Old enemy resurrected

That night, Dahlia couldn't sleep.

Ronan's words kept ringing in her head.

"We were once a couple in the past."

It didn't make sense. How could they have been together in a past life? And why was it that only Ronan could remember everything while her mind was blank and couldn't remember anything.

She gripped her blanket tightly.

That strange feeling attacked her again.

Not only about Ronan, but also... a fear that she couldn't explain. As if there was something lurking in the shadows, something waiting for the right moment to attack her.

Dahlia took a deep breath and tried to close her eyes. She didn't want to overthink, and fell asleep quickly.

However, as soon as she fell asleep, she was dragged into another dream—

***

The sky above her was dark, lightning flashing in the distance. Rain poured down, wetting the ground that was littered with corpses.

She stood in the middle of a ravaged battlefield.

Her hands and clothes were covered in blood.

In front of her, a man stood with a cold and hateful gaze. His red eyes shone under the moonlight, his face sharp and cruel.

"You can't escape me, Dahlia."

The man's voice echoed in the air.

Dahlia wanted to run, but her body couldn't move.

The man reached out his hand toward her—

Then, everything changed.

Dahlia woke up with a muffled scream, her body covered in cold sweat. Her heart was pounding, her breath coming in short gasps.

Who was that man? Why did Dahlia feel scared just by looking at him?

As she tried to calm herself, the door to her room swung open roughly. @@

Ronan stood in the doorway, his eyes full of alertness.

"Did you have another nightmare?" he asked, his voice deep and caring.

Dahlia swallowed, then nodded slowly.

Ronan came closer, sitting on the edge of her bed.

"Tell me what you saw in your dream this time," he urged softly.

Dahlia paused for a moment, then told her everything—about the rain, the battlefield, and the red-eyed man who had frightened her.

When she mentioned the man, Ronan's expression hardened.

"Do you know who he is?" Dahlia asked, her voice shaking.

Ronan gripped her hand tightly, as if trying to channel his power into her.

"He is our old enemy," he said finally. "Someone who should have died centuries ago."

Dahlia held her breath.

"If you saw him in your dream," Ronan continued, "it means he has returned."

***

The next day, the atmosphere in the palace grew even more tense.

Ronan summoned his advisors and warlords to discuss possible threats.

Dahlia stood beside him, listening intently even though her mind was still filled with questions.

"I'm sure this is no coincidence," one of the advisors said. "Ever since the princess returned, signs of her presence have been felt."

Dahlia frowned.

"Her presence?" she murmured softly.

Ronan looked at her. "Our old enemy will not let you live in peace, Dahlia."

Her heart sank.

"When you start remembering the past, he will also move," Ronan continued.

Dahlia gripped the hem of her robe, feeling uneasy.

If that was true... then this was not just about her, but also about the unfinished war since their lives in the last century.

And now, fate has brought them together again in the same circle.

But this time, Dahlia didn't want to be the one who just waited.

She wanted to know who she really was.

And more importantly...

She wanted to know why the red-eyed man hated her so much.