The silver lines are glowing?

In the depth of the night, Lily curled up on her bed.

Her face was flushed, her breathing uneven, and fine drops of sweat glimmered along her neck.

Suddenly, her eyes opened wide as she clutched her chest in surprise.

That restless surge within her, like climbing toward a peak she could not reach, made her body tremble uncontrollably.

Confused, Lily lifted her nightclothes slightly, and the silver mark on her stomach began to glow faintly.

That troublesome silver mark—why must it awaken at such a time?

The interval between its awakenings was three days.

Each time, it brought waves of unease, a longing for warmth and comfort.

Back in the cave, when Lady Letia trained her, the silver mark would calm down whenever Lily’s mind was soothed.

But recently, Letia had chosen to keep her distance—offering only half-hearted comfort, teasingly testing Lily’s resolve again and again.

Lily’s emotions had nowhere to go, and the silver mark’s light grew stronger.

She lay on the bed in silence, staring blankly at the dark ceiling.

Now she slept in the guest room—after Mira’s departure, it had been left empty.

Letia refused to share a bed with her, and truthfully, Lily didn’t wish to either.

So she volunteered to move here, even feeling a strange sense of relief at being away from that troublesome woman.

Yet deep down, she knew everything was under Letia’s control.

Letia must have predicted it all—that the silver mark would stir Lily’s spirit, pushing her to the edge of surrender, forcing her to seek comfort.

“No way!” Lily bit her lip and shook her head firmly.

Would she really go begging for Letia’s help?

Would she really show weakness before her?

Absolutely not! Lily refused to yield to such pressure.

Even if the mark tormented her, she would endure it.

It was just a small curse—nothing she couldn’t overcome with willpower.

“Ugh… Letia…”

She muttered the name unconsciously, as thoughts of the woman flooded her mind like a fever dream.

She gasped softly, forcing herself to stop.

Why was she thinking about her again?

She didn’t like her… so why did her mind keep circling back to those confusing memories?

Her thoughts tangled, her heart growing heavy.

She needed a way to calm the silver mark’s power.

But no matter what she tried, the glow refused to fade.

Just then, a soft “click” sounded at the door.

Lily froze, her breath catching.

The door opened slowly—and there stood Letia, dressed in a thin robe of pale silk.

Her face was faintly red, her eyes clouded with something unreadable as she looked at Lily.

Lily remembered—when the mark awakened, it didn’t only affect her.

Those nearby could feel its resonance too.

It was through this strange bond that their fates had first intertwined.

“Lily, you really are a restless child,” Letia said softly.

Her gaze fell upon Lily’s disheveled clothes, the faint silver light pulsing beneath.

“You don’t need to worry about me,” Lily stammered, turning away.

Though she told herself she disliked Letia, her heart beat faster at the sight of her calm and confident poise.

“Your expression betrays you,” Letia said gently, stepping closer.

“Admit it—you want to be held, don’t you?”

“N-no… I won’t give in!”

Lily tried to guard herself, but her body trembled with uncontrollable energy.

“Lily,” Letia murmured, “if you stop resisting, I can ease your pain.”

“Don’t think I’ll surrender that easily!”

“The silver mark is shining brighter,” Letia teased softly.

“And your voice… it’s trembling. How long can you really endure this?”

“I won’t give in! I refuse to be ruled by this curse!”

Letia sighed. “You really are stubborn. Maybe you need a lesson in composure.”

She reached out and lifted Lily’s chin gently.

For a moment, the world seemed to fade away.

Lily felt her thoughts scatter, her will wavering under the strange pull of the silver light.

“Letia…” she whispered.

“Well?” Letia smiled faintly. “Are you ready to stop fighting yourself?”

“I… I don’t know…”

“Good,” Letia said quietly. “Then let the mark settle. Don’t let it control you.”

For a heartbeat, everything went still.

Lily felt the pulse of energy calm, and warmth replaced the chaos within her chest.

But as the silence stretched, anger rose in her heart.

“I’m not surrendering,” she said, voice trembling.

Letia raised an eyebrow. “Still defiant?”

“Always,” Lily said. “You think you can read me, but I’ll never let you win.”

Letia chuckled softly. “Then let’s see who lasts longer.”

Their wills clashed silently, like two storms meeting in the night.

The mark shimmered with light, its power testing both of them.

Neither would bow.

For Lily, this was no longer just a battle against a curse—it was a battle for her own pride.

Letia might be powerful, but Lily’s resolve burned brighter than the silver mark itself.

If she could endure longer, she could break free.

And when that happened, she would finally look Letia in the eyes and say:

“See? Even dragons fall before human will.”

That thought gave her strength.

She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and faced the night once more.