"Why? Aren’t you getting in?”
“...”
"Surely you’re not having second thoughts now, are you?"
“...”
"Shizuna is still there. If you keep putting me in a difficult position, Madame Morco’s life won’t be spared."
Shirin gave Alicia a push on the back.
Alicia bit her lip tightly and, hesitating, climbed into the carriage.
She wanted to run away, but she couldn’t.
Every servant they encountered on the way had been decapitated in a single stroke by Shirin.
‘My life doesn’t matter, but…’
Alicia carefully wrapped her hands around her stomach.
Shirin might be acting politely for now, but there was no telling when she would suddenly change.
“It looks like a blizzard is coming soon, so we should hurry and leave.”
“...”
"Seems like you no longer want to speak to me."
Shirin let out a small chuckle and sat down beside Alicia.
Alicia curled up a little more and hugged her own stomach.
The rattling sound of the moving carriage was more terrifying than anything else.
‘Anyone is fine, please just find her as soon as possible.’
Alicia clasped her hands together and prayed fervently.
She didn’t believe in God, but in a situation like this, it was ironically the first thing she turned to.
Alicia couldn’t forget the image of Madame Morco, battered and torn, as she steadfastly tried to protect her until the very end.
“There’s no use waiting for His Highness. His Highness will not be coming.”
“...”
“No, I suppose it’s correct to say that he won’t come.”
“...”
"His Highness has abandoned you, my lady.”
"Don’t talk nonsense."
Alicia gritted her teeth and growled.
But Shirin only smiled, as if finding her reaction endearing.
“My lady, it might be easier for you to think that way, but it’s all true. His Highness made a deal with my master.”
"A deal involving the child in my lady’s womb."
Shirin's gaze landed on Alicia’s stomach.
The scene had been perfectly staged, and with Shizuna remaining as a witness to the incident to buy time, there was nothing to worry about.
All that remained was to shake Alicia’s resolve in order to gain her cooperation more easily.
"…His Highness would never do that to Madame Morco."
"His Highness does not tolerate traitors. That's all there is to it."
A smile that didn’t suit Shirin curled on her lips.
"Traitors? Madame Morco—"
"The young lady was preparing to leave. And the madam helped her do that."
“...”
"Don’t turn away from it. In the end, all of this is my lady’s fault."
Shirin smiled slyly as she gently touched Alicia’s cheek.
Alicia said nothing and just bit her lip tightly.
"Don’t worry too much. Even so, His Highness loves the young lady."
"...Love?"
Her grey eyes trembled.
Shirin didn’t miss the opportunity and tightened her grip.
"If my lady hands over the monster in your belly, you’ll be able to see His Highness again whenever you want."
"Why should I trust you?"
"Whether you trust me or not is up to you. I’m not here to force you.”
Shirin released Alicia without any real hesitation and gave a small smile.
Alicia simply bowed her head deeply and just touched her belly.
She wanted to believe it was a ridiculous lie, but she couldn’t.
Cabelenus didn’t want the child.
‘If His Highness truly did that…’
Alicia’s fingertips tensed.
If all of this was orchestrated by Cabelenus, then she no longer had the courage to face him.
A man who could trample over anything for his goal was no different from a monster.
‘What am I even thinking? That can’t be true. His Highness would never…’
Alicia let out a hollow laugh and sagged with exhaustion.
She asked herself how things had come to this, but no answer came.
She could no longer trust Cabelenus.
Her feelings for him remained the same, but at the same time, she was also afraid.
Just from that alone, it was obvious what she had to choose.
"Don’t worry too much. As long as you cooperate, my lady—"
"...I won’t."
"What?"
"I said I won’t cooperate."
Through the strands of hair falling across her face, the view reminded her of the iron bars of the prison cell she had once been trapped in.
Alicia let out a bitter laugh before roughly rubbing her face with her hands.
Though her body shook involuntarily at the memory of that nightmare, she couldn’t remain quiet and still as she had back then.
No one was going to protect her.
Only she alone could protect herself — and her child.
"My lady, you don’t seem to fully grasp the situation—"
"Even if I die, I won’t let you take my child. My child is mine. I will protect them."
Alicia glared at Shirin, her teeth clenched tightly.
Whether Shirin was telling the truth or not didn’t matter.
She couldn’t just sit still and wait for Cabelenus, nor could she let Shirin drag her away like this.
"Do you think glaring at me like that will change anything?"
"It’s better than doing nothing."
Alicia swept her hair back roughly with a blank expression.
Shirin instinctively swallowed dryly.
