33. Fall.

“Putting on airs, huh? Did you think you could run away?”

“Ah…eu…..”

 

 

Aran let go of her neck, but Huana didn’t run.

She didn’t have the luxury to do so.

 

 

“T-This…how could this…”

“How could it be? Narcissa is me. Don’t you get it yet?”

 

 

Aran smiled faintly.

 

“Ah…aaa….”

 

 

 

Extreme shock.

The first shock she’d ever felt.

 

 

 

Even when Aran became the Crown Prince,

Or when he married Iliana,

Or when she was turned into a Vamgnyr by him,

Or even when her mother went to Aran as a concubine,

 

 

 

 

It wasn’t as shocking as this moment today.

 

 

Beyond shock, it was pain.

Narcissa is Aran.

What the hell….

 

 

“N-No…that can’t be…!”

 

 

In the end, she denied it.

Everything she had just seen and heard was an illusion.

 

 

Yes, this is a dream. A realistic dream.

A dream so realistic that she could feel the pain, the pleasure, and the shock.

 

 

That’s how everything would be right.

If this were reality, it wouldn’t make any sense.

 

 

“What do you mean no? I’m standing right here.”

 

Aran changed back into Narcissa.

 

 

“Still don’t think so?”

 

A definite woman’s body and a woman’s voice.

It shattered Huana’s denial without a trace, showing her the undeniable reality.

 

“I don’t want to…”

 

 

A reality she didn’t want to acknowledge.

 

No way.

It can’t be like this.

Narcissa is Aran….

Not just any person, but Aran of all people….

 

 

“I don’t want to…”

 

 

She could have tolerated it if it were Iliana.

She would have acknowledged it, bowed down, and matched herself to be by her side.

That’s how big of an existence Narcissa was to her.

 

 

 

But Aran….

 

 

 

 

Narcissa being Aran meant that everything Narcissa had shown Huana was a lie.

 

 

Her expressions, her smiles, her abilities, her personality, her emotions,

Even her very existence.

 

 

 

The woman she had loved to the point of madness, was in fact, a non-existent being.

 

She endured, thinking that there must have been unavoidable circumstances when she was sold.

She endured being humiliated by Aran, thinking of Narcissa.

 

 

Even though she was sold, she believed that somewhere deep in her heart, there must be love for her.

 

 

But that was denied.

 

 

 

 

Narcissa never smiled at Huana,

Was never kind, and never loved her.

 

 

Rather,

 

 

She showed Huana murderous intent,

Revealed a sinister greed, and only craved her body.

 

 

 

That was Narcissa’s true identity.

And the reality.

 

 

 

 

“I hate ittttttt!!!”

 

 

 

 

 

 

She covered her ears and screamed.

 

This world might as well collapse.

This reality might as well not exist.

 

A world where Narcissa is Aran….

 

“Why are you being so loud.”

“Euhuk…euuheuuk….”

 

She collapsed and wailed, watching Aran use Aran’s tone in Narcissa’s form.

 

 

She despaired until the very end, shedding tears.

 

 

 

 

She not only lost the struggle for power, but also lost everything in her life to Aran.

She not only lost power, but lost everything in her life.

 

 

 

 

 

“Huana.”

 

 

Narcissa whispered sweetly.

 

 

“Don’t despair too much. You love me, don’t you?”

“Aaa…aeuu….”

 

 

Huana shook her head from side to side and stepped back.

 

“Why? We can be together forever. Can’t we?”

 

 

She approached with a smile, but Huana only stepped back, not thinking of approaching.

 

 

 

 

That’s not Narcissa.

Narcissa is gone.

She doesn’t exist.

 

 

 

 

Reason whispered in her mind.

Don’t be fooled anymore.

Get a grip and close your heart now!

 

 

 

What are you talking about? That’s Narcissa.

It’s not the Narcissa we knew, but

It’s definitely Narcissa.

 

 

 

 

But on one hand, lingering feelings held her back.

 

 

Isn’t it Narcissa anyway?

Whether it’s Aran’s transformed appearance or not,

It’s clear that Huana loved Narcissa.

And that love is everything in Huana’s life.

 

 

 

 

 

“You love me, don’t you? Then you should take my hand. Shouldn’t you?”

 

Narcissa urged.

Take this hand and maintain love through complete surrender.

 

 

With Huana’s own choice.

 

 

As Huana’s master, she could make her do so by command if she wanted to. But she didn’t.

 

 

She made Huana choose Narcissa and Aran only by her own will.

 

 

 

“Aeuheu…d-don’t do this…euhuk…don’t do this….”

 

 

Huana said pleadingly.

 

 

She would feel better if she just turned back into Aran and berated her. She would feel better if she just gave an order.

Even if her body was in pain, there would be no such conflict.

 

 

But Narcissa didn’t stop.

 

 

Rather, she pushed her further.

 

 

“Don’t you love me? Was it all a lie?”

“N-No….”

 

 

Even knowing it’s Aran, she can’t bring herself to say it’s a lie.

She still loves her.

 

 

“Then…you should take my hand. You should come to me.”

