Time

After fastening the last button of Prince Valen's majestic purple robe, Yumeko composed herself and spoke seriously.

"Your Highness, we need to meet with some important people now," she said. "These people are your guards, appointed by the Office of Genetic Control."

A lazy smile appeared on Valen's face. "Is… there… re-a-lly… a… need… for… such… a… thing?"

Yumeko's patience was wearing thin. She raised her voice slightly. "Of course you need them, Your Highness. The other princes have already completed their security arrangements. You…"

Suddenly, the smile vanished from Valen's face. An invisible force began to spread throughout the room, like a ripple of water. Yumeko instantly realized that the Prince was hurt, but before she could react, the wave surged downward to the lower floors. In the kitchen, where chefs were preparing meals, time slowed as the wave passed through. A cook, in the middle of dropping a pot, seemed to move in slow motion. Time had bent and stretched, matching the Prince's mood.

In that moment, Valen's voice echoed in an unusually quickened tone. "Yu…me…ko… please… be… kind… to… me."

Guilt surged through Yumeko. She knew that, despite his age and powers, Valen had a sensitive heart. He always tried to adjust the rhythm of the world around him to match his own pace, but her harsh words had inadvertently hurt him. Yumeko's gaze softened, and she took a step back, lowering her voice.

"My apologies, Your Highness," she said regretfully. "I didn't mean to be so harsh. I'm just… concerned for your safety."

Valen nodded slowly, but the effects of the purple wave were still present. In the kitchen, a chef watched the pot as it hung suspended in mid-air, still falling. In these moments, Yumeko once again realized the true extent of the Prince's power.

Valen fixed his gaze on her and murmured with a faint smile, "Yu…me…ko, you… al-ways… know… what… needs… to… be… done. Should… I… ever… not… listen… to… you?"

Yumeko felt the sincerity behind his words and returned his smile softly. She gathered herself, trying to maintain her professionalism.

"Your Highness," she said gently, "I'll continue to handle all these duties and responsibilities on your behalf, but please cooperate with me. We need to meet with your security team. It's important."

Valen tilted his head slightly, and the effect of the wave slowly began to withdraw. Time resumed its normal pace in the kitchen and other floors, and the Prince smiled softly.

"All right… Yu…me…ko," he murmured. "But… only… be-cause… you… asked… me."

As Yumeko looked into his gradually softening expression, she made a silent promise to herself: No matter what happened, she would never stop protecting Valen.

---

Aren gently helped Victoria with her clothes and sat her down on his lap. In a soft voice, he asked, "Victoria, can you speak?"

Victoria tried to open her mouth, but she struggled to form words. The sounds she made were just faint, unintelligible syllables.

"Don't strain yourself," Aren said soothingly, trying to calm her.

Just then, Keiran's voice sounded from outside the door. "Hey, is everything all right in there?"

Aren called back to him. "Yes, everything's fine."

Keiran didn't hesitate to ask, "Mind if I come in?"

Aren thought for a moment and then agreed. "Sure, come in."

Keiran entered and walked over to Aren, his gaze landing on Victoria. With a slight smirk, he said, "Well, Victoria has grown into quite a beautiful woman."

Without realizing it, Aren's arms wrapped around Victoria protectively.

Keiran noticed and cautioned him, "Take it easy."

Aren was just as surprised by his own reaction. His hands had moved instinctively. "Just a reflex," he muttered, trying to brush it off.

Keiran took a deep breath, his tone turning serious. "Things are getting even more complicated now. We've agreed to guard the Fifth Prince, but here we have a vulnerable Victoria. This is going to be dangerous."

Aren's face darkened, his eyes hardening. "If anyone so much as touches Victoria, I'll tear them apart."

Seeing Aren's determination, Keiran smiled and got to his feet. "One day left. I'll go take a look around the ship; you stay here and keep an eye on Victoria. I'll handle everything else."

Aren nodded. "All right."

Keiran left the room; Aren remained, holding Victoria gently in his arms. "You must be tired," he whispered to her. "I'll prepare a comfortable bed for you, don't worry."

Thin, dark threads began to flow from Aren's fingertips. The threads coiled and twisted, coming together to form a large, circular cocoon. Aren nestled himself into it, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. Victoria curled up beside him; Aren's heartbeat was still there, steady and calm now. She held him close, trying to drift into a peaceful sleep.

---

Meanwhile, Keiran made his way to a remote corner of the ship. Around him lay lifeless bodies—these were all the Vex users from the party. Suddenly, a voice called out from behind him.

"I didn't expect to see you here, Keiran."

Keiran turned to see Zanak standing there. Frowning, he asked, "Why did you kill these people?"

With a slight smirk, Zanak replied, "They overheard our conversation. I couldn't let them live."

Keiran remained silent, not saying a word.

Zanak raised an eyebrow. "So, what brings you here at this hour?"

Keiran replied coolly, "I smelled blood and came here immediately. I was going to look for you anyway, but I didn't expect to find you here."

Zanak narrowed his eyes slightly. "Why were you looking for me?"

Keiran got straight to the point. "I want a short and clear answer. We agreed to protect the Fifth Prince, but isn't it strange that you trust him so quickly? Plus, don't all the princes already have their own personal guards?"

Zanak responded calmly, "I can't answer your first question right now, . As for the second question… the Fifth Prince is different from the other princes. That's why he wasn't assigned a personal guard. And the Genetic Control Office refused to accept their own guards for him. So, finding protection for the prince became my responsibility."

Keiran listened intently to Zanak's words, but his expression remained as hard as ever.