It was an evening when the owls hooted noisily. In the dim, purplish sky, stars twinkled faintly. A warm yet cool breeze rustled gently through the air, wrapping Seiyad in the quiet stillness of a peaceful summer night. The scent of grass tickled his nose, and the whispering of tiny insects further eased his tension.
The horrors of the day still lingered in Seiyad’s heart, yet the unpleasant emotions that had gripped him began to dissolve because of Ressas. When guilt took hold of him, its remnants clung like leeches somewhere deep inside, but recognizing what mattered most to him had changed everything.
Now, Seiyad wanted to live for Ressas. He knew now that blaming himself and carelessly throwing himself away only brought sorrow to his beloved prince. Because he never wanted to make the person he loved feel sad, Seiyad decided he would value himself more. It was the first realization of its kind he’d had in either of his lives.
The person he loved…
Just whispering those words in his mind brought a heat to his chest. Realizing such a clear and desperate emotion only now—how foolish of him. Ever since he got Ressas back into his life, not a single day had passed without thinking of him, whether they were apart or together. Yet only now had he truly become aware of it.
His mother had always demanded a clear distinction between a Tither and their Guide. The established rules stood firmly in their way—but those rules couldn’t suppress Seiyad’s feelings. He had built so many walls inside his heart that it had taken him a long time to truly look at himself.
Having sorted out his thoughts, Seiyad now asked himself what he should do from here. When two people liked each other, it was only natural for their relationship to develop into something romantic. Naturally, Seiyad had no intention of handing over his Guide to anyone else.
‘He is mine.’
‘My Guide, my one and only little deer.’
Realistic concerns briefly brushed against his mind, but Seiyad chose to set them aside for now. With Ressas’s recent behavior stirring constant unease, he wanted to define their relationship quickly and reveal his feelings to him. Before interference from the king or others, the priority was to solidify their bond.
Though Ressas had taken his hand, he still didn’t seem to fully understand what he meant to Seiyad. The memory of him trembling, calling himself a sinner, pathetic, the worst kind of man—it was still vivid.
And yet the moment Seiyad gave him permission to come close, he had leapt at him as if ready to devour him.
Seiyad recalled the kiss that had nearly made him lose his senses. They had kissed many times before, but never like that—pressing in so hard he could barely breathe. It reminded him of that time in the cabin when Ressas had stolen his first kiss. Looking back now, it seemed that this was just his way.
Remembering the way his tongue shamelessly sucked him in, stealing every breath, made his insides tingle. A shiver danced down his spine. The image of those unfocused violet eyes filled with nothing but himself was overwhelmingly decadent. Even though it had happened in an open garden, it had felt like being trapped in a sealed room, being consumed by him.
It was I who needed purification, yet remembering how Ressas, the Guide, had lost control more than himself made Seiyad realize anew how much Ressas had grown. From a child to a young man, and now a full-grown man who adored him so deeply…
The flutter in his chest grew, like a butterfly beating its wings inside him. Just thinking of Ressas made the corners of his mouth curl, and a soft light shimmered in his cool gray eyes. They had only just parted, yet he already missed him so much it was unbearable. Seiyad decided to follow that impulse. Stopping briefly by the stable, he retrieved the lavender he had tied to Luna’s saddle and turned to head straight back to the mansion.
“Seiyad, dinner’s ready. The attendant was looking for you—so this is where you were.”
On the way back to the mansion, he ran into Stella. Seeing her in clean clothes after changing out of her blood-stained ones made it feel like a glimpse into the past. A refreshing summer night, the time he had visited the east with his parents and played with Stella came to mind. Stella, perhaps feeling the same, smiled gently.
“Want to go in together like the old days?”
“Sure.”
Seiyad nodded at her slightly playful tone. After the Marquess returned, Ressas had gone to see him immediately, so he was probably already in the hall where dinner was being served.
“This reminds me of when we were kids. We didn’t have a care in the world back then. Remember the jokes my father used to make?”
“About us getting married, wasn’t it?”
“Yeah, ridiculous as it was. If he’d heard what you used to say to me, he would’ve kept that to himself.”
Stella’s father had been a fine knight. He had passed away young while helping his wife Selfini eliminate Nir’a. As Seiyad quietly listened to the story of the deceased, he responded with a question.
