Saruto entered the Hell Palace with steady steps, the awe-inspiring atmosphere of the place undisturbing his composure. Servants bowed silently, guiding him through corridors bathed in the black shadows of fire until they reached the Great Hall. There, the Queen of Hell sat upon her dark throne, enveloped in an aura of power, while her daughter, Camellia, stood beside her, her eyes filled with sorrow and confusion. Saruto bowed respectfully, then raised his gaze to the Queen. "My lady," he said, "you summoned me. What is the matter?"
The Queen replied in a firm tone, but a glint in her eyes tested his sincerity. "Before we begin… answer me clearly, Saruto. Do you truly love my daughter, Camellia?"
His breath caught for a moment. The question was unexpected, yet he didn't hesitate. He raised his head steadily and said in a low but certain voice, "Yes, I love her… Why do you ask?"
At that moment, he couldn't stop his gaze from drifting to Camellia. He saw her suppressed tears and the trembling of her hands clasped to her chest. His heart clenched as he wondered, "What's going on here?"
But the queen gave him no time to think. She leaned forward slightly, her voice rising sternly, piercing the hall:
"Then listen carefully… If you are also involved with the daughter of the King of Light, you will never take my daughter. I will not allow my daughter to be with you, especially not with that girl who carries the power of light."
The air trembled at the weight of her words, as if it were a final, irrevocable judgment.
Camellia couldn't contain herself. She stepped forward, her voice trembling:
"Mother! You can't… You can't do this to Saruto! He's innocent!"
But the queen didn't turn to her, as if she hadn't heard a word. Her gaze remained fixed on Saruto, waiting for his response, as if testing whether he was ready to give up one for the other.
The hall felt heavier than its walls could bear, heavy with fire and destruction, and the queen's voice pierced the silence like a sword:
"Saruto… there is something you still don't know. The kingdoms of Hell and Light were not separate as you see them now. Not so long ago, we were one kingdom."
Surprise registered on Saruto's face, but the queen didn't stop. She stared into the void as if reliving a painful past:
"I was the wife of the King of Light… we ruled together. But a conflict arose between us, a deep conflict that ended everything. The kingdom split, we parted ways. He took his daughter, who carries the power of Light, with him… and I kept my daughter, who carries the power of Hell."
Saruto's breath quickened, his eyes darting between the queen and Camellia, who stared at the floor, her hands trembling. The queen continued, this time in an icy tone:
"My daughter… and the daughter of Light, they are sisters. The same blood flows in their veins. And now, you must choose… only one. If you are truly serious, there is no room for both in your heart."
The hall fell silent once more, save for the echo of her words that resonated deep within Saruto. Two sisters? I… I never expected this…
Saruto stood frozen for a moment, his face a carefully crafted coolness that masked the sorrow and anger within him. He bowed slightly to the queen and said in a quiet tone,
"Your Majesty… this is a matter of great importance. Allow me to think about it… for a moment."
The queen made no comment. She merely nodded firmly, as if granting him one last chance before making a judgment.
Saruto left the hall with steady steps, but inside he was ablaze. As he reached the servants' carriage that would take him back, a voice inside him rose:
"What predicament have I gotten myself into? Must I choose… between two sisters?"
We see the gates of the Saruto family mansion open, and night has fallen. He enters with slow steps, his head heavy with thoughts.
His last words to the queen echoed in his mind:
"Let me think about it for a moment…"
The doors closed behind him, his eyes fixed on the darkness before him.