Small rocks scattered and tumbled down below. She could see a strong current leading downstream below the cliff. Her vision was dizzying.

Thump!

She heard the sound of a monster landing on her back.

He felt his neck go cold. How many times had he experienced this?

Aiden’s face turned pale. His feet quickly moved to the edge of the cliff.

As the monsters ran towards Asralda, Aiden grabbed her body and held her tightly.

Hugging Asralda tightly, Aiden’s body rolled down the cliff and fell into the water below.

The monsters, unable to regain their balance, fell one by one, pushing each other down the cliff.

Eventually, the sound of something thrashing on the surface of the water echoed through the Aresh Mountains.

***

Aiden held Asralda tightly as they fell into the water with a loud splash.

Fortunately, the water was deep. Even as they were being pushed by the current, Aiden did not let go of Asralda.

With one hand holding onto Asralda, Aiden struggled to swim to the surface with his other hand.

But the current was too strong.

At that moment, he saw a monster floating down the river, barely holding onto a log.

Aiden swam with all his might towards the log. He grabbed onto a branch that was barely sticking out and pulled Asralda up onto it.

At the same time, his body floated to the surface. He let out a sigh of relief as he caught his breath.

Asralda seemed unconscious, perhaps due to drinking a lot of water.

The monster on the log, who had smelled Asralda, seemed to be possessed again and ran towards her.

Aiden held onto Asralda’s wrist tightly and pushed the log.

The monster lost its balance and fell into the water in an instant.

The monster was quickly carried away by the river.

Aiden held onto the log with his hands and tried to pull it out of the river, despite being pushed by the current.

However, no matter how much he stretched his body, he couldn’t move towards the shore.

Moreover, whether it was a delusion or not, he felt that the current was getting stronger as he went further downstream.

Shwaaah!

‘!’

Aiden’s body froze at the sound of the rushing water faintly heard in his ears.

He looked far downstream. He saw a monster that had fallen into the water a moment ago floundering on the surface, then suddenly disappearing below as if being sucked down by something.

It was a waterfall.

There was no time to waste. Aiden pulled Asralda, who was lying on the log, towards him.

Then he held her tightly in his arms.

Soon, the two of them were swept away under the waterfall.

***

The hot sensation settled on her lips. As Asralda took a deep, hot breath and passed it through her throat, she spat out the water she had inhaled.

Her consciousness was hazy. Her lips trembled and she collapsed onto the ground.

At the same time, someone pulled her body roughly.

With rough breathing, a scream of resentment rang in her ears.

“The monsters were only after you. Tell me, was this also part of your plan?”

Her vision was blurry, and she couldn’t see anything as if it was covered in fog. She was losing consciousness again.

Asralda barely moved her lips. Her voice was so small that it was barely audible.

“No….”
“……”
“But it would have been better if I died like this.”

Her body was cold. She wanted to continue speaking, but her lips wouldn’t move properly.

She whispered as if sobbing.

“Marinda promised me.”
“……”
“She promised to let me die forever.”

As if her body was rising, she was completely buried in Aiden’s firm and warm chest.

She wanted to dive into the warm body temperature that melted her body right away. However, Asralda struggled with all her might to get out of Aiden’s embrace.

Asralda sobbed in his arms with a broken voice.

“I want to die….”

And then she lost consciousness.

***

Asralda dreamed of the time when she had a severe cold before her regression.

In a dark room, she lay alone in bed, waiting for Aiden to come and groaning endlessly.

She was wrapped tightly in a blanket, huddled up and crying.

Suddenly, someone wrapped their arms around Asralda’s waist from behind.

Asralda turned her head and immediately saw the face of the one she had been waiting for, smiling brightly.

“Aiden….”
“……”
“I knew you’d come.”

Then she stroked his eyes, nose, and mouth and fumbled with a joyful voice.

“The maids said you wouldn’t come, but I kept… waiting.”

Aiden didn’t say anything. His lips were trembling, and his face looked much paler than before.

Asralda’s hand stopped at the strange discomfort.

‘!’

This is not a room.

Asralda finally saw his face through the pungent smell and the sound of crackling firewood.

“Asralda.”

The voice calling her name triggered memories that had been forgotten for a moment, and they rushed back like flames.

Feeling as if her blood was flowing backward, Asralda pushed Aiden away with a scream. Then she sat up straight.

However, her exhausted body didn’t move as she wanted.

Her body lost strength for a moment and leaned towards the cave floor. Aiden’s top, which was covering her body, fell to the ground.

Aiden quickly reached out behind Asralda to support her, but she immediately pushed him away.

“Don’t touch me! Don’t touch my body!”
“Your body is burning. Please, Asralda… we have to keep the warmth until your body melts.”

She wasn’t in her right mind due to the fever.

Asralda desperately avoided Aiden and lay on the ground. Then she clung to the corner of the cave, shivering and trembling.

Her half-conscious eyes looked at Aiden uneasily.

“Don’t come any closer. If you come closer, I’ll die.”
“……”
“I hate you terribly… you disgust me.”

Aiden bent down and picked up his fallen top from the ground. Then he approached her quietly.

“I won’t come any closer. So please let me just melt your body, Asralda.”

At the same time, Asralda screamed again as if she was possessed.

“Just touch my body!”

Aiden asked her with a trembling voice as if he were a half-mad person who was wary of her.

“…What should I do, Asralda?”
“……”
“How can I make you forgive me?”

He knelt down halfway and whispered in a hoarse voice.

“If you tell me what to do, I’ll do anything. So please let me just melt your body….”

Asralda’s eyes, which seemed to have lost consciousness, suddenly lit up. She spoke loudly with a sickly expression on her face.

“Let me go. Let me go like this forever.”

Aiden asked with a collapsing face.

“How…?”
“Kill me with your own hands right now. Forever.”
“……”
“You can do it, Aiden. You can do it.”

His head fell to the ground as if he had given up. Aiden lowered his face without any energy.

“I can’t do it, Asralda.”

Asralda approached Aiden as if she were about to collapse. Then she clung to his body and cried.

“Kill me, Aiden. Please. I’m begging you.”
“……”
“Or tell me, how many times is this for me? When will the last time come? Is there a last time? Huh? How many more times do I have to go through until I can die completely?”

Despair stained Aiden’s eyes as he looked down at Asralda.

He collapsed on the ground, asking incessantly in a feverish voice.

“Why are you crying?”

Looking down at Aiden who had collapsed in front of her, Asralda stupidly asked.

“I’m the one who should be crying….”
“…..”
“Answer me, Aiden. When can I die?”

Asralda shook Aiden.

Aiden, who was half lying on the damp ground, lifted his head after a long time. Then he silently grabbed her wrist and pulled her towards him.

Asralda’s face was buried in Aiden’s firm bare skin.

Asralda, who had been quiet, screamed again as if she were possessed.

“Get off me! Don’t touch my body!”

As a result, Aiden hugged her even tighter. He held her so tightly that she couldn’t move.

“Asralda… You’re not going to die. There won’t be a day like that.”

He whispered as he pressed his dry lips against Asralda’s struggling neck.

“No matter how much you hate me like a bug, I can’t give up. Even if you try to destroy me with cruel words, it’s useless. Even if you stab and cut me, I won’t let you go. I won’t go back alone without you. I’ll definitely go with you.”

Asralda felt her strength slowly leaving her body. She felt her body temperature mixing with Aiden’s.

With the persistent voice that shook her whole body, Asralda eventually lost consciousness again.

“I love you, Asralda.”