The Last Step-Chapter 87: Your Story Ends Here - II

Celia’s Perspective:

I couldn’t... believe my eyes.

The pain in my legs—no, my entire body—screamed at me not to move, but none of it mattered. None of it mattered.

I stumbled out of that wretched, suffocating trial box, barely managing to stand straight. My limbs felt like crumbling glass, my knees shaking so violently I thought I’d collapse again. But I ran.

I ran toward him.

"K-Kaiser..." I breathed, choking on the syllables, my voice shattering mid-step. My throat burned, raw from screaming earlier—but his name still came out... as if my soul recognized him before my mind could.

There he was. He really was here.

Tall, dark hair, untouchable—his black coat moved like death itself, but his eyes... those eyes searched for me. Just me. And when they found me, I swore they softened for the first time in this cold, damned world.

My eyes widened—one of the knights’ hands twitched toward his blade.

No.

No. No. No.

Not again.

But before I could scream, Kaiser shifted ever so slightly. Just a small reach toward the dagger at his side—but it was enough. His gaze—God, his gaze—stopped that knight in his place. Frozen. Paralyzed. As if even death was afraid of him.

I threw myself into his arms.

My body hit his chest like broken glass shattering against stone, but he didn’t flinch. He wrapped me in his arms, pulled me into his warmth—shielding me.

From everyone.

From the world.

From the weight that had been crushing me since the moment he left.

Like he promised.

I broke. I finally broke. The dam cracked. The tears were loud, ugly, endless. My voice kept catching as I clawed weakly at his coat, my fingers barely gripping anything.

"W-where were you—?!" I sobbed, my voice hiccupping, eyes blurry. "You—You said you wouldn’t leave me, y-you said you’d come back..."

My fists clenched into his chest, my arms shaking. I tried to hit him, but it was nothing. A pathetic little tap against the man I thought I’d never see again.

"I th-thought you were g-gone..." I cried harder, gasping like I couldn’t breathe right, like my lungs were broken. "They t-told me you were gone, th-that I was hoping for the impossible—!" My words tangled together, every sentence slipping into the next like I couldn’t get them out fast enough.

"I’m here now," Kaiser whispered, wiping my tears with his thumb. His voice was low... so low it grounded me. "I’m sorry for being gone."

I sobbed louder. I couldn’t stop. I buried my face into his chest and cried, like I wanted to vanish into him, like he was the only thing that could hold me together.

"I-I was so scared..." I whispered, my nails digging into his back. "I—I j-just wanted to be strong... enough to protect you... to s-stand beside you—n-not be a burden."

"You’ve never been a burden," he said, gently cupping my cheek.

I pulled back, my lips trembling, still crying. "I w-wanted to be worthy of y-you," I hiccupped, "I... I wanted to save you.’"

He hushed me softly, placing a single finger on my lips. I froze. His eyes held something I hadn’t seen in so long.

Warmth.

"I’m proud of you, Celia," he said.

The moment he said it, I broke again—but this time, it was different. The ache twisted into something that felt like light. My lips trembled, a broken smile forming through my tears.

"You... you mean it...?" I asked, sniffling, like a little girl asking for permission to believe in love again.

"I always have," he whispered, pulling my head against his chest. "You’ve done enough. You’ve suffered enough. I’ll do what’s necessary now."

My fingers clutched onto him tighter, my body curling into his like I was afraid he’d vanish if I let go. I could hear his heartbeat.

For a moment, I forgot the pain. I forgot the shame. I forgot the trial, the knights, the blood crusted under my fingernails.

But then his voice changed.

"Who hurt you?"

His tone wasn’t soft anymore.

I froze in his arms.

"Tell me who they are," he said again, still quiet, but cold—cutting.

My throat tightened. I looked up at him. His eyes were darker now. Not furious—but focused. Razor-sharp. Unforgiving.

I opened my mouth. But the words caught in my chest.

If I told him... he’d try to kill them. I knew he would. And I was scared. Scared not of him... but for him. I didn’t want him to bleed like I did.

One of the knights, tense, stupid, took a step forward. "Who the hell is this bastard? How did the knights even let him in—"

Adonis raised his hand to silence him, calm but commanding.

"They’re not blind enough to let a stranger with weapons in during a trial," Adonis said, eyes fixed on Kaiser. "Where did you enter from?"

But Kaiser didn’t even look at him.

His gaze was still on me. Unwavering.

"Celia," he said again, slower this time. "Who. Hurt. You."

My whole body tensed. My fingers curled into his cloak. The memory flashed before my eyes—cold steel, rough hands, voices that laughed while I cried in pain. No mercy. No reason.

I shook.

"I won’t ask again," Adonis warned Kaiser, his voice sharp like a blade.

Kaiser let out a quiet sigh.

Then he lifted his head, eyes glowing like frozen death.

"Your knights have to be alive to stop me," he said, every word dipped in ice. "Once I’m done... take their souls with you in hell."

The courtroom went dead silent.

One of the knights—stupid or just suicidal—shouted, "He’s bluffing!"

