Chapter 74
Chapter 74
Episode 74.
Saya walked through the darkness.
It felt like traversing a world submerged in shadows, where only suffocating blackness repeated endlessly.
The darkness sucked her in like quicksand. Slowly, Saya was sinking into an abyss forgotten by all.
The shadows clinging to her skin began gnawing at her entire body—worms of lingering attachment and guilt.
The darkness encroaching from all sides was her own regret.
She had learned love before understanding consideration. Too young to comprehend how to care for another.
She had ended up tearing her lover's heart apart.
"I'd do the same even if I went back." She recalled the words she'd once said to Aiden.
Not anymore. She had wanted to tell him that, but in their allotted time, she'd foolishly done nothing but cry.
Aiden's words had filled her with such joy and aching sorrow that she couldn't bring herself to speak. "I love you. And thank you." She'd thought she'd never hear those words again. Precisely because she hadn't dared hope, they burned even hotter, searing into her heart.
They still lingered in her ears.
In this piercingly silent place, they were the only warmth embracing her.
Saya thought herself terribly fickle.
She'd believed those words would be enough, yet now she longed to hear them again, to see him even more.
An impossible wish.
Just as when she'd been sealed in her mother's womb, hoping for someone to appear and save her would be nothing but greed.
Saya decided to let go of her attachments in the darkness.
She would accept her final moments, savoring only the memories.
The day she first opened her eyes to the world came to mind.
Aiden had been there.
For a time, the little fox's home had been the shelter of his arms.
A man as fragile as a microorganism. Saya had watched over such an Aiden. He seemed like a creature living only to die.
Who was protecting whom? Aiden had cradled her like a precious gem, struggling tirelessly without rest.
The fox had intended to repay his kindness and leave, but finding him strange and peculiar, she ended up staying by his side for a while.
The man was always breaking down. Yet each time, he would rise again, lashing himself forward.
Because of him, other insignificant beings found laughter, but Aiden himself never smiled. He remained perpetually rigid.
Why did he act like that? The fox couldn't understand. She nearly mistook his reason for existence to be making others laugh.
One day, Saya suddenly wanted to see Aiden smile.
As he was lost in thought, as usual, the fox licked the back of his hand.
No reaction. Stubbornness arose, and she tried various things.
No matter what she did, he remained impassive.
One day was slightly different.
Aiden occasionally scribbled on the ground with a twig—two figures. A man and a woman.
His drawing skills were abysmal, so Saya used her imagination to render them more clearly.
That was when she first saw Aiden's smiling face.
That day, Saya learned the meaning of accomplishment. And for some reason, she felt joy.
She wanted to deepen those faint traces of laughter.
They hummed peculiar songs together, she learned unfamiliar words, and even performed little tricks.
Before she knew it, Aiden would smile at Saya even without such antics.
She had achieved her goal. She thought she'd grow tired of it, but at some point, simply being with Aiden had become her happiness.
She loved his touch.
When his rough hands brushed through her snow-white fur, she melted into tranquility.
From the moment she even allowed her tail, she found herself nestling into his embrace, acting spoiled for no reason.
She thought it merely a fleeting amusement. With a short-lived, insignificant creature.
Then one day, even that notion changed.
Aiden embraced a woman. A country girl. The human who taught Saya the emotion called jealousy.
She also realized the advantage of a human form.
Beast Form Release.
When she released it, complete beauty reflected in the mirror.
From then on, they exchanged emotions. Foxes matured exceptionally quickly, so age wasn't an issue.
In fact, at some point, she had surpassed Aiden in nearly every aspect.
Because she was a creature blessed with divine power.
Yet before Aiden, she wanted to be endlessly vulnerable.
Aiden too desired and demanded that.
There was one day when that promise was broken.
The day Saya learned rage. "A squire cavorting with a beast. Clearly not a slave. Let's report it to the Order and claim the bounty." Words Aiden also heard.
His expression sank into sorrow. Betrayal. Because the life he'd saved had uttered such words.
That face she'd worked so hard to make smile... Saya's reason snapped.
Blood stained her hands. Once started, she couldn't stop.
Thousands of seeds that could destroy their happy life. Saya began uprooting them all.
To her, nothing in this world mattered except Aiden and herself.
Suddenly, she saw Aiden's expression. More despairing than ever before.
But Saya was confident she could make him smile again. Certain she could return things to normal and make him happy.
It was a delusion.
After that day, Aiden reverted to his old self. No, he became even colder.
The Aiden who used to smile at her was nowhere to be found.
Saya reflected on her foolishness.
Now, submerged in darkness, if one lingering regret remained, it would be her greed to see Aiden's smile once more.
Saya slumped into the darkness.
A soft melody escaped her lips. A song she and Aiden sometimes sang. The fox melted into old memories as she awaited the end.
Soon, the darkness swallowed her whole.
A single tear fell. Like ripples spreading across a lake, the darkness began to tremble.
The shadows lightened. The sight of thick shadows sporadically spitting out their surroundings wasn't unfamiliar to her.
