Rael was in a green meadow. The wind was gentle, and warm sunlight poured down. The crystal-clear sky was dazzling to look at.

‘A rabbit…?’

In front of her, a pure white rabbit was hopping along. Its perked-up ears twitched like they were sensing direction.

When the rabbit hopped again, Rael found herself following behind it without realizing. For some reason, she felt she had to catch the rabbit.

But when the rabbit grew faster, Rael’s heart became urgent.

‘What kind of rabbit is this fast?’

While she was chasing the rabbit’s tail for a while, suddenly the rabbit’s form disappeared.

‘Rabbit?’

Startled, Rael looked around and called for the rabbit. In front of her were clover flowers in full bloom.

Hop!

The rabbit that had hidden its body in the bushes jumped up.

‘Rabbit!’

Worried it might disappear again, Rael quickly ran to catch the rabbit. But when she got close to the rabbit, her steps gradually slowed and then stopped completely.

The rabbit was rolling around on the dirt ground like it was in a good mood. It looked so happy that she didn’t dare lay a hand on it.

Rustle—

A breeze blew. The grass rustled and made pleasant sounds.

Then, Rael’s cheek grew hot. Tears that rolled down gathered at the tip of her chin.

‘Why am I crying…?’

Rael couldn’t understand why she was crying. In front of such beautiful scenery, why on earth.

Twitch twitch.

The rabbit tilted its head left and right like it was observing Rael and approached her feet. The rabbit’s red eyes were fixed on Rael.

Rael slowly bent her knees and reached out her hand.

Her trembling hand touched the rabbit’s soft fur. The rabbit didn’t run away and rubbed its cheek against her hand. She could feel its warm body temperature.

Rael carefully lifted the rabbit with both hands and held it in her arms. The small, fluffy thing nestled softly in her embrace. The rabbit listened to Rael’s heartbeat and leaned its head comfortably. Its eyes folded in half-moon shapes looked satisfied with this situation.

Rael stroked the rabbit’s head. Even while doing so, tears were flowing down her cheeks.

The rabbit that had been feeling Rael’s touch for a long while suddenly lifted its head with a start. Then it looked to the side. Rael also turned her head in the direction the rabbit was looking.

‘Ugh, so bright.’

White light was shooting out blindingly from there. The moment she squinted her eyes,

‘Ah!’

The rabbit hopped and escaped from her arms.

‘Rabbit! Don’t go!’

Rael could tell. If the rabbit crossed over that white light, it would never come back.

‘Rabbit!’

Ignoring her words, Rael also urgently ran after the rabbit that was running away. But no matter how breathlessly she ran, the rabbit was moving away too fast to reach.

‘Don’t go…’

Rael collapsed with a thud and wailed. But the rabbit was already far away, right in front of the cluster of light.

The rabbit that seemed about to disappear into the light turned around to look at Rael. Then it smiled with its eyes folded.

‘…Ah…’

Rael realized. That rabbit wasn’t just any rabbit.

It was probably her child that she couldn’t meet, no, would never be able to meet forever.

Rael curled up her small body and wailed. She bit her lips and struggled to swallow the scream that was trying to escape. It was a suffocating sadness that couldn’t easily be poured out.

It was her own pain that wouldn’t flow away even if shed through tears, wouldn’t scatter even if she screamed, and had to remain pooled in her heart forever.

Though even meeting wasn’t permitted, it was the most painful farewell of her life.

‘Please, let us meet again. Even if you come to me through the world’s most terrible pain, I will…’

Rael murmured while looking at the sky that was turning completely white.

‘…welcome you with the greatest joy.’

Her mournful voice scattered on the wind.

* * *

Click click. Click click.

Sezl was constantly biting her nails while pacing in circles around the same spot. The reason she was frantically moving around was because of Rael, who was sleeping like the dead on the bed.

“Why won’t she open her eyes?”

Unable to bear her frustration, Sezl asked Esh.

“Humans don’t have regenerative abilities like demons.”

Unlike Sezl, Esh sat calmly in a chair and answered dryly.

“Who doesn’t know that? But aren’t you worried?”

Sezl couldn’t understand how Esh, who had been closer to Rael than herself, could be more composed than her.

“She won’t wake up just because you pace around like that.”

“How cold. So cold.”

Sezl said with a disgusted face. Esh could hear her grumbling about how snake folk originally had no affection, but she just sighed.

How could she not be worried?

In fact, Esh’s insides had been burning black for a long time. It had already been three days. The time Rael hadn’t been able to open her eyes.

There were no major external injuries, but the problem was her interior. Due to the suddenly rampaging Magical Power, Rael’s body wasn’t normal.

‘And…’

In addition, the reason that made recovery even slower was probably because of the miscarriage.

