The morning sun filtered through velvet curtains the color of dried blood, casting a muted glow over the room. Rina hadn't slept. She lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, her thoughts spiraling like smoke through the cracks of her mind. Her heart was quiet—but not calm. Numb, perhaps. A silence born from resignation.
Across the room, Leona was already up, standing by the window in a simple white blouse and navy blue riding pants, tying the last buckle on her boots. Her sword belt hung over her shoulder. Even at dawn, the warrior in her never slept.
"You look like you didn't rest at all," Leona said, glancing at Rina through the mirror.
"I didn't," Rina replied, her voice hoarse.
A long pause.
"I had a dream," she continued. "I was standing in front of a door. On the other side, everything felt... darker. But I knew I had to open it."
Leona turned around, her silver hair catching the early light like threads of moonlight.
"And did you?" she asked.
Rina nodded once. "I did. And I think I lost something the moment I did."
Leona crossed the room and sat at the edge of the bed. "Maybe you didn't lose anything. Maybe you just stepped into who you're supposed to become."
"I didn't want to become anyone," Rina murmured. "I just wanted to live."
The air hung heavy between them.
But there was no more time for dreams or fears.
A soft knock on the door pulled them both from the quiet.
"Lady Rina," a servant's voice came from the other side. "Lady Amelia is waiting. The car is ready."
Rina sat up slowly and slipped out of bed. Her bare feet touched the cold marble floor. Leona helped her fasten her black traveling cloak, trimmed in gold. Her hair—vibrant, crimson-red—was brushed and tied in a loose braid. Her eyes, though dim, still glowed with that rare golden hue inherited from generations of Amberharts.
When they descended the grand staircase, the manor was still cloaked in morning hush. Staff bowed as they passed, and two guards opened the front doors for them. Outside, Lady Amelia stood beside the car—a sleek black vehicle adorned with the sigil of House Amberhart: a phoenix in flight, its wings engulfed in flame.
Amelia wore a dark coat with golden clasps and a high collar. Her red hair was perfectly styled, her expression unreadable.
She didn't speak as her daughter approached—only nodded.
Leona followed behind, giving Amelia a brief respectful glance.
A moment passed. Then Amelia opened the door and slid into the back seat. Rina and Leona followed, sitting across from her in the spacious interior of the enchanted car, where the windows were tinted with mana-imbued glass, allowing full privacy.
The door shut. The car began to move.
For a while, no one spoke.
The road out of the Amberhart estate was long and winding, lined with towering obsidian trees, their leaves a silver-green that shimmered faintly under the morning sun. Mana-lanterns still glowed faintly along the path, resisting the coming daylight.
Rina stared out the window, her breath fogging the glass.
Leona watched her quietly, then finally spoke.
"Do you even know what he looks like? Jyn Roche?"
Rina shook her head. " No ".
Amelia cut in, her voice calm and sharp like the blade of a knife. "You will see him soon enough. Appearances are irrelevant. What matters is the blood. His lineage."
Leona narrowed her eyes. "You mean his power."
Amelia looked at her. "Yes. That too."
Rina clenched her fists in her lap. "He's Naoko's son."
"Yes," Amelia replied.
"And Naoko… is barely even human anymore."
There was no reply. Just silence.
Outside, the scenery began to change. The trees grew thinner. The terrain darker. Hills of stone and iron-veined soil stretched ahead. In the distance, obscured by early mist, loomed the towering silhouette of the Roche Estate—a dark fortress of black marble and sharp angles, wrapped in silver vines and lunar insignias.
As they approached the gates, an icy wind blew through the landscape.
Even Leona, with all her strength and lion-hearted pride, felt the shift in the air.
This was no ordinary noble house.
This… was the dominion of Naoko Roche.