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chapter 21
He placed a wet towel on Belita’s forehead.
“….”
No, I mean… water is dripping down my face right now.
Cough, cough. She didn’t have the strength to argue anymore. Belita quietly turned her head and let the damp towel slip away.
“Go on. The servants here are probably much better at nursing than you are…”
Sylvester looked at her with a thoroughly worried expression. He carefully placed the towel back on her forehead, ignoring her previous attempt to push it away. This oblivious guy…
“Ha…”
Well, it’s summer, scorching hot, and she caught a cold. He probably found it just as ridiculous.
But Belita had no intention of confessing to Sylvester why she’d caught a cold.
“…Still.”
“I said, go on.”
Sylvester pulled the blanket up to her neck, tucking her in. Belita closed her eyes in annoyance.
“Quickly.”
She could feel Sylvester’s gaze—kind, yet piercing. Belita stubbornly ignored it, wriggling her hands out and waving them vaguely.
…
A short silence followed.
Soon, a soft sigh broke the quiet. The weight that had slumped on the side of the bed rustled as it rose.
“…Then if you really need something, you have to call someone.”
Sylvester’s reluctant warning came back.
Belita furrowed her brow and nodded. Even a slight movement made her head throb.
Yet she could feel Sylvester’s gaze lingering, so she waved her hand again. Finally, Sylvester moved.
“….”
The sound of rattling tools came from outside. Then, the door swung open.
Creak, thud.
“…Haa.”
Finally, he was gone.
Belita let out a deep sigh. She removed the wet towel from her forehead and tossed it into the nearby wash basin.
‘Isn’t it supposed to be someone else nursing you when you’re sick…?’
She chuckled at Sylvester’s words. He’d probably been alone most of his life, so maybe he spoke from experience. He must have worried quite a bit.
Still, Belita didn’t need nursing.
When you make contracts with humans, and grant their wishes… sometimes, very occasionally…
…your stomach gets stabbed, or you get caught in wars and end up battered.
That was the life of a demon.
‘This is nothing.’
Of course, the occasional pokes and prods were annoying, but after countless injuries in the past and her own healing ability, this was barely pain at all.
Belita wiped her forehead with her sleeve and kicked away the blanket Sylvester had tucked in.
She knew why she caught the cold.
It was because last night, when Sylvester had fallen asleep, she had sneaked out for a stroll around the mansion.
She had no particular reason—anyway, Roman had made her grind her teeth, and if she said she wanted a walk at night, he would have followed.
‘That would be bothersome.’
She just wanted to look around the mansion without anyone watching. That was how this problem started. That evening, the wind was a little chilly.
“Damn body…”
Belita turned onto her left side. A summer cold that even a dog wouldn’t catch? She had no idea when humans came up with such things. Her pride was wounded.
As she lay there, a knock came at the door. What now? Was it Sylvester again? She had told him to leave. An annoyed response escaped her lips.
“Why, again?”
“Belita, it’s Eli. I brought medicine.”
Ah. Not Sylvester. Belita felt a little embarrassed but answered politely. Come in.
Eli opened the door, pushing a tray. He changed the cold water and squeezed the towel tightly, placing it on her head.
Ah, good. A wet towel should be this efficient. Belita was satisfied and left everything to Eli.
“Here’s your medicine.”
Eli adjusted the bedding a few times, checked himself, and handed over the medicine with a cup of water. Belita took it into her mouth.
“Sit for a while and then lie down. Once the medicine takes effect, you’ll feel sleepy.”
Belita nodded. She even offered a small word of thanks.
Eli stayed a little longer to ensure nothing seemed wrong, then left, telling her to rest.
Belita watched the kindly Eli leave, then quietly sat and dazedly waited as instructed.
…
How long had she been leaning on the headboard?
Gradually, she felt the medicine working.
Her eyelids grew heavy, so she crawled under the blanket.
As soon as she lay down, her tired brain quickly summoned sleep. Her thoughts blurred almost immediately.
She was disappointed in her own helplessness, but there was no time to dwell.
“…This has never happened before.”
Thump. Sleep came in an instant.
Tap.
Something cold hit her forehead. Belita frowned.
Seconds—or years—seemed to pass.
Various sounds mixed in her ears, like voices underwater, buzzing in her head.
“There!”
“Damn, hurry!!”
Tap.
Again, something small and cold struck her forehead. She furrowed her brow.
‘What is this sound…?’
Her consciousness slowly returned. Her dulled senses, as if in hibernation, awakened one by one.