Kaiser didn’t even blink. He turned to me again.

"Celia," he repeated. "Tell me."

I hesitated. My heart thumped painfully in my chest. But then... I remembered Roderic’s voice. The way he smiled as he twisted my arm. The way he said, "You’re so pretty when you’re in pain."

I lifted my hand, slow... shaking... and pointed directly at him.

"Roderic," I said.

Roderic laughed, casual, like this was nothing. "All I did was my job. She resisted. I had to be brut—"

"I will kill you," Kaiser said.

He didn’t yell it. He didn’t growl.

He declared it.

Alaric stepped forward immediately, one arm blocking Roderic’s chest as he whispered sharply to him, "We don’t know who this man is or how he got in. Keep your cool."

Adonis’s voice rang out, harsher this time. "I’ve had enough of this mockery," he snapped. "Leave while you still can. And give the girl to us. You clearly don’t know who we are."

I held Kaiser tighter.

Don’t fight them... please don’t fight them...

But he didn’t loosen his grip.

His voice came out in a whisper.

"I. Don’t. Care."

Alaric’s expression sharpened. "She’s the Queen of Curses," he said. "Someone with her blood is bound to kill thousands. The best course of action is to rid the world of her before she becomes a threat."

The knights raised their blades in sync.

Adonis drew his sword, the edge gleaming.

"This is your last chance," he said.

Kaiser didn’t move.

He just stood still, his back straight, his hand on his blade. But it was his voice that chilled the room.

"I’ll protect Celia."

He turned his head slowly, eyes locked with Adonis’s.

"Even if it means I have to kill every one of you in this room," he said. "One after another."

Adonis’ voice rang out, sharp and commanding,

"Leave before I count to zero. Or else we have no choice but to eliminate you."

Kaiser didn’t flinch.

He didn’t move.Didn’t even blink.

His silence was scarier than any scream.

"Three," Adonis said.

That’s when Kaiser’s eyes shifted.

He looked at me.

No—he looked through me. His gaze scanned every bruise on my body, every line where blood had dried, the crooked way my arm still trembled when I tried to hold him... and then his eyes fell on my hands.

My fingers.Bandaged.Some wrapped thick in bloodied cloth.Others...missing nails entirely.

I instinctively curled them in, ashamed—like I didn’t want him to see. Like maybe if I hid them fast enough, he’d forget.

"You’re hurt," he said.

My throat tightened.I didn’t want to lie. I couldn’t lie.But I didn’t want to see that look in his eyes again, either.

"I-I..."

"Two," Adonis called again.

Kaiser took a slow breath, but something about it sounded... wrong.It wasn’t the kind of breath you took before speaking.

"You cried, didn’t you." His voice was... lower. Hollow.It didn’t even sound like him.

Just the memory of crying—the hours alone, the way my screams disappeared into silence—made my throat close up again.

I didn’t answer.I just nodded.

Because anything I said would’ve broken me in half.

And then he whispered something that chilled my heart:

"Their story ends here."

"One," Adonis finished.

That was it.

"Zero" Kaiser said.

I blinked—And he was gone.

Gone from my side.

I turned my head, confused, and my breath caught in my throat.

Kaiser was behind them.Right there—right there—with his dagger already in Roderic’s throat.

I gasped, covering my mouth as—

The sound of slicing.Roderic’s eyes widened, and his head rolled from his shoulders like dead weight.

Alaric took a step back, his boots dragging slightly in dust, stunned.Shocked.

He hadn’t seen him move.None of them had.

Even Adonis—unflinching, ever calm—tensed.

The knights behind him took instinctive steps back, blades trembling, grips uneven.Like suddenly they realized they were standing in front of something they couldn’t control.

Kaiser’s blade dripped Roderic’s blood. His eyes flicked to the others.

"You’re next."

Lucas – Perspective(Beside Levi and Sylvia, on the side of the trial hall)

System?

「Shadow Step detected. No magic core activation. The dagger’s edge is laced with residual mana—a trigger-based imprint. In short, Kaiser just teleported using glorified footwork and cheat-coded weaponry.」

That’s more like it. Afterall Kaiser doesn’t have any mana to cast spells.

Blood hit the floor like a stamp of silence, Roderic’s head thudding next to it a beat later.

Levi’s voice cracked the tension. "This is nuts. He just killed that man."

"I’d say he deserved it," Sylvia added, coldly.

Kaiser flicked his dagger, the blood arcing clean before he put it back into his coat.

Adonis’s voice cut through the room next. "All knights, prepare to engage. Kill that man."

I felt it. The temperature didn’t drop, but everything else did—noise, movement, even fear. All of it condensed into Kaiser’s shadow.

Levi narrowed his eyes. "I knew he was holding back before... but it’s like I’m seeing a completely different person."

"I know," Sylvia whispered. "But still, the odds of him winning are—"

"Impossible," I muttered.

「You’re finally using that thing between your ears. Good job, champ.」

Thanks, System. Always here for the ego check.

