The sun was setting. Behind her, a path through the densely wooded mountain was visible. There was no time for hesitation.

Vivianne began running straight ahead without looking back.

* * *

How long had she been running? Just when the sun seemed to be setting, darkness suddenly enveloped everything around her.

Suddenly, she remembered Estella’s warning to the children: don’t play far from the orphanage because in the mountains, darkness falls in the blink of an eye.

It was so dark she couldn’t distinguish anything, not even what lay directly ahead.

“Haa, haa, ha…”

Her breath rose to the bottom of her chin. Though panting convulsively, Vivianne struggled to push forward one more step. The darkness that had fallen was overwhelming and frightening, yet it also concealed her—perhaps a stroke of luck.

Countless branches moaning in the wind hummed around her ears. Mixed with the hooting of owls, they created an increasingly desolate atmosphere. Her entire body became damp with cold sweat, and her vision blurred and distorted, possibly from dizziness.

She had no strength, likely because morning sickness had prevented her from eating properly. Her physical endurance was at its limit, and she desperately wanted to give up and collapse.

Was she injured? A burning sensation flared in the soles of her feet. Each step felt like being stabbed, but there was no time to check her condition.

‘Running such a distance in one breath. An must have been overjoyed to see Kian.’

Unlike herself who was fleeing, An had run to Kian without hesitation and nestled in his arms. Seeing that had made her heart sink, but she understood.

After all, An had simply followed her without knowing why, not because the puppy disliked Kian. From the beginning, Kian had rescued and trained the dog. It was inevitable.

Though she felt she might faint at any moment, that wasn’t an option. She had managed to escape somehow and didn’t want to be chained again. Kian had said there were no mermaids he had let live. Perhaps that was why—even alive at his side, she had felt dead.

She recalled her sisters, preserved lifelike yet frozen cold. What difference would it make if the place was a comfortable bedroom? She didn’t want to live a taxidermied existence while still alive, struggling to survive by his side.

The love that once made her feel she would die without reaching him had somehow transformed into something that killed and broke her. What she thought was the only male had been a trap.

It held sweet bait, waiting patiently for a sacrifice to be caught—with a leisurely attitude, seemingly without regrets. The more she dwelled on it, the more chills ran down her spine.

The moment she entered his embrace, he bit her ankle so she couldn’t escape. The more she tried to break free, the deeper he dug into her flesh, mercilessly crushing her bones and tendons.

It’s all because of me?

I did everything for you?

…Nonsense.

His affection was violence and illusion. It was obsession and possessiveness, never normal love.

She didn’t know where she was going. It was just an instinctive movement to survive. Vivianne climbed higher and higher, avoiding Kian like rising water. She grasped whatever rocks she could reach and clutched tough tree roots like ropes.

Despite using every ounce of strength, the sounds of pursuit grew increasingly closer. The distant sound of hoofbeats and torches flickering like ghosts in the air steadily tightened around her.

Then, plop, a large drop of water fell on her cheek.

The fine hairs on the back of her neck stood up.

Plop, this time her crown became wet.

‘…Could it be raining?’

No sooner had she thought this than raindrops began pouring down.

Her footsteps grew heavy like water-soaked cotton and dragged along. The wet soil caused her feet to slip backward and sink repeatedly.

“Ahh…!”

Eventually her weakened legs gave out, and she tumbled forward with a thud. Her barely healed knees stung as they scraped against the ground.

She couldn’t hesitate. At this rate, she would certainly be caught soon.

Vivianne jumped up, gritted her teeth, and started running again.

The forest path ended, and her view opened wide. Her staggering footsteps suddenly stopped.

The path had ended. Ahead lay only a sheer cliff and the sea.

“Hah, Hah, haa…”

With each labored breath, the thick scent of the sea filled her lungs, making her feel she might drown.

Was there no other way?

Where should she go?

If she turned back to change course, she would be captured.

She felt hopeless. There was nowhere else to flee or hide.

