MWMT 05

Chapter : 5

In a deep abyss that felt endless, Aslan wandered through a long maze of memories.

*You cursed demon who tries to tear apart my soul and steal my body. What will you use this time to drive me into despair?*

A sharp, eerie laugh rang out like tinnitus.

The scene changed.

It was a luxurious banquet hall in the imperial palace—but not as Aslan remembered it. The entire view was stained dark red, as if splashed with blood.

Click, click.
The steady sound of heels came closer.

Aslan lowered his gaze.

> “Vivian Eleonora greets Your Grace.”

As always, the woman bowed politely.
And as always, he ignored her without a second thought.

From all around, mocking laughter and whispers spread. Words sharpened into arrows by shallow tongues flew toward Vivian, as they always did.

There was no way she hadn’t heard them.

> “……”

Her thin, fragile eyelashes fluttered slowly—like butterfly wings. That was her only reaction.

If she had shouted or cried, he might have pitied her weakness. But the eyes that revealed no emotion at all felt disgusting.

*An emotionless doll. Just like a woman sent by the Empress.*

Because he could not rule out that she was the Empress’s agent, he stayed wary of her and sometimes openly trampled her dignity.

More than anything, the mere existence of Vivian Eleonora was proof that he had been forced to submit to the Empress.

Every time he saw her, anger surged.

*She’s unbearable. When will she finally disappear from my life?*

And yet, strangely, his eyes were drawn to her.

To the Empress’s woman—without any reason he could understand.

—

Time gathered into days, days flowed into seasons.

On the third year of his engagement to Vivian Eleonora, Aslan declared the annulment.

> “You will never become the Grand Duchess. Even if I die. The annulment papers will arrive soon, so wait quietly.”

> “……”

For the first time, her expression cracked.

Deep resentment filled her ocean-blue eyes. She bit her lips hard, as if holding back tears, her breathing trembling.

She collapsed as if falling, coughing violently. Dark red blood spread across her handkerchief.

*You will regret this day someday.*

At the same time as the demon’s mocking whisper, the world went dark.

Aslan sank once more into endless darkness.

—

### * * *

> “Don’t worry. I’ll take responsibility and save you.”

Who are you?

Why can you speak so calmly to something as ugly and grotesque as me?
How can you smile like that?

When had Aslan’s consciousness returned?

His body had been taken, his mind slowly eaten away by a demon—then suddenly, he blinked.

His vision cleared.

Vivian Eleonora—that unbearable woman—was right in front of him.

Countless thoughts flashed through his mind.

He had been fighting assassins.
He had been swallowed by the curse.
And when he woke up—she was there.

He could not help but think:

*Did she lure me here?*

That was his first suspicion.

*Did she see it?*

The second.

His true form.
That the Second Prince Aslan Lejeff Astaroth—respected by nobles and worshiped by knights—was actually a filthy, grotesque beast.

But when he looked down, he realized something strange.

His body was still covered in rough, messy fur.

Aslan realized he was still in the form of a monster.

*Why is this happening…? Have I finally gone mad?*

Whenever the curse transformed him into a beast, he always lost his mind and memories.

But now, he still had his human consciousness.

As confusion filled Aslan’s eyes—

**Bang!**

Vivian Eleonora began smashing the iron bars with an axe.

Her face was pale from a lung disease attack, gasping for breath, yet she did not stop.

When the lock finally broke and Vivian collapsed from exhaustion, losing consciousness, Aslan decided he should kill her.

If his true form had been discovered, killing her immediately was the right choice. One stomp on that fragile neck would be enough.

> “……”

But why?

The moment he thought that, it felt as if something bound him in place. He could not move his feet.

Aslan stared down at Vivian with conflicted eyes. Her once-rosy cheeks were slowly turning pale.

His teeth ground together.

*Yes. I still need her. To block political attacks from the Crown Prince’s faction. Even if it’s just a cheap performance.*

*Heh heh—That’s not the real reason, is it?*

*Shut up.*

Ignoring the whisper in his head, Aslan lifted the unconscious Vivian onto his back.

—

### * * *

Even after transforming into the Black Lion, Aslan’s mind remained clear.

Sheltering in a cave from the coming storm, he observed Vivian closely and realized something.

*She doesn’t know my true identity.*

She treated him like an ordinary beast. She treated his wounds and spoke to him gently, like a child.

It felt so natural that Aslan unknowingly lowered his guard.

*Come to think of it, she enjoyed taming wild beasts.*

Before her lung disease worsened, she loved hunting—and was skilled at taming captured beasts.

