Prince Dio descended the grand staircase, his composure flawless. Morning light illuminated his pale, winter-wolf hair and skin—a divine grace that now seemed a cold echo of the woman consuming his thoughts.
His sharp eyes caught the movement instantly. Below, G6 was stumbling, her gait uncoordinated, a far cry from her usual lethal precision. She trembled, fighting for control. Her knees buckled.
<
In a blur, Prince Dio crossed the remaining distance and caught her just before she hit the stone floor. She collapsed into his arms, a dead weight. Her skin was clammy, beaded with cold sweat.
"Reise?" His voice was tight. No response. Consciousness had fled.
A hushed silence fell over the hall.
"REISE!"
"LADY REISE!"
The shouts echoed from the training arena. Prince Dio looked up. Keith and Edmund rushed toward him, their appearances ragged—hair disheveled, clothes dusted with sand, faces etched with a panic too deep for a simple accident.
What in the world were they doing? They look like they've been through a battle.
Keith reached them first, his playfulness gone. "What happened?"
"She collapsed." Prince Dio's worry simmered beneath a cool exterior. He glanced between their disheveled states and G6's pallor. "Were you with her?" The question was an order.
Keith and Edmund exchanged a swift, guilty look but offered no answer. Keith reached for G6's hand, his face paling further. "She's ice cold."
"The clinic. Now!" Prince Dio commanded, lifting her effortlessly. He was struck by how fragile she felt. This was the woman who had faced him down with icy defiance? Now, she was utterly vulnerable, and the sensation was profoundly unsettling.
He led the way, Keith and Edmund flanking him like anxious guards, to the first-floor medical clinic. Prince Dio shouldered the door open, startling the head nurse—and Eliza, who was observing a healing session, her hands flying to her mouth.
"Your Highness!"
"She collapsed on the stairs." Prince Dio laid G6 gently on the examination cot. His presence commanded the room. "Attend to her. Immediately."
The head nurse pressed fingers to G6's wrist. "Pulse is stable but thready. Revitalizing potion." Her assistant handed her a vial. The nurse administered it carefully. A soft, greenish glow emanated from G6's skin as the magic worked. "Hmm. As expected of a noblewoman's constitution," the nurse mused, though her brow furrowed. She turned to the men. "Severe fatigue. As if she attempted a feat her body was fundamentally incompatible with."
"We were engaged in light physical training," Keith offered quickly, the lie smooth but transparent.
"Is she out of danger?" Prince Dio asked, his voice tight, eyes fixed on G6's face.
"She should be, with rest." The nurse's glance back suggested lingering doubt.
Edmund stepped forward, his tone respectful finality. "My lady slept very late and rose before dawn. Severe lack of rest is the most probable cause. Thank you for your swift care." It was a dismissal, closing the topic.
Prince Dio and Keith exchanged a look. They could smell the cover-up, but before Prince Dio could press, the clinic door burst open.
"Lady Reise!" Lilia's cry was a squeak of panic. She darted across the room, small hands clutching G6's sleeve.
Tina was right behind her, composure shattered by fear. Her sharp eyes found Edmund. "What happened? You were meant to ensure her well-being!" The accusation was clear.
Edmund met her gaze evenly. "Forgive me. But you know our lady's nature as well as I. Do you truly believe anyone can dissuade her once her mind is set?" His words were a shield, deflecting blame while affirming their shared powerlessness.
Tina's shoulders slumped. She finally registered the royalty, offering a flustered bow. "Your Highness. Lord Keith."
"Is she going to be alright?" Lilia asked the nurse, trembling.
"You must be very fond of your lady. Do not worry. She simply needs profound rest."
Seeking to be helpful—and insert herself into the prince's sphere—Eliza stepped forward. "If it pleases you, Your Highness, I have mastered a spell that can dispel fatigue entirely. It is quite effective." She looked to Prince Dio for permission.
The head nurse gave a curt nod. "I can vouch for its safety."
"Then proceed."
Eliza approached the cot with a gentle, confident smile. She reached out to place her hands on G6's forehead.
The reaction was instantaneous and terrifying.
G6's hand shot up. Not to accept, but to counter. A flash of polished metal—the hairpin, conjured from a hidden fold—its needle-like point pressed firmly against the soft skin of Eliza's neck, a hair's breadth from piercing it.
The room froze.
"What do you think you are doing?" G6's voice was a low, venomous chill, her eyes sharp and lucid, promising swift, unthinking violence.
A small, trembling touch on her arm. "L-Lady Reise… it's okay." Lilia, terrified yet holding her ground.
G6 blinked. The clinic came back into focus. The stunned faces. The cold fear in Eliza's eyes. The metal in her own hand.
She snapped back. The assassin's mask dropped. She withdrew the hairpin and sat up, her expression shifting to unnervingly placid neutrality.
"What happened?" Her tone was flat, as if she'd just woken from a nap.
Tina, heart hammering, managed to speak. "You lost consciousness on the stairs. His Highness brought you here."
G6's gaze swept the room before landing indifferently on Eliza. "Excuse my actions." The words held no real apology; it was a clinical warning. "My body is not fond of unsolicited touch."
