The prayer ended.
A peaceful silence lingered over the dining hall before Bereshith gently smiled toward their honored guests.
"Please," he said politely. "The meal is ready. I hope it suits your taste."
Prince Rayryn gave a courteous nod.
"Thank you."
Princess Inoha smiled warmly.
"It smells wonderful."
Princess Alesh, however, had already picked up her spoon before anyone else.
"I'm starving!"
A faint chuckle escaped several members of the household.
No one minded.
The first course was served.
A warm bowl of crimson soup rested before every guest, steam rising gently into the air.
Prince Rayryn carefully lifted his spoon.
The aroma alone was unfamiliar—fresh, sweet, and rich without being overwhelming.
He took a single sip.
...
His eyes widened.
Warmth spread from his tongue to his chest.
It was not merely delicious.
It felt...
Comforting.
Like returning home after years away.
The exhaustion from weeks of traveling seemed to melt away.
The stiffness in his shoulders disappeared.
Even the headache he had ignored since morning quietly faded.
Princess Inoha froze with her spoon halfway to the table.
"..."
Her breathing became lighter.
The weight pressing upon her heart...
The invisible heaviness she had carried for months...
For the first time...
It lessened.
Not vanished.
But lightened enough that she could breathe without feeling crushed.
A tiny smile appeared on her lips.
"...Warm..."
Beside her, Princess Alesh had already finished half of her bowl.
"W-Wait..."
She blinked repeatedly.
"My body..."
She stretched her arms.
"It feels so light!"
Even Ms. Maliks quietly adjusted her glasses.
Normally composed beyond measure, she found herself staring into the bowl.
"...Remarkable..."
She whispered almost unconsciously.
"This isn't merely nourishment..."
"It feels..."
"...pure."
Prince Rayryn finally looked toward Bereshith.
"What is this soup called?"
Bereshith answered with humble respect.
"That would be Gazpacho, Your Highness."
The prince repeated the unfamiliar name quietly.
"...Gazpacho."
Princess Inoha tilted her head.
"What is it made from?"
Bereshith happily explained.
"It is made from freshly harvested tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, onions, garlic, olive oil, and vinegar. Everything was gathered from today's harvest."
He smiled gently.
"I sincerely hope it suits Your Highnesses' tastes."
Inoha placed another spoonful into her mouth before answering.
"I like it."
Another bite.
Then another.
She looked toward Bereshith with genuine delight.
"No..."
"I love it."
"The taste is exquisite."
Bereshith lowered his head slightly.
"It is an honor that it pleases Your Highness."
The soup was only the beginning.
Fresh bread.
Roasted vegetables.
Grilled fish seasoned with herbs.
Tender roasted meat.
Crisp salads.
Fresh fruits gathered that very morning.
Every dish possessed a freshness unlike anything the royal guests had ever experienced.
Prince Rayryn had intended to maintain perfect royal etiquette throughout the meal.
Small bites.
Measured movements.
Elegant posture.
That had been his intention.
Five minutes later—
"..."
Another slice of bread.
"...Perhaps..."
Another serving of roasted vegetables.
"...Just one more..."
Another helping of fish.
Across from him...
Princess Inoha had completely forgotten the careful pace expected of a royal lady.
"Oh..."
"This is delicious..."
"And this too..."
"So is this..."
Princess Alesh had abandoned all restraint.
"I want more!"
She happily reached toward another platter before suddenly realizing everyone was watching.
"..."
"...Ahem."
She slowly withdrew her hand.
"...May I... have another serving?"
Bereshith smiled.
"Of course."
She immediately brightened.
"Thank you!"
Even Ms. Maliks, whose reputation within the Enician Company was that of an unshakable professional, quietly reached for second and third servings.
She paused halfway.
"..."
Then sighed.
"...There is no point pretending."
She accepted another piece of bread.
Lucas noticed.
Maria noticed.
Eva noticed.
Ascirick certainly noticed.
Yet none of them commented.
Instead...
They exchanged quiet smiles.
It was strangely refreshing.
These visitors had arrived carrying the dignity of royalty.
But around a simple family table...
They laughed.
They reached for more food.
They praised every dish without restraint.
For just one evening...
They looked less like rulers...
...and more like ordinary people enjoying dinner.
It was a sight Ascirick genuinely appreciated.
