Everyone present turned to look at Seiyad at once. His voice, calm like the night sea, carried an unintentional but unmistakable weight that made his presence especially commanding in a moment like this.
Cecilia’s eyes widened in surprise at his low voice, and even Ressas, who had been reaching out his hand, froze in place and studied Seiyad. A flicker of unease passed over his blinking violet eyes.
When his gaze met his sister’s, Seiyad was startled too. Of course, this was a situation that called for Purification, and he hadn’t meant to stop it. Still, a sudden surge of displeasure and suspicion had risen in him, and it seemed his thoughts had slipped out before he realized.
On second thought, he should have stopped it. He had felt disturbed and even angry when Cecilia mentioned holding Aster’s hand—so why should it be any different with Ressas? Especially considering Ressas had the ability to purify without physical contact.
“…I was under the impression that His Highness was capable of Purification without unnecessary physical contact.”
Seiyad added the explanation in a dry tone, sensing it was needed. Watching her brother’s expression, Cecilia seemed to relax, letting out a faint laugh in a noticeably lighter voice.
“Oppa, it’s Purification. It can’t be helped. I’m fine.”
Listening to her, his emotions tangled. Yes, the unease toward Ressas had been real, but it felt distinctly different from what he’d felt with Aster. Guilt settled in—he realized the feeling had flared up before concern for his young sister even had a chance to surface.
It had been so long since he’d played the proper role of an older brother. Now that he had finally reclaimed this precious family, he should be putting them before all else.
“Duke, please, this is…!”
Unlike the reassured Cecilia, Ressas couldn’t hide his fluster. Anxiety shimmered in his pretty eyes as he turned quickly toward Seiyad, voice trembling with urgency.
“When Purification stems from an overwhelming power, yes, contact isn’t necessary. But in this case, with Nir’a’s influence deeply intertwined, I have to tend to her spirit. It requires examining her state closely and soothing her soul—that’s why I held her hand. It wasn’t with any improper intent, Duke.”
Ressas explained in a desperately cautious tone, prompting surprised looks from Stella and Nova, who had been silently watching. They, like most others here, rarely had personal interaction with Ressas. In their memories, he likely remained the always composed, serene figure.
“There’s no need to explain. The fault is mine. I won’t interfere further.”
Feeling like his presence was unnecessarily complicating things, Seiyad chose to step away. He ignored Ressas’s subtle attempt to stop him, turning away and leaving Cecilia with a gentle word of farewell.
“Rest well, Cecil. I still have work to do, but I’ll come see you in the morning.”
“Oppa, you need rest too.”
Seiyad gently stroked his sister’s hair as she held onto him worriedly, then gave a silent nod to Nova and Stella. Finally, he locked eyes with Ressas—who had been staring after him in silence—and after a brief exchange of gazes, offered a respectful nod before withdrawing.
Seiyad walked without looking back for some time until he reached a tree bathed in deep night shade and came to a stop. His form melted into the shadows and became one with the darkness, his presence vanishing entirely.
What he had said to Cecilia wasn’t a lie. He intended to check on Zion’s condition by circling the manor. Since he still had work to do, leaving immediately was the logical choice. And yet… he felt as though something was pulling him back. In the end, he turned around.
Ressas was still holding Cecilia’s hand, uninterrupted. Though he couldn’t see their expressions, they stayed like that for quite a while before Ressas extended his hand to Stella. Unlike the hesitant Cecilia, Stella showed little hesitation.
Now that he thought about it…
‘They must’ve spent the winter together.’
It suddenly struck him that Ressas had already spent the entire winter with Zion and Stella. Despite having assumed they’d been through far more together, he found it absurd how surprised he’d been by what just happened. He reminded himself constantly that the side of Ressas he saw wasn’t the whole of him, and yet, on some level, he’d unconsciously believed Ressas wouldn’t connect with anyone but him.
No wonder he’s gotten so damn good at kissing.
That thought sent a chill through him. He loathed the way his insides burned, dark and bitter like charred ash. Seiyad tore his gaze away from the scene of purification and disappeared into the shadows of the night.
***
The intrusive thoughts finally faded as his mind shifted to Zion’s fate. From outside the manor, Seiyad observed how Aster’s knights were stationed. Strangely, the corridors were all brightly lit, unlike usual—so much so that there were few shadows he could hide in. It felt as if it had been arranged precisely to prevent him from moving freely inside.
It wasn’t that infiltration was impossible, but the atmosphere felt undeniably strange. The conclusion that Aster was connected to the Devil had already been reached, and though that alone had filled Seiyad with quiet fury, he still hadn’t seen Aster wield any suspicious power with his own eyes. That lack of evidence made it harder to fully believe it.
