From the moment Saul’s completely severed breath resumed, there was no denying that death had been traded. David simply hadn’t considered it because such things were beyond ordinary comprehension. He couldn’t imagine anyone foolish enough to sell their own death.

Trading “death” itself was fundamentally unnatural. Death wasn’t something that could be mentioned in transactions between people.

Such dealings inevitably involved unholy forces. Moreover, in this case, it wasn’t even clear whether the primary actor was the unholy entity or Saul who borrowed its power. Neither possibility could be viewed positively.

“Since unholy forces are involved…”

“The deal can’t be undone, I know.”

Despite knowing this, David couldn’t help but ask. He had seen records of similar situations at the theological school and understood better than anyone how horrific the price of this deal would be.

With troubled emotions written across his face, he looked down at Catherine’s young, beautiful face as she lay unconscious.

Youth and beauty are fleeting. After her limited time passed and she lost everything, Catherine would never be able to go to God’s side.

She would become like those maddened beings who remain only as souls after their bodies have crumbled away. This was the only future left for Catherine who had sold her death.

According to doctrine, death was described as a passage to the resting place arranged by God—the one and only blessing given to each soul-bearing being.

And this was truly so. Throughout history, the fate of those who traded death had always been the same. Samuel knew that evidence of this existed in the deepest part of the Central Temple. 

“God, have mercy upon this poor soul.”

With a face that couldn’t hide his sorrow, Samuel offered a brief prayer for this foolish soul.

“…that deal.”

Samuel raised his head at the soft voice and saw David looking down at Catherine with an unreadable expression. Standing slightly turned away, only the side of his elegant face was visible. As day was fading, the reddish-black light streaming through the window cast an eerie, slanted glow across his profile.

David’s voice, momentarily choked, continued again. “Is there no way to make the deal again?”

At this question, Samuel shook his head lightly, unable to believe what he’d heard. He rubbed his ear roughly with hands made coarse and thick from years of hardship.

Yet while he did so, David simply gazed at him with his usual composed expression, showing no agitation whatsoever. He remained as calm as someone merely suggesting closing a window when it rains.

Samuel had been waiting for David to deny his intentions, but when he realized David truly meant to attempt this absurd deal, he was utterly shocked. So startled was he that he could only open and close his mouth for a long while without forming proper words.

Finally gathering his wits, he exclaimed, “Are you in your right mind?”

Despite the scolding tone, David burst into a low laugh, finding the question familiar—Catherine had asked him the exact same thing before.

With laughter still lingering in his voice, David retorted, “Do I seem otherwise?”

“How can you say such things?”

At this unexpected laughter, Samuel’s face hardened severely, thinking perhaps David was taking the matter lightly. But David was not treating this casually.

“This is no joking matter,” Samuel continued reproachfully, to which David, now serious, replied in a resolute tone, “I’m being completely serious.”

Even then, as now, David’s mind was sound. Only one thing was different. In this moment, David could affirm with absolute certainty that unlike before, he would never regret this decision.

“You know the price of such a deal and still insist?”

“I insist precisely because I know.”

“You claim to know and yet—!”

David raised his hand, firmly cutting off Samuel’s words as he was about to press further. He shook his head with a face set in firm determination, showing he wouldn’t change his mind.

“If you know a way, tell me. If not, I’ll find one myself.”

Faced with David’s unyielding attitude, Samuel could only beat his chest in frustration, feeling like he might burst from exasperation.

 “Oh my,” he groaned. Whatever ran in the Cavendish blood, the brothers were alike in their foolishness.

“Deal or not, you should know it all ends when Gabriel arrives.”

Gabriel possessed extraordinary holy power and would immediately sense what had happened the moment he set foot in Cavendish Castle. Moreover, being as strict with others as he was devout himself, he would never overlook Catherine who had traded her death, regardless of how unfair the deal might have been.

Samuel could imagine how Gabriel would react upon meeting Catherine. Excuses of ignorance would be useless. Catherine, having sold her death, would be secretly transported to the Central Temple as a betrayer of God and imprisoned until her soul wore away to nothing.

In severe cases, she might even be burned alive under the pretext of heresy for easier confinement. Either fate was equally horrific.

“Then we must finish everything before he arrives.”

David spoke casually, though he vaguely understood this was nearly impossible. Nevertheless, he simply couldn’t abandon Catherine to her fate.

“You should tell the lady instead.”

“And if I tell her?”

David turned to Samuel with fierce intensity. Though trying to suppress it, he felt just as frustrated and angry about the situation as Samuel. The difference was that David’s emotions were directed entirely at Saul.

“Does it sound like something easily believed? It’s fine if she doesn’t believe it. But what if she rebels?”

David didn’t continue, but both men knew what they were considering. The Central Temple officially denied the existence of unholy forces, so the moment they brought up the subject, they would instantly be branded as heretics.

Then David’s mission, which he had prepared for over many years, would end before he could properly begin.

“I’m the one who decided to kill Saul. That much, at least, I must do myself.”

David needed to keep the promise he had made to Saul in his youth. He had lived solely for that purpose, which was also why he had returned to Cavendish. He needed to confirm Saul’s death, and if Saul wasn’t dead, David had to kill his brother with his own hands.

The brothers, sharing the same blood, had sworn this before God, shedding blood together. Under no circumstances could David compromise on this.

Knowing this, Samuel said nothing more on the matter. He simply informed David in a calm tone of the fact he had overlooked.

“If you want to make a deal, you must tell her one way or another.”

But David shook his head, suggesting he had considered this as well.

“I won’t tell her.”

I’ll do it without Catherine knowing. Just like Saul did… David whispered with determination, showing no intention of changing his mind. But he couldn’t finish his sentence. Before he could, a cold voice cut through his words.

“What exactly are you planning to do behind my back?”

* * *

Catherine was walking down a pitch-black corridor.

Rain was falling outside the tightly closed windows. Howling winds, flashing lightning, and skeletal tree branches whipping about like lashes all tangled together, shaking the surroundings.

In contrast, the inside of the corridor where Catherine walked was quiet. Amidst the absence of any human presence, Catherine slowly moved forward. Then, suddenly thinking she saw a dark shadow reflected through the window, she stopped and turned toward it.

“…!”

With a flash of lightning, her eyes met those of a pitch-black figure standing outside the window. Catherine froze, unable even to scream. She stared at the figure instantly buried in darkness, unable to turn away or blink. Lightning flashed again.

The face of the figure, backlit by bluish light, became more clearly visible. Cheeks so pale they seemed devoid of any blood could be seen. Gaunt, sunken features were visible, with disheveled hair plastered to them, wet and tangled from the rain.

On this cold winter day, the figure outside wore nothing but a thin shirt, having lost its coat somewhere. Even that was tattered and torn. Appearing to have rolled in mud, it was blackened in places. The figure looked like a corpse that had just risen from the dead.

Thud.

It raised its withered hand and struck the glass window. Catherine instinctively stepped back in surprise. Thud. It struck again. Thud. And again. Thud. Thud. It shook its skeletal arm and pounded on the window. Thud.

The window shook with such force it appeared ready to shatter. Thud. Thunder rolled, almost drowning out the sound. Thud. Thud. Between thunderclaps, the pounding on the window continued. Thud. Lightning flashed.