The sound of rain intensified.

As the sound of rain pouring down fiercely as if the sky had burst open deepened, Aden’s arms tightly embraced Ludmila’s back.

The confusion that had filled Aden’s breath subsided, replaced by breathing gradually tinged with excitement.

Despite the increasing pressure, Ludmila did not push him away.

It was the same even when she was led by Aden to slowly approach the bed he had been using and lay down on it.

Clearly, she knew this choice was not right.

But remembering the past days when she had given up so many things and turned away to make the right choices, she thought it was okay to face this much emotion.

It would be a relationship that would end with just a very brief encounter anyway.

After today passes and the sun rises, Aden will leave, and by then today’s events will just be a moment’s pleasure.

Or it will end up being a midsummer night’s whim amidst the downpour. So she had no regrets.

Ludmila opened her eyes in the mild air and warm scenery created by the fireplace to face Aden, who held her face in both hands.

His breath filling her mouth was hot and violent, but his touch caressing her was more composed than ever.

That’s the kind of man Aden was.

A man who seemed like he would push roughly, but was infinitely careful and regained composure in front of something precious.

She thought it might be okay for him to show a little more emotion to her.

“I’m okay.”

Ludmila’s soft voice, uttered with her palm on Aden’s cheek, was buried in the sound of rain, but they were close enough to hear it.

The golden eyes rippled for a moment, then swallowed her breath even more roughly.

As if to prove it, his hand resting on the bed moved.

A cool hand touched the thin summer fabric and the skin revealed between it.

The heightened senses screamed at his touch, but the man who had swallowed even that grabbed Ludmila’s clothes.

Ludmila’s breath deepened once with desire at the unfamiliar sensation. The more it did, Aden’s excitement grew exponentially.

Every time his swelling desire was conveyed through his breath, Aden showed a roughness that couldn’t be seen normally, to the point of wondering if it was really okay.

Finally, when the expanding emotions reached their peak, Aden, who had been swallowing his breath, raised his head.

His hand that had been grabbing Ludmila’s clothes now tore off his own clothes as if ripping them.

Vivid scars glistened in the red firelight over his exposed upper body.

As his firm chest, taking deep breaths, repeatedly swelled and subsided, their eyes crossed in the air several times.

It was a silence where no one spoke, but the confusion and anguish felt within it were clear.

Clearly, after today passes, it would be irreversible.

No one could know whether it would be marked by regret or remain as a memory of one day.

As if this moment was the last of their lives, the two put away the remaining cup full of anguish.

Only after facing the more vivid emotions did Aden lean down to embrace Ludmila.

When the hot breath touched her, Ludmila’s trapped breath finally burst out.

Ludmila’s body moved as if avoiding the unfamiliarity brought by the strange sensation, but he did not allow it.

In the haziness where only the hot breath was clearly felt, Ludmila could no longer hide her overwhelm.

The sound of rain grew stronger. As if saying don’t worry, no one can hear.

The mind becoming more distant at the sound clear only to her ears. All she could barely grasp, flailing her hands, was the edge of the clothes Aden had taken off.

Meanwhile, the hot summer storm that had swallowed other places approached.

Unable to face Aden due to the unfamiliarity given by the strange sensation, Ludmila looked at the ceiling.

The plain, patternless ceiling full of darkness.

Looking at it, she thought it might be better, but desire consumed her body in an instant.

Her body twisted several times, but each time, Aden followed calmly.

The noble and virtuous Marchioness.

The woman who had always composed her emotions and concealed her everything to maintain this anywhere and anytime was no longer there.

She threw herself into the place full of uncertainty that might be the most dangerous and accompanied by the most regrets.

What Aden faced as he slowly raised his body was just Ludmila. There was only a woman with that name, nothing else.

Ludmila’s appearance that filled Aden’s eyes was clear.

My lovely, my own woman who should be mine. The one I longed for and desired but could not obtain. My everything.

Please kill my husband.

But at that moment, that cursed voice rang in his ears again.

The woman who threw away her everything to live, and eventually met her death.

The woman who finally achieved her will after that long winding road, but knows nothing. And the woman who must live that way.

How much more Ludmila must live without knowing in the future.

When his thoughts reached that point, Aden realized where he was standing now.

The man who would crumble on the ruins was on the most beautiful beach.

Please don’t leave any traces.

As her words rang in his ears again, Aden could finally realize how foolish it was to come here.

How stupid, Aden. Ruining things with your desires and greed while knowing it would end up like this.

Suddenly, one picture came to mind. What Ludmila wanted was just one thing after all. A house, a tree, a river, and a peaceful family was all. That’s the kind of woman she was.

But he was a man who, despite knowing such desires, could only choose options other than the right answer in the end.

Aden despised himself. In the end, is deception all he does until the very last?

He acted as if she was everything, but he had only prepared to leave this place.

He and Ludmila were alike. A woman who thought of Aden as her priority and a man who thought of his clan as his priority.

There was no one who thought of themselves as a priority anywhere.

It was a relationship that could only be misaligned. It was a relationship that could only be that way.

The shoulders that had risen high with excitement regained composure and slowly descended.

Ludmila, who had been watching that sight silently, bit her lip and slowly got up from her seat.

“…Have a good night, Aden.”

Ludmila, who got up from her seat and left those last words, left the room.

Clearly the tower had fallen, but they couldn’t go beyond that tower.

With the sound of the door closing, Aden’s body crumbled. The deepening sound of rain led him back to reality once again.

As dawn passed, the rain stopped falling. As if the rainy season had ended, the clear sky was tinged with blue.

Aden got up from his seat, washed himself clean, and put on the outfit he had worn when he first came here.

He neatly arranged his hair and picked up the bag he had packed.

And he looked out the window again. He could see clouds flowing far away. Habertz. It was the direction where his hometown was.

Aden, who had cut his long breath short, turned around. When he opened the door, he saw Ludmila dressed neatly.

For a moment, last night’s events flashed through his mind, but Aden smiled without showing it.

She was the same.

It was just a dry smile, as if it was nothing, just a simple accident that didn’t need to be given meaning.

“It’s time to go now.”

Aden also nodded in response to Ludmila’s words politely ending their relationship.

He stepped out the door, gripping his bag. A cool breeze blew, carrying the fresh smell of water.

His neatly arranged hair became disheveled, but Aden just smiled.

As Ludmila also came outside, Beonia, who had just come out carrying a baby, spotted her and greeted her.

He must remain engaged until the end.

Aden turned to Ludmila after she finished greeting Beonia and smiled brightly.

“Then, I’ll be going.”

Ludmila, who had been waving her hand, paused.

The cool golden eyes shone brightly as if saying let’s now conclude today’s relationship.

Seeing that, Ludmila bit her lip hard but soon nodded.

Aden bowed politely and kissed her forehead, then stepped back two steps and bowed his head.

Leaving the most plausible greeting amidst the gazes of the people around, Aden slowly turned around.

As if trying to leave Ludmila’s face as the last image, his eyes that had been gazing at her until the end finally looked ahead.

A cool breeze blows again. Aden, who faced the clouds departing for his hometown in the distance, pulled up the corners of his mouth.

“Let’s go back.”

To where I will die, where my grave will be erected.