𝖆𝖒𝖔𝖗𝖊 𝖊𝖙 𝖒𝖊𝖑𝖑𝖊 𝖊𝖙 𝖋𝖊𝖑𝖑𝖊 𝖊𝖘 𝖋𝖊𝖈𝖚𝖓𝖉𝖎𝖘𝖘𝖎𝖒𝖚𝖘.

•••

30th Floor ;
Khun Eduan ;

Whoever coined the term ‘falling in love’ must have had the world crashing down on them before waking up to the realization that it was the kind of loving that was more painful than rewarding, and Khun Eduan will never acknowledge it so long as he lived, because the notion of falling was not fun in the slightest. Everything in his body ached until his senses dulled, and the bittersweet taste trailing after the thought of Arlene Grace having full, consensual ownership of the subject of his affections, left a stinging sensation in his tongue.

However, it was not like Eduan was clueless either. He had suspicions back then— when he endured the woman’s wrath seamlessly, and V was never known for his subtlety regarding the deep sense of loyalty he always had for Arlene. It’s just that the spearbearer took his privileges a bit too far that it backfired, and now he is left to pick up the pieces of his tampered pride for ever thinking that there could be more between them than just an accident.

“If you were opting to reject me, you better lose that face you’re making, V. Besides,” Still, Eduan heaved out a burdened sigh, ruffling V's hair to a mess for his own personal indulgence before reverting his emotions back into his usual laid-back demeanor. “Did you really think someone as esteemed as myself would have time for something so trivial? With our plans of world domination? You should have seen the look on your face earlier, V. It was hilarious.”

And complex. Genuine. Tragically beautiful.

“Do you actually mean that?”

‘Damn it.’

The bluenet threw a deadpanned look at him, barely keeping his composure in check as a strange feeling of annoyance threatened to cloud his judgement. “Must you really display such obvious exhuberance in front of the person who is supposedly professing his undying love for you? I never knew you had this level of cruelty within you, V.”

“I didn’t mean to—!” Eduan cut the other off by leaning unto him, his weight dragging both of them down until their backs are pressed against the rooftop. “I know. I was just teasing you— Hey!”

“I’m serious, Eduan.” The latter pursed his lips, defiantly interlocking their eyes. “Don’t desire me. Don’t favor me. Hell, don’t even think about me as something more than a comrade.”

The bluenet clicked his tongue. “Douche.”

“I just don’t want people to have expectations that I cannot fulfill. Take, for example, love. How can you give something you never had, Eduan?” The ravenet smiled amicably, then gazed at the midnight sky, and all the bluenet could think about was how his companion could utter such lies. How can anyone possibly not love every version of V?

“You are such an asshole.” V chuckled, stretching his arms out to guide Eduan’s head towards his chest as his cobalt blue eyes became dazed with drowsiness. “Don’t worry, though. I don’t think I like you enough to tolerate Arlene’s inevitable presence in a future with you.”

The Khun yawned, feeling his eyes growing heavier as his friend’s warmth comfortingly enveloped him. “However, in the instance that you choose to escape your obligations once and for all, tell me where you are headed and I shall come to you.” ‘Or I might just have to chain your wings down before you could even think of flying.’

“Eduan never striked me as the type to settle, nor chase after insignificant people.”

“Who knows? I might make an exception for you.” Eduan tilted his head against V’s chest before he could indulge himself any further than memorizing the outlines of the man’s face. Khun Eduan does not fall in love— more so nurture a love akin to a losing battle. But, in the case that he does, would V deny him like this? “I, for one, think it would be within both of our best interests that V will not marry, because I will hang around you even if you get sick of me.”

“Is that a threat?”

“My jewel.” The spearbearer felt the other freeze against him, yet he was too hungover and out of it to overthink. Nevertheless, not a single soul shall know about any feelings he could have harbored, because once he wakes up, he will make sure everything shall fall back into place once more. He would rather die than risk losing this friendship for something so uncertain. “You know me so well, don’t you?”

