The mansion was finally quiet, at least as quiet as it could ever get in the aftermath of a harrowing battle against a monstrous entity and the dark magic swirling beneath its foundation. Ryuto sat near the fire, his sword leaning against the wall, his thoughts heavy. Celeste sat on the opposite side of the hearth, flipping through her notes but not really reading. Her mind was elsewhere. It always was when Ryuto was near.
The soft creak of the mansion's front doors was almost lost in the stillness, but Ruda's sharp ears perked up. "Someone's here," she growled, immediately on alert.
Before anyone could move, heavy, purposeful footsteps echoed through the hall. A tall figure stepped into view, his shadow cast long and imposing in the flickering light. Edwin Celestari, Celeste and Ryuto's elder brother, strode into the room with the kind of commanding presence that could fill a battlefield, let alone a drawing room.
