― Justyn. Are you busy? I wanted to ask you something.
“I’m not busy.”
Even though the mountain of documents stacked beside him was clearly in view, he shook his head without hesitation. If Ketir had seen this, he would’ve clutched the back of his neck in disbelief.
But Ketir wasn’t here now, and Ries had no intention of stopping Justyn. Sitting in his usual spot, he quietly watched the mother and son converse calmly.
They had always talked, after all. Having watched them for so long, it had always felt like there was an invisible wall between them.
But ever since that day when they finally confessed a question that had gone unspoken for so long, that wall had crumbled.
Ries’s wandering gaze landed on Hillein, who was beaming.
― No. I… don’t deserve it.
She had once said she didn’t deserve to see her son. That image of her overlapped with the present. She probably hadn’t fully shed her guilt… but even so, this was far better than when she had simply avoided seeing him altogether.
That thought didn’t last long before it cracked.
― How did you meet Ries? I’ve heard bits and pieces, but I’d really like to hear it from you directly.
Clatter. Out of guilt, the pen in his hand slipped and rolled under the desk. Just like that?
That marked the beginning of the awkward atmosphere where it became hard to look up. For someone like Justyn, who wasn’t exactly talkative—at least when it came to Ries—he suddenly began mentioning all sorts of things.
“…We met in an alley in the capital. He looked smaller than he does now, maybe because he hadn’t been eating properly, and he had a limp, so he might’ve injured his leg. Embarrassingly, Ries was the one who grabbed me first. He was just as cute back then as he is now.”
Eyes tinged with nostalgia, voice faint with recollection—it was fine up to that point.
Sure, he was saying all this with the person in question right there, calling him small and cute and all sorts of things that made Ries want to curl up and die… but besides that, it was all true. Ries gently rubbed his now-reddened cheek with the opposite hand.
But what came next—was not fine.
― So you two were fated to be together, huh?
“Fated…”
― Of course! You said you almost never go out, didn’t you? For you two to meet on the same day, at the same time, in the same place—that’s no easy thing. That means the threads of fate had already bound you two together.
She blushed shyly as she spoke, like a young girl hearing about a first love.
― What else could you call that but fate? And besides, Ries is sweet, kind, adorable, lovable, and he can even turn into the cutest little cat!
“…Right.”
― I swear on all my years—there won’t be anyone else who’ll love and cherish you like Ries does. Hmm, you…
“I love him too.”
― Oh my! I thought so, but hearing you say it out loud makes me feel even more at ease.
Whisper, murmur. Her voice sparkled and tickled the ears.
She probably thought she was speaking quietly… but for Ries, who was forcibly stuck close by to help them communicate, there was no way he couldn’t hear.
His face, already tinged red, now turned completely crimson. These two had clearly forgotten he was right there beside them.
― Do you know how adorable Ries looked when he told me about you? I could feel how hard he was trying for your sake. Honestly, I want to tell you everything, but I don’t have the gift for that…
“…”
― So be gentle with him. Love him lots. You got that? You won’t find someone like Ries no matter where you go. Don’t let him go. No matter what!
“That’s what I intend to do.”
He had to—otherwise, he wouldn’t be throwing out words so cheesy they made his skin crawl.
Ries couldn’t even run away or interrupt them. He just kept shrinking smaller and smaller. By the time his body was so curled up it looked like he might merge with the chair—
― …What are you guys doing?
Sefiut had returned, having stepped out for a bit.
***
― That kid really does like you a lot.
That was Sefiut’s response after hearing everything. It meant he had been stuck in the “cute and lovable Ries” narrative for quite a while.
“You look tired. Should we head back now?”
“No… I’m fine…”
Ries sagged over the desk like a limp rag. Funny how he had helped fuel the whole thing, yet now Justyn wore a concerned look.
Still, he didn’t feel like snapping back. A bit of mischief stirred in him, but he didn’t want to say anything harsh.
Sure, the embarrassment and shyness were a bit much to handle—but he knew Justyn and Hillein had meant no harm. If anything, they’d been filled with good intentions.
Justyn hesitated, then cautiously reached out. Ries didn’t shake him off and instead squeezed his hand tightly in return.
