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Chapter : 38
Milena blinked as she watched the battle.
It felt as if reality itself was slipping away.
Memories that had long been sealed began to return.
She was there again.
On the deck of the Blue Pigeon.
That day—
the day everything began.
The wind had been gentle.
The waves calm.
Roela stood beside her, smiling brightly.
“Milena, look! Dolphins!”
Her friend’s cheerful voice rang out.
Everything had been peaceful.
At least—
until then.
Suddenly—
the sea began to churn unnaturally.
As if something enormous was moving in the depths below.
“What is that…?”
A sailor leaned over the railing to look—
and screamed the next moment.
“Monster!”
Before he could finish—
it appeared.
A massive tentacle burst through the sea.
Not just one.
Two. Three. Four…
Black tentacles continued to rise, surrounding the ship.
Each one was as thick as the ship’s mast—
lined with grotesque suction cups.
“It’s a Kraken!”
Someone screamed in despair.
A creature of legend.
A deep-sea horror far beyond anything like the Bardanos.
A calamity said to drag entire ships into the abyss.
BOOM!
One tentacle slammed into the ship.
The deck split in two.
Screams and debris scattered everywhere.
“Archduke Kaisa! Where is His Grace?!”
The guards shouted desperately.
Kaisa’s golden blade flashed, cutting through the tentacles—
but the severed parts regenerated instantly.
A sound echoed—
low and dreadful.
Grrrrrrrrrk…
It wasn’t quite a sound—
more like a vibration.
Something that came from the deepest abyss—
a noise that froze the soul itself.
Milena covered her ears—
but it didn’t matter.
The vibration traveled through her bones—
shaking her entire body.
“Milena! Over here!”
Roela grabbed her hand.
But at that moment—
a massive tentacle lunged toward them.
“No!”
Milena shoved Roela away.
The next instant—
the tentacle struck the deck.
The impact sent Milena flying into the air.
As she fell—
she saw it.
A colossal form rising from the depths.
The tentacles were only a fraction of it.
Below—
enormous eyes glowed.
Dozens of them.
Each moving independently, staring in different directions.
And then—
one of those eyes met hers.
The creature opened its grotesque mouth.
As if to swallow her whole.
A mouth large enough to devour the entire ship—
filled with countless teeth.
Milena couldn’t even scream.
Time seemed to freeze.
She could hear Roela crying out.
Splash.
Cold water engulfed her.
Grrrrrk… Grrrrrk…
She couldn’t breathe.
Her lungs burned.
But worse—
was the shadow rising beneath her.
The tentacles writhed like serpents, reaching toward her.
I’m going to die.
Just as that thought crossed her mind—
someone grabbed her arm.
It was Kaisa.
He pulled her into his arms and surged toward the surface.
But the ship was already half destroyed.
Screams filled the air.
People were being dragged into the sea by the tentacles.
If not for Kaisa—
Milena would have been one of them.
“Haah…”
His rough breathing echoed in her ears.
Kaisa placed her onto the remains of the shattered ship.
Roela rushed toward her and grabbed her hand tightly.
“They said there’s a lifeboat over there, Milena! Let’s go!”
“Hold on, everyone!”
Kaisa shouted.
He was—
the only hope in that disaster.
Milena turned her head and looked at him.
His back—
facing the Kraken—
was unwavering.
She turned back forward.
Staying here would only get in the way.
This time—
Milena grabbed Roela’s hand and began to run.
The Kraken’s full body rose above the surface.
A grotesque calamity—
the end of humanity itself.
A head as large as a mountain.
Hundreds of tentacles.
And countless eyes.
Each eye emitted an eerie glow—
like fallen stars.
Then—
the Kraken opened its mouth.
“GRAAAAAAAAH!”
This time—
it was a true scream.
The sound tore through the air, shattering eardrums.
People collapsed to the ground.
Milena and Roela among them.
She nearly lost consciousness.
Gritting her teeth—
Milena pulled Roela up.
“Stay with me, Roela!”
The memory of that day—
when the massive waves swallowed everything—
returned in full.
“Gasp!”
Milena clutched her chest and collapsed to her knees.
Her head felt like it was splitting apart.
It was a memory she had erased—
out of sheer terror.
Why… did I forget this?
The fear made it hard to breathe.
She wanted to see Kaisa.
She felt like she needed him.
The one who had saved her.
The one who stood alone against disaster.
She wanted to see him.
At that same time—
during the battle against the Bardanos—
Alec had been hiding behind the ruins of a collapsed building, watching everything.
He had been off duty.
When the alarm rang, he rushed out—
only to witness something unbelievable.
Kaisa—
radiating golden aura like an explosion.
Moving like lightning.
“W-what… is that…?”
Alec’s face turned pale.
That wasn’t human power.
The overwhelming strength to cut down a massive Bardanos in a single strike.
That’s a monster… He’s a monster too!
His hands trembled.
The monsters were terrifying—
but a human with that kind of power was even worse.
Disgust toward Kaisa welled up inside him.
“Ugh!”
Alec gagged.
Then—
he thought of Milena.
Milena is living with… something like that? That’s insane!
His bloodshot eyes widened.
Now everything made sense.
Why Milena stayed with Kaisa.
Why she acted like she had forgotten him.
She’s being threatened. That monster is forcing her!
His delusion began to take shape as reality.
In Alec’s twisted mind—
Kaisa had become a devil imprisoning Milena.
I have to save her!
He began moving carefully.
He needed to find Milena.
She was alone right now—
at that residence.
No interruptions.
He could finally meet her properly.
Now’s my chance!
Alec quickly headed toward Kaisa’s quarters.
Milena was outside.
His face lit up.
She had been waiting for him.
His delusion spiraled further.
“Miss Milena!”
Startled, Milena turned around.
Seeing Alec—
she gave a faint smile.
She recognized him.
The officer who had helped her before.
“Oh, Mr. Alec! Hello. I’m glad you’re safe.”
That smile made Alec’s heart race.
Just as I thought… she’s happy to see me.
“Yes… thankfully. Are you alright, Miss Milena? You’re not hurt?”
“I’m fine.”
Alec stepped closer.
As he approached, her soft fragrance grew stronger.
A scent he hadn’t experienced in a long time.
He inhaled deeply.
“I’m really relieved… I was very worried.”
“Thank you for your concern. But I’m truly fine.”
To Alec—
her calm demeanor only made his heart ache more.
She’s pretending to be okay.
How scared must she have been…