The unspoken words hung: Touch me without permission again, and the consequences will be yours.
"I was… only trying to ease your fatigue," Eliza stammered, hand going to her throat.
G6's expression was pure, uncomprehending disappointment. "Ease my fatigue? How is my body supposed to adapt if you keep forcing it to skip recovery?" Her voice was cool, analytical, explaining a tactical error.
The head nurse frowned. "My lady, there is no harm in a restorative spell. Miss Eliza was only—"
"I was pushing my body for a reason." G6's sharp gaze silenced her. Her words were not those of a pampered noble, but a hardened drill instructor. "What happens next time, when I am alone? If my body grows accustomed to a rescue that may not come, it will never learn its own limits. It will never learn to survive."
Survive. A word for soldiers in the field, not a duke's daughter in palace safety.
"Leave my body to its own devices," she declared, standing with a steadiness that defied her collapse. Her tone was final. "If it cannot endure, then that is its limit. A fact I need to know."
She turned, her eyes finding Prince Dio's. The look was direct, acknowledging his role without simpering gratitude. "Thank you for your assistance." It sounded like a mission debrief.
Then, she walked out, leaving a room steeped in stunned silence.
Lilia scurried after her.
"Miss Eliza, please forgive my lady's reaction," Tina said, offering a deep bow. "She has never been… comfortable with unsolicited touch."
Edmund followed suit. "Thank you for your assistance, Lord Keith. Our deepest gratitude to you, Your Highness." The two servants hurried after their mistress.
The head nurse let out a breathy laugh. "My, my. I had no idea the House of Worthon's self-defense training was so… intense."
"Thank you for your services." Prince Dio's voice was distant. He offered a curt nod and turned to leave, the image of the hairpin burned into his mind.
Prince Dio walked toward his office, the morning's events replaying. Keith fell into step, still disheveled.
She rejects healing. She speaks of survival. She moves like a trained killer. What happened to you? What did they turn you into? Prince Dio's thoughts were a whirlwind.
He finally looked at the woman he used to ignore. Now, she was an unsolvable puzzle.
Their silent walk was interrupted by a voice from a slightly ajar door.
"What's for lunch? I'm starving." Clear, demanding. G6.
"My lady, were you not just instructed to avoid—?" Tina's scolding was cut off.
"Ugh! Stop nagging. What are you, my mother?" G6 shot back, blunt irritation in her voice. "I haven't done anything. I was just… running a diagnostic. Now, where's my food?"
"Lady Reise, it is only ten. But we have cupcakes from the cafeteria." Lilia's cheerful voice.
Keith stopped dead, a grin spreading. "Sounds like a full recovery." He crept to the door and peeked.
Prince Dio, curiosity overriding propriety, looked over his shoulder.
The scene was bewildering.
The woman pale and unconscious less than an hour ago now lounged on her office couch in a posture to give any etiquette master a heart attack. One foot on the floor, the other draped over the couch's backrest. Lilia perched on a footstool beside her, content.
Most astonishing: Edmund and Tina sat in adjacent chairs, holding tea. Their expressions were a mix of profound exhaustion and resigned acceptance.
Prince Dio stared. His earlier worries clashed with the mundane, bizarrely domestic scene. The servants were sitting with her. The feared Wicked Rose lounged like a common soldier, and her entire household seemed dragged into her strange world, exasperated and devoted.
The chasm was dizzying. I understand nothing about her at all.
The sound of rushed footsteps echoed. Before Keith or Prince Dio could react, the office door was thrown open.
"Move." A cold voice preceded two figures.
"My sister!" both men shouted, startling the servants. G6 merely shifted her gaze, expression profoundly annoyed.
Oh, great. Fantastic start to day one.
They rushed toward her, concern palpable, forcing her to sit up properly.
"I heard you collapsed! Are you alright?" Ray asked, kneeling before her.
"Why do you look like this?" Ron interrupted, moving to hug her. "Do they not take care of you?"
G6 recoiled, jumping slightly to avoid contact. "Relax. You're suffocating me." She straightened her clothes as she stood.
"That's it. You're coming to stay at the Sanctum," Ray declared, shooting a pointed look at Prince Dio.
Prince Dio and Keith stepped further in. "Now, now, my beloved seniors," Keith began, placating. "We were just having a light swo—"
"Wind Blade." Ray chanted. A razor-edged gust sheared off a lock of Keith's hair before dissipating against the wall.
"Why did you let my sister hold a sword?" Ray's voice was low, all playfulness gone, replaced by the stern authority of the Worthon heir apparent. "Do you have any idea how delicate she is?"
Keith stood frozen, more stunned by the audacity than the attack.
"He's right," Ron added, gaze severe. "Are you the reason our sister collapsed?"
G6 walked to her desk and leaned against it, crossing her arms. Her voice was a chill wind. "Get out. All of you."
"No. You are coming with us." Ray's tone left no room. The playful brother had vanished. "Your first day, and you collapse? Unacceptable."
"I am afraid that will not be possible, Sir Ray," Tina interjected, stepping forward with a bow. "It was Her Majesty who assigned Lady Reise here."
