Chapter 218: You Belong in the Light

Although there were many questions swirling in her head, Letia understood at least one thing: she was definitely still alive.

Otto had clearly researched the functions of the mask thoroughly before doing something like this.

The current situation, however, was incredibly awkward for her.

Even if she wanted to prove that she was Litt, it was simply impossible now.

After all, Litt had truly died in Red’s arms.

Even if she confessed the truth, whether he would believe her was another matter entirely.

More importantly, it would only reopen his wounds for no reason.

To Red, the pain was deeply etched into his heart, but to her… the lies were equally real.

To use her own lies to soothe the pain in someone else’s heart—how ridiculous was that?

Letia wasn’t stupid enough to do something like that; there was no guarantee Red wouldn’t turn against her the moment he found out.

Since things had reached this point, such a serious lie could not be confessed lightly.

‘Otto, you bastard…’

At the thought of him, Letia’s teeth itched with rage.

Otto was truly a villain to the end.

He had promised not to hurt Letia, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t hurt Litt!

By forcing her into this impossible position where she was stuck between a rock and a hard place, it was clear he had planned this from the start.

Beep… beep… beep…

Just then, Letia’s communicator crystal suddenly rang.

Seeing the name on the other end, she almost threw the crystal away.

“Otto!! You mother—!”

In response to her roar, Otto’s voice came from the other side as if he had anticipated her reaction.

“Being too angry will cause wrinkles… This is just a recorded message.”

Letia’s fury froze on her face.

Dammit…

Otto’s voice was exceptionally calm, yet it possessed a tenderness that was different from his usual self.

“You likely have many questions and many things you don’t understand… If I could, I would truly love to sit across from you, sipping brandy while I patiently explained it all to you… But my time is short. I must leave to inherit the legacy of those who have passed and pursue the goals I once failed to achieve…”

“To keep it short, Letia, I have always known… You aren’t actually stupid; you just don’t like to think. By now, you must have a complete understanding of the Fool’s Mask in your hands, right? The ‘Litt’ it creates is, in the end, a fabrication.”

“Whether it is for you, who indulged in the role, or for Red, who cherished that fake warmth as something precious… Only by tearing off this fake mask and truly facing the truth… can you step toward the future.”

A long sigh, sounding as if it had exhausted all his strength, came through the crystal, carrying a sense of weariness as if a great burden had been lifted.

“Red… has lost the bright moonlight of his heart. I will carry this heavy sin with me toward the final end. And you, Letia, your place… should be in the light, not the shadows. With Red, that Great Magician of Creation with near-infinite potential, guarding your side, I can also rest easy… as I turn my gaze toward a deeper, more desperate hell.”

“How much further must a person walk to reclaim their original self at the end of time?”

“I’m sure Red will soon find the person he truly loves, his true bright moonlight.”

“Go,” Otto’s voice said, sounding like a final blessing or perhaps a final farewell.

“Return to his side. The bloody, gaping wound in his heart caused by Litt’s death—that bottomless grief and void… needs a new presence to fill and heal it.”

“Remember the gift I gave you before? Don’t forget to stop by the White Church to pick it up. There is a letter there left specifically for you.”

“As for me,” Otto’s voice grew fainter, carrying a sense of transcendent relief, “it’s time for me to exit the stage… But where is my bright moonlight?”

Otto’s message ended abruptly.

His final words didn’t seem addressed to Letia, but sounded more like he was talking to himself.

The cold, faint glow of the communicator crystal reflected Letia’s face, which was filled with complex emotions.

“Whew…”

Letia slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air and put the communicator crystal away.

Even without Otto’s reminder, she intended to check on Red’s condition.

The script in her mind didn’t describe what happened after Red returned to the Riverside Tavern, so she had to see for herself.

The moment Letia stepped over the threshold of the Riverside Tavern, a heavy sensation, as thick as a solid block of lead, seized her throat.

The usual bustle and lively atmosphere were gone, seemingly erased by an invisible hand.

Even the light seemed to fear the atmosphere here, casting only a few dim, blurry yellow patches in the corners.

The Boss Lady had already silently closed the shop doors.

The dull click of the heavy bolt sliding home sounded exceptionally piercing in the dead silence.

Upon seeing Letia, the Boss Lady said nothing.

She simply gestured with her eyes for Letia to enter before vanishing into the shadows of the kitchen.

She left this space, soaked in despair, entirely to Red in the corner and his companions who sat nearby, as silent as stones.

It was depressing… suffocating… desperate.

Even just standing there made it difficult to breathe.

Red was curled up in the darkest corner with his back to the door, looking like a stone statue forgotten by time.

His chest was covered in blood that had matted his clothes together, but he seemed completely indifferent to it.

His hollow, unfocused gaze stared fixedly, yet somehow piercingly, out the window.

That direction… was Litt’s home.

The dark red blood on his chest had long since dried, sticking his clothes and skin firmly together.

The people sitting around him looked as if their faces were covered in frost.

No one spoke.

Even Brian, who had witnessed countless deaths, simply drank his bitter liquor in silence.

Letia stood at the door, looking at Red’s haggard appearance.

The heavy atmosphere of despair in the air made her heart rate slow down significantly.

Tap… t=ap…

She sighed and walked toward Red with heavy steps.

Hearing the footsteps, the man dazed for a moment before turning his head.

He saw Letia standing before him.

Upon seeing the young woman, a faint, difficult smile managed to form on his haggard face.

That smile looked more painful than if he were crying.

“Long time no see. Want a drink?”

As he spoke, he pushed a glass of beer that had barely been touched toward her.

‘Even while in despair, you still don’t want your pain to affect others… Red, you really are a hopeless nice guy.’