My Soul card is a Reaper-Chapter 1038: Dreams of the Past: At the dining table

Later that evening, the dining hall of House Garcia felt colder than usual, not because of the weather, but because of the silence that sat between everyone like an invisible guest that refused to leave.

The long table was filled the way it always was during formal family dinners, with polished silverware aligned with precision, candles burning steadily in tall holders, and servants moving in the background with such quiet discipline that even their footsteps seemed to apologize for existing.

Rael sat beside Eon and Artaigne, their shoulders close enough that it felt like an unspoken pact, while across the table, Raphael sat with their stepmother, his posture straight, his expression unreadable, and his gaze calm in the way that made him look like he belonged more to a battlefield than to a family dinner.

Aurelius sat at the head of the table, his presence alone enough to control the room, and yet even he seemed to notice how stiff the air had become.

For a while, the only sounds were the soft clink of cutlery, the gentle pour of wine into crystal glasses, and the faint crackle of the fireplace behind them.

Eventually, Aurelius set down his fork with a quiet sound, and the servants in the room seemed to pause instinctively, as if even they knew that when the Duke chose to speak, the atmosphere would shift.

"Princess," Aurelius said, his voice calm but firm, cutting through the silence like a blade through silk.

Artaigne lifted her gaze immediately, her posture elegant, her hands folded neatly in front of her plate, and she nodded in respect. "Yes, Uncle."

Aurelius leaned back slightly, his eyes resting on her with a controlled gentleness that Rael rarely saw in him. "I have already spoken with His Majesty," he said, and the words alone made the room feel heavier, because no matter how noble House Garcia was, the King's name carried its own weight. "Your father is aware of the schedule, and he has approved it. Tomorrow, you will be traveling to Camelot."

Artaigne did not look surprised, but Rael noticed the slight tightening of her fingers, a small reaction that revealed she had expected it but still didn't like how soon it was. Aurelius continued without hesitation, his voice steady and practical, like he was arranging chess pieces rather than people.

"The day after your engagement ceremony is complete, Azrael and Eon will remain at the palace for three days," Aurelius said, his gaze briefly shifting toward Rael and Eon, as if reminding them that their freedom was always temporary. "After that, you will all return here and stay for one week, before leaving again for the academy."

Artaigne lowered her head slightly, and her voice came out soft but clear, perfectly noble.

"I understand," she said, then paused before adding with a polite sincerity, "Thank you, Uncle."

Aurelius nodded once, accepting the gratitude as if it were the natural payment for his decision, and for a moment, the conversation seemed as if it might end there.

But then Aurelius' gaze shifted to Eon, and the subtle change in his eyes made Eon straighten unconsciously, as if her instincts had already sensed what was coming.

"Eon," Aurelius said calmly, "there is something I need to talk to you about."

The words were simple, but they landed with a strange weight, and Eon nodded politely, her voice steady as if she had already known.

"Yes, Father."

Aurelius rested his hand lightly against the table, his fingers tapping once, and the sound seemed to echo louder than it should have. "You are not a child anymore," he said, and his tone was not harsh, but it was direct, like he was stating a law of nature. "I have no intention of turning your marriage into a purely political arrangement, because I understand what kind of resentment such a thing can create, especially from you and your brother."

Rael's grip on his fork tightened, and he didn't know why the words irritated him, because Aurelius wasn't being cruel, but the topic itself felt like a chain being placed around Eon's neck in the middle of dinner.

Aurelius then continued, his gaze steady on his daughter. "However, we cannot ignore the proposals that have been sent to this house. Nobles have already begun to send letters, and they will not stop."

Eon remained quiet, her eyes fixed on Aurelius, and Aurelius' voice softened slightly as he said, "So I will give you a choice."

The hall seemed to grow even quieter, and even Raphael's fork paused for a moment, though he did not look up.

"In the academy," Aurelius said, "if you have met someone with potential, someone you respect, and you wish to choose them as your future partner, you may tell me. I will arrange the matter with their family."

Eon blinked faintly, and Rael's head lifted slightly as well, because the words were not what he expected from Aurelius, who usually preferred control over sentiment.

Aurelius didn't stop there, and his next words were even more shocking, spoken with the calmness of someone who believed his authority could bend tradition itself.

"Even if they are not from a noble house, it is fine," Aurelius said. "As long as their potential is good and they can match your ability, they may enter House Garcia as a matrilocal husband."

Artaigne's eyes widened slightly at that, and Rael felt the faintest sting of surprise as well, because the idea of a common-born spouse being accepted into House Garcia was the sort of rumor that would cause half the noble circle to faint in outrage.

Aurelius' gaze did not waver. "Or," he added, "you may allow me to choose a suitable family for you within our nobility circle, someone politically clean, someone strong enough to stand beside you without weakening our house."

Eon's lips parted as if she was about to speak, but Aurelius raised his hand slightly, cutting off her response before it could form.

"You do not need to decide right away," he said, his voice steady. "I will give you time."

Then, as if the matter was already calculated down to the exact number of days, Aurelius leaned forward slightly and continued, "You still have three and a half years. Until your sixteenth birthday. So there is enough time, but not more than that..."

Eon's eyes flickered, and Rael's stomach tightened as if he could already see the future being carved into stone.

"On your sixteenth birthday," Aurelius said, "if you haven't chosen your husband already, a ball will be held in this mansion. Suitors from our noble circles will attend. They will line up, and you may choose one of them then."

His words were calm, but the image was cruelly clear, like he had just described a market rather than a celebration.

Aurelius' gaze sharpened. "However, if it comes to that, I expect you to choose one of them, or I will make the decision for you. I want you to remember that, Eon."

Eon sat perfectly still, and for a moment she looked so composed that Rael almost believed she was unaffected, but he could feel her tension through the air between them, like a string pulled too tight.

Then Aurelius' gaze shifted, and it landed on Rael.

Rael stiffened immediately because the moment Aurelius looked at him like that, it felt like judgment.

"Azael," Aurelius said, using the name in the way that made it sound less like a son's name and more like a responsibility. "For this matter, I will expect proper behavior from you."

Rael's jaw clenched, and the words struck him like a warning that was meant to cut off his instincts before they could even rise.

"I know you are overprotective of your sister," Aurelius continued calmly, "but there are things you must accept."

Rael's fingers tightened so hard around his fork that he could feel the metal pressing into his skin, but he forced himself to breathe slowly and swallow down whatever emotion wanted to explode.

"Yes, Father," Rael said quietly, then added with a stiff nod, "I understand."

Aurelius nodded once, satisfied, and the dinner continued after that, but the silence was no longer comfortable, because now it carried words that had not been spoken, and thoughts that could not be shared.

Raphael ate quietly throughout it all, his gaze lowered, his expression unreadable, and Rael couldn't decide whether his older brother was indifferent to the conversation or simply too disciplined to show any reaction.

Either way, it made Rael dislike him even more.