A strange rushing noise filled her ears. Her body shivered. A fishy water smell spread. Her pounding heartbeat drilled into her ears.
Thump, thump….
‘…Heart…beat?’
A fast, tense rhythm.
“Haah, ha…! Please!”
Her heavy breaths burst through.
A chill ran over her entire body.
Déjà vu gripped Belita fiercely.
“Gah!!”
Her eyes snapped open.
Thud!
Something invisible hurled Belita across the wet path.
“W-what… what is this…”
Her cheek stung as if slapped.
Her mind felt as though it had been forced to travel thousands of years backward, and her hands were sinking into thick, clinging mud.
She had no clue what was happening. Staggering to her feet, she looked around.
Heavy rain poured down, muddy water splashed over dense trees. Shouts echoed from somewhere.
Looking up, a massive tree sheltered her from the rain.
A raindrop leaked through a leaf.
Tap. It landed on her brow.
“…No way.”
“Grab it! That way!”
“Charon! West side!! Drive them from the west!”
Her hands trembled.
“…This can’t be happening.”
Belita looked down at her shaking hands.
Though she had been gripping mud moments ago, her palms were spotless.
“…Haha.”
And below, a familiar figure.
“Lies.”
The clothes were the same ones Kesis wore the day her portrait was completed.
“…This is a lie.”
Clothes she had worn, sealed away in darkness for so long she couldn’t even see them…
“…This is deceit.”
Such vivid hallucinations. Her fever must have been high, her mind turning completely. Even manipulating lost memories to appear…
“These memories, these… I’ve never seen them. Where am I?” Belita bit her lip.
Then…
“Hmmm, mm…”
A thin, delicate voice pierced the rain. Its beautiful tone struck her eardrums.
…
Even after countless years, the familiar whistle, the unforgettable melody.
“…Impossible.”
That voice had embedded itself in her ears over and over.
“Ahh…”
Splash, splash….
“…This is impossible.”
Footsteps on the muddy path grew closer.
“Running won’t save you…”
Whoosh!
A bright white figure appeared in an instant, passing through her from behind like a ghost.
“Why…?”
Belita stared at the presence in astonishment.
Light footsteps, shining even in the rain.
The most elevated, holy existence.
“Why am I dreaming this…?”
Her pupils shook violently. Her voice trembled. She looked at the man she could never forget or ignore.
The man she feared most, the one who had caused her deep hatred…
“…Rastaban.”
Her index finger tensed.
“…Why are you here.”
The other fingers followed. Her grip tightened.
Unforgettable anger surged from the hidden corners of her memory. Her fists clenched.
“Why are you here…!!”
Then—
Thud.
“I found it!!”
A faint shout cut off Belita’s roar.
“…Arrow, hurry… ah…!”
Thud, thud.
Following the first shout, more voices echoed.
“Get away from me…!”
“…Drive them back… more…”
Someone’s yelling, so far she could barely make out the words.
“So fast…”
The heavy rain, the whistling, the footfalls, the urgent voices…
“…They’re coming…!”
All of it became background noise, and only one sound pierced clearly into her ears.
“…Kesis.”
A heartbeat not her own.
She understood the meaning instantly.
“Kesis!!”
Belita bolted. She dashed through the rain, over rough forest paths, faster and faster.
Hurry, one more step, just a little more.
Run to where you are!
“…Kesis!!”
Thud.
The grass under her heel was torn apart. Belita leapt the final step.
…Whoosh!
The canopy of leaves cleared above, revealing the horizon.
Devotees surrounded by weapons, sheer cliffs, and the sea below.
“…No.”
And there, holding it,
“…No…!!”
You leapt.
Belita ran. She could still catch him. It wasn’t too late. Kesis, grab my hand!
“Kesis!!”
Kesis fell beyond the cliff. Belita leapt after him without hesitation.
The wind whipped around her, raindrops flying off Kesis’s hood.
Droplets reversed in time, landing at her eyes, breaking and floating.
“Grab me. Hurry, your hand…!!”
Reaching for her falling lover, Belita saw a vision of that day.
Petals of water sparkled and floated, a familiar scent in the air, thunder and lightning striking everywhere.
Amid it, the man reversing time in water…
“…I loved you.”
He smiled, stained with regret.
“No, please.”
Her fingertips nearly touched Kesis’s coat.
“Please, Kesis. Please… damn it!!”
The black waves surged higher and higher.
Before they could devour them,
“…Haa!!”
She opened her eyes.
“…Huff, huff, cough…”
As always, in a future without you.
