The night air was still, thick with the scent of rain that had fallen earlier in the evening. Aoust stood on the balcony of Arumi's private quarters, looking out over the vast expanse of the kingdom. The distant lights of the city flickered like stars, but there was an undeniable tension that lingered in the cool breeze. After the tumultuous council meeting earlier in the day, his thoughts were heavy, and yet he felt closer to uncovering the truth than ever before.
Arumi joined him moments later, her presence quiet but unmistakable. She stood beside him, her hands resting lightly on the stone railing as she gazed into the distance. For a moment, neither of them spoke. The silence between them was comfortable but charged, as if both were waiting for the other to break it.
"You've been quiet since the council meeting," Arumi said, her voice soft. "I can tell your mind is racing. What are you thinking?"
Aoust turned his head slightly to look at her. Even in the dim moonlight, her sharp features were striking—both regal and distant. She always seemed so controlled, but there was a subtle weariness in her eyes tonight, as if the weight of her carefully maintained façade had grown too heavy to bear.
"I'm trying to piece everything together," he admitted. "The way Vesper reacted, the way the council divided. It's all becoming clearer, but at the same time, more complicated. I feel like there's something missing, something I'm not seeing."
Arumi remained silent for a moment before turning fully to face him. "You're right. There are things you don't know, pieces of the puzzle you've yet to uncover." She paused, as if weighing her next words carefully. "There are things about me, about this kingdom, that aren't in those documents you've gathered. Secrets that were buried long before you arrived here."
Aoust felt a surge of curiosity, tinged with caution. "What kind of secrets?"
Arumi's gaze flickered with something like regret, though it was quickly masked. "You want to know why they call me the 'Villainess,' why I'm blamed for the apocalypse that threatens this world?"
He nodded. This was the moment he had been waiting for—the truth behind Arumi's reputation, the reason for the kingdom's impending doom.
She took a slow breath before speaking, her voice low but steady. "It wasn't always like this. I wasn't always seen as the villain. But things changed the day I lost my brother, Crown Prince Rael. His death... it shattered everything. The kingdom, my family, and me."
Aoust listened intently, his eyes locked on her. He had heard whispers of Rael's death, but the details had always been shrouded in mystery, distorted by rumor and speculation.
"Rael was the heir to the throne, beloved by the people. He was strong, kind, and everything a ruler should be. But there were those in the court who feared his rise to power, who wanted to control the kingdom through their own means. Vesper was one of them. She plotted against him, using her influence over the council to undermine his authority."
Arumi's voice tightened, her fists clenching at her sides. "I tried to warn him. I saw the danger, but he was too trusting, too blind to the threat. One night, during a diplomatic visit to a neighboring kingdom, Rael was ambushed. It was no accident. It was a carefully orchestrated assassination, and Vesper had a hand in it."
Aoust felt a cold chill run through him. "And you've carried that knowledge alone?"
"Yes," Arumi whispered. "But what happened after that was even worse. My father, the king, was devastated by Rael's death. He became distant, withdrawn. He saw enemies in every shadow, and he began to distrust even those closest to him. It wasn't long before the kingdom descended into chaos, with rival factions vying for control."
Aoust could see it now—the tragic sequence of events that had led to the kingdom's unraveling. "And they blamed you for all of it?"
Arumi's laugh was bitter. "Of course they did. I was the only one left standing. The only one who could possibly be held responsible for the kingdom's downfall. Vesper and her allies twisted the narrative, painting me as the power-hungry princess who sought to destroy everything."
Aoust felt a surge of anger on her behalf. He had been drawn to Arumi because he sensed there was more to her than the villainess she was made out to be. Now, hearing her story, he understood the depth of her pain—and the injustice she had faced.
"But there's more," she said, her voice dropping even lower. "Rael's death wasn't the end. It was only the beginning. There are forces in this world—dark, ancient forces—that have been awakened. They were sealed away long ago, but Rael's death triggered something. It's why the apocalypse is coming."
Aoust's heart pounded in his chest. "The apocalypse... it's connected to Rael's death?"
Arumi nodded grimly. "Yes. And unless we find a way to stop it, everything will be lost. The kingdom, the world—it will all burn."
Aoust struggled to process the magnitude of what she was saying. The apocalypse wasn't just a political or social collapse; it was something much deeper, something rooted in ancient magic or curses that had been forgotten by most of the world.
"We need to find a way to stop this," he said, his voice firm. "We can't let this kingdom fall. Not like this."
Arumi looked at him, her expression softening for the first time in a long while. "I've tried for so long to do this alone, but I can't. Not anymore. I need someone I can trust, someone who believes in me, even when the world doesn't."
Aoust met her gaze, and in that moment, he made a silent vow. No matter what the future held, no matter how dark the path ahead, he would stand by her side. Together, they would uncover the truth, face the darkness, and perhaps—just perhaps—rewrite the ending of this story.
But deep down, Aoust knew the road ahead would be perilous. The forces working against them were far greater than he had imagined. And as the shadows of the past closed in around them, he realized that this was only the beginning.