Chapter 143
“Let go.”
A moment of silence descended.
Valar smiled, rather white at the chill of the blade against his throat.
‘Yeah, I knew where you were.’
Valar knew better than anyone that Ludwig would not take Arellin from him so easily.
“What?”
He asked, his tone taunting.
“There’s only one thing you can put down now, isn’t there?”
The expected answer came back.
A bitter sneer tugged at the corners of Valar’s mouth as he glanced down at Arellin, who slept colorfully in his arms.
“Why would I?”
“You want to die, don’t you?”
“You want to kill me, I suppose.”
“Isn’t that the same for you?”
They’d never met, but their relationship had become so tangled that there was nothing left but hatred.
Valar hated Ludwig.
So much so that he wanted to kill him.
“No.”
Nevertheless.
“I have more important things to do than kill someone like you.”
In all his dreams, each one like a new life splitting into a million different directions, Valar had never really come face to face with the man.
Even when he didn’t touch him, Ludwig quietly self-destructed each time.
Maybe that’s why he didn’t have the hatred to kill him, or maybe that’s why he didn’t.
Rumors of his death, rumors that he killed the duchess, rumors that she killed herself, rumors that he was purged, rumors that he was purged… the man always died before he did.
“Arel, the medicine didn’t work, did it? The magic didn’t work, and the High Priestess’s blessing didn’t work, did it?”
“…”
He whipped around just enough to face Ludwig, who was aiming for his throat from behind.
“Arellin will die if we let this go on.”
Valar smirked at the agitated green eyes.
So this man is like him.
Like himself.
“If you want to kill me, kill me. If Arellin dies, I’ll die anyway.”
It didn’t matter if he was being extreme. Valar had always made such choices.
Paradoxically, it was Arellin who kept him alive after the loss of his sister.
His reason for living, his purpose, his everything.
There was no reason to be alone in a world without Arellin.
“…”
Ludwig stirred.
It was both unpleasant and uncomfortable to see his seemingly unwavering gaze waver.
It was as if he were looking at himself, lost and lost without Arellin.
Even though it had never happened, only in his dreams, Valar was offended as if he had experienced it himself.
“You’re an asshole, too.”
Valae laughed at Ludwig’s declaration.
“Do you realize that now?”
“No, I knew it, but it’s new to see it in person.”
“I don’t think you’re in a position to tell your in-laws.”
Their gazes clashed in the air, as if they were never going to get along.
Ludwig was surprisingly the first to back away.
“Okay, I’ll let you go.”
“You’re letting me go…?”
Valar was a little surprised, as he’d expected them to play dead together.
‘Why is this man suddenly so docile?’
“Instead.”
Ludwig’s green eyes lit up.
“I’ll come with you.”
Into enemy territory?
Valar’s head tilted at the questionable choice, though he wasn’t about to back down from a situation where he had the upper hand.
“Very well.”
***
The Halbern mansion was turned upside down.
From the unexpected return of the Archduke of Halbern to the return of Arellin, who had been kidnapped.
Although there was a bonus attached…
Mehen was dumbfounded at how easily something he’d expected to take at least half a country to resolve had been resolved.
‘What about all the worrying I’ve done?’
His stomach felt like it was going to melt from all the stress he’d been under, and this?
Mehen sighed as he reflected on his feelings, which he should have liked, but didn’t like at all.
“Where’s Arel?”
Arellin had been stabilized by the medicines that had been prepared for her upon her return to the mansion and the assistance of skilled physicians, healers, and priests.
“She’s sleeping.”
Valar had watched the whole process without blinking an eye.
“Has that man been up all night?”
Mehen asked in a tired voice as he pressed firmly around the snowball.
Mehen had just returned from several hours of snowboarding when his stamina failed him.
Valar didn’t answer, but it was as if he had. Judging by the way he was sitting, he hadn’t moved a step since he returned.
‘He’s also…’
It was Ludwig, the Duke Regent of the Southern Empire, who Mehen called ‘that man’.
Halbern’s newest visitor.
Occupying one of the couch couches, far away from Valar, who was clinging to the side of Arellin’s bed, Duke Regent watched them with an expressionless face that said nothing.
‘Why is he so quiet again?’
It was hard to guess what he was thinking when he kidnapped her without warning and sent her back, saying she was sick.
He is grateful, but he is not sure he should be.
Mehen’s head hurt because he didn’t understand exactly what was going on.
‘Are these people going to wake up because their kid is sick?’
No.
And yet they’re so quiet.
‘No, it must be the Arellin effect…’
Mehene looked at Arellin, colorfully sleeping like an angel on the bed.
If Arellin really is the reason why the two most intractable men in the entire world are quiet.
Perhaps Arelline was protecting the peace of the world.
‘My heart swells in my chest.’
His daughter.
Mehen swallowed back a grin and moved to Arellin’s side.
“Don’t worry too much. She’ll stabilize easily enough.”
“Like this?”
“Yeah, when it was really bad, she had a high fever for a whole month. I wonder if the exercises really worked…”
Mehen, who had half-heartedly believed the doctor’s words, now believed Arellin when she said that she was a little healthier than before.
Valar was scrunching up his face, wondering what was so wrong with him.
“It’s all thanks to you.”
“My good?”
“Because it wouldn’t have been possible if it weren’t for the medicine you sent.”
“…”
“What the hell is it made of that works on Arellin’s mysterious illness?”
“The blood of an immortal.”
“…”
Mehen blinked for a moment.
Was he tired and mishearing?
“It’s only a drop.”
Valar replied nonchalantly, seeing Mehen’s confusion.
“More precisely, the immortal’s favor contained therein is keeping Arellin alive.”
“…”
It was better to let things go that didn’t make sense. Mehen quickly recovered and returned to the point.
“Valar, do you know exactly what Arellin is suffering from?”
“No.”
Valar searched his fading memory for a moment. Distant memories. Left in fragments…
A worldline from “When Valar did nothing but raise Arellin.”
“All I know is that if I do nothing, she could be dead within a week.”
“…”
Mehen’s hopeful expression cracked.
“There’s no way to get better…”
“We’ll find it.”
In the face of this surprisingly clueless situation, Valar did not despair.
He could only think of the Archmage of the Tower.
Someone he had never met face-to-face in any of his dreams.
He didn’t know why such a ‘big shot’ would reveal himself so easily when he was so elusive even if he wanted to…
‘I can’t lose Arellin like a dream.’
If you have the knowledge and wisdom to tell me what a singularity is, isn’t that something to look forward to?
Of course, we’d have to deal with that first.
Duke Regent, who had become that thing in Jolgier, wiggled his eyebrows under Valar’s piercing gaze.
***
Castle Locke, where Valar and Ludwig disappeared.
A light flashed on the deserted outskirts of Castle Locke, and in an instant, dozens of human beings appeared.
Wizards in black robes muttered excitedly.
“Finally.”
“Infiltrate!”
The plan to kidnap Arellin that Archmage Marcedes hadn’t allowed to be executed!
While the Archmage was away for a while, the impatient wizards of the provincial mages ran amok.
“Hoo-hoo, we finally have her. Our treasure.”
“A miracle.”
“Light.”
They dreamed of kidnapping Arellin.
But when they arrived at Castle Locke, Arellin was nowhere to be found.
“Eh?”
What the… is going on?
While the wizards staggered, unable to accept the reality, the knights stationed at Castle Locke’s gates spotted them and came running.
“Trespassers!”
“Run!”
