Madness destroys everything around it.

Be it buildings or any living thing.

‘What? Why so suddenly?’

It was too abrupt.

He had been fine just before I went to the corner store.

“Has this happened before?”

“…Yes. A few times. But he recovered quickly.”

The quick recovery was likely due to the medicine he was taking.

‘If so, he’ll be fine soon.’

It was a powerful drug that could deprive one of their senses.

I believed it would suppress the madness this time as it had until now.

“You must leave quickly. Your Highnesses, please go to the magic tower.”

“Alright.”

I quickened my pace, led by Ashtra’s hand.

At Ashtra’s gesture, the main gate opened by itself.

Mihail and Ludvion were standing in front of the door.

“Lady Eileen.”

Ludvion openly sighed in relief, while Mihail looked surprised to see me, then immediately rubbed his face.

“Lady Eileen, where were you? We searched every bathroom.”

“Well, I was in my room.”

“You weren’t in your room either.”

I fell silent at the untimely interrogation.

“I fell asleep in the closet for a moment. Anyway.”

Suspicious glances were shot at me.

But even in this situation, Kashar’s madness continued.

“Did Kashar take his medicine?”

This was what I was curious about.

In any case, the effects should have lasted until next year normally.

A sudden seizure was unusual.

“…That.”

“Please tell me.”

Mihail swallowed his words at my question.

But thinking he had no choice, he soon spilled it out.

“He stopped taking it quite a while ago.”

“What? Why?”

“…The reason, I’ll explain later. But I can tell you one thing.”

Mihail brushed his bangs back.

He too seemed confused, his sigh deep and heavy.

“The fruit no longer takes effect.”

It was an unbelievable story.

‘There are only two ways to stop the madness.’

One was to force him to take medicine, the other was for the Emperor to use the oath to subdue him.

Especially the second option was the worst.

“So we just watch?”

Sending an imperial edict to the Emperor would solve it immediately, but I really didn’t want to do that.

Mihail shook his head at my words.

With a stern face, he pointed to the west annex.

“Please. I know it’s dangerous, but I’d like you to go to our lord’s side.”

“I’ll go.”

I wasn’t sure what I could do, but I wanted to see his condition for myself.

“I’ll cover you.”

Ludvion stepped forward.

I headed towards the west annex, escorted by the magician and knight.

The servants had already evacuated.

Battle mages and Frigia were setting up a formation there.

“Miss Frigia?”

“Gasp, why did you come here? Go back quickly!”

Frigia panicked and pushed me away.

I was pushed back quite a bit before being rescued by Mihail’s hand.

“I brought her.”

“Are you crazy? Don’t you know it’s dangerous here?!”

Frigia shouted, but Mihail was adamant.

Frigia made an incredulous face and heaved a deep sigh.

“Oh, my fate. Why does he have to go mad just when I came to visit?”

Frigia had been avoiding this place for a while, sulking over my business deal.

She must have been dumbfounded to witness the madness after coming to see me with a softened heart.

“Just a moment.”

She turned around and finished chanting in runes.

Soon, a huge defensive formation spread out in the air.

“For now, the goal is to knock him out, but I’m not sure if it’ll work. The medicine doesn’t work anymore, right?”

“You knew?”

“Don’t underestimate our trading company’s intelligence.”

I asked in surprise, and Frigia snorted. Then, with a serious face again, she advised me.

“It’s still fine to go back now, Miss Eileen.”

“No. I’ll stay here.”

But I had to shake my head.

I don’t know why Mihail made this request to me, but I wanted to see Kashar’s condition with my own eyes.

“…Then there’s no choice. Stay right behind me and Mihail. Absolutely!”

“Alright.”

When I nodded obediently, Frigia turned around.

She was watching the inside of the collapsed annex.

“He still seems to be able to distinguish objects. That’s why he’s so calm. Thanks to that, the evacuation was smooth too.”

“…This is calm?”

The annex was severed at the waist level as if cut by a giant saw.

Frigia answered my question in a cheerful voice.

“Yes. No one has died yet, right?”

When madness begins, the first targets for elimination are living humans, everything else is secondary.

“But…”

“He’s coming.”

Before I could say anything, Frigia extended her arm to stop me.

Then Ludvion pulled me close to his side.

“You must stay here.”

With those words, a red light flickered inside the collapsed debris.

Frigia alerted everyone.

“He’s coming. Stay alert.”

The mages nodded, and as the debris melted away, a human figure appeared.

It was clearly Kashar.

But.

“It seems to have gotten worse.”

Everyone agreed with Frigia’s words.

Red eyes glimmered with madness. No trace of reason could be found in the dark red eyes.

I unconsciously called out to him.

“…Kashar?”

