallway, Elias was already waiting, wrapped in a windbreaker, his eyes shadowed with exhaustion from a sleepless night.
Their gazes met, neither speaking first.
At last, Livia broke the silence in a low voice. "Let's go."
Without alerting anyone at the hospital, they slipped out through the back door and into a low-profile car that had been arranged in advance, driving through the quiet, slumbering city.
Outside the window, the city gradually stirred to life beneath the slanting rays of sunlight. Everything appeared calm on the surface, but they both knew—beneath the illusion of peace, darker currents were beginning to rise.
"We need to be careful," Elias reminded her. "Eryx is definitely watching our every move."
Livia nodded. They returned to the castle without another word.
No sooner had they stepped inside than a familiar figure rushed toward them.
Elise flung herself at Livia, her eyes red and brimming with tears. "Miss! You're finally back! Adrian said you… you almost…"
Her voice caught as sobs overtook her. She clung tightly to Livia's arm, as if letting go would cause her to vanish again.
Livia felt a wave of tenderness rise in her chest. She gently patted Elise's hand and reassured her softly, "I'm fine now. Really. Look, I came back safe and sound."
Elise wiped at her eyes with her sleeve, nodding repeatedly—though the fear had not yet faded from her tearful gaze.
Livia spent some time comforting her, but did not head straight for the hidden chamber. She knew Elise needed time to settle, to let the fear subside.
Only when the sun had passed its zenith and dusk began to fall did they prepare to descend into the chamber.
The chamber lay deep in the rear wing of the main building, at the end of a winding staircase of ancient stone, hidden behind a mechanical door.
Dim oil lamps lined the stone walls, their flickering flames casting mottled shadows over the timeworn bricks.
At the corridor's end stood a heavy metal door, inscribed with the family crest and a series of intricate seal patterns.
Elias reached forward, entered a familiar sequence, and inserted a locket-shaped object into a small recess beside the door—a key device passed down through generations, accessible only to the head of the family and their direct descendants.
The door creaked open slowly, with a deep, heavy sound like that of a long-dormant beast stirring.
Inside, the chamber was dry and cool. The walls were carved from polished obsidian, the floor etched with intricate protective sigils.
At the far end sat a stone pedestal, upon which rested a silver safe, its dark-gold runes glowing faintly in the torchlight.
Elias stepped forward and opened the safe—at once, a soft golden light spilled out from within.
"This is the 'Grail' fragment we recovered," he said, pointing to the irregularly shaped piece of metal.
But next to it, a few sheets of parchment lay quietly. The pages were slightly yellowed but impeccably preserved.
Livia's eyes locked onto them—and widened in shock.
—They were the very same pages she had lost at the ancient ruins.
She froze in place, momentarily forgetting to breathe.
"This…" Elias, too, was visibly shaken. His voice dropped. "When I stored the fragment in here two days ago, there was nothing else. Has someone discovered this chamber? Broke in… and left these behind? Without taking the fragment?"
He frowned, his expression growing increasingly complex. "Could it be a warning? Or… do you know what these are?"
Livia stood in silence for a long moment, thoughts racing through her mind.
Assuming Elias wasn't lying—and she believed he wasn't—there was only one possible explanation.
She looked up, her gaze firm and steady. "This is the Grail's doing."
Elias blinked, startled.
"I didn't believe it at first either," she continued calmly, "but now I know. It's not just a myth."
She motioned to the papers. "These were documents I personally unearthed at the ruins—records of the Grail's origin and mysterious powers. But they vanished without a trace… and now they've come back. I believe it chose to return."
She met Elias's eyes. "I think it's time I told you everything that happened."
She recounted the events—how she had sent Red to gather intelligence, how she had been guided by a mysterious force to discover the buried texts, and what she had learned about the Grail's lost history.
Elias listened in silence. When she finished, he murmured, "I see… You really never cease to surprise me. You've uncovered more of the truth than even I knew."
He paused, then looked down at the documents and began to read through them. His expression grew darker with every line.
"I heard the legends when I was young. Some in the family mentioned fragments of this story… but I always thought they were fairy tales. Now I understand why so many are willing to sacrifice everything for it."
Livia carefully gathered the papers, her eyes bright. "This is just the beginning. There are more fragments out there—we need to find them."
Elias nodded silently and locked the safe again.
Together, they left the chamber behind. The heavy metal door closed slowly behind them, sealing away its secrets once more.
But within their hearts, another door had opened quietly—a door to the truth that could no longer be shut.