Time quietly passed.
Eventually...
Every platter upon the table had been emptied.
Princess Alesh leaned back first.
"I'm full..."
Princess Inoha laughed softly.
"I don't remember the last time I enjoyed a meal this much."
Prince Rayryn gave an embarrassed smile.
"I fear I have forgotten royal etiquette tonight."
Lucas smiled.
"There is no greater compliment to a cook than an empty table, Your Highness."
Bereshith scratched the back of his head sheepishly.
"I'm just glad everyone enjoyed it."
Ms. Maliks adjusted her glasses before speaking.
"I have attended banquets hosted by kings and dukes."
She looked toward Bereshith.
"Yet this..."
"...was the finest meal I have ever eaten."
Silence settled over the table once more.
Not an awkward silence.
A comfortable one.
The kind shared after a meal that warmed both the stomach...
...and the heart.
Outside the manor, the night deepened.
The stars shone brightly above the peaceful fief of Eirene.
The banquet ended in warmth rather than ceremony.
Laughter had replaced formality, and even the visiting royals had forgotten, for a brief moment, the burdens they carried beyond the borders.
When the final dishes had been cleared away, former Lord Ascirick slowly rose from his chair.
With the dignity expected of the elder of the household, he smiled warmly toward the prince, the princesses, and their honored guest.
"I trust tonight's meal was to your liking."
Prince Rayryn nodded with genuine satisfaction.
"It exceeded every expectation."
Princess Inoha smiled softly.
"Thank you... I don't remember the last time I enjoyed a meal this much."
Even Princess Alesh, despite trying to maintain her pride, quietly mumbled,
"...It was delicious."
Ascirick chuckled.
"Then this old man is relieved."
He lightly clapped his hands.
"My honored guests, the journey has surely exhausted you. Please retire early and make yourselves at home within this manor. Should you require anything, our servants will gladly assist you."
Lucas stood as well.
"Our home is yours for tonight."
The prince bowed his head.
"You have our gratitude."
One by one, the guests excused themselves.
The servants escorted the prince, the two princesses, and Ms. Maliks toward their respective rooms.
Soon afterward...
The manor gradually fell silent.
Candles were extinguished one after another.
Hallways emptied.
Doors closed gently.
The lively manor slowly surrendered itself to the quiet embrace of the night.
Bereshith quietly entered his own room.
It felt... unusually spacious.
Seven years had changed many things.
Ever since Yareach had grown older, she had begun sleeping together with Levanah almost every night.
It had already been nearly a year.
The room that had once been filled with childish conversations before bedtime now greeted him only with silence.
Bereshith smiled faintly.
"...This room used to be filled with joy now it's only me..."
He changed into his sleeping clothes before placing his leather gauntlets neatly beside his bed.
After offering a short prayer, he extinguished the lamp.
Darkness settled over the room.
Within moments...
Sleep came naturally.
Knock.
A faint sound echoed through the room.
Bereshith's eyes instantly opened.
Years of relentless training under Lucas had erased any trace of sluggishness upon waking.
His body reacted before his thoughts did.
He silently sat upright.
His sharp eyes locked onto the door.
"..."
Another knock.
Knock.
No voice followed.
No announcement.
No servant would ever behave like this.
The silence itself became unsettling.
Bereshith slowly reached toward the bedside table.
His fingers wrapped around his leather gauntlets, reinforced across the knuckles with polished golden steel.
Without making a sound, he slipped them onto his hands.
Every buckle fastened.
Every movement careful.
He quietly stood from the bed.
His bare feet made no noise against the wooden floor.
Step...
Step...
Step...
He stopped before the door.
"...Who is it?"
Silence.
No answer.
Only—
Knock.
Knock.
Knock.
The same slow rhythm.
Neither hurried...
Nor forceful.
Almost...
Mechanical.
Bereshith frowned.
His hand rested upon the handle.
"...Forgive me."
He slowly turned it.
The door creaked open only a small distance.
Then—
His eyes widened.
"Princess... Inoha?"
The Fourth Princess stood directly outside his room.
Her eyes remained completely closed.
Her breathing was calm.
Yet...
Her forehead repeatedly bumped lightly against the wooden door.
Thunk.
Thunk.
Thunk.
As though she had no awareness of where she was.
