CHAPTER - 68

  Narrator:

  Dav spent ten years immersed in darkness. It wasn’t a restful sleep, nor was it rest.

  It was simply emptiness, an eternal fall into nothingness.

  When he finally reopened his eyes, he felt nothing.

  No joy, no fear, no relief.

  It was as if he had died and been resurrected without ever truly living.

  Every monster slain, every criminal executed, every battle won... they were just numbers.

  The millionth monster was the same as the first.

  The last catastrophe left him with no satisfaction.

  Only a distant echo in his heart, like a forgotten sound.

  He had desperately tried to feel something. Anger, remorse, joy... but nothing.

  His soul seemed reduced to an expanse of ashes.

  Every emotion slipped away like sand through his fingers.

  Yet, deep down, a spark remained. A desire so faint it was almost imperceptible: to feel again.

  Perhaps that was why he smiled, even if only halfway.

  Perhaps that was why he laughed, even if the sounds were empty.

  One day, he told himself, he would laugh for real.

  A few hours later, around 5:30 PM, Iris and Valeria woke up without making a sound.

  The air in the room was calm, with only Dav's regular breathing filling the space.

  The two of them looked at each other, still groggy.

  Valeria "Did we...?" she whispered faintly, exchanging a glance with Iris.

  Iris "Did it happen...?" she murmured, pressing a hand to her forehead.

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  They looked around, noticing everything seemed normal. Perhaps the wine had played tricks on their minds.

  Dav continued to sleep, their legs intertwined with his, their arms still linked as they held hands.

  Valeria, behind him, didn’t move. She stayed there, wrapping him in a silent embrace, as if she wanted to protect him even in sleep.

  Iris, with her head resting on his chest, felt incredibly safe.

  Then, suddenly, Dav began to stir in his sleep.

  His breathing became irregular, and his fists clenched.

  A strangled whisper escaped his lips.

  Dav "Iris... Valeria..."

  His voice was full of pain.

  A whisper laden with emotions he would never allow himself to show while awake.

  The girls tensed.

  Then, without thinking, they hugged him tighter.

  Their arms wrapped around Dav with more warmth, their bodies close to his, trying to calm him.

  Iris "It's okay..." she murmured, brushing his hair.

  Valeria "We're here with you..." she whispered, closing her eyes and holding him even tighter.

  After a few moments, Dav stopped trembling.

  His breathing steadied.

  The nightmare dissipated.

  The two girls looked at each other again, needing no further words.

  For him, they would always be there.

  An hour later, Dav opened his eyes.

  The first thing he saw was Iris, beside him, looking at him with a sweet smile.

  He turned and found Valeria also beside him, her fingers gently tracing the marks of his scars. Her touch was light, almost reverent.

  Iris leaned in and kissed his cheek softly.

  Iris "If you have bad dreams again, we'll be here."

  Without saying anything, Valeria squeezed his hand.

  Her grip was firm, warm.

  The contact between her soft skin and Dav's hard, yet strangely welcoming hand made her smile.

  They loved him.

  More than anything else in the world.

  And they would never let him go.

  After a bit of conversation, Dav got out of bed, taking his uniform and cloak.

  He dressed with his usual efficiency, not hesitating.

  Iris and Valeria, in the meantime, also tidied themselves up, trying to restore some semblance of order to their appearance.

  Before Dav left, they came close.

  A kiss on the cheek.

  One from the right, one from the left.

  Two small red marks, left by lipstick, remained on his skin.

  Dav didn’t react, but deep down, he felt something.

  Perhaps, one day, he would understand it for real.

  He left the room, closing the door behind him.

  Narrator:

  When Dav entered the grand hall, all eyes turned to him.

  The murmur of conversations paused for a moment, replaced by dropped jaws and wide eyes.

  Dav stopped, scanning the room with an impassive look.

  He tried to understand the reason for their reaction, but nothing seemed out of place.

  His uniform was straight, his cloak in place... what were they staring at?

  That’s when Rafael Oliveira and Professor Kael approached with an amused grin.

  Kael: Hey, Dav, did you wake up in sweet company?

  [Rafael, holding an elegant handkerchief between his hands, came closer, tilting his head with a coquettish expression.]

  Rafael: Really enviable... and to think I was hoping I’d leave you these marks.

  Narrator:

  Only then did Dav understand.

  With an impassive look, he glanced at his reflection in a window and noticed the lipstick marks on his cheeks.

  His mother and Director Vittorio were laughing together, while Matteo, hidden in a corner, covered his mouth to avoid bursting out laughing too loudly.

  Rafael came even closer, caressing Dav's skin with the handkerchief in an exaggeratedly slow touch.

  Rafael: Tsk, what a pity... but don’t worry, I can leave you my mark, if you’d like.

  Narrator:

  He winked playfully, enjoying the moment.

  Dav, without reacting, remained impassive, but inside he knew Matteo would never let him forget this moment.

  THE END OF CHAPTER - 68