Upon hearing the news of Mary’s return to the Grand Duke’s mansion, Theodore, who was about to leave Tahata, spotted a man looking at the lake. The reason his attention was drawn to the man was that the man had the same black hair as him.
He squinted his eyes, wondering if it could be his father or brother. However, no matter how he looked at it, the man was a stranger.
‘What is he doing?’
Theodore, who had stayed in this village for quite a while, knew not only the faces of the members of this small village, but also how many spoons each house had.
Aside from his black hair, the presence of an unfamiliar face in Tahata was enough to make him wary.
“Where are you going?”
Theodore walked towards the man and the knights behind him asked in a puzzled voice.
The knights’ reactions were not unreasonable, as Theodore, who had been fidgeting and anxious to get back, was suddenly preoccupied with something else.
“There’s a guy over there…….”
Theodore nervously pointed to the man’s side at the voices of the knights holding him back.
When he looked back, there was nothing there but a giant tree.
“Where was ……?”
Theodore’s words caused the knights behind him to rush to the spot where Theodore’s finger had been pointing, but there was no one there.
“No matter how hard we searched, there was no sign of it!”
“I see.”
Even as he turned away, Theodore’s mind kept wandering back to the man he’d seen earlier. Lately, unexpected people with black hair seem to keep appearing…
“Shall we go back?”
A tingling sensation, like the tickling of dockweed, bothered Theodore slightly.
He was going to see his only younger sister, so he couldn’t go in this mood. Theodore shook off the feeling and left Tahata.
“He’s quite sensitive, as expected of his son.”
Arsene patted his chest as he quickly hid his presence before Theodore’s knights caught up with him.
Anything could go wrong if he got caught now. Sooner or later, he’d have to face Theodore, but right now, all that mattered was…….
“Yeah, I knew you’d come.”
Feeling a sign, Arsene turned around and looked at the man in front of him.
For a moment, he was afraid he was going to lash out, but the man was as calm as the surface of the lake in front of him.
But Arsene knew how much searing hatred and anger lay beneath those seemingly calm eyes.
“When did you come back?”
“Who? Me or Mary?”
The man’s fists clenched tightly at Arsene’s smug retort. Arsene felt a perverse sense of pride as he watched his veins sprout out.
Originally, the god of death had a high ignition point. A man who could control death at will had it easy.
But after meeting Mary, everything seemed to be pushing him over the edge.
For a man who had always been so laid-back and easygoing, Arsene found it oddly gratifying to see him reveal such a low emotional threshold.
“Why did he come back? Why don’t you just hide for the rest of your life? That’s what you’re good at.”
Yes, the sarcasm in his tone was telling.
Though Arsene felt slightly amused at the man trying to depict himself as a coward, he held back like an adult.
After all, the one standing in the superior position right now was not that bastard but himself.
“A mongrel.”
A child conceived by a god borrowing a human body. That was Arsene. Arsene had never cared much for his origins.
The gods of the temple and their worshippers never talked about whose son he was, at least not in front of him.
But the god of death before him, whenever he was stuck for words, as if it could become Arsene’s weakness.
The first time he heard the words spoken aloud, Arsene ran and hid in a form that was neither godlike nor human.
Hearing those words for the first time in a while, Arsene laughed as if the wind was blowing away.
He thought it would make him angry, but instead, it made his stomach churn like he’d been splashed with cold water.
“But you know what?”
“What?”
“Well, it’s not going to happen, but if there’s a very, very small chance that Mary and you do end up together, the child you will have will also be considered as a mongrel.”
When Arsene raised his thumb and index finger to express a “very slight possibility,” the man closed his eyes.
Feeling his precarious presence, Arsene smiled in response. Who is he to call someone a mongrel?
The purpose of people’s prayer for God is salvation.
Whether it is a personal disaster or a disaster that will sweep mankind, it’s like sending out a distress signal, asking for one’s own salvation in their current situation.
But the being in front of him, who called himself a “god,” manipulated that distress signal at will.
As if death is the end of the world and the greatest fear an individual can experience.
‘But I wouldn’t do that.’
Death is not the end. Perhaps in facing death, humans can reflect on their lives.
Punish the wicked and reward the good. Why didn’t the “gods” follow such a simple principle?
“Don’t just spout nonsense.”
“Why did you bring Tia Bluea?”
“Oh, that again.”
The man scratched the back of his head in annoyance.
Although Arsen didn’t expect him to answer, he needed to know why he turned Jung Seulbi into Tia Bluea, and what he intended to achieve through Tia Bluea with Mary.
“She’s useless anyway.”
“What?”
“I changed my plan.”
Someone kept interrupting my work, so I had to do a complete revision, the man muttered in a hushed voice.
As his naturally high emotional threshold, his gaze, tone, and gestures became lethargic. Arsen suddenly felt uneasy.
“Tia Bluea is the misfortune of Mary Conler.”