Even when sealed in her mother's womb, she had witnessed this phenomenon.
And just like now, the darkness parted.
Aiden was there.
Again, just like before.
By the moonlit lakeshore. Amidst the stars scattered across the night sky, Aiden looked down at her.
Tears welled in Saya's blue eyes.
If this was a dream, she wouldn't mind sleeping forever.
She reached for Aiden's face and slowly spoke.
"...I won't do it again. I love you."
Then she gently pressed her lips to his.
At that moment, Siron was stunned, and Yuriel's face twisted in shock.
Aiden immediately pulled away and spoke rapidly.
"Siron, send the coffins to the sanctuary. Classify them as top-secret. Your Holiness, I'll explain later."
Then he kicked off the ground. Leaping across the vast lake, he landed on the opposite shore amidst tall reeds.
Saya stared frozen at Aiden.
The wind brushing her skin, his scent, his breathing, his heartbeat—it was all too vivid for a dream.
"...Aiden?"
Wordlessly, Aiden pulled her into an embrace.
"Never think of dying again."
It felt like someone had smacked the back of her head. Only then did the full scene register.
Saya's limp tail shot straight up.
Aiden gently stroked her tail.
"Thank you for coming back."
The snow-white fur gradually softened.
Saya burrowed deeper into Aiden's embrace. Emotions overflowing her chest made her sob.
Aiden stroked her hair as he used to.
Her abundant silver hair was incredibly soft, filling his palm with satisfaction.
Aiden loved this sensation. He played with her ears and stroked her tail.
A pleasure only Aiden could fully enjoy.
Saya's tail swayed gently as if fluttering in the wind.
She lifted her head from Aiden's chest.
Even drenched in tears, her undiminished beauty carried a poignant allure.
Her gaze at Aiden yearned for something.
He wanted it too. Without waiting, their lips met simultaneously.
Crimson flesh knocked at someone's entrance. It opened gently, welcoming the lover inside as their bodies entwined.
They tangled in mutual intoxication. Aiden gripped her waist tightly. His clone trembled, but he barely held onto reason.
Even petals held dew.
Saya gently pushed Aiden down. Lying atop him in the reeds, they gazed at each other.
Saya asked cautiously,
"...Not allowed?"
Aiden was genuinely suffering too. But not for now, and certainly not here.
"Wait a little longer. It won't be long."
Her face fell, ears drooping slightly.
Finding her adorable, Aiden caressed her cheek.
Saya unmistakably felt love in that touch. The moments she'd only dreamed of had already become reality.
There was much she wanted to ask, including why she'd been revived, but now wasn't the time.
She simply wanted to bask in their reconciliation.
Wiping her tears, Saya gazed at Aiden. Then she gave a bewitching smile.
"But Aiden, I want to hear it again."
"I love you."
Aiden wasn't a man of retreat. Once decided, he moved straight forward without hesitation.
Though embarrassed, he didn't show it.
Blushing, Saya leaned close to his ear.
"I love you most in the world too."
Her breath tickled his ear.
Aiden stroked her hair as he spoke.
"Saya, I have a favor to ask."
Burying her face in his neck, she replied.
"Anything. I'll do everything."
"Do you happen to know the master of the Giant's Forest?"
"Yeah, I've met them. The World Tree's spirit, right?"
He'd suspected as much. Having resided in the eastern forests for some time, Saya would've been intriguing enough to catch the spirit Elquidora's attention.
In any case, if Saya knew them, things would proceed faster.
"As you know, the Giant's Forest absorbs all surrounding spiritual energy. My sanctuary is being built within its range."
Saya lifted her face to look at Aiden. Understanding, she smiled.
"What should I do?"
"Don't kill them. Just arrange a meeting for me, if possible."
The spirit Elquidora never interacted with humans.
But Aiden needed them, so having someone facilitate a meeting would be ideal.
She nodded with an easy smile.
"You'll definitely meet. But it's not just for the sanctuary, is it?"
If the sanctuary were the only issue, he'd have simply asked her to kill it.
Aiden planned to steal the demon realm's spiritual energy to supply his sanctuary. Using Elquidora would make it feasible.
Aiden spoke.
"No. So don't kill them."
Saya puffed her cheeks slightly.
"Trust me. I'll listen well now."
She smiled again.
"In return, groom me."
She brought her swaying tail right under Aiden's nose.
Smiling faintly, Aiden sat up.
Seating her on his lap, he took the tail brush and began combing through her snow-white fur.
Saya watched Aiden's smiling face, savoring the tranquility.
Then—rustle. Aiden and Saya turned toward the sound.
A man stood there with an extremely displeased expression—Penrir, his beast form released.
Crossing his arms, he glared at Aiden.
Before the discontented wolf could speak, Aiden said first.
"I told you not to reveal yourself."
Aiden glanced across the lake before continuing.
"Just come here. I have something for you too."
The wolf's role was equally crucial to Aiden.
Penrir bristled at Aiden's commanding tone, but meeting Saya's gaze, he only gritted his teeth.
Deciding to hear him out, he took a step forward.