<Episode 96>

“Aren’t you scared of the bond, Eveline?”

Elkais’s question made Eveline nod slightly.

“I am. Honestly… I’m really scared.”

Her candid answer sobered both Elkais and Abellard, their expressions growing serious.

Elkais understood her feelings well. Though he now craved a bond with Eveline more than anything, there was a time when the idea of being tied to someone for eternity, driven solely by pheromones, had terrified him.

But now, that eternal bond felt like the only thing worth pursuing in his life.

“Why are you scared, Eve?”

“I’m afraid we’ll fail and all die. And… I’m afraid I can’t trust my own emotions,” she admitted.

She wasn’t unaware of her feelings. Even so, the idea of bonding wasn’t something she could approach lightly. She’d heard about bonds but had never experienced one herself.

“What about you, Brother?” she asked, turning to Abellard.

“I’m so excited and happy, my heart won’t stop racing.”

“Hahaha.”

Eveline laughed at his innocent reply. Seeing Abellard blush and smile brightly, she couldn’t help but think how well his pink hair suited him.

“Brother, you’re like…”

“Hm?”

“A puppy.”

A little tipsy, Eveline reached out and patted his head, ruffling his hair. Abellard grinned widely and barked playfully, “Woof!”

“Hahaha.”

Hearing the sound, Elkais grabbed Eveline’s other hand and tugged it away from Abellard.

“What are you doing?”

“I can imitate that too.”

“Hahaha, don’t!”

Eveline gently pulled her hand back and touched Elkais’s cheek.

“It doesn’t suit you.”

“…Fair enough.”

Meanwhile, Abellard slyly slid his arm around Eveline’s shoulders, pulling her closer to him. Elkais, unwilling to let it go, shifted from across the table to sit on her other side.

“What about you, Elkais? Aren’t you scared of the bond?”

Eveline was curious about his reaction, knowing what the original story said about his distaste for bonding.

“I used to be. I thought it was beastly, something to be despised.”

Eveline took a sip from her glass, her free hand holding it delicately.

“But not anymore. Now, titles, victories in war, glory, and honor—all of that feels meaningless. What I want isn’t any of those things. It’s something else.”

“…”

“What I want is you, Eveline.”

Eveline froze, glass in hand.

“Me too, Eve. I’ve always felt that way—much more than he has,” Abellard added, his tone turning slightly whiny.

Trying to maintain her composure, Eveline took another drink, the burn of the alcohol grounding her.

“I don’t feel scared anymore,” she said softly, surprising herself with the realization.

“Let’s do the bond now.”

“Alright.”

“Yes.”

Abellard moved behind Eveline and wrapped his arms around her waist, while Elkais placed his hands on her shoulders, turning her to face him.

“Make sure to watch closely,” Elkais whispered.

Abellard leaned in and kissed the back of her neck, making Eveline shudder and instinctively clutch Elkais’s shoulders.

“You’re my master now, Eveline,” Elkais murmured.

Then, he pressed his lips to her neck as well.

The combined sensation of Abellard’s breath on the back of her neck and Elkais’s at the front made her tremble uncontrollably.

And then—

“Hah…!”

Both Alphas released a flood of pheromones, enveloping Eveline in an intoxicating haze. They sank their teeth into her neck, marking her as their own.

It felt surreal, as if the three of them were connected on a level beyond physicality. Eveline’s body grew hot, and it wasn’t just from the alcohol.

Elkais’s grip on her chest made her breath hitch, and the firm yet gentle pressure of their bites sent shivers down her spine. She couldn’t stop a blissful sigh from escaping her lips.

Boom!

Suddenly, a deafening roar filled the air.

Rumble! Crash!

It sounded like a mix of thunder and the fracturing of something immense, reverberating through the space around them.

* * *

“Is this truly what you desire, Remeros?”

“You were the first to break the rules, Dekarv. And you as well, Yulias.”

The three gods, observing the unfolding events from the divine realm, locked eyes in a tense standoff.

Yulias remained composed, arms crossed as though it was someone else’s problem. Dekarv, on the other hand, glared at Remeros with such fury it seemed he might attack at any moment.

“Is the position of the leader really that important to you? What makes you worthy of it? Just because your power is slightly greater?”

“If you’re so dissatisfied, try again. I’ll obliterate you and recreate you as many times as you wish,” Remeros responded coldly, his voice laced with quiet authority.

Dekarv bit his lip in frustration, his anger evident but restrained.

“Yulias.”

“Yes?”

“You seem to be enjoying yourself.”

“Well, of course. They’re humans I care about, after all,” Yulias said with a slight smile, her gaze seemingly fixed on Abellard as he held Eveline tightly.

The gods shared the emotions of the humans they had chosen as pieces in their divine game, and Yulias’s connection to her chosen ones was particularly strong.

