Episode 05
I swung the axe down at the fallen monster one more time.
More precisely—to crush its head.
Crunch—!
The blade buried itself squarely into the creature’s skull, and a thick, viscous green liquid splattered outward.
“Huff… huff…”
Panting heavily, I stared down at the monster’s body. Only now did the horror of what had just happened truly sink in.
This wasn’t a novel.
This was reality.
I need to head to Brunel Village immediately.
I have to build a shelter—right now.
Seeing a virus monster with my own eyes cemented that resolve beyond doubt.
Thankfully, Aurora had been too distracted by the monster to see my face.
I immediately turned my back on her, wiped the axe clean, slid it back into its holster, and pulled my robe up to conceal myself once more.
A moment later, as if finally regaining her senses, Aurora approached me.
“Are you alright?”
She pulled back the hood of her robe and took my hand.
Silver hair cascading to her waist, mysterious violet eyes—she was breathtakingly beautiful. The kind of woman whose gaze could steal your soul the instant your eyes met.
“I—did you see the man who ran out of this house?”
“He ran that way.”
At my answer, Aurora pointed toward the end of the alley.
He must have already disappeared.
At least she’s alive. That’s a relief.
The plan had worked.
I had secured the Elphinus Herb.
No one had died.
The monster was dead.
As the tension drained from my body, I felt like I might burst into tears.
But Aurora cried first.
“Th-thank you for saving me… hic…”
Still gripping my hand, she suddenly began sobbing uncontrollably.
“I don’t even want to imagine what would’ve happened if you weren’t here. You saved my life.”
She wouldn’t let go, crying openly.
I looked at her with a troubled expression.
People passing by had begun to gather.
My face was hidden beneath a hood and a mask, but it still made me uneasy.
“Who’s there?”
A low, controlled male voice cut through the night.
From behind Aurora, a man approached with a revolver in his hand.
Even in the darkness, his golden hair gleamed brilliantly.
A firm jawline. A sharp nose. Brows angled upward with a dangerous edge.
His blue eyes were cold—like a frozen lake.
Wow… he’s really handsome.
A shirt buttoned all the way to the collar. A sharply pressed police uniform.
Just standing there, he radiated a dangerous kind of sex appeal.
And I knew exactly who he was.
Eden .
Aurora’s older brother.
Eden Duncan Lancaster.
Damn it. Why is he here?
In Doomed Love, the most capable member of Aurora’s survival team wasn’t the crown prince Theodore, nor Knox the doctor, nor Jose the weapons expert.
It was Eden —the police officer.
Not only was he competent, he also carried the virus antibody that could end everything.
He absolutely could not die.
Still, as long as he stayed by Aurora’s side, he would survive.
At least—that was how it went in the novel.
Eden was practically her right hand.
Meanwhile, he had finally realized the woman clutching my hand was Aurora.
“Aurora? What are you doing out here at this hour?”
He asked urgently, sparing me not a single glance.
“Why are you here, brother?”
“I was on patrol. We received a report.”
As he answered, Eden scanned the surroundings—and spotted the broken gate and the monster’s corpse lying before it.
Click.
He raised the revolver he had just cocked, aiming it at the body.
“What the hell is that?”
Only then did Aurora seem to remember the monster.
Her body trembled as she stepped back—still holding my hand, dragging me along with her.
Please let go already, heroine!
With Eden here, he would handle the aftermath.
He was a police officer, after all.
I needed to get out of here before either of them learned who I was.
If they focused on me—or worse, realized I was Cherry Sinclair—it would be a disaster.
I tried my best to stay unnoticed.
But—
“This person saved my life.”
Against all my hopes, Aurora firmly reintroduced my existence.
Eden ’s gaze snapped toward me.
“…Were you the one who did this to the beast?”
He asked.
It wasn’t a beast, but I simply nodded.
Eden immediately expressed his thanks—and asked for my identity.
“First, thank you for saving my sister’s life. I would like to repay you. May I see your face—”
“Kyaaah—!”
Thankfully—or unfortunately—Aurora screamed at that exact moment.
The monster’s body twitched, convulsing one last time.
I had crushed its skull. It was unquestionably dead.
But unaware of that, Eden instantly extended an arm, shielding Aurora.
“Stay back.”
He pulled the trigger.
Bang—!
A gunshot echoed through the night.
Lights flicked on in nearby houses, one after another.
The corpse didn’t move again.
Completely dead.
Aurora looked utterly shaken.
Eden was busy inspecting the body.
…Now’s my chance.
I tore my hand free and bolted.
There was no way I’d allow tomorrow’s headlines to include my name alongside Aurora’s.
“Huh—? Wait! Benefactor! Where are you going?!”
Aurora cried out desperately, her voice filled with tragic longing.
Like a prince chasing Cinderella after she dropped her glass slipper.
“Please—at least tell me your name!”
That only made it more imperative that I not reveal myself.
After running for a while, I glanced back—
And saw Eden chasing after me.
“W–what?! Hey! Don’t chase me!”
I ran harder.
This time, Eden blew his whistle.
Fweeeet—!
The piercing sound echoed down the streets.
Windows flew open.
People woken by the noise peeked out to see what was happening.
“Stop right there!”
Eden shouted.
But stopping to be caught would look far more suspicious.
There was no turning back now.
I gritted my teeth and ran.
But Eden’s superior physical abilities quickly closed the distance.
Why does it have to be Eden of all people?!
Think, Cherry. Think!
I needed a way to shake him.
Even while sprinting, I scanned my surroundings.
Somewhere to hide…
Nottingham Street was a maze of narrow alleys.
Plenty of places to hide.
Plenty of danger, too.
I thought of the axe strapped to my back.
I had strength—enough to crush a virus monster.
If it comes to it, I could knock him out from behind—
I shook my head violently.
No. Not yet.
The world hadn’t ended yet.
Let’s not escalate things.
I climbed a barbed-wire fence blocking the alley.
“I told you to stop.”
Eden ’s voice came from behind me—steady, not even out of breath.
As if I would listen.
I leapt down the other side and immediately turned into another alley.
The path split three ways.
I dove beneath the stairs of a half-basement house to the left.
They say it’s darkest under the lamp.
Footsteps approached.
Tap—tap—
Then—
Stop.
The footsteps halted right in front of the alley.
I held my breath.
Step… step…
The sound drew closer—right up to the wall.
Only a single brick separated us.
I clamped a hand over my mouth.
My palms were slick with sweat.
Then—
Silence.
…What? Where did he go?
The surroundings felt darker than before.
Like a shadow had fallen overhead.
A terrible premonition crept up my spine.
Slowly, I raised my head.
And met a pair of blue eyes looking down at me.
I was too shocked to even scream.
“I’d like to hear why you ran.”
“E–EEK!”
I collapsed onto the ground.
Eden reached out and grabbed the back of my robe.
Damn it.
Why is my luck always this terrible?!
