“Episode 68”
The dark sword in his hand dimmed and disappeared faintly.
With eyes that seemed oblivious to the surrounding flames, Evan approached her with dragging steps. His wounded hand grasped Yuliana’s trembling cheek.
“Is this… another illusion?”
“No… it’s not.”
Yuliana hugged her husband’s emaciated shoulders.
Despite her fear of Yun’s mental assault, seeing her husband’s broken spirit was heartbreaking.
As she hugged her husband tightly, overflowing with emotions, she murmured as if mad.
“I came to save you. It’s my fault. I should have told you. I didn’t know trying to protect you would put you in danger. Truly…”
“That woman said you were dead. I thought it was a lie… it should have been a lie.”
As if her voice didn’t reach him, Evan buried his face in her neck and muttered.
He still had a vacant look in his eyes, as if he were still on the other side of reality. There was no tone in his low voice.
An emotionless voice. It was the voice of someone already broken by Yun’s mental assault. Despair engulfed Yuliana.
The person she wanted to protect so desperately was hurt. She hated Yun. She couldn’t bear the hatred.
Swallowing tears and anger, Yuliana spoke to Evan firmly.
“Let’s get out first. Let’s go—”
“Yuliana?”
At that moment.
Something walked through the flickering flames. Yun, with disbelief evident in his ashen and fiery eyes, spoke.
“Is it really you?”
“…Yun.”
Yuliana, calling the saint’s name with a sigh, cursed under her breath. It was unbelievable that he was unscathed amidst the blazing flames.
She resented this world where only Yun benefited, this cursed world.
Seeing a faint spark mix with Yun’s bewildered expression, Yuliana gritted her teeth. Feeling Yun’s pleasure sent shivers down her spine.
“You fooled me, didn’t you? That’s how it was— That’s what you did!”
Before Yuliana could hear more nonsensical words, she made a decision and lunged forward to attack Yun. Despite her vast magic, her physical strength was at a desperate level. So, she had to finish it quickly.
“Hahaha!”
Yun laughed in delight. In that moment, Yuliana’s magic turned into a powerful sword, slashing the ground she stood on, but Yun didn’t suffer any damage. Only anxious moments passed. In the meantime, Yun stammered.
“It was fun playing with your husband, but still, there’s no one like you!”
“Shut up!”
“Why. Did you miss me?”
There was a limit to controlling the flames of annihilation. Yuliana, feeling increasingly burdened, gasped for breath.
Perhaps she didn’t know it was time to flee. First, if she could take Evan and—.
“Yuliana.”
“Gasp!”
Yuliana swallowed her breath, not realizing Yun was right in front of her. As she looked at him with burning eyes, Yun smirked.
“Why are you lost in thought again? It’s disappointing.”
“This cursed thing!”
Yuliana screamed in frustration and rushed at Yun. But with a light movement, he easily dodged her. Then, something unexpected happened. A momentary attack that didn’t even feel like flesh. Yun’s magic pierced Evan’s shoulder.
“Aaah!”
Seeing the scene, Yuliana screamed as if insane. Then, she tightly grabbed Evan’s collapsing body, leaning against the flames. Tears streamed down her face as she desperately bandaged his wounds. Blood flowed profusely. Already suffering from long-term mental anguish, Evan weakly groaned.
“Evan, Evan….”
Yuliana hastily cast healing magic on him with trembling hands. As she did, the wall of flames, protecting them, weakened slightly. Taking advantage of the opening, Yun, grinning, stood behind them.
But to Yuliana, only Evan, wounded, was visible. All she could do was confirm the saint approaching her husband with agonized moans.
Yun, chuckling, raised the sword made of magic. It was aimed precisely at her neck.
Swish!
Evan staggered to his feet in an instant. Then, instinctively, he pushed his wife away.
With weakened mind and body, this was all he could do. Feeling the spreading pain in his chest, he collapsed.
