CHAPTER 9

Contrary to Arliata’s expectations, the situation unfolded differently.

She had assumed that Kai had only left because she had interrupted him while he was trying to feed Yuel, and that he would soon return.

But no matter how much time passed, the door at the top of the stairs never opened.

Just how much time has passed…?

She fell asleep and woke up over and over again.

The cave was so silent that even the sound of breathing echoed loudly, as though time itself had stopped.

The prolonged silence slowly transformed into fear, spreading through both her body and mind.

Grrr…

As Arliata desperately tried to force her sluggish mind to think, a loud growl came from beside her.

Turning her head, she saw Yuel giving her an awkward smile.

“I’m hungry… Lily, are you okay?”

“I’m hungry too… but hang in there a little longer, Yuel. That man will come soon. He won’t let us starve to death.”

Yuel gave a small nod.

“More importantly… how much time do you think has passed?”

At Arliata’s question, Yuel quietly thought back over everything that had happened.

“I’m not sure… but maybe a whole day? Kai brought me here in the evening, and when I met you, it felt like about the same amount of time had passed.”

There were no windows, so he could be wrong.

But if Yuel was right, it was probably the afternoon of the day after Arliata had been kidnapped.

Or perhaps even later…

I said I was just going out… I’ve been gone for so long… If they realize I’ve disappeared… will someone come to help me?

A pair of ruby-red eyes suddenly surfaced in Arliata’s mind.

At the same time, her nose stung painfully.

I’m still useful to him, so if he notices I’m gone, he’ll come looking for me. Or maybe he’ll come to capture me instead.

Whatever the reason, simply believing that someone might come for her made her heart weaken.

No matter how many times she sniffled, the sting in her nose only worsened, and tears threatened to spill from her eyes.

“Lily…? Are you okay?”

Sensing something was wrong, Yuel tried his best to study Arliata’s face.

“Mm…! Of course! I’m fine.”

I’m fine… I’ll really be okay. I have my ability.

Without realizing it, Arliata kept recalling those ruby-red eyes as she repeated those words to herself.

Just then, footsteps echoed from outside the door.

“Yuel…!”

“Yeah, I know!”

To avoid raising suspicion, the two loosely tied the ropes back around each other’s wrists.

It had taken quite a while to loosen them earlier, and their fingers still ached.

Fortunately, because Kai had simply tied the ropes tightly without checking carefully, they had managed to free themselves.

After tying the rope back around his wrists, Yuel sat opposite Arliata and closed his eyes, pretending to sleep.

Arliata lowered her head and steadied her breathing.

Creak…

The doorknob turned, and the rusty hinges groaned through the damp air.

Arliata and Yuel both held their breath.

Under the dim light, Yuel’s damp eyes trembled.

Kai’s black boots slowly descended the stairs one step at a time.

With every footstep, the underground air seemed to grow heavier.

“My beloved bluebird… you’ve been waiting, haven’t you?”

Kai’s voice was low and gentle, yet hidden beneath it was a madness cold enough to chill one’s bones.

Just as Arliata had expected, Kai had brought food.

Before coming downstairs, he even remembered to lock the door with the key.

Descending leisurely, Kai sat in front of Yuel and placed a basket of bread on the floor.

“My bluebird, are you sleeping? That woman must have exhausted you.”

He gently stroked Yuel’s face with the warmest smile imaginable.

“Wake up. I brought delicious bread just for you.”

Even now, Kai acted as though Arliata didn’t exist, focusing entirely on Yuel.

“Hey.”

Kai turned toward Arliata.

His gaze was completely different from the one he had shown Yuel.

“Yuel looks very tired.”

“So?”

“Yuel told me he feels better whenever he hears me sing.”

Kai continued staring at Arliata expressionlessly.

“So… may I sing for him?”

Kai silently watched her.

Please… this has to work.

Arliata clenched the hand hidden behind her back.

“Do whatever you want.”

Kai turned his back toward her and sat facing Yuel again.

He resumed gently stroking Yuel’s hair.

He still believed both of them were tied up.

Arliata quietly steadied her breathing while watching Kai’s back.

Please… please let this work.

After softly humming the opening note, Arliata quietly stepped closer to Kai.

She bit her lip tightly, afraid her voice might tremble.

The air felt unbearably heavy.

Even so, she had to do it.

Carefully, Arliata reached her hand above Kai’s head and began singing.

“As the curtain of night spreads across the heavens, a warm light begins its sweet song.”

“Every living soul holds its breath, waiting quietly for you.”

While spending her days singing lullabies, Arliata had discovered that her power worked much better if her hand touched the other person’s head.

She had also learned that her ability was closely tied to her own stamina.

That realization made her anxious.

Her hand wasn’t completely touching him, and she was desperately hungry.

Although the temple had long since lost its power, Arliata silently prayed to every remaining god in the world.

Kai’s eyes slowly began to lose focus.

His eyelids drooped halfway shut.

Before long, his eyes closed completely, and his head slumped forward.

The hand stroking Yuel’s head fell limply to his side.

It worked! But I don’t have enough strength to create hallucinations… He’ll wake up soon.

Arliata untied her hands and quietly walked over to Yuel.

In a whisper, she gently shook him.

“Yuel, wake up. Let’s get out of here.”

Yuel slowly opened his eyes and removed the pieces of cloth he had stuffed into his ears.

