145.

“……”

“……”

An icy silence descended.

Lucian, Dante, Benedict.

Among the three men, none dared to open their mouths to respond.

“Isn’t it true? You’re all responsible for Elze’s death.”

A statement that struck the core.

The three men flinched as if struck by a whip, their shoulders stiffening.

Marguerite continued with a mocking tone.

“So now, are you planning to crawl back to her in tears, begging for forgiveness? Truly pathetic… utterly clueless of your place.”

But Marguerite never got to finish her words.

A calm voice interrupted her midway.

“You’re right. We have no right to be by her side.”

“What?”

Marguerite doubted her ears at the unexpected response.

“That’s why, as meager compensation.”

Dante twisted his lips into a smirk as he stared at her.

“This time, we’re giving her freedom.”

“What… what nonsense are you talking about?”

But Dante no longer looked at Marguerite.

Casting a glance at Benedict, Dante offered a sly grin.

“It’s now, guild master.”

Even at those abrupt words, Benedict showed no sign of surprise.

He merely wore a somber expression.

“It’s time to fulfill your promise to me.”

Hearing Dante’s cheerful voice, Benedict recalled the deal they had made.

That day, when Benedict, consumed by guilt, sought out Dante.

Dante had asked him,

[Can you trust me?]

His crimson eyes had stared unwaveringly at Benedict.

[I have one way. Will you hear me out?]

[…All right. Speak.]

[Before Marguerite casts the regression spell, when I’m connected to the magic circle.]

Dante had made his demand without hesitation.

[Kill me.]

Benedict, frozen for a moment, scowled deeply.

[What kind of nonsense is that?]

[What do you think is the core ingredient for the regression spell?]

Dante countered, throwing the question back at Benedict, who had barely concealed his astonishment.

Benedict answered without thinking.

[The magic circle that implements the regression spell, and the three of us who supply it with magical power.]

[Exactly.]

Dante nodded.

“If the magic circle and its essential components disappear, the regression spell cannot be executed, right?”

What?!

Benedict’s eyes widened in shock.

Dante’s explanation followed.

The most certain and effective way to break the regression magic circle was to eliminate its essential components.

The current magic circle primarily relied on Lucian, who supplied the main power, with Benedict and Dante supporting him.

In other words, the three of them were absolutely necessary to complete the circle.

Moreover, if Dante, connected to the circle, were to die, the power source would be forcibly severed from the magic circle, dealing irreparable damage.

‘That’s why he hasn’t killed himself until now.’

Dante shrugged lightly.

Marguerite had traveled across the world and miraculously discovered Benedict and Dante, both naturally gifted with magical power.

It was akin to finding a single grain of sand on a vast beach.

Even so, Marguerite had accomplished it once before.

Thus, even if Marguerite somehow found someone to replace Dante.

To prevent the regression spell from ever being cast, the circle itself needed to be destroyed.

That was Dante’s reasoning.

[If she is to be happy, I, or rather, we, must not be by her side.]

Dante had declared.

[But since neither the guild master nor the kid would simply let me die, I have to take care of this myself, don’t I?]

[…]

Benedict felt overwhelmed.

A man who would willingly sacrifice even himself, all for the sake of Elze.

‘Could I ever do what he is doing?’

He doubted it.

“Guild master.”

Dante’s voice snapped Benedict out of his thoughts.

Dante was staring at him with his characteristic steady gaze.

“Kill me. And then…”

Dante’s smile deepened.

“Shatter this cursed regression spell.”

“Dante!”

Marguerite’s voice cracked, a strangled cry escaping her throat.

“So this was the answer, after all?”

Dante asked, satisfaction lacing his voice as he faced Marguerite’s desperate expression.

Marguerite’s eyes widened.

‘No, if this continues, the magic circle will collapse!’

Moreover, Dante was fully connected to the magic circle at that moment.

If he died in that state, the structure of the circle would experience an overwhelming burden.

It would become impossible to restore.

“D-Don’t do this.”

Marguerite stammered, her voice trembling.

Finding another being with Dante’s immense magical power aside, the magic circle had been perfected over hundreds of regressions.

If the regression circle was damaged now, it would suffer irreparable consequences.

Dante, however, paid no attention to Marguerite and turned to Benedict.

“You said you’d trust me, didn’t you, guild master?”

Benedict’s face twisted as he activated the spell.

Under Dante’s feet, immense power began to surge, writhing as though it might explode at any moment.

The colossal energy seemed ready to devour him whole.

“Stop this!”

Marguerite’s scream fell on deaf ears.

‘This is better.’

Dante truly believed it.

‘If I stay alive, I’ll only continue to hurt her.’

Ever since Elze had left.

Dante had reflected on their life together, over and over.

But no matter how hard he searched his memories, he couldn’t recall ever treating her kindly.

When was the last time he had seen her smiling face?

In the endless loops of time.

Elze had clung to him, cried, begged for love, and if not that.

She had worn a blank expression, her emotions worn away.

‘I should never have brought her to my side.’

Dante thought with deep regret.

‘Even so.’

If he could return to that time, he doubted he would have been able to resist bringing her close.

After all, the time he spent with her.

Had been the warmest and most cherished moments of his life.

Holding her small frame, kissing her, brushing cheeks together, and falling asleep side by side.

Those mundane moments had been achingly happy.

But then.

Bang!

The sound of a gunshot echoed.

At the dimly lit entrance of the underground room, a woman stood.

Gone was her usual refined appearance; her red hair spilled messily over her shoulders.

Her honey-golden eyes, once sweet, now held only indifference.

“Ah, truly.”

Lowering the gun she had pointed at Marguerite, Elze muttered softly.

“I always dreamed of planting a bullet in your pretty little head.”

Dante’s eyes widened slightly.

‘Elze?’

Why was she standing before him?

Hadn’t she been evacuated to a safe place?

Dante’s mind spun with confusion.

‘Am I hallucinating?’

Yet, seeing the stunned expressions on the kid from Kalleid and the guild master.

It was clear Dante’s eyes were not deceiving him.

“Ha, unbelievable.”

At the same time, Marguerite wiped her cheek roughly with her hand.

The bullet had grazed her, leaving a thin red line on her once rosy cheek.

As she stared at the bright red blood staining her pale hand.

Her expression twisted in fury.

“Daring… this wretched girl…”

Grinding her teeth, Marguerite’s head snapped up.

“You… you don’t have magic, do you?”

Marguerite’s hardened face glared at Elze.

But the Elze before her had undoubtedly used a magic gun.

Which meant.

Elze possessed magical power.

Marguerite’s suspicious expression swiftly gave way to shock.

‘No way?!’