Episode: 76
***
Muriel thought she would often go out for a night walk in the future. It was a pleasure to walk leisurely through the tranquil estate. Although the sound of monsters’ growls was jarring, it wouldn’t be a problem as long as Ondal was by her side, lending her his joyful gaze.
However, Sadie, who was scooping up the gravel by the lake into a bag because she thought it might be mixed with tapahite, noticed Muriel and became curious when she saw her walking blindfolded with Ondal. She carefully approached them, intending to give them a surprise, but the peace was shattered when she ended up grabbing Ondal’s hand.
“Ah!!”
Without anything to cover his eyes with, Ondal, startled by the woman’s eerie touch, flung Sadie away. It was an unintentional reflex unintended to cause harm, but his strength was the problem. Sadie, like she was lighter than a grain of sand, was thrown right into the center of the lake.
“SADIE!”
“…Huff…! Captain… Captain…!”
Sadie struggled desperately, but couldn’t get out of the water. She was gradually being sucked into its dark depths. She wasn’t a wizard skilled enough to perform magic without an incantation or spell like Kaiton. Sadie gasped open her mouth as if trying to recite a spell, but each time the lake slashed water over her face like it had no intention of letting her go.
“Phuk…! Sa…ve… m…”
Realizing that Sadie couldn’t escape on her own, Muriel immediately ran straight towards the lake. There was no time to hesitate. Her body moved first.
“No…”
Ondal caught Muriel as she was about to jump into the lake.
Sadie was sinking further into the lake, and Ondal seemed unwilling to let go of Muriel.
“Ondal!”
“No… you can’t, Muriel…”
I don’t have time for this! Muriel shouted urgently, but Ondal held her waist altogether, clinging even stronger. He acted as if jumping into the lake meant certain death. In truth, she didn’t know if that was the case or not. The lake was home to numerous spirits and just as many monsters. It was said that if you jumped into the lake recklessly during the night, when the power of the monsters grew stronger, it could lead to unknown dangers.
“Please…”
Muriel, who was frantically struggling and only thinking about jumping into the lake, regained her senses amidst his desperate trembling.
“It’s okay.”
Muriel gently comforted Ondal, turning around. Perhaps it was her tender and calm voice, but the hands that had been clutching tightly slowly loosened.
“Muri… Muriel… Don’t go…”
Ondal sobbed as he murmured, ‘I’m sorry, I’m so sorry’ like he was a sinner. He was in a state of panic. He didn’t even consider closing his eyes, which he usually kept shut to avoid being seen. He simply focused all his strength on holding onto Muriel, with his head bowed low.
“It’s all right.”
Bright red eyes were visible through the swaying white hair. The moist red eyes were remarkably vivid. She didn’t think anything else could possess such a deep red color. Even in the dark night, the eyes, redder than blood, revealed a clear presence, as if they had a glimmer.
Seeing the tears flowing from those red eyes, it seemed as if he was shedding tears of blood. Muriel gently stroked Ondal’s head at the sight, who was sobbing sorrowfully.
“Is Kaiton inside the estate?”
“…Kaiton Ur?”
Ondal raised his head in surprise at the unexpected name. Quickly startled, he lowered his gaze, but Muriel clearly felt the gaze of Ondal’s red eyes. A shiver ran through her body, as if she had peered into transparent glass and seen blood and a heart inside. A frightening pure red-color. Her mind became so confused to the point where her neck felt stiff with a strange sense of thrill. Muriel tried to calm her racing heart for a different reason than before and asked.
“Is Kaiton nearby? You can tell, right?”
“… “
Ondal’s eyes trembled with anxiety. He did not answer, but Muriel could see that Kaiton wasn’t so far.
“Call Kaiton here. With Kaiton, I’ll be fine.”
Then, as if possessed, Muriel jumped into the lake while Ondal called out Kaiton’s name. This time she jumped in suddenly so he wouldn’t be able to catch her.
The water was so cold that it made her teeth chatter. It felt like the cold turned into sharp blades, severing the connections between his bones and muscles one by one. Her body quickly stiffened, but Muriel managed to grab Sadie’s unconscious hand. Just as she thought ‘Ah, it’s done now’ her vision flipped. Something she didn’t want to imagine the face of greedily pulled her ankle and dragged her into the dark water.
In a fleeting moment, the ice spell she managed to create sent Sadie to the surface. At least one thing was successful… With a sense of relief, the strength in Muriel’s body relaxed. The moonlight on the water, visible through her reversed gaze, gradually faded away.
Now that she thought about it, Ondal’s distorted expression upon hearing Kaiton’s name was one of hurt. It was probably because Kaiton had laughed when he’d said he wanted to protect her. She wondered if it was cruel to ask Ondal to call Kaiton. But she couldn’t think of any other way besides Kaiten. In fact, the moment she confirmed Sadie had fallen into the lake, Kaiton was the first person she thought of.
