Luzbel tried to take the boy's hand.
But when she lifted her gaze… she saw him again.
Not him.
Someone else.
This time it wasn't like the other occasions—those quick, almost imperceptible visions that appeared and vanished like a fleeting flash in her mind.
No.
This time was different.
The image manifested with overwhelming clarity, as if a living memory had decided to step forward before her.
She saw him standing there.
That person had long white hair. Around his eyes he wore reddish makeup that contrasted with the purity of his pale skin. His eyes… were yellow, intense, and instead of pupils two small stars shone within them.
On his forehead, a third star glowed just as brightly.
His clothing was white, adorned with golden details that seemed to capture the light itself.
And then… his hand.
That hand extended toward her.
That smile.
The image struck her like a wave.
A wave of guilt.
The air seemed to vanish from her lungs. Luzbel pulled her hand back abruptly, as if touching Morgan were something she had no right to do.
She stood up immediately and stepped away from him.
Her face was no longer the same.
Too many things mixed within her expression: pain, remorse… and a guilt so deep it seemed to tear her apart from the inside.
"Eh… eh… it's all right, mi—"
But Morgan couldn't finish the sentence.
Before the words could fully form in his mouth, Luzbel had already fled.
She ran.
She said nothing more.
She didn't look back.
She simply… couldn't bear it anymore.
Her figure disappeared into the heavy rain, as if the sky itself were trying to erase her presence.
In the distance, Zarachi, who had been silently watching, felt that something was terribly wrong. Her body reacted before her mind did, and she quickly approached.
"What's going on…? What happened?"
(she asked, her voice filled with concern as she looked at Morgan)
But Morgan could only stare at the place where Luzbel had vanished.
From his mouth barely escaped a thin thread of voice.
"I… I don't know…"
(murmured Morgan, completely confused)
Zarachi clenched her fists.
"W-what do we do…?"
(she asked, growing more and more anxious)
Morgan took a deep breath, trying to put in order the chaos inside his chest.
"Tell everyone to go back to their rooms… I'll go after her."
(he finally said, though it was obvious from his eyes that he himself didn't understand what was happening)
And before Zarachi could respond…
Morgan was already running.
The rain kept falling mercilessly.
Water struck the ground, the walls, his face… but Morgan didn't stop. He ran with all his strength, pushing through the downpour, searching through the curtain of rain for the silhouette that had fled moments earlier.
Luzbel already had a head start.
But Morgan didn't give up.
He kept running.
Faster.
Harder.
"Miss Luzbel!… Wait! Please wait!"
(he shouted with all his strength, trying to stop her)
Then, from the distance, a scream was heard.
A heart-rending scream.
"No…! No…! NOOO…!"
Luzbel's voice was full of pain.
Morgan sped up even more.
For an instant…
for just one instant…
it seemed like he was going to reach her.
But then—
Luzbel's wings opened.
Large. Dark. Soaked by the rain.
She tried to fly.
Her wings were heavy and clumsy, water sliding down every feather. When she tried to lift herself, her body faltered in the air, as if the sky itself were trying to drag her back to the ground.
But the pain…
The desperate need to escape…
was stronger.
With a violent beat of her wings, she managed to rise.
Awkward. Unstable.
But enough.
Morgan stopped.
He watched her slowly rise into the storm, farther and farther away, smaller and smaller against the gray sky.
"Wait…!
Please wait!"
(Morgan shouted with all the strength he had left)
But his voice was lost among the wind and the rain.
And as Luzbel flew away, higher and higher, farther and farther…
Morgan could only remain there.
Under the rain.
Watching as she disappeared.
End of the chapter.
Next chapter: It's Okay to Cry — Pt. 2.