Ran and Miki had just finished helping Amu into her dress and making all the final adjustments when there was another knock at the door. It was Kiseki, holding a smaller box in his hand.
"I was instructed to bring this to you," he explained politely, waiting for it to be taken.
Ran walked over and accepted the box.
"You look delightful, milady. The prince is a lucky man," Tadase's faithful servant complimented with propriety before leaving the room.
Ran allowed herself a peek into the box and smiled. "Perfect timing, we were undecided and a little unsure about the final touch."
She took out a pair of white shoes, entirely encrusted with diamonds. They matched the dress perfectly, as the diamonds were arranged in intricate, floral patterns. She handed them to Amu, whose eyes reflected the dazzling sparkle of the countless stones.
"That crazy guy," she giggled slightly, shaking her head. "This must have cost a fortune."
Nagi sighed softly as he watched her in the dress, holding the shoes in her hand. He could never offer her something like that, though he knew Amu would never make that a criterion. She wasn't someone who cared much for material things.
Once she was fully dressed, Amu went to lift Aruto, but Su shook her head. If he were to spit up or drool, Amu would risk ruining her dress and embarrassing herself in front of the kingdom.
"I'll hold him," Su reassured her with a gentle smile. Amu nodded silently. She hadn't held her son much today, but it had been a stressful morning.
Finally, they all left the room and made their way to the grand outdoor space on the second floor of the castle, where all major announcements were made.
Tadase stood on the enormous outdoor terrace of the castle, bathed in the brilliant sunlight. The terrace, adorned with elaborate stonework and lush garlands of flowers along the balustrade, offered a magnificent view over the land. Below, the people had gathered to witness the wedding ceremony.
Tadase wore a royal uniform of the finest silk and heavy brocade in white and gold. The golden embellishments on his doublet and cloak glittered in the sunlight, and the cloak trailed majestically behind him. The colors radiated purity and nobility, fitting for his position and true nature.
His face was a picture of resolve and contemplation, with a hint of sadness that only those who knew him well could detect. His posture was upright, yet the tension in his shoulders and the shadow in his eyes revealed the inner burden he bore. Tadase held a ring prepared for the ceremony, a symbol of promise and unity.
Their eyes met, and for a moment, both Amu's and Tadase's hearts paused at the sight of each other. Amu smiled gently. He looked incredibly handsome. Tadase felt the same and couldn't stop a light blush from momentarily crossing his face. Their hearts beat faster with every step Amu took towards him.
Above the terrace was a small alcove, a balcony framed in gold and platinum, where Tadase's parents stood. His mother glanced at Amu, who then took Aruto in her arms and stepped forward. Tadase also stepped aside and joined Amu in the center.
"Today is a joyous day; we wish to introduce you to the newest member of the royal family," the queen began, speaking with regal authority.
"From this wonderful union, even more love and the future of our kingdom have blossomed. Aruto has been part of our family since yesterday, and one day, he will do everything to ensure that everyone can continue to live beautiful lives."
Amu struggled to maintain her composure at this hypocrisy, knowing that the people in the slums certainly didn't have such beautiful lives as the queen was promoting.
"We look forward with excitement to a glorious future with newfound strength, but that is not all. Today, we invite you to witness the joining of two lives in marriage."
Amu and Tadase held Aruto together for a moment and lifted him slightly higher so that everyone could see him, before Su took him back and a priest joined them.
Tadase swallowed and briefly looked down, before Amu took his hands in hers and smiled at him encouragingly. The blonde took her left hand and gently removed the engagement ring. The priest began the ceremony, and Tadase then took Amu's right hand to place a new ring on it.
Amu gazed at the ring, and her eyes began to sparkle.
The wedding ring was made of rose gold, giving it a warm and romantic appearance. The outer surface of the ring was finely matte, giving it an elegant but subtle texture, while the inside was polished and smooth against the skin. Delicate vines and floral patterns wound around the ring like a gentle wreath. Embedded among the engravings were tiny, sparkling diamonds that caught the light and shimmered in all the colors of the rainbow with every movement.
The centerpiece of the ring, however, was a small, oval opal set in the middle. The opal glimmered with a spectrum of colors – from deep blue and green to soft pink and yellow – depending on the light. This variety of colors symbolized the many facets of their shared future. Surrounding the opal was a delicate crown of golden stars, each star finely crafted and adorned with tiny, sparkling diamonds. The stars represented the dreams and wishes Tadase held for the two of them.
