Inside the prison, Jackal, covered in blood almost in a naked state, lay sprawled on the floor.

Just barely regaining consciousness at Ashah’s voice, he gathered all his strength and transformed into words.

He didn’t want to show Ashah such a horrifying sight.

However, the sight of him, transformed into words, collapsing on the floor, was equally dreadful and dismal.

His entire body was deeply scarred with whip marks, blood clotting in every wound, and areas hit by arrows were torn, with blood streaming down.

As he breathed in and out, blood flowed from his mouth, forming a pool on the floor.

Ashah, with teary eyes, hurriedly approached him, kneeling down beside him.

“Jackal! Are you okay?”

Startled by the fact that Ashah had come here, Jackal was greatly confused, but he glanced at her face with a blurry gaze.

Seeing that she was unharmed, he sighed with relief and answered.

“…I’m alive.”

Ashah, overwhelmed with emotion, burst into tears.

She, who was covered in injuries, was concerned about others before herself.

Unable to hold back, she buried her face in Jackal’s neck and wept.

She could feel Shafie’s rough heartbeat and breath close by.

There were so many things she wanted to say when she met him, but seeing him like this made her mind go blank.

Ashah embraced him, suppressing the urge to sob and wail.

Feeling that he would suffer more if he saw her crying, she desperately restrained the desire to burst into tears.

The sound of forcefully swallowing sobs was audible even in Jackal’s ears.

Soon, Ashah took off the thin coat she was wearing, draped it over his body, and spoke in a muffled voice.

“…Jackal, there’s something I want to say while looking at your face for the last time.”

At the mention of ‘the last time,’ Jackal’s blurred eyes widened slightly.

Her words sounded like a farewell, and he weakly lowered his head.

Ashah gently kissed his swollen eyelid and, as if comforting him, spoke in a soothing voice.

“It’s okay. Just for a moment… just for a moment of separation. I just wanted to see Jackal’s face after a long time. To deeply engrave it in my pupils and remember it for a long time.”

With those words, Jackal returned to his human form.

Facing the mess he had become, Ashah looked at him.

One eye was painfully swollen and wouldn’t open, but with the other, he carefully observed Ashah’s face.

His blue eye shone clear and sincere even in the darkness.

Ashah slowly opened her mouth.

“You promised me back then.”

‘No matter what happens, I’ll follow the king I chose.’

Recalling the oath Jackal had made before, Ashah spoke.
“I’ve decided not to give up on anything I can do and try everything. This life is really precious to me… The new connections and memories are too precious… I don’t want to lose them again. I plan to persuade His Majesty to make a contract.”

At Ashah’s words, Jackal’s eyes widened slightly.

“So, Jackal, please do what you can. But promise me you won’t die… Please promise me.”

Saying that, Ashah forced a smile through tearful eyes.

Jackal kissed Ashah’s hand with his lips, marred with torn wounds, and spoke in a hoarse voice.

“…I will never die. I’ll wait as long as it takes. Please be happy, no matter what decision you make.”

“…Your Majesty, it’s Duran.”

After the meeting between the two, Duran came to find Karaf.

He wanted to secretly comfort Karaf, knowing the fact that he facilitated their meeting but was concerned about Karaf’s painful heart.

However, Karaf seemed to have reached his limit, speaking with a face full of cold sweat.

“…I must have clearly said to stay by Bannet’s side. Has my order become meaningless now?”

Duran lowered his head.

“…I apologize, Your Majesty.”

Wiping his sweat-soaked hair nervously, Karaf spoke.

“If you understood, get lost.”

“Your Majesty…”

“Don’t you hear me?”

Karaf shouted angrily.

Although he didn’t want to vent his anger on his only ally, he couldn’t control his emotions at the moment.

He hoped Duran would leave quickly before he unintentionally said something mean.

However, Duran, with a worried expression, spoke.

“Your Majesty, it seems the Day of Purification has come now…”

Knowing that Karaf was not in his right mind, Duran couldn’t leave him alone.

Karaf, who had been laughing like a madman for a while, took a deep breath and spoke in a calm voice.

“…This time, I’ll leave the palace empty for a few days. I don’t want to show that pitiful sight to Bannet. Anyway, she won’t want to see my face, so it doesn’t matter.”

“Your Majesty, then I…”

“Don’t accompany me. Guard Bannet. That’s an order. Don’t make me say it three times with my mouth.”

As Karaf spoke, his eyes blinked, and Duran sadly bowed his head.

“Yes, Your Majesty…”

Looking at Karaf, who was sitting on the edge of the bed with his head down, Duran had no choice but to leave the room.

Back in the original prison, Ashah waited for Karaf to make up his mind and return to her.