dining hall.
"Thank you, Anna. We'll be down shortly."
Roland's footsteps pounded the polished floors as he burst into the room. "Sister! What's the occasion!?" His eyes widened, sparkling with surprise. "You're wearing a dress!"
Leonora, sitting by the window where sunlight glinted off her silvery hair, tilted her head gracefully. "No, there's none! Can't I wear a dress around my own house!?"
Roland blinked. "No, it's not that—it's just been a while since I've seen you wear one, that's all."
Her lips curved faintly, but her eyes carried a distant weight. "Anyway, I'm going to see Father today."
"Why is that? You hate going there!"
"No particular reason," she said, her voice calm but resolute. "I'm just going to announce my marriage to him."
Roland choked, spilling the juice he was holding all over the table. "Sir Roland!" Anna rushed forward, frantically dabbing the mess.
"What did you say!?" Roland spluttered, still shocked.
"You heard me right. I'm going to get married," Leonora said, taking a delicate sip of tea.
He stared at her in stunned silence as the morning light glinted off her hair, casting a halo effect around her.
"Sister, should I call the doctor!? I don't think you're okay!"
"What makes you think that? I'm perfectly fine—actually, I've never felt better in my life."
"I'd take her word for it, Roboy," Youri added softly, a small smile tugging at his lips.
Roland turned, and the sight of Youri descending the stairs made him freeze. Brown hair falling over his eyes, coat draped casually over one shoulder, he moved with a quiet confidence that made the air feel charged.
"Oh, you finally came down, dear," Leonora said softly, warmth creeping into her voice.
Youri leaned toward her. Without hesitation, she kissed him on the lips—soft, deliberate, a mixture of relief and defiance.
Roland blinked rapidly. "I'm dreaming. Holy shit, I can't believe my imagination—Sister is so gonna kill me when I tell her…" He laughed nervously.
"I hate to ruin it, Roboy, but I think this is real," Youri said with a playful smirk. "Look, I can throw a pancake at your face if you want proof."
Anna glared at him, eyes sharp as daggers.
"I'm sorry, Miss Anna!" he raised his hands in surrender, smirk fading into a softer expression.
"Can anyone tell me what the hell is going on!?" Roland shouted, still processing.
"It's a long story, Roland," Leonora said, her voice firm but tinged with quiet joy. "I'll tell you soon, but for now, let's just say this: I was looking for this guy almost my entire life, and in the end, like always, he found me first."
Roland's lips trembled, eyes glimmering as laughter broke through his shock. "Should I pack my things?"
"What do you mean, moron? This is your house too!" Leonora said with a teasing glare.
"Yeah, Roboy, don't worry—she'll always be your sister first," Youri added, winking, the sunlight catching in his dark eyes.
Roland's eyes filled with tears, a mix of relief and happiness. "Thank you, guys."
Last Night — The Graveyard
Youri's reflection stared back at him from the window, fractured and distant. "I think that Dimitry guy hit you in the head too. Go home—you're still in no shape to be running around chasing people."
Leonora's hands gripped the steering wheel, knuckles white. "That has nothing to do with this. I want you to come with me. I want to show you something."
"I told you to leave me alone. Please, don't make this hard."
Her voice dropped, soft but unwavering. "I promise you, if you come with me this time, whatever happens next, I'll never bother you again."
Youri exhaled, the weight of her words settling over him. "Alright. I hope you keep your promise."
The city's graveyard lay under a thin veil of mist, gravestones casting long shadows in the moonlight. The air smelled faintly of wet earth and old stone. The car rolled to a gentle stop, the engine's hum fading into silence.
They walked through the gravel path, the sound of their boots sharp in the still night. Fog curled around their ankles, soft and cold.
"We're here."
Youri tilted his head, confused. "Here? Why—?"
"This way," Leonora said, leading him to a gravestone etched simply with "EH" and the number "Thirty‑six." Dead flowers lay at its base, the wind whispering through the letters.
Leonora's voice cracked as she spoke, recounting the letter. "Eight years ago, I got a package—no name, no address. Just some old books I had almost forgotten about, and a handwritten letter. I immediately recognized the books—your personal favorites: Lord of Lame, I'm My Sword, and most importantly, Caspia. I never got around to returning that one to you, but somehow you had two of them. In the back of Caspia was a letter. My hands were shaking as I opened the envelope. Scared of what you wrote in there, I hesitated at first, but my curiosity got the better of me, so I read it."
Her tears began to fall. "It said:
Dear Leonora, I hope this finds you somehow. I send you my books because I'm starting a new chapter in my life. I know I couldn't say goodbye to you last time, but I hope you'll forgive me for that. It's been quite some time since we last hung out, but I'd have to say, the time we spent together in there were some of the happiest times I ever had. I have no regrets about my life—except one: that I never got to see you again. Thank you for being my friend through those tough times. I'll never forget you, I promise. So with that I'll say one last thing: Live, Leonora. Live for the both of us, since I could not. And lastly, thank you for teaching me how to love."
Her body shook. "I thought you were dead. I even buried you—at least what was left of you. Why did you send me that letter?"
Youri's voice was thick, almost breaking. "The one who sent you that letter is long gone, Leonora. He died to make way for a monster. Those were his last words to you, and you honored them. Thank you. He would be so happy—he really loved you. I know you know that. But please, honor his memory and don't drown in his misery."
Leonora wiped her tears, trembling. "So I finally find you, and you tell me you're dead! I'm sorry, but I can't take that."
Her fingers brushed his cheek with all the intensity of years lost. "Youri, I'm never going to let you go. No matter what you say, or who you are now. So listen carefully: I, Leonora Kaelthorn, will be yours forever—in life and death."
She kissed him, and for a fleeting moment, the world seemed to hold its breath.
"You know I'm just a monster now," Youri whispered, his voice raw. "I destroy what others wish to build. What right do I have to love someone?"
"I promise you," she said, her lips barely parting, "I'll never let you become that monster ever again."
He closed his eyes, and for one heartbeat, the steel around him cracked. "Thank you, Leonora. From the bottom of my heart. You did save me, after all."
"Well then," Leonora laughed softly, tears shimmering in her eyes, holding his face gently, "We're even now."
Fog curled around them as they stood by the gravestone, two souls finally stitched back together by old wounds.
"Let's go home," she whispered.
"Yeah," he said, voice steady at last. "Let's go home."