He took Arliata’s outstretched hand and carefully stood up.

“Lily, what about the key?”

“Don’t worry. I saw which pocket he put it in.”

Arliata cautiously approached Kai and searched his pocket.

Her hands trembled violently as she retrieved the key.

She hadn’t been able to put him into a deep sleep because her strength had run out.

Holding each other’s hands tightly, Arliata and Yuel quietly climbed the stairs.

Each step made an agonizing creak, forcing them to repeatedly look back at Kai.

Reaching the top, Arliata inserted the trembling key into the lock and turned it.

Then she pushed the door open with all her strength.

Outside, it was already dark with evening.

“Yuel, let’s go…”

Just as Arliata tightened her grip on Yuel’s hand and was about to run—

“Mm…? Huh?”

Kai stirred awake.

“Yuel, run!”

“You… Stop right there!!”

The instant Kai spotted them, Arliata and Yuel sprinted outside without looking back.

They raced toward the marketplace beyond the house.

Both of them were already exhausted.

Yuel, who had barely eaten anything, looked even weaker than Arliata.

“Li-Lily!”

“Yuel, hurry! This way!”

Arliata pulled Yuel’s hand as hard as she could.

But she could feel her own strength fading.

Her lungs burned.

Her legs threatened to collapse beneath her.

The two practically threw themselves forward with every step.

Their pounding heartbeats drowned out the world.

It felt as though hearing even a single footstep behind them would stop their hearts.

Forcing her increasingly heavy legs to move, Arliata glanced behind Yuel.

Kai was nowhere to be seen.

Only darkness stretched endlessly behind them.

A creeping unease began swallowing her whole.

“Ow!”

The moment Arliata turned her head forward again, she and Yuel slammed into something and crashed onto the ground.

Rubbing her sore hip, Arliata looked up.

Kai stood directly before them.

“My bluebird only wanted to leave because she made friends with someone like you. I think you deserve to be punished.”

Kai climbed on top of Arliata and wrapped both hands around her neck.

“Kh… Let… let go…!”

“Lily! Kai! Please stop!”

Yuel desperately clung to Kai’s arm, trying to pull him away.

“My bluebird, you stay quiet for a moment too.”

“Aah!”

Smack!

Kai struck Yuel across the face.

After several blows, Yuel collapsed limply onto the ground.

Gasping violently, Arliata continued coughing.

Through her blurred vision, she saw Kai approaching her once again.

“A friend like you doesn’t deserve to stay beside my bluebird.”

“Some… someone… please… help…”

Kai tightened his grip around Arliata’s slender neck with all his strength.

She clawed desperately at his wrists.

But all she managed were a few shallow scratches.

Just as Arliata’s struggling began slowing…

A sinister voice echoed from somewhere nearby.

“How dare you harm someone who belongs to me… within my Grand Duchy.”

Beyond Kai’s shoulder, a blurred silhouette came into view.

Her vision had dimmed from being strangled.

Even so, it looked as though a black tidal wave was advancing from the horizon.

Within the darkness, a pair of brilliant ruby-red eyes stared directly at Arliata.

The surrounding air became unbearably heavy.

Everything fell into absolute silence.

It was the overwhelming presence of one born to rule from the very beginning.

She couldn’t look away.

A man capable of stealing every one of her senses in an instant.

The master of this land…

The ruler of the Grand Duchy.

As though time itself had stopped for everyone except him, he walked forward with slow, arrogant confidence, making the very air around him submit.

Thud!

“Gah!!”

Before anyone realized it, Idwin had appeared behind Kai and sent him flying with a brutal kick to the back.

“Cough… cough… haa… cough…”

“Are you alright?”

A brown-haired woman knelt beside Arliata and helped her sit up.

“H-Huh… who…?”

“We’ve come from the Grand Duke’s residence. Can you stand?”

Rubbing her aching throat, Arliata gave a small nod.

The brown-haired woman carefully helped the staggering Arliata to her feet.

“M-My friend…”

“The other young lady is fine. She merely lost consciousness.”

Seeing Yuel safely cradled in the arms of a man wearing the uniform bearing the Rapareon crest, Arliata finally nodded in relief.

Then she turned toward the sounds of violent blows.

Smack! Bam!

Idwin was mercilessly beating Kai, who had been sent flying several meters away.

Occasionally, Kai’s painful groans could be heard.

A dark blue-haired man waited nearby before finally stepping in to stop Idwin.

After taking a deep breath, Idwin finally stopped.

Then he slowly turned toward Arliata.

“…Huh?”

The instant those ruby-red eyes met hers, tears poured uncontrollably from Arliata’s eyes.

“Ah… what’s wrong with me…?”

One tear.

Then another.

No matter how much she wiped them away with her dirty sleeve, they refused to stop.

Before she knew it, Idwin had walked over and gently taken hold of her wrist.

Her face had become red from repeatedly rubbing away the tears with dirt-covered sleeves.

Idwin removed a handkerchief from inside his coat and quietly placed it into her hand.

“Without you… even my nights ceased to exist.”

Still wiping away her tears without understanding his meaning, Arliata looked into his ruby-red eyes.

“It seems… you’ve become the master of my night.”

As Idwin’s deep, steady voice reached her ears, Arliata caught her breath.

It felt as though every part of her—even her trembling fingertips—was being filled with his presence.

Only then did her tears finally begin to stop.