「Don’t worry, you’ll get plenty more. Assuming you don’t get vaporized.」

Kaiser stood alone, blades drawn. Around him, a ring of swords aimed and locked, one heartbeat away from breaking into chaos.

"Then why’s he fighting like he has a plan?" Sylvia asked.

Levi’s smirk returned like he was remembering a punchline only he knew. "No... it’s Kaiser we’re talking about. He fights dirty."

Sylvia looked over. "What do you mean?"

Levi chuckled. "Few years back, we had a stupid argument, ended up in a duel. At first I thought he was just faster than me—until I realized he was using illusions. He manipulated my perception of speed. I was moving at half my normal tempo and didn’t even notice."

"Yeah... with your speed, I doubt you’d have time to think whether it’s real or fake," Sylvia said, blinking.

"Kaiser doesn’t fight fair," I added. "He exploits whatever advantage he gets. Avoids fights he can’t win."

Levi tilted his head. "What kind of fights do you think he avoids?"

"He doesn’t." Sylvia said it before I could. Her voice was steady. "He takes them all. Because he knows he’ll win."

「Incoming. Visual pings active—five objects. Three smoke bombs. Two mana-packed charges. Detonation in fifteen seconds.」

Oh. Oh... damn.

Ah... there it is. His winning strategy.

The knights moved in unison like trained hounds.

"Engage!" Adonis roared, leading the charge, his sword already lit with divine light.

And then —Flick.Kaiser, from beneath his coat, dropped a small glass canister onto the pristine marble.

Psshhhkk...

A dense, dark gray cloud hissed to life and engulfed the room in seconds.

Shit.

「That’s not just smoke, idiot. Sleeping gas detected — laced with paralytic poison. Estimated unconsciousness in 4.2 seconds. Fatality in 39 if exposed directly.」

"Holy shit—!" I snapped my hand out and created a tight Light Barrier over me, Sylvia, and Levi. The gas swirled around it, trying to claw in.

In the chaos, I noticed Adonis’s eyes glowing white — divine message.

His god was whispering something into his ears.

"Protect the knights," he muttered, then slammed his hands into the ground. A sacred dome burst out from him, shielding the front line knights just in time. Alaric stood within it, grim, his jaw tight, eyes hollow with restrained fury over Roderic’s corpse.

But the gas didn’t care about loyalty or gods.

Suddenly—two faint blue light flickered through the thick smoke.

Eyes.

Kaiser’s.

He walked straight through it, unharmed, heading toward Celia. Her chains rattled faintly — then...

BOOM!

The top of the trial building exploded.

Stone shattered. A gaping crack split the dome, rays of sun slicing into the chaos.

Kaiser was gone. And so was Celia.

My light barrier shimmered. Through the thin veil, I saw the judge fall sideways — blood leaking from his eyes.

「The gas had a secondary enchantment: bloodroot toxin mixed with neuroburn. Would’ve put you in an irreversible degenerative coma if you hadn’t activated the barrier. Good job. For once.」

"Tch..."

Knights caught outside the barrier clawed at their throats, coughing violently. One vomited blood.

Adonis dashed out, gathering them up, while Alaric extended a healing spell toward them.

Then—

"WAIT—NO! I KNOW THIS—" Sylvia screamed.

BOOOOOOOM!

Healing magic hit the wounded.

And triggered everything.

The whole courthouse detonated.

My light barrier took the brunt but flung us through the crumbling walls, spiraling across broken marble and fire, landing outside the trial grounds in the debris field.

I barely managed to grunt before coughing out dust.

"System, what the hell was that!?"

「Analyzing... Confirmed: Kaiser layered enchanted explosives around the trial building. Detonation trigger: proximity to healing magic. Poison was bait. Classic reverse morality trap — he predicted the knights would try to save each other.」

「And that’s not all. The explosion was hex-tethered with necrotic combustion magic. Not just killing them — it burns through life force. Anyone caught is now a melted husk, and the souls... have been consumed.」

Consumed?

「Correct. Soul-chain binding ritual detected. He used the explosion to fuel a sacrificial array. Those knights weren’t just casualties... they were offerings.」

I stared at the collapsed roof, horror digging under my skin.

Sylvia sat up, rubbing her shoulder. "I remember this. Mid-terms, first year. He pit-trapped a squad of students in the forest session by using false rescue calls. Crushed them with the terrain. He baited their kindness."

Levi staggered upright, brushing rubble off his coat. "He must’ve planted those bombs before he even entered the trial..."

My voice was quiet. "Meaning he killed the two knights outside too. The ones guarding."

"No..." Sylvia said under her breath, eyes locked on the smoking ruins. "He didn’t kill two."

She looked up.

"He killed all of them."

「Confirmed. Casualties: 39. Survivors within effective radius: Two. Additional note — post-blast area is cursed. All healing magic will now reverse, causing organ inversion and nerve flaying. It’s irreversible unless you’re him.」

...

"His traps have... traps inside of them." I mutter to myself looking past the smoke.

[Adonis’s Perspective – The Trial Aftermath]

Why...

Why did I fail again... as a knight...?

