The sound of steel still echoed in his bones.
When Hellen woke, he wasn't sure if he was alive.
The ceiling above him was carved stone — cold, cracked, ancient. Golden curtains shimmered faintly at the edges of his vision. The faint scent of blood and medicine clung to the air.
His body ached as though every bone had been shattered. He tried to move, but pain rooted him to the bed.
Then — a voice.
"Finally awake, summoned one?"
Hellen turned his head slowly.
Princess Selene sat beside his bed, silver hair cascading like liquid moonlight down . Her expression was calm — too calm, as if she were studying him rather than speaking to him.
"I'm… still here," Hellen murmured.
"You are," she said quietly. "Though many wished you weren't."
There was no warm in her tone. She wasn't there out of concern — she was there to ensure the so-called "hero" wasn't a threat.
Silence filled the room.
Beside him, Momo — the little white kitten — stirred and yawned, curling up again near his pillow. The soft sound made the tension fade, if only slightly.
Selene's gaze flicked toward the kitten. "That creature… trusts you."
Hellen smiled faintly, exhausted. "She's all I have left."
For the briefest moment, something cracked in Selene's expression — a flicker of emotion she quickly buried.
"Rest," she said, standing. "You'll need it."
When she left, Hellen lay staring at the ceiling. The silence pressed down on him. But for some reason, her voice still echoed in his mind.
Day 5 – Shadows Beneath the Crown
By morning, Hellen forced himself to stand. His muscles screamed in protest, but he ignored the pain. He had survived worse.
Under Selene's orders, the same assassins who had once tried to kill him now trained him. Their strikes were merciless; their eyes colder than steel.
He fell again and again — but he learned. Slowly. Painfully.
And as days passed, strange things began to happen.
His shadow sometimes moved a moment after he did.
Weapons trembled when he held them.
And sometimes, just at the edge of his vision, the world shimmered red.
Whispers began to follow him wherever he went.
"Powerless boy… pretending to be a hero…"
He ignored them at first. But when he caught his reflection in the blade, he saw something that made his blood run cold — a second pair of eyes, crimson and human, staring back.
From the balcony above, Selene watched. Her face betrayed nothing, but her fingers tightened on the railing. He was improving quickly — too quickly — and yet every move he made unsettled her.
Later that day, while crossing the hall, Selene overheard two royal advisors whispering.
"If the summoned one fails the awakening…"
"He'll be eliminated. Quietly."
Selene froze, her expression blank.
She wanted to silence them. She wanted to say something — anything. But her duty chained her tongue.
That night, she found herself walking toward the balcony outside Hellen's quarters.
He was there — sitting under the pale moon, Momo curled in his lap.
"A hero, huh…" he muttered softly. "I still don't even know what that means in this world."
From behind, a quiet voice replied.
"You're not the only one who's feared in this castle."
He turned. Selene stood there, moonlight painting her silver hair white.
For a long moment, neither spoke. But the silence between them wasn't cold anymore — it was fragile, human.
Two souls who didn't belong — beginning, unknowingly, to reach for each other.
Day 6 – The Moon's Secret
The night air was still.
Momo darted from Hellen's room suddenly, tail flicking. Cursing under his breath, Hellen followed her through the moonlight royal halls
And there, beneath the pale light, stood Selene on the railing .
When hellen lee see that scene he rush to her when he reach her .She was alone — her silver hair loose,
Her lips moved in silent incantation. The air shimmered with runes — symbols of moonlight.
"You shouldn't be here," she said without turning.
"Neither should you," Hellen replied. "It's not look safe at all or a princess to wander alone."
A faint, bitter smile curved her lips. "Safe? This castle hasn't been safe for years."
He hesitated. "What do you mean?"
Selene's gaze darkened. For a moment, then… she gave him a small, mysterious smile
"You'll find out soon enough."
The moonlight caught her eyes — deep, beautiful, but filled with something sharp and lonely.
As she passed him, her voice softened.
"You're not what they think you are, Oh hero Don't prove them right too late."
And then she was gone — leaving him in the garden, the moonlight flickering across the ground like broken glass.
Hellen stood there for a long time, wondering what she was hiding behind that calm, perfect mask.
Day 7 – The Awakening
Dawn came too soon.
Guards entered without a word, dragging him through the castle's cold corridors. He didn't resist — only followed.
They brought him into a vast, torch-lit hall. Ancient runes pulsed across the stone floor. A massive circle of crimson light glowed faintly, the stench of dried blood filling the air.
The nobles stood in silence. Priests chanted. The fat king sat on his throne, his jeweled fingers drumming against his cup.
"Begin the ritual."
There push Hellen stepped into the circle. The runes flared alive.
Heat surged through his veins — molten, searing.
He screamed.
The chanting grew faster, louder.
Symbols burst like fire beneath his feet — then collapsed.
Light exploded — then died silence.
When it was over, Hellen fall on the ground, gasping. No weapon. No holy glow. Nothing but the faint red shimmer crawling up his arms.
"A failed hero," someone whispered.
"He's cursed," another hissed.
The fat king's expression twisted.
"Throw this useless wretch into the dungeon!"
Guards seized him. Hellen didn't fight. His body felt numb, his heart heavier than stone.
He managed a weak smile and whispered,
"I guess I knew this would happen… but I was still hoping ."
As they dragged him away, he lifted his head just once.
Selene was watching - motionless, pale as the moonlight.
Their eyes met.
No words passed between them.
But in that moment, something unspoken formed — fragile as glass, real as pain.
A bridge of understanding.
A bond neither of them would admit… but neither could deny.
And when the heavy doors slammed shut, sealing Hellen into darkness, the moon outside the palace began to bleed red.