Before, Dehan had once suspected Shekina.
It was simply because of a dream. In the dream, the person resembled Shekina. The feeling was just like her.
Of course, Shekina denied it, and Dehan dismissed it as just a dream, thinking he had mistaken it.
But when he instinctively protected Shekina amid the collapsing temple ruins,
Dehan saw a vivid vision unfold before him, as if it was happening right now.
On that day, when the darkness was thicker than ever. When eerie beastly cries filled the night sky.
On that day, Dehan held someone’s hand. It was the hand of a girl who seemed to have been trapped for a long time.
The girl resembled a withered branch of a winter tree, but her shining eyes were incomparable to even the brilliance of spring.
Though her body was on the verge of collapse, her eyes were filled with a will to live. That’s why Dehan saved her. And as he held her in his arms, he thought:
I will protect you.
But that resolve was not fulfilled.
In the middle of the pitch-black night, the girl, dressed in white, collapsed. Right at the moment Dehan held her close to his heart.
And then, the vision ended.
Among the crumbling debris, Dehan could see Shekina’s trembling face. Was it Shekina’s face, or the face of the girl in the vision? No, it seemed like both faces were overlapping.
Thus, Dehan was sure.
Shekina, I… I must… Shekina…
Boom!
And the world went dark.
***
“We’ve definitely met before, haven’t we?”
At Dehan’s words, Shekina felt a cold sweat run down her back.
No, why is he suddenly like this?
What did I do?
Shekina swallowed nervously.
“Why are you acting like this again? Did you hit your head or something? Are you hurt?”
So, she pretended not to know and made a confused expression.
“You and I first met in the greenhouse. Why do you keep asking the same thing?”
“……….”
Dehan slightly squinted one of his eyes.
His head was a bit foggy since he had just regained consciousness. He couldn’t think clearly as he usually did. Dehan held his forehead and took a deep breath.
“I saw it.”
He spoke slowly, with pauses in between his words.
“Lady Sekina, who was trapped.”
There was certainty in his voice, as if he was convinced that the girl he saw was Shekina. As if there was no room for doubt.
“In white clothes, with long black hair down to her waist, and a mole by her mouth…”
“No.”
Shekina hastily denied it.
“That’s not me.”
Of course, it was her. The clothes she wore at that time, the appearance, it all matched. But admitting it was impossible. The moment she acknowledged it, it would be like admitting that she had been reincarnated and returned time and time again.
How in the world could Dehan remember? How could he possibly know? It should have been something that ‘never happened.’ So, why?
‘Did the system mess up again?’
Shekina clicked her tongue. Then, she straightened her expression.
“You’re mistaken. Or maybe you’re just confused because too many things are happening right now.”
“……….”
“That’s not me. The person I am now is just me. Do you understand?”
Shekina looked straight into Dehan’s eyes as she spoke.
“You don’t need to treat me with such consciousness.”
“……….”
Shekina’s words carried many meanings.
She meant that they were not in a special relationship.
She meant that the scenario was already twisted, so there was no reason for Dehan to like her.
She meant that they should go their separate ways.
Whether Dehan understood all these meanings, she wasn’t sure. But one thing was clear—his expression wasn’t as good as it used to be. He looked quite upset.
So Shekina hesitated slightly. She quietly watched Dehan.
“Lady Shekina, why are you…”
His cracked voice slowly leaked out.
“Why are you trying to push me away?”
He reached out. Then, he lightly grasped Shekina’s wrist, who didn’t know what to do.
“If, as you said, we’ve never met and we have no relationship, then wouldn’t it be more strange to behave the way you are now?”
“What behavior?”
Is he asking because he doesn’t know?
Dehan let out a faint laugh and then slightly tightened his grip on Shekina’s hand.
“I’m talking about the way you keep avoiding me.”
For a moment, he lowered his gaze, then slowly raised his eyelids again. His jade-colored eyes sparkled as he looked at Shekina.
“Do you hate me, Lady Shekina?”
His sparkling eyes held a faint hint of moisture. Was that why? His thick, long eyelashes looked unusually forlorn.
His trembling lips and flushed cheeks all seemed to reflect his unstable emotions.
“You…”
Shekina sharply pulled her hand away from Dehan’s grasp.
“Don’t try to seduce me.”
“… Pardon?”
“You know you’re handsome, and the moment you get a chance, you open your eyes wide. Do you want to die?”
“………..”
Uh… eum.
Dehan didn’t know how to respond.
Should he say, Thank you for saying I’m handsome?
Or maybe, I’ve never used my looks to seduce anyone?
His head was full of confusion.
“Let me say it again,”
Shekina didn’t miss the opportunity.
“I don’t have any particular feelings for you. I don’t hate you, but I don’t like you either.”
“Then why do you keep avoiding me?”
“I avoid everyone. It’s exhausting.”
At this, Dehan thought that Shekina’s words were complete nonsense, but then he suddenly remembered how she treated the twins and how she constantly nagged Arthur.
Ah, she finds everything annoying by nature.
Only then could Dehan make sense of the uneasiness in his heart.
But even so, he didn’t erase the thought that Shekina was telling another lie — the lie about meeting him for the first time.
‘There’s definitely something going on.’
Otherwise, there would be no reason for him to see these visions or keep having recurring dreams.
He didn’t know what exactly had happened, but it was clear that there was a connection between him and Shekina. This much, he was certain. And so, Dehan felt a sense of relief without even realizing it. He couldn’t help but smile.
“Then,”
He flashed a wide grin.
“That’s a relief.”
“……..”
Shekina stared blankly at Dehan before suddenly raising her hand and shouting,
“I told you not to use your looks on me! You’re seriously asking for trouble.”
But what am I supposed to do about being handsome…?
Dehan chuckled.
***
It was a scene of utter chaos.
The Central Line Temple had completely collapsed, and in its place, the bodies of people were strewn everywhere.
Most of them were ordinary citizens who had lived near the temple. There were children crying out for their mothers and fathers who cursed the world as they held their dead children in their arms.
And that wasn’t all. The nauseating stench from the rotting bodies of monsters filled the air.
Yuriel closed his eyes tightly, then opened them again. He was beginning to doubt whether what he was seeing was real.
“Over there! It looks like there’s someone over there!”
“Ugh! Why is this so heavy?”
“Someone go get help!”
But the shouts of the people were all too real. And so was the stench of blood that stung his nose.
Yes. This was reality.
It was a real situation.
“Wh-where…”
He shouted, clenching his fists so tightly that they bled.
“Where on earth are the other priests?”
