Parma, who had been sniffling, abruptly lifted her head. Her tear-filled blue eyes widened in surprise as she stared at Seiyad.
—Did you say surveillance, Duke? What kind of surveillance are you talking about?
Perhaps still displeased about the events from last time, the king’s voice was edged with irritation. It wasn’t surprising—he had always found Seiyad discomforting, even back when he was recognized as Aster’s hound.
“It’s Your Majesty’s concern that there’s no one to stop a rampaging Tither in time, is it not? But as things stand, the Duchess is already confined under my surveillance. If she’s monitored in an environment where it’s difficult for her to use her power, then even if she were to go on a rampage, it wouldn’t be difficult to subdue her.”
—Hmm… Quite unexpected, Duke. I didn’t realize you were so close to the Duchess of Vetria. Or have you changed as a person? You’ve been interfering much more than before lately.
The king sounded genuinely surprised, yet still laced his words with mockery. Seiyad leaned back in his chair and responded with a blank expression.
“If that’s how Your Majesty sees it.”
—But no matter how much you watch over her, it’s impossible to keep her by your side at all times. What will you do if she goes on a rampage then?
“If that day comes, I’ll personally cut off her head.”
The casual declaration that he would kill Vetria caused Zion to frown. Duke Bridehit, unaware of the full picture, looked at Seiyad with a hint of expectation.
—And what if unnecessary casualties arise from that? How will you take responsibility?
“Your Majesty, accidents can happen anytime, anywhere. It’s more beneficial to keep even one Tither alive. If we were to kill them every time there’s a sign of instability, they’d soon be extinct.”
Zion, who had been listening in silence, spoke coldly.
“You’re voicing a grim assumption aloud.”
Seiyad flicked his gaze toward him. At that moment, his eyes met Ressas’, whom he had deliberately been avoiding. Whether Ressas had been watching him all along was unclear, but the instant Seiyad turned, their eyes locked. Honestly, Ressas staying silent all this time had come as a surprise. Of all people, Ressas was the one he expected to jump in first.
…No, what he thought he understood until yesterday had already come crashing down.
The truth was, the Ressas Seiyad knew was based on his childhood. And if even that part of Ressas—whom he believed he knew well—turned out to be a mystery, then perhaps claiming to “know” someone at all was a meaningless endeavor.
“It’s true that we need as many Tithers as we can get.”
Ressas, silent until then, finally spoke. Zion subtly turned his head, as if unable to believe that Ressas, of all people, was siding with Seiyad. Pressed close to Ressas’ shoulder, he muttered something faintly under his breath.
“Ressas, you do realize the one you’re defending right now is the Duke, don’t you?”
Ressas nodded slowly in affirmation. Zion’s lips tightened, as if he’d just witnessed something terribly wrong.
“Having the Duchess under someone else’s jurisdiction rather than her own child, Stella Vetria, would be better. If she’s managed in a way that limits her power, the fallout will be much easier to control. And if Marchioness Parma’s purification proves insufficient, then I will remain here to assist Duke Axid.”
“What are you saying, Ressas?!”
Zion whispered harshly, horrified at the declaration of staying in the North. Everyone seemed bewildered by the unfolding situation. The king, who had been quietly listening, rubbed his forehead and stepped in to restore order.
—That’s enough. Let’s end this here. Since Duke Axid is willing and there are those opposing her release, the Duchess of Vetria shall remain within Axid’s domain. From this moment onward, her title shall be passed to her child, Stella Vetria. Parma, you shall care for her here as repayment for your responsibilities. Remember—it was you who volunteered for the bitter cold of the North.
Parma nodded hastily.
“Thank you, Brother.”
With a deep sigh, the king then turned to reprimand Ressas.
—Ressas, there’s no need for you to assist a Tither who already has an assigned Guide. It’s understandable you may not know all the customs yet, having just become one, but with the capabilities you’ve demonstrated, it would be better for you to remain near the Duke of Shildras or the Duchess of Vetria.
“What if my compatibility with the Duke surpasses even my brother’s? What would you do then?”
At that moment, Aster’s icy blue eyes darkened. He looked at Ressas as if he were something laughable, curling his lips into a twisted grin and baring his fangs slightly.
“And what gives you such confidence, Ressas?”
For the first time since Ressas’ awakening, Aster directly spoke to him.
Watching the scene unfold, Seiyad genuinely began to wonder if Ressas had lost his mind. Otherwise, there was no reason to complicate things like this. Yes, he needed Ressas—but this wasn’t how he had envisioned it going.
“Even if your compatibility is as easy to use as a rag passed around by anyone, do you truly believe someone like Seiyad, who’s received only my purification since childhood, would accept you so easily?”
—Aster.
The king gently admonished him for the crude remark. Aster accepted the rebuke with a soft smile.
