Wandering Witch: Penance of a thief

A true king does not sit upon a throne of comfort. He walks through the fires of his people's suffering, bearing their pain as if it were his own.

Yet not every king welcomes the weight of the crown. Not every king can endure the endless tide of sorrow that comes with it.

Oris was one such king.

He could not bear to watch his people suffer at the hands of the giant centipedes—monstrous creatures that attacked without warning, leaving devastation in their wake.

Was it because he lacked the strength to defeat them? No.

Oris possessed the power to crush those beasts.

But each time he considered joining the battle, a deeper fear gnawed at his heart:

If I leave... who will protect the city in my absence? What if there are more centipedes waiting to strike?

Paralyzed by uncertainty, Oris remained behind his walls, torn between action and duty.

And then, one fateful day, he met a man who changed everything.

A lone traveler with piercing emerald-green eyes—a man whose courage seemed almost reckless.

At the time, the traveler was desperately searching for medicine to save a friend on the brink of death.

Word had reached him that Oris's kingdom possessed the cure he sought.

"I'm looking for medicine for my friend!" the man shouted, his voice echoing through the hall. "I'll do anything!"

"Richie!" his girlfriend beside him tried to calm him down, her hands tugging gently at his sleeve. "Please, don't panic!"

"Iris, we don't have much time!" Richie snapped back, desperation flashing in his dark eyes. "At this rate, Aldric could die!"

Watching the two argue like frantic children, Oris couldn't help but chuckle.

"Enough," he said, his voice cutting clean through the chaos.

"I can make the medicine that will save your friend," he declared, standing tall. "However, there will be a condition."

"And what is it?" Iris, the woman with amethyst-colored hair, asked cautiously.

Oris's eyes narrowed. "I want you to defeat the giant centipede plaguing my kingdom. In return, I will guard the city myself."

Without hesitation, Richie accepted the task, leaving Iris behind to watch over Aldric at the inn.

But fate rarely favors even the brave.

Richie was unable to slay the beast. Instead, he lured it into a vast stretch of quicksand, where its massive form was dragged beneath the earth, sealed—but not destroyed.

It could, someday, claw its way back to the surface.

Even so, Oris kept his promise. He handed over the precious medicine without hesitation.

Later, at the inn, after Aldric had recovered, the blonde-haired man grinned mischievously.

"Hey, so you do care about me after all, Richard."

"Shut up," Richie muttered, shooting him a cold glare. "I just didn't want you dying on me, that's all."

"Look at him, Aldric," Iris teased, laughing softly. "All this time, and he still can't be honest with his feelings."

From a corner of the room, Oris watched their playful bickering, a rare smile tugging at his lips.

And from that day on, a new fire lit within him—a renewed passion for living, and for ruling as a true king.

In the present—Oris was chasing after Boomera, who had vanished without a trace.

"Where are you?" he muttered, his sharp gaze scanning the long, dim corridors.

Step by step, he pushed forward... until he found himself standing in a vast, open hall.

"I'm right here," a voice called out.

Boomera stood atop a heap of defeated soldiers, a sly smile tugging at her lips.

"Your mercenaries aren't half bad," she said casually, shifting her weight onto one hip. "The soldiers here are trained pretty well, you know."

Oris narrowed his eyes. "Hmph. They're useless."

Without warning, he leapt down from the ledge—and the moment his feet touched the ground, he snapped his fingers.

BOOM!

The mound of fallen soldiers exploded violently, blood spraying across the room in a gruesome rain.

"Hey," Boomera chuckled, unfazed by the carnage. "You're not disgusted by all this blood and guts, are you?"

Oris calmly brushed a few droplets off his cloak. "No," he said coldly. "Not at all."

He stepped forward, his emerald eyes burning with icy rage.

"Now then," he whispered, a deadly smirk curving his lips, "Let's begin this little revenge."

The ground trembled beneath Oris's feet as an explosion rocked the battlefield.

Dusty earth billowed up, briefly obscuring his vision. He gripped his spear tightly.

In front of him, Boomera stood with a crooked smile, one hand casually raised in the air.

Without warning, another explosion erupted just a few steps from Oris, forcing the king to leap to the side, rolling across the ground to evade the searing wave that followed.

Oris rose in a swift, fluid motion, his breath short but steady.

His eyes scanned the surroundings-the ground beneath him was no longer just a footing; it was a trap.

Boomera controlled it, able to create explosions anywhere, anytime.

In an instant, Oris charged, his spear slicing through the air, thrusting toward Boomera. But the ground along his path rumbled.

