Chapter 123: Mask – 4

“Kailo, I’m here…”

Vivian arrived at the room and found Kailo fast asleep.

It was still too early for deep sleep.

The sky had only just darkened into shades of violet.

He hadn’t eaten dinner or washed up yet.

However, Kailo’s sleep cycle had recently become irregular.

Someone who normally wore themselves out with activity outdoors was now confined to a room, unable to sleep at the appropriate times.

This cycle continued, leaving Kailo unable to sleep when he needed to and awake when he should have rested.

Vivian didn’t bother waking Kailo.

She simply stood there, staring blankly at him, before placing the prepared food on the bedside table.

Normally, she would have spent time talking with him.

Perhaps, in doing so, they might have argued again.

But instead, Vivian crouched by the bed, watching Kailo.

Like this, while he was asleep, they wouldn’t fight.

It was peaceful.

Her emotions didn’t swing wildly; everything was calm.

Did Kailo know how many people at the banquet were asking for him?

And did he know how uneasy that made Vivian feel?

Vivian lost track of time as she quietly watched Kailo.

Until the violet sky turned to darkness, she remained there, unmoving.

Perhaps people at the banquet would once again start searching for her.

But her attention was solely on Kailo, and she couldn’t bring herself to think of anything else.

-Swish.

Vivian quietly reached out and held Kailo’s hand.

Even if he woke up, it wouldn’t matter much.

Although she liked this peace, she also wanted to fill his empty stomach.

But Kailo didn’t move.

Without any reaction, he remained still.

Vivian gently lifted his hand and brought it to her cheek.

As always, she felt his warm body heat.

On a day like today, when snow fell heavily, that warmth felt especially precious.

Without realizing it, Vivian closed her eyes and quietly embraced the warmth.

Even without words, simply being together like this seemed to wash away all the struggles she had felt at the banquet.

There was only one thing Vivian wanted from Kailo.

To stay by her side.

…No, on second thought, there were two.

To stay by her side and to look only at her.

But if she thought about it further, it wasn’t something she wanted from Kailo—it was something she wished for from the world.

If only those two things could be granted, she wouldn’t ask for anything else in this world.

The girl who first met Kailo on that day had grown into an entirely different person.

Her position had changed, as had her personality.

To survive, she had become more cunning, more ruthless.

Instead of a soft, feminine demeanor, she had to learn and embody a strong, masculine one.

She had to become tougher, harder.

It was necessary for survival.

…Yet, deep within her heart, a hidden part of her—a side no one knew about—remained.

No matter how much she tried to suppress or act against it, her true nature could never fully disappear.

There was a frightened girl, trembling in fear of the world.

That girl only revealed her terrified self in front of one man.

Only with him could Vivian find her true self.

Who lately would call her girlish?

She was described as cold, hard, and intimidating.

Who would say she was timid and prone to loneliness?

She had become a monster to survive.

But that rigid armor was unbearably uncomfortable for her.

Kailo was the only one who could see the girl beneath that armor.

Without him, there was nothing left of her but a hollow facade.

Perhaps that was why she couldn’t let him go, no matter what.

The hidden, trembling girl inside her was clinging to him, refusing to let go.

“…I’m sorry.”

Vivian whispered without realizing it.

“…But I can’t yield.”

It was her most heartfelt truth.

“…I… can’t let you go.”

“Haa…”

At that moment, a sound that shouldn’t have been heard echoed from the window.

With the sound came the smell of thick cigarette smoke.

The chill of the winter air brushed against her face.

Startled, Vivian opened her eyes wide.

The candles in the room had long since burned out, leaving the space dark.

The window was wide open.

And on the windowsill, bathed in the light of the winter moon, sat a figure.

Vivian’s voice trembled as she hastily whispered.

“W-Why are you here now…?”

If Kailo were to see this situation…

…No, he mustn’t.

Absolutely not.

Her heart pounded fiercely.

But Elena remained unbothered.

“…Kailo has been confined to this room, leaving no time for me to meet you. I’ve had to push myself too, you know.”

“P-Please come another time. Right now…”

“When, exactly? It’s not like Kailo Alan is going to let you go anytime soon. Vivian, you don’t have much time left, either.”

“…What?”

Elena gestured toward Vivian’s lower abdomen with her cigarette holder.

“The witch’s offering, it’s time to deliver it.”

“Your power is already demanding a price. You’ve used too many spells for an apprentice witch. You need to quickly offer a sacrifice to stabilize it. If you don’t, you’ll be in danger.”

“I’ll be in danger?”

“I told you before, didn’t I? You’re already on the path to becoming a witch. If you give up or fail at this stage, your main power will go out of control. And if it goes berserk… witch hunters will catch the scent and swarm like a pack of dogs. You won’t be able to escape execution.”