She hadn’t realized she’d become so depended on Kaiton. Even though she knew she shouldn’t fully depend on him yet… Even though she knew he was still more fitting of the name “Demon King”… Muriel’s heart had already opened wide towards Kaiton.
Kaiton… Will he be angry?
He’d probably scold her for not having countermeasures.
She had entered a depth which even the moonlight could no longer reach. Her consciousness was gradually fading, but she wasn’t anxious. Kaiton would come soon.
***
She had the same dream again.
Even though she was fully aware that it was a dream this time, Muriel still trembled with intense loneliness and longing. The coldness of the damp floor was palpable. The wound that spilled blood hurt terribly.
To feel pain… Should she consider it fortunate, or unfortunate that she had to experience the agony of dying miserably alone?
“Muriel…”
Muriel softly uttered the name quietly while gazing at the black sky where the star of calamity obscured the sun.
“Muriel…”
The more she called, the more affectionate it became. I miss you… I miss you… My dear one.
Muriel couldn’t understand why she called her own name so fondly. However, she desperately missed Muriel. She longed for her blue hair, her fierce yet refreshing gaze, and her confident smile.
Her body temperature gradually dropped due to the large loss of blood.
She was confident that she wouldn’t even flinch in the cold, but perhaps because her mind had become weakened, her heart brought forth a bitter sorrow in the chilling cold. A sense of contrition, remorse now troubled her.
She should have been more honest about her heart when she had the chance…
She shouldn’t have wasted precious moments on childish resentment…
She should have loved and embraced them as she was wanted… Why was she so dull?
She used to think the most frightening thing in life was to lose all pacio and become a demon, but now, the most terrifying thing was not being able to see that person anymore.
She can’t die yet…
But did they notice Muriel’s weakened state? The monsters that had been watching from a distance, only observing, now rushed forward with disgusting screams. The frenzied monsters, intoxicated by the sweet smell of blood, quickly mounted on her.
The moment she felt like she was really going to die like this, the star of calamity completely obscured the sun. It was the perfect time for demons. The boundary between the demon and human world blurred, and the corrupted spirits that had been crouching in the darkness poured out and spread their wings.
Muriel crawled towards that crevice with her last ounce of strength. The entrance to the underworld emitted a sinister aura, filled only with pitch-black darkness, madness, and malevolence, but it didn’t matter. If she could see her face just one more time, she was willing to endure anything.
Muriel kept crashing down. Down, down.
***
“I’ll be next to her, so you stay out.”
“I’ll be by your side, so you can go out.”
Kaiten laid Muriel on the bed and spoke to Ondal. Ondal stood by the bed, crying, unable to even think of covering his eyes. The fire blazed fiercely in the fireplace for Muriel, who disliked the cold, but he didn’t even care if his eyes stung.
It felt as if the world was crumbling.
Kaiten was surprised when Ondal came to him in a panic. He had been spending his time on the roof of the estate, away from people. He thought no one would be able to find him there. Even the puny Sharan who had Sharan’s eyes was forgotten by him.
It was Muriel who completely filled Kaiton’s mind. After the night on the plateau, he couldn’t think of anything else. His mind was in such disarray that he even forgot about Sharan’s eyes. It was understandable… the soft skin wrapped around his hand, that dazed expression, the blushing cheeks that turned red, the eyes that pretended to be fierce but curved downwards foolishly, the swollen and reddened lips. Everything was vivid. He was going crazy because he couldn’t forget a single detail. The quiet rooftop of the serene castle was the refuge he sought from the fragments of that day that freely popped up in his mind.
“Muriel fell into the lake.”
When Ondal said that, Kaiton’s eyes seemed to turn upside down. Why did he foolishly run to him? How far was the distance from the lake to here? In the meantime, Muriel was probably bitten by something. He should have informed the nearby wizards first. He should have ran to Eklum, who claimed to be the protector of the kingdom, first. Why did he delay time by searching for him who was hiding somewhere?
Kaiton was overwhelmed with anger, but he didn’t have time to argue about each point. He flew in a daze with a dizzy head. Ondal didn’t stop him or ask him to take him, he just ran after him. If he had tried to stop him, he would have pushed him off the roof.
Kaiton gritted his teeth and jumped into the lake to search for Muriel. When he saw the black wizard he remembered having a haughty personality lying unconscious on what seemed to be an ice plate created by Muriel, his insides turned even more. She should’ve taken care of herself. Even though he had firmly resolved to give up lecturing her about taking care of others when she was incapable and lacking in strength, anxiety soared in him. He was nervous that it might be too late.
Please. Please….
Unconsciously biting his lip and looking around, he saw Muriel, who had fainted, being dragged down by a water spirit. Kaiton’s heart sank right then. It was because Muriel was so beautiful that it made him dizzy. He thought she had become a spirit of the lake. The flowing blue hair and the fluttering clothes along the waves didn’t seem out of place with the lake, which fueled his illusion.
