Ahspid stood before his dark, empty desk, slowly sliding his somber, almost colorless eyes over its polished surface. He had grown used to the usual mess he liked to leave behind, even though it was always taken care of by one of the nosy maids, no matter how many times he continued to ruin her efforts simply because he liked to banter.
Now, this emptiness was a reflection of his own self.
Then, he carefully took off the golden ring from his little finger and placed it on the desk, his hand trembling slightly as he moved it away from the golden band.
'You gifted me your treasure, Lady Valentine, so allow me to gift you mine. Take good care of it for me. I know you can.'
With the heavy, solemn air surrounding him like an invisible presence, the man wrapped a long, thick black cloak around his shoulders, took one last good look at his empty room, then covered his head with the wide hood, and left the room quietly as if he were a wandering ghost.