Amu looked at the ring and felt a mix of surprise and warmth in her heart. The ring wasn't just a piece of jewelry; it was a symbol of the love and hope Tadase had placed in their relationship. Although her feelings were complicated, and she was still wrestling with her inner conflicts, she couldn't deny the care and love Tadase had put into designing the ring. He had gone to incredible lengths with everything regarding the wedding.
She couldn't help herself and, while the priest was mid-sentence, wrapped her arms around Tadase's neck and kissed him, causing the blonde to blush and blink in surprise.
"My lady, the kiss comes later in the ceremony," the priest cleared his throat.
"Sorry…" Amu mumbled, embarrassed. The crowd responded with a mix of "aww" and joyful laughter. Tadase's mother, of course, found the gesture highly inappropriate, but there was nothing she could do besides sigh in annoyance, though no one noticed.
While Tadase answered with a hesitant and uncertain "yes," Amu was already eagerly waiting for her turn to be asked. When the priest finally posed the question to her, she responded with a confident and cheerful "yes," her eyes sparkling at Tadase.
He, on the other hand, was utterly confused. How could she seem so happy? Was she that good of an actress?
Amu, however, had simply come to sincerely accept her fate. Reflecting on the past few months with him, she realized how much he had changed, and that she just needed to allow those deeply buried feelings to resurface.
Just as the last sealing sentence was about to be spoken by the priest, alarms went off, and loud sirens echoed throughout the city. Yoru, who was standing with the maids further back at the edge of the terrace, immediately widened his eyes and trembled with excitement. Could it really be happening?
Tadase instinctively wrapped an arm around Amu's shoulders and pulled her close. The pink-haired girl swallowed hard as she watched everything above them suddenly darken and projectiles being fired. A massive horde of wyverns emerged from behind the castle. There was a loud bang after another, echoing in the air and sounding even more terrifying and louder. The wyverns deflected the projectiles with their fireballs, as every time they collided, the castle's projectiles dissipated.
An ear-splitting scream from a wyvern rang out, and shortly after, a black wyvern, five times larger than the others, circled the castle before coming to a halt a short distance from the terrace.
"Why... What is happening right now..." Tadase murmured as he looked into the glowing red eyes of the giant wyvern and pulled Amu even closer to him. He swallowed; he realized he was no match for it. Together with Amu, he backed away towards the wall; they couldn't go any further. He held an arm in front of her and positioned himself further forward to protect her. Everything suddenly lit up in a bright orange, and they had to close their eyes because the light was blinding. Next, a sound similar to shattering glass could be heard. The protective barrier broke apart into a thousand small particles, glittering as they fell down like a shower of glitter.
"Yoru?!" Nagihiko glanced anxiously at the cat, hoping for confirmation, but before he could get a reaction, the giant wyvern flew closer to the terrace.
The silhouette of the creature changed. Initially, the wyvern got progressively smaller until it came to a stop on the terrace and took on the silhouette of a human. Black mist surrounded the being, and when it vanished, a blue-haired man emerged.
"Ikuto!" The voices of Tadase and Amu rang out simultaneously, but one sounded angry while the other was relieved, causing Tadase to briefly look at Amu in confusion before refocusing on Ikuto. He stepped forward again, positioning himself so Amu stood further back.
Amu studied the blue-haired man and swallowed sadly. He had become very pale and extremely thin. His eyes seemed empty and cold. This was not the Ikuto she knew.
Ikuto kept his gaze fixed on Tadase and, without making a single movement, took control of his blood. He manipulated it in such a way that Tadase could no longer breathe.
The blonde immediately felt a sharp constriction in his throat, coughing as he grabbed at his neck. However, he kept his gaze fixed on Ikuto with all his strength, ready to react should he approach Amu.
The pink-haired girl let out a panicked sound as she watched Tadase and felt around him in an attempt to help, but she didn't understand what was happening until it dawned on her, and she ran between Ikuto and Tadase. "Ikuto, stop!" Her voice sounded frantic.
The blue-haired man narrowed his eyes in disbelief until his gaze fell on the blonde Aruto, at which point he released his magic on Tadase. "Oh, I see, I'm interrupting the happy family life. So much for 'it's very likely'," he referred to the statement made when he had learned of the pregnancy, and they were convinced it was his. He laughed bitterly and shook his head.
Amu blinked several times in confusion, not understanding what he was getting at. Wasn't it her family? Wasn't it his son? She looked at Aruto, and it dawned on her. The hair. Her first thought in this situation was certainly not that her son had dyed hair. She ran to Su and took Aruto from her, immediately receiving worried looks that seemed to say, 'Is that supposed to be him?!' Disbelief and concern spread among the maids, and even Nagi swallowed hard. This was not the Ikuto he knew.
