❛ 𝒉𝒐𝒏𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒐𝒏𝒆 ❜

6

ᴀᴜᴛʜᴏʀ'ꜱ ɴᴏᴛᴇ: i'm so excited that we're finally a part of the book where all the interesting stuff happens...it's about time, am i right? (つ≧▽≦)つ

thank you all for the support that you've been showing this book! 💗

- ͙۪۪̥˚┊❛ ❜┊˚͙۪۪̥◌

y/n's heart pounded in her chest as she stood before the imposing sight of the halted castle, its grandeur casting a shadow over her. it possessed what appeared to be a walking mechanical creature with chicken-like legs and a huge, frog-like face. how dare this thing be called a castle when it's so ugly? with heaving breaths, she tore her gaze away from its facade, blinking rapidly to clear her mind—now isn't the time to get distracted, she reminded herself. y/n then clutched the ends of her dress, the fabric billowing around her, and darted forward.

each step felt like an eternity as she raced toward howl's moving castle, her eyes scanning its metallic exterior for any sign of entry. and then, like a beacon in the chaos, she spotted it—a door nestled amidst the shifting gears and cogs of the castle's architecture.

as she leaped onto the stairs leading up to the back door, the ground beneath her trembled with sudden movement. y/n's heart lurched in her chest, and a startled squeal escaped her lips as she realized that the castle lurched into motion. desperately, she reached out, her fingers curling around the rickety railing for stability. "would it kill you to wait until i have gotten inside?!" she shouted at the building.

letting out a small sigh, she allowed her free hand— albeit trembling— to grasp onto the doorknob, her pulse thundering in her ears. with a swift tug, the door creaked open, revealing a dimly lit corridor within, and walked in.

once inside, y/n closed the door behind her, the heavy thud echoed through the vast space, leaving her feeling small and vulnerable in the vast expanse of howl's castle. reluctantly, she pressed one of her hands close to her chest whilst the other one got to work feeling its way through the darkness, she took hesitant steps forward, her heart pounding in her chest with every creak of the floorboards beneath her feet. the only source of illumination was a small fire flickering in the distance, casting long shadows that danced along the walls. "hello? is anyone here?" she called out. this probably wasn't a good idea, but she did it anyway.

if anyone was here, she'd want them to announce themselves now as opposed to them scaring her half to death later. however, when she received no reply, y/n couldn't help but feel confused. 'then why bother leaving an open fire here? that's dangerous.' she wondered as she approached it, y/n's eyes flickered over the meager flames, their warmth offering a small comfort in the chilly interior of the castle.

without a second thought, she gathered a handful of logs and tossed them into the fireplace, the crackling of the flames filling the silence.

as the fire grew brighter, further bringing light to the dingy surroundings, y/n grimaced at the sight before her. the inside of the castle was a chaotic mess, with no semblance of order or cleanliness. random objects littered the floor, and the air was heavy with the scent of stale air and old food. "what a dump..." y/n muttered.

despite the tales of howl's prowess as a powerful wizard, it seemed that even he couldn't be bothered to properly care for his own living space. y/n shook her head in disbelief, wondering how someone so renowned could let their home fall into such disarray. she's surprised how he's allowed to get it this bad—what, is a simple cleaning spell just too much for him to bear?

with a sigh, y/n made her way to the nearest wooden chair and sank into its worn cushions, feeling the tension slowly melt away from her weary muscles. closing her eyes, she let out a soft exhale, grateful for the chance to finally rest and get off her feet.