diah pov
Victor.
Perhaps my sins are simply too great. Whether in the past or the present, I've never been allowed to have everything I wanted.
The moment I meet those gentle eyes I've missed so dearly, all the denials I've held onto for years crumble so effortlessly.
As I hold him close, the truth I fought so hard to suppress finally sets me bare. And at last, I can honestly admit that I've always loved you. And even now, my love for you has never changed.
I look into his eyes, feeling the fierce conviction take root in my chest.
"So from now on... I will choose you, not the title I bear."
I cup his face in my hands, pressing my forehead against his as the rest of the world fades away.
"Come on, let's go. Let's leave these ruins behind together."
If we still can't find a way out, then let it be just you and me left in this world.
As the rain poured heavily outside, the quiet warmth of the room wrapped around us like a sanctuary.
If we still can't find a way out, then let it be just you and me left in this world.
I rested safely against Victor, my arms wrapped securely around him. I don't need anything else. That's more than enough for me.
Hours later, the steady, peaceful rhythm of sleep claimed the room. I lay resting deeply under the covers, completely at ease.
Meanwhile, Victor quietly stepped away, his footsteps soft against the floorboards as he moved into the dark, rainy night.
Out in the torrential downpour, under the cover of a black umbrella, Victor walked alongside a trusted associate. The tension in the air was suffocating.
"That safe is the Grayan family's last hope," his associate urged anxiously, shielding him from the storm. "If we fail to obtain it, this family will have no hope of rising again."
Victor didn't even slow his pace. A cold, detached expression crossed his face as he looked ahead into the rain.
"When did I ever say I would rebuild the Grayan family?" Victor replied flatly.
His associate stopped in his tracks, staring at him in utter shock. "...What?"
Victor paused, turning his gaze back with absolute indifference.
"The Grayan family is finished. This family has already fallen apart, and there's no saving it," Victor stated, his voice devoid of any lingering attachment. "My father is dead too. I don't want to waste any more time trying to restore this family."
A flash of lightning tore across the dark sky, illuminating the scars on his face.
"But I haven't given up on obtaining that safe," Victor continued, a dangerous, calculated edge entering his tone. "I simply intend to use an easier and faster method."
His associate watched him, dumbfounded by the sheer coldness of his resolve.
"So, was your goal never to rebuild the Grayan family in the first place?"
author pov
Beneath the steady sheets of the pouring rain, the conversation cut through the storm with cold finality.
"Then why are you going to such lengths to find that safe?" his associate pressed, his voice strained against the tempest.
Victor's gaze remained sharp, illuminated briefly by a flash of lightning. "I will make the De Laurent family self-sufficient. Once I obtain my father's private safe, I'll use its contents to pay off all of the De Laurent family's debts-including every debt they owe to the Grayan family."
He turned his profile against the wind, his expression unyielding. "So that they can continue to stand on their own strength, free from anyone's interference. The Grayan family may fall, but I will make sure the De Laurent family does not get dragged down with them."
Inside the quiet warmth of the room, Diah slept peacefully, wrapped in a deep, undisturbed slumber.
Standing beside the bed, Victor looked down at her sleeping form. The fierce, calculating resolve in his eyes melted into a quiet, profound melancholy.
Even now, I still wish I could give you everything. But I know no other way than this.
A self-deprecating shadow crossed his features as he gently stroked her hair. In the end, I'm still the same person I used to be, always disappointing you. That's why... at least let you be the one to leave these ruins behind.
His fingers brushed her cheek with heartbreaking tenderness as he watched over her.
Now, you'll be able to live freely, just as you've always wished.
With a soft click, the door closed behind him.
"Sleep well, Daia..." Victor whispered into the quiet shadows before leaving her behind.
Inside the empty room, the faint, lingering sound of footsteps echoed through the silence. Diah stirred in her sleep, her eyelids fluttering as she slowly began to wake.
"Victor?" she murmured, her hand instinctively rising to massage her throbbing temple.
Confusion washed over her as she looked at the empty space beside her. "Ah... I didn't want to fall asleep. But somehow, I ended up..."
Her voice trailed off as the phantom echo of his parting words lingered in her mind-Sleep well, Daia. Now, you'll be able to live freely, just as you've always wished...
A sudden, chilling dread gripped her chest (Deg). Her eyes shot open wide in panic.
"Victor!" she gasped, throwing off the blankets and bolting out of bed.