With her son in her arms, she returned to her previous position, but before she could do anything, Tadase's voice rang out. "Amu, get away, he's dangerous!"
The pink-haired girl looked at Tadase and shook her head. "Nonsense!"
"Can't you see what he's done?!"
Ikuto raised an eyebrow. What had he done? Aside from briefly cutting off some of his air, he had done nothing at all. Meanwhile, none of the participants noticed that dark mages were lurking in the shadows behind Mizue, creating an illusion at the right moment, making it appear that the houses below and parts of the castle were destroyed and on fire.
"Just look at the city," Tadase continued worriedly.
Only then did Amu notice the sea of flames, and Ikuto turned around, laughing shortly after. "Cute." Ultimately, his transformation was also a form of illusion; having dealt with it intensely, he was able to dissolve the farce with a simple snap of his fingers. Not a single one of the houses was even remotely damaged.
Amu shook her head and gathered herself to continue with her original statement. "He is your son; we just dyed his hair!" Her hand instinctively moved over Aruto's head, changing the blonde back to its natural blue. She looked confused herself, unaware that this was part of her illusion abilities.
"What do you hope to achieve with an illusion?" He raised an eyebrow, shook his head, and dispelled that with a snap as well.
The crowd, witnessing everything, was shocked by this claim, and several surprised and shocked gasps could be heard. When the attack began, everyone fell into a panic, but Ikuto's shadow warriors were already positioned everywhere, making it impossible for them to rush out like a wild flock of chickens. Additionally, they repeatedly calmed and assured everyone that nothing would happen to them.
"Enough! Clearly, Amu is being manipulated by him to harm the royal family. The child cannot possibly be the Demon King's," Mizue's voice rang out, and with a wave of her hand, one of the defensive systems targeted Ikuto. But before it got anywhere near him, a wyvern neutralized it. The wyverns kept flying around, constantly ensuring he wouldn't be hit. The queen angrily bit her fingernail. They were not prepared enough; why was he coming now, after all these years? He had never made any attempt to attack.
"Amu, please, I'm worried!" Tadase moved closer to her and reached for her hand.
Ikuto laughed ironically as he observed the two and turned away. Amu realized he was about to disappear and tore herself away from Tadase. "Ikuto, wait!" She ran towards him and grasped his wrist with one hand while still holding Aruto with the other. The blue-haired man turned around, and their gazes met.
"How can I prove it to you..." she murmured quietly. "If only you would do that blood magic thing again..." She looked at her son, puzzled and distressed. "But you wouldn't be strong enough to control your dad anyway..." She sighed. No matter how much she thought, she couldn't come up with anything. Ikuto listened to her impassively.
Suddenly, Aruto's eyes lit up as they had the day before when he saved Nagi, and Amu felt her body move as if on its own. She climbed onto the railing and let herself fall into the abyss, which elicited screams from the people below. She herself squeezed her eyes shut in fear. "Amu!!" Tadase sounded horrified and ran immediately, but Ikuto reacted at once, making an elegant leap, holding onto the railing with one hand, and caught Amu with the child in her arms, gracefully cradling her with one arm. Finally, he made another leap and stood back on the terrace with her in his arms.
Amu, now regaining control of her body, trembled all over and sank to her knees.
Ikuto knelt down beside her and finally took the time to examine the child more closely. He gently pushed the baby's face in various directions with his index finger and had to admit that he recognized his features.
"Why are you like this ... What happened to you..?" Her voice was quiet and broken. Ikuto wrapped his arms around her and gently pressed her against him, which caused his expression and eyes to finally relax and soften.
"We all thought you wouldn't come back, that you would be over me." She paused briefly. "Or... that something had happened to you..." Her expression grew more somber at these words.
He gently lifted her chin so their gazes met. "Fool. I told you I would love you forever." His voice was gentle. "I'm sorry I couldn't do it sooner and that I didn't reach out..." He hadn't expected to evoke such thoughts, but he also didn't know that he had never received important information about Amu's health and thus, in the eyes of this small group, had ignored that as well.
"Why isn't anyone doing anything?" Mizue gritted her teeth angrily and looked at the two dark mages. "We've been trying all the time, but nothing works; everything just bounces off." They were trying inconspicuous things to control him, as it shouldn't become known that the royal family was working with dark magic. They also attempted to make him lose consciousness, but this too failed.
"Amu... Really, him?" Tadase stood behind her, and his eyes looked more broken than ever as his voice trembled.