“But….”

 

 

Narcissa’s face hardened.

 

 

“Do you…want to be abandoned again?”

“!!”

“If you don’t love me, there’s no reason for me to look after you, is there?”

“….”

 

 

Her heart beats fast.

It feels like it’s going to stop.

 

 

Why?

 

This woman is Aran.

Why the hell?

 

 

 

“Choose, Huana. If you want to gain even a little bit of love, choose this form. Otherwise, you’ll never see this face again.”

“T-That can’t be!”

 

She shouted reflexively.

 

“Then you should follow my words, right?”

“….”

 

 

Huana’s face crumbles again.

 

 

It’s hard.

It’s too hard.

She just wants to let go of everything.

 

 

But the figure in front of her,

Because of that, she can’t let go.

 

 

 

“Aaa….”

 

 

 

 

In the end, her hand was extended.

 

“That’s right. Good girl, our Huana.”

 

A hand extended, suppressing reason and thinking only of emotions and memories.

That hand barely managed to grab Narcissa’s hand….

 

 

 

Jjwak!

 

 

 

 

Just as she was about to, Narcissa shook off that hand.

 

 

“…? Why…? Why…?”

 

When she looked up, there was already Aran there.

 

 

“It seems like you’re not showing enough sincerity.”

 

He held out an object instead of his hand.

 

 

“Narcissa’s form is too easy, isn’t it?”

“Ah….”

 

 

A heinous object.

A hateful object that had torn her body apart countless times.

 

“Now, you’re going to kiss this. And swear. That you will love ‘me’ and Narcissa.”

“….”

 

 

Huana hesitated.

And then, as if she had clearly recognized reality, she clutched her heart.

 

 

“Eueuk….”

 

 

Tears covered her face and fell to the floor.

 

 

“Hurry up. I don’t want to waste time.”

“Euhuk…euheuuk….”

 

 

Huana cursed.

Even while sobbing like this, she cursed herself for eventually bringing her lips to it for Narcissa, to see her.

 

She didn’t care what happened to Aran, but she couldn’t let Narcissa go.

She had to have her by her side.

 

 

She had been abandoned once, and she couldn’t be abandoned again.

Even if her true identity is Aran….

 

 

Huana endlessly shed tears, gathered her lips, and brought them to the very end of Aran’s object.

 

 

Ttseup.

 

 

A familiar sensation touched her plump lips, and Aran smiled at the sight.

 

 

“Now swear.”

“I…I….Nar…”

 

Jjak!

 

 

Her cheek was slapped and her head turned.

 

 

“I said me and Narcissa.”

“Uu…ueuek….”

 

Huana closed her eyes tightly.

But the tears didn’t stop.

 

 

“I…swear to…love…Aran…Master-nim…and Narcissa…forever.”

“Yes. That’s how it should be.”

 

 

Aran smiled contentedly and stroked her hair.

 

 

“Now you love me. Got it?”

“…Yes.”

 

He returned to Narcissa’s form as a reward.

 

“Here. A reward. Huana. Aren’t you happy?”

“Yes…I’m happy….”

 

 

Huana forced a smile.

To avoid being abandoned.

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Something’s not right.”

 

 

Dragon Lord Iana frowned at the unpleasant energy blowing in from the other side.

 

 

“According to the information, the entire imperial palace of the Persian Empire has been Vamgnyrized.”

“Persia, that’s…”

“Yes. It’s the homeland of a man named Aran.”

“Hmm….”

 

Vamgnyr,

No, Vampires were definitely extinct.

 

Even their traces have disappeared, and now they are only faintly left as legends, so the fact that their energy is appearing now is definitely unusual.

 

 

“And not only in Persia, but Vamgnyrs are spreading everywhere. Their energy has been strongly felt in the Mei Empire recently as well.”

“Something’s up.”

“The existence of Vamgnyrs means that Vampires are also surviving. Vamgnyrs are weak, so it doesn’t matter, but Vampires….”

“Yes. If we’re just talking about combat power, they’re superior to us Dragons.”

 

 

Iana bit her lip for no reason.

She was already busy trying to preserve her race, and now Vampires were appearing on top of that.

 

 

“Well, let’s deal with that later…is there any report from the children who went to the Great Kingdom?”

“That’s…”

 

 

She hesitated.

She couldn’t possibly report ‘They’re slacking off…’ in front of the Lord.

 

 

Even if she found a plausible excuse, it would only be something like focusing on research to improve their skills.

Of course, even if she said that, she wouldn’t be able to avoid a scolding.

 

 

“It’s been over a year now, and not a single drop has come yet. What’s going on?”

“Um….”

 

 

But she couldn’t not report it.

 

 

In the end, she swallowed hard and reported as it was.

 

 

“Actually…they are focusing on something called ‘science’ with a human named Muning.”

“Science? Not magic science, just science?”

“Yes. That human named Muning has reproduced things that were previously thought to be only possible with mana as pure technology. So they are working together on that….”

“These guys are crazy!!”

“Hiiik!”

 

 

As expected, a scolding flew at her.