He discovered it while exploring the diary of the former Duchess, which was also inside the underground vault. He couldn’t fathom why he hadn’t found it in the past three months. The diary exuded its presence even in the dark basement, as if it were calling out to him.

[If there are descendants who find this diary, they must be eager to know how to travel to my world. It’s a dimension entirely different from this place, but the method isn’t as difficult as you might think. Just concentrate on the one emotion you want most and travel with it. However, you must remember. It’s only once every two months, precisely three days, the maximum time allowed for you. Also, if your initial feelings change, you can never go again.]

The method felt surprisingly simple. He began moving to her world concentrating on the single thought ‘I want to have her.’

The more he met Ria, the more she became an irresistible woman. Her unique pleasant scent, the scent of her skin, her tender touch – everything was delightful. He wanted to sink into her.

Gradually, he grew more greedy. It started with the desire to meet her, then to hold her hand, then to embrace her, and finally… he wanted to bring her to his world.

As his greed intensified, he wanted to praise his initial thoughts vehemently.

Because if he’d just thought he wanted to meet her, he wouldn’t have been able to get there once he realized he wanted to bring her with him.

After the awkwardness of their first meeting and the long two-month gap, when she nodded at his persistent pursuit during several meetings, his heart swelled, and when they had their first intimate moment, he thought his heart might burst from the overwhelming emotion.

He couldn’t believe it at first, and it felt like a dream as she cried softly beneath him. The ecstasy of exchanging warmth couldn’t be described in words.

He couldn’t help but feel his greed for her knew no bounds.

At first, he was slightly bothered by the fact that her love for him wasn’t equal, but that soon became insignificant. She didn’t love anyone else, he knew she was only seeing him, and most importantly, she liked him.

That was enough.

From six months after their first meeting, he began to search the diary again to find a way to bring her into his world.

As if the diary understood his feelings, or was waiting for him to find a way, it provided the information.

[Now you’ve started to feel greedy. In truth, I am someone who came from that world. I traveled dimensions with the power of the gods. But then I got caught by men. Anyway, to bring someone from that world here, you need two things: the blood of the person you want to bring and your own blood. Mix them and write the person’s name on the mirror. Then, she will be bound to this world.]

He began to feel excited at the thought that he could bring her now. However, as he read the cautionary note below, he froze.

[But you must not forget. There are conditions this time too. If someone from that world comes here, they can never return. Explain it clearly, and hope to find someone who understands. I hope they become happy. If not, tragedy will eventually come.]

If he brought her here out of his selfish desires, she could never go back. Tragedy could befall her. That was all he could think of.

He had obtained everything he wanted without much effort, always finding it easy. That’s why the current situation confused him. He wanted her, but he didn’t want to be resented. He also wanted to make her happy.

For the first time, he suppressed his desire and hesitated. Six more months passed, and he had to make a decision now.

He couldn’t continue like this forever. Besides, he worried that during the two months he couldn’t see her, vile men might have attached themselves to her. He wanted to have all of her time. No, he would possess it.

“SigH.”

He once again exhaled a deep sigh, vividly recalling the methods he now knew by heart.

His desire not to be resented by her remained, but his possessiveness and obsession for her were growing, suppressing it. Continuing like this would eventually lead him to forcibly take her away. It was an action that would lead to the worst possible outcome.

“…I have to tell her today.”

Choosing the direction that was slightly less awful seemed like a better choice. If she rejected, he would continue persuading until he wasn’t rejected anymore. He could wear his lips out dozens, even thousands of times if it meant he could have Ria.

However, Rune couldn’t bring himself to say persuasive words to Ria. He didn’t have the luxury for that.

It was around 1 AM, and the person he was waiting for had not contacted him yet. Naturally, he couldn’t help but worry about her in such a late hour.

Given the limited time they had to communicate and meet, Rune felt uneasy.

He didn’t even think about turning on the lights. He kept checking the time with a worried expression, biting his lips. The fingernails he chewed on were worn and torn, as if they were about to draw blood.

Despite the countless times he had futilely dialed her number, he pressed the darkened screen again to call her. Then, with a loud ringtone, the screen brightened.

He answered the call without confirming the caller’s identity. After all, the only person who knew his number was her.

“Hello? Where are you? Why haven’t you been contacting me….”

• Ah, excuse me, are you Miss Lee Rin Ah’s guardian?

“…Who is this?”

The voice on the other end of the phone was that of a strange woman. His gaze turned icy instantly. The voice on the other end also lowered, becoming more subdued.

• This is the hospital. The patient is in a critical condition right now, and we’ve been trying to reach you through this number.

“…Critical condition? Where? No, why?”

• She was involved in a major accident and is bleeding heavily. We need your consent as she needs to undergo surgery immediately.”

