The bleeding stopped quickly, but this time I felt dizzy and weak.

“Are you okay…?”

Iscallion looked up at me with concern.

“Yes, of course. But we can’t use this card anymore.”

I wiped the blood and nonchalantly organized the cards.

I couldn’t hide this from Shahar forever. It wasn’t like being sick or unwell. I felt like the core of my life was eroding day by day. Despite that, I was strangely calm.

I hadn’t come to the Underworld without any resolve, and I intended to push forward with my somewhat reckless plan to coax Shahar into quickly going back to the surface.

‘If I die, I might as well live here forever.’

Having faced so many significant events, I seemed to have become desensitized to most things.

I secretly burned the blood-stained cards so Shahar wouldn’t notice.

But unfortunately, the timing was off.

“What are you doing here?”

“I was, uh, playing with fire. Right, Leon?”

When I turned to seek agreement, Iscallion had already fled. His fear of Shahar seemed to be growing as his memories returned.

Once again, it was just Shahar and me.

Shahar’s gaze landed on my pale face.

“You don’t look well.”

“I’m fine. It’s just because there’s no sunlight.”

“Do you not miss the sun? Humans have a special love for the sun.”

“Please don’t include me. I’ve been through too much.”

Thinking of the old witch who disappeared swiftly without even using her cane made me feel irritated.

“Don’t you want to go back to the surface, Shahar? There were many interesting things. Or do you dislike it because you have to turn into a stone?”

I would miss his handsome face, but I didn’t mind if he was a stone.

Shahar shook his head.

“I can no longer go to the surface.”

“What? What do you mean? Why can’t you go up?”

“A sinner who has harmed his kin cannot tread the earth.”

“What? But the wolf…”

“He endured the punishment of being burned in Tartarus’s fire for tens of thousands of years and still did not cleanse his sins. Thus, he clung to his descendants like a parasite. Even that ended miserably.”

“So, does this mean you can’t return to the surface with me?”

Shahar drove the point home to my astonished self.

“There’s no need to regret it. It’s the way of the world.”

According to him, there were only two ways we could be together.

We could return to the surface and wait for death to come slowly, or I could die soon in the Underworld.

‘Either way, I have to die.’

Having already died once, I could die twice, but now that I was resolved to face death, there were too many things weighing on my mind.

First of all, I was most worried about my parents.

‘I couldn’t even say a proper goodbye when I left.’

Blinded by love, I committed such unfilial acts.

Even knowing this, I couldn’t help but think there was no other choice.

At that moment, an uncontrollable cough burst out.

It would have been better if it had stopped there, but blood gushed out.

“You!”

Shahar seemed more shocked than I was.

“It’s nothing.”

The words I threw out to reassure him only had the opposite effect.

“Since when has this been happening? Why didn’t you say anything?”

“…Because of this.”

“I should have sent you back sooner. Everything is my fault.”

It was clear he wouldn’t listen if I denied it. He would find a way to send me back to the surface no matter what.

I already knew from experience that neither tears nor anger would work in this matter.

But I wasn’t someone who would follow a one-sided decision.

It was really fortunate that he didn’t know how we parted, but I did.

* * *

I went to find the aide who had shown me kindness before.

[Ah, it’s Miss Lou. I heard you’re going back to the surface. I hoped you could stay a bit longer, but it can’t be helped.]

“It’s just for a moment. I’ve decided to bury my bones here.”

The aide looked surprised.

[What? But you cannot defy the King’s will.]

“In the end, Shahar will follow my words. I just need someone to help me.”

I was surprised by the certainty in my own voice.

[What do you want?]

“I want to know how a human can stay in the Underworld for a long time.”

[I, I don’t know anything.]

He clearly knew a lot from the look in his eyes.

I persistently followed him for days. Now he seemed to have a fit just seeing my shadow.

[Why are you doing this…? I swear I don’t know anything.]

