Pairs of scrutinizing eyes looked over the two masters merrily chatting this morning over breakfast, noticing those longing gazes and not-so-accidental touches shared between them.

  “What a way to remind me that I don’t have a partner,” Mersya mused, earning chuckles from Walce, Pensri and Xavier.

  “They actually looked good together.”

  “Pying house for years,” and then Walce shook his head fondly. Hendrika was right. They shouldn’t meddle in their masters’ affairs.

  The breakfast ended with satisfaction and everyone started their day with the maid decring the news: “Our guest is awake.”

  Pensri and Xavier looked at each other, not knowing they currently housed a guest.

  “Go attend to your duties, Pensri, Xavier.” Kani smiled at them then turned to the twins. “Be careful outside, you two.”

  “Alright. We’ll see you ter, master!”

  The four of them then followed the maid to the guest room and noticed Guerrid still lying down.

  “Guerrid…” Karel called once he stood beside the bed.

  “Karel?” He softly mused as he recognized the voice.

  “Yes, it’s me. How are you feeling?”

  He roamed his eyes around. He saw Kani beside Karel, and then Mersya and Walce on his other side, although didn’t recognize them.

  “Karel!” He suddenly screamed, eyes widening in recognition and forced himself to sit on the bed.

  Armed, Karel and Walce moved forward to assist him.

  “Karel, I—” then the prince began sobbing as they id him down again. “I should have listened to you.”

  “What matters now is you’re alive.” He held onto his chest, feeling their bond born from the blood pact. “How are you feeling?”

  “Tired.” He heaved a deep breath, still staring bnkly at the ceiling. “Where am I?”

  “You’re in Mapiya Isnd.”

  He nguidly blinked his eyes. “I thought I really died.”

  A silence descended on the room and Karel held onto his arm, squeezing it in assurance. “You’re not dead, Guerrid.”

  Kani nodded to Mersya and she examined him.

  “Aside from the exhaustion he’s currently feeling, his wounds have recovered fully.”

  “How long was I asleep?”

  “Nearly two weeks.”

  “How did I survive? I was…”

  Karel patted his head again. “For now, you must recover and I will tell you what happened ter, alright?”

  Karel hummed, imbuing the lulby with Sleep magic and Guerrid fell asleep again.

  “Things are now in order. There are bound to be changes in this county. Are you prepared?” The blond asked the other three present in the room.

  “Yes.”

  “Walce, find information about the remaining people under Guerrid.”

  “Yes, master.”

  “Mersya, please check on him from time to time.”

  “Yes, master.”

  They eventually left the room to let him rest.

  “I’ll ask Lady Kaho to help us keep his status as a blood servant a secret. It would be risky if his condition is known.”

  “If you think that can help us, then ask them,” Kani whispered back, also worried about Guerrid.

  When they entered Kani’s office in town, he asked, “Is it truly the right thing to do?”

  “Don’t bme yourself, Kani. Both of us wanted to save him.”

  Kani frowned deeper and Karel held his hand to reassure him. “We can protect him. Don’t worry.”

  Lady Kaho immediately responded after receiving the letter and began her preparations. A week ter, she finally visited Mapiya Isnd to perform the transformation.

  “Pardon the intrusion, Your Highness,” she greeted once standing before Karel.

  “You’re always so formal, Kaho.”

  The Ryhtier smiled and was led to Guerrid’s room. She briefed them about what’s going to happen and Guerrid, despite his initial reluctance, agreed. After all, this would be his life now. Traces of the Astadvrani Prince might spark another problem once his presence was known.

  “Mersya,” Lady Kaho called. “Come stand beside me so you can learn how to do this.”

  Mersya’s eyes widened. “Are you sure, m’dy?”

  “Yes. It’s elven magic, after all. Come.”

  Arrays of magical circles hovered above and beside Guerrid as the Ryhtier began. It illuminated the room and everyone gaped in awe seeing them.

  Karel looked on unsurprised though. He initially had known Kaho as an enigmatic figure who stood beside his aunt for years and after learning her real identity, everything made sense.

  An accursed never let anyone inside their circle unless they trusted the person with their heart and body, even soul. And this woman who stood beside them willingly chose to share their karma, even though knowing how it would end.

  On the other hand, Kani sighed a little at what’s happening. Amidst his anxiety, Karel’s pinky finger hooked with the master’s to catch his attention, briefly smiling at the brunet concerned for Guerrid.

  “You have to endure this, young man.” Lady Kaho remarked gravely. “This will make your appearance permanent as long as the gem resides inside your body.”

  Kaho finally recited some elven magic as she pushed the gem onto his skin. Slowly, with the aid of the arrays, the gem merged with him until it settled inside. Deeming it safe and the gem settled in, she finished the enchantments and heaved a deep breath. Everything slowly settled down, arrays disappearing in the process and she asked, “How do you feel?”

  “Nothi—argh!”

  Guerrid began shedding his own hair, repcing it immediately with dark brown strands growing past his waist down to the bed.

  Kani gasped, seeing the color of his hair and turned to Kaho, questions on their faces. She only smiled in return and continued to monitor Guerrid’s condition as the main part of the transformation began.

  “Are you feeling anymore changes?”

  “It’s hot… aching… my body…”

  “Your body is reconstructing itself and with the aid of the blood pact, you’re regenerating every second.” Kaho clenched her fists, a little bit concerned. Still, he’s showing his resilience, meaning the transformation may go on without any problems. “Please bear with it.”

  Guerrid truly went through the ordeal curling to himself and whimpering in pain as his appearance drastically changed.

