He’s Not Okay
The sky has turned black. Thick clouds obscure the moonlight as raindrops gently fall, rolling down the windowpane
Cassius sits silently on a chair, his vacant eyes following the droplets as they gather on the glass before sliding down, leaving behind faint, blurred trails. The room is shrouded in darkness, with only the dim, cold light from outside filtering in
As soon as the carriage returned, King Aurelius immediately summoned Celeste. It is said that something important needs to be discussed. And so, Cassius is left alone in the vast room
He doesn't care
This room is too spacious, too quiet. A heavy emptiness fills the air, with only the soft patter of rain reminding him of reality
Lana is gone
Cassius closes his eyes, and the memories come rushing back
—
A black-haired girl leans down, her smile gentle
"Cassa, what are you doing?"
Cassius looks up, excitement shining in his eyes. He raises a deep brown flower, his voice filled with enthusiasm
"Nana, look! This flower is the same color as your eyes!"
Lana laughs, taking the flower from his hands and gently ruffling his hair
"You found it?"
"Yes! In that garden! Isn't it beautiful?"
"Mhm, it's very beautiful" Lana responds softly, a smile lingering on her lips
—
Cassius opens his eyes
Lana is not here. He will never see her eyes again
Only he remains, alone in this cold, empty room
He clenches his fists, trying to wipe away the tears streaming down his cheeks. But no matter how much he wipes, they keep falling
His gaze suddenly stops
Beyond the window, far in the distance on the horizon, a faint streak of blue emerges
The sea
A thought flashes through his mind. He wants to go there
Without another moment of hesitation, Cassius jumps to his feet. He throws on a coat, pulls a large hat over his head, hastily grabs an umbrella from the castle, and slips away
This castle was once bustling, filled with people. But over time, Celeste gradually relocated most of the staff elsewhere. Now, only about twenty people remain, mainly maids responsible for cleaning
No one notices as Cassius quietly walks down the cold, empty corridors
No one stops him as he leaves the Eclipse estate
—
The rain falls harder now
The shadows of the trees stretch out before him
Cassius steps into the forest, his feet pressing down on the damp, decaying leaves, producing a soft crunch beneath the wet mud
He doesn't know what he is looking for
He just walks, his steps steady in the rain. The cold seeps into his skin, but he feels nothing
Once again, the memories return
—
"What do you think the ocean is like?"
Lana and Cassius are sitting in the library. Lana holds an old book in her hands, flipping to a page with an illustration of a ship drifting on a vast blue sea
Cassius rests his chin on his palm, thinking
"I guess it must be really big."
"What else?"
"Uh… maybe there are big fish, and the water must be cold"
Lana laughs
"I think it smells like salt."
Cassius frowns "Like salt?"
"Mhm, just like the food you love" She ruffles his hair
"Someday, when you're older, you, me, and the duchess can go to the ocean together"
"Promise?" Cassius eagerly holds up his pinky
Lana smiles, linking her pinky with his
"I promise"
—
That promise will never come true
Cassius keeps walking
The rain pours down, washing everything away
At last, the shoreline comes into view
Cassius stands still, his breath caught in his chest
Before him, the ocean stretches endlessly. The waves surge and crash against the black cliffs, white foam spraying into the air before being swallowed back into the sea. The gray sky reflects on the water's surface, making it dark and unfathomably deep
The salty wind rushes past him, tugging at his cloak, making it billow wildly
He steps forward
One step at a time
Until there is nothing but the abyss before him
He looks down. Below, the relentless waves smash against the shore
But he doesn't feel fear
He feels nothing
Only an absolute emptiness
The rain falls harder
A strong gust of wind blows past, snatching the hat from his head and carrying it over the edge
Cassius watches as it disappears into the raging sea
He lifts his foot
Meow
A small sound rises above the pattering rain
Cassius flinches, his body stiffening. Slowly, he turns his head
Through the curtain of rain, a small dark figure appears. A cat
It stands right in front of him, its sleek black fur soaked and clinging to its thin body, matted with mud and streaked with blood. The wounds scattered across its frail frame look severe
Cassius slowly moves closer, crouching down. He reaches out and gently lifts the cat into his arms
It doesn't resist. It nestles quietly against him, its golden eyes gleaming as it stares up at him
Cassius gazes down at the tiny creature in his hands. A weak, injured being, lost in the rain
A faint glow shimmers over his palm. Slowly, the cat's wounds begin to heal, the dried blood fading as if it had never been there
"…What are you doing here?" Cassius murmurs
The cat doesn't look away. It lets out a soft sound
Meow
Like an answer
Cassius tightens his arms around it, pulling it close to his chest, shielding it from the downpour
"You shouldn't be here in the rain" he says, his voice barely above a whisper "You'll catch a cold"
A quiet laugh echoes through the air
Not from him
And not from anywhere far away
Right in front of him
"Then why are you here, little boy?"
Cassius's eyes widen
His gaze quickly drops to the cat in his arms
It is still looking at him. But this time, there is something… different in its eyes
He is sure he didn't imagine it
Just now, when the cat opened its mouth, the sound that came out
Was not a meow
It was a voice
The air grows still, despite the crashing waves and the falling rain
Cassius parts his lips slightly, but before he can say anything, the cat chuckles softly
"What's with that look?" It tilts its head "Never seen a beastkin before?"
Cassius doesn't answer
He has never met a talking cat before
But before he can react further, another voice suddenly cuts through the rain
This time, it does not come from the cat
"Cassius, why are you standing there?"
A familiar voice
Cassius freezes
Slowly, he turns his head
Through the rain, Celeste stands there
She says nothing else, only watching him in silence
Raindrops trail down her face and hair, soaking the expensive black gown clinging to her frame
A/N: Hello everyone, it's the author here!
I have an important announcement: New chapter updates will be on hold until July this year. I know this might disappoint some of you, but I need to focus on the most important exam of my life at the end of June. I hope for your understanding and support!
Regarding the direction of this novel, it is a harem story with obsessive love as the main theme. Cassius will be quite weak if he relies only on himself (his only OP ability is healing). Most of the female leads will be yandere, and I assure you there will be no NTR whatsoever. Aside from their family members, no male characters will be too close to the female leads.
I'm writing this story simply because I want to create something that aligns with my preferences, avoiding heavy drama to provide a more relaxing reading experience
If you have any ideas for female leads you'd like to see - like a dragon girl, for example - feel free to leave a comment!
See you all in July! Thank you for your support!