The Decepter twisted his body and made a strange noise. Like a tree after a big forest fire, black ash-like substances fell from his charred joints.

As the heat approached her face, Laila felt as if her entire face was about to burn up. However, she neither moved her body nor closed her eyes.

Laila said,

“If you continue to resist, I won’t stand still either, Decepter.”

The Decepter’s face contorted. He seemed to be trying to sneer, but it didn’t look like a smile at all.

“What do you think you can do if you don’t stand still?”

The Decepter said in a mocking voice. But at the same time, anxiety and anger could be felt.

“Being neither human nor demon, thinking you can do something to me just because you have good eyes as a mediocre witch is a big misunderstanding.”

Laila’s lips moved slowly.

“You underestimated me too much. Did you think I didn’t know who you deceived?”

The Decepter’s face began to contort. Very severely, hideously contorted. He came closer to Laila. But now Laila couldn’t even feel the heat emanating from his body.

Laila said, twisting her lips,

“Well, it can’t be helped since that’s your nature. Lying, hiding, looking down on others, and being arrogant. What can you do when it’s your nature? Let me tell you clearly, I know who you deceived and I’ve told him that you deceived him. I can call him right now and put you in pain you’ve never imagined in all the years you’ve lived. Do you understand?”

“You insolent wench…”

The Decepter’s fingers bent, making a cracking sound. Laila coldly drove in the final nail while watching the ashes falling from him.

“Decide quickly. Either accept my ability in exchange for Ord Hyanmorik’s soul that you were supposed to receive, or wander for eternity in regret, neither dead nor alive.”

The ability as a medium was actually of no use to the Decepter. However, whether useful or not, what was in the contract had to be kept.

If Laila’s words were true, it would be unbearable. That being, who had given his name to a lowly creature and allowed it to become the most excellent of beasts, was merciless.

There was no hatred or resentment. He was just a fearsome being, one that even demons like the Decepter couldn’t understand. Falling into that being’s hands had to be avoided. The pain was already more than enough.

“…I won’t let you be, witch. I will appear before you anytime. I’ll burn your dreams and throw your future into lava, making sure you scream in the fire pit for eternity.”

Flames rose from between the Decepter’s growling teeth. But they couldn’t reach Laila. They couldn’t even touch a single strand of her hair.

Laila replied with a contemptuous smile,

“Yeah, keep hoping for that forever.”

The Decepter gritted his teeth. As things like half-burnt twigs fell with a thud, Laila placed her palm on the circle.

No spell was necessary. Red arrows, no, tail-like things wriggled out from the Decepter’s back and in an instant pierced Laila’s heart.

Something is escaping. Laila thought. My important things, little by little…

— You’ll surely regret this, witch. Throwing away a guaranteed future for that foolish Hyanmorik’s descendant. Humans have no ability to learn. Perhaps you should have lived as four-legged beasts.

With those words, the things piercing Laila’s chest were pulled out, and the Decepter’s form disappeared without a trace.

Her vision blurred. It was the moment when Laila, barely supporting her tilting body, exhaled a heavy breath.

“Lord Eustar has awakened!”

“His Highness the Prince has awakened!”

“What about Lady Kristrad? Find Lady Kristrad!”

Sounds of busy movement could be heard outside the study. Laila stood up abruptly, still holding her dizzy head.

As she was about to leave the study, she was startled to see a man with a build similar to Baso standing in front of the door. With his head slightly bowed and gaze lowered, it was undoubtedly Baso, but he had no shadow.

Laila passed by him as if she hadn’t seen him and ran towards Eustar’s quarters.

The servant stopped Laila as she tried to rush in after opening the door.

“Lady Kristrad, Lord Eustar needs more rest…!”

Laila said,

“I won’t cause a commotion, so step aside.”

Unlike usual, her tone was urgent and firm, causing the servant to look flustered before carefully stepping back. Laila pushed the doors open with both hands and rushed into the bedroom.

“Eustar!”

