Emily followed Isolde into the mansion, curiosity in her every step. Although she had been there before, everything seemed different today. Where she once saw only a few servants moving silently through the hallways, now there were far more people around. But what really caught her attention was the presence of armed knights—something pletely unusual.

  These weren't the typical city guards; they wore more refined armor and seemed specifically traio proteeone important.

  Emily couldn't help but feel disoriented. Yesterday, Non's house seemed like any other mansion in the neighborhood, so discreet it could have gone unnoticed. But now, not only was it surrounded by guards outside, but there was also additional security inside.

  “This… ged a lot,” she muttered to herself, loud enough for Isolde to hear.

  “Yes, things have ged quickly,” the maid replied, not stopping as she led Emily towards the dining room. “The princess sent more staff and security. Non didn’t ask for it, but he couldn’t turn it down. There are more eyes on this house now than ever before.”

  Emily nodded slowly, still processing everything she was seeing. The situation was being more fusing, but she didn’t have time to keep w, as they soon arrived at the dining room.

  The door opened softly, and there was Non, sitting alo the long table, with a pte in front of him that he had barely touched. Seeing him, Emily felt a pang of . The dark circles under his eyes were much more pronouhan the day before, and he seemed more exhausted, almost on the verge of colpse. He looked like someone who had been battling something invisible all night and had lost.

  Emily timidly approached and sat across from him.

  “Non… did you sleep well?” she asked cautiously.

  Non looked up for a brief moment, aowledging her preseh a faint attempt at a smile.

  “Yes, everything’s fine,” he replied, but his subdued tone and the way his eyes avoided Emily’s said otherwise.

  It was then that Emily noticed something strange: Non's right hand was stiff, almost as if it hurt or he was deliberately limiting its movement. Her gaze lingered on it for a sed, but she decided not to ent. She didn’t feel fortable enough to ask such personal questio, so she chose to focus on something else.

  Trying to steer the versation in a lighter dire, Non spoke up.

  “So, did your parents like the gift?” he asked as he took a sip of his drink.

  Emily blinked, surprised by the question.

  “Oh, well… they’re not my parents, actually. They’re my grandparents,” she corrected gently.

  Non looked at her with renewed i.

  “Yrandparents?” he inquired, his tone showing a curiosity he hadn’t expressed before. “What happeo your parents?”

  Emily was silent for a moment, sidering how to respond.

  “My parents… abandoned me when I was little. They moved to another nation, far from here. I barely remember them, but I haven’t heard anything from them since.”

  Non nodded silently, processing what she said. Then, without lifting his gaze much from his pte, he let out a dry, straightforward response.

  “My parents are dead too.”

  The statement fell like a stone in the room’s silence. Emily looked at him with wide eyes, surprised.

  “Wow… and still, you made it this far,” she murmured, a mix of resped amazement in her voice.

  Non looked at her for another sed, his expression hardening momentarily before returning to his usual reserved demeanor.

  “You get used to it,” was all he said before slowly tinuing to eat.

  Siletled between them again, until Emily decided to break it with another question.

  “Did you have trouble sleeping… I mean, because of everything that happened yesterday?”

  “A bit,” Non admitted, l his gaze again. “But also… the princess has been shifting things around. More aff arrived this m. She sent me a letter warning that the few days will be plicated. Apparently, several neers are going to publish news about it.”

  Emily’s eyes widened in surprise.

  “How does the princess know?” Emily asked, curious.

  No his utensils down oable for a moment, sighing.

  “They have quite aensive informatiowork. They trol part of what gets published in Valenfort, but… this time, it seems the news is spreading quickly. Too many people noticed.”

  Emily frowhinking about what that meant.

  “Did you expeething like this?”

  Non slowly shook his head as he resumed his meal.

  “No. I assumed there would be some reas, but not this soon. Holy, this is beyond our trol.”

  As he said this, Emily noticed that Non seemed to be rubbing his right hand, as if it hurt. The clumsy way he moved his fingers indicated he must have gohrough something difficult, but once again, she decided not to pry.

  ‘Better not get into his business,’ she thought.

  When Non finished his pte, he leaned slightly toward her.

  “When you’re ready, e to my room. We have to go to another church soon.”

  The statement surprised Emily, who had barely taken a few bites of her food. She hadn’t even really started eating!

  Emily quickly swallowed what was in her mouth and nodded, nervous.

  “Yes, sure. I’ll eat as fast as I .”

  Seeing her so flustered, No out a faint ugh. It was an odd sound, almost muted, but genuine.

  “Rex, don’t choke,” he said in a more rexed tone before standing up and leaving the room.

  Emily, still with her meal half-finished and surrounded by servants watg her in silence, let out a sigh nation.

  ‘Damn… I don’t want to make him wait…’ she thought as she began to eat quickly. She didn’t care if she looked a mess or if she was getting her dress dirty. All she cared about was not deying Non any further, who seemed to be dealing with far more than she could imagine.

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