2. A Dangerous Secret
1268 Words
The temple basked in the golden glow of the setting sun, its towering spires cutting sharp silhouettes against the soft orange sky. Clouds, dyed in shades of amber and pink, drifted lazily overhead as the evening breeze stirred the temple banners, rippling them gently.
Alia sat by her window, the "Starlight Vial" spinning idly between her fingers. Inside the glass, a miniature nebula swirled slowly, casting a faint glow across her face. She gazed into the tiny, swirling stars, though her thoughts had long since drifted deep into the temple's underground dungeon.
"He... probably liked this, right?" she murmured, a hint of unconscious hope lacing her voice.
Ever since she had accidentally stumbled into the dungeon, her curiosity had spiraled beyond control. The so-called "monster," sealed away in the temple's depths, wasn't anything like the legends had painted him to be—at least, not to her.
Cold, proud, with a loneliness he couldn't quite hide—that was her first impression of Reinhardt.
He wasn't a monster. Not in her eyes.
"Ugh..." Alia sighed heavily, hugging her knees as she leaned against the window. The breeze lifted the sheer curtains, carrying with it the faint scent of lilies. Outside, the last threads of golden sunlight were slowly being devoured by the encroaching night.
She lifted the vial again and gave it a light shake. The nebula inside spiraled faster, the soft glow intensifying.
"Locked up down there for so long... he probably hasn't seen the real night sky in ages."
The thought tugged at her heart, but it felt like such a small gesture—such a fragile attempt at comfort.
"Once the succession ceremony's over, I'll set him free," she whispered with sudden resolve.
Her heart thudded harder in her chest.
Set him free?
Once the idea took hold, it refused to leave.
Biting her lip, Alia's mind raced as she began piecing together a plan.
"Should I sneak in during the succession ceremony? Or try to break the seal beforehand?"
"If I force the seal open, the temple will notice right away..."
Her thoughts tangled into knots of panic, and before long, she was stabbing a fork into the untouched slice of cake on her desk, turning its frosting into a ruined mess.
"You're plotting something dangerous again, aren't you?"
The deep voice cut through her frantic thoughts.
"AHHH!" Alia nearly flung the fork across the room as she spun around. Standing behind her was the Grand Magister, his face a mask of stern disapproval.
"I—I was just... wondering if I should build a little garden for the temple's cats!" she blurted, flashing an awkward, forced smile.
The Grand Magister narrowed his eyes, clearly unconvinced, but chose not to press the matter. Instead, his voice turned heavy and grim. "In two weeks, your succession ceremony will take place."
Alia stiffened, but forced a nonchalant smile. "I know."
"Do you understand what that truly means?" His voice deepened, laced with warning.
"To become an official priestess of the temple and take on the responsibility of protecting the kingdom," she recited, as if quoting directly from the sacred texts.
"Wrong."
The weight of his gaze pinned her in place.
"Your first duty after the succession ceremony is to execute the 'monster' in the dungeon."
For a split second, time stopped.
Alia's heart lurched painfully, missing a beat.
"W-What?!" She shot to her feet so fast that the fork clattered to the ground.
"The role of the priestess is to eliminate all threats to the kingdom," the Grand Magister continued coldly. "That thing in the dungeon... it should've been destroyed long ago. And now, it falls to you."
Her legs felt weak. She stood there, frozen, as his words echoed in her mind.
Execute him?
She had thought that, once she became the official priestess, she would have the authority to break Reinhardt's seal—to set him free.
But now she realized the awful truth.
The ceremony wasn't a step toward saving him. It was permission to kill him.
"H-He's not a monster," she whispered under her breath, barely able to hear her own voice.
"What did you say?" The Grand Magister's brow furrowed.
"Nothing!" Alia yelped, shaking her head so hard that her braid nearly slapped her in the face. "I-I'm going to go study some more incantations!"
Without waiting for a response, she snatched up her books and bolted from the room.
The Grand Magister watched her retreating figure, his face clouded with suspicion.
The moon hung high above the temple now, its silver light spilling coldly across the window ledge. Inside, Alia sat curled on her bed, hugging a pillow tightly to her chest as panic swirled inside her.
"What do I do, what do I do, what do I do?!"
She buried her face into the pillow before rolling onto her back, staring at the ceiling as if it might suddenly hand her all the answers.
"Kill him? I can't. I... I can't do it."
Her throat tightened.
When she closed her eyes, she saw Reinhardt again—sitting alone in the dark dungeon, his golden eyes softening for just a moment as he accepted the Starlight Vial from her. That fleeting vulnerability had shattered the image of a fearsome monster.
"He's not what they say," she whispered. "I can't let him die."
Even if it meant standing against the temple.
Her heart pounded fiercely, adrenaline rushing through her veins at the mere thought. This wasn't just curiosity anymore. It was a gamble—one where she had no idea what the stakes truly were.
But she couldn't turn away.
A soft rustle interrupted her thoughts. The curtains stirred, lifted by a sudden breeze.
She frowned. I thought I closed the window—
"Stupid girl."
Alia jumped so hard she nearly fell off the bed.
Perched on her windowsill was Reinhardt, crouched with feline ease. His black cloak fluttered in the breeze, and his golden eyes gleamed faintly in the moonlight.
"Y-You—how did you get out?!" she squeaked, heart racing wildly.
"The seal was weak to begin with." He spoke lazily, as though this was all nothing new. "I come and go when I want."
Her jaw dropped.
All my plans... for what?
"Then why are you still in the dungeon?" she demanded.
"Because it's not time yet," he replied flatly, offering no further explanation.
A heavy silence stretched between them.
Alia hesitated before asking, barely above a whisper, "Are you... really a monster?"
Reinhardt c****d an eyebrow, a sharp smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.
"What do you think?"
She studied him for a moment, her gaze drifting to his wrists. Even now, faint marks from the iron chains were still etched deep into his skin—proof of how long he'd been bound.
"I don't know," she admitted softly. "But... even if you are, you shouldn't be locked up like that."
Another pause.
Then, Reinhardt let out a low chuckle, something almost amused glinting in his golden eyes.
"Stupid girl."
Alia glared at him. "You call me that one more time, and I'm not saving you."
He snorted before leaning in slightly, his hand reaching out—before she could react, his palm rested lightly against her forehead. His touch was cold, but his voice was softer when he spoke.
"Don't get too close to me, Alia. You'll regret it."
Before she could ask what he meant, the wind picked up again, tugging the curtains skyward.
And in the blink of an eye, he was gone—swallowed by the night.
End of Chapter Two
- Writer
