Odely carefully fitted the Blood Crystal into place.
Precisely into the dispel circuit, not the activation one.
The moment the Blood Crystal locked perfectly into the magic circle, a low vibration echoed from the floor.
The crimson light contained within the crystal flared like a blazing flame and began to tremble.
And then…
Crack—
Slowly.
Very slowly.
One by one, the strands of light snapped apart, and the intricate circuits of the spell began to fade.
The once impossibly complex and flawless magic circle started crumbling away like a living creature that had reached the end of its lifespan.
The half of Ludville’s life force that had been sacrificed to complete the spell was returning to its rightful owner.
Odely silently watched the process.
When the magic circle disappeared completely, the chamber sank back into darkness.
At that moment—
Something inside her chest felt as though a thin thread had snapped.
Snap.
At the same time, an overwhelming sense of loss washed over her.
The last—and only—bond that had connected her and Ludville through the spell was now completely gone.
Odely quietly drew a breath.
It felt as if a part of her heart had been hollowed out.
…It’s over.
The one who was meant to live would live.
The one who was meant to die would simply have to die.
Before that, she would have to help Ludville regain his senses.
She would also have to give him a reason to keep living.
The remaining five years would be busy ones.
No matter how hard she tried to encourage herself, the emptiness remained.
It was only a long, tiresome connection that should never have existed in the first place, finally being severed…
Let’s go back.
Odely slowly turned around.
There was no reason to remain in this place any longer.
Then—
Flash.
A faint light pierced the darkness.
“…!”
Odely whipped her head around in disbelief.
The Blood Crystal that should have vanished along with the magic circle—
Ludville’s Blood Crystal—
was still lying on the floor, glowing.
It continued to burn like an undying flame.
Odely stopped in her tracks and stared at the lonely crimson crystal.
The magic circle had completely disappeared, yet the crystal still shimmered with flame-like light.
“…Why?”
Her heart nearly stopped.
For a split second, a dreadful thought crossed her mind.
Did removing the spell fail?
But no.
The magic circle disappeared. The spell was completely undone…
She was certain.
The half of Ludville’s life force that had been consumed had unquestionably returned to him.
Then why was only the Blood Crystal left behind?
Why had the medium that should have disappeared with the spell remained?
Odely cautiously knelt before it.
As she picked up the crimson crystal, a faint warmth spread across her fingertips.
It was warm.
Like the warmth of human skin.
Almost as if someone’s soul were resting inside it.
Yet it didn’t feel ominous or unsettling.
Rather…
It brought her an inexplicable sense of peace.
Ludville gave nearly everything to create this.
Not only his life force—
he had poured his memories, his emotions, and every shred of despair and obsession accumulated through thousands of regressions into this crystal.
Normally, no matter how powerful the will used to create it, it should have disappeared once the spell was undone.
But Ludville was never normal.
Maybe the fact that Ludville is a regressor has something to do with it.
Hadn’t the same wish accumulated inside him thousands upon thousands of times?
Such overwhelming desire.
Longing.
Hope.
Madness.
Perhaps that was why the Blood Crystal had remained even after the magic circle disappeared.
When an object breaks, that’s the end of it.
But even after a human heart shatters, regret lingers.
Perhaps this wasn’t merely the remnant of a spell.
Perhaps it was the final fragment of Ludville’s heart.
She had finally managed to sever their bond.
Yet it felt as though the Blood Crystal was insisting it still couldn’t let her go, tying the two ends of the thread together.
Odely stared at it for a long while.
Then she remembered Ludville’s wish—
that he wanted to spend her thirtieth birthday together with her.
Could it be that the crystal remained because that wish had not yet come to an end…?
…It’s pointless.
Even now, he was still searching for the woman with blue eyes.
Though he’d lost all his memories, his heart still refused to let go.
Perhaps this Blood Crystal was Ludville’s true feelings themselves.
Then maybe this can serve as a sign.
When Ludville truly lets me go… this Blood Crystal will disappear too.
Odely tucked the crystal back into her pocket.
****
It was the third day since the Knights of Dawn had set out.
Across the desolate plain, the snow that had fallen overnight was stained crimson with blood.
The name of this village no longer held any meaning.
Years ago, it had already been reduced to ruins by a single species of monster.
Belusa.
Venomous monsters whose breath melted flesh and rotted internal organs with the slightest touch.
At this very moment, Ludville stood in the middle of the Belusa horde that had annihilated the entire village.
Even after being struck by their poisonous breath,
he didn’t so much as blink.
He cut one down.
Then another.
Then another.
Advancing in a perfectly straight line.
Like someone who had never learned the meaning of retreat.
“Your Grace!”
Edwin, the Grand Duke’s aide, shouted from the edge of the collapsed ravine, his breath forming clouds in the frigid air.
An hour earlier,
Ludville had lured the Belusas in before deliberately collapsing the entrance to the gorge.
It was a tactic to funnel the monsters into a narrow path.
But it was also the decisive act that ensured no one else could follow him.
It was reckless.
Entirely his own decision.
Damn it… again!
Only then did Edwin realize he’d been tricked.
Ludville had used the extermination mission as an excuse to indulge in this suicidal game.
“Belkan! Is it done yet?!”
Edwin shouted as he spun toward the blocked entrance.
The mage called Belkan wiped the sweat from his brow while standing inside a magic circle.
“I’m still trying, Sir Edwin!”
The collapsed terrain threatened another avalanche.
If they rushed in carelessly, Ludville would be buried as well.
The aide and the Knights of Dawn could do nothing except wait helplessly for the spell to succeed.
Edwin ground his teeth.
“Damn it… hurry up already…!”
Through the collapsed debris, he caught brief glimpses of his lord.
Ludville Excepcion.
The corners of his lips were twisted into a smile.
As though intoxicated by the monsters’ demonic energy.
If you’re going to lose your mind, couldn’t you at least do it normally?!
Edwin screamed inwardly.
Oblivious to his aide’s despair,
Ludville cleanly severed another monster’s head.
Its thick, poisonous blood splattered across his face,
yet he didn’t so much as flinch.
His empty violet eyes held no trace of pain.
They simply stared into the distance, devoid of emotion.
Another monster charged straight at him.
This time, he didn’t even bother raising his sword.
He snapped its neck with his bare hand.
And at that exact moment—
“…!”
Thump. Thump. Thump—
His heart suddenly began pounding like mad.
Something surged back into him.
Life.
Vitality.
Strength.
A heartbeat.
Whatever name one chose to give it.
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