“Who doesn’t know that?”
“I brought her misery from another world, because she’ll only be happy as Mary Conler. Mary Conler needs to be unhappy…….”
“To make her lonely.”
Arsene finished for the Death God. The man nodded, as if Arsene was right.
The man’s plan was complicated indeed.
He intended to make Mary Conler unhappy and lonely, then create a large black hole to extract her soul through that emptiness.
“But it turned out to be more trouble than it was worth. Tia Bluea is not useful and Estin is a stronger opponent than I thought. He treats Mary Conler like a lifeline. He keeps interfering every time.”
“…….”
“So I thought, do I really need to settle this at this time…….”
“If you mess with Mary Conler, you bastard, I’m going to kill you…….”
“If the God of the Stars is your father, Arsene, there’ll be less room for you in her next life, and she’s lost too much of herself anyway. Next time I’ll lock her up as soon as she’s born. I’m willing to continue to be her misfortune.”
If I keep repeating this, maybe one day I’ll become her good fortune.
The God of death muttered and disappeared without a trace.
Arsene reached for him, but the surrounding had already become quiet and dark, and everything was in vain.
The man was going to kill Mary Conler.
*****
“The lady has returned after a long time. Shall we throw a party?”
Hestia muttered in a delighted voice.
At Hestia’s words, Bonita hurriedly prepared to go grocery shopping, saying that there were not many cooking ingredients in the kitchen.
I agonized for a moment in Hestia’s arms.
“Grand Duke, I hope you don’t mind?”
“Of course.”
At my father’s nod, Bonita and Lucas rose from their seats.
I’ve only been away for a few days, and they’re throwing a party, like a never-again party.
The people in front of me now weren’t asking for details about where I’d been, what I’d been thinking, or why I’d come back.
They’re just genuinely happy to have me back.
‘Why…….’
I thought I was going to get into trouble. I thought there was nothing I could do if they looked at me with cold eyes.
In fact, earlier, Gilbert had come back and grabbed my shoulder and said a few words about how I shouldn’t run away like that again, but looking into those affectionate eyes, I didn’t feel so bad.
They really loved me and respected me.
“The party will be held later.”
Even Gilbert and Aiden, who were deeply engrossed in deciding what dishes to serve at the party, fell silent at my words.
My father, who had been sitting still, stroked his chin. I looked him in the eye and made up my mind.
“When it’s all over.”
I promised that after protecting the people I wanted to protect, I would throw a party.
Upon hearing the news of Mary’s return to the Grand Duke’s mansion, Theodore, who was about to leave Tahata, spotted a man looking at the lake. The reason his attention was drawn to the man was that the man had the same black hair as him.
He squinted his eyes, wondering if it could be his father or brother. However, no matter how he looked at it, the man was a stranger.
‘What is he doing?’
Theodore, who had stayed in this village for quite a while, knew not only the faces of the members of this small village, but also how many spoons each house had.
Aside from his black hair, the presence of an unfamiliar face in Tahata was enough to make him wary.
“Where are you going?”
Theodore walked towards the man and the knights behind him asked in a puzzled voice.
The knights’ reactions were not unreasonable, as Theodore, who had been fidgeting and anxious to get back, was suddenly preoccupied with something else.
“There’s a guy over there…….”
Theodore nervously pointed to the man’s side at the voices of the knights holding him back.
When he looked back, there was nothing there but a giant tree.
“Where was ……?”
Theodore’s words caused the knights behind him to rush to the spot where Theodore’s finger had been pointing, but there was no one there.
“No matter how hard we searched, there was no sign of it!”
“I see.”
Even as he turned away, Theodore’s mind kept wandering back to the man he’d seen earlier. Lately, unexpected people with black hair seem to keep appearing…
“Shall we go back?”
A tingling sensation, like the tickling of dockweed, bothered Theodore slightly.
He was going to see his only younger sister, so he couldn’t go in this mood. Theodore shook off the feeling and left Tahata.
“He’s quite sensitive, as expected of his son.”
Arsene patted his chest as he quickly hid his presence before Theodore’s knights caught up with him.
Anything could go wrong if he got caught now. Sooner or later, he’d have to face Theodore, but right now, all that mattered was…….
“Yeah, I knew you’d come.”
Feeling a sign, Arsene turned around and looked at the man in front of him.
For a moment, he was afraid he was going to lash out, but the man was as calm as the surface of the lake in front of him.
But Arsene knew how much searing hatred and anger lay beneath those seemingly calm eyes.
“When did you come back?”
“Who? Me or Mary?”
The man’s fists clenched tightly at Arsene’s smug retort. Arsene felt a perverse sense of pride as he watched his veins sprout out.
Originally, the god of death had a high ignition point. A man who could control death at will had it easy.
But after meeting Mary, everything seemed to be pushing him over the edge.
For a man who had always been so laid-back and easygoing, Arsene found it oddly gratifying to see him reveal such a low emotional threshold.
