March 25, 2021
"Just in case, I've stationed soldiers on standby. If anything happens, we’ll be able to respond immediately."
Gajev handed the polished sword to Cabelenus. As if testing its weight, Cabelenus gripped and released the hilt several times. He had wielded a sword countless times before, yet for some reason, today, it felt unusually heavy. Gajev glanced between Cabelenus and Alicia before carefully speaking.
"...Is a beast really going to appear?"
"Yes. It will come."
Alicia nodded as if it were obvious. Though it was her first time summoning a beast, she somehow knew what to do. After all, she had already called them once before.
"Just like that day."
"That day?"
Instead of answering, Alicia smiled faintly. Gajev narrowed his eyes. A fragile-looking woman and a beast—those two things didn’t seem to fit together at all. Just looking at her pale complexion, it wouldn’t have been surprising if she suddenly collapsed on the spot.
"The day I left Schwarhan, eight years ago."
"Eight years ago...."
Gajev stopped mid-sentence. That year, it wasn’t just Alicia who had disappeared. The beasts had vanished along with her. There was undoubtedly some connection between Alicia and the beasts. However, rather than voicing his doubts, Gajev chose to swallow them. A loyal vassal knew his duties well.
"Understood. I’ll remain on standby in case of unforeseen circumstances. And..."
Gajev took a slight step back and looked at Cabelenus and Alicia. At first, he had thought they were completely incompatible. But now, seeing them apart felt even stranger.
"Madam Morco will be watching over you."
"......."
"Everything will be fine."
"...Thank you, as always."
Gajev responded with a smile before leaving.
"Sir Cloud is truly a good person."
"He takes after Lady Morco."
"That’s right."
Alicia smiled softly. Without a word, Cabelenus took her hand in his.
"That’s reassuring."
"Then I’m glad."
Before his words had even finished, his grip tightened. Their interlocked fingers felt as if they would never come undone. Alicia took several deep breaths before slowly closing her eyes.
"I’ll begin now."
With her eyes shut, the warmth in her hand became even more vivid. Only then did Alicia finally exhale the breath that had been caught in her throat, tightening her grip in return.
***
How much time had passed? Cabelenus bit his lip anxiously, keeping a close watch on Alicia’s face. It felt like an eternity, yet Alicia hadn’t moved an inch. With her eyes closed, she remained completely still, not shifting from her initial posture at all.
"......."
Only when he tasted the metallic tang of blood on his tongue did Cabelenus realize his lip had split. He scowled, letting out a rough breath. He had no intention of interrupting her, but by now, his patience was wearing thin. Even when he tried not to think about it, the sight of Alicia’s pale face, her unmoving form, was eerily reminiscent of a corpse.
Even though he knew she was breathing, he found himself unconsciously holding his own breath, just to ensure he could still hear hers.
‘If only I could do it instead of her.’
The taste of blood thickened in his mouth, but he didn’t care. All that mattered was the frustration gnawing at him. If he could take her place, he would do so in a heartbeat—but he couldn’t, and that tormented him.
"...How is it?"
At last, after a long silence, the voice he had been waiting for reached him. Cabelenus instinctively swallowed hard. He had always liked looking at Alicia, but right now, it felt different. The moment her eyelids fluttered open, revealing those deep eyes beneath them, his mind went blank, as if he had been struck on the back of the head. He couldn’t tear his gaze away from her.
"Did the beast respond?"
Receiving no answer, Alicia asked again. But this time, Cabelenus still didn’t reply.
"I was certain I reached them..."
Alicia frowned slightly, scanning the surroundings. Yet contrary to her expectations, there was no one else in the room—only her and Cabelenus.
"It looks like I failed. I’ll have to try agai—wait, what happened to your lip?"
Now properly looking at Cabelenus, Alicia’s expression twisted in alarm. But Cabelenus simply stared at her in a daze.
"You’re bleeding."
Alicia’s face darkened. Upon closer inspection, she realized that he never seemed to take care of his own body.
"Did you bite your lip?"
"...You smell."
"What?"
Alicia blinked, startled. His hand, which had hovered uncertainly over his lips, suddenly reached for hers, clasping it instead. His golden eyes had lost focus, clouded with something hazy.
"Your eyes are unfocused."
"And what of it?"
Cabelenus smiled languidly.
"You—"
"I’d rather hear you say my name."
"What?"
"You said you liked it. When you call my name."
Alicia’s cheeks flushed red. She knew something was off about him, yet her face still grew warm. The way he smiled, clinging to her, was far too seductive.
"You really do have a lovely scent."
"I don’t smell like anything."
"You do. I can sense it."
Murmuring, Cabelenus leaned his head against her shoulder. Her scent overwhelmed his senses, making his head spin.
"If only I could devour you right now."