My legs trembled, not from fear—never that—but from the sheer weight of what just happened. My lungs ached, each breath polluted by the cursed gas lingering in the air, thick and vile, its scent burning down to my marrow. My armor, once gleaming in celestial radiance, now felt heavier than ever... as if it too bore the guilt of my failure.

A cough.

Alaric, bloodied and bruised, slumped against the shattered pillar behind him. His silver armor dented and torn, flesh visible beneath where fire and smoke tore through cloth and steel alike.

He looked up at me with eyes pleading for salvation. "Captain..." he whispered.

I knelt beside him instantly, channeling the divine energy through my palm, invoking a healing spell laced with celestial light.

And he screamed.

His veins lit up black.

"No... no!" I reeled back as if I had just stabbed him myself.

What sorcery was this?

Then—

A voice entered my soul. A pressure older than stars, powerful enough to shatter a mortal mind echoed within.

"You cannot save him, Adonis."

The voice—His voice.

The God of Pride, who watches me, walks with me, judges me.

"Why? Why did you save me but not the others?" I asked within the confines of my mind, kneeling in a field of ash and death.

"I did not save you. It was your destiny that defied oblivion."

"Destiny?" I whispered aloud, unsure if I spoke to the world or myself.

"Before the explosion, I blessed your body with divine protection. You were spared—along with those within the barrier—but..."

"...a ritual ring hidden beneath this soil, forged in heresy, inverted my blessings. Twisted sanctity into malediction. It was designed... to slaughter you."

My heart stilled.

"You mean... that man, Kaiser... he knew even your intervention. He expected you’d try to save me?"

"Yes."

I glanced down at my gloved hand. The ring—platinum forged with crimson etchings—gleamed faintly through the soot.

Rose’s ring.

A gift from the Empress herself.

It was her voice, once again, now echoing softly from within the jewel.

"If you’re hearing this... you’ve come close to death."

Time slowed.

"This message is bound to your soul. It activates only if your divine blessing collapses."

"There was a 0.001% chance... that he would be your opponent. And if it was Kaiser Everhart... then I was right to send you this."

"This ring neutralizes both blessing and curse. It is the only thing keeping your soul intact."

"You are not to pursue him. Not now."

"Return to Asura. You cannot defeat him."

Silence followed.

My throat tightened, my pride cracked, bleeding.

Kaiser Everhart.

My breath dragged smoke into my lungs, thick with the remnants of cursed ash. The taste of rot and sulfur clung to my tongue. The stench of failure burned hotter than the wounds on my comrades.

Alaric’s body was still beside me. Barely breathing. Blood-soaked.

I clenched my teeth, trying to cast a healing spell—"Celestia Vita—"

But the moment the light touched his flesh, it twisted. Became black. And his body jolted in agony, coughing blood.

"No..." I whispered. "Why... why did I fail again..."

The gods above should’ve granted mercy. Should’ve... intervened.

And then—he spoke.

A voice older than time.

"I blessed your body, as I have always done. Before the explosion, your divine shield was intact. But a ritual was triggered—a sacrifice—meant to twist my blessings into ruin. It converted purity into poison. You should’ve died instantly."

My gaze dropped to my hand, where a faint glow from the ring Rose had given me pulsed faintly.

"This ring..."

"It neutralized both the curse and the blessing. A convergence of extremes. It turned death into an equal."

He paused. Let it sit.

"You live only because your soul was preserved, your breath untainted by cursed air. Rose knew this might happen. Her foresight... was maddeningly accurate."

I clenched my jaw.

"Then he knew," I growled aloud. "That bastard planned it all."

"Yes. He knew he could not defeat you all head-on. So he didn’t fight. He trapped you. And killed your men like prey."

Rage took over. My fist crashed into the earth. Hard. Again. Again. Until my nails scraped blood from the stone, clawing like an animal, screaming.

"I’ll avenge them... I will not return to Asura!"

"Your knights..." Pride began slowly, with unsettling calm, "...were the ones who tortured that girl."

My breath stopped. My blood went cold.

"What?" I said, my voice low. Dangerous.

"They didn’t deserve to be knights."

My hand trembled. "What did they do wrong? She’s a cursed being. A summoner of curses, a wielder of revival magic! She was a threat—!"

I swallowed hard. "Most of them lost everything in the Asura Crisis. Families. Children. Loved ones."My eyes drifted to Alaric. I could still remember the day two years ago, when he told me—voice hollow, eyes dead—that his wife and daughter were among the casualties.

"They were hurt," I muttered. "That’s why they hated her. That’s why they acted out."

"And what you showed them," the god declared, "was justice... for the lives they lost."

Then he said it—like the very heavens bending low to whisper.

"But what he showed... was judgment for hurting her."

I froze. "...Judgment?"

"Yes. That man... sent all of your knights to hell. So they could see their families again."

My face broke.

"...Why are you talking like this," I whispered. "Why are you speaking well of him?"

There was a pause. Then—unexpected honesty.

"I do not know."

Pride’s voice grew low. Almost reluctant.

"But I respect his shadow. His conviction. I hate it... and yet, I respect it."

