25

"Nini…"

The golden eyes in the darkness sharpened, the beast within him poised to strike.

—But the moment was interrupted by a soft, almost careless voice.

The princess was calling him.

Caelum Valtaris froze.

The beast that had been ready to bare its fangs, to seize the princess by her delicate neck and drag her back to the lycan territory, no matter how much she cried or resisted—

Now stood rigid, muscles taut, like a statue.

The abrupt halt was almost comical.

But Caelum didn't find it amusing.

He was willing to obey.

A single word from Aurelia Delensar was enough to make the beast retreat, docile and submissive.

He waited for her command.

What would his lady say?

Would she send him away again, or… forgive him and let him stay?

Caelum's golden eyes gleamed with hope. If he had a tail, it would have been wagging softly behind him.

Aurelia stepped closer, her hand reaching up to ruffle his thick, dark hair.

Caelum obediently lowered his head.

Her slender fingers tangled in his coarse locks, soft yet firm.

The princess's voice was tender, almost apologetic. "Nini, you've suffered a lot by my side, haven't you?"

"..."

"..."

"?"

The words caught Caelum off guard. His expression turned strange, his eyes filled with rare confusion.

What was his lady talking about?

He had thought his lycan identity had been exposed.

But now…

Aurelia continued, "My brother is very proud—too proud to waste words on those he deems useless. He can't even remember the names of my maids, yet he knows your surname."

"His attention to you far exceeds what a knight should receive."

Her gaze was clear and piercing, as if no lie could escape her notice.

Caelum's heart sank with every word she spoke.

He couldn't tell how much Aurelia knew, but he could sense the fragile bond between them slipping away.

He couldn't hold onto it.

"Someone of your standing wouldn't lower themselves to be a personal knight," Aurelia declared.

—Unless he had a secret.

Aurelia was confident in her reasoning.

She understood her brother's arrogance better than anyone.

For the crown prince to greet Caelum with such respect, even humility, meant he was someone extraordinary.

Yet this extraordinary person had bound himself to her, a princess with no real power, through a Bloodbound Oath?

The only explanation:

—It was a deal.

Caelum was in trouble and needed a safe, inconspicuous identity to hide.

Her brother had provided it, expecting a generous return in the future.

As for the oath?

Her brother, ever perfect and elegant, would have a solution.

He had hidden Caelum by her side as a clever move, a pawn to be used in his bid for the throne.

Aurelia wasn't angry with her brother, even if she was the medium of this transaction.

—She hadn't been harmed, had she?

The princess recalled their childhood, when they had relied on each other.

Back then, the king had been too busy with politics to remember his sickly daughter.

It was her brother who had protected her, struggling to survive in the palace without their mother's shelter.

He had grown into an exceptional prince, always keeping her by his side, ensuring she wasn't forgotten in the palace's shadows.

Aurelia would always remember his kindness.

"So—"

Aurelia smiled at Caelum as if he were a priceless treasure. "I'll treat you well from now on!"

She hoped he would help her brother.

It was a profitable long-term investment.

Her smile grew warmer. "You can call me Lily, like my brother does. It'll make us closer!"

Caelum: "..."

He had the feeling the princess had imagined something grand.

But the situation was clearly in his favor.

The tall, dark-skinned knight hesitated, then finally spoke. "…Lily."

His voice was low and careful, like a beast sniffing a rose.

Inside, he was elated, wanting to pull her into a tight embrace and make their bond unbreakable.

—But not yet.

Today's progress was already a gift.

Caelum's joy didn't last long.

Aurelia suddenly decided to visit the Holy Light Temple. "The acolyte selection only happens once every few years. I don't want to miss it!"

Caelum was uneasy.

He tried to dissuade her. "Lily, I'm not allowed inside the temple."

Only acolytes could enter the inner sanctum.

They stood beneath the grand statue of the Holy Light, reciting hymns and spreading the faith to devout followers.

Aurelia, with her rare gift of prophecy, had once declined the temple's offer, but they had kept a place open for her.

Caelum, however, was different.

Normally, he could sneak in, but with the Red Moon approaching, he needed to avoid places saturated with light magic.

Otherwise, he might lose control and transform.

Aurelia waved it off. "I'll just take a look. I'll be out in two days."

"But if something happens while I'm not with you—"

"Oh, Nini, don't worry! The temple is the safest place in the Kingdom of Delensar. How could I be in danger under the Holy Light's protection?"

"..."

Seeing the knight's stubborn resistance, Aurelia grew impatient.

She was about to order him to obey—

Then she remembered he was useful to her brother.

"…Fine, let's not argue about this for now."

She forced a polite smile, unusually reasonable. "The acolyte selection doesn't start for a few days."

It was the first time Aurelia had compromised with him.

Caelum was both surprised and uneasy.

The thought of her leaving his side, even briefly, made him restless.

He had a bad feeling, a beast's intuition as sharp as Aurelia's prophetic gift.

For the rest of the afternoon, Caelum tried to change her mind.

"Would you like to visit the Dragoon Realm? We could meet dwarf explorers and search for dragon treasure."

"No!"

Aurelia had no interest in brutal, savage beasts. The thought of their dirty, unwashed bodies made her wrinkle her nose in disgust.

"What about the Atysian Sea? We could search for mermaids. They're beautiful and sing beautifully."

Caelum's words were clumsy and awkward.

He lacked his brother's eloquence, his stories falling flat.

The enchanting mermaids in his description sounded as dull as salted fish.

Aurelia was losing patience.

She forced a polite smile, pretending to listen.

—All for her brother's sake!

Caelum met her gaze and sighed.

He gave up.

His shoulders slumped as he muttered, "Let's… just go shopping."

If he couldn't charm her with words, he could at least spend money on her.