It was under the hot sun and beside the azure sea.
“Would you like another drink, Customer? This wine has an exquisite flavor.”
“Yes, please.”
While the waiter poured the wine, I lay on the sunbed and used a fan to shield myself from the sunlight.
I planned to stay for a few days at a modest inn or a guesthouse to observe the dynamics of this unfamiliar town. Even if it was a land abandoned by the goddess, there should be at least that much. However,
I had no idea it would be like this.
Stepping through a magic circle into Pronaea, I was taken aback by the beauty.
Abandoned land, my foot. The beautiful village view from the hotel terrace was dazzling. To think they were enjoying such paradise all to themselves…
“How much is it?” I asked, intending to pay for the additional wine.
“No, Customer. Just by entering Pronaea, you’ve paid enough,” the waiter declined with a charming smile, making the fearsome label of a ‘prison for heretical exiles’ laughably inaccurate. “Then, please enjoy the goddess’s mercy at your leisure.”
“Thank you.”
It truly was paradise. Even though it was the best room in a top-notch hotel, it cost about as much as a countryside inn, and the service was lavish.
Shouldn’t it be called a land blessed by the goddess?
The most surprising thing was that despite being a closed-off place, the people were incredibly friendly to strangers. With no devils around, it must be peaceful. Since there was no interaction with outside territory, no one would know me, and no one would suddenly pry into my personal life.
“Maybe I should just settle down here?”
Back in my hotel room, sprawling out on the bed.
I had money, plenty of time, and anonymity. This moment, with all three elements coming together perfectly, felt as sweet as honey.
I wonder if Daisy is doing well.
As I closed my eyes and my consciousness blurred, memories surfaced – just the day before.
“Daisy, I need to get off here.”
Torn between two choices, I decided to leave first.
“Yes. I’m okay, Milady. But if we part like this, when will we meet each other again?”
“You’ll have to meet me once a month to ensure secrecy while pretending to be Babarin. Right, Daisy? Or should I say, Babarin?”
“Yes, Milady. Take care of yourself. I’ll contact you first in exactly 6 days since you gave me the communication tool!”
Then I got off the carriage and walked straight ahead. I didn’t even look back until I passed the open fields and reached the end of the quiet forest path.
Just a bit more, a little further!
“…Ha.”
Despite being out of breath from the relentless pace, I still ran.
You did well. Good job, Myself!
Within the thorny bushes shone a flickering blue light.
“Finally…”
My final steps felt as light as air. Under a clear sky and a refreshing breeze, no one was in my way!
“Finally!”
The moment the glowing magic circle appeared before my eyes.
“Freedoooooom!” I jumped like a child who discovered an oasis.
And now, back to the present.
“Wait a minute.”
I was lying down in a daze and suddenly sprang up.
“It wasn’t a day ago.”
Right, time flowed differently within the magic circle compared to reality. A blink inside the magic circle could mean days had passed outside.
I got mixed up there.
So, including today, my parting with Daisy wasn’t ‘just yesterday’ but ‘a whole six days ago.’ That means Daisy should have arrived in Benega by now.
“Why hasn’t there been any contact?”
The communication tool, lying within the bag, remained silent.
“Daisy?” Feeling uneasy, I activated the communication tool first.
Daisy must be in an even more disoriented state than I am, which is why she hasn’t contacted me.
“Daisy.”
{…}
“Are you there?”
{…}
“Can you hear my voice, Daisy? Did you arrive safely?”
{…}
But only the cracking signal noise was heard for a long time, with no response.
Since the signal is going through, it doesn’t seem to be a connection issue. Staring at the communication tool, I instinctively held my breath. It was just then.
{Wow, what’s this?}
Footsteps approached the communication tool as if someone was coming closer.
{I thought I missed it…}
{This is a gift left for Milord.}
It wasn’t Daisy’s voice, but a captivating and husky male voice instead.
* * *
“I could have sworn I heard something.”
A man scrutinized the silent communication tool he found inside a carriage that had entered his barrier. As with all humans who invaded his space, his initial thought was to steal their souls.
“…Where could she have gone?”