‘Perhaps… could I jump into the sea?’

Looking down, the height was dizzying. Perhaps from tension, her mouth went dry and her toes tingled. A small pebble kicked by her foot tumbled down, disappearing without a trace.

High waves crashed against the rock face, breaking and creating fierce spray. She was terrified, feeling she too might be swallowed by the dark water like that small stone.

Reflexively wrapping her arms around her lower abdomen, she stepped back several paces. Only when the sea was no longer visible did she regain her senses.

Though she had spent most of her life in the sea, seeing the waves churning in the rain and wind somehow made it feel unfamiliar and frightening.

What should she do?

Vivianne stood alone at the dead-end cliff. The rain and wind were fierce.

“…Vivi.”

Startled by the gentle calling of her nickname, she turned around. Through the flickering, precarious light, she could see Kian.

His complexion, usually never disheveled, was pale. His soaked black hair clung to his forehead in disarray. He disliked rainy nights, but now seemed not to care about such things.

“Here you are.”

His voice sounded somewhat relieved. Pleased with having cornered his prey, his lips held a faint smile. It was clearly a meager sense of victory.

“Why did you run away? You’ll be caught anyway.”

Her whole body trembled. She couldn’t tell if it was because of the rain-chilled temperature or the instinctive fear of facing a predator.

His gaze fell to her knees. Seeing the scraped skin and flowing blood, his usually composed brow furrowed slightly.

“I told you I don’t like you getting hurt.”

He continued to press down on her nape with his oppressive affection. He extended one hand as he slowly approached, telling her to stop being stubborn and take his hand.

Vivianne instinctively stepped back.

“Vivi. It’s dangerous.”

His low voice seemed both persuasive and threatening at the same time. Though his tone was calm, his gaze rippled like the turbulent waters below the cliff.

“Come here.”

“…No.”

One step.

Two steps.

With each backward step, the scent of the sea grew stronger.

“Let’s go home.”

He coaxed gently, conveying that nothing else mattered as long as she returned.

Yes. He was a living trap.

He always had been. The trap always contained sweet bait, appearing to be for her benefit. Sweet enough that a hungry sacrifice would have no choice but to walk in voluntarily.

“You should think about our baby in your womb. Hmm?”

Baby.

Vivianne hesitated momentarily at the word “baby” from Kian’s lips.

As expected, he had precisely gauged his prey’s vital point and aimed his teeth there.

“Hide and seek is over. I found you, so I won.”

He had found her, that was true. But… he hadn’t captured her yet.

Like a beast struggling to live even after being caught in a trap, Vivianne dragged her feet back one step, two steps.

“So let’s go home now.”

…No, I can’t. I am no longer your prey.

“I’m not going, Kian.”

Each step burned like fire. Just like that night of the full moon when she had to jump into the sea because of the side effects.

Thud, a small stone kicked by her heel rolled down the cliff. Vivianne stopped in her tracks. There was nowhere left for her toes to reach.

It was exactly the same situation as before, but this time she wasn’t afraid.

She looked up at the sky, mesmerized. The moon wasn’t visible because of the rain clouds.

But the soles of her feet… felt exactly like they had on the night of the full moon.

The red moon hadn’t risen yet, so she hadn’t completely become human. If it was a side effect of the potion, she would grow a tail and be able to swim.

What was happening? Even though she had paused briefly, Kian didn’t dare approach carelessly.

“…Please.”

Was she dreaming? She couldn’t believe it.

Standing at the edge of the cliff, his voice trembled as though he were pleading.

But this is a lie. Because he’s not someone who knows how to plead.

It didn’t matter. If she could go somewhere without him… she would be willing to offer even half her remaining soul.

A hollow laugh scattered across Vivianne’s lips.

“And I won.”

No sooner had she finished speaking than she threw herself into the sea without hesitation.

Goodbye.

Kian von Larson.

Down, down she fell, thinking of the crack that had formed in Kian’s pitch-black eyes.