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Chapter 2
“You’ve been waiting a long time.”
The tremor in her voice cracked slightly at the end.
It was, of course, an intentional act—but the extreme tension made it slip out naturally as well.
This performance could get you killed if you made a mistake.
Even with her life on the line, Azel still hadn’t shown much of a reaction.
“Azel?”
She carefully called his name, narrowing her brows as if puzzled. Her friendly tone carried a hint of urging, as if asking why he remained silent.
As expected, he finally responded.
“Who are you?”
A flat, monotonous reply. For a stranger who knows his name, it was surprisingly indifferent.
But this was the crucial moment. She couldn’t let his expected reaction slide.
“…What?”
At first, she showed a natural, instinctive confusion, pretending not to understand.
But as she thought it over, a creeping sense of wrongness took hold.
Her expression of mere curiosity slowly morphed into one of shock.
This progression couldn’t be too slow or too fast—it had to feel natural.
“What… did you just say?”
She asked again, trailing off deliberately. It was as if she suddenly realized something, then instinctively knew she shouldn’t say it. She pressed her hands to her mouth, stifling a scream, holding her breath. Her trembling fingers pressed lightly against her lips.
Now!
As a heavy tear slid down her hand, she collapsed to the ground as if her legs had given out.
“You… forgot. You forgot me.”
Her voice broke, fragile enough to seem as if it might vanish at any second.
“…So this was it… this was the reason.”
Even in her private murmurs, she left a hint of foreshadowing. What it foreshadowed would come later—just like in a K-drama script.
Does it even matter now?
As she lowered her head, tears fell onto her thighs. She could feel the piercing gaze on her, but there was no time for embarrassment.
He must be shocked. But my life’s on the line!
She had never acted so desperately in her life.
Pretending to still be stunned, she slowly raised her head to gauge Azel’s reaction. Their eyes met, and his red eyes stared straight at her.
What was that?
Even without hearing, she could feel it. Azel’s gaze was that of someone facing something incomprehensible.
At least he’s not brushing me off… not bad.
It was a little embarrassing, performing this one-woman show alone, but momentum was everything.
Suppressing her tears, she noticed faint cracks forming in the smooth expanse of Azel’s brow. She hoped it was proof that her acting was working.
Please, please, please!
“You…”
The moment she had been waiting for. Azel’s lips finally moved—but then…
“Azel Biotz!”
“…!”
An unexpected interloper appeared.
“What are you scheming now!”
Truly an unwelcome disruption.
“Azel Biotz!”
Belrod had anticipated the situation as soon as he heard about the commotion in the central plaza.
Broken stalls, scattered goods, splintered trees…
It wasn’t severe compared to what Azel Biotz was capable of—but Belrod had arrived just in time.
Azel Biotz.
His sworn enemy.
The mysterious man who constantly threatened Julia and interfered with everything.
Suppressing his anger, Belrod noticed something strange in his periphery: a woman with pink hair staring at him intently.
Who is she?
Her lake-like eyes, flushed cheeks, and streaming tears made her strikingly beautiful. At first, Belrod assumed she was frightened by Azel Biotz’s chaos.
But when their eyes met, he realized he was wrong.
No… why…?
A woman he had never seen before stared at him like he was her mortal enemy. He couldn’t understand it.
That bastard! Why did he come now!
Belrod Christian. A platinum-haired, blue-eyed, devout, and disciplined paladin.
In this game, he was almost the perfect male lead aside from Azel.
And he was my favorite.
Outwardly polite and cultured, yet secretly proud and jealous—it was endearing.
Of course, the best part was his face.
But that was when his life wasn’t at stake. Right now, Belrod’s appearance was anything but welcome.
Azel’s attention naturally shifted toward him, just as she had been about to hear Azel speak. Her frustration boiled.
Useless fool! Belrod, you’ve always been the worst in my playthrough!
Unless this handsome idiot could save her life, he deserved to be demoted from favorite to last place.
Even as Belrod looked helplessly at her, she quickly adjusted her expression to regain Azel’s attention—but he wasn’t looking at her anymore.
Die, Belrod.
She held back childish curses as Azel and Belrod began speaking.
“Belrod Christian. You’re late.”
“Why are you here? What are you scheming this time!”
“The time has come.”
“The time?”
“To end this terrible curse.”
The pressure from Azel intensified during the serious conversation.
It was surreal. The atmosphere around him made him feel otherworldly.
“Curse?”
Belrod stiffened, sensing the same thing.
But only she understood the true meaning of Azel’s words. Belrod had no idea that Azel was a returnee, let alone that the world was on the brink of destruction.
“A curse… what does that mean?”
He asked again, but Azel didn’t answer. Instead, black-red smoke began to swirl around him. He was awakening the power to destroy the world.
We’re doomed.
As she muttered this, figures in black robes began to appear—Azel’s subordinates.
“What the…!”
“Do not interfere with him.”
They rushed toward Belrod, intent on preventing any disturbance of Azel’s awakening.
“You’re the ones who shouldn’t interfere!”
A fight broke out instantly.
Meanwhile, she, sidelined by the chaos, seriously considered her options.
I just want to run.
She didn’t want to get caught in this mess.
But I can’t… right?
She turned her gaze back to Azel, who met her eyes. He hadn’t completely forgotten her—but he now wore an even more irritating expression than before.
Damn this life.
Her motivation wavered, but she knew she had to act.
Belrod can’t stop Azel’s awakening, nor defeat him once he’s awakened. It won’t matter who comes now.
In the tense standoff, she shakily rose to her feet.
At least Azel’s subordinates aren’t paying attention to me. They must know I can’t harm him.
What they didn’t know, however, was that she was the unknown variable.
“Stop, Azel.”
She wiped her tears boldly and took a step toward him. Her unshaken, firm voice drew everyone’s attention.
But their gaze didn’t matter. Azel was the one who would decide this story.
She focused solely on him and spoke with determination.
“You can stop now.”
Azel’s awakening hadn’t finished yet. But there was still time for the variable to move.
