The frosty winter wind blew without mercy. The air was chilly, and the cold wind felt like it was slicing through his skin. White breath smoked out from between Eton’s lips as he sat on Lize’s palace’s roof.

“What are you doing here?”

“…Belkiel.”

“Are you enjoying solitude by yourself? Look who never grew up.”

Even though he said that, Belkiel squatted down next to Eton.

“Where have you been?” Eton asked.

“You already know,” Belkiel answered indifferently.

“That’s right.”

Belkiel stared at the smirking Eton, then parted his lips again.

“He didn’t just kill one or two people. He is very familiar with blood. He even killed someone just a few days ago.”

“I know.”

“Do you know who the dead are?”

At the sudden question, Eton gazed at Belkiel.

“It’s their descendants.”

“…”

“And of course, there are those who are not descendants. Anyway, it’s funny, right?”

Belkiel meticulously checked everything. Who are the people Raytan killed? Then finally, Belkiel soon found out that they were descendants of those who tried to drive out and destroy Eton in the past.

“Do you think this is a coincidence?” asked Belkiel.

Eton was silent for a moment then chuckled.

“I don’t know.”

“You truly act as if I’m talking about someone else’s business.”

“Actually, it doesn’t matter that much, Belkiel. Whether it’s a coincidence or not, the important thing is…”

“The important thing is, what?”

“It’s already too late to turn around.”

Eton looked down at the Imperial Palace in silence. The Imperial palace reflected in his blood-red eyes looked very different from before.

“A long time has passed, and countless things have changed… Strangely, I still feel like something is going to repeat.”

“…”

“It seems like something I didn’t do then is happening now.”

“What the hell were you trying to do?”

Eton smirked again for a split second.

“Did you want revenge back then? On all those with blonde hair and blue eyes. That’s why you left the stigma, right?” Belkiel questioned.

“…Yes, I did. It was a mark I left so that I could recognize them at a glance when I returned one day.”

Everyone spoke about the dazzling gold hair and the blue eyes that resemble the sea are proof that someone is part of the Imperial family. However, the truth was different. Those features were Eton’s mark— his mark for the traitors.

“Did you want to kill them all?”

“…”

“Like what that kid is going to do?”

A heavy silence fell between the two of them. Eton didn’t say anything. He only put on a blooming smile and a sorrowful gaze. Since he didn’t get any reply, Belkiel started to open his mouth again, but…

“I hope it snows, Belkiel.”

“What?”

“To the point where it can cover all the blood and corpses.”

“What are you talking about? Where are the corpses?”

“It will happen.”

“…Eton?”

“Everyone will die soon, from now on.”

“…”

“Today is the day it will all get started.”

Eton pointed down below them, and Belkiel’s silver-blue eyes followed his hand. It was Yerena walking into Lize’s palace.

“I said it already. It’s too late to turn back now.”

His crimson eyes lit by the moonlight flickered.

“This is just the beginning.”

***

“I don’t know if I’m just bothering you late at night, Lize.”

“You’re not. Please don’t worry about that, Yerena.”

Yerena responded with a light smile to Lize’s answer.

‘… Damn bitch.’

However, the words she cursed in her mind were completely different from her smiling face.

Yerena thought Lize would look like a corpse because everyone said she was dying, but she was still beautiful. Of course, with her condition it was clear that she was sickly, but it didn’t seem to affect her beauty even the slightest bit.

Even so, she still looked thinner and more vacant than before. It was ironic.

“My health is getting worse.”

Unfortunately, this was going to be the last time Lize will enjoy that beauty. She was going to die soon. Her intestines will feel like it’s burning, and her whole body will endlessly feel like it’s in an intense heat to the point she wants to throw up blood.

“All I can do now is sit down. Please forgive me for being impolite.”

“How could you expect such courtesy from a sick person?”

Yerena’s eyes narrowed.

“… But, Lize, I didn’t know you enjoy alcohol.”

Her malicious gaze focused on what was around Lize’s bed. There were things on the clean marble floor that did not suit Lize at all: an empty wine bottle and a half-filled glass.

“I’m sorry to show you something you don’t want to see, Yerena. Now medicine isn’t working well, I can’t sleep well at night. That’s why I’m borrowing even the power of alcohol.”

It wasn’t a lie. It was a miracle that Lize’s body was still alive. Nowadays, she couldn’t eat anything and was busy throwing up gastric juices.

Every night she would have a nightmare that hindered her from sleep, and now that she even couldn’t eat anything, Lize couldn’t help but drink all that wine.

“…It’s okay. Maybe what I brought you can help solace your heart,” Yerena spoke cautiously.

“Even if you and I aren’t close, haven’t we already known each other for more than ten years?”

“Yes. Time goes so fast.”

“Actually, I was really worried. Even more so after hearing that no medicine could work properly on you.”

Instead of answering, Lize only smiled at those words.

“Lize, if you’re okay with it… I want to give you a present.”

“…”

“Will you accept it?”

Lize solemnly observed her. Yerena’s eyes flashed with zeal.

“Lize?”

The vivid ambition on Yerena’s face instantly disappeared, and she hastily changed it to a gentle expression as she looked at Lize.

“Absolutely,” Lize also had a sweet smile with her unchangingly gentle face. “It’s a gift from you… I feel grateful.”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

Yerena bent over and picked up something that she had placed on the floor all this time.

“While preparing for His Majesty, I suddenly thought of you.”

What she put on the table was a long, black glass bottle.

“It is a liquor made with medicinal substances that are good for the body. They said it works very well.”

“…”

“It will surely help you too.”

There was no answer in return. Lize only looked at Yerena with her characteristic gentle smile. As always, Yerena couldn’t figure out what was the meaning behind it.

Perhaps Lize was suspicious of her, so Yerena spoke again in nervousness.

“Of course, I know you may find my gift unappealing. But don’t worry, I sent the same thing to His Majesty this afternoon. If you want, it’s okay to confirm it first.”

“No, Yerena,” Lize shook her head. “Didn’t I already say it just now? I…”

Lize once again spoke with her soft voice, “It’s a gift from you, Yerena. I’m happy with anything you give me.”