Ethan, terrified, picked up his speed—but no matter how fast he ran, Fire, charging with all his strength, was faster.

With a loud bang, Ethan’s door was smashed open.

“AAAAAAGH!”

Zahid leapt off Fire and yanked open the wardrobe.

Inside, Rosie was curled up and screaming. She finally lifted her head.

“I’m scared… I’m scared. I hate the Temple… Please, please, get me out of here…”

She still didn’t seem to be in her right mind.

Her green eyes darted wildly, staring at something far, far away.

Soaked in tears, she sobbed and threw her arms around Zahid.

“Please take me to my brother… I’m so scared here… I hate the experiments…”

Rosie’s small body trembled violently. She was having a full-blown panic attack, still out of her senses.

“It hurts… Please, please get me out of the Temple! I—I’m sorry, it’s all my fault!”

“It’s okay… It’s okay, Rosie.”

“H-huuh… Brother, please… please…”

“I’m here now. It’s okay.”

Zahid, unconsciously holding back tears, gently stroked her back.

“I’m sorry I came late.”

His chest felt like it was being torn apart.

Just then, Ethan arrived, breathless, and rushed to open all the curtains in the room.

As sunlight flooded the room, Rosie’s ragged breathing finally began to calm. And then, still in Zahid’s arms, she fainted once more.

* * *

Yuta opened his eyes slowly on the cold stone floor.

‘Ah… this must still be the Noart estate. I must’ve been caught alongside Clara.’

He figured something had gone wrong with Clara, and Caliban Noart had caught them in the act.

Only now did his rationality begin to return.

At the same time, he felt so pathetic he almost laughed.

Coming directly to the Noart estate without knowing the full picture, meeting with Clara in person?

Thinking back with a cooler head, it had been an incredibly foolish move. Obviously, it had been a trap—and a clumsy one at that.

‘It must’ve been Zahid.’

The letter, left blatantly on display in the drawing room, practically begging to be seen.

But the moment he read “deal with Rosie,” he’d lost all reason. Even if he went back in time, he’d no doubt lose it again and come running.

‘Whatever happened… if Clara got caught too, then Rosie must be safe.’

Yuta blinked slowly.

Even now, he felt warmth in his arms.

“…Liri?”

He’d assumed Liri had been sent back to the Orgon Duchy.

But Liri had burrowed into Yuta’s chest, as if to say, you’re not alone.

Yuta let out a quiet chuckle and murmured,

“Why’d you follow me all the way here and end up in this mess…”

The warmth was undeniably comforting.

Despite his scolding tone, Yuta hugged Liri tightly.

“What is it.”

The guard at the lone staircase leading to the top of the tower raised an eyebrow.

“You’re awake?”

“As you can see…”

“Young Lord, don’t move from this spot. If you try anything funny, the Count won’t let you off.”

After threatening him, the guard double-checked the lock and hurried down the stairs to report to Caliban.

The tower hadn’t been used as a prison in a long time, so security wasn’t exactly professional.

“Take care. Watch your step.”

Yuta stared blankly after the guard, then sprawled out on the floor again.

‘Julian… I wonder if he’s come to by now.’

He was a monster, so it wouldn’t be strange if he’d woken up days ago.

They were the same age.

Before Rosie came to the Academy, Yuta had met Julian three times.

The first time was when he secretly tipped him off about Rosie’s existence.

The third time was when he barely managed to save Julian right before he died.

He had risked his life to save him—only for Julian to completely lose his memory.

And the second time…

‘He probably doesn’t remember anymore, that idiot.’

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

Before losing his memory, Julian had come to him directly—at the Theological Library. He had figured everything out.

“You share the same father as Rosie, don’t you?”

“Hm… You’ve figured out my identity. I suppose I’ll have to kill you here.”

“Interesting joke. You wouldn’t be able to lay a finger on me. Judging by the looks of you, you’re not exactly skilled in combat.”

“Wow. Insulting someone’s weakness right off the bat on a first meeting? That’s cold…”

At the time, Julian had been wearing a perfectly buttoned-up formal uniform.

Not a hair out of place, his face completely impenetrable.

The kind of young man who exhaled pressure like it was air—elegant, and all the more infuriating for it.

Julian looked like someone hardened by the world’s cruelty, wrapped in an unbreakable shell—a towering wall.

After a few verbal jabs, Julian had gotten straight to the point.

“I think I can guess roughly what you’re planning… but I’d rather you kept it to yourself. If Rosie finds out, it’ll break her heart.”

“Excuse me, Mr. Butcher Scumbag? Just one question. If I’m the one dying alone in misery, why do you get to act all noble and tragic?”

“Because I can’t die in your place. I can’t do anything about that damned divine power.”

In the end, Julian had come to tell Yuta: Go die quietly as planned.

“Sigh. You ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) really are the most aggravating person I’ve ever met.”

“I hear that a lot.”

“You should hear it more. You’re nowhere near the quota…”

At that, Julian slowly turned his head and looked at Yuta with those slitted, beast-like eyes.

“You talk like Rosie.”

There had been a fleeting smile on that otherwise emotionless face.

“Please, Yuta Orgon.”

Julian had looked straight at him as he spoke.

Polite and gentlemanly, but with a firm, unwavering tone.

“Before anything bad happens to Rosie… I hope you’ll carry through with your original plan. Don’t let your heart waver.”

He was the kind of man who could ask someone to quietly die—without even blinking.

Really, it was like he had traded his soul for strength.

But knowing Julian, he would’ve thrown his life away without hesitation, so Yuta couldn’t even complain.

“God, what a bastard…”

Yuta muttered as he lay on the floor.

Since it was the top of the tower, the sky was open above him.

“You act all noble and righteous, then lose your memory and come back as a punk-ass brat? You’re the funniest bastard I’ve ever seen…”

The Julian at the Academy had been nothing like the one he remembered.

Messy hair, a sloppily worn outfit, eyes that were somehow both delinquent and innocent.

Honestly, knocking him out had felt pretty great.

After all that arrogance about not even being able to touch him, getting in a hit had been satisfying.

“Well… even if he forgot everything… no, he didn’t actually forget anything, but still.”

Yuta whispered as he hugged Liri tightly.

“I’ll grant your request, hmph.”

The request to die at the right time.

And Liri just happened to be with him.

“Liri.”

If he died now, everything would be over.

Rosie’s divine power that he had taken would disappear, and he wouldn’t have to come up with some lame excuse when Count Noart came to interrogate him.

“Choose me. Now.”

Liri shook his head.

“I just don’t want Rosie to see me like this.”

Yuta smiled softly and closed his eyes. Then, petting Liri, he whispered,

“Let me die in style, okay? We’re at the top of the tower, there’s no one around. It’s the perfect place to die loudly without bothering anyone.”

Liri started to cry again.

Yuta knew.

Liri would have no choice but to choose him, eventually.

“Count Noart’s coming soon. Do you really want to see me tortured by that cruel old man? Did you see that geezer’s face? He looks like the damn Pirate King…”

Yuta mumbled vacantly, then added in a low voice,

“I hate pain… I just want it to end already.”

In a soft and gentle voice, he whispered. Liri sobbed and sniffled.

“When you’re ready, we’ll begin. I’m already prepared, Liri. I’ll wait.”

Yuta smiled faintly and hugged Liri tightly. Then, thinking of Julian, he murmured,

“Hope you live happily ever after with your sister, you slit-eyed bastard. I’ll disappear nice and quiet, all alone.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep