But when he opened his eyes again, his face was stone—unyielding, resolute, the face of a man who carried not only his family's honor but its survival.
His voice was heavy, each word carrying sorrow.
"You mean everything to me, Elysia," he said, his tone trembling only slightly. "That is why I ask you to endure. Because without your sacrifice, our family will be crushed beneath powers far greater than us. This path… is the only way."
(but deep inside, i want you to survive, my dear daughter)
The silence that followed was suffocating. Elysia's tears fell freely, her body shaking as if his words had carved open her heart.
The crowd sat frozen, caught between pity and fear, while Edwin stood like a blade ready to break free of its sheath.
The crowd stirred uneasily at the father's words, their voices rising and falling in restless waves.
Some nodded in grim agreement, their faces hard with the cold acceptance of noble duty.
