Chapter 50: Familiar Stranger
He was standing confidently, his unique features and weird presence commanded Lirian’s attention.
It wasn’t his appearance that stopped her cold—it was his voice.
"Your Grace, it’s an honor to serve the crown," he said smoothly, bowing slightly to Gabriel.
He was calm, deep, and covered with a subtle edge of amusement.
Lirian’s heart clenched painfully.
That voice... It sounded almost identical to the one that had haunted her nightmares—the one that had tortured her with cruel words and twisted magic in the dark.
But as her eyes darted to his face, something didn’t add up.
His eyes were wrong.
They were a piercing golden, cold, utterly different from the blue, feverish look of her tormentor.
Her breathing quickened as she strode toward him, her tone turned to demanding.
"Who are you exactly? What are you doing here?"
The man turned to her, cool but curious. "Baron Meylo," he said with a faint smile. "At your service, my lady."
Gabriel, standing nearby, turned sharply at her outburst.
He moved his eye between Lirian and Meylo, his brow furrowed.
"Lirian," he said, cautiously, "what’s the matter?"
She ignored him, focusing only on Meylo.
"Why are you here?" she asked again, her voice started trembling slightly. "What do you want?"
Meylo raised an eyebrow.
"I was summoned by the crown," he said simply, glancing at Gabriel for confirmation. "Duke?"
Gabriel stepped between them.
"Lirian, Baron Meylo is here on official business. There’s no cause for alarm."
"No cause for alarm?" she repeated, raising her voice. "You don’t understand. He—"
"Lirian," Gabriel interrupted, his voice dropping to a quieter, more authoritative tone. "This isn’t the time or place. I’ll speak with Meylo in my study. You should return to your chambers."
She opened her mouth to protest, but the look in Gabriel’s eyes silenced her.
"Fine," she said tightly, her jaw clenching.
She cast one last suspicious glance at Meylo before turning on her heel and walking away.
Back in her chambers, Lirian paced restlessly, racing.
Her teeth grazed her lower lip as she replayed the encounter in her head.
The voice... It was so familiar.
But his demeanor, his eyes—they were wrong.
The man who tortured her had been unhinged, his gaze filled with a twisted hunger.
Meylo was composed, his every move was measured.
But then again, nothing about this world made sense anymore.
She sat down at her writing desk, her fingers touched the edge of her nose.
It was a fictional story, a dramatic tale of love, betrayal, and revenge that she had read countless times.
The plot had been ingrained in her mind, but now, everything about it felt... off.
Daria, the supposed heroine, wasn’t the innocent, misunderstood girl who had suffered under Lirian’s bullying.
She was cunning and manipulative, far more dangerous than the book had ever suggested.
Gabriel, on the other hand, was exactly the same as the character she remembered—fierce, brooding, and weirdly protective.
The crown prince, Raphael, was far kinder to her than he should have been.
In the book, he despised her for her supposed cruelty toward Daria.
But here, he seemed almost... sympathetic.
And now Meylo...
In the story, he wasn’t a good baron, nor was he someone summoned by the crown.
He had been part of an underground organization, manipulating Lirian’s father to achieve his goals.
She pressed her hands to her temples, frustration bubbled up inside her.
"None of this makes sense," she muttered.
The only consistent thread was Gabriel.
She leaned back in her chair, unfocused as her thoughts spiraled.
Gabriel, the man who had sent her away, the man who had found her, was the same in every way.
And if that was true, then what did it mean for her fate?
Her throat tightened as she remembered the ending of the story—the moment Gabriel had no choice but to strike her down for betraying him.
Was that still her destiny? Was she meant to die by his hand?
Her fists clenched at the thought, hardening.
If the story was wrong about so much else, maybe it was wrong about that too.
She stood up, her hands braced against the edge of the desk.
"I won’t let that happen," she whispered fiercely. "I’ll find the truth. And I’ll change it."
Meanwhile, in Gabriel’s study, Meylo sat across from him, relaxed as he sipped a glass of wine.
"I apologise for Lirian’s behavior," Gabriel said, calmly but wary. "She’s been through a lot recently."
Meylo waved a hand dismissively. "No offense taken, Duke. I can only imagine what she’s endured."
Gabriel studied him carefully, searching for any sign of deceit.
Meylo was perfectly composed, his tone was polite and measured.
"You said you had information about the northern disturbances," Gabriel said, leaning forward slightly. "Let’s hear it."
Meylo set down his glass, his expression turned more serious.
"The monster attacks weren’t random, as you suspected. They were orchestrated—carefully planned by someone with access to forbidden magic."
Gabriel’s jaw tightened. "Do you have proof?"
Meylo nodded. "Not concrete, but enough to point us in the right direction. I believe the mastermind behind the attacks is still within your court. Someone with the resources and connections to manipulate events from the sides."
Gabriel’s eyes darkened.
"If what you’re saying is true, then we need to act quickly. I won’t let my people suffer because of some coward’s schemes."
Meylo inclined his head. "I’m at your service, Your Highness. Whatever you need."
Gabriel leaned back in his chair, racing with plans.
He couldn’t afford to trust Meylo completely, but for now, the baron’s information was too valuable to ignore.
"I’ll be watching you, Meylo," Gabriel said like a warning.
Meylo’s smile returned, faint and enigmatic. "I wouldn’t expect anything less."
In her chambers, Lirian was by the window, staring out at the sprawling gardens below.
The moonlight bathed the world in silver, casting long shadows that danced in the breeze.
She had so many questions and doubts, but one thing was clear—she couldn’t rely on anyone else to find out the truth.
Not Gabriel, not the crown, and certainly not Meylo.
"I can’t die here like this..." She bit her lip. "I should try seducing Gabriel..."