Even Death Was Taken Away by That Obsession - Chapter 20

The man fearlessly blurted out his words.

-I can somewhat understand why you said you need a friend.

-Why are you so scared of this man?

I forced a smile towards ‘him’ as if I couldn’t hear the man’s voice.

As he said I was scared, my body started trembling, but I held on tightly to the oak glass that still had some alcohol left in it.

Yes, that was all I could do.

-Haine, I was quite surprised to hear you weren’t in the castle. Everyone was quite flustered.

‘He’ was still calm. As always, he was neat and even handsome enough to attract the gaze of many women.

Only, he wasn’t kind.

-To think it was because of this trash. Would you wait a little? I’ll clean it up for you.

I can’t forget that moment.

Before I could even ask what he meant by cleaning up, ‘his’ eyes filled with a golden color.

Until that moment, I was still clinging to a hopeless hope.

A hope that was about to plummet into the abyss.

-No!

Ah… the things that happened simultaneously with my cry.

-Ugh… cough!

The face of the man sitting right in front of me quickly turned pale.

Groaning repeatedly, he seemed to have trouble controlling his body and tilted to the side, collapsing on the floor.

The man’s limbs flailed about, repeatedly convulsing.

The strangely moving joints slowed down and gradually stopped.

Eventually, there was no movement at all.

Like the sculptures decorating various parts of the castle where he and I stay, the man’s body seemed to have become a plaster statue.

It’s strange to call a person a plaster statue, but I couldn’t find any other appropriate words.

After all, this was the first time I had seen such a sight.

‘What… happened?’

Is he dead? He must be dead, right?

The person who was talking to me until just now… is dead?

Why did that person have to die? Why did he kill him?

Why do I have to go through this?

‘Why on earth?’

In place of me, who couldn’t accept what had happened and remained silent, others screamed.

Then they turned pale, rushed out of the tavern, and foamed at the mouth.

-It’s a bit noisy.

He said, tilting his head with a troubled expression.

-Haa… I’m sorry. I couldn’t hold back.

And he covered his face with both hands and let out a long sigh.

He sat across from me, looking anxious like a lover who arrived late to a promised meeting place.

It was the seat where that man who had just died was sitting.

-You must have been very surprised. Are you okay?

He seemed genuinely sorry. Not to them, but to me.

-I guess this place won’t do, right?

His beautiful fingers stroked my hair a few times.

It was a gentle and sweet touch, as it had always been.

I closed my eyes, wanting to surrender myself to the familiar warmth.

Even though I knew it was impossible, I hoped I could forget my situation of suddenly falling into hell, if only for a moment.

Of course, even that was just for a fleeting moment.

-Would you wait for me? I need to go and clean up.

He gently got up and left the tavern, which was now empty except for us.

Had the snow stopped already? Under the brightly revealed moon, screams could be heard.

One person. Two people, dozens.

Countless wails echoed for a long time.

It seemed as if all living things might be meeting their end tonight.

Just how many people had died?

I had never seen or heard of murder even once. I had lived in such peace.

Was it not that I was lucky, but that this was normal and ordinary?

Human life. Peaceful daily life. The tranquility that everyone enjoys.

I cried with my eyes open.

For a very long time, until he came to greet me with blood-soaked hands until he gently embraced my body that had grown cold like theirs.

It was only after returning to the castle in a daze and a long time had passed that I came to my senses.

-I only had a conversation with that man. I had no other feelings and just…!

I pushed away his hand as he reached out to lie down on the bed together and questioned him.

Why he killed that man, why he destroyed an entire village, whether death was a daily occurrence for him, and such things.

-That incident from earlier? Are you still thinking about that?

He pouted like a young boy who had lost his beloved cat.

-Well, I was at a loss because you were so lovely.

How trivial must all my questions have seemed for him to have such an attitude? A strange smile brushed my lips out of despair.

He lowered his voice, a hint of regret coloring his tone, as he gazed out the tall window.

