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Chapter 143
“Let go.”
In the moment silence fell, Valer felt the cold edge of the blade aimed at his neck—and instead, he smiled faintly.
So, here you are.
Valer knew better than anyone that this man would never easily take Arellyn from him.
“What?”
At the provocative tone, Valer replied:
“The only thing you can put down right now… isn’t it obvious?”
The expected answer came back.
Valer glanced down at Arellyn, sleeping quietly in his arms, her colorful dress fanning around her, and a bitter, cold smile tugged at his lips.
“Why would I?”
“You must want to die, then?”
“You want to kill me, I suppose.”
“Isn’t it the same for you?”
They had never properly faced each other, yet their relationship was twisted with hatred, entwined beyond repair.
Valer despised Ludwig—so much that he truly wished he could kill him.
“No.”
Even so…
“There’s something more important than killing someone like you.”
In the countless dreamlike lives Valer had lived, he had never properly faced this man.
Even without his interference, Ludwig had always quietly brought about his own ruin.
Perhaps that was why Valer had never burned with the hatred needed to kill him outright.
Rumors of death, of the Grand Duchess being killed and him committing suicide, of purges—this man always seemed to die before Valer.
“Arel, the medicine didn’t work, did it? Not the magic, nor even the high priest’s blessing prayer.”
“……”
By merely twisting his body slightly, Valer could face Ludwig, who was aiming at his neck from behind.
“If this goes on, Arellyn will die.”
Seeing the disturbance in Ludwig’s green eyes, Valer smiled faintly.
This man really was like him—
Like himself.
“If you want to kill me, then do it. Either way, if Arellyn dies, I’ll die too.”
He didn’t care if anyone called his choice extreme—Valer had always made such choices.
Paradoxically, what kept Valer, who had lost his sister, going was Arellyn.
The reason for life, the purpose of life—or everything.
Without Arellyn, there was no reason to live alone.
“……”
Ludwig wavered.
Seeing his gaze, which seemed unwavering, begin to shake, brought a strange mix of discomfort and unease.
It felt like facing himself, lost and wandering after losing Arellyn.
Even though it had only ever happened in his dreams, Valer felt personally affronted, as if he had experienced it firsthand.
“You’re just as crazy as I thought.”
Valer laughed at Ludwig’s assertion.
“Just realized that now?”
“No, I knew, but seeing it for myself brings a new feeling.”
“You’re not in a position to lecture anyone, either.”
Their gazes collided in the air, two people who would never have a good relationship.
Surprisingly, Ludwig was the first to step back.
“Fine, I’ll let you go.”
“……Let me go?”
Valer had expected them to fight to the death, so he was slightly taken aback.
Why is he suddenly being cooperative?
“But.”
A light flickered in Ludwig’s green eyes.
“I’ll follow you.”
Into enemy territory on his own?
Valer tilted his head in doubt at this insane choice, though he had no intention of backing down while in a favorable position.
“Suit yourself.”
The Halbern estate was in chaos.
The unexpected return of Duke Halbern, and the return of the kidnapped Arellyn.
There was an extra twist, but…
Mehen couldn’t believe that something he expected to require half a nation’s effort had been resolved so easily.
What were all my worries for?
After all the stress, it felt like his stomach might melt—was this really right?
He should be happy, but his emotions were far from pleased, and Mehen sighed.
“Arel?”
Arellyn had taken the prepared medicine as soon as she returned to the estate and, with the help of skilled physicians, healers, and priests, had finally stabilized.
“She’s sleeping.”
Valer had watched the entire process without a single blink.
“Stayed up all night?”
Pressing around his eyes, Mehen asked tiredly. He had barely rested a few hours before returning.
Though Valer offered no verbal reply, it was clear enough—he had sat in that spot since returning, unmoving.
That man…
The ‘man’ referred to here by Mehen was none other than the Imperial Regent Ludwig of the Southern Empire.
The estate’s new, unwelcome guest.
While Valer stayed close to Arellyn’s bedside, Ludwig took a couch slightly away, expression unreadable, watching them both.
Why is he so quiet now?
He had been reckless when kidnapping her, and now, despite her being ill, he had handed her back without fuss. Suspicious, to say the least.
Mehen’s head hurt trying to understand the situation.
Are these the kind of people who could suddenly come to their senses because she’s sick?
No.
Yet here they were, quietly staying put.
Could it really be the ‘Arellyn effect’?
Watching Arellyn sleeping angelically in her colorful dress, Mehen made a curious expression.
If she was truly the reason these two most difficult men in the world were behaving quietly, perhaps Arel was the one maintaining peace in the world.
My heart swells…
As always, my daughter.
Swallowing a pleased smile, Mehen moved closer to Arellyn.
“Don’t worry too much. She’s stable now.”
“Stable?”
“Yes, in serious cases, she’s had high fevers for a whole month. Maybe the exercises really worked…”
Half skeptical, Mehen finally believed that Arellyn’s health had slightly improved.
Valer, however, frowned continuously, clearly displeased.
“All thanks to you.”
“Me?”
“Without the medicine you sent, this wouldn’t have been possible.”
“……”
“What exactly is in this medicine that it works for Arellyn’s mysterious illness?”
“Immortal blood.”
“……”
Blinking in disbelief, Mehen wondered if he had heard wrong.
“Just a single drop.”
Watching Mehen’s astonishment, Valer answered calmly:
“More precisely, it’s the blessing of the Immortal within that drop keeping her alive.”
“……”
When faced with incomprehensible matters, sometimes it was better just to accept them. Mehen quickly refocused.
“Valer, do you really know what illness Arellyn has?”
“No.”
Valer traced the tattered fragments of his memory… distant memories…
The world where Valer did nothing but raise Arellyn.
“I only know that if we do nothing, she could die within a week.”
“……”
Hope faded from Mehen’s face.
“Is there truly no cure?”
“We’ll find one.”
Even in this desperate situation with no leads, Valer did not despair.
He only recalled the Archmage of the Tower.
A new figure, never encountered in any dream, someone difficult to even find, yet somehow revealed themselves so easily…
I can’t just lose Arellyn to nothingness like in a dream.
With knowledge and wisdom to reveal what the singularity truly is, it’s worth hoping, isn’t it?
Of course, first, they had to deal with… Ludwig, who twitched his eyebrows under Valer’s sharp gaze.
The castle of Locke, where Valer and Ludwig had disappeared.
On the deserted outskirts, flashes of light appeared, revealing dozens of figures.
Black-robed wizards muttered excitedly.
“Finally.”
“Infiltration!”
The plan to kidnap Arellyn, previously forbidden by Archmage Mersedes, was now being attempted by impatient wizards.
“Hoo hoo, finally we meet our treasure.”
“Miracle.”
“Light.”
They were elated, thinking of kidnapping Arellyn.
Yet, Locke Castle held no Arellyn.
“Eh?”
What… was happening?
While the wizards stumbled in disbelief, the stationed knights, responsible for the castle’s security, discovered the intruders and charged.
“Intruders!”
“Damn, run!”