The words lodged like a dagger in my soul.

My fingers closed around my blade.

I stood slowly, the tremble in my legs no longer fear—but resolve.

"...Pride," I whispered. "I surrender myself. Gift me your strength. All of it. Let me show my fallen brothers what true justice is. I’ll bring that devil to his knees."

And for the first time since the trial grounds burned—I felt divinity again.

A warmth. A crown of searing gold around my body.

A smile from the heavens.

"I grant you everything. Every ounce of power I possess. You will win. I have seen the future, Adonis. And it bends... to your ideals."

My body ignited with light. Wings of celestial flame formed behind me. My veins shone like silver.

And I stood. For justice.

For my knights.

For him.

I didn’t care about Rose’s warning.

Who was she—to think I couldn’t do this?

I’ll prove her wrong.

I’ll prove the world wrong.

And then—our voices, mine and my god’s, aligned in one divine, echoing vow:

"I’ll destroy him."

Celia – Perspective: 9:38 PM NIGHT

I don’t feel cold anymore...

That was the first thing that drifted through my mind, like a whisper carried by a breeze that no longer hurt.

I was dreaming... maybe.

But even if it was, I didn’t want to wake up.

The stars above me shimmered like little promises I couldn’t reach. And yet—tonight—it felt like I could. Like all I had to do was stretch my fingers out far enough and they’d fall into my palms like ripe fruit.

This feeling... it reminded me of something distant. That night I sat alone by the frozen field with my knees pulled close and my heart even closer, silently wishing to the stars.

Please... let someone love me without needing a reason. Let me be someone’s first choice—someone they protect no matter what, even if the whole world is against us.

Was that selfish?

I’ve always told myself I was okay alone. But even now, even here, I was still asking for that same thing I never dared to say aloud: I just... I don’t want to beg to be loved.

Then—somewhere in that sky—A star fell.

And suddenly, the memories rushed in like thunder after lightning.

Kaiser, standing in front of me when the Noctis Graspers tried to kill me.Kaiser, clashing against Ronan and Kiel, blood on his face, eyes filled with rage—because of me.Kaiser, shielding me from Zain’s assault in Levinton.Kaiser, holding me close when the hunters raided the Village of Love, saying, "I’ve got you."

Every single time... he chose me.Even when I wasn’t worth it. Even when I was ugly and broken and full of things I hated about myself.

My tears fell on their own. I didn’t wipe them.

"Thank you..."

I whispered it into the dream, or maybe into reality—I couldn’t tell anymore.

My eyes fluttered open slowly.A wooden ceiling.A window beside the bed.Moonlight trickling in like silver threads, weaving across the floor.Fireflies floated just beyond the glass, like stars had followed me here.

I moved my hand.

Bandages.

They were around my fingers. My palms. My wrists. My face.

Even my legs.

Wrapped carefully—no, gently—like someone had taken time not just to heal me, but to... understand how much it hurt.

Everything came back.

What they did to me.What I looked like when they were done.

I winced, my throat tight.

Then I shifted up to sit on the bed, but quietly—carefully—as if moving too fast would break the dream. The room was warm, not just from the small fire nearby, but... from him.

Kaiser.

He was sitting on a wooden chair beside my bed. His hand was dangling lazily over his knee, his head tilted forward, fast asleep.

His hair was a mess. His coat draped over his shoulder like he’d thrown it on in a rush. There were faint bruises still on his knuckles—he fought after I passed out.

He was still fighting.

And...

He was the one who treated my wounds.

He took care of me.

I could feel it again—that aching little flutter that turned into a slow burn. Something that started in my chest and crept to my fingertips.

I wanted to reach for him. Just... hold his hand, maybe. Or his face. Or his heart.

Why do you do this to me...?

Why do I feel like you’re the only thing that keeps me breathing?

He moved slightly.

Then slowly, his eyes opened—those calm, tired eyes that never lost their focus, not even for a second. His hand lifted to his face as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes, groaning softly.

His voice came like a warm breeze brushing against frost:

"You’re awake, huh? Celia."

I felt a lump in my throat.

But I didn’t show it.

Instead, I smiled. Just a little. That sweet, lovely smile he’s used to. The kind that says I’m fine, even when I’m not. The kind that keeps him from worrying too much.

"Yeah..." I tried to speak, but my voice cracked, so I coughed and pretended it didn’t.

I wanted to say something cute like "Did you miss me?" or "I’m alive, thanks to you," but the truth sat heavy in my chest.

What I wanted to say was—"I cried when I thought I lost you. I wanted to die with you."

But instead, I tucked my knees close and looked at him with a small, teasing pout.

"Kaiser..."

"Hm?"

"You’re really here..."

"Unless this is your dream and I’m the handsomest man alive inside it, then yeah. I’m here."

"...Dummy."

He chuckled. That soft, husky voice that filled my chest with that warm, aching, unbearable happiness.

Three months.Three months where I didn’t know if he was alive, or dead, or just... gone.

