At first, Elliope thought the burning heat on her skin was her own blood. She wondered if this was what it felt like to have her heart pierced and cough up blood. The air was thick with the metallic smell of iron, and the sound of falling arrows and bows echoed around her. 

“…….” 

She froze, holding her breath. Then – screech. The sound of metal shifting was followed by something round rolling across the ground. It took her a moment to realise that it was a man’s head. 

“…Hah.” 

She exhaled sharply. The body of the man who had lunged at her slowly collapsed, releasing a torrent of blood. Her vision was painted red and the overwhelming scent made her dizzy. As her legs gave way and her body began to fall, a strong, steady arm caught her and pulled her into a firm embrace.

“Elliope.”

It was only when she faced the blood-soaked Kallian that she understood his other nickname.

‘The Mad Dog of the Battlefield.’

With a single swift motion, Kallian severed the man’s neck, blood splattering all over him. 

He wiped his hands clean as if the blood was nothing more than a minor inconvenience, exuding the presence of a beast that had just finished its hunt rather than that of a man. 

A cold shiver ran through Elliope’s entire body. At that moment, she felt like nothing more than prey to a merciless hunter. 

When he had fought to protect her, he had been a cold strategist, relying on his intellect to overcome obstacles. But when strategy was no longer needed… 

The moment her eyes met his icy gaze, she trembled. 

Kallian gritted his teeth, uncertain how to interpret her reaction.

…Strangely, there was a hint of something almost like pain in his expression. 

“…He’s dead.” 

“……” 

“You shouldn’t have to see this.” 

At his softly spoken words, Elliope found herself momentarily dazed. 

It was as if…

‘He didn’t want me to see this side of him.’ 

As she combined his words with the look of hurt on his face, her thoughts became a tangled mess. 

‘I hurt his feelings.’

She wanted to calm herself and say something, but the suffocating fear of death pressing against her throat, the strong smell of blood, the man’s disfigured body and Kallian – drenched in blood – clouded her vision. 

The only reason she didn’t close her eyes was the overwhelming guilt that told her it was all her fault. 

Finally, after clenching his jaw, Kallian slowly pulled her into his arms. 

“Why are you here?”

“I… I……”

“You have some dirt.”

As Kallian left, Elliope, still clinging to him in a daze, finally spoke. Her chest was pounding. The urge to say something kept rising in her.

“…Spots, spotted disease.”

“……”

“Someone spread it…”

Only then did she realise why the accents sounded familiar. Forcing herself to steady her voice, Elliope craned her neck. 

“Maybe he knows who is behind the spotted disease…”

But there was no proof. 

The man Elliope had tried to catch was dead, and she had no idea what had happened to the one Ruben had been chasing.

Somehow she had the sinking feeling that he had lost the man as well. 

‘I’ve ruined everything.’ 

As always, it felt like she was the one making things fall apart. 

“If only the first wife had taken better care of things.” 

“Should we really acknowledge this woman as the Grand Queen?” 

“She ruined everything the moment she arrived.” 

The echoes of her past life resurfaced – words she had once dismissed as unfounded accusations, things she had tried to ignore. 

‘What if they were right?’ 

‘What if I really am the one ruining everything?’

She felt on the verge of tears. 

Kallian had told her she could do anything. He had shown her kindness in countless ways. And yet, once again, it was her… 

The hand Elliope had placed on Kallian’s shoulder began to shake uncontrollably, causing him to jump. 

“…Elliope.” 

His voice was cold, almost reluctant. But before he could speak, Elliope whispered, 

“I’m sorry.” 

“……” 

“I…I…” 

Unsure what to do, she slowly brought her trembling hand to Kallian’s face. 

“Please don’t hate me.” 

She feared that Kallian might begin to resent her for this. But more than that, she was afraid to put it into words – for if she did, it would feel like an irreversible truth.

The tingling sensation she had felt at the night market and the warmth of her conversations about her dreams during the day now seemed to be slipping helplessly through her fingers. 

It was hard to believe that these moments hadn’t happened long ago, but only recently – things she could still hold on to. 

Like a sandcastle easily washed away by the tide, she had forgotten how fragile it all was. 

Kallian’s unwavering presence, his closeness and the way he made her feel like he would do anything for her had been so intoxicatingly sweet.

