Margarett Londy Yapharec sat still in her hidden magic chamber, her body curled up on the cold floor while her mind was restless. The dim lantern cast elongated shadows on the walls, making it feel as though the room itself was watching her every move. The silence of the night outside felt like an irony—perhaps the world was resting, but Margarett was not.
She opened the small spellbook on her lap, her fingers tracing over the worn-out texts that beckoned her to step deeper into the abyss she had carved for herself. Yet, every incantation she read came with a warning. As if the book itself knew that Margarett did not merely seek survival; she sought destruction.
*"Vengeance is not a path of weakness,"* she murmured to herself. Those words had become her personal mantra, a quiet reinforcement she repeated whenever doubt crept in.
Then, a faint sound echoed from beyond her secret door. Slow, almost imperceptible footsteps approached her sanctuary. Margarett tensed, her heartbeat pounding against her ribs.
Who had found this place? It couldn't be Gelle. She had made sure to leave false trails to mislead her fiancé. But when the door creaked open, it wasn't a face filled with suspicion like Gelle's that greeted her. Instead, a familiar, enigmatic smile flickered in the dim light—Gyo Kanokari.
Gyo closed the door behind him without haste, his dark eyes observing her intently. Margarett straightened her back despite the exhaustion weighing on her limbs.
*"You shouldn't be here,"* she said firmly, though her voice wavered slightly.
Gyo stepped closer, his movements light like a shadow. *"And you shouldn't have run off alone,"* he replied, his tone gentle yet layered with meaning. *"Margarett, you're playing with fire. And I'm not talking about that little candle."*
Margarett bit her lip, trying to suppress the guilt that threatened to surface. But she quickly pushed it aside. There was no room for hesitation. *"You don't understand, Gyo. This is my business. Not yours, not anyone else's."*
Instead of anger, Gyo responded with a small smile—one filled with sympathy, and something else… something dangerously close to care. He sat on the floor, keeping a respectful distance, his gaze steady. *"You're right. I might not understand everything. But I do know one thing—you can't fight the world alone."*
Margarett wanted to argue, but the words hung in the air, pressing down on her. Deep down, she knew he was right. Her frail body, despite all the training and minor spells she had learned, was still not enough to face what lay ahead.
Gyo exhaled softly before speaking again, his voice quieter this time. *"I don't know what you're planning, Margarett. And I won't force you to tell me. But I'm here… if you ever need someone to stand by your side."*
His words echoed in her mind longer than she wanted to admit. She had never asked for anyone to be by her side. Not once. Yet Gyo's presence felt like an anchor, grounding her amidst the storm she was creating.
After a long pause, she finally nodded, albeit hesitantly. *"Fine,"* she muttered. *"But don't regret it later. Because what I'm planning… is not something that can be forgiven."*
Gyo's expression remained unchanged, his smile unwavering. *"I have never regretted anything I've done for you."*
For the first time in a long while, Margarett felt something different. Something close to tranquility. Yet beneath that calmness, the fire of her rage still burned. And she knew—her path to vengeance had only just begun.
Hours had passed since Gyo had come to her secret chamber, yet his presence lingered like an imprint on the air. After he left, she remained alone, shrouded in silence, his last words still ringing in her ears.
*"If you need help, you know I'll always be there."*
The promise clung to her thoughts like an unwanted burden. But she didn't want help. No. Dragging Gyo deeper into this chaos would only become a weight she could not afford. And yet… at the same time, there was an undeniable strength in knowing that someone—somewhere—stood on her side, even from afar.
In the days that followed, Margarett pushed herself into even more intense training. She no longer focused solely on basic incantations but instead began crafting new spells, ones she hoped would grant her the edge she needed for her vengeance. Each night, she studied combinations of simple spells, creating new patterns, meticulously recording her findings in her worn-out notebook.
But her fragile body remained a hindrance. More often than not, even the simplest spell would drain her energy, leaving her collapsed on the floor, gasping for breath. Yet she refused to stop. Every struggle only solidified her resolve—to prove that she was more than just the *weakest* among the betrothed.
Meanwhile, outside Margarett's secret chamber, the world was not standing still. The disappearance of the *hero* had sown unease among the betrothed. Gelle, relentless in his suspicions, began digging deeper. He questioned the servants, investigated the castle's hidden corners, and even traced faint remnants of magic lingering in the air.
Yet, just when he felt he was close to uncovering the truth, something—or someone—seemed to obstruct him at every turn. He suspected that Margarett was not working alone, and his mind kept circling back to Gyo Kanokari. There was a connection between them, one that seemed far more than mere acquaintance, and Gelle swore to uncover what it was.
Elsewhere, Gyo silently kept watch over Margarett from the shadows. He never interfered with her training or her plans, yet his presence was an invisible shield around her. He knew that whatever she was planning carried enormous risks—not just for herself, but for everyone in her orbit. Still, he had no intention of stopping her. Instead, he prepared himself to stand beside her, no matter what awaited them.
One night, as Margarett poured over an ancient spellbook hidden deep within her chamber, she stumbled upon something unexpected. On the very last page, a long-forgotten incantation surfaced—one known as *Lux Tenebris*.
The spell was said to summon light within darkness… but at a terrible cost.
Her eyes gleamed with curiosity as she traced the inked words with trembling fingers. She knew—this might be the final key to her plans.
But in the deepest part of her mind, a whisper rose.
*"Is this vengeance truly worth all that you will sacrifice?"*
Margarett silenced the voice, shoving it into the void of her mind. But even as she ignored it, she knew—sooner or later, she would have to face the answer.