A red and black dragon, meticulously crafted with golden and white accents, stood in a fierce confrontation on the insignia adorning the letter.
Its intricate design left no room for doubt; this was the family crest of none other than the illustrious Duke of Heavens, a figure of unparalleled power within our empire.
As I chuckled to myself, a wry acknowledgment of the absurdity of my own reaction to a mere piece of correspondence, I couldn't deny the weight of the situation.
When your fiancée is entangled in a family that not only commands vast swathes of the empire's territory but also boasts military prowess surpassing even that of the emperor himself, fear becomes an inevitable companion.
The truth about Liyana, my fiancée—a world-ending dragon—cast a dark shadow over any happiness I might have felt.
And her father, obsessively loving and protective of her, would stop at nothing to ensure her well-being. In the game, the Duke of Heavens had shown rare empathy towards his daughter, standing by her side through even her most absurd actions.
But behind their facade of familial devotion lay a family steeped in darkness, filled with individuals willing to go to extreme lengths to achieve their goals.
With a deep breath, I calmed my racing heart and approached the desk where the letter lay.
Retrieving a knife, I carefully removed the wax seal, my apprehension growing with each passing moment.
While I dreaded the prospect of receiving correspondence from my fiancée, there was still a slim chance that it could be from the Duke himself. Ignoring it outright was not an option.
As I unfolded the luxurious piece of paper within, I could sense the weight of its quality and the expense behind it.
Despite my misgiving thoughts, I couldn't help but marvel at the craftsmanship and opulence before me.
Just how expensive was this thing?
As I unfolded the letter, my heart raced with anticipation and trepidation.
The familiar handwriting confirmed my suspicions, and I couldn't help but feel a pang of fear at the possibility of any magical enchantments placed on it by Liyana.
Nevertheless, I pushed aside my worries and began to read the contents with care.
[To my dearly beloved Riley Hell,]
How long has it been since I last beheld that lovely face of yours...?
Does the mere thought of me writing to you make your heart skip a beat, I wonder?
Oh, how I would relish the sight of your adorable blush in response to my words. Alas, we are separated by such vast distances, my darling~
It has been far too long since I gazed upon your face, and with each passing day, I find myself forgetting the finer details of your countenance.
Oh, how I yearn to once again drink in the sight of your visage.
While I was enjoying my leisure time here and attending to my lessons at home, I received news of a devastating nature.
To think that acts of terrorism could be perpetrated within such a prestigious academy is truly disheartening.
It pains me to imagine the fear and chaos that must have ensued, and I can only hope that you and your fellow students are safe.
My dear Riley, know that my thoughts are with you always, even in the face of such adversity. Though we may be separated by great distances, the bond between us remains unbreakable.
I long for the day when we can be reunited once more, when I can hold you in my arms and assure you of my love and devotion.
My worries about your safety, darling, have greatly increased over the past couple of days, a sentiment that is shared by your family as well.
The lack of any correspondence from you confirming your status is truly worrying, you know?
Fortunately, the academy has contacted us to provide assurance of your well-being, but please, my dear, inform us of your safety.
I know you're not one to neglect your responsibilities, my darling, okay?
Riley, my dear and lovely fiancé, you know you mean everything to me, so please, don't make me worry about you.
Your parents are eagerly awaiting a letter from you, so please be kind and reassure them of your safety as well.
By now, I believe your father's gift has probably reached your hands. Please, use it to your heart's content while you're staying there, darling.
Honestly, my love I just want to express all my love and worry for you in this letter instead of reprimanding you like this, but I can't afford to do so.
This piece of paper can't hold and contain everything I feel and want to say about you.
'Riley....''
'I love you.'
Please don't ever forget that, and don't allow yourself to get hurt, okay?
P.S.: On a side note, your younger sister has been greatly annoyed by the fact that you're just making everyone worried back at home.
Apparently, once she enters the academy, she'll kill you herself if you don't give them some form of assurance. So please, be sure to send them a personal letter of your own.
And also, 'Riley, please make your dreams all about me tonight~ '
From: Liyana Heavens
Bullshit….
As I finished reading the letter, a skeptical expression crept across my face.
Seriously, what was up with these cheesy, fake-ass words?
I knew Liyana better than anyone, and I knew she was more than likely saying such things to poke fun at me. In fact, she might even be fabricating all of this just to tease the hell out of me and see my reaction.
Despite being miles away, that draconic woman had a way of seeing through me and watching my every move if she really wanted to.
Could she be watching me right now, looking around?
No...
I don't think that's the case at all.
Every time Liyana's involved, I always had this weird sixth sense whenever she was watching me, a weird ability after I developed after I found out about Liyana's weird habits of stalking me since we were just little kids.
