<Episode 101>
Elkais gripped the core of Euros in his hand, infusing it with the power of Order—an energy even greater than Remeros’ power—completely halting his regeneration.
At that moment, Euros returned to his human form.
However, he no longer seemed capable of wielding his divine power as he once had.
“If we kill him now, he’ll be sealed away,” he said.
At his words, Eveline pressed the muzzle of her gun against his jaw.
“I still have some strength left before I die,” she said.
Just as Eveline was about to pull the trigger, he spoke again.
“I’ll grant you one wish, Lady Wilden.”
“My wish is for you to be sealed away quietly.”
“That’s too trivial to waste a wish on. It’s already inevitable.”
Euros glanced at Elkais, who was still holding his core, before turning his gaze back to Eveline.
“Just one wish. Anything you desire.”
“Why would you do that?”
“Well…”
At that moment, Euros realized why he had hesitated to kill Eveline in his final moments.
“Because… I don’t want to kill you. Perhaps this was Remeros’ plan all along when he transferred Dekarv’s power to you.”
He no longer wanted to see Eveline dead.
He had never met a human like her before. She was not weak, and even when faced with trials, her eyes remained unwavering and proud.
“I despise Dekarv, but there’s no denying that you are his masterpiece.”
He admitted it so simply, as if he were an artisan who couldn’t bring himself to destroy a work of art he had created with his own hands.
“And what makes you think I’ll make a wish?” Eveline asked.
“Because any wish you make will bring me joy. I’ll be asleep for a thousand years until my divinity recovers, so I’d like to use what little power I have left to bring you happiness.”
Eveline didn’t believe a word he said.
Then, Euros smiled and pressed his lips against the back of her hand.
“I swear on my divinity—I will grant you the one wish you desire most.”
At that moment, his body began to crumble.
“I hope we meet again, Eveline Wilden.”
As she watched Euros slowly turn to ash, Eveline felt the lingering warmth where his lips had touched her hand disappear.
“Do you really think that’s possible?”
“I can only hope,” he said with a smile.
And as Euros completely disintegrated into ash, Eveline recalled his words.
The wish she desired most.
At that moment—
“Ugh….”
“Eveline!”
“Eve!”
A blinding light shone down upon them, so intense that Eveline felt as if she were going blind.
* * *
Eveline was convinced this wasn’t reality.
The reason? Euros, who had just been reduced to ash and sealed away before her eyes, was now standing there, smiling as if nothing had happened.
Moreover, the place she was in felt like a void—an endless expanse of pure white, devoid of anything.
“What is this place?” she asked.
“I told you I’d grant your wish,” Euros replied.
“I haven’t made one yet.”
“I already know what you desire most.”
Euros chuckled, seemingly amused by the way Eveline glared at him with suspicion.
“I will rid you of your constitution, just as you have always wished.”
“……”
“And I will turn back time to before I devoured all the Omegas. That should use up the last of my power.”
The moment she heard his words, Eveline realized—this truly was what she had always wanted.
“How do you know?”
“Know what?”
“How do you know what I want most?”
Euros smiled softly.
“The reason I chose not to kill you is because of that idealistic way you think. You also possess a noble heart.”
“I’m not that kind of person.”
“If Remeros had been as flexible as you, I might have followed him instead. What a shame.”
Remeros, who was closest to the god of Order, was rigid to a fault. But perhaps that was exactly why he had been fit to lead.
“What will happen to the power we possess?” Eveline asked.
“That, I don’t know. I can only use my own power.”
With those words, Euros placed his hand over Eveline’s eyes.
“When you die, come see me just once.”
“……”
“And tell me how you lived. I gave in to you because I wanted to know.”
“You sure talk a lot for someone who got killed by Elkais.”
“Haha.”
Everything grew dazzlingly bright, and then—she saw nothing at all.
* * *
“Ugh…”
Eveline realized that the place she had woken up in was her own room.
The very same room in the Wilden Duchy that, oddly enough, she hadn’t missed even once while she was stranded on that deserted island.
“Eve!”
She frowned at the sound of someone calling her name.
“Eve! Are you alright?”
“Father?”
Eveline immediately thought this had to be another one of Euros’ tricks, just like the illusions he had shown her before.
Otherwise, why would the Duke of Wilden be crying at the mere sight of her, why were doctors standing around her, and why did she feel like a patient clad only in a negligee, just as she had been in that previous illusion?
“Is this another dream?”
“Eve! This isn’t a dream! You’ve finally woken up!”
“Well… I’d like to wake up for real.”
“Eve!”
Now that she thought about it, the illusion she had seen before hadn’t come with any physical pain. If that were the case…
Smack!
