The Zharun family settled into the seats prepared for them, the mother holding a basket laden with gifts: jewelry, clothing, and an assortment of snacks.
Leaning forward, she handed the basket to the man who had welcomed them in. "We brought these for Nahlia."
The man took the basket with a gracious smile. "Thank you, but you really shouldn't have."
"Of course we should," Kai's mother replied. "She's soon to be our daughter-in-law."
The man merely smiled and set the basket on the table, then took a seat opposite the Zharuns. Glancing at Kai, he offered an approving nod. "You've grown quite handsome, Kai."
"Thank you," Kai replied, feeling a bit self-conscious.
"Tell me about yourself. You completed your studies a few years ago and are now a registered scholar, right?" the man asked, clearly curious about his future son-in-law.
Before Kai could speak, his father jumped in to boast on his behalf. "Indeed! He not only became a scholar at a young age, but he also studies to be a Rulin and writes literature. In fact, he's quite well-known in the larger cities for his poetry and research papers."
Kai cast his father a glare.
"Really now?" the man mused, turning back to Kai.
Kai offered a modest smile. "My dad exaggerates. I do write, but it's hardly fame-worthy—just a hobby. As for my research, I'm mostly assisting my senior scholars."
Nodding, the man then glanced over his shoulder. "Ulia, would you bring some snacks, please?" he called out to a woman in the next room.
He turned back to the group, focusing on Leon next. "You must be Leon?"
Leon nodded. "That's me, Mr. Daem."
"My, how you've grown." Daem took him in with an appraising look. "What are you studying?"
"Well, I plan to become a Rulin, so I might either join an academy or travel for training," Leon replied.
"Ah, a Rulin. That's a challenging path," Daem remarked, a flicker of concern in his voice. "A friend of mine recently became one, and it hasn't been easy for him."
Leon just grinned. "True, but that's no reason to give up. I like a challenge." Despite the confidence in his smile, it lacked the arrogance one might expect.
Daem nodded before turning to Maribel. "And you must be Maribel?"
"Yes," she said, sounding a bit shy—much like Kai.
"You've grown quite beautifully." His broad smile made her blush.
"Th-thank you," Maribel murmured, dipping her gaze.
Just then, two women entered the room: one older, one younger. The older woman, Ulia, wore a wide smile and balanced trays of snacks in her hands.
The younger woman, closer to Maribel's age, immediately caught Kai's attention. Her long brown hair, fair skin, and bright eyes were mesmerizing, and her cheeks glowed with a soft red hue. She wore a purple dress adorned with black flowers, her curled hair framing her delicate silver earrings. The entire sight left Kai momentarily stunned.
"You've already met my wife, Ulia," Daem said as everyone stood to greet them.
Kai's mother helped Ulia set down the snack trays, offering warm pleasantries. At the same time, she openly admired the younger girl, her eyes shining with delight.
"And this is Nahlia," Daem introduced with pride.
"H-hello," Nahlia greeted, her voice sweet and a bit timid.
"Oh my, aren't you the prettiest thing?" Kai's mother exclaimed, eyes scanning Nahlia from head to toe. "To think such a beautiful girl will join our family—we must be blessed."
"We feel the same," Ulia replied, also giving Kai a once-over. "Your son is quite impressive."
"Kai, say something…" Maribel hissed as she nudged her brother, shooting him a sharp look.
Kai felt his cheeks heating up. "Um…" Words failed him, and he could only sit there awkwardly.
Leon let out a sudden laugh, breaking the tension. "Haha, this is awkward." His laughter, however, earned him a round of glares from the entire family, prompting him to stare out the window instead.
"Why don't they go for a walk and talk?" Kai's mother suggested.
"Agreed," Ulia said with a nod. "The two of you should get some fresh air. After all, you'll be officially engaged now."
"Get up, idiot," Maribel muttered under her breath, pinching Kai's arm. He jumped slightly but kept quiet, then stood and straightened his clothes, still trying to gather his composure.
"After y-you," he stammered, growing even more flustered.
Nahlia nodded and led him outside.
Back in the house, the families began chatting about future arrangements. Kai trailed a step behind Nahlia, nerves on high alert. He couldn't help but be spellbound by her beauty.
"S-so, Kai?" Nahlia finally ventured, breaking the silence.
"Yes?" he replied, a bit too quickly.
"I have a question, if you don't mind," she said with surprising conviction. "If you don't want to answer, just say so."
"Go ahead." Kai tilted his head, unsure what she was about to ask.
"What made you finally agree to this?" She lowered her voice almost to a whisper.