‘How do I tell her this?’

Even while Esh desperately hoped for Rael to open her eyes, her chest felt tight when she remembered she had to deliver this news to her.

Rael’s gaunt face with closed eyes had a pale color. Could she really handle this shock too?

Even from a demon’s perspective, this situation was too cruel for a fragile human.

“Ha.”

Still, it would be good if she woke up. Esh was equally anxious now that it was the third day.

“What did the human doctor say?”

“He said if she rests, she’ll naturally wake up.”

“Then why hasn’t she woken up yet!”

What a temper. Esh didn’t like Sezl’s behavior of suddenly shouting.

“It’s not good to shout in front of a patient.”

“I’m anxious! Anxious!”

The reason Sezl was stamping her feet like this was also because she felt guilty about not keeping the promise she made to Rubellan.

She had said she came to protect Rael, but hadn’t she just watched her rampage? Though there was no time to stop it, she still had a burden in one corner of her heart that Rael’s condition was somehow her fault.

“Ugh…”

Sezl had to tremble with self-reproach she had never felt in her lifetime. She looked at Rael with a sigh.

And her gaze met blue eyes.

“……”

Sezl was momentarily stunned. What did she just see?

Clearly, blue eyes were gazing at her from under weakly blinking eyelids.

“Rael!”

Only then, a beat late in her surprise, Sezl grabbed Rael’s hand tightly.

“…Sezl.”

A completely cracked voice flowed out. Clearly, Rael had regained consciousness. At that voice, Esh also jumped up from her seat in surprise.

“Lady Rael!”

Esh quickly ran over and pushed Sezl aside to take her place.

“Esh…”

When Rael recognized her, Esh finally breathed a sigh of relief.

“Are you okay? How’s your body? Does your head hurt?”

“…One at a time.”

Looking at Esh who was asking questions like a machine gun without taking a breath, Rael smiled weakly.

“Thank goodness. That you woke up, really… thank goodness.”

Esh’s voice, kneeling down and gripping her hand tightly, was soaked with relief.

“Rubellan is…”

“His Majesty the Demon King is perfectly fine! He went to rebuild the castle.”

“His injuries…”

“They’re all completely healed. His Magical Power is also stabilizing back to normal…”

Not knowing what had happened to Rubellan’s Magical Power, Rael could only guess from Esh’s words that something had occurred.

“Is Bastian okay?”

She felt sorry first for Bastian, who had gotten caught up in trouble because of her again.

“The human priest is safe.”

“…That’s a relief. Thank goodness. Then no one died, right?”

At Rael’s question, Esh’s mouth closed tightly.

When her complexion darkened, Rael looked at Sezl standing behind Esh. Sezl’s face was also hardened.

“…Who…”

Rael, who was about to ask who had gone wrong, suddenly froze.

“Ah…”

Rael gathered all her strength to move her hand. Her hand moved toward her own belly.

She felt it instinctively. Who the ‘dead being’ that Esh couldn’t answer about was.

“…I see.”

She remembered the dream’s content. In the dream that felt momentarily short, she had said farewell. So she knew why these two were now watching her reaction.

“The child… left, didn’t it?”

“Lady Rael…”

Tears welled up in Esh’s eyes. Sezl, who had been silently listening from behind, was in a similar situation.

Rael didn’t panic or cry, just stared blankly at her belly.

Her slightly swollen belly remained the same. Like the child was still inside her.

“The doctor said recovery will be quick if you just eat well and sleep well. Right now, just focus on recovering your body.”

Esh’s lips went dry watching Rael, who was just calmly stroking her belly. If only she would scream at her not to lie, it wouldn’t feel this suffocating.

Was it still not accepted as reality?

“I understand. I’ll recover well.”

Rael slowly lifted her head to look out the window. Her expression was unreadable, showing no hint of what she was thinking.

“Right now, I want to rest alone.”

At Rael’s words, Esh quickly got up from her seat.

“Yes, yes. Of course. If you need anything, please call me, Lady Rael.”

Esh arranged the blanket covering Rael’s body, then grabbed Sezl’s arm and headed for the door. Sezl wasn’t tactless either, so she was dragged along obediently.

Click.

The door closed.

“She’s really okay, right?”

Sezl asked because Rael’s unexpectedly calm reaction felt awkward.

“…I wonder.”

Esh couldn’t answer yes and moved her steps.

Thud thud, Esh and Sezl walked down the corridor and soon stopped.

“……”

“…Oh no.”

It was because a small, suppressed crying sound that humans wouldn’t even be able to hear was coming from beyond the door of Rael’s room.

She should at least cry her heart out.

Who knew that swallowing sobs could tear at the heart this much?

Sezl and Esh had to remain nailed to that spot for a long time, unable to move their feet.