Even while wailing intensely, the Queen didn’t let me go.

Far away, a bird-like monster carried the Duke away, Bran clinging to his cloak.

“Your Highness!”

Sion Belphegor was motionless, his head hanging.

The bird’s claw seemed to have pierced the Duke’s shoulder.

The Queen’s newly sprouted leg fell above my head.

After beheading the Queen, I chased after the Duke.

But I couldn’t follow; I didn’t know where they went.

I could only run towards the direction the bird had flown.

The muddy swamp deepened, making it impossible to ride.

I ran and ran between the endless sky and earth.

“Your Highness!”

I shouted, but no response.

Where did you go, Your Highness?

Exhaustion clouded my vision, accompanied by an immense fear.

“Your Highness!”

I’ve been roaming the land for over a day and a half.

‘I feel like I’m suffocating.’

Afraid.

The fear of losing Sion Belphegor, the fear that it might be too late, weighed heavily on me.

The sun felt cold.

Gradually, the swampy ground turned to dry land.

Why am I back in this life?

To make you, Sion Belphegor, the new Emperor.

Is that so? Is that really why, Esdel?

I asked myself.

No, maybe not.

Duke, I wanted to see your sincere smile.

I was curious about how you smile, how you eat, how you rest.

In this life, I wanted to protect you, who didn’t hate me.
Revenge against Lahrthert may have been a bigger reason at times.

But what is left for me if you, who were supposed to be my future after revenge, disappear?

A princess?

No.

Without you, it’s just a void second life.

“Sion! Sion Belphegor!”

I cried out desperately.

“Where are you!”

Then it happened.

“Esdeeeel!”

Someone called me from a distance.

I stopped. I was frozen in place.

‘Bran?’

It was definitely Bran’s voice.

In a place with nothing but endless flat land. But still, there are high places.

I found a steep rock cliff and climbed on top of it.

“Bran! Where are you!”

There was no answer. But after a while,

“Hereeeeee! Esdel! Here!”

“Where!”

Again, after a while,

“Here! It’s a cave! His Highness is in critical condition!”

Suddenly, my vision blurred.

My heart pounded wildly.

‘He’s still alive.’

I scanned the direction of the sound.

In the distance, a rugged mountain appeared. Midway up the mountain, there was a familiar, giant bird monster.

Though it appeared as a dot from afar, I recognized the monster.

I ran crazily towards it and killed the attacking monster with a single stroke.

“Esdel!”

Bran peeked out from the small cave halfway up the mountain.

I rushed into the cave.

It was a cave narrow at the entrance but wide and deep inside.

Drops of water trickled down from the ceiling, falling with a .

The Duke lay beneath them.

“Your Highness.”

I rushed to his side and sat down.

He was gasping for breath like a child.

Flushed face, cold sweat streaming down, wet hair.

“His Highness is very sick. He’s been unconscious for a while.”

Bran sobbed.

The Duke was still in his armor. One shoulder of the armor was torn like paper.

“How long has it been?”

“Since last night until now…”

I felt angry.

“I didn’t know what to do, afraid to move him in case it worsened.”

“Bran.”

“Huhuhuhu.”

“Bran!”

Bran stopped crying.

I gently calmed him.

“Calm down, Bran. That’s how we all survive.”

“…!”

“We need to remove his armor.”

Together, we removed the armor enveloping the Duke’s body.

His usual white shirt appeared beneath the armor, stained with blood beyond recognition.

‘Sion.’

It felt like all the blood in my body was draining out.

“Esdel, before losing consciousness, he searched for water but couldn’t swallow.”

Bran handed me a stone bowl filled with water.

“I’m such a fool. I only knew how to wield a sword, never learned to save or treat people. Such a fool, an idiot!”

Bran hit his head hard.

“Don’t do that, Bran. If you hadn’t followed His Highness, I really… wouldn’t have found him. You’re a brave person. Thank you.”

I meant it.

Deep in my heart, I was grateful to Bran.

I scooped water with my hand, gently rubbing the shirt stuck to the wound.

Carefully, after a long time, the shirt peeled away from the skin.

A large hole was in one of his broad shoulders, the flesh around the torn hole turning blue.

“It’s the claw mark, on His Highness’s shoulder.”

‘Poison.’

I heard monsters’ claws contained poison.

I looked at the Duke’s face. He was still unconscious, gasping for air.

I removed the Duke’s clothes.

Then, I tore my shirt. I soaked a piece of it in cold water and placed it on the Duke’s forehead.

“Get more water.”

“Okay.”

Thankfully, the water dripping from the ceiling was clear.

I filled my mouth with the cold water and opened the Duke’s lips.

“Esdel?”

I had no time to answer Bran.

I pressed my lips to the Duke’s and used my tongue to gently guide the water deep into his throat.

I did this several times.

Ha…
Finally, the Duke took his first breath. His breath was hot due to the poison spreading through his body.

‘I need to hurry.’

I carefully cleaned around the Duke’s wound. Then, I brought my mouth to it.

“What are you doing, Esdel!”

“I’m going to suck out the poison. It can’t be done without using the mouth.”

That’s why I gave him water first; I can’t give water to the Duke with a mouth that has sucked poison.

I buried my face in his shoulder.

Even unconscious, the Duke trembled slightly.

I pressed my lips to his wound. Then, I began to suck out and spit the blood and poison.

‘Survive, Sion Belphegor. Survive and protect my world.’