"Oh, that." He rubbed the back of his neck, forcing a small smile. "Honestly… I got tired of my mom's constant letters. Maybe that's not the best reason, but it's true."
"So, it's not because you like me?" Her gaze was intense, searching his face.
Unable to meet her eyes, Kai gave a dry chuckle. "We hardly know each other. How could I like you already?"
"I like you," she said suddenly.
"Huh?" He blinked in surprise.
"Yes," she repeated. "I like you."
Kai studied her closely, lifting a brow. "So… no one coerced you? No pressure from your parents?"
"What? No," Nahlia said, wide-eyed. "Why would you think that?"
"Well, things like that happen in this village. Sometimes girls are pushed into arranged marriages. And we hardly know each other, so I assumed…" He trailed off.
Understanding dawned on her. She sighed, then offered him a sympathetic smile. "Thank you for worrying about me, but my parents aren't like that. And if I'd objected, my brother would've made sure it never happened—he's very protective. Truth is, I've liked you for years, probably since I was a kid. Your personality, the way you take charge, your looks… all of it." Her cheeks reddened further. "I'm attracted to every part of you."
Kai felt his face growing warm. He gave a nervous laugh and scratched his head again. "W-well, I don't really know how to respond…"
"Don't worry. I'm pretty confident I can make you fall for me," Nahlia teased, sounding flustered yet brimming with self-assurance.
Kai only managed a nod. Beauty alone wasn't enough to guarantee love—it was just attraction. Still, there was something undeniably captivating about her.
"I look forward to it," he said softly.
Before long, dusk arrived, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink. The Zharun family headed home, their spirits high.
"So, how was it?" Leon and Maribel asked, flanking Kai as they walked.
"She's really pretty, but that's about all I can say right now," Kai admitted with a shrug.
"Oh, come on. Your face was red the entire time. I had secondhand embarrassment," Maribel teased. "You were such a… girly man."
Kai rolled his eyes. "Don't think I've forgotten all the cringe things you said after we got back."
"I was just helping." Maribel shrugged with a smirk.
"Yeah, sure."
"Kai, be honest. Do you like her?" his mother asked gently. "We won't force you. I just hope you two get along." Yet she already seemed to have her answer, judging by his still-flushed cheeks.
Kai scratched his head, a small smile tugging at his lips. "She's beautiful, and if we spend more time together, maybe I'll grow to like her. This is all new to me."
His mother nodded. "Of course. There's no rush. She's still finishing her own studies and plans to become a scholar too—focusing on the medical field, from what I heard."
"Really?" Kai's eyebrows rose in interest.
"Yes, something about medicine being a dream she shared with her brother," his mother explained.
Kai mulled it over, thinking it was a good sign to have such a bright, dedicated partner.
Once home, he grabbed Leon by the arm. "Come with me."
"Huh? Why?" Leon asked.
"You really forgot? It's about your Nafs," Kai replied with mild exasperation. "I need to check something."
Leon chuckled. "So, I'm just your lab rat? I'm tired, can't we do this tomorrow?" He yawned, covering his mouth.
"Nope. Now." Without waiting for another response, Kai dragged him upstairs.
They entered Kai's cluttered room, books and maps strewn everywhere.
"Take a seat," Kai instructed.
"Where, exactly?" Leon muttered, stepping over scattered papers. "Mom's going to have a fit when she sees this mess in the morning."
Ignoring him, Kai rummaged through a pile of notes."Here it is," he said, pulling out a thick book bristling with coloured tabs. Settling into his chair, he flipped to a specific page. Then, taking his smaller notebook from his pocket, he compared the two sources. "I see…"
"What's going on?" Leon asked, unease creeping into his voice.
Kai handed him a small pebble. "Hold this in your palm."
"Why?"
"You ask too many questions," Kai grumbled, swatting Leon lightly on the head. "Just focus your Nafs and try to disintegrate it."
Leon grimaced. "I can barely affect a flower. A pebble is way tougher."
"This pebble is special. Even if you can't destroy it, I just want to see what happens," Kai insisted.
Leon nodded, closing his eyes as his breathing settled into a steady rhythm. Kai watched him intently, the only sound in the room coming from the soft flicker of the lantern.
For a brief moment, a faint black glow flickered over Leon's hand—so quick, it was almost imperceptible.
"All right, stop," Kai commanded.
Leon exhaled, opening his eyes. He was breathing heavily, sweat beading on his forehead. "That was exhausting."
Kai held out a small white tray. "Drop what's left of the pebble in here."
Leon did as instructed, and Kai peered at the remains, inhaling sharply. "No way…" he murmured, staring at the dark residue in the tray. "It's Blackness."