Serenity

"It's been quite the nice month, Baron. I've enjoyed my stay here," Cypher rocked back in a chair comfortably. His padded white high-collar clung neatly to his figure as he enjoyed a freshly cooked - and, might he add, delicious - carbonara pasta dish served with grated cheese on top, just as he had requested.

He liked this type of food, even if he often ate too much.

Beside him, Drake laughed heartily, the sound rich and full. The moon hovered just above the horizon, casting a golden glow over Thorn City.

From their vantage point on the balcony, lined with ornate iron guardrails, they had a front-row seat to the spectacle - rooftops bathed in twilight, windows glinting with the last remnants of sunlight, the streets below shifting from day to night.

A gentle evening breeze carried the scent of blooming flowers from the garden below, blending with the faint aroma of Cypher's meal.

Drake finally let his laughter settle. As he gazed out at the horizon, his expression grew thoughtful. "How's your Alter cultivation coming along?" he asked. "I remember mine. After losing most of my family, I simply couldn't construct it anymore. It felt like the gravity in my Soul Space had doubled."

Cypher patted his shoulder in understanding. By now, they had become good friends. During his time here, he had met each of the servants, tended to Drake's garden, and only left to visit the Undercity once. For all his years, Drake appreciated the company.

"Well, I'm not that far off from Caliber Three. The time I need to build it seems to have doubled since the last ascension, so it should be around twenty-five days before I break the third chain." Though this progress would send any regular Dreamweaver into a jealous frenzy, Cypher didn't think the same.

He had calculated it. With the time required doubling for each rank, should he reach Caliber seven, it would take him two thousand days just to build upon his Soul Alter.

And those numbers stacked. His second rank had taken thirty days. The next would require sixty. After that, one hundred and twenty.

Assuming he didn't run into issues with his own willpower or outside forces, he could still die before achieving his dream.

The Baron, however, didn't seem to notice his grim expression. Instead, he shook his head in amazement.

"You people really are monsters," Drake muttered. To him, people like Cypher and Prince Alexander were the equivalents of figures like Albert Einstein or Isaac Newton.

"Maybe," Cypher admitted, his voice steady, "but it's not mortals or the talentless who protect the empire. It's the ones with power." He let his fork rest against the plate, fingers brushing against the cool metal. "I wish everyone just worked together, had a singular belief that united all life toward kindness and love."

Drake turned his head, intrigued. "How so? Something like that sounds impossible."

"This world is indifferent, Baron," Cypher said, his voice carrying a hint of deep seated saddness ,"It does not weep when fathers die and mothers starve. It does not cry for its children who never experience the innocence of childhood."

He leaned back, his gaze drifting toward the sky, where the first stars were beginning to flicker in the deepening orange, "If there were a god, all-powerful and omnipotent, with a heart filled with love, then the child left without hope could look to the sky and reach out for his hand. When a struggling man battles his own demons, he could know that someone is out there, up above, rooting for him."

Drake listened in silence. The soft rustling of the curtains in the evening wind filled the pause between them.

"And most of all," Cypher continued, his voice quieter now, "when you cry out for an answer, this god would not stay silent to your plight. You would be with Him, and He would be with you."

Drake exhaled slowly, staring at the ground. Both he and Cypher had taken lives before. In his view, it was simply a duty they had toward the empire. However, it still weighed on him.

"That... that would be nice, wouldn't it?" he murmured. "If a god like that existed, then the world wouldn't feel so uncaring."

Click.

A sound from the room beyond the balcony broke their moment of reflection.

Timid footsteps followed, light and hesitant. A young girl with neatly flowing brown hair stepped into the doorway, pausing just at the threshold. She hesitated, then gently knocked against the wooden frame, her knuckles barely making a sound.

"Come on, Samantha, don't be shy." Cypher's voice came through the curtains, carrying a warmth that softened the night air.

"O-okay," she whispered. Her steps drew closer, her silhouette casting a delicate shadow against the curtain before her pale but soft hand pulled it aside.

Drake's breath paused as he took in her appearance.

Her skin, once marred by ulcers and ravaged by disease, had completely healed. In its place was a smooth, porcelain-like complexion. Her bright smile and soft eyes gave her an almost ethereal glow, her white dress fluttering slightly as the wind teased its edges.

Cypher smiled lightly at Drake's reaction. After all, this had been his goal.

Samantha, however, wasn't looking at Drake. Her gaze had already settled on Cypher. Tears welled in her eyes, her expression a mixture of disbelief and joy.

"Do you think I'm beautiful?" she asked, her voice trembling with emotion.

"I do," Cypher chuckled lightly. "Possibly the most beautiful I've ever seen."

Samantha pressed a hand to her lips, stifling a small laugh. "I didn't believe you at first, but... fairytales really do come true."

A figure stepped up behind her, a presence that had gone unnoticed until now. A hand rested gently on her shoulder.

"Long time no see, Samantha," came the quiet voice. "It's been, what... a year now?"

Luther joined the group on the balcony. After a month of sickness, his health had improved significantly. The thin, frail man who suffered through a cowpox infection was gone, replaced by someone with broad shoulders and steady posture. However, something in his demeanor was off. His shoulders were too tense, his dark eyes shadowed by exhaustion.

"It has," Samantha replied, though she didn't turn to face him. Instead, she gazed at the moon with serenity in her expression. "And it's all thanks to Cypher that I can leave that room for good."

Drake cleared his throat. "And what of the vaccines?" he asked Cypher. "Are they ready?"

"Yes. Everything is prepared," Cypher confirmed. "I spoke with Lord Gunter. I know you said I shouldn't have... but he can distribute the medicine, so there's no other way."

Drake exhaled, rubbing the bridge of his nose before letting out a deep sigh. "Then... it's done." He leaned back, relief washing over him. "I can't thank you enough, Cypher. You've done a great honor to this world."

Drake hesitated for a moment, then reached into his pocket, pulling out a highly decorated parchment. Without a word, he placed it on the circular table before them.

Cypher glanced at the paper, and his eyes widened. His hands came up in protest. "Baron, you mustn't! This is your family's legacy. You can't just give it up for someone like me!"

Drake, however, simply shook his head.

"I have no heirs left," he said calmly. "My family's legacy will die regardless of whether I do or don't give it up. At least this way, I know it won't fall into the hands of some lord who only knows greed."

"But—"

"No buts, Cypher." Drake cut him off, his voice firm. "I still have a few years left in these old bones, so until then, let's keep making the world a better place."

Luther clenched his fists but loosened them the moment Cypher's gaze fell on him.

"He's right, Cypher," Samantha added softly. "I don't think there's anyone better to run this territory than you."

Sigh...

Cypher looked at the will, then back at Drake, a new resolve settling in his expression. "I understand. I'll make sure to live up to your expectations."

"Good."

Reaching under the table, Drake pulled out a glass of murky red wine, a peaceful look in his eyes as he uncorked the bottle.