"We can't kill the prince of a neigh boring kingdom," Aria said sharply, cutting a glance at Abigel, who looked like he was already planning the man's funeral in his head.
Abigel didn't respond immediately, but the way his black shadow aura coiled around his hand said enough.
The prince's assistant stepped forward, sensing the danger. "Please, Young Duke," he said carefully, "Ashkalon has no hostile intentions. His Highness may be reckless, but he means no harm—truly."
Aria stepped back, ignoring the tension. She whispered under her breath, "{System, find the curse.}"
A soft chime echoed in her mind.{SYSTEM: No curse detected.}
Aria frowned. So, it only reacts when the host is conscious...
She turned toward the unconscious man and knelt beside the citizen they had restrained earlier. The smell that rose from his body was sickening—rotten, damp, almost demonic. She placed her hand over his chest, letting her golden aura hum gently.
And suddenly, something surged through her mind like a crashing wave—A memory that wasn't hers.
A shadowed room.A trembling man standing before a writhing black form.And then—
"What will I get in return?"
"Eternity," the shadow answered, its voice like broken glass. "But make sure she dies."
Aria's breath caught. Her fingers twitched against the man's skin.
She stood up slowly, her heart thudding. The image burned into her mind. Someone had offered their soul—no, their body—for a curse bound to her death.
"Aria?" Abigel called, noticing the sudden shift in her expression.
She didn't answer right away.
Her eyes drifted to the unconscious man and then to the Ashkalon prince, who was watching her curiously—too curiously. His wine-red aura had settled, but it still pulsed faintly with something.
The morning was louder than usual servants bustling about, preparing rooms for the prince of Ashkalon. Aria stayed in her chambers; mind still tangled in the memory she'd witnessed the night before. The words from the shadow echoed over and over in her head:
"Make sure she dies."
Unable to clear her thoughts, she left for the training grounds. The clang of swords and the burn of her muscles usually helped her refocus. But not today. Her aura crackled unevenly, her movements tense. She gave up halfway through and returned, only to halt in her steps the moment she entered the hallway.
"Icarus…" she whispered.
He stood there, leaning against a pillar. He looked exhausted, shadows under his eyes, but more grounded than the last time she saw him. Their eyes met—brief but intense. Neither of them said anything. The air between them was heavy, thick with unspoken things.
Then Theo's voice cut through the silence.
"Everyone. To the office."
Inside, the room filled with low murmurs and shifting auras.
"The citizen had already been cursed when we found him," Icarus said, his voice calm but tired. "We were lucky to intercept it before more damage could be done. I destroyed the curse temporarily. But it will return—the mission wasn't completed."
Aria clenched her fists in her lap. Something inside her urged her to speak. "I saw a memory," she said quietly. "The man… he asked the shadow what he would gain. And the shadow promised him eternity—if he killed HER."
Silence fell.
"It's the same pattern as last time," Theo muttered, eyes narrowing. "A promise of eternity in exchange for death."
"But the Duchess lives in the South," Abigel said, frowning. "Why was the curse here, in the North?"
Icarus's gaze shifted to Aria. "Maybe… it was after something even more precious."
Aria's breath caught, and Theo tapped his fingers hard on the desk, trying to rein in the tension.
"I'll ask the Church for assistance," he said finally.
"No." Icarus's voice came out sharp, surprising everyone. "It's a bad idea. The Church already suspects Aria's aura. They'll twist it for their own use."
He hesitated, then added, "I… I'll stay with her."
Aria blinked, her heart skipping. She looked at him.
He knew.
He knew she wasn't the real Aria. He had known for a while now. And yet… he was still choosing to stay?
Why?
Her mind flooded with questions, but her lips refused to form them.
Across the room, Theo narrowed his eyes. Abigel watched in silence, unreadable.
"We've got a banquet planned to officially welcome the prince," Theo announced as the meeting drew to a close. "It'll be held in two days." His eyes shifted to Aria. "Selene will be attending as well."
The room fell silent at that, then slowly began to disperse.
As Aria walked through the corridor, still lost in thought, someone jumped out in front of her.
She stumbled back, startled. "For gods' sake!"
"I've been looking for you everywhere," the prince said with an easy grin. "Your name's Aria, isn't it? I'm Khalid. Are you the Black Knight? You don't look like one—but you're amazing, that aura, wow. Wait, are you—"
"Prince Khalid," Aria interrupted, pressing a hand to her temple, "please refrain from jumping at people in the corridors. You're a prince in a neighbouring kingdom. Try not to cause trouble—you don't want to get thrown out before the banquet, do you?"
He raised both hands in surrender, chuckling. "Fair. Alright, then—want to come with me?"
"NO."
The voice came from behind them, cold and cutting. Aria turned just as Icarus stepped into view, expression unreadable.
Khalid raised an eyebrow. "And who exactly are you?"
Aria and Icarus exchanged a glance.
"He…" Aria started, but her words faltered.
Icarus didn't wait for an answer. "Do we have to explain everything to you, Prince Khalid?"
Then, without another word, he took Aria's hand—and in the blink of an eye, they vanished, dissolving into thin air.
Left standing in the corridor, Khalid stared at the empty space they had occupied. His grin faded. Slowly, he clenched his hand into a fist.
