Suddenly, the serene quiet of the room shattered as a booming, heavy voice seemed to drop out of nowhere: “WHAT DO YOU WANT TO EAT?!”
The abrupt question yanked Silarias and Nyx straight out of their peaceful daze. The word ‘eat’ instantly triggered their stomachs, dragging them right back to reality.
Silarias stared at the waiter, who had materialized beside their table with a notepad, his eyes flaring with pure hunger. “The best meat you have in that entire kitchen,” he declared, slamming his hands onto the table. “And bring a lot of it. A ton of it. Just keep it coming until I tell you to stop.”
The waiter gave a sharp nod, produced a crystal carafe out of thin air, and filled their glasses with a sparkling, ice-cold drink that smelled of fresh mint and crushed berries. Without a sound, he turned and glided out, the heavy doors clicking shut behind him.
Nyx leaned back in her seat, gazing across the polished dark wood at Silarias. Her hard, regal mask completely dissolved, her expression softening more than he had seen in months. Her eyes caught the blue light of the floating fireflies, tears welling up at the edges of her eyelids.
“Sil… look around us,” she said, her voice soft and trembling slightly as her eyes drifted over the drifting leaves. “We actually made it. I have to be honest with you… I was terrified these past few months. Scared of the countdown, scared of the monsters, scared of losing everything we built. But sitting here with you… in this room… for the first time in years, I actually feel safe.”
Silarias, meanwhile, missed the romantic timing entirely. Hunger had taken full control of his brain; he was already halfway through the basket of warm, garlic-herb bread set out as an appetizer. Chewing massive bites in record time, he only paused when he noticed the glint of tears on her face, swallowing the mouthful whole.
His face turned dead serious. Looking her straight in the eyes, his voice dropped, heavy with absolute promise. “Nyx… I know I’m not always the sharpest with this emotional stuff. But I’m trying. I promise you right here, right now: during these four and a half years at the Academy, I’m going to get so much stronger. I’m going to break every single limit. For all of us. Nobody touches you.”
Nyx smiled through her tears. Reaching across the table at the exact same moment, their fingers met in the middle, locking tightly together. Hand in hand, they sat in complete silence for a few minutes, soaking in the quiet as pink petals danced around the blue light.
CLACK.
The massive doors burst wide open, replacing the peaceful air with a wave of heat and action. An impressive squad of ten chefs, clad in spotless white coats with polished gold buttons, marched into the room with military precision. In their hands, they carried giant silver platters holding an absolute visual explosion of food.
The spread placed on the table defied common sense. Right in the center, they set down a colossal, perfectly seared slab of meat as thick as a tower shield. The exterior sported a dark, crispy crust of crushed herbs and coarse salt crystals, sizzling loudly in a pool of golden truffle-garlic butter that overflowed the edges of the platter.
Surrounding it were towering piles of tender, slow-roasted ribs, glistening under a thick glaze of honey-chili sauce dripping down the sides. Scattered around the base were mounds of crispy, duck-fat-roasted potato wedges, glowing golden-yellow and heavily dusted with fresh green herbs and sea salt flakes.
Thick, fragrant clouds of rich steam rose from the platters, filling the S-list suite within seconds with the deep aroma of smoked fruitwood, seared fat, and exotic spices. The meat was cooked so perfectly that the mere vibration of the platter hitting the table made it slide right off the bone, rich and glistening in the dim neon glow.
Silarias’ eyes went wide, his hungry gaze locked onto the insane feast spread out before them while his stomach let out a loud growl, signaling it was time to move.
The smell of sizzling meat and melting truffle butter filled the high-ceilinged room, but the rising steam couldn't mask the thick tension hanging between them. Around the table, hundreds of deep-blue fireflies drifted in lazy, sweeping paths, weaving through a constant stream of soft pink cherry blossom petals orbiting the table in an invisible magical breeze.
Despite the magical display and the royal feast, a sudden, heavy silence fell over the wooden table.
Nyx stared down at her hands, which were shaking slightly against the dark wood. All her royal composure, her straight posture, and the cold, unyielding look she had used to crush the guards at the gate melted away into nothing. She wasn't an unreachable princess in this moment; she was just a sixteen-year-old girl, thousands of light-years away from home, crushing under a massive weight.
What if he thinks I’m too much?
Nyx thought frantically, her heart hammering against her ribs.
I always act so tough… so loud. What if he secretly finds me annoying? I just want us to survive this. I can’t lose him.
She looked up, her eyes shining with tears that caught the blue glow of the fireflies.
“Sil…” she whispered, her voice fragile, barely carrying over the gentle hiss of the seared meat. “I… I wonder sometimes… do you find me too much? Am I too loud, or too demanding? I mean well, I really do… I’m just so terrified we won’t make it.”
Silarias stopped mid-reach. The ravenous hunger that had consumed him seconds ago vanished. Seeing the tears in her eyes, he felt a sharp pang in his chest. Without hesitation, he reached across the table, grabbed her hands, and squeezed her fingers tight.
He looked her dead in the eyes with a gaze so pure and unshakeable that the doubt in the room evaporated instantly.
“You know I need you, Nyx,” Silarias said, his tone low, warm, and grounded. “Stop second-guessing yourself. You’re my moonlight in the dark… and honestly, during the day too, haha.”
Nyx caught her breath. Before she could say a word, Silarias leaned across the table, tilted his head, and pressed his lips softly but firmly to hers. For a fraction of a second, the swirling cherry blossom petals seemed to freeze in mid-air.
As he pulled back slowly, his eyes stayed locked onto hers. “Nyx… I love you.”
