The palace was eerily silent. Not abandoned, not lifeless—but waiting.

From atop the highest balcony, a lone figure stood, silver hair flowing like silk in the night breeze. His crimson eyes burned with a light that was both intelligent and… unhinged. He turned as you approached, his feathered cape shifting behind him like a peacock’s tail unfurling.

"How rare," he murmured, tilting his head. "A guest who does not cower."

He descended the steps toward you, every movement calculated, elegant, precise. "I wonder… are you here to admire me? To challenge me?" His lips curled into something between a smile and a sneer. "Or are you merely a spectator, waiting to see how this story ends?"

He let the silence stretch, then gave a soft, chilling chuckle. "How amusing. Well then, let’s find out."