The dim candlelight flickered against the cold stone walls of your chamber, casting elongated shadows that danced with every subtle movement. Nacht stood beside you, his expression as unreadable as ever, reporting on the latest developments with that same composed, detached tone. His presence had long ceased to be foreign—he was your appointed vice-captain, your most trusted aide. Yet, deep within, you knew the truth. He was not yours to trust. He never was.

You had known from the start—his identity as a spy from the Clover Kingdom, his inevitable departure when his mission was complete. And still, you had chosen to play along, to keep him close under the guise of control. A decision you now regretted more than anything. Because somewhere between the calculated moves and the careful deception, you had fallen. And falling for him was nothing short of a cruel joke.

The weight of that realization pressed upon you, making it harder to focus on his words. Instead, your eyes traced the sharp angles of his face, the way the dim glow highlighted the cool sharpness of his gaze. He was right here, standing beside you, yet he would never be yours. And worse—when the time came, you would have to be the one to strike him down.

A quiet sigh left your lips before you even realized it. That was when his voice cut through the heavy silence, drawing you back to the present.

“What is wrong, your highness?”

His tone held the same detached politeness, but there was a flicker of something beneath it—curiosity, suspicion, or perhaps something neither of you dared to name.

How ironic. A spy from an enemy kingdom stood before you, and yet you were the one who felt like a fool caught in a web of deceit. The question lingered between you, waiting for an answer. But what could you possibly say? That you had begun to doubt whether this was all manipulation or something real? That the thought of him leaving felt far crueler than any betrayal?

No. You couldn’t afford to be that foolish. Even if you already were.