~Chapter 145~
“Elaine Pascal!”
“Vice-Captain!”
I lifted an eyebrow as I saw people trailing behind Istar like children following the Pied Piper.
The Third Division gorillas, even that sly bastard, were all calling out to me like they knew me.
They looked like they’d just finished swimming in monster blood—must’ve been fighting like hell outside.
“Vice-Captain, listen!”
The gorillas barked like we hadn’t seen each other in years.
“On our way here, the Chief Captain scolded us! Told us to get underground quick and arrest the traitor!”
“But with monsters rampaging, how’s that the priority?”
“Who cares. Let him punish us later.”
They spat out words one after another.
Sounded like they ignored the Chief Captain and slaughtered monsters instead.
And when they defied orders, the other knight divisions followed suit. In the end, the Chief Captain couldn’t force them to obey.
“You adorable blockheaded gorillas.”
I couldn’t help but praise them.
“What do you mean? You’re the one who raised these blockheads, Vice-Captain.”
“Enough chatter. Escort the lady somewhere safe.”
I gestured toward Mariana. At once, the gorillas shut their mouths.
Their faces were smeared with blood, but their cheeks flushed red.
‘Well, Mariana is stunning.’
No wonder they were staring.
‘She’s the Saintess. And the original heroine.’
Which reminded me—there was a better candidate.
“Captain Istar?”
“…Huh?”
He looked up a beat late, still holding bandages as Karl leaned against him. His lips curved in a faint smile.
I grinned slyly.
Go on, main male lead.
“These gorillas aren’t reliable. You escort her.”
“….”
“I’m entrusting the lady to you.”
Istar stepped toward Mariana.
He held out his hand, and she took it politely, standing.
…but the atmosphere was stiff. Dry.
Even while holding hands, they didn’t meet each other’s eyes, standing awkward as if two introverts had been forced together.
Why so painfully awkward?
“At least greet each other. You’ll have plenty to do together from now on.”
“…Maybe you could arrange a formal introduction later?”
“…Yes. Better to meet the three of us together.”
The way his face only softened when looking at me… unsettling.
Karl squeezed my hand tightly in protest.
“I told you. The Empire only allows monogamy.”
“Didn’t you hear me say three years in separate rooms?”
“You’re my only wife. I don’t share.”
I stared at his lips as he said it so matter-of-factly.
Hmm.
When I thought about it—he came all this way because of me.
He took a dagger meant for me.
And now he clung to me jealously over the smallest things. It was endearing.
“Elaine, I…”
“I take it back.”
“…What? Our marriage?!”
“The three years of separate rooms.”
I cupped his cheeks and kissed him.
“Woohoo!”
“Why not book a room already?”
“Ugh, I feel sick…”
“Same. Like I just watched my sister kiss a guy—blegh!”
The gorillas’ catcalls filled the background, but I didn’t care.
Karl smiled wide enough to curve his eyes, wrapping his bloody, torn arms around me.
That warmth raining down on my lips again—so long delayed—filled me with joy.
Between kisses, I whispered,
“I thought I lost you again.”
“You won’t.”
“If you ever pull that stunt again, taking the hit for me, I won’t take it back next time.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
I slapped his arm lightly. He grinned, lips still brushing mine.
And I thought bitterly—Who’d dare try to make this man a vessel for anyone?
No way.
It was over now.
I’d never give him up. Not to anyone.
I held Karl close, glanced past his shoulder—
“…!”
And locked eyes with the Pope.
His eyes were bulging. He shot up to his feet, faster and stronger than when Mariana had knocked him down.
“This won’t end so easily!”
The classic villain line.
“…Stop obsessing over my husband, you bald freak!”
I leveled my musket at him. My heart hammered.
“Elaine, wait—”
“If you touch Karl again—!”
But the Pope’s target wasn’t Karl.
“Oh, Dark Lord!”
“…!”
He lunged for the floor, snatching up—
Glass shards.
Tiny slivers of the shattered vial.
And clinging to one shard, the faintest drop of Karl’s blood gleamed.
“Rule over us!”
Slash!
As he flung the shard at the crystal gate, Karl grabbed a sword and slashed, severing the Pope’s arm.
But it was too late.
The shard was sucked into the gate.
“In answer to this offering, rule over us!”
Blood poured from his stump, but the Pope’s eyes never left the gate.
‘No… with just that tiny amount?’
Clack.
The shard slid perfectly into the final empty slot.
Screeeech!
Like nails on a chalkboard, the gate shuddered and began to open again.
A tidal wave pulling back before the flood—everything around it was drawn toward the black hole at its center.
“Elaine!”
Karl’s voice rang sharper than every scream around us.
“Go!”
And then—he shoved me outward, into safety.
‘No.’
You said you’d never do that again. Not for me.
I stared at him—then—
Blink.
I caught the Eyeball’s wink.
“Elaine?”
Karl must’ve sensed something wrong.
I snatched up the Eyeball and shouted,
“You promised I could give a warning before I did something reckless!”
“What are you—?!”
“I’m just throwing it!”
I sprinted toward the gate—close enough for its gravity to tug me.
I raised the Eyeball high.
Blink.
It flashed, agreeing.
“Right. A dragon’s power should be fought with a dragon’s power!”
No hesitation.
I hurled the Eyeball into the swirling gate.
Whoosh!
The force caught me, dragging me forward.
“You—!”
The Pope slammed into me, shoving me further toward the gate. His grin twisted.
“Be food for the Dark Lord!”
And then he tried to retreat.
Like hell.
I grabbed his neck.
Normally, villains dragged heroes down with them. Why was I the one doing it?!
Still—this meant safety. This selfish old man would fight tooth and nail not to be pulled in—
“Aagh!”
But his body floated easily, weightless.
‘Crap.’
I forgot.
Unlike Karl, this old man was all bones, no muscle. He couldn’t anchor either of us.
“Let go! Let go of me, you—!”
“It’s too late, baldy!”
The gate swallowed us.
Thud.
As its gravity clamped down, I knew it instinctively.
This was a trap.
No escape.
“Elaine!”
I met Karl’s desperate gaze.
“Reach for me!”
If he came closer, he’d be sucked in too.
“Don’t!”
The thought rang in my head like a bell.
Not that. Say something else. Anything else—
And then I understood.
Why people always raised death flags.
Why they said those fatal words even knowing what would follow.
Because if they didn’t, they couldn’t bear it.
“…I love you.”
The weight of those words crushed my chest.
Karl’s pupils widened, trembling.
“I mean it. You know that, right?”
His reaction made me smile, even here.
How his face flushed at my first blunt confession.
How his vertical pupils, stretched wide, looked so lovely.
How the terror in them hurt me.
I hadn’t known I could love him this much.
Enough to dive into death for him.
The only regret left—
If I had realized sooner how much courage he gave me…
I would’ve gone further. Even to the end.
Even if it meant carrying his child and dying.
But it was too late now.
“Wait—!”
Karl stretched out his hand.
I didn’t take it.
He shrank away, as I was swallowed by the gate.
Only the faint light from beyond pierced the dark space.
Blink.
The Eyeball was there, floating ahead of me, smiling.
And suddenly—voices.
“The child you carry is a daughter.”
“And she will be taken by a demon.”
Ah. So this was it.
That fraud’s prophecy.
Not a fraud after all, was he?
Because it came true.
“Elaine!”
Karl’s cry—etched into my soul.
Clang!
The Eyeball flared with power, slamming the gate shut.
Darkness swallowed me whole.