-Where should we go next? It’s a bit cold around here, so I was thinking of going somewhere far away.

Fatigue washed over me. It was fatigue from the helplessness of not being able to change him.

Honestly, I was already exhausted. I closed my eyes, wishing I could just collapse and fall asleep.

Complete darkness. In it, I opened my eyes suddenly without even dreaming.

It was because his scent, which had grown closer, deeply penetrated my nose.

-Are you okay?

Beyond his gentle voice, I could see his face genuinely worried.

Goosebumps quickly rose on my skin.

‘You’re asking if I’m okay after killing someone right in front of me?’

He asked so nonchalantly that I wondered if I had seen an illusion or if I was mistaken.

-Why… why did you kill him?

-You’re asking that again.

-…

-Is that so important? It’s obvious, isn’t it?

He smiled like sunshine. It was an innocent face that couldn’t understand my pain.

-Because he desired you.

Facing his beautiful features, goosebumps rose all over my body.

And I realized.

I can’t endure him any longer.

-…I think this is it for us.

I turned my body. Sincerely hoping this would be the last time with him, I tried to leave this castle.

I prayed that he would rather take my life for daring to leave him.

I didn’t care what happened as long as it could end this situation, I reached for the door without hesitation.

I applied force to turn that familiar doorknob. Strangely, it wouldn’t open.

-I’m sorry.

You, who caught my hand as I tried to escape, were quite adorable like someone being forgiven for a minor mistake.

-I shouldn’t have done that in front of you.

-Let me go.

-No.

-No, please let me go.

-Haine…

-We’ve been together for too long.

-What are you saying?

-There are many people who can replace me, aren’t there?

-There aren’t.

-No, I know. Your life is long, isn’t it? I’m just passing through…

-No, I’ve chosen you.

I tried to ask the meaning, but his eyes emitted light.

A harsh gold color. The eyes of a beast.

-Let go. What on earth are you trying to do?!

-Haine.

-I said let go!

Unlike my voice that had risen in anger, he withdrew that golden light and gently stroked my hair.

It was a face satisfied that his choice was not wrong.

-You’re not affected at all, are you?

-What?

-This is why I chose you.

-What do you mean…

-I used my power. I asked you to forget everything and smile.

As if his words about using his power were a lie, I was completely unaffected.

I couldn’t forget anything and couldn’t smile.

Even though I’m just an ordinary human… his power didn’t work on me.

-Haine, you’re special.

I must have been the first existence like me in his life. He probably didn’t even know that someone who was immune to his power could exist.

-You’re really special…

I was a true ‘person’, not a puppet he could control at will.

A rare treasure that wasn’t dominated by those eyes, that his power didn’t affect.

The one and only being he had met for the first and last time.

-Don’t leave my side.

I was embraced in his broad chest. His body temperature was warm, but my body only grew colder.

For him, it meant he had finally met the one and only being whose sincerity he could believe in.

-Stay with me forever from now on.

But for me, it was the beginning of hell.

***

Strangely, ‘his’ face was blurry.

There were many memories flooding in, but why?

“Is it… true that ‘he’ killed someone in front of my eyes?”

As I asked while holding my forehead, Feiden arrogantly crossed his arms, wrinkling his white priest’s robe.

“You’re asking me about your own memories.”

Then he tilted his head back and pulled it forward, not hiding his reluctance to explain.

“Have you remembered who ‘he’ is?”

“No.”

I bit my lip, not hiding my regret.

“His face was still blurry. His voice was vague too.”

“Hmm, is that so.”

Feiden continued his explanation, as always with a sneer.

“For now, you can be relieved. ‘He’ doesn’t remember you either. The conditions should be fair.”

“Is that something to be relieved about?”

“Well. He was confident that even if he lost his memories, he would love you again.”

“He really was an arrogant man.”

“That’s right. That’s the kind of being he was.”

Feiden burst into a gentle laugh that finally suited his appearance.

And suddenly, tilting his head, he advised.

“You, it might be better to go back for now today.”