“I don’t think I was ever rude to you.”
“Not like that. It’s just—whenever we played, you only talked about Prince Ressas. One time, you fussed over him so much that Cecilia actually got upset. Don’t you remember?”
Stella burst out laughing. Her words stirred faint memories, and Seiyad twisted his lips silently into a crooked smile.
“That was the day I disappeared, saying I was going to catch a fox for His Highness.”
“Exactly. Cecilia cried and chased after you. She was so heartbroken.”
Little Cecilia had been the kind of child who had to do everything she wanted. She had sobbed while chattering as she followed Seiyad into the forest. Remembering how Stella had comforted Cecilia brought a deep laugh to his lips. Such a sweet and silly moment, long forgotten.
“It’s nice talking about this again, Seiyad.”
As they entered the mansion guided by the attendant, Stella added softly. When he nodded and met her gaze, she returned his smile.
“No matter what happens, I’ll be by your side. All of us Tithers will. You know that.”
Her promise came in a gentle yet strong voice—exactly the way Seiyad had always remembered Stella.
Because of his efforts to hide everything and reveal nothing, Seiyad now realized just how much he had pushed away such a good friend. The revelation that a deep emotional rift could be mended through conversation and forgiveness struck him as something almost miraculous, leaving a hollow ache somewhere in his chest.
For the first time, he felt that he wasn’t fighting alone—that he had companions he could trust and rely on.
He had felt helpless, unsure how to navigate the shapeless darkness ahead, but now the path slowly began to emerge. The Devil no longer seemed intent on hiding. And if it had revealed itself, that meant it would be easier to kill. All Seiyad had to do now was retrieve his sword and destroy it. It was difficult, yes—but simple.
“Thank you, Stella.”
He answered with genuine sincerity, and Stella smiled. The mist that had entangled his soul like a web fully cleared away. With a lighter heart, Seiyad entered the main hall with her. There, seated at the large round dining table, were Ressas and the Marquess of Saklani.
Ressas, who had been speaking to the Marquess with a face so expressionless it appeared cold, immediately turned his head the moment he saw Seiyad. Even though there was no need to rise, he stood from his seat. When he saw the two entering with smiles, his mouth shut tightly. A strange unease rippled across his pale face. Seiyad suddenly felt the impulse to embrace him, to soothe whatever was making him so anxious.
“Welcome, Duke Axid. Duchess Vetria.”
What curbed that impulse was the Marquess’s greeting. As he rose from his seat and gestured to the attendants, they stepped forward to guide the two to their places.
Across both his previous and current lives, Seiyad had scarcely spoken with the Marquess, but the man he remembered always had a smiling face. And that hadn’t changed. His green eyes—those same ones inherited directly by Charlotte—curved inscrutably, concealing his true thoughts.
“We were just discussing the matters ahead with His Highness. The villa is modest, so the dining arrangements may seem humble, but we’ve prepared only the finest with a skilled chef at hand.”
The Marquess spoke with ease, as if completely ignorant of the disgraceful incident involving his daughter. Though Seiyad himself remained composed, it wasn’t a situation in which he could afford to treat the Marquess casually, so he wiped any expression from his face. Following the attendants, he took a seat next to the Marquess, and Stella sat beside Ressas. Due to the round table, they all faced one another directly.
The dining hall, where only four were present, remained quiet. Without even glancing at the dishes brought by the attendants, Seiyad went straight to the point.
“I think we need an explanation for why you summoned us all the way out here. Considering what happened in the forest at your request, I suggest you choose your words carefully.”
From the moment they entered the hall, Stella had been watching the Marquess with sharp eyes. Since this concerned the eastern region—her jurisdiction—it was only natural for her to respond this way. Especially because it was obvious the Marquess had tried to lure them into a trap.
The Marquess scanned them with a placid face, his gaze finally settling on Ressas. He clearly showed just how conscious he was of the prince—then he opened his mouth.
“…All responsibility lies with me. I summoned the three of you here under the orders of His Highness Aster.”
Contrary to expectations, the Marquess bowed his head without resistance. Seiyad, who had fully expected denial and evasive excuses, furrowed his brows. Stella, too, narrowed her eyes slightly, clearly caught off guard.
I’m happy for him