The familiar scent he sensed when he opened the carriage door almost made him shout for joy.
“Where could she have gone?”
But the owner of that scent was neither the coachman driving the carriage nor the girl inside.
“Where could she have escaped to?”
Despite his serene appearance, the jewels adorning his body evoked the image of a carefree nobleman. His eyes, humming as he looked around the carriage, were leisurely yet persistent. But then,
“…Oh.”
His steps, which had been stirring the inside of the carriage, suddenly halted.
“What’s this?”
His gaze quickly turned to stare outside the barrier. An unknown power spreading around the barrier seemed to bind his entire body. If it were a human, they’d be sucked into his barrier, but how could a mere human possess such power…
“Your Royal Highness, this area is where disappearances have been reported. Are you sure you want to proceed alone?”
“Search the entire area until I return. Master might have lost her way.”
But when that voice was heard, the man’s eyes shook violently. No way…!
Bang, bang, bang. The man stared blankly as the barrier he had created shattered. A barrier made of black mist that clouded human eyes and a thick darkness that devoured souls!
“I’ve been waiting for you.”
And when that barrier completely shattered and collapsed,
“Peidion.”
The man knelt and pressed his head to the ground.
As the shadow of that presence drew closer, the man’s shoulders trembled in shiver.
“…”
He already felt it when those feet stopped in front of his eyes.
“…Milord!”
When he slowly lifted his head, he was certain.
Silver hair, dark blue eyes, and a face sharp yet seemingly crafted from transparent glass.
His lord has returned! The great ruler of darkness has awakened!
“Milord, do you remember me?” The man asked in a voice trembling with emotion.
“I heard you’ve been collecting human souls, Halphas.”
“I’ve been gathering them solely for you, Milord!”
Halphas beamed brightly at the ruler who remembered him.
“In case the soul fragment of the woman you’re searching for might fall into my hands!”
But his joy was short-lived.
“You insolent brat.”
“Uurgh!”
Halphas’s head, which had been bowed, was forcibly lifted.
“How dare you lay a hand on what’s mine.”
“Mi-Milord!”
“Where is master?”
Halphas instinctively knew who this master he was searching for.
“You tried to kidnap the carriage, didn’t you? She ran away because of you, not me.” Redian muttered the same words with empty eyes.
Yes, there must have been a reason. Because there’s no way master would lie to me. No way she would deceive me on purpose.
“No, Milord.” At that moment, Halphas, shaking his head urgently, answered. “It wasn’t because of me that she ran away.”
“…What?”
“Before being pulled into my barrier, ‘that person’ wasn’t in the carriage.”
A chilling silence followed.
“I was also tracking the familiar scent left in the carriage!”
“Can you take responsibility for what you just said, Halphas?”
“…!”
However, the voice that asked him while making eye contact was softer than ever.
“If you played with my trust, I will skin you and cut out your tongue, then bury you in the deepest part of hell. Right now.”
Halphas knew.
“If you’re confident, answer.”
“…”
“Answer quickly, Halphas.”
That his lord was the cruelest when he was the most gentle.
“Look at the memory I stole from that human’s soul, Milord.”
So Halphas urgently tore off the jewel attached to his clothes. What he offered with both hands instead of an answer was precisely…
“What are you waiting for, Daisy? Hurry up and take off your coat.”
“Se-Seeing the crown prince say all that, could he have suspected something?”
A fragment of Daisy’s soul, containing her memories.
“…”
The blue eyes watching the projection of Siani in the air gradually became calm.
“You’ll have to pay the price for keeping secrets, so you’ll meet me once a month, Daisy.”
“Se-Secrets?”
It was definitely that woman. The woman to whom he had devoted all his faith, loyalty, love, and patience.
“Interesting.”
In the end, Redian stifled a laugh, covering his mouth.
“Isn’t it funny? Seeing me, who was loyal like a dog, got abandoned?”
“…Milord.”
The chuckle that burst out turned into mad laughter.
“I see.”
But only for a moment.
“Master…”
Redian’s expression changed in an instant.
“Lied to me?”
It was the same look he had when he was falling into hell.
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My heart hurts for Redian