"Is she out of her mind?" Ray retorted, frustration boiling over. "Reise has been pampered all her life. She knows nothing beyond etiquette and decorum!"
G6's neutral expression sharpened into something dangerous.
"Don't speak about my boss that way." Her voice dropped cold and sharp.
Prince Dio remained a silent observer.
"I was the one who told the Queen I wanted something else," G6 continued, circling her desk to lean against the window. "She could not grant my first request, so this was the compromise." A faint sigh. "I suppose my first request was too much."
"Don't tell me…" Tina whispered, blood running cold. "This is not something she should reveal," she murmured to Edmund, panic in her eyes.
"What should we do?" Edmund whispered back.
Ray's face was intense. "What do you mean? What was your first request?"
Ron, Prince Dio, and Keith were captivated, the air thick.
"Well," G6 said, a deliberately evil smirk. "I just asked her to—"
"I heard the food in the cafeteria today is roasted meat!" Tina blurted out, her interruption bizarre and out of context.
Stunned silence. All eyes turned to her.
G6 stared, a flicker of amusement in her gaze. Is she trying to shut me up? Well, do better.
"So, as I was saying," G6 pressed on, smirk widening. "I asked Her Majesty to—"
"Edmund will show you his favorite place in the West Villa later!" Tina interjected again, desperate.
"What in the world are you doing, Tina?" Ron asked, irritated.
G6 tilted her head, intrigued. "What could that be?"
"Edmund, whisper it to her," Tina hissed, pulling the butler aside.
"What do you mean?" Edmund whispered.
"The liquor storage," Tina whispered, almost inaudible.
"How will that make her stop talking?"
"Just trust me!"
The others watched the frantic whispering, bewildered.
Edmund straightened, schooled his features, and approached G6. "My lady, a word in private?" At her nod, he leaned in. "The liquor storage is where I usually hide."
G6's eyes lit up with immediate, unadulterated glee. Her heart skipped.
Am I finally… is this…?
A truly wicked smile spread across her face. "Forget it," she announced to the room, mood visibly improved. "If you're so curious, ask my boss." She waved a dismissive hand.
Another secret? This group is a vault of them, Prince Dio thought.
"But Reise, this is for your own good," Ray tried again.
"I can handle myself." It wasn't a promise; it was a dismissal. "I promise I won't let the Prince," she glanced at Prince Dio, "or anyone else, catch me if I fall again." The words were empty, spoken only to end the argument and secure her future access to the liquor storage.
"Prince Dio?" Ron said, turning to the prince. "Oh, so your eyes have finally deigned to see my sister?" Mockery clear.
I can tell now, G6 observed. They are not on good terms.
"Tell me about it," Ray butted in, siding with his brother. "Anyway, thank you for saving our sister."
Prince Dio stood with regal composure. "You are welcome. It was mere chance." He deftly ignored Ron's jab.
"Reise," Ray exerted his authority one last time. "Next time you collapse, you are leaving this place. We will allow this… for now." He lightened. "But before we leave, give me a hug."
Ron immediately opened his arms. "Yes, a hug!"
"I will snap your neck if you keep invading my personal space." G6's voice was so cold it made Ron stop.
"You are truly mean," he pouted. "You are not the little girl who used to say 'Big brother, you are so handsome!'."
"She said that to you? Stop lying," Ray barked, the two instantly falling back into childish bickering.
"She didn't say that to you? You must be the ugliest among us!"
"You take that back!"
The serious heirs vanished, replaced by squabbling sister-obsessed fools.
"I believe you both have important matters in the Sanctum," Tina said, seamlessly ushering them toward the door. "Please, allow your sister to rest."
"Tina, why do you always nag like our mother? Good grace, get a boyfrie—" Ron's complaint was cut short as Tina guided them out.
"Reise, my little sugar plum! Visit us!" Ron called.
"Do not forget what I said, sweetie!" Ray added.
It seems Tina is indeed a big part of this family, G6 mused.
With the brothers gone, only Keith and Prince Dio remained. Keith welcomed himself to a chair.
"I would appreciate it if you got the hell out of my office." G6 didn't look at him.
"I want to speak with you, partner." Keith whined.
"I want to rest. Get out." She flopped back on the couch, sighing. She turned her head toward Prince Dio. "Hey. Don't just stand there. Drag your pet out of my room." The informal, rude address was deliberately jarring.
Prince Dio's eyes narrowed. "'Hey'?" The unfamiliar address struck his royal ears as profoundly odd.
He collected himself, expression smoothing to polite neutrality. "Then, please rest and regain your strength. You have our well wishes. Excuse us for the intrusion." He reached out, grabbed Keith firmly by the collar, and unceremoniously dragged the sputtering man out.
She is truly interesting. I have never seen her speak to her brothers that way.
It seems she truly has changed. A great deal.
This is becoming… fascinating.
The more she pushes me away, the stronger the urge becomes to close the distance.
Those thoughts tumbled through Prince Dio's mind as the door shut. Unknowingly, G6 had just charmed the very person she most wanted gone.
—To Be Continued…—