“Eve! What are you doing?!”
She had slapped herself, and hard.
“Ow… That really hurts.”
Her cheek stung, and her ears were ringing.
This didn’t seem like an illusion.
“The same father who refused to enter a Beta’s room because he thought he’d catch a Beta’s disease—what are you doing here?”
“What nonsense is that? What’s a Beta?”
“…What?”
“Eve!”
The person who came rushing into the room at the sound of her name was none other than her mother—her mother, who had all but forgotten about her.
“Mother?”
“Oh, my dear Eve! You’ve finally woken up!”
Eveline was taken aback when her mother, who had always treated her like a stranger, ran over and pulled her into a tight embrace.
This wasn’t like her at all.
<I never gave birth to a Beta. So even if he brought you in, I’ll acknowledge you as his child. Just know your place and behave.>
“Eveee!”
Unlike the cold, detached voice from before, her mother was now rubbing her cheek against Eveline’s, sobbing uncontrollably.
“If you hadn’t woken up, I would’ve followed you to the grave!”
“Hic…! But a fall from a horse? I told you it was too dangerous!”
Had both of her parents lost their minds?
Then it hit her.
“I will rid you of your constitution, just as you have always wished.”
The removal of the Alpha, Beta, and Omega distinctions—this was the result.
If she was no longer a Beta, there was no reason for her family to be obsessed with such classifications anymore.
“Elkais… Where is he? No, tell me about my brother first.”
A headache throbbed in her skull at the memory of the last nightmare, where Abellard had disappeared.
“No, wait. Elkais first… Damn it.”
“The Duke of Robein? He should be at the ducal estate.”
“Abell is there too, dear.”
“Again? Isn’t it strange for two men to be so close?”
The Duke of Wilden scowled and grumbled, but his wife gently smoothed out her expression.
“We should let Abell know that Eve has woken up.”
“Elra.”
“Yes, ma’am. I’ll go right away.”
“No, I’ll go.”
“Eve?”
Eveline pushed away her parents, who were hovering over her, and attempted to get up.
“Ack!”
“Eve!”
“Eve!”
“What…?”
A sudden chill ran down her spine as an ominous thought crept in.
Was that illusion she had seen really the truth?
Her legs—thin, frail, and completely devoid of muscle—lay exposed before her.
“What happened to my legs?”
“Well…”
“Eve, you’ve been bedridden for a month.”
“…Ha.”
If someone remains bedridden for too long, it takes time before they can walk again. The muscles in their legs weaken significantly from lack of use.
“Ah, damn it. Ugh!”
As Eveline shouted in frustration, the duke quickly spoke up.
“I’ll tell Abell to hurry back at once!”
“Lean on me, Eve!”
“No, thank you!”
The duke and duchess, who had suddenly grown affectionate toward her, felt disturbingly unnatural.
Even if the classifications had disappeared, their sudden warmth made her uncomfortable.
After all, when she had been a Beta, they had always treated her with cold indifference.
“Eve!”
“Just let me know when my brother arrives.”
“But, Eve…!”
“Let me rest.”
At her firm words, the Duke and Duchess of Wilden had no choice but to leave the room. They glanced back at her several times with regret before stepping out, and Eveline let out a deep sigh as she watched them go.
“…Thank you for your concern. Both of you.”
“Yes, rest well, Eve.”
“I’ll come check on you later, dear.”
Once the couple had left, Eveline unknowingly let out another long sigh.
“Are you alright, my lady?”
“No.”
She stared at Elra, who had always been loyal to her, even before the classifications disappeared. Seeing that nothing had changed in her, Eveline decided to ask.
“Were my parents always like that?”
“My lady? Are you feeling dizzy…?”
“My head feels a bit light. Just answer me.”
“…Yes. They have always been like that.”
“Then why is my brother the heir…?”
“Well, that couldn’t be helped. According to imperial law, only men can inherit the family title.”
Eveline let out another sigh and nodded.
“I want to be alone.”
“I understand.”
Once even Elra had left, Eveline was finally alone.
The changes brought about by the disappearance of the classifications were fascinating yet frustrating. She lay back down on the bed and stared at the ceiling.
Not long after…
Bang!
“Eve! I heard you woke up.”
“Eve! I heard too! Marry me!”
“You sneaky bastard! You tricked me again! You were the one who said we wouldn’t bring this up today!”
Eveline, watching Elkais and Abellard bicker at the doorway about who would enter first, was momentarily speechless.
“…What did you just say?”
“Eve, marry me.”
“Hey! You broke the agreement too! Why am I the only one getting yelled at?”
Eveline had no idea what was going on, but the pounding headache in her skull seemed to be getting worse.
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