Kiev walked alone along the cobblestone path leading away from the manor.
The cool night air greeted him as he stepped into the garden. Moonlight filtered through the trees, casting faint silver hues across the stone walkways and neatly trimmed hedges.
Aside from the distant sounds of the Lantern Festival and the occasional calls of nocturnal creatures, the estate remained shrouded in silence.
From the outside, the tranquillity seemed enough to soothe any troubled mind. And perhaps, to anyone watching, Kiev appeared no different—calm, composed and unaffected as he usually did.
But the moment the Mederian Prince was away from prying eyes, the façade began to crack.
The restraint he maintained before others gradually slipped away, revealing the turmoil he had kept buried beneath duty and responsibility. The silence around him only made it harder to ignore.
Tonight, for reasons he could not explain, the emptiness felt heavier than usual.
