Even as Melro screamed with all her might, releasing her fury, she could change nothing.
Melro knew, of course, that this was Alet’s first kiss.
She watched helplessly as her precious possession was toyed with by another, defiled, and subjected to all sorts of outrageous and frivolous acts.
The other woman even mocked her with various insults.
“I…”
“I’ll kill you…”
“Give him back to me!!!”
In the next moment, it was as if a switch had been flipped inside Melro’s body. Dense blood energy and power erupted from within her.
Countless drops of blood, like new sprouts of grass, burst from the veins beneath the skin of her hands, forming blade-like claws on the outside.
Even her exhausted strength recovered in an instant.
Then, like a frenzied beast, she lunged at the two people before her.
Just as she prepared to use the weapons formed from her blood to tear that damn Witch apart and take Alet back, something unexpected happened.
The moment she touched her, the latter’s body began to blur little by little.
Then, Vivian turned into large clusters of strange halos and dissipated into the air.
“Gone… she’s gone?”
A flash of bewilderment and panic crossed Melro’s blood-red eyes. She hurriedly turned her gaze toward Alet.
However, what she feared most happened.
Alet vanished before her eyes in the same way.
“Where did he go… Where did he go?!”
“Did — did she use Spiritualization?”
“Give him back to me…”
Melro stood frozen in place, her bloodshot eyes, having long since lost all reason, searching everywhere.
But there was only a panicked crowd around her. Where were Vivian and Alet?
“What’s wrong with her?”
“She’s gone mad. She started screaming and shouting just now, even attacking the air.”
“Stay away. Be careful not to get caught in it!”
“I can understand. After such a huge shock, I’d lose my mind too.”
Only then did Melro’s hearing slowly recover from the ringing in her ears, and she began to understand what the spectators were saying.
“Screaming and shouting… lost my mind?”
She knew Vivian’s abilities, and none of them included the power to hide herself.
In other words…
Everything that just happened, as the bystanders said, was really just her own hallucination.
Alet didn’t survive at all.
Vivian had left long ago.
All of this was just a figment of her imagination after being pushed to the brink.
Normally, as a noble member of the Blood Clan with supreme pride… she had acted like a madwoman in front of everyone.
However, to the current Melro, losing her dignity meant nothing anymore.
Her greatest agony… was still Alet.
The so-called atonement, the so-called making up for her mistakes…
It was all just her own delusion.
That person who was extremely loyal, who always put her first, and was willing to give everything for her…
He was gone.
She had killed him.
She would never see him again.
Wave after wave of heart-wrenching pain washed over her like the tide.
Then, the Law Enforcers she had broken free from earlier surrounded her again.
This time, they were even armed, fearing she might break loose again.
However, Melro no longer had any such intention.
She just sat there on her knees, numb, letting them restrain her.
Her mind was empty, and the ringing that had just faded returned to her senses.
“Ah… ahhh…”
Melro’s lips trembled slightly as she let out a few hoarse, dry groans.
Two scalding tears gradually welled up at the corners of her eyes and rolled down her cheeks.
All her previous pain combined into this deep despair after losing that glimmer of hope.
Finally, that weak groan transformed little by little into a desperate, hysterical, and long-drawn-out scream that echoed over Dice Town.
—
‘Playing an extra trick on that arrogant fool really puts me in a great mood.’
Listening to Melro’s wailing in the distance, Vivian, who had long since left the crowd, felt incredibly joyful.
Everything Melro had seen was just an Illusion constructed with Mana.
It was an interesting magic she had learned from an uncommon spellbook. It was not very useful in actual combat, but it was certainly enough to play tricks on people.
The real Alet had long been settled by her on the outskirts of Dice Town. It was impossible for Melro to see him.
After all, he was the most precious treasure she had gone through so much trouble to snatch away.
‘What a pity. I could only do those kinds of things in front of you through an illusion.’
‘Next time, I won’t be so gentle.’
She lightly licked her lips as if looking forward to that moment.
‘Forget it. That annoying woman isn’t worth more of my energy.’
