“Why are you saying that? You did nothing wrong. I was the one who made all the mistakes, so why…”

At Aveline’s tearful words, Luen let out a faint, bitter laugh. He had expected her to say something like that. And because she was that kind of person, he had wanted—somehow—to protect her.

“Cough!”

A sudden, violent cough burst forth, and a metallic, squishy lump surged up his throat. His mouth filled with hot, sticky fl*id so thick and unpleasant that it forced his lips to part again and again.

It wasn’t until he saw her pale face looking down at him that Luen realized it was blood.

“Stop, stop talking. You’re bleeding…!” 

Aveline, at a complete loss, kept stroking his face. She didn’t even notice the cold sweat that had soaked her fingertips.

‘If even that touch brings you relief, you must think I’m insane.’

Somehow, he wanted to see her usual stern expression just once more. But when he tried to open his mouth, no words came—only labored, rasping breaths. His vision began to blur.

‘Not much time left.’

The realization hit him like instinct.

Yet instead of sorrow, a strange lightness settled over him. It was as if the knot that had bound him his entire life had suddenly unraveled.

“Even so, this time… I saved you… I really did save you…”

He couldn’t even tell if those murmured words had properly made it out of his mouth. But it didn’t matter.

He had died cursing her, and even after being reborn, he couldn’t forget the grudge. He had gone so far as to wrap his hands around her throat. And still, the thirst had never been quenched.

A fierce, lifelong yearning—finally fulfilled.

Though he could no longer move a single finger, his heart was strangely unburdened. He felt as though he could shake off everything and fly away, weightless. Soaking in that light, euphoric feeling, he finally let slip the name he had buried deep in his heart.

“…Serpina.”

A name he had sworn never to utter again. A name upon which he had layered every ounce of hatred and resentment. A name he had once regretted didn’t have a physical form he could tear apart.

But in the end, when he called that name again, his voice was no different than before—just gentle.

“Yes… Acheron…”

In response, Aveline also called him by his old name. She was smiling. Though the corners of her mouth trembled helplessly, she was still smiling at him, just like she had in those days.

It was more than enough.

“Khak!”

Just then, Luen coughed up more dark blood. Hot blood completely drenched his lips in red.

“No, please…”

Despair once again filled Aveline’s eyes. With trembling hands, she kept wiping at his lips. But no matter how she tried to wipe it away, the endlessly flowing blood only spread across his face.

“Please… Why do you have to die? It’s not supposed to be this way. If someone has to die, it should be me… Why is it you…?”

Aveline prayed endlessly, not even knowing to whom she was praying.

But no matter how she cried and pleaded, the light in Luen’s eyes only grew fainter.

Then, at last, when his clear eyes were fully covered by his eyelids, she could no longer hold back and let out a scream.

“No! Acheron!”

A massive wave of guilt crashed down on her like a waterfall, shattering her mind. Aveline collapsed completely.

“Aaaaaaaaah!”

A scream, boiling up from the pit of her chest, burst from her mouth. She couldn’t breathe. She simply couldn’t.

‘If this is a nightmare, please—someone, anyone—wake me up. Please, somehow, get me out of this hell…’

“Over here!”

At that moment, one of the soldiers, who had followed her screams, shouted. Soon, a rumble of approaching footsteps shook the ground.

But Aveline didn’t budge.

She couldn’t even lift a finger. If she could just die like this, if that would release her from the pain ripping her heart apart…

“That wretched woman, she even dared to harm our soldiers…!”

“I’ll end this cursed fate by taking her head!”

Knights and soldiers from House Huster shouted, bearing down on her. A cold blade gleamed threateningly above the helpless, collapsed Aveline.

“Guh!”

Suddenly, a sword flew in from somewhere and pierced the neck of the soldier closest to her with deadly precision.

Then, like a storm, something—or someone—rushed in to shield her from the knights. Each time the sword flashed, knights fell without even a chance to resist. It didn’t matter if limbs were severed or lives taken—there was only one intent: To eliminate anything that stood in the way.

In the blink of an eye, the chaos was over, and a deathly silence fell.

The terrifying reaper who had suddenly appeared and annihilated the enemy finally turned his back to her.

“Aveline.”

A rough, ragged voice pierced her eardrums—where moments before, she had heard nothing at all.

At that moment, Aveline, who had been sitting in a daze all along, slowly lifted her empty eyes.

“K-Kazerre…”

Unbelievably, he was standing there. Exhaling irregular breaths like someone who had run all the way here without being able to breathe, his eyes anxiously scanned her as though worried that even a single strand of her hair might be hurt.

“Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere…?”

Kazerre approached her. With every step he took, the crunch of dry leaves underfoot and the sharp scent of cold wind brushing past as he moved felt so vivid, it brought tears to her eyes.

“Ah… Acheron, Luen…”

There was no time to ask why he was here. Aveline spoke incoherently as she fumbled for Luen, who lay across her lap. The chill that touched her fingertips was so piercing it made her hair stand on end.

Her complexion turned beyond pale to a deathly bluish hue, and only then did Kazerre recognize that Luen’s condition was grave. He knelt and carefully examined him.

“This… was it poison?”

Aveline nodded repeatedly, tears falling without end. She clutched her chest tightly as if trying to suppress the tightness in her heart, but still she gasped like something was caught in her throat.

“Wh-what should I do? Luen, if this keeps up…”

Unable to finish her sentence, she sobbed so hard it seemed she might stop breathing. Watching her in that state tore Kazerre’s heart to shreds.

