He finally got out of bed and walked over to the window. Looking outside, he glanced at the manor house and noticed that the light in the study was already out.

However, the light in the Grand Duke’s bedroom was still on.

‘Should I check?’

He furrowed his brow and stared at the illuminated window.

An unshakable sense of urgency gnawed at him, urging him to see his master. But it was far too late in the night. To visit his master’s quarters at such an hour without pressing business was a breach of propriety.

But still…

‘Something feels wrong.’

Glancing at the clock, which now showed that midnight had passed, Lowell made his decision.

‘I’ll just check on His Grace and come back.’

In his haste, Lowell didn’t even bother to change. He simply threw a robe over himself, opened the door and stepped out. He walked briskly to the main house and was met by Deryl as he descended the grand staircase in the lobby.

“Lowell.”

Deryl raised an eyebrow, his gaze questioning why Lowell was here so late, dressed in a robe.

But before Deryl could say anything, Lowell asked quickly.

“Deryl, have you seen His Grace?

“I did, earlier today. You were there when we saw him, weren’t you? His Grace finally…”

“No, not earlier today. Tonight – just a few minutes ago? You were on your rounds, checking on the Night’s Watch. You must have passed His Grace’s chamber.”

“I did.”

“I did.”

“The lights in His Grace’s room are still on. Have you heard anything from inside, or perhaps exchanged greetings with him?”

Deryl furrowed his brow.

“Greetings at this hour? What’s the matter, Lowell? Why are you acting like this?”

There was both confusion and concern in Deryl’s voice. The two had worked closely together for over a decade, long enough to read each other’s moods and expressions with ease. Deryl could see the excessive anxiety etched into Lowell’s face.

“It’s just that…”

Lowell began, but before he could continue –

“Lowell?”

The steward’s voice echoed across the lobby.

He had spotted Lowell as he made his last rounds before his own late departure.

“Has something serious happened?”

The steward approached, his expression reflecting the concern in his tone. He too had noticed the urgency in Lowell’s dishevelled appearance.

For someone like Lowell to come to the main house at this late hour could only mean one of two things: either an urgent message had arrived from the capital, or a crisis had arisen in the Northern Territories.

Lowell, who was in charge of all administrative matters in the northern territories, hesitated for a moment before deciding to ask.

“Steward, when I left the study earlier, I overheard His Grace asking for dinner to be prepared. Is that correct?”

“Ah, it wasn’t exactly dinner… His Grace asked for wine, cheese and fruit to be prepared.”

“Wine, cheese and fruit…”

Lowell’s thoughts stopped.

‘After drinking so much already, why would he ask for more alcohol instead of food?’

As he pondered, the steward continued,

“But there was something a little odd. His Grace asked for two glasses to be prepared.”

Lowell froze.

“Two glasses?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

‘Drinking alone, but asking for two glasses, with cheese and fruit?’

It was strange, considering that His Grace had never paired alcohol with food. He had always preferred to drink unaccompanied.

The only time he had requested such a setting was when… he was with Lady Blante.

A cold shiver ran down Lowell’s spine.

‘No… it can’t be.’

With a stiff expression, Lowell asked.

“Was the wine His Grace requested by any chance Velod?”

“Yes. That’s right.”

Thud.

The steward’s confirmation felt like a blow to Lowell’s chest. His heart sank as realisation set in.

‘Today… of all days…’

Imperial year 456, 23rd November. 

Lady Blante’s birthday. 

The place His Grace was going… 

‘No.’ 

“Lowell?” 

Deryl reached out for Lowell, who was frozen like ice. But before his hand could touch him, Lowell shot up the stairs as if propelled by a spring. 

“Lowell!”

Deryl called loudly, but Lowell didn’t stop. 

He couldn’t stop. He had to confirm His Grace’s condition as soon as possible. 

‘Please, please…’ 

Lowell prayed desperately that he wasn’t too late as he sprinted relentlessly towards the Duke’s chambers.

At the door guards jumped at the sight of Lowell panting heavily, but before they could react he threw the door open without waiting for permission. 

The suddenness of the act left the guards momentarily stunned, and by the time they moved to stop him, Lowell had already burst into the chamber. 

Moments later, his desperate cry echoed through the room. 

“Your Grace!” 

He had prayed fervently that he wasn’t too late, that his fears were unfounded. 

But the reality unfolding before his eyes was merciless. 

A pool of blood spread across the floor. 

Kylance, collapsed and motionless. 

It had happened. 

He was too late. 

Lowell dropped to his knees beside the fallen Grand Duke, his body shaking as he knelt in the sticky warmth of the blood. 

