Feeling fresh, Kelly strolled out of her room and stepped into a long, gleaming hallway. The place looked spotless, with marble tiles under her feet and walls that caught the artificial light, glinting in a soft silver glow.
A little cautious, she took slow steps, eyeing the passage curiously. There were doors scattered along the sides, and, being just adventurous enough, she decided to poke around instead of heading straight anywhere. Jayden was nowhere in sight, but knowing that cocky idiot, he probably already knew she was awake and snooping around his place.
The first door swung open into a massive library stacked with more books than she could count. Only, these weren't sitting neatly on shelves like back on Earth—they floated. Some even buzzed with a weird aura that sent chills down her spine, making her feel like just touching them would be a terrible idea.
Another door led her to a garden, and—surprise, surprise—it wasn't normal either. Huge crystal flowers grew in glowing hedges, their glass-like petals opening and closing as if they were alive. Strange winged creatures darted around—some flickering with flames, others swirling with wind, and plenty more she couldn't even name. She lingered there for hours, losing herself in the beauty, before finally dragging herself away and into another door wrapped in thick vines.
Yeah… bad idea.
The room was a full-blown nightmare. Thousands of towering mirrors floated around her, and the second she stepped in, they lit up with her reflections. Only, none of them were the "normal" her. Each one showed a different version—happy, broken, wild, mischievous—until the sheer volume of them nearly made her brain want to short-circuit. Some pounded against the glass, screaming silently at her, desperate to get out. And then one gave her a smug little smirk before strolling deeper into the mirror world like it owned the place.
Heart racing and mind still shaken, Kelly barely realized when her legs had already carried her sprinting out of that cursed mirror room and back into the shining passageway.
"Yeah, nope. Not doing that again," she muttered, clutching her chest as her heart thudded like it wanted out. This time she didn't bother with any of the side doors—no way. She shoved her curiosity down and just kept walking straight ahead.
Eventually, she stepped into a wide but oddly simple room. Cushions were scattered around, and at the center sat a massive golden table shaped like a dragon mid-roar.
From the corner came a sharp clicking sound—like glass being stirred. Kelly sniffed the air and blinked. Coffee? No, seriously—coffee?
And then she heard that voice. The one she'd know anywhere.
"Yul, darling, are you sure this is really your first time making coffee? Because this is divine—far better than I could ever manage. Such a shame, wasting talent in the kitchen when you could've just kept brewing instead of chasing the Astral path. But don't worry, as your Master I'll make sure those skills don't go to waste, honey. Oh, how rude of me—would you like some? It's absolutely delicious—"
Kelly turned toward the voice, half wary, half itching to see who he was buttering up. Jayden cut himself off the second she came into view, his lips curling into that infuriating grin of his.
"Well, well… if it isn't my superstar," he said, lifting his cup with a flourish. "Come, join me. Surely you wouldn't reject a drink from your own world? This coffee is marvelous." He took a long sip, eyes fluttering shut in mock bliss, then let out a dramatic sigh of satisfaction.
Kelly's gaze flicked over him—half-buttoned shirt, sleeves rolled just enough to show off his forearms, slim trousers tucked carelessly into boots. One leg crossed over the other as he lounged back in a recliner, looking like the definition of elegant laziness.
But Kelly's eyes weren't on Jayden. Her shocked stare was locked on the ridiculously tall—yet striking—woman in a maid outfit standing right beside him, her face twisted with a mix of pure hatred and, yeah… fear.
The aura rolling off this colossal woman wasn't any less terrifying than the Duke's. Kelly had to swallow hard just to keep her composure.
Taking a deep breath, she moved toward Jayden and dropped into the empty chair at his side. Without a word, she poured herself some coffee and took a slow sip, sneaking wary glances at the giant woman. Her pupils were bizarre—strange, chain-like patterns crawling across them. And okay, Kelly had to admit, she was beautiful, even a little cute, but that fury on her face made her look like she could squash Kelly without breaking a sweat.
"Care to introduce us?" Kelly asked finally, raising an eyebrow at Jayden.
"Ah, of course. My apologies—I seem to be forgetting my manners today," Jayden said, sitting up a little straighter but still looking annoyingly casual as he gestured lazily toward the towering woman. "This is Yulvaris Tyro, of the Titan tribe. She was so taken with my charms that she willingly agreed to be my maid. Well… with a touch of my gentle persuasion." He smirked. "And Yulvaris, honey, this is Kelly Drexler, my superstar—the key to my personal entertainment. Also your Mistress, by the way. It would make me really happy if you got along with her."
Yulvaris's eyes went wide. Kelly, on the other hand, nearly spit her coffee across the table. Was this bastard trying to get her killed? It was beyond obvious that the Titan wasn't here by choice, and now he'd just handed her the job of serving someone as weak as she was.
Her stomach sank. She suddenly had the wild urge to just vanish on the spot—especially when she felt those two intense, murderous eyes drilling into the back of her skull, cold chills crawling down her spine.
"Jayden! Don't push it! Just you wait — it's only a matter of time before Master finds me. When he does, he'll crush your bones and bring me your head, you abomination!" Yulvaris screamed, her face twisting with fury.
Jayden rose from the recliner with a lazy, elegant stretch. "Ha. Didn't we work on that temper, my sweet maid? Looks like I wasn't thorough enough." He blinked and appeared inches from her, his ruby eyes boring into hers.
He reached up and cupped her trembling face, touching her cheek like it was the most natural thing in the world. His voice softened into a sigh. "Does your former master love you as much as I do, my maid?"
The colossal woman's fists clenched and unclenched. Her teeth ground together so hard Kelly thought they might snap.
"You sicken me," Yulvaris said, voice shaky.