“I simply feared he might already be blinded by power, instead of choosing what’s best for Solias as a Guide.”
—Your point stands, but mind your language. Is he not your beloved brother?
“Is he?”
Had it been any earlier, no one would have dared rein in Aster’s behavior. The king cleared his throat awkwardly in response to Aster’s light retort.
“You’re welcome to covet what’s mine all you want—it must be quite thrilling for you right now. But understand this: Eid is my Tither. Don’t even think about laying your eyes on him.”
Aster gently placed a hand on Seiyad’s shoulder as he spoke. Ressas, who had been listening with an expressionless face, suddenly had a depth in his violet eyes. Catching that subtle shift, Aster leaned in closer to Seiyad, deliberately lowering his voice just enough so that everyone could still hear.
“After all, Eid can’t be satisfied with anyone but me. Just last night, he fell asleep in my arms, warmed by my body heat.”
At the rather risqué remark, Marchioness Parma flushed and looked away. Seiyad, too, was unsettled. Aster had never been this blunt in trying to stake a public claim over him. That possessiveness—one he had never shown even up to Seiyad’s twenty-ninth year—now washed over him like a hollow wave.
If he was going to act like this, why couldn’t he have stayed by his side to the end?
Whether it was due to disliking Ressas or simply resenting the idea of a once-useful possession slipping away, Seiyad had no intention of letting himself be dragged around by Aster any longer. Just as he steeled his expression to cut Aster off, Ressas quietly smiled and spoke.
“I’m not so sure. The Duke I saw didn’t seem that way at all.”
As he said that, Ressas’ gaze tangled deeply with Seiyad’s. Though his demeanor was calm, his violet eyes were unmistakably seething—just like that night in the cabin.
“It was my first kiss.”
Ressas’ rebuttal had been a complete lie. No matter how skilled a supposedly inexperienced youth might be, there was no mistaking it. That day, Ressas had mimicked Seiyad’s rough kiss to perfection—unyielding and relentless. Learning how to breathe as he went, Ressas had licked and tasted Seiyad’s lips like a starved little beast throughout the night. And when their tongues met…
“That’s enough, Ressas. This is more than sufficient. You’re coming with me to the East anyway.”
Seiyad forcibly snapped the memory short just as Zion cut in, disgusted. His face openly showed that he’d heard far more than he ever wanted to. Turning to the king, he reported:
“I was just about to inform Your Majesty—word is that winter has already begun in the Forest of Dawn within the Vetria duchy. I had only just left the South after Father’s funeral to aid her, and upon hearing Your Highness’ summons, I came North to confirm the situation. From what I’ve observed so far, Ressas’ power doesn’t appear bound by compatibility. It seems most reasonable to assign him to assist Stella Vetria.”
Apparently pleased to finally find himself in agreement with Zion, the king granted his request without hesitation.
—The Duke of Shildras speaks wisely. Let us postpone deciding the Tither whom Ressas will assist in the capital. For now, let this winter begin with the East. I can feel a headache coming on, so we’ll end the meeting here. Duke Bridehit, you should return to your domain and prepare for winter as well. You were right. There’s no need to rush the forest investigation until spring arrives.
“I’m relieved to hear Your Majesty say so, even if it’s only now.”
Despite Bridehit’s sharp reply, the king ended the call without a word, clearly eager to be rid of the conversation. Seiyad felt just as drained. Only Aster and Ressas continued to wear smiles—each in their own way. It was the first moment the two, so completely dissimilar in both aura and temperament, actually looked like brothers.
“It’s going to be a long winter.”
Parma rose from her seat and spoke in a weary tone. Bridehit nodded in agreement.
“I’ve never seen a winter quite so eventful. The few days I spent in Axid’s domain felt like an entire year.”
Parma nodded along with Bridehit’s comment, yet didn’t forget to look after Selfini—now the former Duchess of Vetria.
“You’re right. Aster, would you escort me to Selfini? I need to rest after I’ve spoken with her.”
“Yes, Aunt.”
Aster looked quite pleased. It wasn’t so much interest in the duchess’s sentence as it was his apparent satisfaction over denying Ressas what he wanted in their earlier exchange over Seiyad. Helping Parma to her feet, Aster deliberately leaned toward Seiyad’s ear and whispered.
“Then I’ll be off for now. We’ll soon have a winter all to ourselves, undisturbed by anyone. At least give me time to see the guests out.”
Seiyad turned his head slightly, narrowing the distance between them until their lips were nearly touching. In a low voice, he warned:
“Why did you fabricate that earlier? Did Your Highness truly believe I would fall asleep with your body heat wrapped around me?”
“No. It’s I who would fall asleep wrapped around your body heat. I much prefer being the one who holds rather than the one being held.”
