Karsten—no, Adrian—curved his lips into a sly smile.

“Breti, have you already forgotten me?”

“Adrian…?”

It was Adrian, not Karsten, who called to her. Breti took a step back instinctively when she realized this. At that moment, the sound of raindrops hitting the window grew louder.

‘When it rained last time…’

Breti stared at the streaks of water sliding down the glass, stammering.

“You… you didn’t disappear?”

She had seen it clearly then—he had vanished. When Karsten left for the battlefield and the rain fell, Adrian had not appeared. So why now? Why again?

Adrian smirked faintly.

“Why would I disappear?”

“B–but, back then…!”

“And for whose sake would I?”

He stepped towards her, his words shaking her more and more. Unlike Karsten, whose injury had limited his mobility, Adrian moved forward with ease.

As he closed the distance between them, Breti stumbled backwards until her back hit the wall. She tried to slip away, but Adrian’s hand was already on her, holding her fast.

“Breti.”

His hand brushed her hair with deliberate intimacy and she shivered. It was Karsten’s voice. Karsten’s touch. Yet somehow, it felt entirely different.

Breti squeezed her eyes shut.

‘If only the rain would stop…’

That was all she could hope for—that the rain might end and take him with it.

“Breti.”

Back then, when she didn’t know Karsten’s heart, she wished for rain every day, longing for Adrian’s embrace because she sought traces of Karsten in him. Now, however, his presence was far from welcome.

“It’s been so long. Are you not glad to see me?”

At his soft murmur, Breti opened her eyes. His face drew closer, but she pushed him away and turned her head.

“I’m not.”

But Adrian was not one to retreat so easily.

“Truly?”

He seized her chin, forcing her gaze back to his, his eyes flashing dangerously.

“So soon you’ve forgotten me, Breti?”

“…”

“Would you want this body to never know peace?”

The flicker in his eyes made her shoulders tremble.

“You can only appear on nights when it rains—what power do you really have?”

Her words sounded bold, but inside, unease gnawed at her.

“Anything.”

Adrian’s voice brimmed with conviction.

“Even when the skies are clear, even when the sun blazes—I can do anything.”

“…”

“You already know that.”

Breti shuddered. The memory was still clear in her mind: during the last rainy season, he had appeared before her, even in broad daylight, leaving chaos in his wake.

Her nerves frayed as she bit her lower lip. Then her eyes caught sight of the bandages wrapped tightly around Karsten’s torso.

‘But… His Highness could barely move before. He was in pain even lifting an arm…’

Lifting her gaze to meet his squarely, she spoke with steady resolve.

“You are not the master of this body.”

“And why not?”

“The master of this body is Your Highness.”

This time, Breti’s gaze held no tremor—it was steady, unwavering.

“How can you possibly claim this body when you can’t feel the pain of such a serious injury?”

She gestured towards the bandages wound around Karsten’s torso, and she was right. When she had dressed the wounds earlier, Karsten had flinched at every touch of her hand; his body was sluggish and rigid with pain. But Adrian moved with ease, as though the injuries didn’t exist at all.

Her gaze sharpened as she locked eyes with him.

“You are nothing more than a foul spirit clinging to His Highness’s body. No more, no less.”

When he heard the word ‘spirit’, Adrian’s brow twitched faintly. Berti noticed the subtle change and continued in a firm voice.

“Disappear this instant.”

She glared straight into his eyes.

However, Adrian quickly regained his composure. He grabbed her by the hair and kissed her quickly.

“What is this? Now that you’ve had Karsten, I mean nothing to you? That’s cruel of you, Breti.”

“…”

“Truly cruel.”

He kissed her hair again and again, then suddenly whispered against her ear.

“We’ve certainly had our fair share of nights together, haven’t we?”

Berti’s face flushed scarlet. Memories of those moments when she hadn’t realized he was Adrian, and of those later moments when she had, surged at once. As he said, it hadn’t been a fleeting encounter.

“Th–that was because you…!”

She tried to protest, but Adrian leaned in abruptly and claimed her lips again. Startled, Breti’s eyes trembled violently. She refused to be swept away again as she had been before.

As she shook, Adrian suddenly drew back.

“Very well. Let’s do as you say.”

He raised both hands and took a step back. However, the ease with which he retreated only served to deepen her suspicions. Breti kept her guard up.

Sensing her hostility, Adrian gave her a crooked smile and took her hand.

“But in return…”

He bent down and brushed a kiss across its back.

Breti recoiled and tried to pull away, but he wouldn’t let go.

“Breti, from now on, you’ll live in constant confusion.”

“What do you mean?”

“Because I’ve decided it will be so.”

His brow furrowed sharply and, at the same time, the heavy rain outside began to ease off. Breti felt a faint stir of relief as she looked at him.

“Remember my words well. You were warned.”

As the downpour eased off, Adrian closed his eyes.

Breti hurried forward and caught the body that had been left behind. Moments later, Karsten opened his eyes.

“…What’s this?”

He looked bewildered as he glanced around, registering the fact that he was standing upright. Breti steadied him by grabbing his arm.

The next instant, the pain returned. He clutched at his wound, his face contorting with agony.

“D*mn it.”

“Your Highness.”

“You must be the sleepwalking again.”

Karsten took a deep breath and sat down on the edge of the bed. Perhaps he felt relieved; he seemed to think that his strange state was just another bout of sleepwalking.

‘Should I tell him the truth now?’

The thought flashed through Breti’s mind, but she quickly shook her head. What mattered most right now was tending to his wound.

“Please lie down, Your Highness.”

Obediently, Karsten followed her words without protest. Breti sat at his bedside and drew the blanket over him.

“It must be because of all you’ve endured.”

Yes, his sudden injury and the toll of battle must have weakened his resolve, allowing Adrian to exploit his vulnerability.

‘He didn’t appear when it rained before… This must be part of him fading away.’

‘He’ll get better.’

Breti tried to steady herself with that thought.

But then—

“Breti, from now on you’ll live in constant confusion.”

The memory of Adrian’s final words refused to leave her. Her heart pounded furiously against her ribs.

What had he meant? What truth lay in those ominous words?

While her thoughts tangled around Adrian’s warning, Karsten’s voice pulled her back.

“Breti.”

He spoke her name and took hold of her wrist. Startled into clarity, Breti immediately checked Adrian’s body, worried that his reckless movements had worsened the wound.

“Are you in pain anywhere?”

But Karsten only shook his head, his gaze fixed steadily on her.

“No.”

Then, with a small gesture, he lifted the blanket and indicated the space beside him.

“Come here.”

“…”

“Hurry, Breti.”