The white-cloaked figure stepped forward with calculated slowness, the hem of his coat whispering against the marble floor. His face was obscured by a wide hood, but the presence he carried was unmistakable—like pressure in the air before a storm.
Cate and Caleb had gone still.
Marysville, half-shielded by the tall bookshelf, watched the man's movements closely. Something about him reeked of familiarity—not personally, but in the way shadows recognized one another.
"Cate. Caleb," the man's voice was calm, almost too calm. "You're making quite a mess again."
His tone wasn't angry. It was amused.
Caleb took a subtle step forward. "We told you—we're not part of the Order anymore."
"Oh, but you are," the man said, tilting his head slightly. "You can't just walk away from bloodlines like yours. Not when so many are still watching."
Marysville's eyes narrowed. 'Bloodlines.'
Cate gritted her teeth. "You're in the wrong city. You have no right—"
"I go where I please," the man cut her off, his hand brushing aside a thick book on the nearest table. "And I was told to retrieve you. Alive"
Caleb clenched his fists.
But the man only chuckled, low and cruel. "Relax. I'm not gonna kill you… yet. The Order didn't give the word. But that doesn't mean I won't tear you apart just enough to make you wish they had."
Marysville stepped out from behind the shelf, drawing his attention. Her expression was unreadable.
"You're interrupting something," Marysville said coldly. "And you're not welcome here."
The cloaked man paused, visibly amused. "Oh? And who are you?"
Marysville didn't answer. She didn't need to.
A chill fell across the room—subtle, but creeping. The shadows along the walls seemed to flicker, bending inward as if leaning toward her. Her presence grew heavier, more dense. It was something ancient, quiet, and terrifying.
Caleb stared. Cate's breath caught in her throat.
The man stepped back slightly, eyes narrowing under his hood. "You're not normal."
"No," Marysville said flatly. "I'm not."
For a second, everything was still.
Then—
The man moved, drawing something from beneath his cloak—a thin black dagger etched with silver runes. But before he could raise it, Marysville was already in front of him, faster than his eyes could track. Her hand grabbed his wrist mid-motion, grip like iron.
"I'll say it once again," she whispered. "you're not welcome here."
He stared at her, startled—then something passed behind his eyes. Recognition? Fear?
"You! Who are you?" he murmured, suddenly unsure.
Marysville said nothing. She let her aura answer for her—the creeping dread, the invisible weight pressing into his spine.
The man yanked his arm back and staggered a few steps. "This isn't over," he hissed, then turned and vanished into the shadows near the window—gone in an instant.
Silence returned.
Cate exhaled, then looked at Marysville with a mixture of awe and caution. "What… are you?"
Caleb's voice was quiet. "Marysville... "
Marysville didn't answer at first. She simply walked back toward her seat, calm once more. Only when she sat did she reply:
"Your simple and secretive empress, I guess," Marysville said playfully.
This shocked Cate and Caleb, and they paused for a moment to recover their nerves.
"Now that you mention it, your name, Marysville, I had my suspicions. Not to mention, your silver hair and ethereal beauty are indeed explainable evidence" Cate said, still in disbelief.
Even Caleb beside her was speechless.
Then Cate finally regained her composure and accepted the shocking truth. "We're sorry for our rudeness just now, Your Majesty, the Empress." Cate knelt beside her, eyes searching. "You saved us. What can we do in return?"
"Ahh…stop with the formalities, it's uncomfortable." Then she added, "I want Nothing in return, but I want you both to keep what happened here a secret, just as I will," Marysville said, cracking the faintest smile. "Now we're even."
Caleb pulled a chair up, still shaken. "He's one of them, Cate. The ones from back home. That means they know where we are."
Cate nodded grimly. "Then we're running out of time." Then she added, "But it seems like luck is on our side." She gazed at Marysville.
Marysville leaned back, lacing her fingers together. "Need something?" Feign ignorance.
Cate and Caleb exchanged a look—an entire silent conversation passing between them, as only twins could manage.
Cate turned to Marysville, her voice steadier now. "You deserve an explanation."
Marysville tilted her head, quietly waiting.
Caleb leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees. "We're from Lumenas, yes—but not just any part. Our family belongs to one of the old bloodlines. The kind people don't talk about in history books."
"Hidden nobles?" Marysville guessed.
"Not exactly." Cate hesitated, choosing her words carefully. "We come from the Caelorian line. Descendants of those who once served the god Licht directly. We're supposed to be keepers of order and balance."
Caleb snorted. "But order and balance are just nice words for manipulation and control. Our family… They work with people like that man in the cloak. They enforce ancient contracts. Some of them... aren't even human anymore."
Cate's fingers curled slightly. "We ran away. Left the estate, abandoned the name, everything. But they never let anyone go."
Marysville studied them. "And you were sent to find someone here. Who?"
The twins hesitated.
"We weren't sent—we ran away," Cate said, her eyes narrowing. "After we found out our oldest brother was alive… we started asking questions. That's when things stopped adding up. Our family—someone in it—faked his death. And we need to know why.
"We weren't sure at first, but after the chaos that happened back in Lumenas, there's no mistaking it—our brother was with them. Loose, that's what they call themselves. An organization… but they go by another name too: the God Killers."
Marysville's expression remained unreadable, but something flickered in her eyes.
"A letter came to us saying we could possibly see him here, Mavis, our brother's name, Mavis Cael." Caleb said quietly.
Cate's gaze sharpened. "That's why we need to meet the emperor, to warn him of the possible unavoidable storm that is coming, it's also for the sake of this country's god, they might be aiming to kill this country's god. That's why we need to find the emperor. As early as possible."
Marysville didn't blink. "Then what do you think I am?"
Cate smiled faintly. "The empress"
There was a pause—then Marysville stood.
Cate stood too, brushing her hair behind her ear. "We came here looking for answers."
"Then, we shall go now… to the palace." she said, voice like ice.
The stained glass cast violet shadows across her face, making her seem more myth than girl. Cate and Caleb felt it again—that strange sensation that Marysville wasn't just someone they stumbled across. She was the pivot of something much larger.
Cate grinned. "Well, guess we're staying."
Caleb looked around at the books, then sighed. "At least the library's nice."
Marysville allowed herself a small smile. I guess it's not that bad to meet them this early.