A pounding heart.
The single sword stroke from that day, which I had longed for and yearned after.
The moment Crimson Love's End split apart under his own two hands, Isaac's eyes gleamed.
The path had opened.
Just like Liana that day, who had parted the river and pointed to the other side.
What caught Isaac's sight was Liana, standing alone between the split halves of Crimson Love's End.
"If there is a god—"
As if sensing her own end.
Liana slowly closed her eyes.
"Thank you for making me pay for my sins."
Without hesitation, Isaac advanced through the opened path. His arms, gripping the twin swords, trembled.
Why was he trembling?
Was it because his muscles were twisting from the fatigue and shock accumulated while cutting through Liana's Crimson Love's End?
Or was it the exhilaration and thrill of finally cleaving through the massive mountain known as Helmut?
Or perhaps—
Was it the tangled, complicated emotions of having to cut down his former wife in reality?
She didn't know.
But.
"My lilac."
Liana's calm call.
As if responding, his steps toward her held no hesitation.
"May you simply bloom in full."
By now, his murderous aura had settled.
The resentment and anguish he had poured out during the battle had already been exhausted the moment he cut down Crimson Love's End.
As he charged forward, Isaac finally realized what he had severed.
It was the past.
Cutting through Crimson Love's End, which had heralded their beginning, meant bringing closure to their shared history.
'What remains here—'
Isaac's sword swung down as he reached Liana.
***
"..."
The place where she opened her eyes was a room tinged with a chilling coolness.
In the gray-toned room, where not even a single candle was permitted, Liana slowly awoke.
"Where is this—"
She startled slightly at her own voice.
The moment she realized her subjugation transformation hadn't yet lifted, she confirmed that she was still alive.
She had lost.
Though she hadn't wielded her sword by her own will, it was undeniable that Helmut's pride had been severed by Isaac.
It was a defeat she had to acknowledge.
The man who had rejected her and moved forward had grown to that extent.
As she sat up from the bed, Liana turned her head slowly at the metallic sound coming from her wrist.
"Iron chains."
And thick ones at that, binding her hands.
Looking closer, shackles were fastened within the chains.
Her body moved before her thoughts could catch up.
Clang!
She tried to pull free, but no matter how much force she applied, the chains only strained taut without any sign of loosening.
It was excessive for an ordinary prisoner, but perfectly fitting for restraining Helmut.
Creak.
Then, the door opened, and Isaac stepped inside.
Seeing Liana awake, he looked slightly surprised before giving a small greeting.
"Hello."
"…Hello."
Could there be a more awkward greeting in the world?
Hesitating, Isaac began to explain.
"It's been a day since you lost consciousness. For a Helmut, that's a bit later than expected."
"I poured out crimson aura without rest. The aftereffects must have been stronger than I thought."
Her subjugation remained.
The thought slipped out before she realized it, and Liana paused in surprise.
"Now that you've regained consciousness, your punishment will be decided."
"Not execution?"
"Everyone knows the circumstances you were in. Of course, storming the royal palace and attempting to assassinate Princess Adeline—no matter the reason—can't just be overlooked, but—"
"Still, You are the head of the Helmut family, and your current condition requires careful examination."
"Thanks to your sacrifice, Caldias was able to return. That will be taken into account, so an outright execution won't happen."
"I see."
Liana nodded.
Her body still tensed with the urge to assassinate Princess Adeline, but the restraints kept her immobile.
"I'll be taking you to the Magic Tower."
Isaac continued in a businesslike tone, briefly explaining what would happen next.
"The Magic Tower is currently analyzing the Sorcery through the Mu-myeong. You'll be used as a specimen there… to help decipher the Sorcery."
"Decipher the Sorcery…"
"Yes. As far as I know, there's no known way to reverse Subjugation spell, but that's just based on my limited knowledge. There might be another way."
Truthfully, Isaac wasn't deeply knowledgeable about Sorcery.
In fact, he had encountered them more in this life than in his past one.
"They'll investigate whether reversal is truly impossible. You'll have to cooperate, whether you want to or not."
"Yeah, I will."
Of course, Liana had no choice.
"Of course, this is just the scenario I'm hoping for. Things could go differently. Conservative nobles are already shouting that you can't be left alive. That you must be executed for raising your sword against royalty."
"I'd expect nothing less. To them, it's an unforgivable act."
"Right. So I'm just telling you to be prepared for that."
Having said that, Isaac slowly turned to leave. Watching his retreating figure, Liana spoke up.
"Why?"
Was this because of subjugation spell?
Or was it her own will?
She didn't know, but it stopped Isaac in his tracks.
"Why did you spare me?"
She was genuinely puzzled.
She had been fine with dying.
No—she had even wanted it.
If she had died there…
Wouldn't that have been a fitting end to her life?
Isaac turned back slightly and answered with a sigh.
"Just a little."
"...."
"Very little."
