Midnight blues의 작품

The black luxury sedan glided soundlessly through the towering wrought-iron gates. Its polished exterior reflected the golden hues of the setting sun. Praise Renard sat in the back seat with an impeccable posture, his gloved hands rested calmly on his knees. To anyone watching, he looked composed, professional—exactly what a personal butler should be.Only he knew the truth.Beneath the crisp uniform and carefully crafted identity, his heart pounded so violently it felt as though it might shatter his ribs.The gates closed behind the car with a heavy metallic groan. The sound echoed in his ears, it felt less like the entrance to an estate and more like the closing of a prison. There was no turning back now.The long driveway stretched ahead, winding through acres of perfectly manicured gardens. Praise observed everything through the tinted window, committing every detail to memory.He memorized everything. From the security camera, to the guard post, the entrance and every possible es

Morning light sliced through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the private recovery suite, casting sharp shadows across the room.It had already been two weeks since the surgery and the man in the mirror was no longer Vanel Lense. He wore a crisp white shirt tucked neatly into black trousers. His posture was straighter than before, his shoulders broader and his movements more restrained.Yet the unfamiliar face staring back at him still felt like a stranger's.Praise slowly lifted a hand, tracing the sharp line of his jaw. Only his eyes remained the same: gray-blue, haunted and burning with a quiet fury. There were no scars or trace of the man who had nearly drowned in that river. The face that once begged for Dylan Loperse’s approval was gone.Now it belonged to someone far more dangerous.A knock interrupted his thoughts. “Come in," he ordered. The lead physician entered, carrying a thick leather folder. “You’re recovering faster than expected.” Praise lowered his hand."Physically."

Rain hammered the crushed taxi like bullets. The metal screamed as the car flipped once, twice, before slamming violently into the guardrail. For one suspended heartbeat, everything stood still. Then the barrier gave way.The taxi plunged into the swollen river.Vanel's body slammed against the seat as the impact punched every breath from his lungs. Pain exploded through his ribs, and his ears rang violently. Before he could gather himself, freezing water burst through the shattered windows, swallowing the vehicle within seconds."No..." His voice trembled as he struggled against the twisted wreckage. His right leg was pinned beneath the crumpled dashboard. He pulled with all his strength, but the metal refused to move.The door wouldn't open, over and over again, he tried but nothing. The icy water climbed from his waist to his chest. Every second stole another breath, another ounce of hope."Please..."He wasn't ready.He had sacrificed too much to die like this. His lungs burned and

The spotlight burned like judgment.Vanel Lense stood motionless at the center of the runway, heart hammered against his ribs as the cameras flashed in a relentless storm. Seven years of blood, sweat, and starvation had led to this single moment.The final selection for the face of Aurelius Luxe.He kept his posture perfect, chin high, the practiced smile locked in place. Around him, dozens of elite models waited in silence. He had outshone them all in the trials and he knew it in his bones. This had to be his.The massive screen behind the stage glowed with a single name: DYLAN LOPERSE, CEO of Aurelius LuxeThe twenty-nine-year-old brilliant yet ruthless CEO who had built an empire on ice and impeccable taste. He had never once smiled in public.The audience erupted into applause as Dylan entered. He looked tall and commanding in his black tailored suit, with its silver cufflinks catching the light. His face looked as though it had been carved from a marble and his gray eyes, cold wi

Darkness.Far beyond the imperial capital, past noble estates and bustling cities, an underground fortress laid buried beneath the ruins of an abandoned monastery. No traveler who valued their life ever ventured there.This was the true heart of the Shadow Crest.Torchlight flickered along the damp stone corridors as hooded figures patrolled in silence. Every wall bore the same chilling emblem: a black serpent coiled around a crescent moon. The air itself tasted of death.Through its massive iron doors, a lone figure staggered, his breath ragged. Blood soaked the left side of his black uniform, leaving a steady trail across the stone floor. He was the only survivor of the last assassin who had escaped the Moonveil Festival.The guards offered no help. They simply stepped aside. “The Council is waiting,” one of them said in a flat voice. The assassin swallowed hard. That frightened him far more than Diago Veydrake ever had.The doors to the council chamber opened with a low groan. The

