Chapter 128: The First Choice

Morning came quietly to House Valen. The first rays of sunlight slipped through the curtains and touched the wooden floor.

Rin had barely slept. He had remained awake for most of the night, sitting beside the dying candle and thinking about everything Aelion had told him.

He was in the past. He was Aelion and Eryndor was still here.

That fact alone made his heart feel unbearably heavy. Rin had spent so long searching for the beginning of Kaelith’s story.

Now that he was finally standing at its beginning, he didn’t know what to do with himself.

Aelion’s warning continued to echo inside his mind.

You cannot change the past.

Rin had refused to accept it. But now that morning had arrived, doubt began creeping into his thoughts.

What if Aelion was right? What if every choice Rin made had already happened? What if even his attempt to save Eryndor was part of the tragedy?

Rin slowly stood from the wooden chair. He walked toward the mirror.

The reflection staring back at him was still unfamiliar. Seventeen years old. Dark hair. A young face that belonged to another life.

Aelion. Rin touched his cheek.

"I really am you..."

Unfortunately.

Rin almost smiled.

"You’ve been listening this whole time?"

You were thinking loudly.

"That’s not how thoughts work."

It is when you’re me.

Rin rolled his eyes.

"You’re impossible."

And you’re stubborn.

Rin turned away from the mirror. Then he heard a knock.

Three quiet knocks against the wooden door. Rin immediately straightened.

"Come in."

The door opened. Eryndor stood outside. He was carrying a wooden tray with breakfast. For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Rin’s heart tightened. Eryndor’s expression was calm, but Rin could still see traces of exhaustion in his eyes.

The previous night’s punishment had left its mark on him. Rin immediately looked away.

He couldn’t bear it. Eryndor stepped inside.

"Young master, you should eat."

Rin frowned.

"Don’t call me that."

Eryndor blinked.

"What?"

"Young master."

"But you are the young master."

"I know."

"Then..."

Rin sighed.

"Just call me Aelion."

Eryndor stared at him. Then he smiled.

"That’s what I’ve always called you."

Rin froze. Something about those words hurt.

I’ve always called you that.

Rin lowered his gaze.

"Right."

Eryndor placed the tray on the wooden table. Bread. Fruit. Warm milk. Nothing extravagant.

Rin looked at the food, but he had no appetite. Eryndor noticed.

"You haven’t eaten."

"I’m not hungry."

"You didn’t eat last night either."

Rin looked at him.

"You noticed?"

Eryndor smiled.

"I’ve known you since we were children. I notice everything."

Rin’s chest tightened again. Since they were children. Before kingdoms. Before Kaelith.

They had been nothing more than two boys growing up together. One was the son of a wealthy noble family. The other was a servant and yet they had become friends.

Rin slowly sat down.

"Eryndor."

"Yes?"

"Do you want to leave this house?"

Eryndor’s smile disappeared.

"What?"

"This place."

Rin looked at him seriously.

"If you could leave, would you?"

Eryndor didn’t answer. Instead, he lowered his gaze.

"I can’t."

"Why?"

"Because this is where I belong."

"No."

Rin’s answer came immediately. Eryndor looked at him.

"You don’t."

The servant boy remained silent. Rin continued.

"You’re not a servant because you chose to be."

Eryndor’s expression changed.

"My parents worked for House Valen."

"And that means nothing."

"It means everything."

"No."

Rin stood.

"It means you’re trapped."

Eryndor looked toward the door.

"You shouldn’t say things like that."

"Why?"

"Because your mother will hear."

Rin’s expression darkened.

His mother. The woman who had punished Eryndor. The woman who wanted to separate them. The woman who wanted Rin to marry the Crown Prince.

Rin suddenly remembered something.

"The engagement."

Eryndor stiffened. Rin saw it immediately.

"You knew."

Eryndor looked away.

"Everyone knows."

"When is it?"

"Your engagement ceremony?"

"Yes."

Eryndor hesitated.

"Three weeks."

Rin’s eyes widened. Three weeks. He hadn’t known that. In three weeks, Aelion was supposed to become officially engaged to the Crown Prince and Eryndor’s existence was already being treated as an obstacle.

Rin suddenly understood why his mother had been so angry. She believed Eryndor was the reason Aelion refused the Crown Prince.

But Rin had no intention of following that path. He looked at Eryndor.

"What if I refuse?"

Eryndor’s eyes widened.

"Refuse what?"

"The engagement."

"You can’t."

"Why?"

"Because he’s the Crown Prince."

"So?"

Eryndor stared at him as if he had never heard something so absurd.

"So?"

"Yes."

"You can’t refuse the Crown Prince."

"Why not?"

"Because you’re the heir of House Valen."

Rin crossed his arms.

"I don’t care."

Eryndor lowered his voice.

"You should."

Rin stepped closer.

"No."

Eryndor looked at him. Rin spoke quietly.

"I don’t want to marry someone I don’t love."

Eryndor’s expression froze. Rin noticed. For a second, he wondered why. Then Eryndor looked away.

"You shouldn’t say that."

"Why?"

"Because..."

Eryndor stopped.

"Because your mother will punish me again."

Rin’s hands tightened. There it was. The reason. His mother wasn’t only trying to control him. She was using Eryndor against him.

Rin looked toward the door.

"She won’t touch you again."

Eryndor laughed softly.

"You can’t promise that."

"I can."

"You’re still her son."

Rin’s expression hardened.

"That doesn’t mean I have to become like her."

Eryndor looked at him for a long moment. Then he smiled. It wasn’t a happy smile. It was the kind of smile someone gave when they wanted to believe something impossible.

