The stable was quiet again, drenched in golden afternoon light that streamed through the cracks in the old wooden beams overhead. Dust floated lazily in the sunbeams, and the faint scent of hay and aged wood lingered in the air. For a while, neither Nyx nor Love spoke. It was the kind of silence that settled heavy in the lungs—not awkward, not tense, just… still. Nyx lay sprawled on the grass-covered ground, his fingers absentmindedly twisting a stray straw. His stomach grumbled like an angry animal.
Then, a crooked little smile appeared on his lips. "Thank god I have my brain."
Love, ever the gentle flame of sarcasm, didn't wait long.
[But I think you're still braindead.]
Nyx's smile vanished. His face scrunched up in indignation as he sat up, glaring at the air like it owed him a duel. "What do you mean by that?"
[It's simple. You're braindead. Otherwise, who in their right mind acts like that?]
Nyx blinked. "Huh? What's that supposed to mean?"
[Let me explain in a way that even your dead brain can understand.]
Love cleared her throat dramatically and launched into a comically exaggerated imitation of him:
["Yes, I can feel it! Nine-cocked fox! It's inside me! Yes, fox, give me powers! Ha ha ha!"]
Her laughter burst like fireworks.
Nyx's eyes widened. His cheeks flushed with embarrassment. He flopped back down on the grass and stared up at the ceiling as if it might swallow him. "Very funny," he mumbled, his voice caught between a grumble and a sigh. "Very funny. If you're done laughing, can I ask a question now?"
Love took a deep breath, her giggling trailing off.
[Ha… yes, yes, you may proceed, my little cabbage.]
Nyx frowned at the nickname but pressed on. "So, I live in a palace alone. Then why am I in a stable?"
[Let me break it down for you, step by step. You didn't live entirely alone. There were servants assigned to take care of you in that palace. Kind people.]
She paused.
[And… you had four little brothers who visited occasionally. But they weren't exactly friendly. They came mostly to bully you. So they threw you here after beating.]
Nyx's eyes widened. "Oh great, I got bullied too?"
[Yes, regularly. And you know why? Because you couldn't train like the others. Your mind didn't allow it. You couldn't awaken your magic core. Without that, you couldn't become a mage. Not in this world.]
"Magic core?" Nyx asked, puzzled.
[Yes, a core inside every person—a wellspring of magical potential. It usually manifests around age thirteen or fourteen. Some people awaken it through training, meditation, or emotional upheaval. But if it isn't awakened within three years, it vanishes. Forever.]
Nyx tilted his head. "So… do I have one?"
Love paused.
[You had one. A rare one, actually. But… you never awakened it. You'll turn nineteen next month, which means your window closed four years ago. It's gone now.]
Nyx blinked slowly. He took in the words like someone being told they'd missed the last train to a better life. Then he shrugged.
"Huh. I guess I shouldn't worry about it, right?"
[What?]
Love replied, confused.
Nyx grinned. "Why would I care about some disappearing core when I have you? I have a system! Some kind of cheat, right? Now tell me—what do I do to get stronger? Sex? Steal someone's power? Do I just breathe and become a god? Come on, give me the good stuff."
He laughed, proud of his own theory.
But Love didn't laugh. She stayed eerily quiet.
"Hey, Love? Are you there?"
[Yes… I'm still here.]
"Then tell me—how do I get stronger?"
She hesitated. Her voice dropped into a serious tone.
[The thing is… I could help you become stronger. I really could. But—someone is coming.]
The words froze the smile on Nyx's face.
He sat up slowly, eyes wide. "What? Who?"
[Quiet.]
Love's tone was sharper now.
[Listen.]
He held his breath.
For a moment, there was only the sound of rustling hay and the wind outside. But then… faint footsteps. Distant, hesitant, but growing louder. The crunch of gravel. The soft creak of old hinges.
Someone was approaching the stable.
Nyx's mouth went dry. He scrambled to his feet and looked toward the entrance