Jayden arched a single eyebrow, pretending confusion. "But your body tells a different story, doesn't it? It's trembling with—what?—excitement at my touch. Hypocrite, aren't we?"
Kelly turned her head away, mouth working. Jayden had always been a few screws short, sure, but this—this was a whole other level.
"That's because I'm afraid of you, you bastard!" Yulvaris shouted, and for a heartbeat Kelly almost believed she'd break down. She felt a flicker of pity—until she remembered the scale of the Titan's power. Someone that colossal probably had blood on her hands, maybe a lot of it. Mercy felt… undeserved.
"But I'm not a scary man, my naïve maid," Jayden murmured, voice soft but laced with amusement. "Ha… now I'm annoyed. How can someone I'm so fond of be frightened of me? That won't do." His tone dipped darker, like a shadow creeping under the door. "So, here's what I'll do to fix your little problem…"
"I'll start by removing your attachments. They're distracting you from serving me with your whole heart. First, your family—everyone who still bears the Tyro name. I'll gut them slowly and cruelly, their screams playing like music to my ears. Then I'll find your so-called Master—the one who stole your heart from me—and make you watch as I tear him apart, limb by limb, inside out, in an undying hell."
Yulvaris's composure cracked. Her face drained, her whole body trembling violently now.
Jayden leaned in closer, voice dropping to a whisper that was somehow even worse. "And after that… I won't be so scary to you anymore. You'll learn to live for me. Die for me. Love me. Because in your world, there will only be me, and no one else. Isn't that so, my sweet maid?"
"I…" Yulvaris's head sagged low. "I'm sorry."
"Don't be sad," Jayden said, floating slightly upward to pat her hair with a mockingly gentle touch. "No need to apologize. Just keep being a good maid, and I'll have no reason to… forcefully win your affection."
Yulvaris shivered, then dipped her head in quick submission. Jayden finally turned toward Kelly, curiosity flickering across his face.
"I believe we have visitors, Kelly. Why don't you be a sweetheart and get the door?"
She didn't even wait for him to finish. That whole scene had been way too uncomfortable, so any excuse to bolt was a blessing.
The moment she stepped back into the sitting room, a sharp knock echoed from the front entrance. Curiosity prickled at her—half wondering who could be outside, half itching to finally see the world beyond these walls. She rushed to the doors and swung them open.
Waiting there were three girls, all roughly a few years older than she was. Two of them wore sleek blue armor that hugged their bodies like a second skin, swords strapped to their sides. The third one stood out—dressed casually in a crop top, blue leggings, and oversized sneakers, with a long spear slung across her back.
They were stunning in a way that wasn't exactly human—pointed ears, sharp features, and eyes with slitted pupils that glinted like a predator's.
Kelly's gaze drifted past them, and her breath hitched. The outside world… it was breathtaking.
The streets stretched wide, paved with smooth black stone that shimmered faintly red whenever the light from the galaxy star hit it. The houses didn't look like they'd been built—they looked forged. Carved from obsidian and basalt, their walls were streaked with glowing veins of hardened crystal that pulsed faintly, like the town itself was alive and breathing. Roofs arched into sharp, curved ridges shaped to mimic dragon wings frozen mid-flight.
Soft, tiny grasses filled the lawns between the houses, and out in the streets people bustled about, filling the air with noise and movement, wrapping the place in pure liveliness.
Reluctantly, Kelly dragged her gaze back to the three girls at the door—still staring at her like she was some ancient artifact in a museum.
"Uh… hello," she said, awkwardly raising a hand.
That seemed to snap them out of it. One of the armored girls—blue-eyed, with wavy brown hair—was the first to speak.
"Hey. Who are you, and what are you to Jay Jay?" she asked, tone sharper than Kelly liked.
Kelly blinked. Jay Jay? She raised an eyebrow. The girl definitely sounded a little hostile.
"Uh… he's my brother?" Kelly said, her voice skeptical. Honestly, it was the safest answer she could think of. Something told her that calling Jayden anything else would've turned things ugly real quick. She was curious how these three had gotten close to that idiot in the first place, but… not her business.
Sure enough, the girls all let out a huge breath, like they'd been holding it since the door opened. Relief washed over their faces at once.
Since Kelly had already decided to play the "sister" role for Jayden, it'd be disappointing if she didn't act the part properly. She clicked her tongue in fake annoyance. "So, who are you girls and what do you want with my big brother?"
"Hey, little sister!" the girl in casual clothes greeted cheerfully, her voice bubbly. "We're final-year students from the Zathron Imperial Academy. My name's Misha, and this is Flora," she said, pointing to the girl who'd spoken earlier. Then she gestured toward the last girl, the one who'd been silent the whole time. "And that's Derb. Don't mind her—she doesn't talk much."
"Okay…" Kelly muttered, stepping aside because leaving them at the door felt rude. "You can come in, I guess."
But the three of them just stood there awkwardly, none of them moving an inch. Kelly frowned. Did I miss something? Some weird alien culture thing?
"Uh… did I do something wrong?" she asked, honestly confused.
The girls quickly looked away, cheeks pink. Flora—the blonde in blue armor—was the first to gather enough courage to face her again, her face reddening even more as she forced the words out.
"We… we came to challenge Jay Jay to a betrothal battle," she said. "So he has to be the one to lead us inside. That's… the sign he acknowledges us."
Kelly stared at her blankly. "What is that even supposed to mean?" she asked, deadpan.
"If… if he loses against any of us," Misha added, her face bright red now, "he has to marry the victor." Derb gave a quiet nod to confirm.
Kelly just stood there, struck speechless for a solid few seconds. Finally, when her brain caught up, she muttered under her breath:
"…What in the name of insanity…"