The low murmur didn’t sound like a joke. Hesitant, Alicia tightened her grip on his hand.
"Cabelenus."
"......."
His golden eyes trembled. Sensing the shift, Alicia quickly called his name again. As if the sound of his name had grounded him, his gaze sharpened slightly.
"Are you all right?"
"Forgive me, but I need to step back for a moment. Your scent..."
"My scent?"
This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.
Alicia tilted her head slightly and leaned toward Cabelenus. At the same time, Cabelenus raised his free hand to cover his nose.
"It must be because of the beast’s blood."
"Then that means it’s not completely ineffective."
She had thought they had achieved nothing, but it seemed that wasn’t the case. Only now could Alicia finally let out a relieved breath.
"......."
"If you have something to say, say it."
"If you don’t mind... may I try again?"
With a determined expression, Alicia nodded firmly. If there was a chance, she had to make the most of it. There was still so much she needed to hear from the beasts.
"If it becomes too much for you, you can wait outside. I’ll be fine on my own."
Yet her expression said otherwise—she clearly didn’t want to be left alone. Cabelenus clicked his tongue inwardly but only tightened his grip on her hand. Feeling the faint tremor in her grasp, he knew he could never let go.
"...I’ll endure it as best I can."
At his answer, Alicia’s face ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) brightened.
"I’ll try sending a stronger signal this time. I think I might have been too weak earlier."
She quickly closed her eyes and focused. Dragging this out would only make things harder for Cabelenus. It was better to end it all at once.
‘Come. I am here.’
Alicia’s tightly shut eyelids quivered. Calling the beasts didn’t require a grand incantation. If she needed them, they would appear. The beasts coming that day eight years ago had not been a coincidence. They had come because she had wished for them.
[You called, O one. We are here.]
Alicia’s eyes snapped open at the voice that echoed in her mind. But when she looked around, she saw nothing.
"Why...?"
She trailed off, unable to finish the sentence. At first, the voices had been faint, but they grew clearer by the second. And they were not just one voice.
"They’ve come. I can hear them."
Alicia’s voice was filled with excitement. The realization that she could finally do something sent her heart pounding.
"What are they saying?"
Cabelenus turned his head, struggling to keep his senses amidst the overwhelming scent. Unlike Alicia, he heard nothing.
"They’re happy I called them. And it’s not just one or two—huh?"
Suddenly, Alicia’s pupils dilated. A flood of voices poured into her mind all at once, filling her consciousness completely. The deep, rumbling voices shook her vision and made her stomach churn.
[Our king.]
[The great one.]
[At last, you seek us.]
"Aah...."
Alicia clutched her head as a splitting headache tore through her. But the voices weren’t coming through her ears. Even if she blocked them, the cries of the beasts rang vividly in her skull.
"...Alicia?"
Sensing something was wrong, Cabelenus urgently grabbed her shoulders. But her unfocused eyes weren’t looking at him—they were gazing beyond, into something unseen.
"Alicia!"
He shook her roughly. But she hardly reacted, swaying limply like a marionette. And the moment he stopped, she collapsed as if her strings had been cut.
"No...."
Cabelenus let out a ragged breath. Her vacant eyes glistened with tears. And at that moment, a loud banging sounded at the door.
"Your Highness, this is urgent!"
The door burst open, and Gajev stumbled in, bracing himself against the wall. Having sprinted at full speed, he was gasping for air.
"It’s the beasts! A massive number of them have suddenly appeared out of nowhere—they’ve surrounded the fortress!"
"...Beasts?"
Cabelenus’s head turned stiffly, like a rusted machine. Gajev inhaled sharply when he saw his bloodshot eyes. Cabelenus was trembling as he held Alicia in his arms.
***
[You overexerted yourself, O one.]
[Your power has weakened.]
[You are broken.]
As soon as consciousness returned, voices flooded into Alicia’s mind as if they had been waiting for her. Grimacing, she barely managed to push herself up. The scene before her was painfully familiar.
"This place..."
[Your subconscious.]
[And where we reside.]
"You’ve... stayed here?"
Alicia’s gaze drifted past the thick layers of snow, settling on the shattered remains of a carriage. A trail of blood stained the pristine white surface, creating a jagged, uneven path—but only for a moment. As snow continued to fall, the red blotches slowly disappeared, until they were completely erased from sight.
If not for the debris jutting out of the snow, this endless frozen landscape would have seemed untouched, as if nothing had ever happened here.
This was the same scene from eight years ago.
[You wished for it. For us to remain.]
[We obeyed.]
[But we were lonely.]
[We need you. You need us.]
[We have waited. Always.]
The moment she uttered a single word, countless voices burst forth, clamoring for her attention. Alicia swallowed hard, staring at the innumerable eyes gazing back at her.
