The castle guards shifted aside, parting to open the gates.
Asher stepped out of Bright Castle, lifting his gaze to the sun overhead. A small smile tugged at his lips.
"Already time, huh..."
He walked along the outer wall, watching the Sleepers below—laughing, chatting, alive in a way few inside the castle ever were.
He smiled again. Few, it felt as if, the ones outside were happier than the ones inside. It was all thanks to...
"Saint Nephis is back from the hunt!" One of the sleepers yelled. Soon everyone grouped together at a fireplace. Asher paused, squinting through the swarm, but couldn't catch sight of them. With a quiet sigh, he kept walking along the perimeter. He'd wait for the noise to die down.
Eventually, he came upon a small, shabby hut tucked between storage sheds and ivy-covered stone.
His hut.
He hadn't lived there in a long while—only in the early days. But it still held a few of his things. Slipping inside, he retrieved a simple robe, shaking out the dust before pulling it over his clothes and raising the hood.
Without it, he stood out like a sore thumb.
He sighed. "Beauty really is a sin..."
The Windbreaker draped over his shoulders gave a dramatic flutter in agreement.
Asher frowned.
"Don't do that."
The fluttering stopped immediately.
Dahlia always knew when to behave—and for that, he was grateful.
Still, she could be incredibly annoying.
"Line up everyone! We will be handing out food!" There was a shout. It came from a tall, muscular woman with a braid like a whip and arms strong enough to crush barrels.
Asher stood quietly in the slow-moving line, eyes trailing toward the woman as she chatted with a group of Outer Hunters. She was grinning—again.
He found it oddly unsettling how often she smiled.
That's when her eyes landed on him.
Asher stiffened.
"Hey, you!" she called, jabbing a finger in his direction.
Dozens of heads turned. Asher shrank slightly under the attention.
The woman stomped toward him, face twisted in theatrical annoyance. "Listen here, chump! How many times do we gotta say it—no hoods! What if you're sneaking in for seconds, huh?"
Asher grimaced.
'I wasn't told that the first four times...'
He cleared his throat, mustering his politest tone. "O-Oh, I apologize, Lady Athena. I only just arrived from Bright Castle. I wasn't aware of the local rules..."
Effie—Changing Star's infamous bruiser—gave a dismissive nod, already motioning for one of her people to verify.
Asher glanced around, scanning the crowd. No sign of her .He hesitated... then pulled his hood down.
Effie blinked.
An "oh" slipped out of her as her eyes widened in surprise. She hadn't expected that face.
A slow, dangerous grin spread across hers.
Asher shifted uneasily under her gaze, blush threatening to betray him.
She leaned closer, voice honeyed and far too amused. "Hey, Poster Child. Hiding that kind of face should be a crime."
Asher flinched. He knew he was good-looking—but this woman's teasing was nuclear.
'Poster Child?! YOU'RE the one with her face plastered all over the outer settlement!'
Of course, he couldn't say that. Instead, he stepped back, flustered. "I-I'm honored to receive such words from someone as e-esteemed as you, Lady A-Athena..."
Too much stuttering. He wanted to bury himself. Two months of solitary wandering in the Dream Realm hadn't exactly helped his social game.
Effie burst out laughing.
"Hey Sid! Is this the Stammer Prince's first time through today?"
'Stammer Prince?! That's way worse!'
Sid, momentarily pulled from her trance, blinked at Asher and checked the tally.
"It appears to be so, Lady Athena."
Effie nodded with mock solemnity, then clapped Asher on the back hard enough to knock the wind out of a mule.
"Sorry for the delay, flower boy. Go on ahead."
Asher's brow twitched. That was officially the worst nickname yet.
"Th-Thank you, Lady Athena..."
Just like that, Effie went on to mind her own business.
Asher sighed with quiet relief and shuffled forward. His turn.
"Here!"
A strip of roasted meat landed in his outstretched hand. Asher looked up—and paused.
Golden hair. Familiar face.
Cassie.
His lips pressed into a line. 'Thankfully, she can't see me…'
He dipped his head.
"Thank you."
Then turned to leave.
Cassie froze.
That voice—she knew it.
Her hand twitched. She reached with her dormant ability. But—
There was nothing.
Her heart dropped. It wasn't the same 'Nothing' she got from 'him'. There was no one there anymore...
"Shim," she whispered, trying to steady her breath. "Is… is there anyone there?"
She pointed to the spot Asher had stood.
Shim, checking his clipboard, barely glanced up.
"No one, my lady."
Cassie nodded slowly, swallowing hard.
Of course.
This was the fifth time she heard it...
***
"...the Awakened creatures living there have an incredibly sharp hearing. Attacking them in large numbers won't be easy..." Nephis looked at the map they recently made of the Forgotten shore.
"Lady Nephis, but, if we attack here, I'm confident.."
They were planning the next hunt.
"That would be—"
They were deep into planning the next hunt when—
"PRINCESS!"
The tent flaps burst open as Effie stormed in, hand raised like she was claiming victory in a tavern brawl.
Everyone turned to look at her. Slowly, her arm lowered as realization dawned.
"…oh. You guys already started."
A wave of laughter rolled through the hunters.
"Classic Lady Athena!" someone called, drawing louder chuckles.
Effie frowned a little before
striding straight to Nephis and slinging an arm around her shoulder.
"Okay, okay, hear me out! I have to tell you this—"
"Effie," Nephis said, her tone calm but firm. "We're in a meeting."
"I know! But this is super important!"
Nephis sighed, then looked toward a familiar man with emerald eyes and neatly combed brown hair. "Caster, take over. We'll rejoin you shortly."
Caster nodded and smoothly returned to the tactical discussion.
Once outside the main group, Nephis gave Effie a patient look. "Alright. What is it?"
Effie lit up. "So! I was handing out food, yeah? Same old—until this guy shows up in a hood. He's all mysterious and broody and stuff."
Nephis's expression sharpened. "A Gunlong spy?"
"What? No! …Actually… maybe? I don't know." Effie blinked. "Anyway! That's not the point. Don't interrupt me!"
Nephis raised a brow but gestured for her to continue.
"This guy—Neph, listen to me—he's absurdly good-looking. Like, jaw-droppingly. We're talking storybook prince levels. And he's got this shy little stammer that's just—ugh." She pressed a hand over her heart.
Nephis stayed quiet, but her gaze dropped to the ground.
'Incredibly good-looking…'
A familiar figure came into her mind. An unlikely thought came to her mind.
"Effie," she said slowly, "what did he look like?"
Effie grinned like she'd been waiting all day for that question. "So the Princess is curious!"
Nephis didn't respond, but her shoulders stiffened.
"Well!" Effie leaned in. "Long white hair, super flowy. And his eyes—these pearl-blue dreamlike things. Just standing there, he looked like someone from a painting!"
Nephis's knuckles tightened around the edge of the tent table.
Her heartbeat spiked. Without another word, she turned and started striding toward the exit.
"Lady Nephis—" Caster called out, confused. "We haven't finalized the second sweep—"
"Continue without me," she said without turning back. "Something urgent's come up."
She disappeared through the tent flaps, her pace brisk.
Effie blinked… then slowly smiled. "Ohhh. She's very interested."
___________________
[A/N: Guys, My summer has ended, that would mean, I return to boarding school... *sigh*. This is a hiatus announcement. It's my last year and I need the time to prepare for competitive exams so yeah... SORRY! But I need this year. I hope some of you understand... and thank you for your patience.
With that, there might be spontaneous chapters, so look out for them!]