Who r u?

The morning sunlight filtered through the branches of a large tree, casting dappled shadows on the ground. Alex sat underneath it, leaning against the sturdy trunk with a book in his hands. The pages were weathered from use, but the content was absorbing enough to keep his mind off the nagging concerns that had followed him since his arrival in the capital.

It had been two days since they'd reached the capital city, and Lyra had finally woken up earlier that morning. She was still recovering, but the healer's magic had worked wonders, and Alex could tell she was getting stronger with each passing hour. For now, he'd left her to rest in the small garden near the guild, feeling the fresh air was more beneficial than being cooped up inside.

The soft rustling of leaves above and the distant chatter from the city were the only sounds that filled the quiet space. Alex's eyes flicked over the words of the book, though his mind was distracted, the occasional passing thought returning to the last few days—the small amount of money he had left, and what he would do next. But for the moment, he took a book from the library in the guild to learn more about this world and magic.

[Flashback - 1 day ago]

As Lyra regained consciousness, her body shifted slightly on the bed, and her eyes fluttered open. The moment they did, Alex froze. Her eyes weren't the same as before—they were now a deep, unsettling red, like the color of freshly spilled blood. The irises were marked with intricate patterns, swirling faintly as though they were alive, pulsing with some foreign energy.

Lyra blinked, her gaze slowly shifting toward Alex. When their eyes met, the air between them seemed to thicken. Her eyes, those dark red eyes, locked onto his with an intensity that felt like a force of its own. There was no warmth in them, just a silent depth that unsettled Alex, making his breath catch in his throat.

As Lyra sat up, her eyes—those unsettling red eyes—narrowed at Alex. The warmth of the room seemed to dim under her gaze, and an unfamiliar presence filled the air. She stared at him with a sharpness that felt completely different from the confused, vulnerable person he'd first encountered.

"You, insolent fool," she hissed, her voice suddenly laced with a cold, biting edge. "How dare you use me as your tool to escape from monsters?" Her words were sharp, filled with the kind of resentment Alex had never expected from her.

The transformation was immediate and jarring. The girl who had been weak and confused only moments ago now looked at him with the kind of arrogance that could rival any noble or princess. It wasn't overwhelming, but it was enough to make Alex blink in surprise.

Her posture was still a bit fragile, as if her body was still adjusting, but the fire in her eyes—those intense, red-glowing eyes—told a different story. Her tone, a mixture of indignation and something else, made it clear that she wasn't going to be the helpless victim he might have assumed her to be.

Alex, caught off guard by her sudden shift in demeanor, raised an eyebrow. He hadn't expected her to react like this, not after everything they'd been through. "I—" He stopped himself, unsure how to respond. There was no point in trying to defend himself. She had a right to be angry. He had used her, after all, even if it was for both their survival.

She crossed her arms, her lips pressing into a thin line. "I should've let you fend for yourself. What kind of man uses someone like that, throwing them around without a second thought?"

Alex shifted uncomfortably, but inside, he couldn't help but feel a little amused at the way she was acting. Her fiery tone and the subtle flush on her cheeks made it clear she was embarrassed, even if she was trying to mask it with her haughty attitude.

"Well, you're alive, aren't you?" Alex finally said, trying to calm the situation down. "I didn't think I had much of a choice."

Her eyes flashed with irritation at his response, but the hint of vulnerability that remained beneath the anger was still there. "Tch, whatever," she muttered, turning her head slightly. "But don't think this means I owe you anything. I'll be the one to decide when you've earned my trust."

Her words were sharp, but there was an underlying hesitation, a soft vulnerability that she didn't want to show. The air was still tense, but Alex could tell that the change in her wasn't just a sudden outburst—it was part of something deeper, a shift in how she saw herself and her situation.

"Who are you?" he asked again, his voice more serious than before. "You don't look like the Lyra I know. The Lyra I know isn't this arrogant."

His words were blunt, cutting through the tension between them like a knife. He was done with the ambiguity, with pretending like everything was normal. The Lyra he'd met had been fragile, quiet, and in need of help, not someone who would snap at him with such cold disdain. Something was wrong, and he wanted answers.

"Who are you really?" he repeated, his eyes fixed on her, searching for some flicker of truth in her shifting expression.

"Without knowing me, you used me as your tool," Lyra said, her tone sharp and full of pride, as though the words themselves stung her. She stood a little taller now, her posture exuding an air of authority. "If you knew who I am, you would be shocked."

She paused, letting the words sink in before revealing her true identity. 

"I am Lyra Althea Valenor, daughter of King Virell of the Crimson Empire."