“If you don’t confess quickly, I’ll tell Shahar that you confessed your love to me.”

He jumped at my words.

[What? What are you talking about?]

If he were alive, he would probably be sweating.

“So hurry up and tell me.”

It took a long time, but he finally spoke with resignation.

[You must keep this a secret.]

“Of course. I may not know much else, but I’m tight-lipped, so don’t worry.”

[Hmm, I’m not entirely convinced… Anyway, a long time ago, I saw someone who hadn’t died yet come here.]

“What happened to that person?”

[Actually, they weren’t fully alive. Their soul arrived a few days early by mistake as they were dying.]

“That’s just someone who was on the brink of death.”

[But it also means that it’s possible to leave your body on the surface and bring only your soul down here. Also, isn’t there an example right next to you, Lady Lou?]

At that moment, a realization struck me like lightning.

If the Crown Prince had followed my words, Iscallion’s body would be in a comatose state. And despite his soul being here with me in the Underworld, he showed no symptoms.

[That’s all I can tell you… If I say more, the King will obliterate me. No, even if he finds out about this, I’m…]

“Thank you. If things go well, I’ll repay you generously, so think about what you want from now on.”

The aide’s gloomy expression finally eased a bit.

[Then, if it’s not too much to ask, please put in a good word for me with the King when you return. I’ve been worried because I haven’t been promoted for hundreds of years.]

“What was your name again?”

[It’s Raum.]

“Alright, Mr. Raum. I’ll remember.”

Such illegal solicitations were strictly forbidden in the Underworld, which should be the most fair place across heaven, earth, and the underground.

But I was a petty person who sought immediate benefits over the order of a fair world.

Shahar, unaware of my scheming, was more affectionate than ever, as if he’s trying to send me off without any regrets. That made me angrier than his arbitrary decision.

“You.”

“Who are you? Don’t talk to me.”

“I know you’re unhappy with my decision. But my mind is made up.”

“…….”

Of course, he meant his decision, but to my ears, it sounded like an unchanging love confession.

“If I grow old and come back to find you, will you still say the same? You’ll change your mind when you see me as an old woman.”

“You’ll still be lovely.”

Imagining reuniting with him, who’s beautiful and handsome, while I was wrinkled and shabby, made me feel sad. Maybe my eyesight would be so bad that I wouldn’t even recognize Shahar.

“If you treat me badly because I’m old, I’ll kill you.”

“You’re worrying for nothing. You accepted me when I was a stone.”

I felt a pang of guilt.

“To be honest, I really hated it at first. Later, I grew fond of you and found you cute and lovable… And you was at least useful, Shahar. What use would you have for me as an old woman?”

Shahar laughed out loud.

It made me wonder if he was tempting me not to leave.

“Come here.”

Knowing well that he wouldn’t get mad at me no matter what I did, I didn’t hesitate to lead him to the bed.

“You, your body—”

“Today, I want to do things my way.”

Arrogantly declaring, I pulled Shahar towards me. He followed like an obedient servant.

Pretending to be calm, I touched his clothes, but my hands were trembling so much that it seemed like the night would pass by.

Eventually, he started undressing himself.

His torso, as if carved from ivory, was revealed. I stared at his body, mesmerized.

Shahar carefully laid me on the bed and reached for my clothes.

“W-w-wait a minute…”

As I tried to back out in fear, Shahar enclosed me in his arms.

‘Ah, whatever.’

I gave up on being coy and hugged him tightly. It seemed Shahar wasn’t used to this kind of act either.

I instinctively knew. We had never done this before in the past.

I felt relieved. If we forgot this moment, I would have been too frustrated to sleep for the rest of my life.

His hands and lips, though not skilled, were very gentle and soft.

The pain and struggle were brief. Soon, I grew hot enough to share my warmth generously with Shahar.

It was amazing that I didn’t feel embarrassed showing him every aspect of myself, even parts I didn’t know existed.