‘Gods, V is nowhere near perfection, but, hypothetically speaking, can’t he just be mine?’

Eduan relaxed against V’s chest as his eyes fluttered to a close, the soothing sound of the man’s heartbeat reverberating and engraving itself onto his senses. V stared at the friend in his embrace, then averted his attention towards the void, murmuring in inaudible whispers carried by the wind.

“Forgive me, Eduan.”

ー • ー

“...Sire? We are awaiting your orders.”

The Family Head blinked, staring at the bejeweled dagger whose edge was inches away from burrowing against the skin of his wrist. It recoiled away from his touch forcefully, but he encased it inside his lighthouse before he could even think about what he was ought to do, before he allowed the door to be opened. “What was it again?”

“Maistresse Yurin of the Ha Family and her entourage have entered the premises. The brigade captain relayed her request; if my Lord could allow them three nights for the army’s recovery before they make way back to their region. Should we accommodate them?”

It seems that Aguero’s predictions were proven accurate— that the Ha Great Family Head would descend from the Tower and drive the savages threatening her homeland to the Northern Forests, despite the rumors that she would not be stepping foot inside a battlefield anytime soon. Perhaps, it had been a wise decision to retrieve the weapon before it was annihilated in the crossfire between them.

“I do not see why not.” Eduan fixed his hair and the crease on his clothes with shinsu as he proceeded to instruct. “Tell the servants to secure the vacant rooms and the knights to set up the tents that had not been used for war. Those with the highest ranks are to stay with the Ha Family Head inside the main palace.”

The butler bowed, acknowledging the order.

“While you’re at it, have the other butlers lead the maistresse to the drawing room.”

The former glanced at him, looking rather confused as the master of the house was not really one to be bothered with entertaining his own guests. “Should we contact the family’s elders to join you as well?”

“I have no need for such uptightness,” Eduan replied, cuffing his ears of a gem that matched the scornful hue of his eyes. “After all, where’s the harm in enjoying tea time with an old friend?”

ー

“Ha Yurin,” the Khun Family Head greeted once the woman armored with colors of flaming red and obsidian entered the room with her maids following suit. “I cannot say welcoming you inside my abode is a pleasant encounter, but who doesn’t love surprises? I never thought the day will come where you would leave your own lair— much less, the Outer Tower. Come, have a drink with me.”

Yurin sat down with elegance and held her cup, swirling the liquid seemingly made of molten amethyst and stared at Eduan, before spilling its contents on the carpet made out of bear hide, her lips pressed on a thin line.

“I see that you still retained the habit of poisoning people’s beverages. Not that I expected better from someone who was not doing the most exemplary job of managing his own floor.” Silence prevailed as the hostility between them worsened, yet, Eduan broke it easily with a lighthearted laugh, gesturing for the tea to be replaced and the people with them to get out of his sight. “How have you been in the past century, Khun Eduan?”

“Can’t you tell in the way I am being ‘driven to destruction by my own greed’? Power, wealth, lust— name it, and I have it all. Though, I cannot say the same for my offsprings, but I am having quite the time of my life. However, I am sure you did not come here only to check on my well-being, Yurin.”

“Truth to be told, I could care less for your rotting reputation. But, I came here on the King’s orders.” She finally took a sip from her Earl Grey as she spoke. “Jahad wanted to take advantage of the tipping balance caused by the vigilante groups to engage in a power play over FUG and Wolhaiksong. He gave the alliance time to sort over loose ends, lest we cause Urek Mazino’s ire.”

The bluenet’s brow raised, expressing incredulity. “In summary, his majesty wants me to grow an army that can aid him in a war he waged against the same people he begged the gods to rule over? That sounds like a you problem.”

“The Empire is already at their wits’ end, especially now that FUG is attempting to unify their factions that are scattered across the Tower. We are even suspecting that they have allies from the Outer Tower.” Yurin sighed in exasperation, her head tipping back which made her lay on the cushions in a manner unbefitting of the bold yet refined lady the textbooks painted her to be. “If only Arlene and V never opposed, we wouldn’t be stuck with this predicament to begin with.”