Silence blanketed the rose garden. No one spoke after the knight uttered Elias’s name. For the first time, the blond omega’s playful demeanor vanished completely. “…Are you certain?” Elias asked, voice quiet. The knight lowered his head. “Yes, Young Master.” He handed the bloodstained parchment to Diago and the alpha slowly unfolded it. Two names were written across the center in dark, deliberate ink: Caspian Vale.Elias Blanchett. And below the name was a single chilling line: One must die and the other must watch.Krystal felt the blood drain from his face. “What kind of lunatic writes something like that?” Diago’s eyes stayed fixed on the paper. “The Shadow Crest.” He folded it with deliberate care and slipped it inside his deep crimson coat. “They’re provoking us.” “Or they’re trying to turn us against each other.” Elias folded his arms.“What do you mean?” Krystal frowned. “If two targets know they’re both being hunted,” Elias explained, “the easiest way to weaken them i

The courtyard remained eerily silent. No one dared approached the body hanging from the estate gates. The morning breeze carried the metallic scent of blood across the Vale Estate as servants clustered several meters away, whispering with pale, drawn faces. Krystal couldn’t look away. The assassin’s lifeless body swayed gently beneath the iron spikes, the wooden sign around his neck creaking with every gust of wind. Traitors die before their masters.The words weren’t meant for the corpse. They were a message for someone still breathing, someone inside these walls. “They’re threatening their own people,” Krystal whispered. “Eliminating loose ends.” He thought but then, the familiar voice made him turn. Diago had arrived. He wore a long deep crimson military coat embroidered with silver dragons. His expression was calm, but his eyes beneath held a storm that could drown empires. Several guards dropped to their knees at once. “My Lord.” They greeted but he just ignored them and

Silence swallowed the festival grounds; nobody moved or spoke. Krystal stood there with the silver pendant clenched tightly in his hand. His fingers trembled, the cold metal felt heavier than it should.Someone inside the Vale Estate had betrayed him. But who? the realization settled like ice inside his chest. The assassin was gone but the damage he'd left behind was far worse. Enemies outside the estate could be fought but those inside were another matter entirely."Interesting." Elias' voice broke the silence; his golden eyes fixed on the pendant. "Someone wanted you to see that."Krystal swallowed involuntarily. "I know." Diago said nothing. His expression unreadable, like a predator moments before deciding who to kill."Diago..." Krystal called. The alpha slowly extended his hand."Give it to me." He spoke. Krystal hesitated for a moment before placing the pendant in his palm. He carefully examined it."How long has this been missing?" his gaze darkened. Krystal stiffened."A few

"The Young Master..." The guard instantly collapsed to his knees; his uniform soaked in blood. And his entire body trembled violently. For a moment, nobody moved or breathKrystal's heart dropped straight into his stomach. “What about Diago?" he blurted out before he could stop himself. The guard swallowed hard."T-The assassins..." His voice cracked. "They're dead." The entire grounds were engulfed in silence that even the wind seemed to stop. Elias' expression didn't change, but Krystal noticed the slight tightening of his jaw.Dead? All of them? Krystal thought to himself. "How many?" Elias calmly asked.The guard looked pale. “There were twelve.” A chill crawled down Krystal's spine. Twelve? The original manhwa mentioned only three attackers, three, not twelve. Krystal panicked, his blood ran cold. The story had changed again."No survivors?" Elias asked.The guard shook his head. “None." The festival grounds erupted into nervous whispers. Several nobles nearby gasped and one nobl

The festival grounds instantly erupted into chaos.Nobles screamed as guards flooded the estate with drawn swords. Horses neighed violently as servants rushed people away from the forest entrance. But none of it mattered to Krystal, Diago’s had his arms still wrapped tightly around him.The alpha’s chest rose slowly against his back as murderous pheromones spread through the air like wildfire. His expression had gone completely cold and his body radiated with terrifying pressure as he stared at the black arrow lodged deep inside the pillar beside them. Krystal could practically feel the rage radiating from his body. He instinctively looked toward the arrow again and his stomach dropped. But one thing stood out, the symbol.The symbol carved into the arrowhead was a black serpent wrapped around a crescent moon. It was the Shadow Crest, he realized.“No way…” The realization sent chills down his spine. “…Diago,” Krystal carefully called but had no response from him. He had remembered i