A girl ran through a ruined city.
Her steps never paused.
Her once-elegant clothes were now disheveled.
Dust spread across her cheeks.
Her violet eyes—usually sharp, calculating—were now wide, unfocused, frantic.
They scanned every shadow, every crumbled wall, every unmoving figure.
She had been searching this city for an hour.
But found nothing.
The city had been sealed off by Association officials. No civilians, no journalists. Only authorized personnel were allowed in.
But who could stop her?
She was Amyra Celestrian—imperial princess, hailed as the most suitable heir to the throne.
A prodigy, a noble, a genius.
But right now, she was none of those things.
Right now, she was just a girl looking for soone.
Her dearest.
Alden.
Where are you? Where are you, damn it?
Her boots splashed through puddles left by broken pipes.
She stumbled past corpses—so many corpses.
Children. Won. n.
But she didn't stop.
Didn't spare them a glance.
He's alive. He has to be alive.
Every breath, every step, was a silent plea: Please be okay. Please don't leave .
She'd always kept herself composed. Poised.
The perfect royal image.
But now?
She could feel the crack widening in her chest.
The sun began to set, casting the blood-soaked city in orange and crimson.
After a few more hours of searching without any results she had to turn around.
Not because she wanted to.
It was because the association head himself interfered. If it was just an ordinary mber she couldn't care less.
But the association head was an Overlord rank. He himself assured he would find her friend.
She had no choice but to take a step back.
She knew he was alive.
She trusted him.
But the fear didn't leave.
Not really.
Not when she saw the blood. The destruction. The silence of a city that once held laughter.
This wasn't supposed to happen.
It's all my fault.
She blad herself.
She returned to Astria.
Her steps walked across the academy grounds.
She didn't know where she was going or what she was doing.
Her mind was blank.
Her steps unconscious.
The sky wept for her. She was completely drenched in rain.
But right now, she couldn't care less.
After so ti of walking she sohow found herself on a familiar floor of the dorm building.
It was Alden's apartnt floor.
Her steps carried her towards the door.
She wished to see him.
Hopefully he might've left the city.
Hopefully he sohow arrived safely back at the academy.
She hesitated outside his apartnt.
But she couldn't stop.
Her hand lifted before her mind caught up.
Three soft knocks.
And then the door opened.
And there he was.
Alden.
Alive.
Whole.
Standing in the doorway like nothing had happened. Like the world hadn't ended. Like he hadn't left a hole in her chest.
Their eyes t.
And suddenly, all the walls she'd built shattered.
She stepped forward and threw her arms around him.
She hadn't planned to.
She didn't even think.
Her body moved before her mind.
His warmth hit her instantly. He buried her head within his chest.
His breath brushed lightly against her hair.
Because she couldn't stop shaking.
Her fingers clutched at his back.
You're here. You're real. I'm not dreaming.
But her mind refused to believe it fully.
Her voice cracked as she spoke.
"Thank God… you're okay…"
And then, finally—finally—her body gave out.
She cried.
She couldn't stop her sobbing.
Tears stread down her face soaking his shirt.
It was shaful. Undignified. Not sothing a princess should do.
But she didn't care.
She couldn't care.
I don't care if I look pathetic. I don't care if I seem weak.
I just… can't lose you.
And as Alden stood there—still, quiet, shocked—she held him tighter.
As if she could hold back the fear.
As if he'd fade if she didn't.
You ca back to .
Don't ever disappear again.
__
Alden stood still looking at the crying figure of Amyra.
It was completely opposite to the composed and calm Amyra he knew.
What's happening right now?
He thought.
But he didn't interrupt.
He let her be for a mont. Calmly waiting for her to calm down.
Eventually, her sobs began to slow.
Her grip loosened—not entirely, but enough for Alden to breathe again.
Amyra finally pulled back.
Her eyes were swollen and her cheek was wet.
Her mouth opened as if she wanted to say sothing—but the words never ca out.
Alden t her gaze, then stepped aside.
"…Co in," he said quietly.
She nodded once and walked past him into the dorm room.
The soft sound of her soaked shoes against the floor followed her.
For a mont neither of them said anything. A silence spread across the room.
Alden walked to the side of the room.
He opened a small closet and pulled out a clean white towel.
He walked back, giving it to her.
She took it with both of her hands.
She didn't say a word.
And Alden didn't ask.
Not why she had co.
Not why she had cried.
Not why she had clung to him like that.
He didn't know why, but… sothing told him not to ask anything.
Amyra sat down on the couch.
She slowly dried her hair with the towel.
Her motions were quiet.
Whereas Alden moved quietly to the small counter at the side of the hall room and started boiling water.
The soft sound of kettle whistling echoed.
He poured the tea into two identical cups and walked towards her.
He handed one of the cups to her.
She looked up, blinking as if pulled from a daze.
"…Thank you," she whispered, her voice low.
Alden nodded and sat on the opposite chair.
He calmly scanned Amyra. Her emotion seems unstable.
And honestly he didn't have any idea why.
He was her first friend according to what she had told before.
Was that why? Was she truly that afraid to lose ?
Is this the real Amyra?
Alden wasn't a psychologist but from what he had seen.
The way she clung to him. The way she cried.
It wasn't normal.
She was terrified.
Maybe… she's lost soone before. Soone important.
Is that why she broke like this?
But he didn't ask. He just kept his quiet.
Because right now, maybe that was all she needed.
Amyra looked calr now. Or maybe just more tired.
He glanced at her again.
Her eyes lifted for a mont, eting him.
Just for a second she looked like she wanted to say sothing.
But then she lowered her gaze again.
Alden didn't press her.
__
Soon the rain had stopped.
Amyra hadn't said much since she finished her tea—just sat there, the silence stretching comfortably between them.
Alden walked her to the door without a word.
Her hand hesitated on the knob.
Then she turned slightly, her white hair falling across her shoulder, violet eyes cast low.
For a heartbeat, her lips parted—but no words ca out.
She looked at him one last ti. A small smile present on her face.
"…I'm glad that you're okay."
Before Alden could respond.
She stepped out into the hallway, her footsteps light.
The door clicked shut behind her.
And Alden stood there, alone again. Only one question echoing in his mind.
What was that all about?
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