Chapter 50
The demonic beast’s mana swallowed Ethan’s body in an instant.
Ethan struggled desperately to cling to his sanity, but the cursed power flowing through his veins welcomed the beast’s mana as if it were an old companion.
As a result, his vision blurred.
For a moment, it felt as though he was about to lose consciousness—
But then, the hazy world suddenly cleared.
“…Ah.”
A heavy sound escaped Ethan as he took in the scene before him.
A woman stood in front of him.
She had crimson eyes just like his, and she was glaring viciously at the boy standing before her.
That boy looked painfully small and fragile.
It was… Ethan himself as a child.
Smack—!
Without hesitation, the woman struck the cheek of the Ethan who wasn’t even half her height.
Under the force of her savage hand, Ethan collapsed helplessly onto the floor.
And yet, without letting out a single groan, he stubbornly lifted his head to look at her.
When an unusual glint appeared in Ethan’s red eyes, the corners of the woman’s lips curved upward with chilling smoothness.
“How dare you look at me with those cursed eyes? Do you truly wish for me to gouge out those hideously cruel eyes of yours?”
“…If that is your will.”
“Ha. Yes, you were always like this. Never forgetting that you belong to me. It’s sickening—disgustingly so.”
The woman bent her knee and crouched before Ethan, who had crumpled beneath her, gently cupping his cheek.
Her slender fingers slowly traced along his face.
Instinctively reacting to her warmth, Ethan flinched slightly.
But there was no shallow affection in her touch.
She sneered, as if mocking his agitation.
“Is that why you remain so obedient—even at the moment your body is being devoured by a demon… no, even now, when you could strangle me to death?”
“……”
“Because I’m nothing more than your mother?”
The instant a sneer surfaced on her face, she struck Ethan’s face coldly once more.
Standing up, she looked down at the fallen Ethan with a thoroughly indifferent expression.
“Ethan Clovis, you are the child of a demon. No one will ever save you.”
The woman’s expression twisted in an instant.
The calm she had worn moments earlier shattered as she erupted with furious rage.
“That’s right! You’re a child who should never have existed in this world, Ethan! No one would ever want a monster like you!”
Facing his mother’s fury, Ethan let out a derisive laugh as he stared at her illusion.
The greatest irony was that the same energy flowed from her as it did from him.
But the Ethan of that time couldn’t stop it—
No, he had never even tried.
Trapped within her cruel words, he remained powerless.
Just as Ethan was about to be swallowed once more by his mother’s merciless darkness—
“I’ll stay by your side.”
Light bloomed, devouring the dark illusion of his mother.
No—more precisely…
“I won’t leave you alone. Let’s get through this together.”
A voice reached out, pulling Ethan from the darkness.
When Ethan finally regained consciousness, he was surrounded by Yunice’s blue mana.
More accurately—
He himself was greedily devouring Yunice’s mana.
Yunice, seemingly unaware that her mana was being completely drained, held his hand tightly and continued releasing it.
Clutching his hand, she looked as though she were… soothing him.
Sensing her mana steadily depleting, Ethan tried to shake her hand away.
His body was exhausted—so weak that he wouldn’t even need to exert strength to pull free.
“I’m fine. At least for now, trust me.”
The moment her earnest voice reached him, Ethan found himself unable to push her away.
He didn’t know how much time passed.
But the instant Yunice’s mana was fully depleted, Ethan’s clarity returned.
“…Ethan.”
Yunice, her eyes half-closed, stared blankly at him, unaware that her body was swaying.
Ethan quickly caught her, pulling her into his arms as she threatened to collapse.
Though her strength had completely left her, she stubbornly clung to consciousness.
Watching her, Ethan muttered quietly,
“…You’ll definitely regret this moment.”
Because she had given him an opportunity so willingly.
Now she wouldn’t be able to run.
No—he wouldn’t allow it.
At his quiet words, a faint ripple passed through Yunice’s eyes—
But only for an instant.
At the edge of her limit, she finally lost consciousness in his arms.
Even while unconscious, her completely drained body trembled as she groaned softly.
“…Hah. What on earth are you thinking?”
Ethan let out a low sigh and lowered his gaze.
Yunice’s small hand was weakly gripping his.
That desperate grasp was no illusion.
Seeing her pale skin flushed red, Ethan frowned unconsciously.
Why is she making me worry like this?
He had watched countless people die because of his curse without feeling a thing.
So why did the sight of Yunice’s reddened hand—just because he had brushed it away once—feel so unsettling?
Where had it all gone wrong?
“Ethan! Move aside!”
Back when Yunice had urgently called out to him and drawn out her mana, her blue eyes had been perfectly steady.
