CHAPTER 32: MORNING

Edward woke to a sudden jolt.

The mattress shifted beneath him, and for a heartbeat, he thought he was dreaming. His eyes fluttered open only to meet a pair of dark, watchful eyes staring back at him. Long strands of black hair framed the face of the girl lying beside him, her lips curved into a smile as though she had been waiting for this moment.

"Morning," Seraphine said softly.

"W–what?!" Edward flinched backwards, tumbling off the side of the bed with a dull thud against the floor. He scrambled up on one elbow, staring at her in disbelief. "What are you... What are you doing here?"

He froze as his gaze slid to the figure at the edge of the bed—his own summon, the shadowy form of the Shadow Striker, standing silent and still like a guard. Its empty eyes observing the whole thing.

"You!" Edward jabbed an accusing finger. "You were supposed to keep an eye on her! And you—" his finger shifted to Seraphine, who now sat up, swinging her legs idly. "What are you doing in my room?"

Seraphine only giggled, tilting her head. "Aeris asked me to wake you up."

Edward blinked. "Laying down next to me is your idea of waking me up?"

"It worked, didn’t it?" she answered playfully, standing and smoothing out her nightgown. Without shame, she brushed past him toward the door. "Anyway, the cook made breakfast." She winked before slipping out of the room.

Edward sighed, dragging a hand over his face as he got to his feet. "Damn Chief..." he muttered, already feeling the consequences of his request building up.

Soon enough, he left his room and made his way to the dining area.

Aeris was already seated at the table, back straight and eyes sharp. Seraphine sat across from her, cheerfully chatting as if the world outside didn’t exist. Edward gave Aeris a small nod of greeting before dropping into a chair and pulling the bowl of beef stew closer.

He ate quickly and quietly, letting the dull scrape of his spoon drown out most of Seraphine’s endless chatter. Aeris hardly reacted either, her expression carved from stone as Seraphine’s words bounced uselessly off her. It was clear neither of them was in the mood to chit-chat, but that didn’t seem to deter the girl in the slightest.

The rest of the day passed without incident. Edward tried to pry more information from Seraphine, but there was little left she hadn’t already shared. For all her talk, most of it was just that—talk. Beyond her story of the Crimson Oath’s presence, he found no new leads.

And so, they waited.

The chief’s orders had been clear. No reckless moves until the capital replied. Ten or more cultists were beyond anything they could handle alone. Still, the waiting gnawed at him.

To distract himself, he decided to replenish his supply of clothes. Both Aeris and Seraphine had been directly responsible for the destruction of his last two shirts, and with only one remaining, he wasn’t about to risk another disaster.

The days bled together.

Each morning, he would find himself woken up by Seraphine. Then came breakfast, followed by silence, and more attempts at conversation he occasionally joined. Aeris shut herself away for hours daily, the faint fluctuations of mana in the air suggesting she was deep in practice.

Edward, bored out of his mind, scoured the shelves of the townhouse for something—anything—to pass the time. He ended up with dusty tomes of old poetry and strange accounts of the kingdom’s history. Reading wasn’t his favourite pastime, especially not with Seraphine practically leaning over his shoulder, but it was better than nothing.

Three days of this had passed.

But on the fourth morning, the routine broke.

Edward stirred as his door burst open with a sudden slam. His eyes snapped open to see Aeris standing in the doorway, her breath quick, eyes alight with urgency.

"The Prince," she said sharply. "The prince, along with his convoy, arrived in town!"

Edward blinked, still halfway between sleep and waking. "The... prince?"

"Yes." Aeris nodded firmly. "They’ve come to see the chief."

Edward was already on his feet, dragging on his shirt and boots. He barely had time to register the sound of hurried footsteps before Seraphine appeared, hair loose around her shoulders and her expression wide with confusion.

"What’s going on?" she asked, rubbing her eyes and looking between them.

"There’s no time," Aeris said curtly.

They got dressed quickly and together, the three of them left the townhouse. The cool morning air wrapped around them as they hurried through the narrow streets. The town was already stirring with commotion—citizens whispering, drunkards from the eastern quarter sobered by the sight of soldiers in polished armour.

Edward felt the weight of it pressing in, the sense that something was shifting, the long silence finally cracking open.

By the time they reached the chief’s residence, the convoy had already come to a halt outside. Gleaming banners swayed in the breeze, the prince’s crest etched in gold upon crimson cloth. Sunlight caught on spearheads, casting sharp glints that seemed to pierce the morning haze. Rows of soldiers lined the street in perfect formation, shields polished to a mirror sheen, their discipline silencing even the rowdiest onlookers.

The townsfolk had gathered in droves, murmurs rippling through the crowd like a restless tide. Children craned their necks for a glimpse, while merchants abandoned their stalls, coins forgotten in their open hands. The weight of nobility pressed down on the square, heavy and undeniable.

At the center of it all waited the carriage—ornate, reinforced, and unmistakably royal. Gold filigree traced its edges, and the wheels alone gleamed brighter than any cart the town had ever seen. Edward’s gaze lingered on it as they slowed their steps.

He exhaled slowly, his thoughts already racing ahead.

The wait for the response was over.

Whatever happened next, it would no longer be the quiet, suffocating stillness of the past three days.