BOOM!

An explosion shattered his route, forcing Oris to leap high, flipping in midair. His spear spun with him, like threatening silver wings.

Boomera clapped her hands once. Three chained explosions erupted around Oris, forming a deadly snare.

But Oris had already read the pattern. With sharp, practiced movements, he used the blasts, letting the shockwaves propel him toward his enemy.

His spear shot forward, piercing through the air right in front of Boomera.

Yet another explosion burst, creating a shield of fire that blocked the attack.

Oris was thrown back, but he immediately drove his spear into the ground, anchoring himself to avoid being flung further.

His body burned, his ears rang, but his eyes remained sharp. Boomera let out a low chuckle, then swung her hand again.

This time, the ground beneath Oris began to crack—a sign of a massive explosion brewing.

Oris ran. Not away—toward her.

The explosion erupted, the floor splitting apart, debris flying. Smoke swallowed everything, blinding sight.

But Oris shut off all his senses, relying purely on instinct.

He darted through the smoke, his body vibrating from the near-miss shockwaves.

In a moment frozen in time, his spear pierced through the thick smoke.

Boomera, not expecting an attack from within the chaos, could only widen her eyes in shock.

The spear struck the ground right in front of her feet, halting her steps.

Boomera staggered half a step back-a fatal mistake.

In a flash, Oris yanked his spear back, spun, and slammed the shaft into Boomera's gut.

She was hurled backward, crashing into the ground hard, while uncontrolled small explosions burst wildly around her.

Oris gave her no chance to recover. He lunged, the tip of his spear aimed at her chest.

But Boomera, with a bitter laugh, raised her hand one final time. A massive explosion roared between them.

When the smoke cleared, both stood swaying, their clothes torn, their skin scraped and burned.

Yet their eyes-those eyes-still burned fiercely with the spirit of battle.

Boomera, a thin smile playing on her dust-smeared lips, stepped forward slowly.

Her steps were light, almost as if she were dancing among the craters and shattered earth.

With a casual wave of her hand, a small explosion erupted behind Oris, forcing the king to retreat further, cornering him more and more.

The ground around him trembled relentlessly. Every inch beneath his feet could explode at any moment, and Oris knew it.

There was no safe place. No room to breathe. He was like a hunted beast, driven to the edge, forced to choose between surrender or destruction.

Boomera raised one hand to her side, and a barrage of explosions burst in succession, forming a ring that trapped Oris.

Oris gritted his teeth, his eyes still burning with determination. But his body... his body had begun to betray him.

Every movement sent sharp waves of pain through him. Every breath felt like inhaling searing embers.

Boomera now stood just a few steps away, graceful amidst the devastation she had wrought.

Her eyes gleamed, reflecting the roaring fires around them.

She raised one finger, and with a small gesture—snap!—an explosion burst right beside Oris's ear, deafening him.

Oris collapsed to his knees, his spear knocked from his grasp, landing askew in the ground.

The sounds around him faded into a hollow drone, as if the world itself was crumbling away.

Boomera walked closer, each step steady, confident.

The earth rumbled beneath her dirt-stained boots, as if the very land bowed to her will.

Oris slowly lifted his head, staring up at the woman from below.

Small explosions still crackled in the air when a heavy WHUUM! echoed from above.

A shadow plummeted down like a meteor, and before Boomera could react, a hard boot slammed into the side of her head.

CRACK!

Boomera's body was flung across the battlefield, crashing into a concrete wall with a heavy thud.

Cracks spiderwebbed across the surface, dust billowing out.

She was pinned against the fractured wall for a moment before collapsing onto the ground with a heavy thump.

Oris, still half-kneeling, looked up. A slender woman with long white hair stood amidst the rising smoke.

A pair of crimson eyes glared down at him, a lazy smirk tugging at her lips.

"Man, you're pathetic," Valeria mocked, her voice casual yet sharp, like someone picking up a broken toy.

Oris grinned, blood dripping from his temple.

"Didn't ask for your help, old lady," he rasped, forcing himself upright as he grabbed his spear.

From the cracked wall, Boomera groaned. She dragged herself out of the debris, her steps heavy but filled with rage.

Dust flared from her battered body as she stalked toward the two of them, her eyes burning with hatred.

"Oh?" Valeria tilted her head, a thin smile curling at the corner of her mouth.

"Still alive? Impressive," she remarked, as if commenting on bad weather.

"Looks like I'll have to get serious."