The silver wolf she treasured most had caught Aslan’s eye more than once. She treated it like a pet dog and took it everywhere.

Of course, she also used it to intimidate people.

*It bothers me that she mistakes me for a normal beast, but at least she’s not running away. Saves me the trouble of finding her twice.*

Aslan sat in one corner of the cave, watching her.

Though she was a terminal patient who could barely support herself, Vivian busily explored the cave.

He couldn’t understand her.

*Stupid woman.*

Even a slight drop in body temperature made her cough blood and faint, yet she tore apart her warm dress to give it to him—without hesitation.

She herself wore only thin undergarments.

Her delicate silhouette was clearly visible beneath the straps. Her hands and feet had long turned white from cold.

*No. I don’t want to see this.*

Her emaciated, sick body.

Every time he saw the marks of death carved into her, an unknown anger rose within him.

He wanted to look away.

It felt as if her fragile 모습 was being burned into his memory forever.

Even though he knew she couldn’t mean it toward a beast, it felt like she was doing it on purpose—and that irritated him.

Tap.

Aslan gently pushed Vivian and made her sit still.

When she leaned comfortably against him, the chaos in his head settled. He even felt an absurd desire to be closer to her.

*Don’t think about it.*

He deliberately looked away, staring outside at the pouring rain.

Soon, her soft, steady breathing told him she had fallen asleep.

Feeling her warmth, Aslan quietly leaned his head down.

But the peace did not last.

> “Did you hear that just now?”

> “Where?”

Even though they were hidden in a cave deep in the cliffs, the Crown Prince’s dogs had found them.

Aslan’s thoughts raced.

Above all else, one question tormented him.

*Can I protect Vivian Eleonora?*

She was a delicately raised noble lady.
And a terminally ill woman who could barely protect herself.

Even a small wound would kill her.

> “No matter what happens, do not kill him—ugh!”

Killing intent filled Aslan’s eyes as he held Vivian close.

That single command—not to kill him—and his rage toward Johannes shattered the last thread of his reason.

Before he knew it, he had leapt forward and bitten into an assassin’s neck.

A brutal battle followed. Many lives were lost.

But the balance did not last long.

> “The cave is suspicious!”

> “There’s definitely something inside! Break through!”

The enemy’s assault grew fiercer.
And Aslan grew more desperate.

He had to protect Vivian.

*She has to live. She must live…*

Why?

Yes, she made it easier to deal with the Crown Prince’s faction—but was her life really more precious than his own?

More precious than the power and kingdom he had clawed his way up from hell to build?

Aslan was confused.

He couldn’t understand himself.

Darkness filled his mind.

> “There’s an opening!”

The assassin did not miss the moment Aslan froze.

By the time Aslan twisted his body—

*Damn it. Too late.*

The blade rose above his head.

Then—

> “Kaaagh!”

> “Snap out of it, you, you, you dog! Do you want to die here?!”

In an instant, Vivian leapt forward and drove her dagger into the assassin’s neck.

Aslan could not believe what he was seeing.

Vivian Eleonora, holding a dagger barely the length of a palm, was killing assassins charging at him.

Her platinum-blonde hair danced beautifully through the storm of blood.

Like a goddess of war wrapped in the scent of death, she cut down enemies effortlessly.

*That level of skill…*

He had never heard that the Lady used a blade.

The shock lasted only a moment.

Every movement of hers burned into his mind.

Like a sunflower chasing the sun, his eyes followed her instinctively.

> “Did you really think I wouldn’t prepare an escape route? I decide where I die. And it’s not now.”

When the cave collapsed, his heart nearly burst.

When she emerged from the rubble, smiling and playing with her dagger, he could only admire her courage and wit.

And then—

> “I knew this day would come when I learned about my illness… but I didn’t want to die this lonely.”

The moment he wished to save her—

The black energy driving him slowly faded away.

The grotesque beast became a beautiful man once more.

Kneeling on one knee, Aslan gently lifted Vivian by the neck.

Feeling his touch, she smiled faintly.

> “So this is really the end…”

> “Not yet, my lady.”

Aslan shielded her from the falling rain with his body.

He brushed the wet hair from her forehead, revealing her pale face.

> “Open your eyes.”

> “……”

> “Breathe!”

Her fading breaths terrified him.

As he desperately warmed her cold body, Aslan finally made a decision.

His warm breath fell onto her pale lips.

A thin gasp escaped.

*Why does my hunger grow the closer I am to you? Why do I want to press closer, to touch you, like a greedy beast…*

What have you done to me?

Holding Vivian’s cold body tightly in his arms, Aslan finally found the answer.