Chapter 45
What flowed through Ethan Clovis’s body was the power of a demon.
A demon—an existence that matched all too well with the sinister image carried by his crimson mana.
It was a terrifying force that stole the life force of others to strengthen itself.
Just looking at it from the sidelines was enough to make one’s body tremble with instinctive fear. So how unbearable must it have been for Ethan, who carried that power within himself?
That was why Ethan constantly struggled to release the demonic power coursing through his body.
Of course, he had never truly freed himself from it.
All he could do was borrow the power of a mana stone to forcibly suppress the cursed demonic energy.
But even forcibly restraining such vast and powerful energy had its limits.
“Normally, this mana stone keeps the curse in check, so it’s fine. Enough to fool you—and even the Master of the Mage Tower—without anyone realizing a thing.”
“…I see.”
“But sometimes, like a few days ago, when the energy becomes unstable…”
“…When that happens?”
“…Anyway. Those are the dangerous times.”
I remembered how Ethan had uncharacteristically trailed off back then.
He hadn’t explained any further, but I knew exactly what he’d been trying to say.
He must have been talking about losing control.
Demonic power was cruelly immense—and with that magnitude came an equally overwhelming hunger for even greater power.
In other words, even as Ethan suppressed the enormous strength within him, he instinctively reacted to anything stronger.
Seen in that light, the current situation was extremely dangerous.
The beast’s blood splattered all over Ethan still carried the mana it had possessed.
From the way dark crimson energy slowly rose from his blood-soaked body, it was clear that the beast’s mana was flowing directly into him.
“…Ugh.”
As if to confirm my fears, Ethan let out a low groan.
Only then did I grasp how serious the situation was, biting my lip lightly.
The ferocious mana of the beast would soon awaken the demonic power Ethan had barely been keeping in check.
That would mark the beginning of his rampage.
“Can you hear me, Ethan?”
“……”
“If you’re ignoring me just to mess with me, I’m really going to get angry.”
“……”
“…You really can’t hear me?”
…Just like now.
I hovered restlessly in front of Ethan, talking to him nonstop.
But there was no response—no one to stop my rambling.
Normally, he would’ve snapped at me to shut up in that icy voice of his.
Which meant he didn’t even have the presence of mind to do that right now.
This was bad.
Feeling a different kind of urgency, I realized I had to snap him out of it—now.
“Get a grip, Ethan.”
“……”
“Ethan, Ethan. Listen to my voice. Wake up!”
As I spoke, I instinctively reached for his shoulder.
But the dangerous aura flaring around him rejected my touch, forcing me to pull back.
Unstable mana wavered and surged from his motionless body, his eyes tightly shut.
The mana enveloping Ethan was a murky, dull red.
Not the clear crimson I had seen from him before.
Even so, I couldn’t just stand there doing nothing.
I gathered my resolve and reached out again.
“Ethan…?”
But I froze mid-motion.
“…Ethan.”
Before my hand could reach him, he opened his eyes.
The red pupils hidden beneath his eyelids captured my reflection completely.
Those crimson eyes burned with a ferocity I had never seen before.
Compared to this, all the times Ethan had glared at me threateningly in the past felt almost playful.
Is that really… Ethan?
Even with him right in front of me, I couldn’t be sure.
His gaze was dangerously unstable, as if he might shatter at any moment.
The color of his eyes mirrored the dark crimson aura spilling from him.
…What am I supposed to do?
For the first time, I was genuinely afraid to face Ethan.
Because there was nothing I could do for him in this fragile state.
Ah… my—no, Ethan’s heroine. Where are you now?
The only person who could stop the mad-dog second male lead’s rampage was the original heroine, Rose Ricetta.
But Rose no longer existed in this world.
Which meant there was no one who could stop him.
At this point, it would be a relief just to avoid being swept up in his rampage.
Worse still, I didn’t even know exactly what Ethan’s rampage entailed.
I had no idea how Ethan would act once fully overtaken by demonic power.
Just what is this demonic power…?
How could it shake him this badly?
My body trembled with instinctive fear, yet I couldn’t bring myself to run from him.
Now that Rose Ricetta was gone, the only person who could stop Ethan—or at least help him regain his sanity—was me.
Close your eyes, Eunice!
Just as Ethan had risked his life to save me—
I squeezed my eyes shut as fear surged through me.
But I immediately opened them again, staring straight at Ethan with trembling eyes.
“P‑Please… try to come back to your senses. Okay?”
My voice shook despite myself.
Still, Ethan didn’t look away. His gaze remained heavy, dangerous.
All I could do was stand there, frozen beneath his stare.
Clenching my trembling hand, I took one step closer to him.
At that moment, Ethan—who hadn’t moved at all—visibly flinched.
Seeing his reaction, I softened my expression slightly.
The fact that he responded at all meant some trace of his reason remained.
Even that small reaction felt precious.
I spoke again.
“What should I do?”
“……”
“I asked how I can save you, Ethan.”
I knew I must look ridiculous—my body shaking with fear while I forced firmness into my voice.
But thinking that Ethan was probably far more terrified than I was, I refused to let myself waver.
More precisely…
I wanted to offer him a steady hand while he teetered on the edge.
Just like he had done for me.
As if drawn in by the fierce blaze in his eyes, I reached out to him—
—toward the man trembling faintly before me.
Thwack!
“Ugh!”
…Of course, my hand never reached him.
Ethan sharply knocked my hand away, his brows furrowed as though even moving on his own was a struggle.
“…Don’t come closer.”
The strained voice that followed rejected me outright.
My hand throbbed from the blow.
Seeing Ethan push me away while desperately clinging to the last scraps of his sanity made my chest ache.
That was why—
“When have I ever been good at listening to you?”
Even knowing what he meant, I ignored his words.
I closed the distance he had forced between us.
Ethan glared at me with a hostile expression, then bowed his head as if even that resistance was too much.
“…I said back off, Eunice. Before it gets… more dangerous.”
His voice broke awkwardly, cutting off again and again.
Each break felt like his sanity was slipping further.
Before I could say anything, Ethan lifted his head once more.
The instant his gaze locked onto me, I froze.
His heavy, clinging stare captured my entire body in an instant.
“…Before I really grab you… and devour you.”
The look in his eyes was unfamiliar.
Where his gaze used to feel sharp enough to tear me apart—
Now it burned with raw desire, craving something intensely.
I didn’t know what that desire was.
No—more accurately…
I felt like I shouldn’t know.
“Ah… ah.”
Before I realized it, his gaze slowly climbed over me, binding my body in place.
I couldn’t move at all.
And yet, more than fear, what I felt was pity.
He’s trying not to lose himself.
Ethan had the power to bend me to his will at any moment.
Especially now, with his demonic power running wild.
And yet, he did nothing.
He only warned me.
Catching that fleeting moment, I felt a faint, ironic sense of relief.
No matter how much he’s losing control… Ethan is still Ethan.
He hasn’t touched me—even with me standing right here.
This has to be him.
It has to be.
…At least, that’s what I believed.
Until—
“Ha… this is driving me insane.”
A dangerously low voice wrapped around me.
As if correcting my naïve thoughts, Ethan spoke in that perilous tone.
“Your mana…”
“It looks… delicious.”
“……”
“I want to swallow it whole.”