In an instant, Valeria's body gave a subtle shudder, wild red energy coursing around her.

Her long white hair slowly shortened, turning into a blazing crimson like living fire.

The aura around her shifted-no longer playful, but fierce, dangerous.

Boomera grinned, even as blood trickled from the corner of her mouth.

"Two against one?" she muttered mockingly. "Cowards."

She licked the blood from her lips, her eyes gleaming dangerously. "But that just makes it more fun."

Her fist clenched, and the ground beneath them trembled, chunks of concrete floating up, ready to be detonated at any moment.

"Come at me, both of you!" Boomera roared, her breath ragged but her spirit unbroken.

Valeria only grinned wider, the red aura around her body crackling, as if the challenge was pure amusement.

Oris spun his spear once before planting it into the floor, leaning on it casually-but his eyes remained sharp and serious.

The air in the room grew heavy, as if it could explode at any second. And all of them were ready to burn it down to the ground.

Elsewhere, in the most spacious chamber of the palace—the throne room.

Sitting high above on his ornate seat, the king watched in silence as the news arrived.

"Your Majesty," a blue-haired man said urgently, bowing low. "The enemy has launched their assault. Two of our captains have already fallen."

"Heh. And both were under your command, Zeph. You really know how to pick them, don't you?" said a red-haired man with a grin.

"Valth! Watch your tongue in front of His Majesty," snapped the green-haired man standing beside Zeph.

Still sneering, Dravherion added sharply, "Still acting all high and mighty just because you're the king's favorite."

Valth's smirk widened, his voice dripping with venom. "What's the matter, seaweed? You just got promoted to general, and now you think you can lecture your seniors?"

His eyes narrowed with a taunting glint.

"Besides, Dravherion, didn't one of your captains die on a mission too? You're just as pathetic as Zepharion."

"You son of—!" Dravherion growled, clenching his fist, ready to strike.

But before he could move, the entire room was swallowed in a suffocating pressure.

An overwhelming aura—heavy, crushig—rolled down from the man seated on th kee throne.

"Enough," the king commanded, his voice low yet absolute.

The weight of his presence pinned them in place like insects before finally lifting.

"Instead of bickering like fools," he said coldly, "go. Help your comrades."

The three men immediately knelt once more, then turned to leave.

As they stepped into the corridor, Valth tossed a smirk over his shoulder.

"I'm heading to my quarters. You two better take care of your captains... unless you want them dying again."

Dravherion glared daggers at him.

"At least my captain never betrayed the organization!" he shouted after Valth, his voice sharp.

"There's no point fighting him, Dravh," Zeph said, resting a hand on his comrade's shoulder. "You know as well as I do how strong he is."

Dravherion clenched his fists in frustration. "How the hell did that bastard get so strong?!"

Zeph let out a tired breath, his expression grim. "He's the most senior member among us all," he said simply, before walking away, Dravherion trailing after him, his anger simmering.

Elsewhere—Zack, Arthur, and I were facing off against Ravenna.

"He's just slowing us down," I muttered, irritation slipping into my voice.

"Oh? Are you mad, Arche?!" Ravenna gasped theatrically, pressing her hands to her cheeks.

"Come on, show me that angry face again! I want it, want it, want it!"

Zack sighed, brushing a hand through his hair. "Now I get why you're pissed off, Arche. She's seriously annoying."

"Arche! Let me handle her!" Arthur suddenly said, stepping forward. "You and Zack head upstairs!"

I hesitated, glancing at him. "You sure about this?"

Arthur flashed a reckless grin. "Of course! Even if it's annoying, I can face DEATH itself if it's with you guys!"

Chains slithered from the shadows, striking out at us, but we narrowly dodged them.

"Hurry up!" Arthur barked as he parried a chain with a swift swing of his sword.

"You wanna tear Arche away from me again, huh?!" Ravenna shrieked, lashing the chains toward Arthur in a frenzy.

He batted them aside with practiced ease. "I've fought her two times already. This is nothing," he said with a confident smirk.

Zack and I exchanged a quick nod. Just before we bolted, I couldn't resist stirring the pot a little.

I pulled out the pendant hanging around my neck, flipped it open, and flashed the small photo inside at her.

"I never loved you," I said, my voice cutting through the chaos. "Because there's already someone I love."

Without waiting for her reaction, Zack and I sprinted toward the staircase.

"YOU BASTARD!!" Ravenna's furious scream echoed behind us. "Arthur! Get ready, you're gonna be my punching bag!!"

