Despite his complaints, he gently lifted Noel and carried her to her sleeping place.
He arranged the blankets around her and made sure she was comfortable.
After confirming that she was breathing normally, he finally relaxed.
Aaron: "Honestly... you give me more trouble than the entire kingdom." 😮💨
Just as he was about to return to his place, something caught his attention.
Noel's bag.
Aaron frowned.
It was unusually thin.
How did she even fit anything inside that?
Curiosity got the better of him.
He walked closer, picked up the bag, and opened it.
Aaron: "..."
He stared inside.
Then he blinked.
Once.
Twice.
Aaron: "WHAT THE...?" 😶
Inside was the Asmodius Sword.
The legendary treasure of Oseose.
The sword that had belonged to his father.
The weapon that had once been protected by the kingdom's most difficult challenge.
And Noel had apparently decided that it was perfectly reasonable to carry it around in a tiny bag.
Aaron slowly turned toward the sleeping woman.
Aaron: "SHE BROUGHT THE SWORD IN A BAG?!" 😤
He looked back at the sword.
Then at the bag.
Then at Noel.
Aaron: "How is that even possible?!"
Of course, Noel was too busy sleeping peacefully to answer him.
Aaron rubbed his forehead.
Aaron: "Idiot..." 😑
He carefully put the sword back.
Then he glanced at Noel again.
His expression softened despite himself.
Aaron: "Just wake up safely, okay?"
He pulled the blanket over her shoulder.
Aaron: "I'll deal with your stupidity tomorrow."
And with that, the King of Oseose returned to his place, completely unaware that the night was about to become much worse for someone else.
---
Elda's Side — Near the Rhinovia Kingdom Border
After a long journey, Elda finally reached the place where Charmy was supposedly staying.
The building stood quietly among the trees, far from the busy streets and crowded villages.
Elda studied the surroundings.
Elda: "Looks like that person should be here..." 😐
She stepped inside cautiously.
The place was silent.
Too silent.
Elda narrowed her eyes and began searching the rooms.
Elda: "Charmy? Are you here?"
No answer.
She continued down the corridor.
Suddenly—
Omega: "Who are you?" 🤨
Elda turned sharply.
A man stood behind her.
For a moment, she simply stared at him.
Elda: "What the..." 😐
She hadn't sensed him approaching.
Before she could ask another question, a strange voice echoed inside her head.
Voice: "Kill him." 👿
Elda froze.
What?
The voice came again.
Voice: "KILL HIM!"
Her mind went blank.
Her body reacted before she could think.
Elda's hand moved toward the knife hidden beside her leg.
The man stepped forward.
And then—
STAB!
The blade pierced his chest.
Man: "Ugh..."
His eyes widened.
He staggered backward and collapsed.
Silence swallowed the room.
Elda stared at him.
Her fingers trembled around the knife.
Elda: "I..."
She couldn't finish the sentence.
What did I just do?
She hadn't wanted to kill him.
She hadn't even known who he was.
That voice—
Who said that?
Before she could gather her thoughts, footsteps sounded outside.
Someone was approaching.
The door opened.
A woman entered.
And the moment she saw the man lying on the floor, she stopped breathing.
Unknown Woman: "OMEGA?!" 😨
Elda's eyes widened.
She's...
The woman rushed toward the fallen man and dropped to her knees.
She gathered his motionless body into her arms.
Woman: "Please..."
Her voice trembled.
Woman: "Open your eyes, dear."
She desperately touched his face.
Woman: "I'm sorry..."
Tears streamed down her cheeks.
Woman: "I'm sorry for leaving you alone here..."
She hugged him tighter.
Woman: "Omega..." 😭
But the man didn't respond.
His eyes remained closed.
His body remained still.
He was gone.
The woman's cries gradually faded into silence.
Slowly, she lifted her head.
Her eyes found Elda standing nearby.
For a moment, she simply stared at her.
Then her expression twisted with rage.
Woman: "YOU..." 😡
Elda took a step backward.
Elda: "Wait!"
She raised her hands, desperately trying to explain.
Elda: "I didn't know he was your husband!" 😱
Elda: "I—"
Before she could finish, the woman lunged forward and grabbed Elda by the neck.
Erin: "HOW DARE YOU?!"
Her grip tightened.
Erin: "YOU KILLED MY OMEGA!" 😡
Elda grabbed Erin's wrist, struggling to breathe.
Elda: "ERIN, LISTEN!" 😡
The name made the woman freeze.
Her furious expression faltered.
She stared at Elda's face, looking at her more carefully.
Recognition slowly replaced her anger with disbelief.
Erin: "Wait..."
She loosened her grip.
Erin: "Aren't you now..."
Her eyes widened.
Erin: "The Queen of the Oseose Kingdom?" 😶
Elda didn't answer.
Erin looked down at her husband's lifeless body before turning back toward the queen.
Erin: "You have the power to kill anyone..."
Her voice cracked.
Erin: "But at least..."
She swallowed hard.
Erin: "Give me a reason."
Her eyes filled with tears again.
Erin: "Why?"
She pointed toward the man in her arms.
Erin: "WHY DID YOU KILL HIM?!" 😡
Elda went completely silent.
What could she say?
That she hadn't intended to do it?
That a mysterious voice had ordered her to kill him?
That her body had moved before her mind could stop it?
None of those explanations would bring him back.
Elda: "I... I..." 😨
Her voice refused to cooperate.
She stared at the blood on her hands.
For the first time in a long while, the Shadow Queen had no idea what to do.
Erin watched her closely.
Her anger remained, but something else caught her attention.
Elda wasn't trying to blame anyone.
She wasn't using her royal authority to silence Erin.
She wasn't even defending herself.
Her hands were trembling.
Her face had gone pale.
She looked genuinely horrified by what had happened.
Slowly, Erin loosened her grip completely.
Elda staggered back, one hand moving to her throat.
Neither woman spoke.
One had lost her beloved husband.
The other had taken a life without understanding why.
And somewhere between them lay a terrible question.
Who had commanded Elda to kill him?
And why had her body obeyed?
For the first time that night, Elda felt something far more terrifying than an enemy standing before her.
She felt the fear of having no control over herself.
To be continued...