She rushed to the door, her hand gripping the handle with desperate force. But as she pulled it open to stop him, she was met only with the silent, empty hallway.
Murachevia, Wellenberg
The night draped heavily over La Piazza Station in Murachevia, Wellenberg, where the damp chill of a recent storm still clung to the air.
As Eiser and Serena stepped out, waiting attendants greeted them respectfully. "Was your journey pleasant? A car has been prepared to take you both back to the residence."
Serena glanced toward the waiting vehicle, pulling her coat tighter against the humid breeze. "Oh, I'll be heading back to the hotel."
Eiser turned his gaze toward her, noting the quiet exhaustion in her posture. "No wonder you were all dressed up so early this morning."
"Yes. I have some unfinished business, so I need to stop by the hotel first." Serena gave a soft, weary yawn behind her gloved hand. "As for sleeping, I can get back to it at the hotel after taking care of some urgent matters."
Sensing her fatigue, Eiser offered softly, "In that case, shall I take you there?"
Serena's eyes widened slightly in surprise before a warm, genuine smile touched her lips. "Oh, really? Yes, I'd be delighted!"
Minutes later, a sleek black car rolled smoothly through the streets of Wellenberg. Gazing out the window at the muddy roads and rain-washed storefronts, Serena murmured, "Wow, I guess Grandma was right. This place has been hit by heavy rain and storms over the past few days... The streets are all muddy, and the air is humid too. It looks like the rain stopped just shortly before we arrived."
"Yes, it does seem that way," Eiser replied calmly as the car sped down the avenue.
Inside the quiet cabin, Serena shifted her gaze toward him, her expression turning contemplative. "...Hmm, Eiser. May I ask you something?"
"Go ahead and ask," Eiser responded evenly.
"Are you planning to settle down with the Wister family now?" Serena asked, her eyes searching his face. "I looked into it. As it turns out, the Wister family owns two mansions in Wellenberg."
As Serena pressed forward with her questions, the atmosphere inside the car shifted subtly. While the two of us had grown much more comfortable with each other and become a lot closer, Serena still found herself treading carefully when it came to family matters. She knew very well that Eiser was never comfortable discussing them.
A memory flickered in her mind-a quiet, heavy moment by the water where she had pressed him for answers: "Why should I tell you about that? If you're so curious, then find out for yourself. I don't like sharing my family's private matters with outsiders."
"It's nothing like that," Serena quickly clarified, shifting her tone. "I just wanted to know where you'll be living from now on... To be honest, I'm still not used to thinking of you as part of the Wister family."
Eiser remained silent for a long moment, his profile sharp against the dim light of the passing streetlamps. No matter how much he despised the Grayan family, the person sitting beside him had always been inseparable from that name.
"I'll be staying at the Wister mansion located behind Polintz Cathedral," Eiser finally spoke, his voice steady. "You may not know this yet, but ever since I was little, I've been the one handling all the affairs of my mother's family. There is a reason I inherited my maternal grandfather's name. My grandfather had already reserved that residence for me a long time ago."
He turned his gaze slightly, looking out over the steering wheel as the car continued its steady hum through the wet streets.
"From now on, I'll be living there, so you can remember it as my home."
Serena blinked in surprise, a quiet wave of astonishment washing over her.
Ah, all right! she thought to herself, a faint sense of wonder catching in her chest. (Wow! He actually told me all that so openly...!! It seems there are some complicated issues between the Wister and Grayan families, too.)
As the pre-dawn light began to paint the sky, Serena sat quietly inside the car, her gaze drifting toward the quiet, hazy horizon.
"It seems the sun is about to rise," Eiser remarked softly from the driver's seat, his hands resting on the wheel. "How about we get out for a moment and watch it?"
Serena glanced over at him, a faint trace of nostalgia in her eyes. "We've seen it countless times in Artiazen. Do you still want to see it again?"
"Yes," Eiser answered quietly, a subtle, gentle smile touching his lips as he looked at her. "I'll never get tired of looking at beautiful things."
He offered a soft nod. "All right, then. Come on, let's watch it together."
Moments later, they stood together on a stone bridge overlooking the waking city, the early morning wind sweeping past them. Serena rested her hands on the railing, her expression turning deeply solemn as she looked out over the river.
"Eiser... can you really accept it?" she asked, her voice carrying softly over the breeze. "If the Grayan family were to disappear?"