But now—he was here. Sitting next to me, like I hadn’t spent every night since we separated wondering if I’d ever hear that stupid laugh again.

"I missed you," I whispered.

He leaned back in the chair, stretching his arms behind his head, completely smug. "I know. It’s hard to forget someone as perfect as me."

I narrowed my eyes. "I should’ve let the grotesques kill you."

"You could try."

"I’d win."

"Oh? You got stronger in those three months?"

"...Yes," I said, lowering my gaze. "I did. So you don’t have to keep getting hurt for me anymore. I’ll protect you now."

"...Celia."

"I mean it."

He just started laughing again. Light, boyish, annoying. "You’re so cute."

"I’m being serious," I puffed, frowning. "You never take me seriously."

"Nope," he grinned. "I don’t take anyone seriously in this world, not nobles, not empires, not beasts, not fate. Just you, Celia."

I blinked.

"That’s why I came," he said, softer now. "Even if the whole damn world was in the way. I’d fight it all again. Just for you."

I bit down on my lip hard enough that it hurt. "You’re just saying that..."

"I’m not."

I couldn’t stop myself. I pulled him into me and buried my face in his chest, and the second I felt his warmth wrap around me—I broke.

"I thought you were gone," I choked. "I thought—I didn’t know if I’d see you again. I was so scared. I kept thinking you’d never come back—"

He held me tighter.

"The stars may leave the sky," he whispered into my hair, "but I won’t ever let you get hurt again."

"I missed you," I said.He didn’t tease me this time.But he did smirk into my hair, "Celia, you’re so clingy."

"I am," I sobbed. "So don’t leave me again."

"I won’t."

"I’ll kill you if you do."

"Hot."

"...Shut up."

"Only if you stop crying on my shirt."

"I hate you."

My heart felt like it would break from how whole it was.

After a bit, I got the courage to ask him,"...Hey, Kaiser, can you tell me where you were all this time?"

He looked at me. Not coldly. Just... calm. Like it was no big deal."Near Levinton. I got attacked by a grotesque and barely managed to live."

My chest tightened."You were that close to dying...?" I whispered.

He didn’t answer that.Instead, he gently said, "I’m okay now. Thankfully... an elf treated my wounds while I was injured."

"...Elf?"

"Yeah. I was unconscious. She treated me until I could move again. I was lucky being found by one, you know? Elves aren’t really known for their kindness, but... the one who saved me was kind."

"She was a kind one." Kaiser said.

Kind.She.Saved him.

My body went cold.But my blood—my blood felt like it boiled.

She?Some unknown bitch?

Some random forest fairy gets to touch him, heal him, see him unconscious, maybe even shirtless—see his wounds, care for him, be close to him while I was here crying over every day without him?

No.No no no no no no.

Only I get to take care of him.Only I get to see him weak, only I get to cry over him, only I’m allowed to hold his hand when he’s hurt, kiss him when he’s cold, whisper he’ll be okay.Not her.Not anyone else.

He started to turn his body toward the shelf behind him, maybe to grab something—maybe medicine, maybe something she gave him—But I grabbed his wrist hard and yanked him to face me.

His eyes widened slightly.

"No," I said softly.

"Celia—"

"Look at me."

He stopped. Stared into my eyes.

"Where did she touch you?""...What?"

"Where did she touch you to heal you."

"I—Celia, I don’t remember exactly—"

"You let her touch you," I said, my voice trembling but not from sadness. From a rage that pressed against my throat like thorns. "You let some random girl touch you while I cried myself to sleep thinking you were dead."

"She saved my life—"

"I would’ve saved you too! I would’ve found you, if you let me, if you just—if you just waited—why wasn’t it me!?"

Kaiser blinked.His mouth opened slightly—no smugness this time. Just silence.

I clung to his wrist tighter.I didn’t even realize my nails were digging into his skin.I didn’t care.

"...Do you love her?" I asked in a breath.

"What?"

"Do you love her?""...No."

"Then swear it."

He stared at me."...I swear."

My throat hurt.I didn’t even realize I was crying again.

"I hate you," I said, voice cracking. "I hate that you let someone else take care of you. I hate that she got to see you when I didn’t. I hate that I wasn’t there. I hate that you almost died. I hate—"

Kaiser’s Perspective:

Why was she acting this way again?

Was it her split personality?

Hold up.

Wait.

Was she... jealous of the made up elf story?

Seriously?

"Are you jealous, Celia?" I asked, raising an eyebrow, tone flat but playful.

That’s when I noticed it.Her eyes. They weren’t glowing red—they were burning. A darker shade, unstable and dangerous like a cursed ember trying to pretend it’s just warm light.

She gripped my wrist tighter—tighter than before. And I’ve fought monsters that couldn’t match that pressure.

"Did she take care of you better than I did?" she asked, voice low. Way too calm.

What... was even going on right now?

Her stare didn’t blink.

"Why are you quiet?" she asked, tilting her head slightly.

"I—"

"I didn’t allow you to be helped by some other girl," she interrupted.

Right. Okay. That tracks. Makes perfect sense.Totally rational stuff here.

