There was No One Beside Her

That indeed was the case. A white carriage.

The only trace left by Cecile.

The originally worn-out carriage transformed into a pristine white coach that gleamed as though adorned with jewel powder, radiating an even more brilliant glow in the nighttime.

After the white carriage was brought to the Empress’ palace, a mysterious fog enveloped its surroundings, seemingly safeguarding the vehicle.

It was a spectacular sight.

Ultimately, the coachman previously imprisoned for deceit found his freedom, and those who dismissed the whole situation as nonsense were silenced.

They acknowledged everything. That this was evidence of God’s supernatural power.

And that all past saints, including Cecile, were legitimate.

“God Serendi is angry.” 

The chairman froze like ice at the remark.

No objections arose. On the day Cecile vanished, the Empress Dowager hurried to the temple.

There, she witnessed a remarkable scene – all the priests, once lively and full of spirit, lay in an inexplicable slumber.

Despite efforts to rouse them, they remained unresponsive, resembling the stillness of death. 

This phenomenon extended to all priests of other temples, coinciding with the disappearance of their master, Cecile.

Regardless of the cause, hope dissipated, and everything was over.

No one could unravel this predicament.

Nightly, malicious spirits would run rampant, steering the empire toward gradual ruin.

If this wasn’t a curse, what else could it be?

What, if not a divine punishment?

The Empress Dowager found herself most consumed by fear as the unsettling reality unfolded.

The horror intensified at the thought that the very sky she had once mocked seemed to respond with these strange occurrences.

Night after night, evil spirits would haunt her, inflicting insomnia, depression, nervous breakdowns, and delirium.

She was diagnosed with various mental illnesses and eventually became a prisoner at the palace.

Yet, no one extended empathy towards her.

Instead, those aware of the atrocities she committed against Cecile were too preoccupied with their fear of divine retribution, dreading the possibility of succumbing to madness under the supposed punishment.

____

The radiant sunlight failed to dispel the darkness that pervaded the office.

The seemingly organized space bore signs of broken objects and torn clothing.

The exposed skin beneath a once-pure white collar appeared lifeless, mirroring the state of the pendulum against the man’s neck, which was now entirely black.

Arbeuta grasped the moon-shaped pendulum close to his chest and inquired the waiting knight.

“Are you still there?”

The knight hesitated before responding.

“…Yes.”

“You haven’t found it yet?”

The knight trembled and knelt without excuse.

Arbeuta refrained from further reprimands. Instead, he lifted his weary complexion to face Teresa, who stood behind him.

Arbeuta ground his teeth and demanded. 

“Hurry up and tell me.”

“I am also unaware.”

“You, the saint’s knight, are unaware?”

Arbeuta questioned Teresa, his eyebrows furrowing.

However, Teresa maintained a calm expression. She quietly gazed down at the Emperor with an air of arrogance.

Her eyes shifted to the nape of Arbeuta’s neck, where his skin was gradually turning pitch black—a sign that the demonic spirit would soon consume him.

In this scenario, the Emperor would transform into a monstrous entity, wreak havoc throughout the empire, and eventually descend into madness. 

Teresa envisioned a fate where Arbeuta, like a desert wanderer seeking an oasis, would slowly perish, yearning only for the vanished Cecile’s mercy.

Teresa slowly lifted her head and whispered in Arbeuta’s ear.

“Please die like this.”

“…If that happens, Cecile will die too.”

“No. She will live forever. Only you will die.”

Arbeuta’s countenance hardened at Teresa’s words.

He broke the unwritten rule and seized Teresa by the collar, but she didn’t flinch.

Instead, she continued to whisper with a smirk on her lips.

“Now you have to pay the price for daring to go beyond the sky.”

“If I find Cecile, I will kill you.”

“Why don’t you try it?”

A sneer adorned Teresa’s face.

Enraged, Arbeuta cast Teresa aside and stormed out.

But Teresa remained unfazed. She disdainfully glanced at the Emperor’s fading presence.

____

Arbeuta stormed down the hallway.

Despite the evident fatigue, he maintained a seemingly untroubled appearance.

If anything, a slight weight loss accentuated his already handsome features, with a slimmer jawline and sharply raised eyes enhancing his attractiveness.

Renowned for his looks, he garnered quite the attention in social circles, where many praised his upright demeanor.

Despite not having proper sleep for the past two years, Arbeuta stood as the only person who remained sane.

While outwardly hailed as the Emperor with unwavering poise, the truth was unknown to those who witnessed his flawless act.

Arbeuta was teetering on the edge of madness.

Few were aware that he had spent half a year away from the palace, desperately searching for Cecile, only to return when the monster’s power threatened to awaken.

