Looking at Serena’s head, which had dropped as if in resignation, Magnus couldn’t even move.

Was threatening her the problem?

Magnus swallowed.

It was because her empty-looking eyes seemed to no longer want to live.

Despite begging to be saved, she seemed to have no expectations, and Magnus’s heart sank at the sight of her accepting even death.

‘No…’

This wasn’t the sight he wanted to see. He just wanted to have a conversation.

Magnus threw away the sword he was wearing and took a step closer to her.

Serena, trembling like an aspen tree, had resigned herself to everything and was tightly closing her eyes.

It looked so different from her usual self.

“Serena.”

Magnus decided to soothe her first.

Initially, he wanted to have a conversation, not to kill her.

“Yes…”

The formal speech that barely flowed out, suppressed and shrunk, was unfamiliar. But it seemed familiar to her.

Kneeling, bowing her head, not making eye contact.

Magnus couldn’t help but think, it’s like a slave.

He knew these eyes well. Eyes often seen on the battlefield.

Eyes you can see from the losing side, or from prisoners captured alive.

Eyes that have resigned to death.

No, it would be more accurate to say eyes that have given up on life.

“I didn’t mean to threaten you.”

“……”

“I’m sorry.”

“……”

Serena didn’t answer and didn’t raise her head.

She just flinched and trembled her shoulders whenever his voice flowed out.

“May I hug you for a moment?”

“……”

“Serena?”

As he waited quietly, not wanting to touch her without permission, she nodded after a long while.

Magnus embraced her, sat her on the bed, and knelt on one knee in front of her.

As their eyes were about to meet, she lowered her head even more.

‘…Is this her original self?’

Is it an illusion that it seems rather familiar?

“First, I’m sorry for threatening you.”

Magnus bowed his head and apologized.

“I should have had a proper conversation, but I pushed you too hard.”

Delivering organized words to her was somewhat difficult for Magnus as well.

“Whatever you are, it’s fine. I promised I wouldn’t abandon you.”

Magnus voiced the conclusion he had reached after brief contemplation.

“……”

Serena didn’t answer.

“I’ll say it clearly. I won’t abandon you.”

“…Even if I kill someone?”

“Yes.”

Because the distrust that had already sprouted inside her had grown uncontrollably.

It was because memories of countless betrayals came to mind.

Serena kept her mouth shut, lowered her head, and remained motionless in that state.

“I promise.”

“…Please divorce me.”

Instead, Serena talked about the failed divorce.

“Serena.”

“…I said I would leave.”

She spoke with a bit of resentment.

Serena clearly tried to leave. She didn’t want to associate with this original story, with characters close to the original story.

“It was Your Grace who stopped me. So…”

“Serena.”

“So, please let me go.”

Serena spoke honestly.

Of course, without making eye contact.

“Serena.”

Magnus called her again, but realized that Serena had no intention of talking.

“I don’t understand why everyone stopped me when I said I didn’t want to in the first place… You’re all going to throw me away when I’m no longer needed anyway…”

Serena muttered, full of dissatisfaction.

Magnus easily noticed that she had fallen into quite an emotional panic.

And that she was in self-defense, unable to endure this situation of fear and confusion.

“I won’t appear in front of your eyes again. So…”

This time, she wanted to live ordinarily without dying.

She wanted to live like that for a long time.

Serena shed tears under her distorted face.

“I don’t want to die anymore…”

“Serena, I won’t kill you. I won’t kill you.”

“Don’t lie. You’ll end up killing me too. You’ll abandon me.”

Like in the original story, you will ignore me, hurt me, and abandon me like that.

Sometimes she often wants to ask.

What did she do so wrong?

Why was she so unhappy just for being born?

“Serena!”

Startled by the loud voice, she raised her head to find Magnus holding both of her hands, interlocking fingers.

“I understand, so please stop hurting yourself.”

“……”

Magnus’s gaze fell on her arms. There were more red marks than before.

“Ah.”

Feeling a bit of pain rising belatedly, she blinked her eyes slowly.

“Will you… divorce me?”

Serena asked, harboring a faint hope.

