"...Since a dead man tells no tales."
Seven, slowly losing his consciousness, barely heard Lythian's words. But as his vision faded, one final scene happened before his eyes.
Slash.
Lythian's neck was sliced off, perfectly. A girl stepped into view, her platinum hair reflecting the faint light of the sun fading on the horizon. Holding a sword with blood still dripping, she looked at Seven with ocean-colored eyes.
Before his body hit the ground, she caught him with a gentle touch.
'Sister…?'
And then, darkness.
***
Inside the throne hall, knights stood in perfect line formation beside the carpet that led to the throne.
Seated upon the throne was the seventh head of the Hart household, Archduke Elias Hart.
Even as he sat, his very presence exuded an aura of power that made the young girl, who had just entered and knelt before him, tremble.
His eldest child.
"Eden Hart. Rise and speak."
Eden raised her head, her gaze meeting the Archduke's, though she remained kneeling.
"I've brought the assassin, Archduke. The seventh attempt on the youngest's life."
"Bring me that assassin."
Eden flicked her fingers, and two knights entered, leading a boy dressed in black. His black eyes and black hair contrasted sharply with the cold stone of the hall as he was brought forward with a dirty cloth wrapped around his mouth.
Eden narrated the details. Piece by piece. From how she cut the assassin's neck that reformed minutes after. And to how Seven managed to hold himself until she arrived.
But among her words, the Archduke was only interested in how Seven managed to hold himself against this assassin.
'The prophecy's starting, huh?'
Among the details, he wasn't surprised by how the assassin survived Eden.
Black magic.
Though not common, a handful of mages out there had access to it, making their body immortal as their souls are bound to the host they chose—be it objects or living creatures.
Only the destruction of that host would bring an end to their existence.
'This is why I hate dark cultists…'
Raising his hand, a knight that wore a different armor among the rest, kneeled before the throne and handed out a handcuff.
A handcuff made of obsidian—Cuffs of Heaven.
"Lock him at the basement prison."
Lythian Ace.
As a reader, he knew what the 'Cuffs of Heaven' was. He also knew about the hidden prison beneath the basements of all noble households.
Inescapable.
Even if he broke the prison cell open, there was no way to escape. The gate leading outside was sealed tight, and there was no means of opening it from the inside.
"Understood, Archduke."
Eden stood up, and was the first to take a step towards the exit. The two knights, leading Lythian, followed shortly after. But the knight holding the cuffs remained in place until the Archduke signaled him to leave.
While being dragged, Lythian struggled. Futile. Knights are stronger than assassins.
'Fuck this.'
Lythian thought, as he cannot speak with a filthy cloth wrapped on his mouth.
Now, in the throne hall, Archduke Elias sat upon his throne, flanked by the remaining knights lined beside the carpet.
Silence.
As his gaze drifted to the grayish window pane, his eyes narrowed toward the horizon.
Then, a faint smile tugged at his lips.
'Issa, your son is doing well.'
***
After locking the assassin in the basement prison, Eden immediately made her way toward Seven's room.
Knock.
She opened the door, and her eyes fell on a girl peeling apples beside a pale body lying on the bed.
"How is he?"
"Still not awake, Lady Eden."
Eden's gaze shifted to Seven's body. He lay there without a shirt, just bandages wrapped around his chest. His body was slender—so slender that even she wondered how he managed to hold his own against such a trained assassin.
"Then how can he munch on apples?"
Seven's jaw moved, chewing slowly on the apples even though his were eyes closed as if in a deep slumber.
"I don't know, Lady Eden. He could munch on pears as well."
"..."
Eden stared at the scene with a puzzled expression. Taking a step forward, she noticed Seven was also snoring.
It was her first time seeing someone snore while munching on apples at the same time. But given Seven's unpredictable nature, she simply shrugged it off and waved the oddity away.
She shifted her gaze back to Iria, who was now peeling a banana.
"..."
Iria, noticing her gaze, met her eyes.
"Is something wrong, Lady Eden?"
Eden sighed.
"Nothing. How's the healing?"
For a moment, Iria paused before standing up and gently placing the peeled fruit on the desk.
Step.
She walked over to Seven, whose mouth was open in an "aaa" shape, as if silently asking for more fruit.
But Iria ignored it.
Eden also ignored it.
Slowly, Iria raised her hands and placed them gently on Seven's chest, still covered in bandages. As she did, a magic circle materialized beneath her fingers along with a warm and cozy green light.
Healing magic.
"It's going well, Lady Eden. But—"
Eden stood up from her seat and walked towards the door.
"That's good to know."
"But I fear that my healing magic is not enough."
Eden continued walking, ignoring Iria's words as she approached the door.
"We need a professional healer, Lady Eden."
Eden didn't stop. She reached the door and paused with her hand on the handle.
"Lady Eden!"
Then, Eden paused but didn't turn around.
"You're Seven's personal servant. How could you pass the responsibility to others?"
Eden opened the door and left the room.
"I believe in you, Iria."