The pink-haired girl turned around, and their eyes met, sending a sting to her heart. "He's not what he's claimed to be. On the contrary… Look down, everyone is calm, no injuries, no destruction…" She released herself from Ikuto and took Tadase's face in her hands, guiding his gaze.
The blonde noticed the shadow creatures as he looked into the crowd. "Probably because they're being threatened."
"Then their faces would be more panicked! Tadase, trust me, please." She looked into his eyes again, prompting him to sigh and position himself in front of Ikuto.
"If you harm her in any way, I will find you no matter where you are. I will do everything to make you pay." There was a fire burning in his eyes, a conviction.
"Me? I'm supposed to harm her? What have you done, already forgotten, huh?" the blue-haired one mocked condescendingly. Tadase swallowed and looked away.
"Ikuto… I'll explain everything to you later, but he doesn't deserve this, really." Amu intervened, trying to defend Tadase.
"Take her with you… And make sure she's safe…" Tadase's gaze fell to the ground. How else could it be? Just when everything seemed to be getting better, all hope was shattered again. He turned to Amu and gave her one last kiss. "Take care of yourself, I love you." He gently stroked her cheek and finally took a few steps back.
Amu felt her cheek dampen from her tears and turned to Ikuto. "We can't leave him here! Please!"
"Are you kidding me?" The blue-haired one couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"He will die here… They will kill him… Ikuto, please!" she pleaded with him, crying bitterly.
"I... I can't, I didn't plan for this…" He held his forehead and then buried his hand in his hair as he started to think. Finally, he sighed and mumbled a few unintelligible words.
"Varnak, shalaran velkir! Arlanthiz vek'tharis thranath wyv'kar." Shortly after, one of the shadow warriors appeared from the shadows next to them and transformed into a floating, black ghostly figure to ascend into the air.
"Vel'roth, nalthaz gralmir! Ek'raen thalash varinor thranathar sil'vak." Ikuto's voice rang out again, and darkness descended behind them. A wyvern left its post and glided momentarily behind them in the air. It waited for the right moment, just like the shadow creature.
As the creature finally intercepted one of the projectiles and dissolved, the wyvern charged toward the prince, grasping him with its claws and disappearing into the chaos of the other wyverns to make its way to Ikuto's castle. Everything happened so suddenly and quickly for Tadase that he could barely react, and he felt his life flash before his eyes.
Ikuto exhaled heavily and looked at the shadow, which was thinning and ultimately vanished completely. "I'm sorry…" He didn't want any casualties, but he didn't know how else to handle it so spontaneously. He glanced over to the corner where the maids, Nagi, and Yoru were standing. They were off to the side anyway, and he was sure they wouldn't draw any attention. He had them retrieve them while holding Amu in his arms. Unlike Tadase, things proceeded more calmly for them, and Yoru assured that nothing would happen.
Finally, a huge cloud of smoke appeared, causing Amu to cough before he stood in his wyvern form on the terrace, with Amu on his back.
His massive wings made a thundering sound as they lifted him into the air. The gusts were almost like a tornado. Amu clung to him fearfully, as the headwind from the flight was also quite strong.
The shadow warriors gradually dissolved, returning to the shadows, and the wyverns retreated one by one as he gained some distance.
The pink-haired girl had just started to get used to flying when Ikuto suddenly tilted terribly, almost causing her to fall off. However, he quickly regained his balance and flew straight again. He didn't let Amu notice that he had just been struck by something. "What was that? Are you okay?" she asked worriedly, pressing herself against him. "I'm fine," he communicated his thoughts to her, as he couldn't currently communicate in any other way in this form.
"All useless! The stupid thing should have fired much earlier! What good is a ballista if it takes so long!" Mizue was completely beside herself. Not only was her useless son abducted, but also that, in her opinion, slut with the child.
The ballista was specifically designed to move out from the top of the castle without making any noise. No magic was emitted either; it was always intended as an ambush, but one that would strike much earlier. The bolts were enormous sharp stakes made of metal that could pierce anything and anyone.
The people were completely overwhelmed by everything that had happened in such a relatively short time and were no longer sure what to think of Ikuto. On the one hand, he had just kidnapped the future royal couple. But even that was confusing because the child was supposedly Ikuto's, so did Amu want to be kidnapped? Why had the current ruling couple done so little to ensure security? Discontent was growing among the crowd.
"I really don't like that we were taken away prematurely! What if something goes wrong?!" Nagi complained as he sat on the back of a wyvern with the others.
"Yeah... I'm a little worried too..." Ran sighed sadly.