Yes, it was truly a trivial amount, but—
"The memories you gave me… weighed slightly more than the wounds you inflicted."
"...!"
"That's all."
As he turned to leave again—
"You're amazing."
"...?"
Isaac's steps froze.
Did I just hear that right?
Doubting his ears, he glanced back to see Liana's face burning red as she—
"I love you."
"..."
"Ah, no! That's not something I wanted to say!"
At her flustered outburst, Isaac nodded.
"Yeah, I know. It's because of the subjugation spell. I understand."
"Even your understanding is amazing."
"..."
Sniff.
Liana's eyes, already red with embarrassment, glistened slightly with tears as she muttered—
"J-Just kill me already."
***
The royal council chamber was thick with icy tension.
Princess Adeline sat in the central chair, flanked by a row of solemn-faced nobles standing on either side.
Acting as regent in place of the ailing king, Adeline exuded quiet authority. To her right stood Clarice, positioned slightly closer than the rest of the nobility.
And at the center of the room—
Bound in thick iron chains, her hands and feet shackled, her mouth gagged—stood Liana Helmut.
"Liana Helmut, head of House Helmut."
At Adeline's composed voice, the assembly fell silent, their gazes shifting toward the restrained woman. Liana lifted her head, the heavy muzzle preventing her from speaking.
"Your Highness! Her crimes are undeniable!"
One of the nobles stepped forward, voice trembling with outrage.
"What mercy can we possibly show to someone who dared raise a blade against the royal bloodline? Execution is the only fitting punishment!"
As if waiting for the cue, others joined in.
"That's right, Your Highness! To preserve the dignity and authority of the royal family, we must set an example!"
"While Arandel Helmont was alive, House Helmont wielded far too much power. But this time, it's clearly their fault!"
Voices erupted from all sides.
Yet Adeline listened silently, absorbing every word.
When the nobles finally quieted, she exhaled softly and spoke.
"The head of House Helmut is no mere criminal. She was ensnared by the Transcendent Sorcery known as 'Subjugation.'"
"But Your Highness! What does that matter? Does being cursed absolve her of guilt?"
"Indeed! The blood on her hands cannot be washed away by excuses!"
The nobles seized the opportunity, their voices rising again. It was clear how much they resented House Helmut—a family that had never bowed to political maneuvering, a clan of uncompromising sword-wielding monsters. Now, they saw their chance to diminish Helmut's power.
"I do not intend to pardon her crimes. But as the royal family, we have a duty—to uncover the truth and ensure this never happens again."
A heavy silence fell over the hall. Adeline's voice carried both authority and resolve.
"Liana Helmut will not be executed. Instead, she will be sent to the Magic Tower, where she will serve as the key to researching and unraveling the Sorcery. This is how Helmut will atone."
The nobles hesitated. Adeline, the very one whose life had been threatened, stood firm. Who could argue?
"This decision is final. The dignity of the royal family is not upheld by bloodshed, but by wisdom that secures a better future. If her existence can make the kingdom safer, then that is the royal family's true interest."
No one dared speak further. The weight of Adeline's judgment settled over them.
Then, one noble cautiously raised a hand.
"B-but Princess… No matter how grave the crime, gagging a noble is excessive, don't you think?"
"Indeed. She hasn't spoken a single word in this assembly. If this is truly Your Highness's will, we should at least hear her vow from her own lips."
"Besides, I've heard that under the subjugation spell, one cannot lie. So, hearing her oath would carry meaning."
She was still the head of House Helmut, after all. Gagging a noble like this was too much.
Adeline glanced subtly at Isaac, who stood beside Liana. He reached out and loosened the muzzle—
"Isaac smells nice."
"...?!"
Click.
Isaac hastily re-fastened the gag.
Some nobles blinked in disbelief, while others, who hadn't heard, frowned and demanded he remove it again.
Sweat beaded on Isaac's tense hands.
Liana's pupils trembled, her expression flickering with dread.
"Remove it at once! What are you waiting for?"
"Baron Logan! Stop dawdling!"
Under the nobles' sharp demands, Isaac leaned in and whispered to Liana, voice barely audible.
"Please—don't think about me. Just focus on proving you stand with the kingdom. Can you do that?"
But here's the thing—
When you tell someone not to think about something, their mind inevitably fixates on it.
Like when you're told not to think of a dog, and suddenly, all you can picture is a dog.
The moment Isaac told her not to think of him—
It was already over.
Click.
The moment the gag came off again—
"Isaac is so cool."
Liana's mouth betrayed her, spilling her unfiltered thoughts.
"I love you, Isaac."
"Isaac's scent is the best."
"Let's have a ba—"
Click.
Isaac frantically re-secured the gag, his face burning. He couldn't bring himself to look at the stunned nobles.
Liana met his gaze with tear-filled eyes, silently pleading:
'Just kill me, Isaac.'
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