An hour had passed since Iryndra had accepted Azriel's proposal.
They talked, learning about each other—at least to a level they were both comfortable with.
It was… enjoyable.
Azriel's lips curled faintly as he watched her laugh softly, her voice delicate but genuine. She swung her legs in the air, perched on the chair, her laughter carrying an innocence that seemed almost foreign to this nightmare.
But then his smile faded, his expression sharpening as his thoughts grew heavier.
'It's almost like I've found the hidden protagonist of a novel… but in the book, she never appeared. So… she must have died—or something else happened.'
Not every Heptarch had been revealed in the book, but this was different. There wasn't even a single hint of Iryndra's existence.
Not one mention.
It was unbelievable.
And yet here she was, unabashedly revealing her affinity and [Unique Skill] to him, as though it was nothing worth hiding.