To be honest, the man was already as good as gone. His breathing was so faint it wouldn’t be surprising if it stopped any moment, and his fingertips had already turned icy blue with no warmth left. His face was utterly drained of blood and deathly pale.

And to be even more honest, Kazerre felt no emotion toward the man who was dying before him.

This was the man who had taken Aveline away from him more than once. There was no way he could feel anything positive about that. Regardless of Aveline’s own will to leave him, he had countless times felt murderous rage toward the man who would go with her.

But…

“Please, open your eyes…”

Before Aveline’s tears, such petty and disgraceful jealousy held no power.

Kazerre gently wrapped his arms around Aveline’s shoulders. Her golden eyes, soaked with transparent tears, slashed through his heart like blades.

“Don’t cry.”

Even if it was over another man, he couldn’t just sit and watch her cry. If he could make those tears stop, he would do whatever it took. Even if that meant saving the man he had always wanted to kill with his own hands.

“I can’t bear to see you cry.”

If this man recovered, he would surely take her away from him again. And when that happened, Kazerre would once more be consumed with the desire to kill him.

And perhaps—no, definitely—he would regret not taking the man’s life today.

Still, he had to save him. Because that’s what Aveline wanted.

“Step back.”

Kazerre tried to keep his voice as calm as possible so she wouldn’t be frightened.

When Aveline obediently leaned back, he slipped a hand under the man’s back and lifted his upper body to drape him over his own shoulder.

“Can you walk?”

Kazerre extended his remaining hand to her, still seated in shock.

Aveline took his hand and attempted to stand but staggered as if her legs gave out. Kazerre was overwhelmed with the urge to throw off the man he carried and rush to support her.

But that wasn’t what she wanted. Repeating that to himself, Kazerre barely managed to suppress the rising impulse. Stifling his true feelings and doing what was against his heart had always been tormenting, but at this point, it felt indistinguishable from self-t*rture.

“What about your companion who can use holy power?”

“Edin… Sir Thierry…”

Aveline trailed off mid-sentence, suddenly inhaling sharply as if something had occurred to her. Then she spoke, her face contorted in pain as though she’d swallowed a needle whole.

“S-Sir Patrick… he tried to save me…”

Her voice trembled pitifully. Kazerre easily guessed what she would say next. His entire body stiffened with tension.

But for now, the priority was getting her to safety. Kazerre closed his eyes tightly for a moment, then opened them and calmly reassured her.

“Let’s head north for now. The elite knights who were following me should be close by. Once we meet them, we’ll find a way.”

“…”

“Do you think you can keep up if we walk quickly?”

Too weak to reply, Aveline gave a feeble nod.

Kazerre gripped her hand firmly and began to walk. At first, he kept his pace slow to match her stride, but as she managed to follow, he gradually quickened his steps.

Descending the mountain swiftly, they soon reached the ridge that led to the northern side. Kazerre could feel the man’s breathing grow fainter in real time.

If this man died too, Aveline’s mind would collapse beyond repair. Though it was the last thing he wanted, he had no choice but to hope the man wouldn’t die.

And that was when it happened. He sensed someone approaching.

But it wasn’t from the north, where his subordinates would be. It was from another direction.

“D*mn it.”

He spat out a harsh curse, let go of Aveline’s hand, and drew his sword. In truth, he wanted to throw aside the man, not Aveline, but barely restrained himself.

At last, when the strangers revealed themselves, Kazerre scanned them with a deadly gaze. There were about ten of them—too many to face while carrying another man.

He was just considering whether to leave the half-dead man here and lure the group elsewhere.

“Natalie!”

Before he could stop her, Aveline ran toward them. Someone from the other side also ran to her, recognizing her. Only then did Kazerre realize they were the escort from the Crimson Merchant Guild Aveline had requested.

“My lady, our leader…”

“Well…”

As Aveline’s voice trembled again, Kazerre approached and gently laid the man they were looking for down on the ground.

At that, the woman called Natalie turned pale and rushed to the man.

“Commander!”

“W-what happened? Why is the commander…?”

“Can’t you tell just by looking? He’s been poisoned! Quick, bring out every antidote you’ve got!”

Natalie practically screamed, and the others frantically dumped out their bags. Fortunately, it seemed they had the means to perform emergency treatment.

But before anyone could feel relief, the sound of hoofbeats approached. Kazerre sharply raised his head and looked around. This time, the direction was familiar.

Before long, the elite knights who had been searching for him appeared with a commanding presence.

“Your Grace! What is this situation…?”

Caught off guard by the unexpected scene, the knights couldn’t hide their confusion as they questioned him. But instead of answering, Kazerre simply stared at Aveline.

Aveline’s gaze remained fixed on Luen the entire time. And Kazerre’s eyes never left her.

As he stood there, blankly staring at her profile while she anxiously watched over Luen without so much as a glance at him, Kazerre eventually turned his gaze away. Then he walked toward the subordinates who had been waiting for his command.

“Follow me.”

With burning determination to wipe the Huster family’s territory off the map, he strode resolutely in the opposite direction.

The knights, having received an abrupt order without so much as an explanation, glanced back and forth between Aveline and him in bewilderment. As Kazerre pressed forward without looking back, he failed to notice that one of the many gazes behind him was Aveline’s.

As Kazerre continued without stopping, the knights soon followed. Though the gloomy clouds above began to slowly break, and sunlight trickled through the gaps, those in haste to reach their destination didn’t realize it.