Lin was only able to recover and stand up after more than two weeks had passed.

Now it was truly time for them to leave for the northern continent.

They gathered the smoked venison and furs they had collected in the meantime, packed their luggage, and finally stepped out of the cabin.

On the snowy field where heavy snow was still falling.

“……”

Lin, who had closed her eyes and concentrated for a moment, quietly opened her palm.

A flame slightly larger than a candle’s flame rose above that hand.

Surprisingly, Lin was not holding a Fossum in her other hand.

Opening her closed eyes, Lin muttered softly.

“… This much should allow me to use light magic without necessarily using a Fossum.”

“……!”

The rest of the group widened their surprised eyes.

Lin’s words that ‘aurum seems to be spreading in the air’ were true.

“How in the world did this happen?”

“Who knows… Perhaps that barrier also played a role in blocking the aurum from the outside.”

But there was nothing they could figure out by discussing it among themselves here and now.

“For now, let’s focus on crossing the Antes Mountains as planned.”

The others nodded their heads with a determined expression at Belly’s words.

“You’re right.”

“Let’s go quickly, to the north where all the truth lies.”

The group moved their steps northward without hesitation.

Delphine moved her feet vigorously to follow them, trying not to show any signs of hesitation.

I won’t look back.

I won’t do that.

It was none other than myself who left him as he clung to me crying.

… But my spiteful body did not obey the command of my heart.

I had barely walked, but my head turned back on its own.

With her eyes, she couldn’t even see the barrier.

All that was visible before her eyes was a snowy field where white snow was falling.

‘Ioan.’

You must be beyond that invisible barrier.

Though you are not far in distance.

Now our worlds have truly become completely different.

“……”

She bit her lower lip tightly as usual, gathered her will, and turned her head.

Then she slowly began to walk towards the Antes Mountains, following her companions.

For three days after Delphine crossed the barrier and ran away.

Inside the barrier, the unseasonable summer rain did not stop for a long time.

Drenched by the endless pouring rain, Pryde just kept standing there, gazing at the barrier.

“Are you alright?”

“It’s already been three days. Shouldn’t someone go and stop him?”

“But who would dare to do that to ‘that’ Count Pryde?”

The imperial knights and soldiers who were watching him whispered.

“To be able to stand like that without eating, sleeping, or moving for three days….”

On the third day, a soldier who was watching him even muttered like this.

“I doubt if he’s really human….”

“Shh! How dare you utter such disrespectful words!”

However, the young soldier’s words were immediately stopped.

“If you don’t want to lose your head without anyone knowing, be quiet!”

A demon that even God cannot save.

A murderous ghost that drives blood.

People always whispered that Count Pryde’s eyes and ears were everywhere in the empire.

But in fact, the protagonist of that notorious rumor did not hear the young soldier’s words.

In fact, he was in a state where he couldn’t even feel the sensation of the rain pouring down on his head.

Standing for three days, Pryde repeatedly pondered, without eating or sleeping.

The memory of three days ago when his beloved left him.

“I love you.”

She loves him.

Loves him.

Loves me, she does.

A strange sensation he had never felt in his life filled his barren heart.

It was like a sudden downpour to someone who had wandered the desert all his life.

The maddening thirst is quenched, and the cracked, bleeding heart is moistened.

He suddenly recalled his very young childhood, which now felt like a previous life.

His beautiful mother.

The young childhood when he used to reach out his small hands in search of her warmth.

Hold me.

Call my name.

Smile at me.

Then the woman who always sat with her back turned to him turns around.

“Ioan.”

She calls his name softly.

A white and soft hand grasps and caresses his desperately outstretched hand.

She had Delphine’s face.

His saint who had occupied his entire mind at some point.

The most beautiful, strong, and kind woman embraced him.

“I love you.”

Then the endless desire.

The desire that was not fully satisfied even when he fully embraced her was fulfilled all at once.

But his mind, which had been elevated as if to reach heaven, soon plummeted back to the hell’s ground.

“I love you. That’s why I’m leaving.”

Ah……

Pryde slowly raised his large hand and covered his face.

What on earth have I done?

I’ve committed an irreversible act no matter what I do.

She said she was leaving to find a way to save his soul.

Leaving those cruel words that she loves him.

‘But Delphine. There is no way to reverse my soul anymore.’

He already knew.

A contract with the devil cannot be broken no matter what.

His soul was already mortgaged to the devil, and this was irreversible even if God were to be reborn.

It had already been three days of repeating this cycle of rising in hope and then collapsing into despair.

“……”

Very slowly, a determination began to form in Pryde’s heart.

“Oh? The rain is stopping.”

The knights stationed on the plain waiting for his orders shouted.

The black clouds that had covered the entire sky began to clear, and bright sunlight began to seep through.

As the rain that had hidden his tears stopped, Pryde finally raised his dried face.

The agonizing was over.

A conclusion had been reached.

Only after she left did Pryde admit it.

That even the actions he thought he was doing for her were actually all for himself.

That he had been arrogant and selfish.

He thought he wanted to protect her, but even that desire was his own selfishness.

In the end, it was none other than himself who had driven her to this point of no return, unable to overcome his own greed.

Like the sky cleared of those black clouds, his mind that had gone through a storm was clearer and more distinct than ever.

His affection and love had finally returned to the starting point after passing through a long tunnel of wandering.

His most earnest and pure desire.

It was to protect her.

He looked straight at the rainbow floating far away.

So, Delphine.

I don’t want to torment you with impossible hope.

He had lived his entire life in Area 3, only looking up.

He knew better than anyone how much an unattainable hope can eat away at a person.

He didn’t want her to live such a life. Especially because of him.

But as long as I live and breathe in this empire of the devil, you won’t be able to give up on me.

If that’s the case. If that’s how it is, Delphine.

‘I’ll disappear instead.’

Rather than having you wander in the north with an indefinite hope for the rest of your life, that was better.

He had no lingering attachments to dying.

It was a life he had endured with the sole thought of wanting to protect her anyway.

But how nice would it be if all these issues could be resolved with his death?

Pryde knew very well that his death could never be a path to atonement.

Because even if he died, the devil would not disappear.

It would find the next contractor and have them protect this empire of the devil again.

So let’s put off finding peace in death for a little while.

‘Delphine. I’ll dedicate this empire to you.’

I will break this safe hell that I have protected for you.

And then I will disappear from your life forever.

It took ten days, even using magic, to cross the mountain range said to be the highest and most rugged in the world.

After barely crossing the mountain range and walking and walking, the weather soon became a little milder and a small rural village appeared.

“…… Finally, this is where people live from here.”

It was a village where about twenty rural houses were gathered.

The architectural style of the houses was slightly different from that of the empire.

They, who were examining the village with tense faces, soon made a decision.

“Let’s go.”

Then, as they were getting up from hiding in the bushes, Lin hurriedly put a cloak hood over Delphine’s head.

Delphine asked with a puzzled face under the shadow of the hood.

“I’m no longer a wanted criminal with a bounty anymore.”

Since they had left the empire, there would be no one who knew her face.

“That’s…..”

Lin stammered with a troubled expression at the emerald gaze looking up at him.

“…… Isn’t red hair a bit conspicuous? Your eyes too. Just in case.”

Is that so?

But if that’s the case, wouldn’t Belly’s dazzling blonde hair be the same?

However, Delphine followed Lin’s instructions for now without saying anything.

Thinking that he must have some reason, as he has a lot of practical experience.

So, just in case, Lin held a Fossum in his left hand secretly.

And Marian was ready to draw her huge sword at any time, and they carefully headed towards the village.