Chapter 125

I arrived, my heart pounding, at the scene of the unbelievable sight before me. Even if I approached as quietly as possible, you would usually turn your head, recognize my presence, and greet me with joy. But now, you lay motionless in bed, not even stirring.

As I moved closer, a faint hope flickered that perhaps you were too deeply asleep to hear my footsteps. Yet, the somber expressions of those around me and your unwavering stillness extinguished that hope.

No, this couldn’t be right. You always loved playing tricks on me. Surely, you’re pretending not to notice me, just to surprise me. Right?

But every time my hand reached out to touch your face or your hand, that desperate hope shattered into pieces.

You feel cold. Your body, which used to warm me with its presence, no longer offers any warmth.

You don’t hear me. Even though your breath was always there, gentle and steady, I can’t hear it now, despite being so close.

Even acknowledging these facts, I still couldn’t accept what was happening.

“I… I’m here…”

My voice trembled as I spoke, clutching your hand, hoping desperately that my warmth might bring you back to life.

But the mournful voice that broke my heart and threw me back into despair silenced any hope.

“Face doesn’t matter…”

That voice, filled with sorrow, crushed all my expectations, my denials, and my hopes.

With a sharp gasp, I swung my sword, cutting off the despair that threatened to consume me.

Was it truly cut off? It must be, since I can no longer hear it.

The sound of warm blood dripping onto the floor momentarily pulled me from my despair, but it only lasted for a moment.

“Sir! You can’t do this!”

“Someone quickly call for a doctor! We need to stop the bleeding!”

In the chaos that followed, frantic voices and screams tried to shatter my peace and hope.

I almost continued swinging my sword until I heard a sound that seemed out of place in this hellish scene.

A cry, unlike anything from this place, snapped me back to reality.

I turned towards the source of the sound.

Two infants, barely days old, were crying. They had started wailing in response to my futile struggle against despair.

They looked so small, so fragile, so fleeting.

Why couldn’t I feel any emotion when I should have been overwhelmed by love for these precious beings, whom I should have seen with my wife’s smile?

“Who is the late one?”

“…Sir?”

“Which child is the late-born one? Who delayed their birth, causing pain and death to their mother?”

“…Sir.”

“Isn’t it clear? The demon that tormented my frail wife by lingering too long, causing her agony until she died.”

Among them, none could be called my children anymore…

It was because of you. Because of you, they died. You truly hate me. You truly…

—

I jolted awake, a scream escaping my lips. My consciousness, which had been submerged, surfaced with a near-scream.

As soon as I opened my eyes, I realized my body was drenched in sweat, contrary to the season. This was the clammy, unpleasant sensation of a nightmare.

The drowsiness upon waking was gone, replaced by confusion.

“What is this?”

All I could think about was why my body reacted this way.

Was it a nightmare? Even after pondering, I couldn’t recall what I had dreamed about.

I couldn’t remember…

Shivers ran through me.

…But it wasn’t just that. I felt intense malice and murderous intent.

In the back alleys of Blood Haven, amidst the mingled stench of humans and demons, I had never experienced such overwhelming emotions.

What could it be? Could it be that the shamans of the barbarian tribes, who still cast spells nearby, cursed me with an instant death curse, causing me to be sleep-deprived all night?

“It’s just a nightmare.”

Yes, it probably is. After all, I didn’t live my life carelessly enough for such a curse to work so easily.

“But isn’t it natural that the memories of your harshest moments would manifest as nightmares as the most important moment of your life approaches?”

…How did Pailord conclude so easily that I had a nightmare?

If I could remember the dream, I might argue against his conclusion. But…

“If I could remember, I wouldn’t feel so wronged. Since I can’t remember, I’m here.”

Unfortunately, I couldn’t even guess what the dream was about. All I could do was scratch my head in frustration.

The sweat from my nightmare had left a dampness on the back of my head, making me feel slightly uncomfortable.

…Despite the harsh conditions, Fort Frostmoor was surprisingly well-supplied.

Even in such a fortress, bathing in warm water was unimaginable luxury. The realization made me feel heavy, knowing I had to endure the discomfort from morning.

“Even if you can’t remember consciously, your body and mind still remember the nightmares of your past.”

Pailord’s definitive tone, as if he understood my thoughts, shut my mouth firmly and made me recall the information I learned last night through Weaponless.

Perhaps the stories I heard through Weaponless replayed in my subconscious, creating the nightmare.

“…I didn’t ask about remembering dreams. I asked because the lack of memory is making me uneasy.”

-Sorry. I should have stopped the witch’s mouth myself.

“Past is past. Though it’s not regrettable, knowing something after hearing it makes it easier to accept.”

Pailord apologized in a tone that didn’t fit, and I recalled the information Weaponless shared with me last night.

I remembered everything about the ritual Dominus planned to perform, including the reason behind it and what he hoped to gain from the deity he would meet at the end.

Realizing the true nature of Dominus’ madness only strengthened my resolve to stop him.

“Pailord.”

“Why?”

“When will the ritual begin according to Weaponless?”

“About ten days from today.”

“Within four days, I’ll rescue Asulin.”

“I see.”

“I believe I’ll be fully recovered by then. There’s no point in delaying.”

I said as I got up, the unpleasant dampness from the nightmare still clinging to me.

Ironically, the sweat I shed seemed to lighten me.

Stepping out of bed, I felt much better than yesterday.

“I need to stop the madness before it happens.”

I circulated the hostility in my body lightly, feeling a sense of urgency.

Aware that I needed to muster strength to prevent the looming crisis, the hostility within me spread more clearly than usual.