Before Bereshith could even finish processing what he was seeing—
Her body leaned forward.
She was falling.
Without hesitation, Bereshith reached out.
His right hand caught her shoulder before she collapsed.
Supporting her weight carefully, he gently guided her backward until she rested in a seated position against the wall.
Only then did he truly look at her face.
Her eyelashes never moved.
Her expression remained peaceful.
"...She's asleep?"
He blinked twice.
"...Wait..."
His eyes widened.
"Don't tell me..."
"...She's sleepwalking?"
He had heard stories of such things.
People wandering through their homes while remaining completely asleep.
But...
A royal princess wandering into another man's room?
At midnight?
That was beyond troublesome.
Bereshith scratched his head.
"What am I supposed to do now...?"
He couldn't simply leave her in the hallway.
Nor could he wake the entire manor in the middle of the night unless absolutely necessary.
After a moment's hesitation...
He sighed.
"...Forgive me, Your Highness."
Sliding one arm beneath her knees and the other behind her back, he carefully lifted the sleeping princess into his arms.
She remained completely unconscious.
Not a single sign of resistance.
Bereshith quietly carried her inside before gently laying her upon his own bed.
He adjusted the blanket over her shoulders.
"There..."
"You can sleep comfortably."
Satisfied that she was safe, Bereshith turned toward the sofa near the window.
"I'll just sleep over there for tonight."
He took one step.
Then another.
Suddenly—
A hand grabbed his wrist.
"...Huh?"
Before he could react—
Pull!
"Whoa—!"
His balance disappeared instantly.
Unable to resist the unexpected force, Bereshith stumbled backward.
The next thing he knew—
Thump.
His face landed directly against something incredibly soft.
His eyes froze.
His entire body became rigid.
"..."
"..."
Princess Inoha's sleeping arms had somehow wrapped around him.
His face was buried against her chest.
She embraced him tightly as though afraid he might disappear.
Bereshith's soul nearly left his body.
"My..."
"...I'm dead."
His thoughts flashed one after another.
A foreign royal princess.
Alone.
In my bed.
If someone walks in right now...
There won't even be a trial.
He carefully tried lifting himself.
"...Excuse me..."
Nothing.
He shifted again.
The princess only hugged him tighter.
"...Please..."
Still nothing.
The more he attempted to free himself...
The tighter her sleeping embrace became.
Bereshith could only stare blankly toward the ceiling.
"...Father..."
"...Lord father God..."
"...Please forgive your son."
A long silence followed.
Then...
A warm droplet landed upon his shoulder.
Bereshith froze.
Another.
Then another.
He slowly looked upward.
Although still asleep...
Princess Inoha's face had become wet with tears.
Her eyebrows trembled painfully.
Her lips quivered.
Then, in a voice filled with helplessness, she whispered through her sleep—
"...Wait for me..."
Another tear escaped the corner of her eye.
"...I can save you..."
Her trembling voice carried no embarrassment...
Only grief.
Only desperation.
The moment Princess Inoha whispered those words in her sleep, Bereshith stopped struggling.
The fear of being misunderstood was immediately replaced by concern.
He looked at the princess's tear-stained face.
"...So this is the nightmare you were talking about."
Her trembling never ceased.
Even in her sleep, she looked as though she was fighting something invisible.
Bereshith slowly closed his eyes.
He folded his hands together.
His voice was no louder than a whisper.
"God..."
"...please help this girl."
A brief silence followed.
Then he continued.
"Have mercy on her soul."
The room became still.
No wind.
No sound.
Only the soft breathing of the sleeping princess.
Then—
Warmth.
A gentle warmth spread through Bereshith's heart.
It was neither spoken nor heard.
It simply... answered.
The darkness behind his closed eyes slowly dissolved into light.
His consciousness was gently pulled away.
When Bereshith opened his eyes again...
He was no longer inside his room.
He stood beneath a sky without stars.
Without a moon.
Without light.
Only endless darkness.
The air itself felt heavy.
Every breath was difficult.
It was as though hope itself had been stripped away from this place.
Then—
He heard it.
"Help me..."
"Please..."
"It hurts..."
"My child..."
"Somebody..."
The cries came from every direction.
Bereshith slowly turned.
His eyes widened.
Blood stained the cracked ground.
Countless people wandered aimlessly.
Some crawled.