“No, I won’t.”

Magnus refused outright.

Kill her? Nonsense. Abandon her? Bullshit.

Even with her like this in front of him, he felt like he was going crazy, and he’s supposed to remove her from his sight?

Magnus just realized how arrogant he had been.

“I’m sorry. It was all my fault. So please look at me. Serena. Look at me and let’s talk.”

Trying to have a conversation without properly making eye contact was killing him.

There’s a limit to conveying sincerity with just voice.

He tries to make his voice as gentle as possible, but it’s difficult because he’s not that kind of person to begin with.

“Since it seems hard for you to speak, I’ll speak first. I roughly knew that you had become a bit strange.”

“……”

“From when you first came to draw up the divorce papers.”

Serena’s shoulders flinched at Magnus’s words.

“I thought it was strange afterwards too, but as we spent time together, you became better, so I just didn’t try to know more.”

“……”

“But, that words today… it was like you admitting it yourself, so I had to ask.”

At Magnus’s calm explanation, Serena slowly raised her head.

The sound of her heart beating loudly in her ears seemed to have quieted a bit.

“Why…”

Serena opens her mouth.

Magnus immediately brightened up and waited for her next words.

“Why… didn’t you say it earlier?”

“…Because I thought you would run away.”

“Then, why did you ask today?”

“I told you, I couldn’t help but ask. To make you open your mouth quickly… I’m sorry for threatening you. But, even like this, I…”

Magnus tightened his grip on her hands.

“…have a family and territory to protect. I needed to confirm even the slightest doubt. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

Magnus spoke gravely, but it was half a lie.

He did intend to hurt her.

He was going to do whatever it took to hear the information. If necessary, he was going to behead her.

Of course, after seeing her next appearance, such thoughts completely disappeared.

Anyway, it wasn’t a lie by current standards.

“…So I’d like you to tell me. Who you are…”

“……”

“Will you give me a chance to properly know and like you?”

Magnus gently coaxed Serena.

He was curious about the secret she was hiding and needed to confirm whether she would be a threat or not.

Of course, he didn’t think she would be a threat at all.

“I’ll probably look like a crazy person…”

Serena said with a hollow laugh.

Dying and coming back to life, dying again and coming back again.

Like a monster.

“It’s okay. I’ll believe everything you say.”

“……”

“I promise.”

“I… don’t trust people.”

Serena said after a long while.

She doesn’t trust, didn’t want to trust. She hated trusting.

“You say you won’t abandon me and then you tried to kill me.”

“…It was just a simple threat. Because I thought you might run away… I’ll never do it again from now on.”

“……”

Serena finally made proper eye contact with Magnus.

Pleased with her unflinching gaze, Magnus slightly raised the corners of his lips.

“People like you are uncomfortable.”

At Serena’s low voice, Magnus tightly closed his mouth.

‘That’s a bit unpleasant.’

“Were there others like me?”

Magnus asks with slightly furrowed brows.

In response, Serena just shook her head weakly instead of answering.

She didn’t seem to want to talk much, which made Magnus even more anxious.

“Because ordinary people aren’t that honest.”

“There are things you can’t get if you’re not honest.”

Serena smiled faintly at Magnus’s firm words.

Finally seeing a faint emotion return to Serena’s indifferent expression, Magnus struggled hard to hide his excitement.

He was worried that she might hide her expression if startled.

“Serena.”

Instead of answering, Serena quietly looked at Magnus.

“I like you.”

“……”

Serena’s face momentarily contorted, seemingly about to cry.

It wasn’t her usual embarrassed look or her flushed, flustered expression.

She just acted like someone who couldn’t bear the pain and sadness of the fact that he said he liked her.

And that, to Magnus, was somewhat hurtful.

More than any words she could say, it was obvious that she wanted to reject him.

“I love you.”

Magnus added one more sentence.

Magnus tightened his grip on Serena’s hands slightly as he watched her take a breath.

“…I’m sorry.”

For the first time, Serena responded to his words that were like a confession.

“…I’m sorry.”

It felt clumsy and awkward, but it was a firm rejection.