Evan felt death approaching, yet he prayed for her forgiveness. But on the other hand, he knew his wife would never forgive him.
He wouldn’t forgive himself either.
Yuliana, regaining her senses, turned her head. The child, standing by the door, looked at the large man with fear in her eyes.
“D-Daddy.”
Thud, thud—.
The man, reeking of alcohol and filth, barged into the room, seemingly appearing out of nowhere. And it began without any warning.
“D-Daddy, I-I was quiet.”
Violence erupted before the sentence could finish. Yuliana instinctively clung to the man from behind, but something strange happened. His body passed through her hands as if he were an illusion.
It was as if he were struggling in empty space. Meanwhile, the violence towards the child intensified. The child screamed, gripping the bedpost tightly and curling up. As Yuliana scrambled, a hissing voice came from behind.
“Even if you block, he’ll come back.”
“Gasp!”
Yuliana turned around.
Yun, standing in the now chaotic room, looked at her. He always exuded an aura of arrogance and superiority, but now, he somehow seemed small and vulnerable.
Staring unblinkingly at her younger self, who was receiving blows, Yun sneered. However, unlike in the past, that sneer seemed forced.
“What are you doing here, reminiscing about the past? That alcoholic won’t die no matter how much you kill him. I won’t kill myself. Yuliana, you tried hard. Did you think I would be scared if you showed me this? Huh?”
“Yun…”
“…What?”
Yun grinned. Between his laughter, his white teeth glinted in the darkness. With a flick of his red tongue, Yun teased.
“You called my name. What do you want?”
“This… I didn’t call you.”
In the child’s screams, Yuliana spoke painfully.
“Yun showed her. Your friend’s words.”
Yun’s eye twitched slightly at the sight of the doll. For the first time, Yun showed hesitation and pursed his lips tightly.
“…And then? Yeah. I admit that she showed me a new world. She even granted my childhood wish. A world where I’m the hero, something I’ve always wanted.”
“She wanted you to be happy. That’s why she tried to save you. That’s why she put me in as your savior.”
“And did she save me?”
Yun furrowed his brow. Then, he smirked and nodded. At the same time, he grinned at his past self being beaten from behind.
“It doesn’t seem like it.”
“Right. How could I save you? Even if I struggled like a ghost.”
“I know. How could you save me when I pretended not to know you?”
Yun jabbed mockingly. In the meantime, the child’s cries echoed loudly in the room. With each blow, the child’s soul seemed to diminish.
“Stop it! Stop! Stop crying!”
Yun stomped on the floor of the room. The trembling rabbit doll moved slightly forward. Only Yuliana noticed the faint movement.
“Birdie, you—.”
Yuliana, calling her by her nickname instead of her name, choked back tears.
“You couldn’t save her.”
“I know. How could I save someone who struggled like a ghost?”
Yun sneered callously. Yuliana hugged the rabbit doll, which had been brought back to the past with her last bit of strength, and cried silently.
“Stop it, just stop!”
Unable to understand Yuliana’s tears or the child’s cries, Yun screamed as if in agony. Unable to contain her anger, she shook Yuliana’s shoulders violently.
“Stop crying!”
“You’re crying too! You terrible woman!”
Yuliana’s tears and Yun’s cries stopped. But thud—! Yun couldn’t stop the child’s crying, which echoed ominously in the room. Frustrated, Yun covered his ears and turned away.
“I’ll kill the monster to make it stop! Again, and again. It’s all in vain! I can’t save her. Even if I try…”
Yuliana slapped Yun’s cheek with all her might.
“You crazy person! Take that child and leave! Get out of this room!”
“And then?! Where are you going? Where can you go when there’s nowhere to go?”
“If you don’t know, who does?!”
Once again, Yuliana slapped Yun’s cheek. Yun, dazed from the blow, murmured hoarsely.
“Why, why hit me? You— you’re my savior.”
As if wanting to continue their usual banter, Yun’s numb face showed a faint smile.
