The front door of the mansion opened quietly.
Reider stepped inside first, posture relaxed, senses still alert out of habit. Mei followed at his side, the evening air lingering on her skin, her smile soft and genuine in a way it hadn't been for a long time.
"That was a nice walk, wasn't it?" she said.
He glanced down at her, expression as calm as ever. "If you liked it, then it was nice."
She laughed under her breath, brushing her hair back, still faintly flustered.
Inside the living room, Vael and Eryndra sat on the same couch — close, but not touching. Both held books. Neither had turned a page.
Vael's fingers tightened around her teacup as she watched them enter. Eryndra squinted over the edge of her book, pretending to read while very clearly not reading at all.
Mei noticed none of it. She reached out and gently took Reider's hand again as they walked past.
Both women's eyes snapped to their joined hands.
"They're holding hands again," Vael muttered.
"You think I missed that?" Eryndra whispered back, irritation sharp beneath her tone.
Reider stopped in the middle of the room. He turned to Mei and brushed her hair from her face, slow and gentle, completely unaware of the storm forming behind him.
"You're tired," he said. "You should rest."
Vael slammed her cup down. Tea splashed over the rim.
"Maybe you should rest," she cut in. "You've been busy enough."
Reider blinked once, genuinely confused. "I'm fine. Why?"
Eryndra stood abruptly, tossing her book onto the table with a loud thud. "Oh, nothing. Just wondering when intimate evening walks became part of war strategy."
Mei hesitated, glancing between them. "We were just… walking."
Vael stood and approached Reider, arms crossed, eyes sharp. "Just walking? That's funny. Looked a lot like flirting."
Reider tilted his head slightly. "It was."
The room went silent.
Vael and Eryndra froze, eyes wide, cheeks burning.
"What do you mean it was?" Vael snapped. "You can't just—"
"Oh, so now you're some kind of ladies' man?" Eryndra shot back, stepping closer. "Since when, Reider?"
He looked at both of them, dead serious. "Mei is my wife."
It landed like a punch.
Vael sucked in a sharp breath. Eryndra stared, stunned, fury and disbelief tangled together.
"You've known her barely two months," Vael said tightly.
"That doesn't matter," Mei said softly, smiling despite her blush.
Eryndra threw her hands up and turned away. "Unbelievable. Completely insane."
Vael followed, glancing back over her shoulder. "He's still a kid. Two months old, remember?"
"I'm physically older now," Reider replied calmly.
"That's not the point!" Vael snapped, spinning around.
Eryndra stood with her arms crossed, staring at the wall as if it had personally offended her. "Of course he'd choose her…"
Reider looked between them, confused, until Mei squeezed his hand.
"You broke them," she teased gently.
"I don't understand," he said honestly.
Behind them, Vael and Eryndra whispered furiously.
"We can't let her win."
"This isn't over."
Mei leaned against Reider, smiling, while he stood stiffly but didn't pull away.
From behind a column, Vael and Eryndra peeked out, glaring like territorial cats.
Reider turned his head slightly. "You can join us if you want."
Both froze.
Vael hissed, "Did he just—"
"He knew the whole time?" Eryndra whispered.
They exchanged a look, then stepped out.
"Fine," Vael said stiffly. "You win."
Reider waited.
She looked away, face burning. "I like you. You make me feel things I hate admitting."
Eryndra exhaled slowly. "No point hiding it. I like you too, idiot."
Mei watched quietly, surprised — but smiling.
Reider stared at them for a long moment, unreadable.
"I know," he said softly.
They blinked.
"You knew?" Vael asked.
"Since when?" Eryndra demanded.
He shrugged, almost amused. "Since the first time you looked at me like that."
Both were speechless.
"Just because I don't show emotions like others," Reider continued, "doesn't mean I don't feel them."
Mei realized, in that moment, how much she'd underestimated him too.
"I value you both," he said, stepping closer. "That hasn't changed."
"So… what now?" Vael asked quietly.
Eryndra glanced at Mei. "You gonna break our hearts or what?"
Reider looked at all three of them.
"You're all important to me," he said. "I won't choose until the war is over. And I won't push any of you away."
Vael laughed softly, shaking her head. "You're impossible."
Eryndra smirked. "Still a dummy. But our dummy."
Mei stepped beside Reider. "Guess we're in this together."
"I never wanted to fight alone anyway," Reider said quietly.
"Then don't," Vael replied.
"You've got us," Eryndra added. "Whether you like it or not."
Reider nodded once, accepting it.
Moonlight poured through the window as the four of them stood together — tangled, complicated, united.
For them… and for my mother, Reider thought. I'll end this.
And for the first time, he didn't feel like he had to do it alone.