‘Next, the most important thing is to take the little Knight home quickly…’
‘Just thinking about how he belongs to me now… I can’t help but be happy.’
Vivian’s heart throbbed with joy. Even her pace quickened a bit.
‘But… his current state is still a bit worrying.’
Thinking of this, a look of concern appeared in Vivian’s eyes.
After leaving the town, Vivian’s gaze immediately locked onto the figure she had been longing for —
In the distance, the sun was gradually rising over the horizon. A ray of brilliant golden light with a rainbow halo outlined the silhouette of a young man.
At this time, Alet had already removed his armor and changed into the standard traveler’s coat Vivian had prepared for him.
With a well-proportioned build and a boyish face, he looked tall and handsome.
But his demeanor was a stark contrast to his appearance.
He just stood there blankly at the edge of the road, silently staring at the small wildflowers on the ground.
After bringing Alet out of the Dungeon, Vivian had immediately consumed a large amount of Mana and Healing Medicine to provide him with deep treatment.
Not only were his external and internal injuries completely healed, but even the scars on his skin were no longer prominent, having turned into faint marks.
However, even though his body had recovered… Alet’s state still did not look very good.
Even without the visor of his helmet covering him, his eyes remained dull, with no light to be seen in them.
Since being brought out, no matter how Vivian tried to communicate with him, she could only get responses like “Mm,” “Ah,” or “Okay.”
“Hey, little Knight! I’m back.”
As she approached him, Vivian spoke softly, calling out to him gently, as if afraid of startling the dazed Alet.
But even with such a gentle tone, Alet’s entire body stiffened when he was disturbed.
Only after he turned his gaze and confirmed it was Vivian did he slowly try to act more natural.
“Miss… Vivian.”
“You’re back.”
“Some screams came from the town just now. I was a bit worried… I was just about to go in and look for you.”
Alet forced himself to squeeze out a faint smile and then bowed to Vivian.
Hearing that Alet was worried about her, Vivian felt a surge of joy.
But that joy soon faded because of Alet’s strange state.
In its place was heartache.
Vivian could understand him.
Alet was a person who had just been abandoned.
He had loyally protected Melro for ten years since his childhood, only to meet such an end.
Almost all of his beliefs and emotions were anchored to Melro.
Now, suddenly being plucked from that familiar life and turned onto a completely different path…
It was inevitable that he would feel lost and afraid.
“It’s okay, little Knight. I’m fine.”
“The people in that town are just insignificant nobodies. They have nothing to do with us.”
However, Vivian showed no sign of impatience regarding Alet’s state.
She just lightly and slowly drew closer to Alet’s body, stopping at a suitable distance that was neither too close nor too far.
“Do you mind if I touch you?”
Vivian tilted her head playfully and gave Alet a sweet, sugary smile.
Alet was slightly startled by this question.
Then, he slowly averted his eyes to the ground near his feet.
“… Yes, Miss.”
“If you want to, you can just touch me. I don’t have the right to refuse.”
“No, no, no! Little Knight, you’re wrong!”
As soon as Alet finished speaking, Vivian immediately corrected the error in his words.
“This isn’t a mandatory command. It’s a request. A request!”
“If you don’t want to, it’s okay to just refuse.”
“Re… quest?”
When Alet served Melro, she had never made a request of him.
He was used to communication through commands. This sudden gentleness made him feel a bit uncomfortable.
“Then… I agree.”
After a moment of thought, he chose to agree.
Upon receiving permission, Vivian gave a gentle smile and immediately wrapped her hand softly around his forearm.
The moment that soft, warm touch made contact, Alet’s muscles instantly tensed up, only to be forced to relax under the pressure of his will.
And this abnormality was, of course, completely noticed by Vivian.
“Little Knight…”
A trace of sorrow and heartache appeared in her eyes as she held his arm a little tighter.
“It’s okay. I know what you’re longing for.”
“Everything will get better. I’ll give you lots and lots of love, and take very, very good care of you…”
“I promise.”