If swords are clashing, the opponent must surely be someone using a sword as well. Against evil spirits, one would swing the sword like a club, so the sound should be different.

Their judgment had been momentarily paralyzed by the hope of it being the Holy Knights.

A startling realization made their hearts sink, and a sharp conflict between turning back or not silently opposed each other.

But the moment they discovered the two people fighting at the bottom of the stairs, all confusion and conflict disappeared.

It was Rublier.

It was a strange thing. Even though Kirion, with his golden hair that gleamed brightly at the slightest light, was positioned closer to Satin, she recognized Rublier first, struggling in the shadows cast by the evil spirits.

He was visible at first glance. The air around where he was felt different.

The contrast felt different. All of her senses detected Rublier. It was surprising.

“S-Sir…”

Vitalis, who recognized Rublier a bit later, muttered in astonishment.

The evil spirits tried to slow Rublier’s sword and bite into his body. Translucent masses of fog swirled chaotically.

They persistently targeted only Rublier. Rublier fended off Kirion’s attacks while beating back the evil spirits. Even his horse helped its master, thrashing about violently.

Rub.

Satin mouthed silently. She didn’t dare call out loudly.

Fearing that his concentration might break, that she might interfere, she just stood stiffly still.

Kirion fought quite evenly against Rublier. Although he had only handled swords moderately for physical training at the academy and had spent most of his recent years at a desk, the devil’s whispers squeezed Kirion’s strength to its limits.

The evil spirits’ interference in blocking Rublier also played a part. He didn’t care about the aftereffects that would remain on his body.

Clang! The interlocked metal pieces gritted against each other.

Despite the dull feeling from the clinging evil spirits, Rublier managed to block the sword while crushing them.

Clang, clang, clang! The friction sounds burst forth in succession.

Her heart tightened. Satin put strength into her toes. She could see Kirion striking down on Rublier’s sword with all his might. Although Rublier was blocking well, he couldn’t quite shift from defense to offense.

She knew the reason.

Their eyes had just met.

Just as Satin had recognized Rublier, Rublier had instantly recognized Satin.

Even though she hadn’t called out his name loudly, even though she had been very careful not to disturb his concentration, Rublier’s gaze had naturally distinguished Satin right away.

His desperate gaze examined Satin from head to toe. It was a look that seemed to be frantically trying to assess if she was hurt anywhere, if she was in pain, how she had been doing.

It felt like she should say, I’m okay.

Although it hadn’t been uneventful, she felt she should answer that she had managed well enough.

Satin nodded.

Rublier cast a relieved glance. Without a single word, with only the direction of their gazes and the look in their eyes, the meaning was clearly conveyed.

I’m glad you’re safe. Go. Hurry and go.

The silent urging pushed at her back. Satin instinctively started to step back but stopped and stared straight at Rublier.

Not once had their meetings and partings gone as expected. He always appeared on his own terms.

Without warning, he had interfered in Satin’s marriage, shaking her life between heaven and hell, then bid farewell, only to rescue her in an unimaginable way at her lowest moment. And now, as soon as they met, he was trying to say goodbye again.

If they parted like this, what would come next?

Leaving her alone with none other than the devil, with what feelings, what memories should she part?

Why did her heart flutter like this every time?

Who are you. What are you in my life.

The person she was most grateful to, the person she resented most, the person she missed most, the person she blamed most — it was all him.

A hundred and one emotions held her ankles, preventing her from moving one way or the other.

As Satin didn’t budge an inch, Vitalis carefully tugged at her sleeve. Just as he was about to mouth, We must go now…

“Where do you think you’re going?”

A stern shout flew in.

Kirion had tilted his head sideways at some point.

Chills ran down their spines. It was impossible to know when he had noticed Satin’s presence.

For a moment, they wondered if he was just testing them, but Kirion’s intention was clearly directed at Satin.

“It’s disappointing if you think I didn’t notice when you were exchanging such passionate glances. Isn’t that right, Rub? Moreover, the feeling coming from behind is quite different from before. You’re quite skilled. How did you survive? And where did you get the holy relic back from?”

Satin took a deep breath.

“Dodge, Satin!”

While she tightly hugged the holy relic hidden in her bosom, the evil spirits approached, cutting through the air. The frightened Vitalis shrank his neck like a turtle. Satin stepped in front of Vitalis and glared at Kirion.

“Do whatever you want. The evil spirits can never harm me.”

The ones that had been hiding between the floor and walls, jumping up, were blocked by Satin. The evil spirits circled around Satin.

But that was all. They couldn’t exert any influence on Satin.

Satin calmly dispersed them. Some of the evil spirits tried to poke their heads in, some out of resentment, some out of spite, but Satin’s sanctuary remained firm.

The only opponent Satin and Vitalis had to be wary of was Kirion.

They had planned to escape the Papal Palace because while they could block evil spirits, they couldn’t block swords. But now, Rublier was standing in front of him first. Now, nothing and no one was scary anymore.

“…You keep surprising me.”

Instead of answering, Satin exchanged glances with Rublier. Her declaration to Kirion was actually words she wanted to convey to Rublier.