Arthur shouted after us, swinging at the incoming chains. "Damn it, Arche! You provoked her and now I'm the one who has to deal with it!!"

Beyond the door, Zack and I raced up the winding stairway—heading straight for the top floor.

As we ran through the dimly lit corridors, my gaze fell on the locket in my hand.

It had swung open slightly during the sprint, revealing the photo I kept inside.

It was a picture of Elaina—the most beautiful one I had ever captured.

Her gentle smile, her ashen hair framing her face perfectly... it felt like just looking at it could calm the chaos inside me.

"You're a real romantic, aren't you, Arche?" Zack said with a chuckle, trying to lighten the tension.

"Hm?" I blinked, snapping the locket shut and tucking it close to my chest.

He smiled knowingly. "You picked a pendant with a gemstone that matches Elaina's eyes..."

"So even when she's not here, it feels like she's by your side, doesn't it?"

His words hit deeper than I expected.

"And you even gave her earrings set with stones the same color as your own eyes," he added, his voice softer now.

I smiled faintly, almost sheepishly. "Yeah... the 'R' in my name must stand for 'Romantic,' after all."

Zack just laughed under his breath and gave a small nod. "Yeah... that sounds like you."

With a renewed sense of warmth blooming in my chest, we picked up our pace, racing onward—back into the chaos, back into the battle where Oris and Valeria were facing off against Boomera.

Boomera moved first—with a powerful stomp, the floor beneath her exploded, propelling her forward like a bullet.

Oris raised his spear, deflecting the incoming attack with a swift spin, sparks flying where metal met flesh.

Boomera didn't relent-she slammed her palm onto the ground, BOOM!, a small explosion splitting the ground between them, forcing Oris to leap back hastily.

Valeria merely stepped lightly to the side, avoiding the flying debris with ease. Calmly, she raised her hand. The air trembled.

From the cracks in the floor, black blood surged upward, forming small spears that shot toward Boomera.

Boomera growled, thrusting her hand into the air—miniature explosions burst before her, destroying most of the blood spears before they could pierce her.

But one, two, slipped through, stabbing into her shoulder, sending her stumbling back as fresh blood sprayed.

"Bastard," Boomera hissed, her eyes burning with fury.

Without wasting a second, Oris charged from the side. His spear danced—low slash at the knees, thrust at the ribs.

Boomera blocked some attacks with small bursts of explosions around her body but was still forced to retreat several steps.

Valeria gave her no room to breathe. With a graceful motion, she pulled the blood from Boomera's wounds, shaping it into a long whip that cracked through the air—CRACK!

The blood whip struck, coiling around Boomera's ankle.

With a harsh yank, Boomera was dragged across the floor, her body slamming against shattered concrete.

Boomera roared, slamming her hand into the ground.

BOOOM!

A massive explosion erupted around her, blasting Valeria and Oris backward, shards of the floor flying everywhere.

Thick smoke swallowed the room, clouding all sight. Amidst the gray fog, Boomera stood—her body trembling, blood pouring from her wounds-yet her smile only widened.

Her eyes gleamed with madness. "I'll tear you both apart..." her voice shook, dripping with insanity.

Oris crouched low, steadying his breath, spear ready. Valeria stood beside him, her crimson hair tousled, her eyes sharp as blades.

"Listen, kid," Valeria murmured without looking at him, "I'll open the path. You finish her."

Oris grinned, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. "You read my mind, old hag."

Boomera raised both arms high. New cracks spiderwebbed across the floor and walls—she was filling the entire room with invisible bombs, traps ready to explode at any second.

The air in the room was still heavy, debris floating midair, thick dust yet to settle.

Oris had just managed a relieved breath when suddenly—

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!"

A scream tore through the air, shattering the fragile silence.

It wasn't an ordinary scream-this was wild, feral, like the roar of a beast unleashed straight from hell.

Oris reacted instinctively, nearly falling over from the shock, hastily covering his ears.

The sound seemed to pierce through bone, making the entire room tremble.

Boomera, on the other hand, simply laughed—a low, raspy sound, thick with satisfaction.

With blood dripping from his mouth, he grinned widely, baring his teeth.

"Now they're serious," Boomera crooned, his voice almost sing-song, sly and dangerous.

"You... better start preparing their gravestones."

Valeria, though poised and ready, merely shot a glance toward Oris. Her eyes were sharp, cutting, filled with a silent question.

"Who?" she asked flatly, her voice low, a whisper before the storm.

Still kneeling, Oris stared straight ahead, his voice barely a murmur, "Theresia and Cathy."