The fingertips of Kashar, who was walking out, twitched.

He clearly reacted to my voice.

But whether it was only visible to my eyes, everyone else was on standby to strike.

“Wait, just a moment.”

“Everyone get ready.”

Frigia commanded, not hearing my words.

Kashar took a step towards where the people were gathered.

Just as Frigia’s hand was about to fall, I shouted.

“Everyone stop!”

“My lady!”

Ludvion tried to stop me, but I was faster.

I pushed through the crowd and headed to the very front.

Kashar stood still in place.

The moment our eyes met, Frigia tried to protect me. If it weren’t for his low voice heard from afar.

“Dangerous…!”

“…Eileen?”

Kashar was recognizing only me.

Everywhere became quiet.

I cleared my throat amidst the prevalent tension.

“Yes. It’s me. Are you coming to your senses?”

He didn’t answer this time.

His eyes narrowed as if trying to confirm if it was really me.

Sensing a threat in that gaze, Ludvion tried to hide me again.

“It’s dangerous, my lady.”

“I’m fine.”

I brushed past Ludvion and moved forward.

Kashar didn’t attack even as I approached. Rather, he seemed more confused.

“…You didn’t leave… No, did you leave and come back?”

“What are you talking about? I’ve been in the castle all along.”

When I hinted how I couldn’t leave such a handsome fiancé, Kashar closed his mouth.

‘He still doesn’t seem to be in his right mind.’

But maybe he could stop destroying everything around him.

For some reason, he responded to my voice.

I intended to call his name as much as possible to calm him down.

“Kasha…”

“Lies.”

It was a firm statement despite the lack of reason.

Kashar was still smiling with glimmering eyes.

“You’re still deceiving me now.”

His gaze seemed to pierce through me.

As I stood frozen, unable to move, an outstretched hand pulled me in.

“Still beautiful. I think I’ve completely lost it.”

Kashar sighed slowly and caressed my face.

After checking several times if it was really me, he embraced me.

“Kashar? Kashar!”

As I struggled in surprise, he whispered in my ear.

“Keep calling me.”

It sounds like a normal conversation, but why does it sound so dangerous?

Muted gazes were directed at him and me.

I kept my mouth shut for a moment and then asked.

“Where are we going?”

“Somewhere we can be together.”

Kashar, who answered briefly, headed to his room.

Fortunately, since only the annex had collapsed, most things located in the center of the castle were fine.

Kashar lay down on the bed, still holding me.

“Um, Kashar?”

I called cautiously, but all I got in return was an obsessive gaze.

Strong arms squeezed me. It was a pressure that seemed like it would never let go.

Maybe it’s because the madness had just subsided.

The way he looked at me…

‘He looks anxious.’

The fearful gaze rather gave me courage.

When I wriggled to free my hand, he tightened his arms more.

“I’m not going anywhere. I just want to check if you’re really my fiancé too.”

When I joked, his grip loosened a little.

I pulled my hand out through the small gap between Kashar and me and stroked his head.

The fine golden hair tickled between my fingers.

When I smiled slightly, his red eyes grew a little larger.

“It really is you. Why did you do that earlier? You scared me.”

His dry lips moved as if about to speak.

“…You.”

“What about me?”

As I asked back, Kashar’s pupils slowly dilated.

Soon his eyes closed. His rough breathing and pulse were gradually slowing down.

I murmured softly, wondering if it could be.

“Kashar? Don’t tell me you’re sleeping?”

As expected, there was no answer.

Maybe because the tension was released. My body also went limp.

I seemed to have been held like that for a while.

I tried to get out somehow, but the one holding me didn’t even budge.

‘Can’t get out.’

It seems wrong to leave.

It was stuffy, but compared to when he was destroying everything, this was much better, right?

I decided to take comfort in Kashar being docile.

Just as I was about to fall asleep myself.

The door opened silently.

“…Mihail?”

When I opened my swollen eyes, Mihail was visible.

I tried to get up, feeling embarrassed to be seen held by Kashar, but he still wouldn’t let go.

Rather, Mihail seemed more surprised and hurriedly stopped me.

“Please stay still.”

I wondered why he was acting like that, but since I couldn’t get out anyway, I decided to stay put.

Instead, I mumbled as if making an excuse.

“He suddenly fell asleep.”

“Sleep is one of the methods to forcibly control magic power.”

There weren’t many ways to suppress rampaging magic power in an unstable mental state.

Unless someone knocked him out, making him sleep was the best method.

“Please stay with him until he wakes up on his own.”

It was almost pleading rather than asking.

I had been having trouble understanding Mihail since earlier.

He spoke to me as if confessing.

“The outbreak of our lord’s madness… It’s probably because of you, Miss Eileen.”