Even when facing the massive demonic beast, her gaze hadn’t wavered.
Watching her, Ethan let out a low laugh that didn’t fit the situation at all.
You really are fearless.
This was when she should’ve panicked and run away.
What was she hoping to gain by recklessly drawing on her already unstable mana and charging toward him?
Clicking his tongue internally, Ethan nonetheless felt something within him settle.
He didn’t realize that what he was actually relieved about was the fact that Yunice’s mana hadn’t exploded.
Up until then, everything had been fine.
“Ethan, what’s wrong? Why is your mana shaking like this?”
The moment Yunice’s eyes wavered slightly, she realized something was wrong.
Ah… so those eyes could waver too.
He had always thought her fearless gaze—staring straight at him—was audacious.
Others couldn’t even look properly into his crimson eyes, yet she stared back without flinching.
That was why he had deliberately teased and pressured her, wanting to see confusion fill those bold, fearless eyes.
But contrary to his expectations, the result hadn’t been satisfying.
It had simply been interesting—to watch new emotions take root in those clear blue eyes.
At least, that was what he had thought.
“Ethan, Ethan! Listen to me! Get a hold of yourself!”
Yet seeing genuine confusion fill Yunice’s eyes now made him feel strange.
The sensation of witnessing what he had always been curious about—
Wasn’t pleasant.
Why do you always look at me like that?
In fact, it felt worse than he had imagined.
Her gaze, as though it could see straight through him, unsettled him.
If only she had trembled in fear like everyone else and run away—
Then maybe he could’ve cast her aside without hesitation.
But instead of fleeing, Yunice had approached him with that very gaze.
And because she looked at him like that, even pushing her away as she wanted didn’t sit right with him.
That was why—
He had deliberately kept her by his side, even though she hovered around him like she might flee at any moment.
Why he hadn’t killed her, choosing instead to let complications pile up.
He just needed to stop himself from being swayed any further.
If she crossed the line, he could deal with her then.
…Or is it already too late?
Brushing the absurd thought aside, Ethan pulled Yunice closer into his arms.
From her trembling, soaked body, he felt a faint warmth.
A warmth he had never known—
One he had never even dared to hope for.
The one offering that warmth knew nothing, nestled unconsciously in his arms.
Without realizing it, Ethan reached toward that warmth.
His hand trembled faintly as it moved toward Yunice.
Was it from the cold of being soaked?
Or—
Unable to find an answer, Ethan extended his hand toward her with a heavy gaze.
Just a little more—
And he could touch her.
“…Ethan.”
If Yunice hadn’t called his name in a small voice even while unconscious—
“Yunice?”
Ethan waited for her response, unaware that he had called her name so naturally.
But it seemed to be nothing more than an unconscious murmur.
Yunice didn’t open her eyes.
Even as she shifted in his arms, her brow was furrowed in discomfort.
Though she had lost consciousness, she seemed to be suffering from something.
Then—
“You… can’t… go berserk… Ethan…”
“…?”
“I—I don’t… want… to die…”
She murmured desperately.
Though her words made little sense, the urgency within them was unmistakable.
Finding it strangely compelling, Ethan held her closer and listened.
“I can’t… die… because of you… you bastard…”
“Ha. I can’t even listen to that without laughing.”
Ethan chuckled incredulously, yet reacted keenly to her voice.
At some point, he’d been demoted from “Ethan” to “you bastard,” but he didn’t seem to mind.
What a ridiculous woman.
If she feared death so much, she should’ve feared him more than anyone else.
“I don’t want to die! Please spare me! I’ll do anything!”
Yunice was oddly sensitive to death, yet avoided none of what she truly should’ve feared.
That contradiction intrigued him.
It seemed she didn’t realize there were things more painful than dying.
Otherwise, she wouldn’t relax her guard so easily just because he said he wouldn’t kill her.
Today was no exception.
She had turned her back on the most dangerous person to her—
And now lay unconscious in that same man’s arms.
“Ethan… you mad dog… I won’t… let this… go…”
“Kh.”
Even unconscious, she wasn’t exactly quiet.
Still unable to understand why his heart felt so unsettled, Ethan adjusted his hold so she’d be more comfortable.
Whatever it was, he could think about it once she woke up.
…There were still things he needed to learn from her.
Because he still didn’t know what this irritating feeling was.
“So I can’t let you go yet, Yunice.”
With that thought, Ethan grasped the mana stone Yunice was clutching.
Once again, it didn’t repel him.
Unaware of that fact, Ethan slowly began walking, holding Yunice close.
His mind was filled with thoughts of how he was going to utterly ruin the tower master who had caused all of this.
