Upon his return to Rotiara at twenty-four, Rezette discovered his land and castle under the watchful eyes of those who had managed them in his absence. A ruthless purge followed. These weren’t loyal stewards; they were spies, planted by envious nobles who coveted Rotiara’s riches. Rezette protected those he considered his own, but traitors found no mercy.
Only Rebecca Petisson, among the managers, survived the purge. Alfred, a newcomer, filled the vacant steward position, and Sobeul rose to become the new advisor.
Twenty-five found Rezette traversing the continent, a yearning for rare treasures tugging at him – a childhood habit that lingered. These glittering trinkets held a fleeting allure, eventually adorning Rotiara Castle like forgotten trophies.
By twenty-six, the collecting frenzy subsided. Perhaps the newfound stability of his domain, or the receding madness that once plagued him, had quelled the desire. His power, once nebulous, was now a tightly grasped weapon. He could topple emperors, reshape empires – Van Yela could become Rotiara with a mere word. The blind loyalty he once held for his manipulative stepbrother had faded. Rezette saw him clearly now.
Yet, there was no spark of rebellion. Though death held no fear, it brought no pleasure either. The comfortable life of a loyal servant, albeit to a deceitful master, held a strange appeal. Orchestrating a coup felt unnecessary. If he craved servitude, he could always journey to the temple of the Creator, the one who birthed them all.
At twenty-seven, a flicker of stability crumbled for Rezette. A woman named Genovia Irrien had kissed him. The gesture ignited a dormant madness within him, a surge of primal urges he thought long suppressed. In a frenzy, he almost killed Genovia, but his monstrous outburst claimed the lives of two innocent bystanders instead. When clarity returned, Rezette found himself stained with the blood of strangers, their names and faces lost in the haze of his rage.
The taste of sin was revolting. He purged every monster den he could find, a desperate attempt to cleanse himself. Finally, he relinquished his position as ambassador to Argan, severing ties with Van Yela. It was time to leave this suffocating land.
Southward he ventured, beyond the vast central desert, until he arrived in a land of verdant fertility. And there, bathed in the golden light, stood the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.
***
Rezette needed no effort to recall the first time he saw Elizabeth. Every detail remained vivid – the color of her dress, the ornament in her hair, even the trivial details of her drink choice and duration at the ball. In fact, anyone who witnessed her once wouldn’t soon forget. Her beauty was unmatched, a singular radiance that eclipsed everything else in the room.
Rumors had swirled around the Argan princess. While not a mage like her twin brother, the former Argan emperor had declared them equals, granting her a status near-identical to royalty. Essentially, Elizabeth embodied everything Rezette could desire.
Her hair and eyes surpassed any jewel in his vast collection. Her status dwarfed even the Van Yelan emperor’s. And her life, untouched by the abyss he’d plunged into at the gods’ command, was a dream come true. The perfect counterpart to his own tormented existence.
He vividly recalled her sole dance partner, the aged Duke of Bellator. Beneath the glittering chandeliers, she was the light of the entire ballroom. Even now, the jolt when their eyes met across the vast space sent a thrill through him. As the princess murmured something to her brother, Rezette couldn’t help but wonder – was she asking about him? His mouth went dry with a nervous anticipation.
Rezette, head of the Van Yela delegation, performed his duty, greeting the Argan Emperor with polite pleasantries. Yet, his focus remained on the princess. Her captivating presence drew his gaze, but it was short-lived. Her twin brother, with a gentle murmur, ushered her away, the princess’s radiant form disappearing from the ballroom like a dream.
A jolt of frustration lanced through Rezette. He hadn’t even learned her name.
