The gray morning of Darkova had arrived. The five of them sat around a dark wooden table in the hotel restaurant, breakfast plates laid out before them.
Ken sat in the corner of the table, an unlit cigarette between his fingers, slowly rolling it while a cup of hot black tea steamed in front of him. Ann was the first to start eating, dipping a piece of toasted bread into her plate of eggs. Mabushi was devouring a roasted meat sandwich, and Silvara sipped her herbal soup.
As for Akio… he sat between Ken and Mabushi, staring blankly at the cups and dishes on the table.
He lifted his cup cheerfully:
"Well… at least the drink will—"
But he didn't finish. The moment the first sip touched his tongue… he froze. His eyes flew wide open, and half a second later—
"PFFFFFT!!!"
He spat the entire mouthful straight into Ken's face. Ken, who hadn't reacted at first, only felt the heat dripping down his face, droplets of hot tea sliding onto his shirt collar and hair.
Then he realized what happened. He slowly lifted his head… the usual calm wiped completely from his expression. In its place was a furious and unintentionally hilarious, he had a look that no one had ever seen on him before.
In a low, terrifying voice he muttered:
"Akio…"
Akio swallowed hard:
"H–Hah?"
The next second, Ken's fist smashed directly into Akio's face. Akio flew off his chair like a leaf, hit the floor, and was grabbed again by the collar before he could recover.
Akio screamed in panic:
"Wait! Hold on! I swear it was an accident! I didn't know it was your cup! The tea tastes horrible!!"
Ken's eyes burned as he shouted:
"Accident?! You spat tea on my face! Do you know how hot that was?!"
Ann covered her mouth… then burst into laughter, slamming her hand on the table:
"Oh my God… Ken is actually angry! This is a historic day!!"
Silvara simply stared and commented quietly:
"The combat energy at this table… is quite high this morning."
Mabushi took a sip of his coffee and said flatly:
"Good… I needed some entertainment."
Ken wasn't done. He lifted Akio higher… then slammed him onto the table. Part of the wooden surface cracked, dishes rattled, and the egg plate jumped into the air before falling back into place. Ken grabbed Akio again and swung his fist, landing another punch right on his head. Akio flew for a moment before hitting the floor, his right cheek swollen and one eye half-closed.
Akio groaned weakly:
"…I… am not okay…"
Ann was crying from laughter:
"Akio… I think… I think you awakened Ken's inner monster…"
Ken picked up his cigarette, put it in his mouth, and lit it with visible irritation.
Then he turned away and said coldly:
"I'm going to take a shower."
He walked off calmly. Behind him, Ann kept laughing through tears, Akio lay half-dead on the floor, Mabushi ate as if nothing happened, and Silvara murmured:
"What a morning… Darkova is already affecting us."
Meanwhile, Terracula sat on her throne, holding a glass filled with blood. Her three guards stood nearby. Akira leaned against the wall, arms crossed, gaze unfocused, strangely avoiding looking at his mistress since entering the hall.
Steve stood near the door, rigid as ever. Nyoro lounged in a luxurious chair, flipping his dagger in boredom. Terracula raised her glass, took a long sip… then looked at them with a faint smile.
"Boys… on Saturday night we will hold a party in the palace."
Akira's head snapped up. His tail twitched, and he tried to hide the sudden tension that flickered across his face for just one second.
"A party?… A real party? Music… and women?"
He tried to sound normal, cheerful as always, but his voice couldn't fully hide that faint disturbance behind it. Terracula tilted her head slightly, her lips curling in a sly smile:
"Of course, Akira… nobles from all of Darkova will be attending. Which means… many beautiful ladies."
Akira tightened his arms for a moment, then let his mask of cheer slip back on:
"Of course, man, women are life! How can anyone live without them?"
He raised his fist with slightly forced enthusiasm, as if trying to restore his usual image. Nyoro laughed, tossing his dagger up and catching it again:
"Oh absolutely… as long as there are girls around, Akira gets excited and forgets he was miserable seconds ago."
Akira placed a hand dramatically over his chest:
"My friend, I'm a poet! Women are the flowers that decorate this cruel world… the stars that light the darkness of our hearts—"
Steve's cold voice cut him off for the first time in minutes:
"A party, then."
Terracula glanced at him:
"Yes, Steve. And I want you to attend as well."
