"Honestly, I didn’t think a mere wolf ice sculpture would be sufficient to compensate you at this point anymore, Cherion."
The suffocating formality that Philia had brought into the room had vanished the second the doors clicked shut.
"Lord Cherion!" Gillian suddenly protested, throwing his hands up in absolute panic. "Are you serious right now?! You’re just going to let her know? You told me not to tell anyone, and now you’re breaking your own rule?!"
Cherion lazily raised a hand, dismissing the prince’s frantic hand-waving with a shrug. "Relax, Prince Gillian. I know what I said. But I can’t really keep up the act in front of her right now anyway. I need to transfer a little bit more healing power to her to make sure there are no lingering traces of that nasty poison."
Before Gillian could process the words, Cherion reached out and gently placed his fingers against Iryna’s wrist.
The moment his skin made contact with hers, a soft, breathtakingly pure wave of golden warmth rippled through the air. Iryna’s breath caught in her throat. Her eyes went completely wide as she felt that exact same majestic, unyielding energy from the previous night surge through her meridians. It was like a soothing balm, instantly dissolving the very last remnants of her physical fatigue and linking their senses together in a profound, silent understanding.
She stared up at Cherion, her heart hammering against her ribs not from fear, but from awe.
A deeply intrigued smile slowly spread across Iryna’s face.
"Wow," Iryna breathed out, a dangerous spark of fascination dancing in her eyes. "This is absolutely incredible. Cherion, I feel like I should build you a giant palace made entirely of ice for this. You and the Duke can live in it." She paused, tilting her head thoughtfully as her grin widened. "No, wait... that’s too small. Should I just forge a whole island out of ice so you and the entire Northern faction can move there? I can make it happen."
From the back of the room, Marielle stood up from her leaning position against the wall, crossing her arms over her chest as she dryly chimed in. "No need, Your Highness. Please keep your ice. The North is already cold enough without you building an ice palace for us."
Iryna playfully pouted at her, sticking her lower lip out like a disappointed child, though she didn’t deny the teasing warmth in Marielle’s tone.
Meanwhile, Gillian let out a massive, incredibly dramatic sigh of relief, practically collapsing into a nearby velvet armchair as if a physical mountain had just been lifted off his chest. He dropped his face into his hands, groaning loudly.
"Well, oh, thank God," Gillian muttered, his voice muffled by his palms. "Thank God she finally knows. You have no idea, Lord Cherion, the literal second she opened her eyes this morning, she started interrogating me! I almost completely gave in and broke my promise!"
Zarius, who had been standing silently like a towering shadow at the foot of the bed, let out a rare, low rumble of a chuckle. The sound was deep and entirely grounding. The terrifying Duke took a step forward to Gillian.
"You did well to hold out, Prince Gillian," Zarius praised him, his deep voice carrying a genuine weight of approval. "Holding a secret against a Solaric princess’s scrutiny takes a remarkable amount of steel. The North respects your discipline."
The unexpected praise from the empire’s most fearsome warrior instantly revived Gillian. He immediately caught Zarius’s massive hand on his shoulder, puffing his chest out with a proud grin as he completely snapped back to his usual casual self.
"Of course I held it in! What did you think I was?" Gillian bragged, laughing heartily. "Some loose-lipped capital noble who spills secrets over a glass of cheap wine? When you guys asked me to keep it a secret, of course I knew that meant hiding it from my sister, too. My loyalty is absolute!"
Iryna rolled her eyes affectionately at her brother’s sudden bravado, leaning back against her pillows with a soft smirk. "You’re an excellent secret keeper when you want to be, Gillian, but you are a absolutely terrible liar. I knew something was up the second I saw your rigid face this morning. I just didn’t know the exact details of what you were hiding."
Her expression softened, turning slightly more serious as she looked back up at Cherion, who had stepped back to stand comfortably beside Zarius.
"But in all seriousness," Iryna continued, her fingers lightly tracing the edge of her silk blanket. "If our father ever found out about this... if my father knew about this, Cherion, you would surely be rewarded handsomely. The royal treasury would be opened to you."
Cherion didn’t say a word. He merely shifted his gaze sideways, casting a brief, meaningful look at Gillian.
Gillian caught the look instantly and stepped in, his expression turning entirely protective as he defended his friend. "Iryna, that’s exactly why we can’t say anything. Cherion doesn’t want his power to be exploited. You know this place works. If they find out what he can do, they’ll turn him into a political tool or a permanent medical slave for the high nobility."
Iryna hummed softly, acknowledging the grim reality of her brother’s words. She looked at Cherion, her mind analyzing every facet of his relaxed posture. "I understand. But... if you are so incredibly adamant about keeping your divine power a complete secret from the world, why use it on me? Why risk exposing yourself to save a Solaric princess?"
Cherion met her searching gaze head-on. The lazy smirk faded for a brief moment, replaced by a soft, genuine expression that was entirely human.
"Isn’t it obvious, Your Highness?" Cherion answered casually, his voice dropping into a gentle, sincere register. "Because I care about my friend. I wasn’t about to just stand by and watch you die."
A sudden, breathless silence fell over the room. Iryna stared at him, her dark eyes blinking in pure, unadulterated surprise before a radiant, brilliant smile completely transformed her face.
"Aw!" Iryna beamed, her voice filled with pure delight. "You actually think of me as a friend? Me too!"
Before Cherion could even attempt to step back or prepare himself, Iryna lunged forward from her bed, throwing her arms tightly around his neck in a massive, unceremonious hug.
Cherion froze entirely, his arms awkwardly hovering in the air as he was thoroughly swallowed by the princess’s enthusiastic embrace. He threw a desperate, wide-eyed look of help toward Zarius and Marielle, but the Grand Duke merely looked away with a faint smirk, while Marielle quietly chuckled, completely enjoying his sudden misery.
Gillian just laughed out loud, shaking his head at the chaotic, beautiful dynamic that had just formed between them.