“I didn’t expect you to side with Dekarv on this, Yulias,” Remeros said, his tone tinged with disappointment.

“I wasn’t trying to oppose you. I simply… pitied what that child desired and decided to grant it.”

At her explanation, Remeros let out a soft sigh.

Though they had engaged in countless wagers over the eons, it was rare for Yulias to actively participate in the games. In fact, she and Dekarv had often been at odds, bickering more than collaborating.

“Regardless, since both of you have lost to me, it’s time for a new wager.”

“…”

“…”

“If we leave things as they are, we’ll all perish. We must select a personality worthy of becoming the Supreme Deity—”

Before Remeros could finish his sentence, a voice interrupted.

“Too late. All of you are already losers.”

The gods turned their gaze toward the unexpected intruder who had breached their divine realm without permission.

“You… you are…!”

“Since you’ve lost the game, it’s time for all of you to disappear,” the intruder declared, their tone sharp and mocking.

“Damn it…!”

“Remeros!”

Yulias leapt forward to block the spear aimed at Remeros with her hand.

Crash!

The impact sent shockwaves rippling through the divine realm, and in the process, Yulias’s right hand was severed.

“Are you… Euros?”

“That’s right.”

The figure, bearing the appearance of Crown Prince Ferite, smirked as he glanced at the gods one by one.

Dekarv, red with rage, instinctively stepped back. Remeros, clad in white, clenched his fists, while Yulias, cloaked in blue, stood frozen in disbelief.

“Do you know why the three of you can never merge back into one?”

Remeros’s hand tightened at Euros’s question, the tension in the air palpable.

“It’s because you were never meant to be a singular force. So, farewell.”

Boom! Boom! Boom!

With that, the realm of the gods began to collapse, crumbling under the weight of Euros’s overwhelming power.

* * *

“Ugh…”

When Eveline opened her eyes, she found herself in Elkais’s arms, her hand clasped tightly in Abellard’s. The dull ache in her neck left her feeling strangely out of sorts.

“Wake up, everyone,” she said softly, trying to shake off the haze.

“Ugh…”

“Eveline, are you alright?” Elkais immediately checked her condition as soon as he came to his senses.

“Ah…”

She glanced down and noticed a faint bruise on her chest, likely from where Elkais had gripped her during the bond.

Elkais’s expression turned horrified as he realized what he had done.

“I must have lost my mind. I’ll cut my hand off.”

“Hahaha, it’s alright, Elkais,” Eveline assured him with a laugh.

“You bruised her? Then cut your hand off for real!” Abellard growled, pulling Eveline closer and wrapping his arms tightly around her waist.

Elkais pushed against Abellard’s head with an exasperated glare.

“If I accidentally snap your neck, that’d be such a shame, wouldn’t it?”

“You little—!”

Abellard snarled but froze, distracted by the faint chirping of birds and rustling leaves around them.

“Why are we still here?”

“Why are we still in this place?”

Eveline blinked as the realization hit her.

The cabin was gone. The three of them were now in the middle of a dense forest, surrounded by nature. Even stranger, they were still dressed in their wedding attire—Eveline in her wedding gown, and Elkais and Abellard in formal ceremonial suits.

“Did we… fail?”

“No, I don’t think we did,” Abellard replied, scanning their surroundings with a puzzled expression.

The forest was lush, the season clearly summer now, even though it had been winter before. The only thing missing was the cabin.

Feeling a strange weight on her thigh, Eveline lifted her skirt to find a pistol and a box of bullets. She gaped in shock.

Elkais, too, noticed something odd. His sword, which had dulled from use during their time in the cabin, was now restored to its original pristine condition, its blade gleaming sharply in the sunlight.

Abellard, sensing a surge of divine power within himself, spoke up.

“What is going on?”

“Brother,” Eveline said, clenching and unclenching her fists.

She could feel an overwhelming strength coursing through her—alien, powerful, and distinctly non-human.

“Something’s strange. I feel… so strong.”

“You feel like Dekarv,” Elkais said, his gaze serious.

“I feel strange too,” he admitted, looking at Abellard.

“You feel like the essence of the goddess Remeros herself. And I… I feel like Yulias,” Abellard added, his voice laced with disbelief.

The three of them stared at one another, shocked by the immense power they sensed in each other.

It wasn’t possible that they had gained this strength simply by defeating the gods in their wager.

“I didn’t expect to have to deal with such a nuisance.”

A voice echoed from the shadows of the dark forest. The sound of footsteps followed, and then…

“Your Highness, Crown Prince Ferite?” Eveline gasped.

“No, my name is Euros now,” the figure replied with a smirk.

Eveline tilted her head, puzzled by the name.

“What a shame. I really liked all three of you,” Euros continued, his tone light and conversational.

And then, with an unsettling grin, he added, “But now, I’ll have to kill you all.”

 

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