“Your Grace… Your Grace… please…” 

With trembling hands, Lowell touched Kylance’s shoulder, arm and face, but his body was cold, unmoving. 

“Your Grace!!” 

His anguished voice echoed around the room as he pounded his fist on the floor, only to have his hand land in the thick pool of blood beneath him. 

The sheer volume of blood on the floor snapped him back to reality. 

“Your Grace…” 

Behind him, Deryl’s hollow, desperate voice broke the silence, but Lowell, realising the urgency of the situation, immediately barked orders to the guards. 

“Wake every healer in the Grand Duke’s estate, NOW!” 

* * * 

As the pain faded, darkness enveloped Kylance.

He opened his eyes in the middle of it.

“Where… is this?”

The suffocating darkness stretched endlessly, not even the faintest light in sight.

For a moment, Kylance wondered – was this hell? But it didn’t feel like hell. There were no demons tormenting him, nor was his body engulfed in fire.

Then what was this place?

He was sure that he had died. He had consumed every last drop of the deadly poison – a poison so deadly that even with his formidable resistance, there was no chance of survival.

Kylance stood still for a moment, his thoughts clouded.

Perhaps… the demons were on their way to claim him.

But even as he continued to stand still, nothing changed. He couldn’t even feel the passage of time.

Kylance grew restless.

He feared being trapped in this darkness forever.

It wasn’t the thought of being trapped in the darkness that frightened him – it was the thought of never seeing Ariel again.

He had endured the fires of hell just to find her.

Kylance instinctively felt that no demons or anyone else would come to this place.

Even if he was trapped in this darkness, he had to meet Ariel, if only once.

Standing motionless like a statue, he finally took a step forward in a place where nothing could be seen – not even the ground beneath him, if there was any.

One step, then another.

In the pitch-black void, only the sound of his footsteps echoed.

How long had he been walking like this? A single beam of light illuminated the ground in front of him.

Kylance began to quickly follow the light. No, he ran. The filament of light grew thicker and thicker until a great radiance engulfed his vision.

Shielding his eyes from the blinding glare with his arm, Kylance slowly lowered his hand as the sound of flowing water reached his ears.

And then the source of the brilliant light was revealed.

The great light had led him to the end of the cave.

As he turned, the pitch-black cave loomed up behind him. What on earth was happening?

Was this really the afterlife?

Or was he dreaming?

Just as confusion clouded Kylance’s mind, a familiar voice called out.

“Kyl.”

It came not from the cave, but from the direction of the flowing water.

As if bewitched, Kylance ran across the grass towards the source of the voice.

There, standing on the other side of the river, was the one who had called to him.

“Ariel.”

It was her, the one he had longed for with every fibre of his being.

“Ariel… it’s really you.”

The voice that had been calling to him.

His heart felt like it was going to burst as he ran towards her with reckless abandon. Was it just a hallucination? If it was real, he feared he would lose her again.

Like that moment on the cliff when he had failed to catch her.

But this time, fortunately, he hadn’t lost her.

Ariel was really there.

Beyond the gently flowing river she stood, wearing the white dress she had worn on the day of their engagement.

Could this be a dream?

Not a demon, but Ariel standing before him.

Were the gods granting his desperate wish? Or was he simply hallucinating?

He was confused, but it didn’t matter.

He was reunited with Ariel.

Yes, none of it mattered.

Kylance stepped towards the river. He was ready to cross the long stretch of water that separated them, to reach Ariel’s side.

“Ariel, I’ll be there soon. Please, just stay there.”

Impatiently, Kylance stepped into the water. He was afraid she would disappear again, just like at the cliff.

He had to hurry

But just as his foot touched the river, a cold voice rang out.

“Stop.”

It was Ariel.

The one who had stood motionless like a puppet had spoken.

Kylance froze and lifted his gaze. His eyes met hers with startling precision, as if she had been waiting for this moment.

The pale and indistinct figure that had seemed almost an illusion only moments before became vivid – terribly vivid.

Even her icy, hardened expression was clear as day.

With a cold look that pierced him, she spoke to the now stiff Kylance.

“Do not come. You’re not worthy to be here yet.”

“……”

“You are not worthy to search for Lady Blante.”

The Emperor’s words to him echoed in his mind at that moment.

Ariel fixed her ice-cold eyes on Kylance, her stare unwavering and unrelenting.

“You only think of yourself, right to the end. Did you really think I’d be happy to see you like this? After everything you did to me? Have you forgotten all that?”

Every word she spoke stabbed Kylance in the heart like a dagger.