"Well... you're not crying anymore, are you?"  

Arin’s voice was filled with concern, as though guilt weighed heavily on him. The servants had even brought the little girl a warm cup of milk tea and a slice of chocolate cake to cheer her up.  

She sat there with puffy eyes, holding the warm tea cup while staring blankly at the cake. In her mind, she kept berating herself. "What a terrible way to start!" This thought echoed endlessly. Her tears seemed unrelenting, as if memories of the past were forcing her soul to cry, even against her will. However, the tears had finally stopped, and she began to feel slightly better.  

"I... I'm sorry."  

Ayleran responded gently, his voice soft and calm, "It's alright. Maybe something reminded you of the past. Don’t be too hard on yourself."  

As he spoke, he placed a comforting hand on her head, hoping to ease her tension.  

To her, this moment felt surreal. How could these three, whom she had always imagined as distant and cold, be so kind? She couldn’t reconcile this newfound warmth with her earlier perceptions. Yet, as expected, Arxil remained unchanged—fully absorbed in his book, indifferent to everything happening around him. He gave no indication that her presence mattered to him in the slightest.  

The sound of approaching footsteps broke the room’s silence. The head servant entered the room with measured steps, carrying several books and a sword in her hands. With an air of quiet authority, she approached the group and said,  

"It’s time for your lessons, Your Highness and Young Master."  

Arin, as though suddenly reminded of something important, sprang up from the couch with his usual exuberance.  

"Oh, right! I almost forgot. Thanks, Claudis."  

He grabbed one of the books from the table and gestured for Ayleran to join him.  

"Come on, Ayleran. We’ve got classes on the history of Limbo until evening. You can stay here with Arx. See you at dinner!"  

With a cheerful wave, he added, "Bye, little sis!"  

The girl waved back shyly as Claudis and the two boys left the room. The moment the door closed behind them, the lively atmosphere dissipated. A chilling silence settled over the room, so heavy it seemed to stifle the air.  

She glanced at Arxil nervously. "Why isn’t he saying anything?" she thought repeatedly. His silence and aloof demeanor made her feel invisible, as if she didn’t exist in his world.  

After hesitating for a while, she decided to break the silence. Placing her tea cup back on the table, she stood up and walked to the other side of the table.  

"What are you reading?"  

"..."  

"Can I read it too?"  

"No."  

"Then can we play together?"  

"No."  

Every question was met with the same curt response: "No." It felt as though his answers had been preprogrammed. But why? Was he upset with her? Angry? Or was this just who he was?  

Undeterred, she cautiously sat down beside him, inching a little closer.  

"What are you doing?"  

Without lifting his gaze, he replied, "Nothing. Just trying to read my book."  

"Can I help?"  

"You can’t even read, so stop bothering me," he said coolly, gently pushing her away before returning to his book.  

No matter what she tried, she couldn’t find a way to connect with him. It was as if a wall surrounded him—impenetrable, unyielding, and impossible to break through.