Well, if it helps them grow closer…
Even if it was a bit hard to sit through, if being the topic of their conversation helped bring the two of them together, then he couldn’t ask for more. That feeling grew stronger when he looked into Justyn’s flickering red eyes.
He hoped these kinds of days would continue. Small talks, occasional walks… maybe one day, they’d tour the ducal estate together.
They hadn’t even begun yet, but when the attic room they planned to renovate was finally done, he’d love to introduce Hillein to it. She’d probably tear up with joy.
And maybe then, Hillein could finally let go of her guilt toward Justyn. Maybe she’d be able to smile freely, without a single burden on her shoulders.
And Justyn…
Justyn…
― Hillein. Still hesitating?
― …Huh? W-Wait, what do you mean…?
― So that’s how it is, huh… Tsk. You’re too soft. You know just as well as I do that there’s nothing to gain by running from this any longer. Looks like I’ll have to be the one to say it.
The thoughts shattered. Ries turned instinctively. One after another, he caught sight of the doll with the flat expression and Hillein’s anxious face.
Time felt like it slowed to a crawl.
And in that moment—he realized.
This desire to freeze time, to live each day as if it were today… maybe it was all because, deep down, they had known.
Known that someday, this everyday life would fall apart.
His slow-moving gaze finally met Justyn’s.
And at last, Sefiut unveiled the truth Hillein had desperately tried to hide.
― When are you going back? You don’t have much time left. No—given the curse’s influence lately, it’s probably even shorter than we thought.
― W-Wait, Ancestor, please. Give me a moment—I can explain everything…
― Don’t tell me you’re planning to vanish right in front of the son you dote on so much?
The atmosphere changed. It had to.
Curse, time, vanish. Justyn’s head tilted slightly, as if trying to piece together the scattered words. He glanced at Sefiut, then toward where Hillein must be.
Their gazes crossed at a slant—a near miss. But at that moment, Hillein rushed to speak.
― No, it’s not true, Justyn. It’s not your fault. I can explain everything, okay?
But their conversation had ended, and since Ries wasn’t aiding her manifestation right then, her desperate voice didn’t reach Justyn.
As if realizing that, her eyes turned to Ries next.
― Ries, please. Help me one more time. Let him see me—just once more. I swear I’ll explain everything…
She looked utterly pitiful. But before he could even reach out to take her hand—
“…Please tell me. I want to know. I need to know.”
Justyn turned his head. His voice was calm—so calm it carried an eerie sense of resolve as he addressed Sefiut.
As if he’d known this was coming, Sefiut began to speak.
― The essence of beings like us—souls—is emotion. Love, hate, worry… the stronger those emotions, the more they form lingering attachments, and those become shackles that bind a soul to the earth.
“…”
― But flip that around, and if those emotions—those shackles—fade, then we can’t stay here anymore. It’s no different from passing on, what they call ‘moving on.’
A soft sigh, and yet his grave tone didn’t waver.
Hillein’s pleading meant nothing now.
― If the soul chooses to let go and move forward… then it’s lost its path forever. It loses its anchor, its shape, its memories of life—and becomes nothing more than one of the malice-ridden entities nested within you.
And what’s that if not annihilation?
A scrap of emotion no longer human.
Sefiut was right—if that were to happen, then Hillein, as they knew her, would vanish forever.
― And your curse? It’s perfect for wearing down those emotional anchors. The things burning inside you are greedy, cruel, and so massive that every time they see something worth consuming, they bare their teeth.
“…So that means…”
Justyn took a breath. He shut his eyes tightly, as if trying to force himself into objectivity. The grip on Ries’s hand grew a little tighter.
“…That I shouldn’t stay by her side.”
His voice rose with intensity—only to fall flat at the end, devoid of strength.
So calm, it was unnerving.
― …
Sefiut didn’t reply. But his silence was an answer.
There wasn’t a single person here who didn’t know the truth now.
The hand Justyn had held went limp. Before Ries could react, Justyn’s slipped from his grasp.
Ries snapped his head up.
“…I just need some time.”
His voice finally came, trembling at the end, like words chosen after countless attempts.
Then, Justyn abruptly rose from his seat and left the office.
His eyes, overwhelmed by unknowable emotions, lingered in Ries’s mind long after.