“Why did he come back? Why don’t you just hide for the rest of your life? That’s what you’re good at.”
Yes, the sarcasm in his tone was telling.
Though Arsene felt slightly amused at the man trying to depict himself as a coward, he held back like an adult.
After all, the one standing in the superior position right now was not that bastard but himself.
“A mongrel.”
A child conceived by a god borrowing a human body. That was Arsene. Arsene had never cared much for his origins.
The gods of the temple and their worshippers never talked about whose son he was, at least not in front of him.
But the god of death before him, whenever he was stuck for words, as if it could become Arsene’s weakness.
The first time he heard the words spoken aloud, Arsene ran and hid in a form that was neither godlike nor human.
Hearing those words for the first time in a while, Arsene laughed as if the wind was blowing away.
He thought it would make him angry, but instead, it made his stomach churn like he’d been splashed with cold water.
“But you know what?”
“What?”
“Well, it’s not going to happen, but if there’s a very, very small chance that Mary and you do end up together, the child you will have will also be considered as a mongrel.”
When Arsene raised his thumb and index finger to express a “very slight possibility,” the man closed his eyes.
Feeling his precarious presence, Arsene smiled in response. Who is he to call someone a mongrel?
The purpose of people’s prayer for God is salvation.
Whether it is a personal disaster or a disaster that will sweep mankind, it’s like sending out a distress signal, asking for one’s own salvation in their current situation.
But the being in front of him, who called himself a “god,” manipulated that distress signal at will.
As if death is the end of the world and the greatest fear an individual can experience.
‘But I wouldn’t do that.’
Death is not the end. Perhaps in facing death, humans can reflect on their lives.
Punish the wicked and reward the good. Why didn’t the “gods” follow such a simple principle?
“Don’t just spout nonsense.”
“Why did you bring Tia Bluea?”
“Oh, that again.”
The man scratched the back of his head in annoyance.
Although Arsen didn’t expect him to answer, he needed to know why he turned Jung Seulbi into Tia Bluea, and what he intended to achieve through Tia Bluea with Mary.
“She’s useless anyway.”
“What?”
“I changed my plan.”
Someone kept interrupting my work, so I had to do a complete revision, the man muttered in a hushed voice.
As his naturally high emotional threshold, his gaze, tone, and gestures became lethargic. Arsen suddenly felt uneasy.
“Tia Bluea is the misfortune of Mary Conler.”
“Who doesn’t know that?”
“I brought her misery from another world, because she’ll only be happy as Mary Conler. Mary Conler needs to be unhappy…….”
“To make her lonely.”
Arsene finished for the Death God. The man nodded, as if Arsene was right.
The man’s plan was complicated indeed.
He intended to make Mary Conler unhappy and lonely, then create a large black hole to extract her soul through that emptiness.
“But it turned out to be more trouble than it was worth. Tia Bluea is not useful and Estin is a stronger opponent than I thought. He treats Mary Conler like a lifeline. He keeps interfering every time.”
“…….”
“So I thought, do I really need to settle this at this time…….”
“If you mess with Mary Conler, you bastard, I’m going to kill you…….”
“If the God of the Stars is your father, Arsene, there’ll be less room for you in her next life, and she’s lost too much of herself anyway. Next time I’ll lock her up as soon as she’s born. I’m willing to continue to be her misfortune.”
If I keep repeating this, maybe one day I’ll become her good fortune.
The God of death muttered and disappeared without a trace.
Arsene reached for him, but the surrounding had already become quiet and dark, and everything was in vain.
The man was going to kill Mary Conler.
*****
“The lady has returned after a long time. Shall we throw a party?”
Hestia muttered in a delighted voice.
At Hestia’s words, Bonita hurriedly prepared to go grocery shopping, saying that there were not many cooking ingredients in the kitchen.
I agonized for a moment in Hestia’s arms.
“Grand Duke, I hope you don’t mind?”
“Of course.”
At my father’s nod, Bonita and Lucas rose from their seats.
I’ve only been away for a few days, and they’re throwing a party, like a never-again party.
The people in front of me now weren’t asking for details about where I’d been, what I’d been thinking, or why I’d come back.
They’re just genuinely happy to have me back.
‘Why…….’
I thought I was going to get into trouble. I thought there was nothing I could do if they looked at me with cold eyes.
In fact, earlier, Gilbert had come back and grabbed my shoulder and said a few words about how I shouldn’t run away like that again, but looking into those affectionate eyes, I didn’t feel so bad.
They really loved me and respected me.
“The party will be held later.”
Even Gilbert and Aiden, who were deeply engrossed in deciding what dishes to serve at the party, fell silent at my words.
My father, who had been sitting still, stroked his chin. I looked him in the eye and made up my mind.
“When it’s all over.”
I promised that after protecting the people I wanted to protect, I would throw a party.