If Aster truly was keeping him in check, and if he also knew what happened at the edge of the forest, then he must also know that Seiyad had acted alongside Ressas.
The question was: how much did Aster actually know? He would undoubtedly interrogate Seiyad for defying his command—but was he also certain that Seiyad had uncovered his true identity? It was impossible to tell. Predicting Aster’s next move was difficult, especially without knowing the extent of his abilities.
‘Should I try to stay close to Aster for as long as possible to keep watch?’
He’d purposely assigned the task to Desertus to avoid direct involvement himself, but it had been some time and still no word. He had left a message last time, hoping it would yield a response by now…
Just as a wave of distaste rose at the thought of having to remain by Aster’s side, Seiyad felt a faint disturbance nearby. It wasn’t so much a sound or presence as it was a shadow shifting—something only Seiyad would have been able to detect.
“Tiaki?”
As if responding to the call, the black shadow quickly approached Seiyad. The aura was familiar. Just as he thought the timing was fortunate, the stench of blood hit him.
Tiaki, who had been hiding in the shadows, revealed himself.
“Duke… this place… it’s dangerous. Take me… somewhere else…, ngh… please…”
Clutching his abdomen, Tiaki was barely managing to stay upright. His face was deathly pale, drenched in cold sweat, and his eyelids trembled as if he could collapse any second. It was clear at a glance that he was in critical condition—he must’ve used his powers to get this far.
“Let’s move you first, then I’ll call for a physician.”
Seiyad rushed to his side, placing Tiaki’s arm over his own shoulder and wrapping an arm tightly around his waist to support him. The scent of blood grew stronger as they drew closer.
“No… not a physician. More than a physician… a Guide…, hah… as far away… from here… as possible…”
Tiaki passed out before he could finish. Seiyad pressed his lips together at the sight of the unconscious man, then immediately began moving. Hiding both their presences within the shadows, he followed Tiaki’s wish to get as far away as possible.
The Tither clan, aligned with light and darkness, had long mastered the technique of linking spaces to move swiftly between them. Thanks to that, Seiyad was able to reach a rural home far from the Shildras ducal estate in no time. It was located about halfway between Takhan and the estate, surrounded by scattered farmhouses.
He slipped into the quietest house he could find. Inside a vacant barn, he laid Tiaki down, then headed to a small brick house nearby to obtain cloth for staunching the bleeding and some water for washing. There was only one presence inside.
“Who is it? Uncle Johan?”
The young man’s voice was thick with sleep, annoyed at being disturbed so late. A faint light leaked under the door—he must’ve lit a candle. Then, the door opened.
“H-Huh…!”
The moment he saw Seiyad standing in the darkness, the youth stumbled back in shock. He looked frightened, flinching as he raised his head to face the large man who had come to his door in the middle of the night.
“A-are you a knight…? What brings you here?”
Judging from Seiyad’s appearance, the young man seemed to assume he was a knight. Since he wasn’t from the northern territories, he wouldn’t recognize Seiyad, which was for the best. It was easier to pretend to be an anonymous knight.
“I was returning after carrying out a mission under the Duke’s orders and needed a place to rest. If it’s not too much trouble, may I borrow your barn?”
Though it was phrased as a request, the tone made it clear it was nearly a command. The youth understood well enough and gave a quick nod, then hesitantly asked a thoughtful question.
“Y-Yes, of course. Please use it as you need. Is there anything I can do for you?”
“If you have any water stored, I’d like to borrow some. And any spare cloth you don’t need.”
“Ah—one moment.”
The request was inconvenient, but fear won out over reluctance. The young man hurriedly brought what Seiyad had asked for. Seiyad gave a curt nod in thanks, then made sure the youth wasn’t following him before returning to the barn. Thankfully, the boy didn’t seem bold enough to snoop around.
Tiaki was sitting up against the wall, waiting for him. He must’ve regained consciousness briefly—his heavy eyelids struggled to lift as he looked at Seiyad.
“Did we… get far enough?”
“Yes. Now tell me—who did this to you?”
Seiyad got straight to the point. He knelt before him and reached out to check the wound. Tiaki lowered his head, too weak to keep it upright. His entire body radiated heat—his condition was critical. If left like this until morning, he would die.
“Per your orders, I was watching… His Highness the Crown Prince…”
Tiaki’s voice was faint, barely more than a breath.
“One of our men went ahead and didn’t return, so… I went myself. I saw something strange there…, a snake… a black snake, suddenly…”
He managed to force out the crucial part—but passed out again before he could finish.