Miki held on with one hand and pressed Yoru against her chest with the other, as he wouldn't be able to hold on in his cat form. "He must have planned this for months now. Everything seemed absolutely organized, so it must have gone well! He just got us away discreetly," she believed Ikuto's plan had worked. Yoru blushed a little when he got pressed against her chest, but tried to show now sign and remain calm.
"Couldn't he have come up with something other than this thing?" Su wailed in despair. This didn't fit her usual vocabulary at all, but she felt terribly uneasy, and she already had issues with heights, let alone flying on a wyvern that she had always been told was vicious and brutal.
"Human child, restrain your tongue if you wish to avoid turbulence on this journey. Your frail kind should know their place in the presence of greater beings," a dark yet calm and pleasant voice sounded.
The four maids exchanged confused looks while Yoru beamed. "Velkan! Sorry I didn't recognize you right away! I didn't expect him to send you."
"It has been a long time, old friend. Ikuto understood the need for someone of higher intellect to be among you to communicate. Since I am the only one who speaks the primitive language of humans, the choice was inevitable."
"Unnecessarily harsh..." Su murmured as she slowly got used to the talking wyvern.
"Quite full of himself," Miki agreed.
Ran and Nagi, on the other hand, decided it was best to stay quiet, lest they accidentally appear disrespectful.
Velkan slightly inclined his majestic head, his eyes gleaming with impatient wisdom. "Your childish emotions are meaningless to a being of my grandeur. Still, if you could grasp the wisdom in my presence, you would understand that my judgment and words always carry higher significance."
"But how did you find each other again? He's not the same Ikuto as back then," Yoru asked the wyvern, intrigued.
"Time has shaped and strengthened Ikuto. Although he is no longer the Ikuto of old, his newfound powers and unyielding will led him back to me. Our paths crossed again because his determination and abilities helped him find the lost way. He has changed, but his essence remains strong."
Velkan was the wisest and oldest of the wyverns, so it wasn't guaranteed that Ikuto and he would meet again just because Ikuto had regained control over the wyverns.
"Do you know what his training was like? He looked terrible there on that terrace," Yoru sighed sadly.
"It is forbidden for me to speak of it," Velkan replied, with a hint of regret in his voice. "Ikuto endured much that most could not imagine. I can reveal no more. Trust that his strength and resolve carried him through the darkest times." He was referring to the complete isolation and constant state of absolute focus as Ikuto pushed his magical reserves to their absolute limits each time without giving his body much rest or necessary nutrients.
Yoru sighed. "So he just ignored my request, that idiot..."
The rest of the journey was spent mostly in silence, and once they arrived at the castle, it didn't take long before another wyvern appeared in the air in front of them and eventually dropped Tadase a little unceremoniously to the ground from a low height before disappearing again.
"What are you doing here?" Nagi helped the blonde up and looked at him in confusion. Meanwhile, Yoru was distracted by the bright colors, amazed. It didn't look anything like it had the day he had left the castle.
"No idea? That wyvern suddenly pounced on me and grabbed me," he had to collect himself for a moment before thinking back to the moment. "I think Amu wanted him not to leave me behind?" He scratched his neck uncertainly; after all, everything had happened quickly, and there was a lot to process.
"Yeah, that fits with one of our conversations..." Nagi noted and nodded, finally loosening his hair after what felt like forever. "I hope he has clothes here," the lilac-haired man sighed. Months in clothing meant for court ladies was finally getting to him.
"Why the demon king...? How did she even meet him?" Tadase rubbed the bridge of his nose, strained, and sighed.
"You know the story." Nagi shrugged, and Tadase thought for a moment before sighing again. The demon king had been a constant presence in this world his whole life, and he still needed time to process the fact that this very king had been reincarnated from another world.
"In any case, he's not evil, but both Yoru and he won't tell us what exactly happened," Nagihiko hoped they would fill them in one day.
"He's apparently a different person," Tadase remarked with a raised eyebrow. "That doesn't mean the original wasn't evil."
"There are only a few differences between the two, and most of that comes down to his love for Amu. The original Ikuto didn't care for love; this one practically lives for her. And he's emotionally a bit more unstable, vulnerable. My Ikuto had lost all trust in others and was mostly empty and cold, but he was never evil," Yoru finally chimed in, still in his cat form. It was the first time Tadase had heard him speak.
The blonde blinked at the cat, silent and puzzled for a few seconds. "You... can talk...? And you're one of his followers?" His voice faltered and sounded doubtful.
Yoru nodded and then shifted into his human form.
"And you were with her as a man the whole time?" the blonde took a deep breath and shook his head. At least now it explained why he always interrupted when Amu and he tried to get closer.