She turned her head slightly to look at him, her eyes filled with quiet concern. "Even if this is the ending you've wished for, that place is still where you were born and raised. Severing your ties to it and watching it crumble before your eyes can't possibly be easy for you, can it?"
Serena searched his face, her tone laced with lingering apprehension. "You sound as though you've already let go of everything. But are you really certain you won't regret it, not even a little?"
Eiser remained silent, his gaze fixed on the horizon as the first golden rays of dawn began to break through the dark sky.
Serena looked at Eiser's dark profile as he stood overlooking the river, his back turned slightly toward her.
"Even though you've chosen the Wister family, the Grayan family must still mean something to you," she added softly, her words carrying a quiet weight.
Eiser glanced back over his shoulder, a dry, faint amusement touching his gaze.
"So watching the sunrise was just an excuse, huh?" he replied, his tone low and composed. "Are you actually curious about that?"
Serena tilted her head down slightly, her long dark hair cascading over her shoulder as a gentle blush touched her cheeks.
"The hotel is almost here, after all..." she admitted quietly, her gaze fixed on the cobblestones beneath them. "But I still want to spend a little more time talking with you. Besides, we rarely get the chance to talk about things like this."
A memory from their past resurfaced-a quiet moment where she had looked up at him with earnest eyes.
To me, home is a place that holds a special place in my heart. But I understand that home may mean something different to you. I'm asking because I want to understand you now. I still want to keep getting to know you better.
Returning to the present, Eiser closed his eyes briefly, inhaling the cool morning air before addressing her questions directly.
"The Grayan family won't disappear entirely," Eiser explained, his voice even and pragmatic. "Realistically speaking, that's impossible. Although the businesses and several buildings in Santoria Blue have been sold off to pay their debts, the Grayan family's stronghold in Grayton remains intact. It is both the family's ancestral homeland and the former center of their power."
He shifted his hands into the pockets of his dark coat, looking out across the twilight sky over the city.
"Many of our relatives have lived there for generations. The bankruptcy of the main Grayan family in Wellenberg doesn't mean the Grayan family as a whole will cease to exist. It's just that Victor will no longer be able to become the head of the family. Therefore, the residence and all the assets in Wellenberg will eventually be managed by our relatives."
Standing alone against the cool dawn backdrop, Eiser's thoughts drifted back across the years.
At this point, my wish has been fulfilled. It's a shame you died before you could witness the downfall of the family you were so proud of. I turned my back on you, and in the end, Victor discarded you as well.
An image of a cane with a distinct snake head rested on a dimly lit floor, surrounded by a faint, eerie green haze.
Perhaps it was only when you drew your last breath that you finally realized... In the end, you had to taste the bitter fruits of your own failure.
With those ghosts finally laid to rest, only one matter remained. According to intelligence gathered, Victor had been traveling all over Artiazen in a desperate search for Mr. Dustin's personal safe. It was his only remaining hope.
Yet, a cold, calculated certainty settled in Eiser's mind. But I'm the only one who can open that safe. No matter what approach he chooses, he'll eventually have to come to me.
Gazing out over the shimmering river as the morning light caught the water's surface, Eiser knew the inevitable collision was approaching. I know the day we'll face each other again is drawing near.
He turned his gaze toward Serena, who stood nearby watching him with quiet, troubled eyes.
I just hope... you won't be by my side when that day comes.
Caught off guard, Serena blinked against his shoulder as Eiser gently stroked her hair, his touch warm yet guarded.
"Don't worry, I'm fine. You don't need to be concerned," Eiser murmured softly, his hand resting reassuringly on her head. "Just focus on your work."
Serena leaned into him, her fingers curling slightly against his coat as a quiet silence settled between them. But as she drew closer, her hand brushed against something hard and unyielding concealed beneath his jacket.
Her eyes widened in sudden disbelief (Kaget).
A pistol?
Pulling back slightly, her chest tightening with alarm, she looked up at him. "Eiser, what is that you're carrying?"
Eiser met her gaze calmly, his expression entirely unreadable. "There's no need to worry. I'm only carrying it for self-defense, just in case."
Silence hung heavy in the dawn air. Serena stared at him, a chill creeping down her spine (...? Since when did he start carrying a pistol around everywhere?)
Tap.
The sound of approaching footsteps echoed sharply against the old cobblestones.
A few paces away, half-hidden in the dim shadows of the bridge, another figure emerged. Victor stood motionless, his gaze fixed coldly on the two of them, a faint scar visible across his face as he watched them with an intense, unblinking stare.