Night had fallen over Zordis, painting the sky in shades of purple and deep blue. A gentle breeze drifted through the palace corridors, softly swaying the curtains, and the silence was broken only by the echo of Princess Raimi's footsteps. Her eyes, still shimmering with emotion, fixed on Kuto with a mixture of hope and nervousness.
"Kuto… will you accept my request?" she asked, her voice trembling yet firm, as if she were offering not just a question, but a piece of herself.
Kuto remained silent, his eyes cold and analytical. An impassive chill lay across his expression, almost as if no emotion in the world could reach him. Finally, with the same coldness he had been carrying since their arrival in the kingdom, he answered:
"Unfortunately, I'll have to decline your request."
Raimi's eyes widened, as if struck by an invisible blow. Her chest rose and fell in short breaths, and tears began forming at the corners of her eyes.
"Alright… I understand… and… thank you for the other day," she murmured, voice breaking. Before she could say anything more, she turned and left, her footsteps echoing through the silent hallways as tears streamed quietly down her face.
Kuto stood still for a few seconds, watching her leave. A heavy silence lingered in the air. Without another word, he turned and walked to his room, feeling the weight of the decision he had just made. He took a long shower, letting the water wash away some of the tension, before dressing in clean, tidy clothes.
When he stepped out toward the dining hall, he found Selina, Sónia, and Romeu waiting in front of him, their serious expressions making him frown.
"What are you doing standing here?" he asked firmly. "Is something wrong?"
"Something wrong?" Selina repeated, crossing her arms.
Before he could react, Romeu stepped forward and pulled his ear hard, making Kuto hiss in pain.
"Hey, you idiot!" Romeu shouted.
"Get your hand off my ear!" Kuto snapped, narrowing his eyes with a threatening glare.
Romeu backed away, startled, muttering:
"Heartless bastard…"
Selina stepped up, staring straight into Kuto's eyes:
"Why did you turn down Raimi's request?"
Kuto took a deep breath, his cold voice echoing through the tense hall:
"This world is just a game, and she's just an NPC. I won't get involved with an NPC. And I've never liked all that nonsense about marriage or dating."
"Now step aside," he said, gently pushing them aside as he tried to pass.
But before he could move forward, Jack, Dimitri, Sensi, Gunja, Célia, and Haru appeared at the other end of the hallway, forming a human barrier to block him.
"Kuto, try reconsidering the princess's request," Jack said firmly.
"If you're so worried, why don't you marry her yourself?" Kuto shot back, frowning.
"You know that's impossible. She likes you," Jack replied—
and Dimitri cut in, enraged:
"Stop being an asshole, man!"
Kuto interrupted sharply, his voice now stronger and filled with conviction:
"An asshole? Did you forget we're inside a game and all of this is virtual?! Since we got here, you've all gotten way too comfortable, forgetting our real goal: reach level 100 and get out of this world as fast as possible. If you're not in a hurry, I am! Under normal circumstances, we shouldn't be here living a cozy life and taking little trips; we should be grinding and gaining XP!"
Silence fell across the hallway. Everyone stood speechless, jaws dropping as they felt the weight of Kuto's determination. He took a slow breath, eyes fixed ahead:
"Now, move."
Haru tried calling out to him, worry filling his voice:
"Brother…"
"I'm not your brother," Kuto replied coldly as he walked toward the palace courtyard.
But something unexpected happened. Zenk, Raimi's cousin, suddenly appeared in front of him. Kuto stopped, startled:
"What do you want?" he asked cautiously.
"Do you have a moment to talk?" Zenk said, calm but authoritative.
Kuto hesitated, then nodded. Zenk placed a hand on his shoulder and, in an instant, the two vanished, reappearing on an open balcony high above the palace, overlooking the shimmering lights of Zordis. The night breeze carried the scent of nocturnal flowers and the faint aroma of the distant city.
"What did you want to tell me?"
Zenk looked up at the starry sky and inhaled deeply.
"Have you ever noticed that Raimi doesn't resemble the king or queen much?" he began.
"Yes," Kuto replied, intrigued.
"That's because they're not her real parents," Zenk revealed.
Kuto's eyes widened, unable to process the revelation at once.
"Then who are they?" he asked, voice trembling.
"They are the right hand of the true King Zordis IV and his wife. Her real parents died many years ago during a trip to the rival kingdom of Killvis while trying to negotiate peace. The kingdoms have a long history of rivalry. Some legends say it began long ago when the first King of Zordis stole the wife of his brother from Killvis. Since then, countless wars and attempted wars have taken place.
"After her parents' deaths, Zordis was ready to start a war against Killvis, but Raimi, still a child, refused to allow it. However, there is a universal law between the two kingdoms: if a kingdom has only one female royal descendant, she must marry a member of royalty before turning 18. She is 17 now, and in seven days, she'll turn 18. If she isn't married to someone of royal blood by then, King Killvis V will come and take her hand by right. He'll gain control over both kingdoms. And if that happens, Zordis will lose its harmony.
"Since childhood, I've taken care of her—my parents also died in that incident," Zenk explained, voice heavy with seriousness.
Kuto murmured, stunned:
"So how do they expect me to marry her if I'm not part of the family?"
Zenk smiled slightly, revealing a near-mystical certainty:
"You're mistaken. According to my genetic recognition magic, your blood is pure Yutuko—descendant of one of the first men of Velerithon."
Kuto was speechless, as if the revelation were too large to fit into his mind.
"That's impossible… who is this Yutuko?"
"One of the first men of Velerithon," Zenk said calmly. "Marrying you will change everything. The current 'king' of Zordis is demanding that the union happen within the next seven days; otherwise, Killvis V—who's about my age—will take Raimi's hand and rule both kingdoms."
Kuto took a deep breath, still trying to absorb everything.
"Couldn't you marry her?" he asked hesitantly.
"I love her—but like a sister, and I want her to be happy," Zenk answered with a soft smile. "And yes, she knows you have Yutuko blood. The day you saw her running away on horseback, she was searching for a descendant of our lineage using a magical necklace that glows when it finds someone of our bloodline. She didn't want royal bureaucracy to interfere with my focus on magic. And she found you. The next morning she returned smiling so brightly, saying she had found someone of our lineage who was very handsome… though a bit annoying."
Kuto sighed, finally accepting reality.
"Then… I guess I don't have a choice. I accept. I'll marry her."
Zenk clapped his hands, satisfied.
"Excellent! Be a gentleman," he said, snapping his fingers.
In an instant, Kuto found himself in another balcony, where Raimi stood gazing at the stars, serene and silent.
That damned mage teleported me without warning, he thought.
"Raimi, can we talk?" he asked as he approached.
She turned, tears shimmering under the moonlight.
"What is it? Were you forced to accept my request?"
"No," Kuto replied. "I want to marry you because I learned the truth. And because I don't want to see you unhappy beside someone you don't love."
Raimi ran to him and hugged him tightly.
"You must learn to be more romantic," she murmured through her tears.
Kuto smiled softly and hugged her back.
"I'll try."
The gentle night wind surrounded them, and the stars shone above the palace, witnessing a moment of unity, understanding, and promises of a shared future.