"Who is this person?" Her voice turned cold.

"Celia, what has—"

"I can’t hear you."

She was losing it.

"I’m asking—who the hell is this person?" she screamed now, her voice echoing in the silent room like a knife drawn in the dark.

I stayed still. Not out of fear.

She wasn’t going to hurt me.But she might just hurt someone else.

"She was an elf," I said again, calm as ever. "Like I told you."

"...Kaiser," she muttered, "do you like elves?"

What kind of damn question is this—?

Why was she acting so possessive all of a sudden?

She was always intense, but this—this was obsession.

"I’ve always treated you as my number one priority," she said, her voice shaking now. "But that day... the day you went to take Emma out... and got yourself hurt..."

Ah. That’s what this is.

"You should’ve rejected her. And stayed with me."

Her breath was now brushing my collarbone—she had gotten that close. Her fingers didn’t leave my wrist.

"You shouldn’t talk to anyone else but me."

"You sound insane," I muttered.

"I don’t care," she answered instantly.

"You let some other girl take care of you... while I was crying for you each day."

I looked into her trembling eyes.

"I’m sorry," I said.

She looked like she wasn’t sure if she should forgive me or set the world on fire.

"Maybe you should promise first to never see that elf again," she whispered, "...then apologize."

"What?" I said, narrowing my eyes.

"If you like me... you’ll do it, right?" she said, tilting her head with that unblinking stare again.

She was serious.

Completely serious.

Goddamn, she would burn everything to the ground if I ever so much as talked to another girl again.

And the crazy part?

...I didn’t really mind.

That elf wasn’t even real. Just a cover story.But Celia’s reaction? Her spiraling jealousy? That was real.

And in a twisted way... kind of flattering.

"Okay," I said quietly. "I promise. And I’m sorry."

That’s when her palm gently touched my cheek.

The fire dimmed. Her smile returned—but it was that off-kilter, dangerously sweet kind of smile.

"Sorry for scaring you, Kaiser," she whispered. "I just feel a little jealous if you’re ever involved with other girls..."

Her tone dropped to a whisper that clung to my skin.

"I just don’t want to... kill any of them yet."

Yikes. freёwebnoѵel.com

And somehow... adorable?

"Sorry for yelling at you," she murmured, her voice slowing down. "I just love you so... so much..."

Her eyes darkened. The red faded to pitch black—consumed by her emotions.

And then—She collapsed against me.

Out cold.

Still clinging to my sleeve like if she let go, the world would end.

I caught her before she fell. Of course I did.

She was insane.Possessive.Jealous as hell.

But she was mine.

I gently laid her back onto the bed. Her breathing had settled, the earlier chaos now resting in her unconscious state. A light sheet over her frame—done. I turned to leave, but my wrist was still caught.

Her grip hadn’t loosened.

It was tight, almost bruising, fingers curled around my wrist like she wasn’t willing to let go even in sleep. I tugged—once, twice. Nothing. Then she mumbled in her sleep.

"Mine..."

Yeah. Totally just a friend at this point.

Eventually, her grip loosened. I placed her hand down softly and pulled away with a quiet exhale. I stretched my back, rolled my shoulder, and stepped outside into the chilled night air.

The wooden floor of the cabin creaked beneath me as I sank into the old chair outside, eyes lifted to the open sky. Stars scattered across the night canvas like fractured hope. Cold wind brushed against my face.

It was a beautiful night.

...

I won... Again. As always.

The ends justify the method. They always have.

Faking my death? Necessary. Cold-blooded, yes. Cruel, definitely. But essential. Celia needed to feel it—loss, rage, despair. I needed her to fight harder.

Lucas wouldn’t be enough on his own. The Swarm Tyrant? I couldn’t kill it, not directly. Not with the power I had. But she could. They could.

So I set the board.

Redirected the swarm toward Rinascita. Made it personal. Lit a fire beneath her that no training could’ve done. Every emotion she felt while thinking I was gone—fuel for growth.

While the world thought I was rotting in some forgotten grave, I was alive.

Orchestrating.

A body—fake, but indistinguishably human. Flesh stitched by spell, bone shaped by will, muscle animated by subconscious movement. I left it behind with enough of me to fool even the sharpest.

My plans weren’t flawless. No plan ever is.

Arius, that silver-tongued ghost, was a consciousness fragment of mine. Sent to push Rinascita toward failure. Not because I wanted them to lose—but because I needed them to call for help. Asura’s knights wouldn’t move otherwise.

Cowards in honor’s armor—they needed a reason.

Celia was supposed to break upon hearing I was dead.

But she didn’t. She refused to stop believing. She kept searching. That girl—she’s... something else.

That’s when he moved.

The cult leader of Nemesis.

He saw the strings I pulled and responded with his own play—a false Tyrant, meant to bait me out.

Smart.

But I was smarter.

Azrael. Another body. Another shard of me. Logical, cold. Animated with pure reason and boundless clarity. Not truly alive, not truly dead. Just acting.

The world saw an unknown entity defying fate—Azrael, the one who moved in shadows and broke prophecies. He wasn’t a person.