At those names, Valeria fell silent for a heartbeat. Then, slowly—her lips curled into a wild grin, the smile of someone who knew what was coming... and loved it.

"Oh?" Valeria hissed, her crimson eyes gleaming, "If it's them... I have nothing to worry about."

She stepped forward, arms spreading out to her sides, her blood whip hissing through the air, as if welcoming the surge of new power rushing toward them.

"All the women of Venganza," Valeria shouted, her voice cutting through the rubble and dust like a blade,

"ARE NEVER WEAK!!!"

Her words echoed off the crumbling walls.

As they were about to resume their battle, suddenly, an attack struck from behind, heading straight for Valeria.

It was a blood whip—but strangely, Valeria wasn't the one controlling it.

In a swift motion, Valeria grabbed the whip's cord, facing it with a gaze full of hatred.

When her eyes locked onto the one who had attacked, Valeria froze.

Before her stood a girl with silver hair and eyes, shining like mirrors reflecting her every movement.

"Mirara?!" Boomera shouted, his voice filled with fury. "What are you doing here?!"

Mirara only offered a relaxed smile, as though nothing extraordinary was happening.

"Just looking for a job. I'm so bored," she replied casually, as if she were talking about something trivial.

But the tension in the air was palpable. The woman looked at Valeria with a mocking glint in her eyes.

"What's the matter? Upset that I can mimic your technique?"

Valeria didn't answer, narrowing her eyes. She quickly gave a short command, "Oris... I leave her to you."

In an instant, Valeria's body transformed into a dark bat, her wings creating a gust of wind that made the atmosphere heavy with foreboding.

Within moments, Valeria disappeared into the air.

Mirara was quick to react. A sneer spread across her face as her body shifted into a silver bat, soaring after Valeria as they ascended into the sky.

"Who's that...?" Oris muttered, his sharp gaze following their disappearing figures.

Boomera sneered, his expression hardening. "That damn slut can mimic others' abilities."

"People like that always make me sick."

Oris wasn't particularly bothered by the conversation. He rotated his neck, shrugging calmly.

"Well, I'm glad we can have a one-on-one again," he said.

He stood tall, his eyes sharpening like a predator who had studied its prey. "I've observed your abilities long enough."

"Heh? Feeling confident, huh?" Boomera mocked, flashing a wide grin, but there was a dangerous glint in his eyes.

Oris lunged forward at incredible speed, thrusting his spear toward Boomera, who stood ready to meet the attack.

But Boomera, with exceptional agility, dodged it with a single step backward.

"Is that all y—" she began to mock, but before she could finish, Oris swung his spear again, this time from the side.

Caught off guard, Boomera twisted her body to evade and leapt backward as fast as she could.

However, as she landed, she froze in shock—strands of her long hair floated down to the ground, cleanly severed.

Before she could even catch her breath, Oris launched himself downward, driving his spear toward her body.

Unable to dodge in time, Boomera crashed to the ground, screaming in pain as the spear struck her.

Oris immediately leapt back, feeling the tremors of an explosion beginning to build within Boomera.

He knew full well that if he stayed close, he would be caught in the deadly blast that was sure to follow.

Boomera knelt on the ground, her body trembling. "My long hair... I took care of it for so long..." she whispered, her voice quivering, as if she had lost a part of herself.

"You... you cut it..." Her expression was a mixture of disbelief and the verge of tears.

Oris stood tall, his gaze sharp and devoid of any pity. "Don't whine. You can always grow it back," Oris said coldly.

"At your funeral."

Suddenly, a massive explosion erupted, shaking the ground violently as the place began to collapse.

The already crumbling structures shattered even faster with every blast that radiated from Boomera, who clearly intended that no one would leave without paying a heavy price.

"You will pay for this," Boomera hissed, her eyes blazing with unspoken rage and pain.

Oris merely offered a cold smile and replied lightly, "Sorry, I didn't bring any money."

Boomera screamed in frustration, unleashing a wild barrage of attacks toward Oris.

He dodged them all with chilling precision.

But one of the explosive orbs veered too close—straight for his face. With no time to evade, Oris simply braced himself.

The explosion tore into him, scorching the left side of his face. Flesh sizzled, the stench of burnt skin filling the air.

Boomera grinned triumphantly, convinced she had gained the upper hand.

That misplaced confidence was her fatal mistake.

In a flash faster than thought, Oris closed the distance and drove his spear into Boomera's gut.

A wet, sickening sound echoed as the weapon pierced through her.