Eduan’s hand paused in midair, inches away from the handle of his cup. ‘Why is this woman bringing this topic up? Don’t tell me she’s starting to regret?’ He sneered internally at the thought. Impossible. The day they reached the 134th Floor was the day they truly lost grip of their humanity.

“Their rise to rebellion does not justify Jahad’s inadequate leadership.”

Unlike the latter, natives of the tower felt a strong inclination to place their unsurmountable trust towards V, which was why leading seemed like second nature for him. But, the most terrifying thing about being drawn to the wavecontroller was that V had the power to convert his enemies into allies— something Jahad could only achieve by instilling fear and dominance.

“Among the twelve of us, you were the closest person to V, weren’t you?” Eduan’s expression turned blank as he stared straight onto the fisherman, alarming her senses with disdain, but the Ha Family Head being her own person, continued. “Did you ever regret sounding them out?”

‘Are you insinuating something, Ha Yurin?’

“You must have quite a lot of resentment in store for us, who killed his first and only child.” Well it’s not like she’s wrong, but to be fair, who doesn’t not hate the Ten Great Families these days? “Perhaps, you were starting to feel remorseful for what we did to him, because you couldn’t let go of his death. Now, you are trying to atone by cutting your ties with the Empire and the Inner Tower.”

“In case you’re growing senile, I contributed the most in subduing the rebellion while our King and savior almighty was busy running after his first love. It was I who dealt the final blow, and V died in my arms, Yurin. If there was anyone I’d resent the most, it would be myself.” Eduan let out a bitter chuckle, the taste of his tea turning cold and stale. Is that another tale Jahad’s branch families are spinning to get into his nerves? “However, you need not to worry. Once the next year’s Princess of Jahad Selection is over, I shall return to the tower on my own accord. Of course, with a condition.”

“A condition?”

He revealed his lighthouse and held out the weapon he sent Aguero for. “Once things are settled within the territory, I need you to stab me with this dagger.”

“Illuminium?” the woman examined, but never touched. “The material that can weaken even a guardian? What have you been doing, Khun Eduan?”

“Savoring my immortality, what else?”

“Are you insane?!” Yurin took control and repelled the dagger the furthest distance from them. “That might not kill us, but it can still overrule the Immortality Contract and can force us contractors into an indefinite hibernation! Has your mind finally snapped?!”

“There are some things I need to find, and I cannot do it within the confines of the Tower’s rules.”

“You’re acting quite suspicious.” The ravenette eyed him, trying to figure out his intentions. “Why not just ask for Jahad’s connections instead of borderline killing yourself?”

“Because, what I am searching for can shake his kingdom to its core.” Eduan smiled deviously, crossing his legs imposingly. “Aren’t you starting to get bored of neutrality, Yurin? I heard Jahad’s having his people keep a close eye on the Lo Po Bia and Poe Bidau Families.”

‘Soon enough, he wouldn’t just stop at those two.’

The Ha Family Head groaned, but seemed to consider the unspoken thoughts. “Are you aiming to profit off of our blood feud?”

The bluenet just shrugged. “Didn’t you all once used to say that it was for the Tower of God, Yurin?”

They’ve taken lives for the Tower, and now, they’ll give their lives for the Tower. What an ending. Risking their everything for this endless hunk of crap made out of childish fantasies.

“Khun Eduan,” Yurin called out to the patriarch, who was in motion to exit the drawing room. “Since when did everything go so wrong?”

A chill ran down her spine when the man faced her with a smile radiating purity.

“Do we have any right to ponder, when our misery began with us?”

•••

tl;dr: khun family head wants to yeet himself with a magical dagger like a mahou shoujo to escape the eyes of the all-powerful sky daddy wannabe.

also, Illuminium is a material from The Great Mage Returns After 4000 Years, and yes, eduan and yurin’s bonding is attempting murder on each other on a certain basis because i said so :)