An irrational and overwhelming fear consumed Elliope. Excessive thoughts and exaggerated fears were slowly eating away at her nerves – the fear of losing Kallian and the warmth he had given her. 

‘I tried to change… and I thought I had changed so much…’ 

Her body trembled even more. When Kallian finally examined her and saw her wounds, his expression hardened. 

“Where is Ruben?” 

“……” 

“He was sent to protect you.” 

The temperature in Kallian’s eyes dropped steadily. Elliope didn’t need him to say more – she already knew what he was thinking. Swallowing hard, she spoke quickly. 

“I told him to leave.” 

“……” 

“Please don’t punish him. He…” 

Her breath came in short, uneven gasps. 

Instead of staying at the Grand Duke’s larger, busier residence, Ruben had followed Kallian all the way to Elsen. That alone proved his unwavering loyalty. 

Elliope didn’t want Kallian to lose anyone because of her. 

“He left because I said so.

“……”
“I asked him to… I…”
“I told him to catch the man who was running away, so he went after him.” 

Her words trailed off, unfinished. Her breathing had returned to sharp, uneven gasps. 

“Elliope.” 

Kallian’s jaw tightened, the tendons showing as he processed her words. 

The blood of the man he had just beheaded dripped steadily, tracing the line of his jaw. 

It wasn’t his own blood, but the look on his face made it seem as if he was the one who had been wounded. 

She couldn’t bear it. 

“……!” 

On impulse, Elliope kissed him. 

The taste of blood clung to their almost colliding lips. 

The sharp, metallic taste made her stomach turn, but she couldn’t bring herself to pull away.

Kallian was taken aback for a moment before gently lowering Elliope from his arms. As her feet touched the ground, a wave of dizziness threatened to wash over her. But instead of steadying herself, she shifted her weight forward and kissed him. 

“Fu…” 

Their lips parted for a brief second and Kallian tried to speak, but Elliope immediately silenced him. Her kiss was hesitant and unpracticed, her tongue brushing his lips awkwardly. Kallian furrowed his brow and made a slight move to pull away, but the trembling in Elliope’s hands as she clung to him held him in place. 

“Damn.”

When their lips finally parted, a soft murmur escaped. Without thinking, Elliope’s hand instinctively moved to Kallian’s lower body. 

“……” 

As he felt the slight bulge under her touch, a strange sense of relief washed over him – one that was almost embarrassing. At least he was still physically attracted to her. 

Elliope moved hesitantly, her touch uncertain but deliberate. She had already undressed and touched him that night in the market, so there was no need to be shy or awkward now. In fact, she was grateful for that experience – without it, she would still be trembling, unsure of what to do.

“Elliope.” 

Kallian started to speak, but Elliope silenced him with another kiss. Her mouth still tasted of the dead herbalist’s blood. 

Kallian let out a long sigh before taking her in his arms again and holding her tightly. 

“It’s dirty.” 

His voice was calm, but the words unsettled her. As he began to walk in a certain direction, an irrational fear crept over Elliope – was he calling her dirty? 

Hooong. 

Just then, Zenya’s fierce, relentless wind howled through the air, shaking everything around her. It felt like the wind was tearing her from Kallian’s arms, tossing her away like a discarded doll. 

Instinctively, she moved closer to him. A low, almost guttural sound – part frustration, part something else – rumbled from his throat.

Clinging to Kallian with all her strength, Elliope felt her chest pressed tightly against his. Then she heard the soft, steady sound of running water. A sudden chill brushed against her toes and she realised they were standing in a stream. 

The cool water quickly rose past her ankles, then her calves, and soon reached her hips, where it met Kallian’s body. In their haste, they had almost fallen into the stream together. 

“……” 

Despite the rising chill of the water, the heat radiating from Kallian’s body seemed to counteract it, enveloping Elliope in warmth. Drawn to that warmth, she moved closer instinctively. 

Kallian held her for a moment, as if waiting for her to adapt to the temperature of the water. When she shifted slightly, he cupped his hands, letting the water warm against his skin before gently wiping her face with it.

The blood splashed across her soft pink hair and pale face was slowly washed away. The clear water of the stream, tainted by the blood of both Elliope and Kallian, turned a deep red as it swirled around them. 

Lost in a daze, Elliope rested her face against his chest, her breath warm against his skin. As she remained still, Kallian’s hand gradually moved lower, tracing a slow path down her body.