  “Where are you hurt now?”

  “My eyes… they burn…” he muttered, panting heavily as his hands covered his face. In between his fingers, crimson eyes emerged and Karel’s eyes widened.

  Even Mersya and Walce looked at the Rhytier in askance, baffled by the outcome.

  “Kaho—”

  Guerrid began to settle down, lying limp on the bed. Mersya then moved forward, checking on him.

  Lady Kaho nodded, satisfied. “It seems like the transformation is done. As for his new powers, you’ll have to train him.”

  Karel moved forward to inspect, staring intently at Guerrid now nearly identical to his appearance save for his slightly shorter figure, different face shape and brunet locks.

  Lady Kaho stood to her stature and asked, “And what name would you choose for him, Your Highness Karel?”

  Karel squeezed Guerrid’s hand, reassuring him that everything will be alright.

  “From now on, this man will be known as Feiwel Arrynden, son of Count Kani Arrynden.”

  Ryhtier Kaho took a step backwards and bowed in salute. “And this man will be known as such and this humble Ryhtier will gdly convey this joyous occasion to the Imperials.”

  “You have my gratitude, Lady Kaho.”

  Doing an imperial bow, she remarked, “Then, I will take my leave, Your Highness.”

  Lady Kaho exited the room with Mersya and Walce, the elven healer asking pointers about what happened. Kaho indulged her, eted to find the elven woman interested in what she created.

  “Are you feeling alright?” asked Karel as he gave a gss of water to Guerrid who leaned back on the headboard. There’s also soup prepared by the servants for him.

  “You chose these features of yours?” Karel asked.

  “I…” He bowed his head in embarrassment. “Well, I kinda like Master Kani’s hair and it seems like I can do many hairstyles with it. And your eyes,” he looked at Karel in the eye, “they’re like shining rubies. And I’ve always loved the color red.”

  “Don’t bme him,” harrumphed Kani.

  “I’m not bming him, I was just surprised.”

  Kani huffed. “I am too, because he has our features, some might think he’s our child.”

  Karel gnced at him intently.

  “By the way, how old are you now? We need your information to be processed.”

  “Forty-two.”

  Kani hummed. “Oh, you could really be my child. I’m already 60.”

  Feiwel gasped and observed Kani. “You didn’t even age physically.”

  He shrugged. “I’m a Louvika with elven blood. My lifespan is longer than an average human.”

  “And Karel?”

  “Nearly 6000 years old… I guess.” He hummed. “I never counted again after the civil war ended so I just say more than 4000 years old.”

  Feiwel sighed. “I forgot you are a Ramayan.”

  After making sure he ate, Feiwel couldn’t help but ask quietly, “How did I live?”

  Karel heaved a deep breath. “I performed the blood pact to make you my blood servant, and I am your blood master. As long as I live, you shall live on too. However, you can still be mortally wounded as you’re not invincible. When you die, our ties would be severed but it would render me weak, draining most of my power as a backsh of the blood pact.”

  “Then, that means…” Feiwel bnched.

  Even Kani clenched his fists, knowing the intricacies of a Ramayan blood pact.

  “That’s why I asked Lady Kaho to perform the transformation of your features. The gem was developed by her to change a person’s appearance and hide their status of being a blood servant.”

  Now, Kani became pensive as he heard that.

  “There were a lot of Ramayans undergoing the blood pact as a substitute of marriage vows too, but it’s mostly used to save someone from the brink of death. But then again, it cannot revive the dead.”

  “Why did you let me live?”

  Karel looked him dead in the eye. “You’re the one who wanted to live, Feiwel.”

  His crimson eyes shone at the mention of his new name.

  “Despite the serious injuries you have suffered, you didn’t give up and seeing your resolve, I had to help you.”

  He bowed his head. “I just felt that even though I’m merely a pawn of the temple, I still wanted to live, that I didn’t want to die like that. And even though caught up in the messy affairs of my family, I still want to live despite the attempts on my life.”

  “And from now on, you shall live as Feiwel Arrynden—free from the duties of a Padin, not even a royal prince.”

  “Thank you, Karel,” he smiled at him genuinely as a dimple appeared on his face, then also turned to Kani, “and Master Kani too.”

  Kani nodded, a fond smile on his face.

  “You can walk around but don’t push yourself too hard, alright? Let your body adjust.”

  The two masters left the room quietly and let him rest after the transformation ordeal. They both walked the now empty hallways until Kani slipped his hand onto Karel’s, entwining them.

  “Kani?”

  The master smiled. “Nothing, I just want to hold your hand.”

  Karel also smiled, bringing his hand to his lips, kissing it lightly. “Surely nothing ails you?”

  “No. I’m just gd everything turned out well.”

  “As long as I’m here, nothing will happen. And put some faith in yourself too, master. You’ve held onto your own for decades.”

  “Nearly half of it was spent with you.”

  “You said you’re already 60. Should we start celebrating your birthday next year?”

  With furrowed eyebrows, he asked, “Why?”

  “Why not? Can I not spoil you?”

  Kani shook his head fondly. “You’ve spoiled me enough.”

  “Not enough.”

  “You’ve protected me for years and built this isnd with me.”

  “Be greedy for once.”

  “I also have your heart now. That’s enough.”

  Karel chuckled. “So, you’ve been aiming for my heart for some time now?”

  He furiously blushed and looked elsewhere. “No, not really. It just happened somehow.”

  Karel chuckled as he squeezed his hand.

  Right, this is fine.