TRHLV | CH 02

Chapter 2: Raise Her

‘Do I have to kill that girl again?’

He stood in front of the sink, staring blankly at the running water, then lowered his head.

‘…Why does this keep happening only to me?’

Such a terrible trial.

* * * 

On that forest road, the girl ran to him again, just like in the past life.

“Please help me!”

He hated the feeling of her soft skin from before, so this time he brought a hunting gun.

‘Sorry, but I can’t let you live. If you survive…’

Still on his horse, he pointed the gun at her.

Maybe she saw the gun shining in the moonlight—she suddenly froze.

And right then, her father raised a club to hit her on the head.

It all happened in an instant.

Instead of shooting her, he turned the gun toward her father.

“Bang!”

Smoke rose from the gun, and the man collapsed, bleeding from his head.

The girl stared into space, shocked, before slowly looking up at him.

Her face was full of bruises and scratches, and her big eyes were filled with tears.

He suddenly realized something.

‘I stabbed a child like her. That tiny girl.’

He rubbed his forehead and let out a deep sigh.

“Get on.”

* * * 

After handing the girl over to the guards, he confessed to the killing.

Because of his high status, the dead man’s low status, the situation, and his honesty, he wasn’t punished.

He felt relieved when he heard the girl was sent to an orphanage.

‘At least she’s away from her violent father. Maybe her life will be better. She won’t become evil again.’

He was wrong.

Seven years later, Elika became Empress again.

She gained power the same way and created the same cruel laws as before.

Even the law he had risked his life to stop—she passed it again.

‘So it’s happening again.’

Last time, he was too careful and lost. This time, he chose a different way.

As the Empress came down from the podium after announcing the law, he blocked her path.

“That’s a brilliant law, Your Majesty. Thank you for caring for the Empire’s peace.”

“…Thank you,”

She smiled. He walked closer.

“Your Majesty, may I say something?”

She looked puzzled—and then he grabbed her chin and kissed her.

He slipped a pill deep into her mouth.

“Get the Duke away from Her Majesty!”

As the guards dragged him away, he clearly saw her face twist in pain from the poison.

He smiled. That was enough.

He had sent his family to safety.

Only he would be punished for this—for killing the Empress.

He was ready for death or life in prison.

If it would stop her, that was enough.

Blood poured from her lips, staining her dress.

He laughed like a madman.

But the world laughed back at him.

Time turned again—back to the morning of March 23, year 495.

* * * 

It was clear now—when she dies, time rewinds.

Then, the only way is to keep her from dying.

He tried to give her a better life. He found a kind family and sent her there.

But it didn’t work.

She still became the Empress—and even worse this time.

He barely managed to kill her again.

And again, time returned to March 23, 495.

‘It’s like a nightmare that never ends.’

He was exhausted.

There seemed to be no escape.

He even thought of killing himself.

But he couldn’t make such a selfish choice.

So he moved forward again.

‘…No one else can do this. Only me.’

It was his destiny to carry.

* * * 

“Sir, are you really going to buy me something yummy?”

The girl followed him closely, her eyes shining.

“I only had one piece of bread yesterday and today. I can eat anything!”

This time, he arrived earlier.

He knocked out the man hitting her and awkwardly told the confused girl he’d buy her food—like some strange kidnapper.

“Sir.”

Her tiny, injured hand gently grabbed his sleeve.

“Thank you… for saving me from my dad.”

‘…Damn it.’

He stopped walking.

This girl would grow up to be a killer.

He had to be cold—no sympathy, no pity.

That way, when she turned evil, he could kill her without hesitation.

But his heart kept shaking.

“…Sorry, but you need to go home now.”

So he decided to keep some distance.

“Huh? Why? Did I do something wrong?”

Her face turned pale and she fell to the ground, begging.

“If I go home, I’ll die. Really, I will. Please help me. I’ll do anything, please…”

Don’t be weak.

He clenched his teeth and turned away.

“Sir! Sir!”

He heard her little footsteps running after him.

Then, a small arm wrapped around his waist.

He froze.

“Please take me with you… please…”

Tears soaked his back.

“I want to live.”

* * * 

“Don’t move from here. I’ll go meet someone.”

He brought her to an inn room nearby.

Out of the forest, she relaxed. She kept yawning and soon fell asleep, not even scared of the stranger she followed.

He left after making sure she was sleeping.

“What? You brought her here?”

The one who shouted was “Hailer,” his friend and a great magician with grey hair and black eyes. He often wore glasses.

Because of his strong powers, Hailer also remembered the past timelines.

In the last loop, Hailer was the one who first asked Charon if he remembered too.

“Yes. I left her in the inn. What should I do now?”

Charon asked.

“Why ask me?”

“You’re the one trying to solve the mystery of these time loops.”

“I was, but I keep looping because of you! I haven’t found out anything!”

“…”

Hailer sipped his tea, brushing off Charon’s stare.

“But I have a new idea this time.”

Hailer said.

“A new idea?”

He put down his cup and looked at Charon with a serious face.

“She’s still pure. She turned evil as she grew up. So what if… we raise her the right way?”

“…Raise her? Who?”

Hailer pointed straight at Charon.

“You, of course.”

* * * 

Raise her? That was ridiculous.

He didn’t even want to live under the same roof as her.

He had already tried giving her a better environment.

The orphanage and adoptive families were all kind and respectable.

But even with care and love, she still became a villainess.

When he reached the inn again—

‘…Why is the door open?’

A bad feeling spread through him.

“Elika!”

He rushed inside.

She was gone.

* * * 

“I’m sorry, Dad! Please don’t kill me…”

“Who said anything about killing you? You’re just embarrassing me!”

Her father found her again.

She had opened the door, thinking the “sir” had come back—but it was her father.

He stormed in, dragged her out like an animal, and took her to the forest.

He threw her down and pulled off his belt.

“Take your clothes off.”

She knew what that meant—and hesitated.

“What, don’t want to? Then I’ll beat you in your clothes.”

She bit her lip and began to untie the strings on the back of her dress.

Her hands were shaking too much.

“Do it properly!”

Her shoulders flinched.

Tears filled her eyes.

As the strings loosened, her bare back was revealed under the trees.

Marks and scars were all over her pale skin—this wasn’t the first time.

“Today, I’ll fix your attitude for good.”

He raised his belt.

“Whoosh—”

It made a terrible sound in the air.

* * * 

He was heading into the forest, guessing what had happened.

“I’m sorry, Dad! Please don’t kill me…!”

He heard her voice.

He ran and saw her half-undressed, curled up under a tree.

Her father was about to hit her.

Charon stepped in front of her.

“Smack!”

It stung like crazy, but he gritted his teeth and stayed silent.

“What the hell are you doing?! Get out of my way—wait, aren’t you that guy who stole my daughter?! You’re dead now!”

The man grabbed his collar.

“Take your hands off me.”

“Argh!”

He twisted the man’s wrist.

“If you touch me again, you’ll regret it. I’m Duke Blansé.”

Then the man noticed the lion-shaped ring on his finger.

His face turned pale, and he dropped to his knees.

“M-My lord! I didn’t recognize you! Please spare me!”

Charon didn’t plan to kill him.

He didn’t want to dirty his hands for such a lowlife.

Leaving the man behind, he walked over to the stunned girl.

He took off his coat and gently wrapped it around her, then picked her up.

“I don’t care if you live or die. But if you ever come near this girl again… I won’t let you die easily.”

She felt so light in his arms.

‘…She’s the seed of evil. I’m only taking her for a reason.’

He had to stay strong.

No matter what.