He nodded firmly:
"I will be there."
Akira chuckled mockingly:
"Steve… aren't you even a little excited?"
Steve answered quietly:
"I am not interested in shallow parties, dancing, or empty conversations with pretentious people."
Nyoro laughed loudly:
"Man… you're officially the most boring person in this palace!"
Akira added sarcastically:
"Maybe you'll find a quiet girl who's just like you… and you'll sit in a corner staring at each other in eternal silence!"
Steve didn't respond, he only raised an eyebrow.
Terracula chuckled softly, stood up from her throne, and lifted her glass:
"On Saturday night… I want you all at your best. No chaos, no fighting."
She turned to leave, but paused, glancing at Akira slowly. That look… held something neither Nyoro nor Steve understood.
She raised a brow and said softly enough to be unsettling:
"And you, Akira… try not to break any furniture while chasing girls."
Akira froze for half a second, then masked it with a grin:
"No promises, my lady."
Terracula left the hall with quiet steps.
As soon as her presence faded, Akira turned to Nyoro, clapping his hands:
"Well then… a nobles party! I'll be the king of the night!"
Nyoro smirked wickedly:
"We'll see, Akira… we'll see."
Steve exhaled a very small sigh:
"What a bother."
Hours later, after servants began preparing for the upcoming ball, Akira wandered through the corridors alone. Without thinking much, he climbed the stone stairs to the upper floor. He reached the small cell at the end of the hallway, took out a metal key from his pocket, and unlocked it slowly.
The child sat in the corner, wrapped in a thin blanket that barely warmed a mouse. His small body trembled, golden eyes fixed on the door in immediate fear… then silence was broken by the growl of his empty stomach. Akira froze, raising an eyebrow.
"You're starving… aren't you?"
The child didn't answer, he only covered his stomach with his hand, embarrassed. Akira exhaled, running a hand through his messy black hair.
"Of course. No one bothered feeding you."
He turned abruptly, closed the door, and walked away. A few minutes later, he returned. He opened the door again, holding a piece of bread and some dried meat he'd stolen from the palace kitchen. He tossed them toward the child without any gentleness.
"Eat."
The child lifted his head slowly, his eyes shifting between the food and Akira.
"This… is for me?"
Akira replied with emotionless mockery:
"No, it's for cell decoration. Of course it's for you, you little idiot."
The child lunged at the food, eating ravenously as if he hadn't tasted a bite for days. Akira watched in silence… then asked suddenly:
"What's your name?"
The child paused, then answered in a trembling voice:
"L-Lionel. Thank you… big wolf brother."
Time froze. Akira's face stiffened, and he turned his gaze away as if struck in the chest.
"You shouldn't thank me. I'm the one who brought you here… remember that."
But Lionel kept staring at him with innocent eyes.
"But… you didn't hurt me."
Akira frowned, exhaling sharply while brushing back his hair. He replied dryly:
"That doesn't mean I won't later, so don't think I'm some good person or anything."
Lionel stayed quiet for a moment, then smiled a pure gentle smile that didn't belong in a place like this.
"But you are a good person."
Akira's eyes widened slightly before he turned away with forced irritation:
"Oh great… why are all kids so annoying?!"
He sat down outside the cell, leaning his back against the cold stone wall. He tried to look uninterested, but something heavy pressed against his chest. Lionel looked at him suddenly and asked in a small voice:
"You're… a real wolf shifter?"
Akira lowered his head a little:
"Not completely."
Lionel asked softly:
"What do you mean?"
Akira answered:
"It means I'm not fully human, and not fully wolf shifter either. I'm stuck in the middle… like a monster… and I'm called a werewolf."
Lionel nodded as if he understood, though he clearly didn't. A short silence followed, then Akira slowly stood up.
"I have to go."
Lionel lifted his head quickly, his eyes widened:
"Will you come back… later?"
That question hit something inside Akira, something he wasn't ready for. He turned slowly. He stared at Lionel for a long second… then faced the door again. Before leaving, he paused.
In a low voice, he said:
"Yes… I'll come back. And I promise… I'll set you free."
He closed the door behind him. As his footsteps faded down the hall… Lionel sat in the corner, his hands still shaking, but his heart was no longer as frightened as before.
Because now… for the first time… he felt that there was someone in this palace who might not be a monster at all.