"…Why does this feel bittersweet?" he muttered under his breath.
Aria and Icarus stood in the quiet hush of the northern library. The only sound was the rustle of old pages and the faint whisper of wind against the stained glass windows.
Neither spoke at first. The tension between them was thick.
Then Icarus finally broke the silence.
"Was he the one who touched you?" he asked, his voice low, eyes locked onto hers. There was a flicker of something in his gaze—jealousy, maybe… or something darker.
Aria blinked, surprised. "How do you know about that?"
"I know everything," he said, stepping closer. "How could I not? I knew when your heart raced. I knew when you tried to end your life."
His voice was soft but piercing. It made her heart stutter.
"That's exactly why I'm asking you—how do you know all of that?" she asked again, taking another step closer, her eyes narrowing with quiet intensity.
Icarus looked away; jaw clenched. "…Because I gave you part of my soul."
Silence fell between them once more.
"What?" Aria whispered, her voice barely audible.
"Don't look at me like that," Icarus said, eyes locked on hers. "I never regret it. All I care about is you, Aria."
Her brows furrowed. "But… you know I'm not real!" she shouted, the words bursting out before she could stop herself. She slapped a hand over her mouth instantly, expecting the system's cold warning to flash—but nothing came. No red screen. No sound.
Nothing.
Icarus stepped closer, his voice dropping to a murmur. "I can't explain everything yet… but you have to trust me."
He lifted a hand—and a glowing red thread shimmered into view between them, connecting their hearts.
Aria's breath hitched.
"I don't like anyone else touching what's mine, Aria." His voice was rough, possessive.
Her heart pounded, chest rising and falling in unsteady rhythm. Was this her emotion… or the real Aria's? But the thoughts melted in the heat of his presence.
"Where did he touch you?" Icarus asked, his hand brushing her cheek, his aura humming—tense, hungry, protective.
"…He kissed me," Aria admitted. "It was an accident."
His eyes darkened instantly. A violent pulse of violet energy rippled through the room—his aura sharpening like blades. He didn't need words to say what he planned. If he wanted to, Icarus could find and erase that man without a single witness.
But then—she kissed him.
On instinct. Her fingers curled around his collar, pulling him down to her height. She rose on her toes and kissed him, soft but full of fire. It stunned him—but he didn't resist. If anything, it was as if he'd waited forever for this.
With ease, he lifted her off the ground and pressed her against the wall, lips moving with hers in a fierce claim. Her fingers tangled in his hair, undoing the tie. His neat braid unraveled, and buttons flew loose from his shirt as their bodies pressed close.
When they finally pulled apart, breathless and flushed, only the sound of ragged breathing remained.
Aria chuckled softly, gazing at the beautiful mess of the man in front of her. Then—suddenly—a memory surfaced.
A childhood tea party.
A boy had dared to propose to her with a flower ring. Icarus, tiny and fuming, had used his aura to knock the teapot onto the poor boy's lap. She'd scolded him then, but now… it made her laugh.
"You're still the same, Icarus. Silly," she said, voice warm with nostalgia.
He stared at her, eyes wide, voice thick with hope.
"You… remember?"
Aria narrowed her eyes, confusion flickering beneath her lashes. That memory… how could she recall something she never lived in this life?
It hadn't been her own memory. Not from this existence.
"Was it Aria's?" she whispered to herself. But then… how could I remember it?
Before the panic could spiral, Icarus leaned in and gently rested his forehead against hers. His voice was soft, grounding.
"It's fine… We'll figure it out," he whispered.
Something in her chest loosened. For the first time, she didn't feel completely alone. Someone knew. Someone understood—at least a piece of the truth she'd been hiding from the world and herself.
She closed her eyes. Just for a moment, she allowed herself the comfort of his warmth.
"I think we should head back," Icarus murmured, pulling away slightly.
She blinked at him. "Why?"
He turned his face away, ears flushed red. "Because… I don't think I can control myself if I stay longer."
Her eyes widened. His words, low and sincere, sent an odd flutter through her chest.
Without giving her a chance to respond, he wrapped his arm around her waist and, in a blur of motion, transported her back to her room.
Before stepping away, he leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead.
And then—he was gone.
Aria lay back on the bed, staring at the ceiling, her thoughts a storm.
If I'm not Aria… why do I remember her childhood?
Why do I feel like this… when he's nearby?
And if part of his soul is in me… then who am I really becoming?
The room was quiet, but her mind was louder than ever.
Meanwhile, in the System Realm…
The void pulsed with unstable energy. Cracks shimmered across the control panels as lines of corrupted code flickered—glitching between red and gold.
Faith stood in the centre, eyes fixed on the shifting timeline.
"Why doesn't my command work on Icarus…" he growled, jaw clenched. "And why is he still alive?"
His hand hovered over a rune-marked console, trembling not with fear—but fury.
"He should've been erased by now."
Images of Aria and Icarus flashed—too close, too bonded. The red thread between their hearts glowed defiantly on the screen.
"No… No. This connection—it's not written. She was never supposed to remember."
Faith's voice dropped into a snarl.
"The story is collapsing. My story."
He raised his hand, tendrils of black system energy swirling around his fingers.
"If I can't control them…"
A ripple of murderous intent spread through the realm.
"I'll kill them both."