Tears welled up as soon as she saw him sitting up awake.

As if she had completely forgotten how exhausted she was from the confrontation with the Decepter just moments ago, Laila ran over, clutching her dress skirt, and hugged Eustar’s neck with all her might.

“Laila.”

A gentle voice reached her ear. It was no different from usual.

The calm presence, the kind and soft voice, the scent. As he gently stroked her back, Laila suddenly felt as if her body and mind were crumbling. It was because of relief.

“I missed you.”

Eustar whispered. Laila sobbed even louder at those words. Only after seeing with her own eyes that he had awakened did she realize how anxious she had been.

Fearing that he might never return, that all she could do was wander in the cold and lonely shadows, praying until he woke up…

“Don’t cry, Laila.”

Warm fingers gently rubbed Laila’s eyes. Laila looked up with her cheeks, nose, and eyes all red, frowning again as if about to cry.

“The tears won’t stop.”

“I’m sorry, I must have worried you.”

Laila hugged his waist again.

“It’s not your fault.”

Laila whispered in a tear-filled voice.

“None of it. It’s not your fault, Eustar.”

Eustar looked down at Laila’s back with a face still not fully recovered from fatigue. Bending down to gently kiss the back of her neck, Eustar said,

“Show me your face. I said I missed you.”

Only then did Laila raise her head again. He tenderly caressed Laila’s face, which had become warm with fever, and then kissed her forehead, nose tip, both cheeks, and lips in turn.

It felt like heat flowers were blooming wherever his lips touched. A pleasant warmth and a tickling sensation down her spine made Laila feel light-headed.

Suddenly putting his weight on her, Eustar supported Laila and knocked her down beneath him.

Laila closed her eyes and made small moaning sounds at the feel of his lips tracing her ear and nape, and his hands undoing the buttons of her dress one by one. She pretended to push him away and said,

“Wait a moment, Eustar. I have something to tell you.”

“Not now. Later.”

No matter how much Laila pushed and tapped his shoulders, Eustar didn’t budge. As her exposed skin suddenly met the outside air, she got goosebumps.

Laila hugged the back of Eustar’s neck with her trembling shoulders hunched.

She let his scent and breath fully invade and fill her. In the midst of joy that seemed about to burst into tears again, she let go of everything, allowing herself to lose her way.

It wasn’t until the moonlight began to shine faintly that the two, who had been clinging to each other inseparably, finally caught their breath.

Eustar, who had taken Laila to the bathroom and was washing her, was finally shocked to hear her story about the Decepter.

The movement of the soft sponge he was holding stopped, and his long hair, heavy with moisture, shook.

“What did you just say, Laila?”

“Exactly what you heard.”

Eustar put down the sponge and suddenly entered the bathtub. Just as Laila’s face turned slightly red, Eustar’s hands grasped her shoulders.

“Why on earth did you do such a thing!”

Eustar’s voice echoed throughout the bathroom. The resonance flowing down the slanted curves of the ceiling painted with blue cornflowers like water droplets contained regret and uncontrollable anger.

Laila, who had been quietly looking at his face, suddenly reached out to Eustar.

She lightly brushed off the water droplets clinging to his long eyelashes with her fingertips, and alternately rubbed his forehead and cheeks. Laila moved a little closer to Eustar. Steam rose faintly.

“Don’t you know why I did it?”

When Laila asked, Eustar’s brow furrowed even more.

“I don’t know.”

He knew words were coming out regardless of his thoughts.

“I don’t understand at all. Why did you… What made you do such a thing? The problem with the Decepter is my problem. There was no need for Laila to sacrifice herself like that.”

Unexpectedly, Laila smiled brightly. It seemed like a smile he hadn’t seen in a very long time. No, it felt like he was seeing her smile like this for the first time since meeting Laila. Such a relieved and carefree smile…

Laila said,

“Do you really not know? You’re foolish, Eustar. The problem with the Decepter isn’t just your problem… It’s my problem too. I’m the one who’s going to live with you, aren’t I?”