CHAPTER 140………………………………………
My fingertips trembled. A cold shiver ran through me. I looked down at the fallen Huril, letting out nothing but suppressed groans—“Ah, ah”—for a long while.
The blood mixed with the puddles on the floor, turning the water into what looked like a sea of blood.
“No… No, no, no.”
I collapsed with a thud, placing my hand over the wound that pierced Huril’s back. I tried, in vain, to stop the gush of blood.
“Miss…”
Huril barely moved his lips. The wound was far too deep. He coughed up blood, his gaze unfocused, and looked at me.
“Run… you have to…”
Thunk.
The hand that had reached for me fell limply to the ground.
It felt as if all the blood in my body had turned cold. My mind snapped awake, as though I’d been doused with icy water.
The cold reality rushed up to my face, shouting at me not to look away.
Shshshshshsh.
I sat dazed, letting the pouring rain soak me.
Claude draped his robe over me. A faint warmth returned to my chilled body.
As the rainwater trickled down the hood to the side, my vision cleared.
“You’ll catch a cold like that.”
Claude crouched to meet my eye level and whispered gently.
I stared at him in silence, and he smiled faintly.
“Hm?”
He reached out, tucking the wet hair that had stuck to my cheek behind my ear. Wherever his hand touched, it felt like fire had burned me.
The thought that this kindness toward me was genuine sent chills down my spine.
In front of me, the man who had just killed the bodyguard who had cared for me since childhood was now shamelessly craving my affection as if it were only natural.
“…Why did you do that?”
“Do what?”
“Killing him… you didn’t need to. You could’ve just told me… asked me to come with you.”
Maybe that alone would have been enough. I had been drunk on the comfort and freedom they provided.
My clenched fists trembled.
“But why… why kill him!”
I grabbed Claude’s sleeve, glaring at him.
He hummed thoughtfully for a moment, then removed my hand and placed it in his own palm.
“You’ll hurt your hand.”
“……”
“You have to be careful. How important are your hands to a black mage?”
His eyes traced a gentle curve, completely free of doubt. Not a hint of guilt or anxiety that I might resent him for this.
“I just moved him because he kept loitering in front of you. Do I really need a grand reason?”
Claude muttered as if he couldn’t understand.
I briefly wondered if he was teasing me deliberately, but it didn’t feel like that.
“What’s wrong?”
Instead, he tilted his head in curiosity.
That was when I realized the truth: to him, human life was worth less than a fly.
In that moment, I recognized a chasm between us that could never be bridged.
The gap was narrow yet deep, impossible to cross. The Claude who had once felt close now seemed like a complete stranger.
And the touch of his hand on my cheek sent a shiver down my spine.
Smack!
I slapped his hand away. Claude’s eyes widened slightly, then he frowned briefly at my cold glare before curling his lips into a smile.
He must have noticed, in that brief moment, that my heart had turned against him.
“Haha… what to do now. Even if you try to run, it’s too late.”
The grip on my wrist was painfully tight, as if it might break.
“Ow…!”
“You think I’ll let you go easily?”
His blazing gaze came right up to my face. In his deep blue eyes, my entire face was reflected.
“You shouldn’t have shown an opening from the start.”
“……!”
Claude reached toward me with his gloved hand.
I clenched my eyes shut at the faint holy power radiating from it. If I were caught, I felt a fear that I might never return.
I couldn’t hold back and parted my lips.
“…Le—”
At that very moment—
KRA-KRA-KRASH!
A sound of something breaking erupted.
When I peeked through slightly opened eyes, Claude had stepped back, leaving a deep crater where he had stood moments ago.
What had just happened?
Before I could grasp the situation, someone blocked my way.
“Wow. What happened while I was out?”
A roughly tied ponytail filled my vision. He glanced toward me over his shoulder.
“You really are trouble, miss. Can’t take my eyes off you.”
He grinned playfully.
“Zeke…!”
I tried to shove him aside, but Zeke didn’t budge.
Underneath his clothes, I could feel the solid strength of his muscles. Before I could react, he thrust a dagger forward.
The worn blade seemed gone; a radiant, moonlit steel glimmered with a chilling aura.
Embedded in the hilt, a holy stone glowed crimson.
Its vertically slit pupil flickered as if recognizing the enemy. When it saw Claude, it emitted a dazzling light.
“Ugh, noisy. Okay, okay, I get it. Chatty…”
Zeke rubbed his ear with his other hand and straightened, calm and collected.
“Doesn’t look like a guest we invited…”
His smile faded, replaced by a fierce, ruthless expression. The air pressed down heavily, so unfamiliar it made me step back.
Every ounce of murderous intent in his gaze was fixed on Claude.
“Bring it on. I’ll handle you.”
His presence was imposing.
Claude chuckled lightly and spread his hand. Above it, a red magic circle glowed.
“Let’s see what you’ve got.”
The scene shifts to another location:
“What?! A walk this late at night?”
Isaac grabbed the doorman, questioning again.
“Are you sure? Did you really see Emily go outside?”
“Yes! Yes! I’m certain! B-but she went with Sir Huril and the guards, so there’s nothing to worry about…”
“She didn’t take a carriage, right?!”
“No, she didn’t! She just said she’d go meet Zeke when he returns!”
Isaac ruffled his hair in frustration.
If she didn’t take a carriage, she must be nearby. Let’s go find her!
Yulia suggested first, but Edmund objected:
“All of this area belongs to our family. We can’t search it all—it’s too inefficient.”
“What then? Just watch? My heart’s still pounding like it’s going to burst!”
“You won’t die.”
“I know that!”
Isaac yelled and placed his hand over his chest.
Dum dum dum dum dum.
It sounded like a drumbeat in his chest.
“Emily, please…”
At that moment, a distant crack of thunder illuminated the sky.
Everyone instinctively knew: this was no ordinary lightning. Something was happening there!
“Isaac!”
“Okay, ready!”
Isaac took Edmund and Yulia under his arms.
“Hold tight…!”
With a stomp, the three vanished in an instant.
The doorman’s eyes widened as he looked around. In the mist, he thought he saw shadows.
Bang!
Whirrr, KRASH!
Swoosh!
Noise erupted from all directions. I clutched Shuhl tightly, holding my breath.
The two were evenly matched.
Zeke did not retreat; Claude pressed hard. Without Zeke’s dagger with the holy stone, the fight would have been over already.
Claude’s black magic repeatedly targeted Zeke’s neck.
Dangerous moments passed repeatedly. Zeke’s stamina was reaching its limit.
He gasped, brushing rain or sweat from his face.
“You’d better turn back. Seems like you’re hitting your limit too.”
With his long experience, Zeke sensed his opponent’s state.
Unlike Zeke, whose clothes were torn and blood flowed from shallow cuts, Claude remained unchanged, smiling effortlessly.
“Me?”
“Don’t try anything foolish. Both of you know each other too well already.”
“I don’t understand.”
“You do. The fact that you’re listening proves it.”
Zeke grinned.
“Your magic… nearly gone, right?”
“……”
“Same here. Let’s be honest. No one will win like this. Let’s leave it for next time.”
“…Excuse me? Don’t you hear me?”
Zeke snapped his fingers. Claude smiled faintly.
“You seem to be mistaken.”
“…?”
“The reason I humored your transparent stalling wasn’t because I was tired…”
A foreboding feeling swept over me.
I sensed magic rising from the ground beneath me.
Whuummmm-.
A hidden magic circle revealed itself, glowing red!
“This is why.”
Claude twisted his mouth. At the same time, I pushed Shuhl out of the magic circle.