The deadly glint in her eyes was nothing like the shy young lady she used to be.
"We’re in Schwarhan. It’s impossible to escape from His Highness’s watchful eyes on this land."
"It doesn’t matter."
"You’re saying it doesn’t matter?"
"Because if it's going to be taken from me, I'd rather we die together."
She didn’t want to say things like this.
Alicia smiled wryly.
"Those are harsh words."
"I know there are lives in this world that are worse than death."
If it was going to be like this, she wished she had pulled herself together a little sooner.
As Madame Morco's face kept coming to mind, Alicia placed her hand on her belly.
Though she knew it was pointless to regret, she couldn’t fully shake the thoughts that surfaced.
"...I'll make a wish."
"Are you really going to ask me for a wish now?"
“Ruin them — completely, beyond repair.”
"What nonsense are you talking about?"
Shirin sneered as she unconsciously reached out her hand at the sensation of something running down her cheek.
It was blood. Vivid, crimson blood.
“What the… uurk!”
Before she could even scream, Shirin’s body twisted grotesquely in an instant.
It was as if all the blood in her body was being drained out — red streams poured from her eyes, nose, and every single opening in her body without exception.
Alicia picked up Shirin’s fallen sword without a hint of emotion on her face.
The sword was so heavy she had to struggle with both arms just to lift it, and her body staggered under the weight, but she didn’t let it go.
“If you move, I’ll kill you on the spot.”
"Just as you did, to Madame Morco." [1]
Alicia pointed the sword at Shirin’s neck.
In an instant, Shirin was drenched in blood and gasping for air, barely hanging on to life.
"M-my lady, you’re not the kind of person to do this…”
"A mother who has drained the very life from her own child is capable of anything." [2]
Alicia’s face twisted.
Even if it meant breaking her promise to meet her mother in Rubertine, she had to end it with her own hands.
It was bad enough using her child's power — she couldn’t bring herself to make them kill.
"I thought many things had changed, but they hadn't. I’m still so weak. Every time, I only regret it after losing what’s precious to me."
But regret was something meaningless.
Alicia let out a bitter scoff and tightened her grip.
Despite the unfamiliar and chilling sensation of the blade cutting through someone else's skin, she neither closed her eyes nor loosened her grip.
On the contrary, she made an effort to face it head-on.
In the end, to avoid being devoured, she had no choice but to devour others.
"I don’t want to live like that anymore. I won’t lose anything again. I won’t regret it again. I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure of that."
A twisted smile lingered across Alicia’s lips.
And then—
A deafening bang was heard.
The cold air felt as if it would freeze her body at any moment.
Alicia reflexively lifted her head toward the source of the sound.
Above her, there was a huge hole in the ceiling of the carriage.
And beyond the broken ceiling, countless eyes stared down.
Among the thick, fluffy fur, the gleaming eyes were pale in colour but shared the same golden hue as Cabelenus's.
"Monsters…”
The word slipped from between Alicia’s teeth in something more like a sigh.
The creatures, their large eyes rolling aimlessly, didn’t exude the murderous intent one would expect from ruthless invaders.
As if entranced, Alicia cautiously reached out her hand toward the monsters.
At that moment, as if they had been waiting, the monsters lowered their heads.
It was as if they were showing a sign of respect.
Alicia let out a shallow breath, unsure whether she was about to laugh or cry.
Her thick eyelashes fluttered nervously like the wings of a butterfly drenched with water.
Beyond the monsters, a fierce blizzard raged, obscuring visibility to almost nothing.
・・・・・
Swoooossh!
In the howling blizzard, Patten raised his front paw and struggled desperately.
Cabelenus, irritably tugging the reins repeatedly, finally jumped off Patten altogether.
"Your Highness!"
Gazeff urgently dismounted and rushed after him.
The blizzard was so fierce that even Patten, a beast capable of cutting through the blizzard, fled without looking back.
Even someone like Cabelenus would be in danger.
“The snowfall is too intense. If we keep pushing forward like this, it’ll be dangerous.”
Gazeff staggered and barely managed to grab Cabelenus’s collar.
Though his legs sank deep into the piled-up snow, making it hard to take even a few steps, Cabelenus paid no mind and kept his eyes fixed straight ahead.
“The blizzard season has come earlier than usual. Perhaps the hunting season has come early as well. If a monster were to appear at a time like this…”
“So you’re telling me to turn back?”
“I understand it’s urgent. But—”
"She's bound to be waiting. She might be crying out of fear. So, we have to hurry, no matter what—"
“Your Highness!”