Since the academy is filled with a multilayer of magical barriers ever since the terrorist attack that happened, the chances of Liyana peeping through me with her draconic eyes was slim to none, as well as the academy would quickly get notified from such a large-scale clairvoyance magic being activated.
Anyways, tucking away the letter, it wasn't all that useless.
Although it was filled with a bunch of BS, the fact that she meticulously sent me one to inform me of my family circumstances was somewhat kind... although her reasonings might be something much worse than the kindness she exuded, I still appreciated such acts...
I guess I better make a letter for my family soon... I've been too preoccupied about reassuring my happy ending that I completely forgot the point of why I wanted such an end to begin with...
There was still a week left to prepare for the upcoming Dou exams, just enough time for me to gather everything needed to face what's to come. So, I guess for now, I should relax for a bit and make amends for the people I've neglected so far...
Honestly just the thought of my sister trying to stab me next year brings back all the trauma I had developed dealing with that muscle-brained idiot... It's like a nightmare on replay, the tension between us thick enough to cut with a knife.
….
'Hmm...? He's changed...'
In a pristine white bedroom, Liyana's silvery white hair cascaded down upon her bed as she rested, her gaze fixed upon the ceiling. With a delicate touch to her chest with her left hand, she surveyed the sight before her with a relative amusement.
Right now, her eyes were fixed on Riley Hell, her fiancé, reading the heartfelt letter she had composed for him.
To her surprise, instead of the usual blushing or annoyed expression he typically wore when confronted with such sentiments, he displayed a look of total indifference as he read the letter, his eyes betraying no hint of emotion.
It was a strange change, especially considering how much of an open book Riley usually was within her mind. Wondering what had happened, Liyana was consumed by curiosity to know what could have caused her dear fiancé to act so suddenly different.
'Maybe I should've watched him from the start?' Liyana thought in regret as she missed another amusing thing happening to Riley.
She had already missed the terrorist attack from happening, and now this... thing were getting less fun now.
Did the attack change him that much?
No, shaking her head, Liyana knew that couldn't be the case. As a woman who had been with Riley ever since they were young, she knew that changing Riley's perceptions and mindset on things were almost downright impossible.
After all, even though she had been greatly seducing him for quite some time, not a single aspect of his disdain for her had been lifted to cross such loving barriers... Even after all this time, Riley still secretly detested and feared her.
So what exactly happened?
But before Liyana could ponder, her personal maid Maria entered her room, carrying her meal for the day.
"Young Lady Liyana, your steak is ready—" but before Maria could continue Liyana interrupted her.
"Maria... can I ask you something?"
"Yes, of course."
"What does it take for a man to suddenly change?"
Maria paused, her gaze drifting momentarily as she considered the weight of the question posed by her lady, Liyana.
The inquiry seemed to hang in the air for a moment, imminent with implications that Maria couldn't quite grasp at first.
But as she collected her thoughts, she responded with a measured tone, seeking clarification before venturing into the realm of answers her lady might've wanted.
"That is such a broad question, my lady," Maria began, her voice carrying a hint of reverence for the complexity of human nature. "There are far too many answers for that question… Forgive me for my rudeness, but can you please specify the meaning of your question, my lady?"
Liyana, lost in her own musings, struggled to articulate the precise essence of her inquiry. She wrestled with the idea of narrowing it down, of defining the elusive concept she sought to understand.
Yet, try as she might, there seemed to be no clear-cut path to the specificity she desired. So, with a sigh, she opted for a more general approach, hoping for some semblance of clarity.
"Then, Maria, what is the most general answer for a man to suddenly change?" Liyana's voice betrayed a hint of frustration, a reflection of her inner turmoil.
Maria nodded thoughtfully, her brow furrowing as she delved into the depths of her own knowledge and experience.
She pondered for a moment, her mind sifting through the myriad possibilities before settling on what she believed to be the quintessential catalyst for transformation.
"Love…" Maria murmured softly, her voice carrying the weight of conviction. "I think love is what changes a man, my lady."
Liyana listened intently, her thoughts swirling in a tempest of conflicting emotions.
Maria's words struck a chord within her, stirring memories long buried beneath the facade of her composed exterior.
And as she grappled with the implications of love's transformative power, a surge of tumultuous emotions threatened to overwhelm her stoic facade.
For some reason, the notion of Riley changing because of love ignited a spark of indignation within Liyana's heart.
…..
[Warning!]
[Warning!]
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[Mission: REACH THE NEXT SEMESTER????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????]
Ok this fucking system was really starting to annoy me now.
[Warning!]
[Warning!]
STFU! I'm trying to write something here.