"Let’s play, please!"  

"You’re annoying."  

"I want to play with my brother, please, please!"  

I wrapped my hand around Arxil’s, causing him to startle and pull back. He glared at me with a sharp, frightening expression.  

"Don’t do that again."  

"...Oh, sorry."  

Hearing his cold tone, I quickly let go of his hand. I hadn’t realized how much he hated being touched, but now I had learned something new about his personality.

I was completely bored. The ticking of the clock echoed endlessly in my mind, each sound amplifying my frustration. I had been staring at the wall clock for an entire hour, while Arxil silently turned a page in his book every five minutes.  

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Arxil closed his book and placed it on the wooden table in front of him.  

"Finished?"  

I dashed toward him, my voice brimming with excitement, as if he had just handed me the greatest treasure in the world.  

Arxil responded with a blank nod, then picked up a cookie and took a bite.  

"You’re pretty."  

That single sentence caught him completely off guard, making him choke on the cookie. He coughed violently, and I hurriedly patted his back in concern. As soon as he caught his breath, he turned to me, his voice a mix of irritation and disbelief:  

"Annoying. You’re so annoying."  

"But, brother, I was just trying to compliment you."  

"You... Why are you acting like this?"  

"What do you mean?"  

"Stop it."  

"Okay..."  

"You’re just like those maids... Ugh."  

-What does he mean? Are the maids bothering him?-  

Arxil stood up abruptly, his frustration evident. It seemed as though the atmosphere between us had become unbearable for him. Quickly, I followed him and grabbed his arm to stop him from leaving.  

"Don’t go... I’m sorry. I won’t say it again."  

"Let go of me, annoying girl."  

"I... Okay."  

I released his arm, and he stared at me for a few seconds before turning away and leaving the room without another word.  

I hadn’t intended to bother him, but it was obvious that Arxil completely disliked me. I had no idea how to approach someone I had once loved so deeply.  

The Karnelimos family adhered to a strict and disciplined routine. The boys were required to master the basics of swordsmanship and dedicate the rest of their time to studying politics essential for ruling Heaven.  

On days without classes, they spent their free time in a spacious room known as the "Star Hall." This remarkable room held everything one could imagine—rows of books, musical instruments, and even forbidden magical games.  

At the far end of the hall, a door led to a secluded courtyard. At the center of this courtyard stood a massive, ancient tree where the boys often climbed or lounged. Arxil, in particular, cherished this spot. It provided him a peaceful escape from Arin’s constant noise and allowed him to read in solitude.  

Access to this room was restricted, but I was an exception.  

With Arin and Ayleran’s permission, I was allowed to enter the Star Hall. However, Arxil wasn’t even pleased with my presence in the palace, let alone in a room where he sought refuge. He avoided me at every opportunity, and his aversion was so pronounced that even Arin and Ayleran couldn’t ignore it.

Finally, the room was empty. I had found the perfect moment to head to the Star Hall. That annoying girl wasn’t around to bother me anymore.  

I tossed the book I’d barely started reading onto the black couch in the center of the room, my frustration bubbling over. All I wanted was to play the piano and hear its soothing melody. Without hesitation, I approached the piano near the library, sat on its white bench, and began pressing the keys, letting the notes flow freely without the need for sheet music.  

My mind was in turmoil, and it showed in the speed and intensity of my playing. The keys echoed my chaotic emotions, each note sharper and faster than the last.  

That girl... The only words I could think of to describe her were "annoying" and "infuriating." She reminded me of myself—a demonic angel scorned by everyone and branded a monster. Yet somehow, she managed to display that cursed smile to everyone around her.  

How had she won over the maids so quickly? It hadn’t even been a week since her arrival, and yet her kindness had already made them forget her true identity.  

She makes me sick. No... I don’t even know why I feel this way. She hasn’t done anything.  

Her smile and her gentle voice gnawed at my insides like a parasite. I wished she didn’t exist. Why... Why are you here? I hate you. I wish you’d cry, like you did the first time I saw you. You seemed more tolerable that way.  

These whispers of darkness had been haunting me ever since Astia arrived. The shadows within my heart urged me to torment her, to make her beg. It frightened me how much I wanted to give in to those whispers.  

She was everywhere I went, as if she were following me. I wanted her to cry. I needed her to cry.  

I hate her.

The rain fell heavily, a rare occurrence in Heaven due to its high altitude. After a tiresome etiquette lesson, I decided to head to the Star Hall, knowing it was the only place where I could avoid others.  

It was during the church lessons, so the boys wouldn’t be there. As I approached the white door of the hall, a harmonious piano melody filled the corridor. I realized then that I wouldn’t be alone.  

Opening the door, I froze. Arxil was seated at the piano, his focus entirely consumed by the music. His hands moved across the keys with such intensity that it seemed as though the piano itself might crack under the pressure.  

I took a cautious step forward and softly murmured,  

"Arx..."  

The music abruptly stopped. His hands froze mid-motion, and the air in the room shifted. A dark, oppressive energy seemed to fill the space, suffocating and unrelenting.