“Damn it.”

He cursed under his breath and hung up the phone, forgetting even to grab his coat, he rushed out. Kahin, who was standing outside the door, quickly followed him.

“Kahin, prepare the car immediately.”

“As you wish, my Lord.”

Kahin swiftly concealed his tracks. Rune clenched and unclenched his fists repeatedly, pressing his forehead. Soon after going outside, his aide, who was waiting with the car, was ready.

Rune’s car quickly towards the hospital. The hospital’s location, as marked on the navigation, wasn’t far, so they arrived sooner than expected. Rune rushed inside, with his aide and Kahin following close behind.

“Ria, where’s Ria?!”

“Yes? Oh, are you talking about Miss Lee Rin Ah, the patient? Just head to the left over there.”

When the gorgeous blond man urgently and anxiously asked, the nurse, who had been momentarily dazed, hurriedly regained her composure and replied. It was thanks to the fact that she easily dismissed his pronunciation difficulties, considering him a foreigner.

Rune immediately ran in the direction the nurse had indicated. And there he saw her. Ria, lying on a blood-stained bed, her small and delicate body covered in red. Her already pale skin looked even more lifeless, lacking any warmth, and her usually bright chestnut eyes were hidden behind closed eyelids.

His hands were trembling. His heart was beating wildly, and all kinds of sounds became muffled. It was the first time he had felt fear in his life.

After that, he didn’t know how things went.

When he regained his senses, Ria’s blood was all over his hands and clothes.

Later, he heard from his aide that the surgery was fortunately successful. However, Ria’s condition was not good, making it difficult for her to wake up.

During the surgery, a crowd had gathered outside the operating room, perhaps receiving updates. Recognizing faces from the photos she had shown, Rune easily recognized them as her family and friends.

Rune briefly caught sight of a middle-aged couple who resembled Ria and lowered his head. They probably wouldn’t recognize him; he hadn’t met them face-to-face, and even if they heard about him from Ria, they wouldn’t know what he looked like.

Even if they did recognize him, he didn’t care. He couldn’t afford to focus on them.

He still couldn’t believe it. Just a few hours ago, she had softly brushed his hair and feeling her warmth. He had been in her arms.

Rune, still trembling, clenched his fists tightly, biting his lips with his shaking hands. Then, he unbuttoned a couple of buttons on his shirt.

His throat tightened. In his mind, he kept hearing the words he had repeatedly been told: severe bleeding, uncertain consciousness, and in the worst case… she might die.

A ringing sound echoed in his ears.

Dying? No one is dying.

He couldn’t live without her now.

This couldn’t be happening. It couldn’t end like this. I can’t lose her like this.

In that moment, the diary came to his mind. Maybe there was a way inside it. Something he might have missed.

As a glimmer of hope emerged, his body moved instinctively. Like a madman, he jumped up from his seat and rushed out of the hospital. He entered the room where he had stayed, found the emergency return device on the vanity, and activated it.

Until now, the device had been unnecessary, as he always stayed here until the maximum time limit. After the period passed, the magic would send him back to his original world anyway.

The return device began to vibrate loudly. He closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, he was in his familiar bedroom. Rune quickly retrieved the diary he had hastily placed in the bedside drawer and started flipping through it. From beginning to end, in a desperate attempt to read every word accurately in case he missed something. But…

“No, no!”

There was no solution. There was no way to save her from dying.

In his despair and helplessness, he screamed, collapsing onto the floor. But then, a bright light emanated from the diary. As he hastily raised his head, the pages turned, and the writing began to appear on an empty page.

[Poor child, I will help you.]

It was a sentence that flowed down like a beam of light. Rune desperately clung to the diary. The words continued to appear, illuminated by the light.

[But even if you use this method, it is said that if the other person’s condition is severe, their body may become significantly weakened. And they might never be able to return to their original world. You might face blame. Even so, will you do it?]

“It doesn’t matter. As long as I can save Ria. So please… please, tell me.”

[Do you remember the method to bring the other person to this world? Do it the same way. Right now. Then, before their soul and body separate, they will be transferred here and can survive.]

Upon reading those words, Rune immediately bit his own finger, drawing blood. He had already mixed his blood with hers, which was already on his hands.

Then, muttering like a madman, he wrote Ria’s name on the mirror. It was easy for him to write it, as she had once taken his hand and taught him how.

“Ugh, Ria. Please. I can’t lose you.”

His desperate plea was heartbreaking. As he wiped his face with his hand, his tears mingled with her blood on his skin, making it look like tears of blood.

Finally finishing writing her name on the mirror, a bright light emanated from the mirror. Rune closed his eyes for the last time, bathed in that light.