He was my Joker card.

Like the rest of them.

Every clone, every puppet, every construct I created carried a different side of me. One was compassion. Another was wrath. One lived only to manipulate. And Azrael... Azrael was the one who could anticipate the darker future.

I closed my eyes.

The wind cut colder, but I didn’t move.

My plans had worked—but I didn’t do it alone.

"Thank you, Elfie," I whispered to the stars. "For teaching me how to divide the mind and give it purpose."

I used Azrael to bring Lucas together.

I used Aldric to spread propaganda into Asura’s knights and bridge the gap between the scattered guilds.

I used Arius to manipulate Rinascita into losing the first encounter—just so I could drag the other factions into war and force them to care.

Because from all of this—I only ever wanted one thing.

To crush you, Azrion. For taking her life.For stealing my Elfie from me.

I will bury your cult and burn your name out of history. That’s my only goal. I don’t care what gets destroyed along the way. Even the world.

...

I stared at the moon above, pale and distant, like a god too ashamed to watch us. I raised my palm at it absently, half-mocking, half-thinking.

I already used Celia to kill the Swarm Tyrant.So... why did I save her again?

It made no sense.

I knew the trial in Rinascita was a trap. A set-up by Azrion to reveal my identity, to draw me out. It worked.

I should’ve let her die. That would’ve been the logical thing to do.

But...

Every time I imagined her in pain, sobbing alone, thinking I’d abandoned her—it wasn’t her I saw.

It was Elfie.

Celia’s jealousy, her obsession, her desperate, unyielding claim over me—it mirrors Elfie too perfectly.

Maybe that’s why I keep stepping in.

Maybe that’s why the smiles I give her aren’t fake.

Maybe that’s why I came back.

...

I slammed my fist into the railing beside me with a dull crack, splintering the wood. The pain was nothing. Just noise.

I miss Elfie.And it’s my fault she’s gone.I was just too late.

Maybe that’s why I didn’t want to be late again.

That’s why I killed those knights like animals. Because they dared lay a finger on someone who looked at me the way she used to.

Celia.Her obsession is terrifying. Like I’m already hers—completely. It’s insane.

But it makes sense.

I’m the only person who ever showed her kindness, the only one who’s her world. She clings to me like I’m the only proof she exists.

She’d rather die than see me look at someone else.

The truth is...

I’ll never love Celia.

I’ll never love any girl.

Because I can’t feel love. That emotion belongs to humans. I stopped being one long ago.

Would she still love me if she knew the truth?

If she knew I was the one who had her bounty posters circulated?That I orchestrated Ronan and Kiel to track her down, just to hurt her enough... so I could come in and play savior?

She’s not dumb. One day, she’ll connect the pieces.

And when she does, she’ll hate me.She should.

Because the only reason I ever involved her—was to kill the Swarm Tyrant.Just another card in my hand.

...

That’s why I wanted to disappear. Fake my death.

That’s an easier goodbye then leaving her.

Let her mourn. Let her move on.She deserved a real life. A simple one. One where I wasn’t using her.

But no.

She didn’t move on.

She gave up.

She could’ve fought the knights off. I know what she’s capable of. But the second she thought I was gone... she just stood there. Let herself be taken.

Like her life be finished the moment I vanished.

Stupid girl.

Just like Elfie...

And maybe that’s why—even if Celia was only a sacrificial pawn in my eyes—I keep her safe.

Because somewhere deep down... I don’t believe anyone else will protect her the way I do.Or trust me the way she does.

Not even Elfie did.

So I’ll keep her close.Until Nemesis falls.Until Azrion is nothing but ash.

And then—I’ll tell her everything.

She’ll leave.She’ll hate me.

And I’ll be fine with that.

Because I’d rather see her walk away from me with someone else... than see her cry for me ever again.

That would hurt more.

...

My thoughts broke as a subtle vibration echoed beneath the wooden floorboards. A shift in pressure. Movement outside the cabin.

Invisibility?

Hah. Cute.

Too bad I laid enough traps around this place to spot a ghost in a blizzard. Whoever it was... they’d dodged seventeen so far. Impressive.

But they wouldn’t see the eighteenth.

CRASH.

A sharp scream, muffled by leaves and snapping twigs.

They’d fallen straight into the pit trap.The oldest trick in the book.

"AHAHAHAHA—"

I laughed out loud, dragging myself up to my feet with a slow grin. My coat swayed behind me as I walked toward the edge of the pit.

"Not bad," I muttered, still smirking. "Seventeen. That’s a personal record."

But even as I approached, my eyes wandered toward the night sky again.

Those stars...I used to look at them with Elfie beside me. She used to talk about constellations as if they were stories only she could read.

Now?

All I see is Celia. A shadow of her.

It’s tragic. But that’s my reality.

Celia is the replacement I never asked for.The one I couldn’t stop myself from saving.

And the worst part?

Some part of me still smiles for her.

Maybe that’s why I slaughtered that one knight by my own hands... just because he had the audacity to hurt what was mine.

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