"But what happens now? Do we just sit by quietly, watching them live happily while we serve them as their subordinates, or what is supposed to happen?" Of course, he was aware that staying in his castle wouldn't bring him any future either, but the situation was still absurd.
"They would never see us as subordinates," Nagi disagreed, shrugging his shoulders. "But even I don't know how things will go from here on..."
"We were brought before your Highness; shouldn't the lady and Ikuto be arriving soon?" Su chimed in with a worried tone.
In the background, Ran and Miki admired the castle together. It looked like something out of a fairy tale, and she once again felt like a little girl seeing her dream unfold before her eyes.
"They'll definitely be here soon," Nagi said confidently, not believing that Ikuto could have been stopped by anything after putting on such a show.
"I'm curious to hear your explanation for Tadase," he rolled his eyes a little in his wyvern form.
"I wouldn't blame him alone... but we should talk about this calmly," the pink-haired girl replied, glancing at the horizon. The sun was setting slowly, offering a beautiful view and, under different circumstances, a very romantic one.
"So, have you decided on him?" his voice still only echoed in her mind.
"No... I... I don't know..." she sighed. She truly didn't know who she would choose if she were really free and not forced into anything.
Aruto had fallen asleep shortly after controlling her for a moment and was still sleeping. It was probably very exhausting for him.
"What's his name?"
Amu blushed and hesitated for a moment, feeling a little embarrassed. "Aruto... Amuto sounded weird, so I just swapped the letters."
Ikuto glanced down briefly and remained silent at first. "You don't like the name, do you?"
"It's not that. My father was named that, in the other world."
In the end, he had a good relationship with his father. He wondered how his parents were doing after their accident. The thought crossed his mind for the first time, and he let out a heavy sigh through his large nostrils. It must have been horrible for parents to lose their children.
"Oh... is that bad?" he shook his head, which relieved Amu. "I would've loved to choose a name together with you, but you had disappeared. Even when it wasn't clear if I'd even make it to the birth." Her voice was melancholic, and the thought weighed heavy on her heart once again.
"If you'd make it to the birth?" he repeated in a shocked and questioning tone.
"The complications? Yoru told you everything, but you never responded..."
"I... I never knew about it," he paused, his voice trembling. "That must have been when I pushed myself beyond my limits... I... I was unconscious at times... I'm so sorry, Amu." She could hear the endless guilt in his voice.
"I see... but now you're here, everything will be okay," she smiled, leaning forward slightly so that her face pressed against his scaly body.
"But I wasn't there when it mattered the most..." In his mind, he no longer deserved her. He thought she should just choose Nagi or Tadase and leave him out of it.
Before Amu could react, they suddenly lost altitude, and she noticed his breathing becoming irregular and labored. He maneuvered as best as he could through the trees to ensure she didn't get hurt, though his wings hit branches and trees, breaking them along the way. Once they were on the ground, the wyvern form quickly dissolved, and Amu saw a long trail of blood and a huge, sharp steel spike on the ground. Her eyes widened in shock before she turned around and saw Ikuto, also drenched in blood, lying on the ground.
"Ikuto! Why didn't you say anything?" her voice was high-pitched with panic, trembling. She quickly realized it must have been related to when he suddenly lost control. "You've been bleeding almost the entire time since we took off!" She carefully placed Aruto on the ground beside her and examined Ikuto. The wound was large. His hand, covered in blood as he tried to hold it, slowly reached upward to rest weakly on Amu's cheek. "It's not much further. You can make it," his voice was barely audible and terribly weak. Amu placed her hand over his and started sobbing uncontrollably. Soon, however, his hand slid down, leaving bloody streaks on her face. She took a deep breath, trying to collect herself, and let both hands hover slightly over his wound. They began to glow, but her healing magic was too weak. She looked around in desperation. "This is the forest..." her eyes then rested on Aruto, who began crying loudly.
"Aruto, I know you've already had a long and exhausting day, but your dad needs you right now..." she shook her head. Surely he wouldn't be able to control Ikuto's blood, but then again, Ikuto was very weakened. She hated herself for being so useless, for having to rely on her newborn child.
She picked up the baby and rocked him gently to calm him down. Eventually, his eyes glowed again, and it seemed as though the bleeding had stopped. Amu was relieved, but that alone wouldn't be enough. What should she do?
"Ikuto, don't leave us," she sobbed even more until the sound of rustling and the sight of red eyes froze her in shock.
"Foolish woman. Sitting here and crying won't change anything!" The voice was aggressive, and one of the hellhounds appeared in front of her. The fact that it could suddenly speak was something she ignored, and she immediately pleaded with it. "Please, help me take him to the pond." She bowed to the creature, pressing her upper body into the ground while on her knees.