Unconsciously poking his lips and looking around, I could see a faint Muriel being dragged by a watery spirit. Keaton’s heart sank at the moment. It was because Muriel was so beautiful. I thought I was already a spirit of the lake. The blue hair and the fluffy hem of his clothes, which swayed along the waves, did not feel at all different from the lake, which encouraged his illusion.
For God’s sake… Please…
He was frustrated. He was afraid those tightly closed eyelids would never open again. He wanted to pour all his anger at Muriel, who couldn’t get rid of a single water spirit like this and was being dragged.
Splash.
With a loud roar, the water from the lake shot up into the air. Kaiton, whose anxiety and grumpiness reached its peak, blew up the entire lake. The surroundings turned into a mess. The spirits and monsters that lived in the lake were thrown out and struggled, the holes that were dug to create a moat were all ruined, and the flimsy earthen walls that were built to stop the demons were swept away and collapsed.
While the wizards in the castle hurried to recover the ruined territory, including Sadie, who’d fainted, Kaiton only clung to Muriel.
“Cereneus.”
“Cereneus Portis.”
“Cereneus Primatus.”
Please….
Muriel had no intention of waking up even after the healing spell was cast. Kaiton’s anxiety and restlessness grew even stronger. To avoid being swept away by fear like a fool, he had to suppress himself. Kaiton focused on waking Muriel, biting his lip in frustration. There was nothing wrong with her, yet she didn’t wake up.
‘Muriel, open your eyes.’
Muriel seemed to be dreaming. She was probably seeing a nightmare again. She appeared distressed and even whimpered like a small animal. If Kaiton waited patiently, she would return after fulfilling her role as the saint.
But Kaiton couldn’t stand the agonizing wait. He pressed his ear against her chest, hugged her tightly, hit her on the back and even performed CPR. If Ondal hadn’t followed suit and burst into tears, Kaiton might not have been able to hide his restlessness and would have exploded in anger.
Kaiton, who brought Muriel to the bedroom, dazedly pondered about the nightmare she was having. What if the future that made her furrow her brows like this was about something related to him? If the nightmare that made her whimper sadly like this was because of him, how would Muriel see him? Would she despise him? Would she be afraid?
“Muriel….”
Kaiton nervously swept his hair. He was still wet. He hadn’t even thought of drying himself off. A drop of water trickled down his cheek, lingering on his chin before disappearing down his neck. He didn’t shed tears like Ondal, but Kaiton’s situation wasn’t much different.
“Get up, please…”
He hoped she wasn’t having a nightmare. Even more so if it was a nightmare he was the cause of.
“You said that it was alright… why aren’t you getting up?”
An terrified Ondal asked, his voice trembling. He tried to hold back his tears, but a stifled sob escaped his throat, producing an unpleasant sound.
What a fuss. Kaiton, agitated, clicked his tongue and glared coldly at Sharan’s drooping white head full of hair. Kaiton didn’t realize that he too, looked like he was making a fuss and flustered to others. In his mind, at least he wasn’t sobbing out loud like a fool, and his expression remained composed, leading him to mistakenly believe his pretense of being calm was working.
“If I had been next to her from the beginning, she would have woken up by now.”
That was too much. Kaiton spoke with an infinitely icy and heavy-handed tone, but when he pondered its content, it was an incredibly childish outburst. However, Ondal trembled like a fragile bird, biting his lips. He didn’t argue back and simply shed tears in despair.
As Ondal blamed himself, Kaiton became even more uncomfortable because he felt like a villain bullying an innocent, pure boy. Frustrated that Sharan was being so stupid and unable to vent his anger freely, Kaiton sighed inwardly and stood in front of Ondal.
It was a momentary impulse. Kaiton couldn’t stand the intense, reddish eyes being fixated only on Muriel, even though they were barely open. He was afraid that if Muriel regained consciousness and made eye contact with Ondal, she would collapse again immediately.
Unconsciously realizing that he was trying to keep Ondal in check, Kaiton clicked his tongue irritably but didn’t back down. Those chilling, bright red eyes had a captivating quality, and he didn’t want Muriel’s eyes to be drawn to them.
“Get out. Your presence makes me sick.”
“…Please, let me stay by Muriel’s side until she wakes up.”
“…You and I are not close enough to stay in the same room, are we?”
When Ondal stepped down like a sinner, Kaiton’s eyebrows raised. Ceyton knew better than anyone the sorrow and frustration of being unjustly persecuted. Being hated by the entire kingdom for a reason he couldn’t control, he couldn’t help but sympathize with Ondal. So he knew that it shouldn’t be like this for Ondal. He may be called Sharan, but he was just a half-wit, completely unrelated to his parents’ death or his own hardships. Ondal didn’t need to act like a sinner, and it was unfair for Kaiton to take it out on him.
Damn it.
Thanks! TENSIONS ARE RUNNING HIGHHH