Nyx’s brain short-circuited entirely. Total brain fry.
OH MY GOD!
her mind screamed as a deep flush spread across her cheeks.
Don't lose your cool, Nyx! You know how this works! Stay calm, act like royalty, not like some hopeless fan-girl! Get it together!
She swallowed the sudden surge of panic, took a deep breath, and let her strict control drop completely. A genuine, radiant smile broke across her face.
“Sil… seriously…” she managed to say, a single tear slipping down her cheek, “I love you too!”
Silarias gave a subtle, knowing grin, released her hands, and leaned back into his heavy chair. “You know what tonight is?”
Nyx looked at him with wide, shining eyes, tilting her head slightly. “What… what do you mean?”
With a smooth motion, Silarias reached into the inner pocket of his jacket, pulled out a small velvet box, and slid it slowly across the wood, right through the drifting fireflies.
Nyx froze. Her eyes went as big as saucers, the blood rushing to her face all over again.
OH CRAP!
she screamed internally.
A gift?! Right now?! I didn't buy him anything! Nothing! Zero! I am the absolute worst girlfriend on this entire market!
“Ehh… Sil…” she stammered, her voice cracking as she hid her hands in her lap. “I uhh… I don't have anything for you… I didn't know…”
Silarias let out a quiet chuckle. “Just open it.”
With trembling fingers, Nyx picked up the box and popped the lid open. Resting on the soft cushion was a breathtaking ring. Forged from a silvery metal, it absorbed the ambient light and reflected it back as a fine, glowing crescent moon. The craftsmanship was so delicate it looked as though it had been spun straight from solidified moonlight.
The tears came full force now. “How… how did you… wait a second!” She looked up, torn between disbelief and shock. “When on earth did you buy this?!”
Silarias’ cool demeanor shattered instantly. A bright red blush crept up his neck as he cleared his throat nervously, quickly glancing toward the indoor waterfall to avoid her gaze.
“I uhh… prayed for a gift for you… and blinked,” he muttered with a red face, running his fingers through his hair. “Look, the story isn't important! I just… saw you staring at it for a long time when we walked past the shop earlier.”
All her royal dignity vanished in a flash. Nyx reacted like the sixteen-year-old she was: she bolted out of her chair, lunged across the edge of the table, and threw her arms around Silarias’ neck so hard she nearly knocked him over. She buried her face in his shoulder, gripping the ring tight in her hand.
The meal that followed was pure, joyful noise. Between the laughs, tearing into the giant stacks of crispy ribs, and admiring the ring under the light, time flew by. Only when they were completely stuffed and the S-list suite began to dim did they decide it was time to head back toward the Bastion.
Nyx raised her hand, the dark ring on her finger glowing faintly in the blue firefly light. Silarias took her hand, and together they walked down the wide marble halls toward the exit.
Just as they crossed the threshold of the establishment, with the neon glow of the Yellowstone Marketplace washing over them once more, loud, frantic footsteps came rushing up from behind.
“WAIT! PLEASE WAIT!”
Heavy, squeaking steps echoed across the stone floor. The owner of the restaurant—a broad beasthuman with the features of a walrus, wearing a massive apron over his stomach—came sprinting after them with a bright red face. He skidded to a stop near the doors, hands on his knees, gasping for air. “Hah… hah… sorry… I just… I really wanted to get a picture with you guys!”
Silarias and Nyx stopped dead in their tracks, turning slowly to look at the breathless man. Silarias crossed his brows, while Nyx tilted her head in confusion.
“A… picture?” Silarias asked with a blank expression. He glanced at Nyx, then back at the walrus man. “Is that some kind of local festival event? Or a traditional combat sport?”
The owner froze for a second. Then, he burst into a booming, roaring laugh that echoed down the strip. “Ha! Brilliant! You guys have a fantastic sense of humor!”
When he met their completely flat, dead-serious stares, his laugh cut short, almost choking him. His eyes went wide as terror visibly took hold of him. He dropped straight to his knees, bowing so low his whiskers brushed the pavement.
“OH GODS! My humblest, most sincere apologies!” the man cried out, his voice shaking. “I thought it was a joke! Forgive me, Your Royal Highness! And of course, you… the legendary Sil, ‘The Nobody’!”
Silarias’ eyes lit up instantly. The serious look melted into a massive, arrogant grin. He began digging his elbow hard into Nyx’s side.
“See… you hear that? Look what he just called me!” Silarias whispered with a stifled laugh. “Look at that, ‘legendary Sil’! Told you!”
Nyx rolled her eyes, though she couldn't hide a quick smile. Silarias gave her a affectionate look for a split second before turning back to the still-bowing owner.
“Seriously though,” Silarias said, crossing his arms. “What is a picture?”
The owner slowly sat back on his heels, his mouth hanging slightly open in shock. He stared at them like he was looking at two ghosts.
“A… a picture, my lord… is a portrait,” the man stammered out. “Only it doesn't take hours to make. It captures reality in a single second onto a surface. Not with paint or a brush, but by firing magical energy and the visual image directly out of a Gemcraft through a focusing crystal!”
The silence that followed was heavy.
Silarias and Nyx just stared at the man. Total blank faces. Not a single trace of recognition crossed their expressions.
“Gem… Craft??” Silarias repeated slowly, testing the word on his tongue like it was a foreign language.
The walrus owner froze. The chefs who had gathered behind him froze. Even the passersby on the floating balcony above stopped dead in their tracks. A suffocating silence fell over the street. The crowd stared at the pair with wide eyes and open mouths.
The entire plaza stared at them as if they had just encountered two beings who had walked straight out of the most primitive era in ancient history.