THE BLACK CROWN-22-

A heavy stillness settled over the room As the time passed with Aria continued to hold Eric's hand, her tired eyes slowly blinking. David, sensing her need for solitude, quietly stepped out, assuming he was the only one doing so.

However, to his surprise, Han followed after him, silently joining him outside the room. David looked at han with cold gaze "Pff, got all your guards up, huh? Am I really that scary?" Han taunted, slowly approaching David.

David's anger flared as he seethed, "I don't know what your deal is, but I'll make sure you regret what you did!" Han chuckled in response, his voice dripping with mockery "Oh, I would love to see you try!"

"In fact i could kill you here, but it wouldn't be as entertaining, now would it?"han says with playful tone as he act all innocent while blinking as he says that

David felt a surge of disgust at Han's innocent blink, and the laughter that followed only intensified his annoyance. As he watched Han walking away

-Hours passed, and the moon reached its peak in the night sky-

They castle was so quiet only for one room in end of the hall of the first floor David was sitting on his bed as he thought nervously about what to do with han! He had to make a move before every Things he did is going to get ruined!. He chews his nails nervously as he stands up and walk out his room.

Aria, exhausted from a long day of meetings, had a throbbing headache from all the pointless ideas thrown around.

As she walked down the hallway, the thought crossed her mind to check in on Eric before retiring to her own room.

Aria murmured to herself as she headed towards Eric's room, but her eyes caught sight of someone hastily leaving from it. Fear gripped her heart as she couldn't identify the person running away.

In a rush, she sprinted towards the room, her heart skipping a beat. Pushing the door open, her eyes widened in shock at the scene unfolding before her.

Han lay on the floor, his hand clutching his stomach, which was bleeding profusely. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth as he struggled to stay upright. As he looks at aria

"HAN!!!" She run to him as her open even wider as she saw his life core was scratched "are you okay!!! Let me heal you!" She was trying to heal him but han refused "a..aria i will be …okay but eric's l-life core!!" Han hardly says as aria looks at eric…

his life life core was missing!! Aria's body shakes with fear where the hell is eric's LIFE CORE!! "It david aria…" han says as he coughs up

"What!?" Aria stood there in shock, gasping at what han said to her. She couldn't believe her ears Wasn't david supposed to be her friend? Hadn't he nearly died for her?

Confused and worried, Aria's attention shifted to Han, and she quickly began rushing towards the door, following the route of the mysterious figure she had seen earlier.

As she kept running she saw the emergency tunnel was open so she rushed in it which this path lead to only one place the lake in forest

Aria ran and ran, her mind racing with uncertainty and hope that Han's words wouldn't prove to be true. Yet, as she reached the spot where she saw the moonlit glow, her worst nightmare came to life. David stood there, holding her beloved brother's life core in his grip.

"David? Why did you do that why did you hurt han and took my BROTHER LIFE CORE!" She angrily says as she shivers her eyes turn to dark red hue

"I'm sorry aria!…but i had too i had to give that to the king" david says coldly but there was a regret tone in his voice "w…what?? What do you mean! Are you out of your mind?! Siding with those filthy creatures!!"

She angrily walk slowly to him "aria… I need to tell you something" As David pulled out what appeared to be a life core, Aria's eyes widened in disbelief. To her surprise, it was only a normal red stone—a mere replica of a life core.

Aria was utterly stunned by the revelation. "You... aren't a demon," she managed to say, her voice tinged with betrayal. "You're just a human..."