Blood burst from her lips, splattering onto the ground, and she staggered backward, gasping for breath.

Oris had made his move deliberately—forcing her to taste the same helpless despair that Calibra had once felt, sacrificing a woman in a moment of brutal betrayal.

Boomera's body trembled with rage and sorrow.

"I'm sorry, Master Dravherion... I failed you," she gasped, blood pouring from her mouth.

"I'll never forget it... the moment you found me... after I accidentally blew up my own house... my family... everything..."

"You took me in without hesitation. Treated me like your own daughter... even though... I wanted more than that..."

"I loved you... Master..." she whispered brokenly, her voice quivering.

"And I will still keep my promise..." Boomera coughed violently, every word a struggle.

"I won't let anyone else... take my life!"

With the last of her strength, she snapped her fingers.

An instant later, her body detonated in a brutal explosion.

Chunks of flesh, shattered bones, and blood rained through the air.

Her head was torn from her body, rolling across the ground until it bumped gently against Oris's foot.

Without a flicker of emotion, Oris bent down, grabbed Boomera's severed head by the hair, lifting it up to meet his cold gaze.

"You were a pretty woman," he said coldly, his voice like a death knell.

"But deep inside, you were rotten."

Without hesitation, he rammed his spear through the head-splintering bone and brain-before casually tossing it aside.

Oris sucked in a ragged breath, his chest heaving against the weight of his wounds. "Huff... With this... I have finally avenged my people."

He tilted his head back, staring up at the ceiling as if searching for something beyond it.

Pain wracked his body, but he forced a crooked smile through the agony.

"And I've repaid my debt to you... emerald-eyed boy." His voice was barely more than a whisper, brittle and hollow.

A soft, broken laugh escaped him. "Richard, I have helped your son to achieve his dream."

"We're even now, aren't we?"

For a moment, silence answered him. Only the faint hum of the dying battlefield filled his ears.

He closed his eyes briefly, then opened them again with effort, his vision swimming.

"Gezz... I'm talking to myself like a madman," he muttered, a bitter edge to his words.

His gaze drifted to the door—no footsteps, no hurried voices, nothing.

"Where are the medics?" he thought, the thought sticky and slow in his mind.

"They're taking too long..."

A chill crawled over his skin, sinking into his bones. His heart stuttered.

"I don't want to die... not here... not yet."

"Just... just a little rest..."

His voice broke into a whisper, barely audible, as his body betrayed him at last.

With a final, trembling breath, The king closed his eyes, and the memories drifted back-a faded tapestry of golden days long past.

He could almost hear the music, the laughter, the clatter of goblets raised high.

"Mr. Oris! This is amazing!" a young man with bright blue eyes had cried out, his voice full of life.

Oris had laughed, elbowing the black-haired man beside him.

"Come on, brat. You should be enjoying the party, not brooding in a corner."

"I am enjoying it," the man replied dryly-only to jolt in surprise when a woman threw her arms around him from behind.

"Wha—?"

"Richie! Come dance! Stop being so stiff!" she slurred, clearly more than a little drunk, her breath heavy with the scent of wine.

"Ugh... you reek of alcohol. Get off me," Richie grumbled, pushing her face away in mild disgust.

The woman only giggled and hiccupped. "Why are you so stubborn, huh? You're good at everything..."

"Of course," the emerald-eyed man muttered-just before she gleefully dragged him out onto the dance floor.

"At least dance a little!" she beamed, her grin lopsided and carefree.

Oris chuckled at the sight. "Aren't you jealous?" he asked the blond man sitting beside him, who simply watched the scene with a gentle smile.

"No," the blond answered, his voice calm. "Seeing them happy... that's enough for me."

He glanced at Oris, his smile deepening. "Isn't it the same for you?"

Oris blinked, caught off-guard. "Huh?"

"Seeing your people smile... isn't that what makes you happiest?" the blond man said quietly.

For a moment, Oris said nothing-then he broke into a wide grin, unable to deny it.

"You're right."

Across the hall, a woman with hair the color of amethyst shouted across the din,

"Aldric! Come dance!"

"With who, idiot?" Aldric barked back.

"With Oris, who else?!" she teased without missing a beat.

"No way!" he roared, his face turning crimson with embarrassment.

Oris threw his head back and laughed, genuine and free.

It had been so long since he had laughed like that—with the kind of joy that warmed the soul.

It was a moment he knew he would carry with him forever—a memory untarnished by time, a small eternity of happiness locked deep within his heart.