He was one of the pack leaders, which made him higher-ranked and capable of speech. The same applied to his offspring and generals.
The black wolf hoisted Ikuto onto his back with his head and started running. Amu, with Aruto in her arms, quickly followed, but she was too slow and he was almost out of sight when another wolf appeared beside her from the forest. "Get on, you're too slow."
Amu looked briefly at the wolf, then forward, and back at the wolf again before swallowing hard and sitting on the creature.
It didn't take long before a familiar soft yellow light appeared in the distance. Though it was only a few seconds or at most minutes, every step felt like an eternity to her. By now, she was next to the hellhound carrying Ikuto.
Upon arriving, she looked at the one who had carried her. "I…I'll leave him with you for a moment, okay?" She laid Aruto beside him and hurried over to Ikuto, pulling him off the leader and stepping into the pond with him.
Aruto's magic was no longer holding, and Amu noticed a trail of blood flowing from Ikuto's wound into the pond, which only made her more panicked. In the water, he would lose blood even faster.
Amu looked desperately at the glowing water of the magical pond. "I don't know if this will work, but you cleansed me from Sus' magic. Please, I beg you, help me," she spoke through her tears.
The water began to glow with a bright yellow light, and a very small, delicate woman with gossamer wings hovered before Amu. She had long, shimmering hair that flowed over her shoulders like moonlight and wore a dress made of sparkling water droplets that seemed to dance with every movement. Her eyes shone a deep blue, reflecting the wisdom of centuries.
With a gentle, melodic voice, the fairy of the pond said, "Greetings, Amu. Your plea has reached the heart of this pond. I feel the urgency and despair in your heart."
The fairy paused for a moment, giving Amu a compassionate look before continuing, "I can heal the wound that Ikuto bears, but be warned, my power is limited. The wound will close, but the blood loss he has suffered will remain a challenge. He will need to regain his strength, and that will take time."
She floated closer and placed a hand on Amu's shoulder, a soothing, soft glow surrounding them. "Trust in your courage and your love. These are the qualities that will help him through the trials ahead. I will do what I can to preserve the life within him, but what comes next is in your hands."
With these words, the fairy raised her delicate hand, and a soft golden light emanated from it, enveloping Amu before spreading toward Ikuto to begin the healing. Shortly after, she disappeared, and the pond no longer glowed as brightly.
Amu looked at Ikuto with a heavy heart and carefully pulled him out of the water. She laid him gently on the ground, holding her hand softly against his cheek. He was cold, and his body was already weakened. Tears began to fall again from her eyes as she turned her gaze to the hellhounds.
"I know you don't like me…" she sobbed. "But…I don't know where to go. Please…could you take him and me home?" She tried to wipe away her tears, only smearing her face with more blood, but the tears wouldn't stop.
"Then place him on my back and sit back on my son." Amu nodded and did as she was told. She gently stroked Ikuto's blue hair and then picked Aruto back up into her arms, climbing onto the massive wolf creature. "Thank you…" she murmured quietly, her voice choked with sadness and pain.
The way back, as Ikuto had noted before, wasn't far, and within a few minutes, they arrived at the castle.
Yoru, with his cat ears, had already sensed the hellhounds' approach before their arrival, which gave him an uneasy feeling since Ikuto would have surely left the castle in his wyvern form. In the meantime, the group had made themselves somewhat comfortable in the castle, and when Yoru mentioned that someone was coming, they all went outside together.
The initially joyful faces that saw familiar pink hair quickly twisted into expressions of horror and shock.
It wasn't until she saw their reactions that Amu looked down at herself and realized she was covered in blood.
Her once beautiful white dress was completely stained light red from the blood in the pond. Some areas had deep red bloodstains from direct contact with Ikuto. Her arms, her face, her neckline—everything was covered in red. Her eyes were swollen and red from crying so much.
Once again, she began to cry and sob, rubbing her arm over her eyes. "I'm sorry, Tadase…about the dress…"
He stared at her, speechless. "That…that doesn't matter at all! What on earth happened?! Are you okay?" He immediately approached her, inspecting her body and sighing with relief when he found no wounds. He gently wrapped one arm around her waist and the other around the back of her head, pulling her into a soft embrace.
Everyone's eyes now fell on the unconscious Ikuto.
Amu pulled away from Tadase and handed Aruto to him, then moved to lift Ikuto off the hellhound.
Nagi immediately took over, lifting Ikuto from her and carrying him inside the castle.