The public, which relied only on appearance, perceived Arbeuta as a healthy Emperor. This fact wore him out.

With a sense of frustration, he quickened his pace and untied the cravat around his neck. He rushed towards the distant Empress’ Palace—his sole refuge.

He reached the palace and collapsed onto his seat in exhaustion.

Driven by a desire to follow Cecile’s faint traces and energy, his tired eyes scanned the palace garden, still veiled in a mysterious haze.

However, as Arbeuta approached, the fog began to dissipate, almost as if avoiding him.

In the end, only the space where he sat became clear.

Irritated by this, Arbeuta screamed at the sky.

“Does it have to be like this!”

His furious voice reverberated with such intensity that it felt like the air would tear apart.

However, as always, the sky remained silent.

This was because the god Serendi harbored an intense hatred for Arbeuta.

She cursed him as the thief who stole her daughter’s heart.

There was zero chance Serendi was to respond to his enraged outcry.

Nevertheless, Arbeuta had no regrets. He had no intention of letting go.

Even if he could turn back time, he would choose to reunite with Cecile.

He would timidly extend his hand to the girl who beamed at him, just like before.

Arbeuta dug a hole in the damp soil and brought it close to his face. He inhaled deeply and whispered.

“Cecile. Where in the world are you?”

His prideful countenance twisted in extreme pain.

However, Cecile was no longer present, and the realization felt like the collapse of his world.

“Please come back.”

For the past two years, he pondered Cecile’s image repeatedly.

She was unlike his past life. He couldn’t erase the recollection of when she spoke indifferent words to him without any emotion.

However, Arbeuta couldn’t hold onto Cecile. He didn’t know the consequences of approaching her recklessly.

At the time, he was unaware that the pendulum had cracked. If he had known, he would have avoided this mistake.

Arbeuta’s hand moved to the pendulum around his neck.

The once-solid object now bore a crack—a mark that appeared since Cecile departed from the imperial palace two years ago.

The pendulum represented the restrictions imposed by God. The crack indicated a gap in God’s limitations.

‘If I had known this would happen, I would have caught her back then.’

Arveuta let out a self-deprecating laugh.

A pang of pain flashed in the corner of his eyes.

Meanwhile, the approaching knight lowered his head before Arbeuta and reported.

“We have found something.”

“…What?”

“A boy from Alcaden claims to have seen an angel.”

The mention of an angel sent shivers down Arbeuta’s spine.

While the term could have referred to anybody, he was certain the person was Cecile.

Even if he was wrong, it didn’t matter. He would pursue any lead given to him.

Arbeuta commanded in an elated tone.

“We are leaving immediately.”

____

Locating Cecile had long been the Empire’s foremost priority.

Consequently, the search for the Empire’s Empress involved the organized deployment of personnel.

Knights were scattered across the empire to gather any traces, and even the Royal Guard, obedient only to the Emperor’s directives, joined the search.

Among those dispersed in various locations, the most skilled were identified and assembled in Alcaden.

Wary that Cecile might sense their presence and flee, they all disguised themselves and stationed within villages throughout the region.

The surrounding villages and shadowy mountains were meticulously sealed off, providing no escape route.

At the forefront of the group stood Arbueta.

Without a moment’s rest, he sprinted to Alcaden and stood before the boy who claimed to have seen an angel.

Despite Arbeuta’s attempt at disguise, his inherent authority and strength couldn’t be concealed.

The boy trembled in fear before the imposing figure.

“Pl-please spare me.”

He was a child whose speech lagged behind that of his peers.

Not only that, but he appeared frightened, with a mental age that belonged to that of a four-year-old.

Nevertheless, for Arbeuta, even if what the boy said was inaccurate, he needed to verify it firsthand.

It was a matter of desperation, or else he felt he might truly lose his sanity.

The breaking point was soon to build up; he lacked the strength and stamina to endure any longer. 

A clumsy smile crept onto Arbeuta’s face.

The child’s complexion paled at the smile, which seemed more frightening than kind.

“It’s okay, just share if you feel comfortable.”

“Ung, hnng.”

“Hah, why in the world is he crying?”

Irritation flowed from Arbeuta’s lips, unable to contain himself any longer.

The child, naturally, became even more frightened by such behavior.

Unable to comprehend the tearful kid, Arbeuta ruffled his hair.

At that moment, a humble servant stepped forward, offering solace to the distressed child.

“Aren’t you a cute little one? Let’s play with me, not that guy.”

Arbeuta furrowed his brow at the servant’s words.

________

Note: So were my suspicions valid? Is Arbeuta indeed a demonic entity?