Reign’s Castle, Country V.

  Inside Zeke’s spacious study, Zeres was leisurely half lying on the gray couch as if he owned the castle. He had been watching the busy prince who’s sitting behind the big desk, doing things Zeres did not know about. The only time Zeke stood from his leather seat was when he received someone’s call.

  Zeres’ gaze fell to the large window and saw that it was already dark. He threw his head back and sighed. His hair was spread out like silver silk on the gray couch.

  A while later, Zeke, who had been standing by the window and talking to Kai on his phone, finally ended the long call. He moved and was about to go back to his desk when his gaze caught the silver thing lying on the couch.

  "And why are you still here?" Zeke asked. "I told you, I don’t have time to play with you. Go home." His voice had a low, commanding aura despite the flatness.

  "How rude. I’m your guest, you know?" Zeres didn’t rise and just raised his brow at Zeke. "And I’m not here to play with you, you stone prince."

  Zeke stared down at him, and after a short silence, he finally sat across Zeres. "What is it that you have to say?"

  "Are you finally done with your work?"

  "Almost."

  "Why don’t you finish –"

  "Just get the hell down to business, Zeres."

  Zeres rose and faced Zeke. "Fine, but first," Zeres raised his hand and pointed at Lucas, who was sitting in the window frame. Just like Zeres, the red-haired guy had been quiet the entire time. "Tell him to leave the room."

  Lucas’s gaze quickly snapped towards Zeres. The look he threw was as sharp as his blade. And when he moved his gaze to Zeke, his eyes screamed with a strong protest.

  "Your Highness, I cannot leave –"

  "Leave the room, Lucas." As soon as these words left Zeke’s mouth, the room was suddenly filled with the raging aura coming from Lucas. The red-haired man glared at Zeres once again, but eventually, he left without much of a fight.

  "How nice. I didn’t know you have such an overprotective guard, Kiel." Zeres lips curved up into a teasing smile. But behind his amusement, Zeres found it surprising that Lucas was blatantly showing his emotions in the presence of Ezekiel. He didn’t even try to suppress his rage and disapproval towards Ezekiel’s decision.

  "Now get to the point, Zeres," Ezekiel said the moment the door was closed. His gaze toward Zeres was severe, looking at him with his ’I won’t tolerate any beating around the bush talk’ look that Zeres found both amusing and irritating.

  "I think I know where you’re heading." Zeres finally started. The atmosphere inside the room had changed as Zeres’ expression abruptly became a little gray and dark. "I would like to go with you."

  There was a moment of silence before Zeke uttered a word. "Why?"

  "Well, I think I just want some adventure."

  The room was silent again, and Zeres knew that the devil was busy dissecting him inside his monstrous brain. "I believe that’s the best choice for me," Zeres added, but Zeke still remained quiet for another short moment.

  "And if I say no?"

  "Then it can’t be helped. With or without your permission, I’ll follow you anyway." Zeres shrugged, and then he smiled. "Playing hide and seek with you will definitely entertain me for a few years."

  "White dragon……" Zeke leaned back, closing his eyes in a very peaceful manner. But such a change in Zeke’s demeanor made Zeres scratch the back of his neck. "Didn’t I tell you to get straight to the point? Don’t test my patience."

  A silent sigh escaped Zeres’ mouth. As expected, nothing could deceive this man even though what he said wasn’t a lie. "Tsk. I think I’d like to try testing that patience of yours. Now that I think about it, I haven’t seen you get mad at all, Kiel."

  "Tell me, does this have something to do with Alicia?" Zeke suddenly asked as he opened his eyes, causing Zeres to blink at him.

  "She has nothing to do with this."

  His answer made Zeke’s eyes narrow a little. "Really? Then why do you want to leave? Explain yourself."

  Zeres let out another sigh. As much as he wanted to try and see if he could piss Zeke off, he somehow knew that this man would just go back to his desk and ignore him if he continued his pursuit.

  "It’s not because I wanted to leave the Black Forest," Zeres said as his gaze moved from Zeke to the dark night outside the window. "I just want to start seeking death as early as possible."

  A heavy silence crept inside the room. Zeke was staring at Zeres steadily. He didn’t even blink and just stared at the silver-haired man harder and harder until his gaze became a sharp glare. "Why?"

  "C’mon, Kiel. You know why."

  "No, I don’t."

  Zeres lazily leaned his back against the couch. "I am not supposed to be living in this world anymore. The witches really don’t need my existence at all. The world has changed so much, and everyone’s already living peacefully. No matter what you say, there is really no purpose for my existence. I know there is only one thing I should be doing right now, and that’s to search for a way how to end my immortal life." Zeres said these words calmly, almost as if he was merely talking about something mundane. "This is what I want to do, Kiel. I wanted to die as soon as possible, and I know that the fastest way to fulfill my wish is to seek your help. You were the one who told me you can always find a way to have me dead. And ah, I just want to clarify…… I am doing it this way because I at least don’t want to die as a villain, and if possible, I don’t want another miserable death. I’d love to have a peaceful death if that’s not too much to ask."

  Zeke closed his eyes again, his fingers itching to pinch the muscle between his brows because he could tell Zeres was serious. And the damn white dragon had already made up his mind. Why were these damn immortals so troublesome?

  Since the day he met Zeres, Zeke already knew that this man, even though he wasn’t the type to plan complicated schemes, he wasn’t stupid. The only major flaw that Zeke had seen in Zeres was his selflessness. He was too selfless for his own good that it was hard for Zeke to believe that this creature had come up with this decision because of him thinking about himself. It just didn’t feel right. This creature’s greatest weakness was his selflessness, and Zeke knew he had never changed until now. There had to be a real reason behind all this. Zeke wasn’t certain, but at that moment, there was only one theory he could come up with. Someone was probably in grave danger because of Zeres’ existence.

  "Zeres," Zeke’s gaze on him became intense. He didn’t know why but Zeke had a feeling this was not a simple matter at all. He had to make this man spill out the truth he’s hiding.

  However, before Zeke could continue, Zeres suddenly rose. His eyes snapped towards the window as his silver eyes glowed like the moon.

  Zeke stood as well, following Zeres’ gaze. "Oh, she’s here……"