Isaac sat quietly at his desk, flipping through some important documents and papers. Beside him stood Melina, tidying up a few things around the room.
As he separated a few papers to organize them, he found a letter sent from the Kingdom of Lucia, written by King Jin Lee himself. It was sealed with the blood of a real human.
Before Isaac could remove the seal from the letter, the door suddenly burst open with force — someone entered the room, speaking in a loud, distressed voice:
"Masterrrrr! Where is Faithless? I couldn't find him in his room!" It was Julianne, yelling loudly, her feline ears drooping low.
Both Isaac and Melina were startled for a moment… then they both let out a soft chuckle. Isaac stood from his chair and gently patted her head, speaking in a calm tone:
"What's wrong, little kitten? Faithless went out on a short walk with Marianne. They'll be back."
"You seem very attached to Faithless," Melina said sweetly, lacing her fingers together.
Julianne lowered her head, and a single tear fell to the floor. A haunting image appeared in her mind — someone being tortured. Isaac and Melina were both stunned. Melina moved closer and gently lowered herself to Julianne's level, softly brushing her hand over her head.
"He's not going anywhere. It's just a small walk with Marianne," Melina whispered in a soft, reassuring voice.
"He reminds me of him. I don't want him to leave. I love watching him," Julianne said with a painful lump in her throat.
Isaac looked at Melina with sad eyes but broke the heavy mood with a warm smile as he stroked Julianne's ears:
"Do cats get sad? Sadness doesn't suit a beautiful little kitten like you."
Julianne blushed and smiled, shyly. Melina stood up and said in a playful tone:
"I nearly knocked over Isaac's favorite statue because of your dramatic entrance."
"What?! Is the statue okay? That piece is rare!" Isaac panicked and rushed over to check on it.
Julianne and Melina laughed. Melina stroked her chin and whispered softly:
"When someone loses once… they won't want to lose again. So don't dwell on it, dear."
Julianne nodded gently and said in a sweet voice:
"You're right. I was just a bit worried… and I'm sorry for barging in like that. See you both later."
She gave them a small bow, then closed the door behind her gently. Isaac sat back down on his chair, letting out a soft sigh:
"Poor thing… whenever she sees Faithless, she remembers the one she lost. That kind of pain only fuels my hatred toward the kings."
"I don't know how they're going to handle it when Faithless heads to the capital," Melina said as she placed a finger on her chin, wondering.
Isaac placed his hands on the table, lacing his fingers together tightly, and spoke in a deep tone:
"That's his decision. And besides, Faithless is a key piece to gaining access to the capital due to his immense capabilities."
He continued in the same serious tone:
"We also need to take advantage of the tournament. If he wins, he'll infiltrate the kingdom more easily and be able to investigate important matters that will open the gates for us."
"Aren't you afraid his identity might be discovered?" Melina asked quietly.
Isaac smiled calmly and replied:
"No, I'm not afraid… I've already laid out a plan, and I'm following it precisely. I don't want to ruin it by throwing in unnecessary variables."
Melina stepped closer to the table and picked up the letter sent from the kingdom. She lifted it slowly and looked at Isaac, saying:
"It seems your previous question just got answered."
Isaac stood and leaned his face close to hers, whispering in a soft tone:
"You're very observant…"
He took the letter from her hands and locked eyes with her. Sitting back down, Melina remained beside him. He opened the envelope and began reading:
"Your answer made me smile deeply, unlike that pig of a duke… So, in honor of your reply, a gift will be sent your way. I hope it pleases you."
Isaac placed the letter between his hands, crushed it, and threw it into the trash. Melina looked at him and said sarcastically:
"Seems the First King has quite the sense of humor."
Isaac placed two fingers on his cheek, another under his chin, and looked at Melina with a strange mix of joy and mockery — his red eyes glowing:
"That fool doesn't realize how much I love gifts… especially the mysterious kind."