Elena let out a small laugh.

“…Surely you don’t want to be executed by Kailo Alan, do you?”

Vivian placed a hand on her lower abdomen.

Elena had mentioned that Vivian would have to offer her womb as a sacrifice.

That would mean erasing the child she can have with Kailo, and the heir to Rondor.

…But now that the time had come to let it go, perhaps that was why?

She found herself suddenly reluctant to do so.

Of course, it was a premature thought.

She hadn’t even reconciled with Kailo yet—what child could she possibly think of…?

…However, if she assumed that things would work out with Kailo, she would never get to see the child they created together.

A child who was a mix of herself and Kailo…

The seed of the man she had chosen with her own hands.

…But still, now was not the time to dwell on such thoughts.

Vivian mulled over Elena’s words and decided to change the subject.

“…Master, you said this before, right? That you weren’t sure if he was cursed because you couldn’t stay by Kailo’s side. Please, take a look now. Is Kailo cursed?”

“…Hah.”

Elena exhaled smoke from her cigarette again.

“Are you ready to accept the truth?”

Then, in a voice tinged with anger, she replied.

“I took a risk to come here because I was worried about you, and this is the nonsense you come up with?”

“But…!”

“If you’re that curious, become a proper witch and find out for yourself.”

“And stop these silly antics. Once you’re a proper witch, you’ll be able to have Kailo Alan or whoever you want by your side. Why can’t you understand that?”

Was that even possible?

…However, Kailo’s heart—

…Kailo’s heart was something she didn’t want to win through magic.

She wanted his feelings for her to be entirely his own.

Of course, there was still the possibility that he was already under the influence of a curse.

But Vivian believed that wasn’t the case.

Physically trapping him and mentally confining him were two completely separate matters.

The reason Kailo tried to leave her in the first place might have been because he felt mentally confined.

If she forced it, it felt like she would break something unspoken between them.

Vivian realized she could no longer avoid it and gave her mentor the answer she wanted to hear.

“…I’ll prepare myself.”

“You should.”

“What do I need?”

“A solitary room for the ritual.”

Elena replied.

“Nobody must be let inside. The spellwork is bigger and more complicated than it seems. If it’s discovered, it’ll immediately expose that I’m a witch.”

“And then?”

Elena puffed on her pipe and pulled out a note held between her index and middle fingers.

“I’ve written the necessary materials on this note. Gather them and move them to that solitary cell. Don’t order anyone else to get them. You have to do it yourself. Otherwise, it might raise suspicion.”

“…Understood.”

When she nodded, Elena leaped out the window without hesitation.

At the same time, the extinguished candles in the room all flared to life.

The fireplace in the corner of the room followed suit.

Vivian looked up at Kailo.

He remained sound asleep, unable to wake.

Vivian brought her cheek to his hand again and let out a sigh.

And for a long while, she stayed there, unmoving.

***

The second day of the banquet had begun.

I could still feel the bustling presence of people wandering noisily around the castle.

The sun hung high in the sky, and the air was filled with laughter.

Vivian’s birthday had become a sort of social gathering.

The peace desired by the Eastern Kingdom and Delrum Kingdom was slowly taking shape on this land.

With a gag in my mouth, I watched them all one by one.

Here and there, I could see familiar crests of Eastern Kingdom families.

Even with the gag, would they recognize me if I screamed here?

I entertained the thought but couldn’t bring myself to act on it.

If I were going to leave this land in such a disgraceful manner, I wouldn’t have bothered trying to bid Vivian farewell in the first place.

Some lingering pride in my chest wouldn’t allow it.

If Father saw me like this, he’d call me pathetic.

Imagining his reaction made me chuckle faintly for the first time in a while.

…But what now?

Contrary to my expectations that Vivian would give up quickly, she remained unwavering.

Thinking about it, our fights were always like this.

Neither of us wanted to lose, so we fought bitterly until we came to despise each other.

The thought that this same cycle would unfold again left me feeling hopeless.

Am I truly being stubborn?

Is my fear of this cursed heart making me leave, like some sort of fool?

But where is the relationship without regret?

I endure this pain now, believing it will spare us from ruin.

Click.

“…?”

At that moment, I heard the sound of the doorknob turning.

It hadn’t been long since Vivian left the room, so I was curious about who it could be.

Creaaak.

The door opened carefully.

At the same time, I heard the sound of men whispering fiercely.

“You idiot…! If we get caught, we’re dead!! I told you to just hold on a little longer!”

Duran’s worried voice.

“Shut up. If you’re so worried, keep your mouth shut. I’m tired of cowering like this.”

Then, Valon’s voice rang out.

Valon ripped himself free from the many hands trying to hold him back and forced his way into the room.

Thud!