Some had lost arms.
Others were missing legs.
Children searched desperately for their parents.
Mothers carried lifeless infants.
Old men reached toward the empty sky.
Young soldiers clutched mortal wounds.
Their voices echoed endlessly.
Every one of them begged for salvation.
"Please..."
"Save us..."
"We don't want to die..."
Bereshith clenched his fists.
"..."
His heart ached.
Not because he feared them...
But because every cry carried genuine despair.
He forced himself to remain calm.
"This isn't real..."
He whispered to himself.
"It's her dream."
He looked around carefully.
But there was no sign of the princess.
Not even a shadow.
"Princess Inoha!"
His voice echoed across the empty wasteland.
"Princess Inoha!"
No answer.
He began walking.
Then running.
"Princess Inoha!"
Again.
Again.
Again.
Only the cries of the suffering answered him.
Minutes seemed to pass.
Or perhaps hours.
Time itself no longer made sense.
Then—
Far in the distance—
A single figure.
Bereshith immediately recognized her.
"There!"
Princess Inoha lay curled upon the ground.
Her body trembled uncontrollably.
She covered her ears with both hands.
As though trying desperately not to hear the screams surrounding her.
"Princess!"
Bereshith immediately sprinted toward her.
His footsteps thundered across the broken earth.
"I'm coming!"
The distance closed rapidly.
Only a few more steps—
Suddenly—
Whoosh...
A dense black mist erupted from the ground.
It rose like a living wall between him and the princess.
The fog twisted unnaturally.
Breathing itself became difficult.
Bereshith immediately halted.
His instincts screamed at him not to enter blindly.
He slowly stepped backward.
"So..."
He studied the strange mist carefully.
"This must be the black fog she mentioned."
Silence answered him.
Bereshith smiled faintly.
"So you're hiding."
His posture relaxed.
Yet his eyes remained sharp.
He spoke loudly enough for the darkness itself to hear.
"Hey!"
"I know you're in there."
No response.
The mist simply continued drifting.
Bereshith sighed.
"...Still hiding?"
The gentle smile vanished from his face.
His expression became calm.
Steady.
Firm.
The kind of face Lucas had seen countless times whenever Bereshith entered serious combat.
His voice changed.
Deep.
Resolute.
"Come out."
A brief pause.
Then—
"Smiling Face."
The black mist suddenly stopped moving.
Everything became eerily still.
The screams...
Ceased.
The blood...
Stopped flowing.
Even the air itself seemed to freeze.
Then—
Slowly—
Something emerged.
A figure.
Nearly six feet tall.
Its body possessed no recognizable features.
No clothes.
No skin.
Only darkness.
It was as though a human silhouette had been carved entirely from shadow.
Yet...
Its face bore a single horrifying feature.
A mouth.
Nothing else.
No eyes.
No nose.
No ears.
Only an unnaturally wide grin stretching across its featureless face.
Rows upon rows of razor-like teeth gleamed within that endless smile.
It tilted its head.
Then laughed.
"Hehehe..."
Its voice echoed strangely.
Not one voice.
Many.
A man.
A woman.
An old elder.
A young child.
All speaking together.
It was impossible to determine which voice truly belonged to it.
"Well..."
"What do we have here..."
The smile widened.
"...Another Dream Walker?"
Bereshith stood perfectly still.
His feet settled naturally into the stance Lucas had drilled into him for years.
Balanced.
Grounded.
Ready.
He answered without fear.
"Neither."
His right fist slowly tightened inside his leather gauntlet.
The polished golden plates across his knuckles caught what little light existed within the nightmare.
His gaze never left the creature.
"I am..."
A calm breath escaped him.
"...the child of God."
The smiling figure chuckled.
"God?"
Its voices overlapped into mocking laughter.
"What an interesting answer."
Bereshith gave no further reply.
Words were enough.
Now—
Action.
His right foot exploded against the ground.
BOOM!!
The cracked earth shattered beneath him.
In an instant—
He vanished.
The smiling figure barely had time to react.
"What—"
CRAAACK!!
Bereshith's fist slammed directly into its grinning face.
The impact echoed throughout the nightmare itself.
The black mist exploded outward like a storm struck by lightning.
The smiling creature's entire body was hurled violently through the darkness.
For the very first time...
Its endless grin seemed to falter.