"I hope you’re right."

Rin looked at him.

This is where it begins.

Aelion’s voice suddenly appeared in his mind.

Rin froze.

This is the first choice.

"What do you mean?"

Eryndor looked confused.

"Did you say something?"

Rin shook his head.

"No."

You are already changing things.

Rin’s eyes narrowed.

"You said I couldn’t."

I said you cannot change the past.

"Then what is this?"

Perhaps you’re only following it.

Rin hated that answer.

He looked at Eryndor. The boy was standing directly in front of him.

Alive. Young. Unbroken. Rin couldn’t accept that everything had already happened. He couldn’t believe that every choice had been predetermined.

He wanted to save him. Even if it was impossible. Even if the world itself fought him.

"I’ll protect you."

Eryndor blinked.

"What?"

Rin realized he had spoken aloud. He quickly turned away.

"Nothing."

Eryndor smiled.

"You haven’t changed at all."

Rin stopped.

"What?"

"You always say strange things."

Rin looked at him.

"Did I?"

"Yes."

Eryndor laughed softly.

"When we were children, you once told me that you would become king so you could free me."

Rin stared at him.

"I said that?"

"You did."

"What happened?"

"You became angry when I told you that nobles couldn’t simply become kings."

Rin couldn’t help smiling.

"That sounds like me."

"It was."

Eryndor’s smile softened.

"You were always stubborn."

Rin looked at him. There was something strangely painful about hearing these memories. Because they weren’t his. They belonged to Aelion.

And yet they were inside him. Fragments. Pieces of a life that had existed before Rin ever knew this world. Rin looked down.

"Do you remember everything?"

Eryndor tilted his head.

"Everything?"

"Your childhood."

"Most of it."

"Then tell me something."

"What?"

"Why did we become friends?"

Eryndor laughed.

"You don’t remember?"

Rin hesitated.

"No."

Eryndor thought for a moment.

"You were eight."

"I was eight?"

"Yes."

"And you?"

"Eight too."

Rin smiled faintly.

"What happened?"

"You were hiding in the gardens."

"Why?"

"Because your mother was angry with you."

Rin raised an eyebrow.

"That sounds familiar."

Eryndor laughed.

"You had refused to attend a lesson."

"Why?"

"Because you said it was boring."

Rin nodded.

"That also sounds familiar."

Eryndor continued.

"I found you beneath an old tree."

"And?"

"You asked me if I wanted to run away with you."

Rin’s smile disappeared.

"What did you say?"

Eryndor’s expression softened.

"I said yes."

Rin’s heart skipped.

"Really?"

"Really."

"Where were we going?"

"Anywhere."

Rin stared at him. Eryndor smiled.

"You said anywhere would be better than staying here."

For a moment, Rin couldn’t speak. Because somewhere inside him, Aelion remembered it.

A warm afternoon. Two children beneath a tree. A promise that had meant nothing at the time.

And yet... It had become everything.

Rin closed his eyes.

Aelion.

Yes?

"Did you love him?"

There was a long silence.

Yes.

Rin’s chest tightened.

"You loved Eryndor."

I did.

"And he loved you?"

Another silence.

He was my closest friend.

Rin understood the hesitation. Perhaps there were feelings neither of them had been able to name. Perhaps that was where everything began.

Or perhaps Rin was trying too hard to find meaning in something that had once been simple.

He opened his eyes.

"Eryndor."

"Yes?"

"Would you leave with me if I asked?"

Eryndor’s expression became serious.

"Where?"

"Anywhere."

Eryndor stared at him. Then he smiled.

"You’re asking the same question again."

Rin’s heart stopped.

"What?"

"You asked me that when we were eight."

Rin looked at him.

"And what did you answer?"

Eryndor smiled.

"The same thing."

He stepped closer.

"Anywhere."

Rin’s eyes burned. For one brief moment, he understood why Aelion had loved this boy.

Not because of fate. Not because of some divine plan. Not because the Gods had decided anything but because Eryndor had been there.

Since childhood. Beside him. Even when no one else was.

Then the door suddenly opened. Both of them turned. A servant stood outside.

"Young Master Aelion."

Rin’s expression changed.

"What?"

"Lady Valen requests your presence in the great hall."

"Why?"

The servant hesitated.

"The Crown Prince has arrived."

Silence filled the room. Eryndor’s expression immediately changed.

Rin saw it. Fear. Not for himself. For Rin.

Rin slowly stood. The first obstacle had arrived.

Much sooner than expected. He looked toward Eryndor. Then toward the door. Then back at him.

"Stay here."

Eryndor frowned.

"Why?"

"Because I’m going to have a conversation with my mother."

"And if she asks where I am?"

"Tell her the truth."

"What truth?"

Rin looked at him.

"The truth that I’m not going to let her decide my life anymore."

Eryndor’s eyes widened. Rin walked toward the door. But before leaving, he stopped.

He looked back at Eryndor. For a moment, the boy standing there wasn’t a future demon king.

He wasn’t Kaelith. He wasn’t the man Rin had searched for through countless mysteries.

He was simply Eryndor. The boy who had once promised to go anywhere with Aelion.

Rin smiled faintly.

"I’ll come back."

Eryndor nodded.

"I’ll wait."

Rin left the room. The door closed behind him. And in the corridor, Rin’s expression became serious.

He didn’t know whether Aelion was right. He didn’t know whether the past could truly be changed.

But one thing was certain. Today, for the first time...

Rin was going to make a choice that Aelion had never been able to make.

He was going to stand against the marriage. Against his mother.

Against the fate written for this world.

And perhaps... Against the very history that had created Kaelith.