That she wasn’t that weak. That it was okay not to run away right now.

“B-Brother. P-please stop now. I-isn’t Sir Ka Dillon your best friend?”

Vitalis, who had entered the Papal Palace solely with the wish to return Kirion to his former self, pleaded without missing the opportunity. Rublier was Kirion’s close friend, and Caldeblanca was the country where they were born and raised.

Up to a certain point, Kirion clearly loved his country, friends, and family. He was genuinely proud of them.

But for two hundred years, the devil had not left the bloodline of the one who had sealed him, waiting for a chance to revive.

It had sprinkled whispers full of temptation into Kirion’s ears.

“T-the devil is u-using you, Brother! C-come to your senses!”

Vitalis shouted.

Who wouldn’t understand the feeling of wanting to somehow return Kirion’s soul to its former state?

Likewise, who could coldly cut down their only childhood friend, or the family they had trusted and relied on?

Whether it was Rublier or Vitalis, if they could only drive the devil out of Kirion’s mind, they would surely choose that method.

Even while possessed by the devil, his outward appearance was still unchanged Kirion himself.

That’s why Kirion was the one using more cruel moves. When the evil spirits didn’t work on Satin, he channeled that anger too as he thrust at Rublier’s neck.

It was evident that he was deliberately aiming for vital points that would cause serious injury even with a graze. Rublier deflected the sword while bending his body backward.

“Don’t go, I said don’t go!”

Suddenly, the movement of the evil spirits changed. Satin shouted sharply.

But the evil spirits had no reason to stay around Satin when their threats didn’t work on her.

They gave up on Satin and started gathering around Rublier. She tried swinging the candle to somehow reduce even one enemy, but the evil spirits that freely moved through the air often quickly flew away, avoiding Satin.

Rublier seemed rather relieved when the evil spirits flocked to him instead of Satin.

“Your Grace, hurry…!”

The swords of Rublier, who wanted only to send Satin away, and Kirion, who had to catch Satin, tangled again.

Rublier was using all his might to block Kirion again and again, trying to buy time for her to escape with Vitalis.

“L-let’s go, Lady Satin.”

Vitalis also urged Satin. Not only was it Rublier’s wish, but he also thought Satin must leave the Papal Palace.

If anything were to happen to Satin, wouldn’t it mean both her and the child would be in danger at once?

“No… How can I alone, from here…”

Even as she hesitantly took a couple of steps following Vitalis’s guidance, Satin kept looking back at Rublier.

She was dizzy with the conflicting thoughts of needing to leave and not being able to leave Rublier behind alone.

“Save me… Save me… I must live…”

At that moment, a pale voice crept in between the four people.

It was Delilah.

Delilah, half out of her mind, was walking towards them, dragging her body covered in wounds that had been bitten all over.

Her hair, sticky with sweat and blood like seaweed, covered her entire face, with her pale pupils occasionally visible and then disappearing.

When seen up close, it was a horrifying sight that made one’s heart sink.

Seeing her half-n*ked body, and remembering its original beautiful form, made its current damaged state feel even more cruel.

Delilah spotted Satin. She spotted Vitalis too. Then she spotted Kirion and Rublier.

She staggered towards them.

“…Delilah.”

“Scared… Scared… Scared… Scared…”

It was a dazed murmur. Her blood-stained hands clawed at the air.

“Delilah. If you want to live, grab that woman!”

Suddenly sensing an opportunity, Kirion shouted thunderously.

It was a familiar voice. A frightening voice. An irresistible voice. The man who controlled evil spirits was the most fearsome power Delilah had ever encountered.

Moreover, she had always lived a life seeking strong power and depending on authority.

Delilah reached out her arm following her learned instinct. Vitalis tried to block her in a fluster, but it was already too late.

It wasn’t difficult to push the small, emaciated woman down the stairs. Her hands reached the other’s neck.

That snow-white woman who had grown up in a noble status and acted haughty and arrogant, stared at Delilah with her large eyes opened even wider.

The woman opened her mouth to say something.

And Delilah heard nothing.

Her senses completely shut off like a light going out.

It was a very brief moment. Delilah lost consciousness without knowing at all what had happened to her.

For an instant, time seemed to stop.

Satin looked down at Delilah who had rolled down the stairs. Having hit her head hard on the railing as she fell, the blood flowing from the back of her head stained the steps dark red.

The sword that had fallen, accurately striking Delilah, trembled with a clang. It was Rublier’s sword.

He had thrown his sword to stop Delilah without a second thought. Even though losing his sword meant losing the only weapon to face Kirion, Rublier didn’t hesitate.

“Satin, go!”

He had only thought about saving Satin at all costs. Without time to consider his own safety, solely to prevent Delilah from laying even a finger on her.

Sometimes people make foolish choices. Even knowing full well the danger that will follow, there are moments when one succumbs to the choice that the heart dictates.

That moment was now.

Her wavering heart finally found its bearings. Satin made up her mind. No matter what, she had to stay by Rublier’s side. She simply couldn’t abandon him and run away.

At last, she faced her true feelings. Despite all she had been through, despite falling to rock bottom because of him, in the end, it was love.