The pink-haired girl knelt before the wolf creatures. "C-can I…?" She wanted to hug them, deeply grateful for their help.
The younger of the two nodded silently and sat down. Amu wrapped her arms around his body, pressing herself gently against him. "Thank you…without you, all hope would have been lost…" Her gaze shifted to the other one, who briefly rolled his eyes before also sitting down and allowing himself to be hugged.
"Arthras, Kothar, I also want to thank you…" Yoru bowed. His expression was just as filled with pain and hopelessness as Amu's.
"You know we always stand by your side. Even though he has changed, his heart remains pure," replied the slightly larger of the two, Arthras.
Kothar sighed sorrowfully. "Things are still bad for him. Action should have been taken much earlier." With this, he indirectly blamed Amu.
"I…I…" she stammered through her tears. "I didn't know…he said everything was fine and acted normally…" She sobbed even more. Of course, she had been blaming herself all along.
"Please have mercy on her. I'm sure Ikuto did everything to keep her from noticing, as he wouldn't have wanted her to worry." He placed a hand on Amu's shoulder, trying to comfort her a little.
With another sigh, the two wolves nodded and finally disappeared into the darkness. It had already grown late.
"If it weren't for me, you'd all have a better life…Nagi is hurt because of me. Ikuto might even die because of me. Tadase might have had a normal life without me…And even he got hurt all the time…and even wanted to take his own life…" She buried her hands in the earth beneath her, trying to suppress her tears.
Tadase knelt beside her and placed a hand on her shoulder as well. "Hey, don't be so hard on yourself. We all chose this ourselves. It'll be okay," he said softly, offering a gentle smile. "Let's go inside."
He carefully helped her up with his free hand and guided her indoors.
Ran, Su, and Miki watched the whole scene in stunned silence. There wasn't an appropriate moment to speak, but in her mind, Su was already running through all the possible potions that might help.
Meanwhile, Nagi was trying to get some sort of reaction from Ikuto, speaking to him now and then, but the blue-haired boy didn't stir. When the others finally joined, Nagi looked at Amu. "What exactly happened? How did it end up like this?"
Amu looked sadly at the floor and recounted what had happened while sitting beside Ikuto on the sofa, gently brushing some strands of hair out of his face.
"If even the lake couldn't help, what are we supposed to do now..." she murmured in defeat, sharing Su's thoughts, who was similarly at a loss.
"I haven't seen him in so long, and then something like this happens..." Her gaze remained fixed on Ikuto. She hadn't even had the chance to properly hug him or talk to him more.
"I think we should all rest for now," Tadase's voice was soft as he watched Amu with concern. "Yoru, right?" He glanced at the cat-like being. "Could you take Ikuto to his chambers..." He paused, reluctant to say the next part. "And take Amu with you."
Ikuto shouldn't be left alone right now, and Amu was the obvious choice since they were so close.
Yoru nodded silently, lifted his master, and waited for Amu to follow. "Someone needs to take Aruto too, and I'm pretty sure there's a crib somewhere." Even though it hadn't been part of the inventory before, Ikuto had known about the pregnancy, and whether or not it was his, he had surely prepared something.
Su took Aruto from Tadase's arms, standing ready beside Yoru. She wanted to relieve Amu of every burden she could, so she took Aruto. Ran and Miki took on the task of finding the crib. Most likely, there was another room next to Ikuto's, meant for Amu, and it would probably be there, so they intended to check there first.
Amu was still staring sadly at the ground but made herself ready to follow Yoru.
"I'll come back after, and then we'll find rooms for you all. But I'm pretty sure you can just pick whichever you want," Yoru explained as he started walking.
After a few staircases and passing by numerous rooms, they reached their destination, and Yoru gently laid Ikuto down on the bed. Shortly after, Ran and Miki returned from the adjoining room, their guess confirmed.
"Should it stay here, or should we leave it next door?" All eyes turned to Amu for confirmation, but she didn't respond.
Yoru sighed. "I think here." He hoped, like Tadase, that her closeness might somehow help. The three maids assisted Amu in cleaning off all the blood and brought her fresh clothes.
After setting everything in order, they eventually left the room and went to prepare rooms for the others as well.
"If only you'd said something earlier... maybe things would be different now. You stupid idiot..." she mumbled softly, lying beside him and looking at him. Tears streamed down her cheeks once more. She just wanted a peaceful and happy life; she couldn't take it anymore. Why did so many people have to suffer constantly? Why did she have to develop feelings for all three of them? She intertwined her hand with his and rested her head on his shoulder a little until exhaustion and stress finally took over, and she fell asleep.