Gazeff dropped to his knees and clung to Cabelenus’s legs in desperation.
But Cabelenus paid no mind and simply pressed forward.
“She has passed away!”
“...What did you just say?”
Under the murderous glare fixed on him, Gazeff's face twisted in anguish as he exhaled ragged breaths.
His hair was wildly dishevelled, his beard unruly, and his eyes bloodshot with bursting veins.
The master who had once been more perfect than anyone was no longer even human in appearance.
Like a wounded beast, he was nothing but endlessly howling, driven purely by instinct.
“The lady has passed away. Your Highness already knows that. Simply refusing to accept it doesn’t mean it never happened.”
"It seems like you really want to die."
"Please, just kill me instead."
“...”
Cabelenus’s tightly sealed lips trembled faintly.
"Something like that can be easily fabricated. Alicia is alive."
“...”
"The ones whose feet are bound by the blizzard won’t be any different. In fact, we should catch them while they’re still delayed."
Cabelenus’s eyes gleamed sharply.
Only one thought occupied the man's mind.
Unable to bear the sight, Gazeff bowed his head deeply.
“Your Highness is not the only one who’s lost someone precious.”
“...”
"Besides, Your Highness, aren't there still things that need to be protected?"
"Things to protect? How can I protect anyone when I cannot even protect that small woman?"
Cabelenus roughly swept his hair back.
Even in the midst of it all, his gaze was fixed on the endless snowfield.
“Catching the criminals isn’t the end. You know that. There’s someone higher up, pulling the strings.”
"…So you’re saying I should do nothing? Just endure it?"
“Your Highness said it yourself. That the one who wins in the end is the true victor.”
"..."
"Haven't you endured well until now? You just need to do the same this time. You must chew on this pain hundreds, thousands of times, and bury it deep in your heart. Until the emotions, rotten to the core, become poison that kills your enemy."
"Yeah. I've kept enduring it until now. But not her. When it comes to anything related to her, I..."
Cabelenus covered his face with his hand.
He couldn’t tell if the reason his eyes were stinging was the cold wind or something else.
"I was greedy. I acted impatiently, unlike myself."
“...”
"I felt regretful about what I've built up until now and wanted to settle things as quickly as possible. And..."
It was ridiculous.
He was afraid of the blizzard, something he had never feared even once.
He was afraid that when he reached the end of the blizzard, there would come a moment when he would have to accept that she was no longer in this world.
However, even so, he couldn’t stop.
Even if it was a thread-thin hope, if Alicia was at the end of it, he had no choice but to keep moving forward.
"...Because I want to be with her."
Cabelenus’s hand dropped limply to his side.
The area around his eyes was tinted red.
"I thought that if I could just break free from these damned shackles, I could be with her forever. That's why I endured, wanting to end everything as quickly as possible, even if just a little sooner."
Even at that moment, she was still by his side.
He wanted to recall the good memories, but strangely, only her crying face came to mind.
Until the very last moment, Alicia was crying.
"If it was going to be like this, I should have just stayed by her side."
“...”
"I should have given her whatever she wanted and made her laugh as much as she could."
“...”
"If I had done that, at least her smiling face would have come to mind more clearly."
He had thought of himself as Alicia's saviour until now.
But looking back, she cried more often while being with him.
It was none other than himself who had made the woman, once strong, become fragile.
Cabelenus let out a hollow sigh as he gazed at the faint silhouette visible in the distance.
Why did it turn out like this?
Even when he asked himself, he couldn't find an answer.
Everything was such a tangled mess, like a knotted skein of thread where nothing was clear, not even what had gone wrong.
Just like the broken carriage he faced at the very end, which he had finally reached.
Cabelenus hurriedly checked the inside with trembling hands.
Frozen drops of blood, stained red, fell with a dull thud, and his gleaming golden eyes darted hastily.
A carriage lay in ruins, shattered beyond recognition, with traces of a beast’s savage mauling — ripped and torn to shreds.
And then, a familiar piece of cloth.
Cabelenus’s body shook precariously.
No, it wasn't his body that was shaking.
It was his world.
“Ha... ha... hahaha…”
Cabelenus collapsed helplessly to the ground.
Then, bowing his head, he laughed for a long while before finally breaking down in tears.
He had thought it was only a part — but it was the whole.
The day he realised that truth, the man lost everything.
Translator's Corner:
[1] Since Shirin was the one who stabbed Madame Morco, this confirms that the twins must've swapped places at some point.
[2] Alicia's referring to how she made the baby use their powers, and how every time the power is used, it drains the wielder's life force.
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