บท 98: No Matter What

The seconds that passed felt like an eternity. Izan's heart hammered in his chest, the thud of it so loud in his ears that it drowned out everything else.

The door in front of him seemed impossibly tall, a barrier between him and the Elian.

When it finally creaked open, revealing Elian sitting on the other side with his friends, all of Izan's thoughts fled.

For a brief moment, their eyes met. Izan saw the uncertainty mirrored in Elian's gaze, a reflection of his own inner turmoil.

But beneath the hesitation, there was something else. A flicker of hope, a quiet, unspoken longing that mirrored his own. It was enough to keep him rooted, enough to keep him from fleeing.

Niko and Aria, sensing the tension, quickly rose to their feet. They exchanged quick glances with Elian before bowing politely to Izan. "Your Highness," Niko murmured, his tone neutral but respectful.