Location: TIB – Interrogation Room 12, Eastern Hidden Sector of Headquarters
Edie was led into the interrogation room – a blindingly white room, with only a steel table and two chairs facing each other.
He sat down without uttering a word.
Duun entered, nodding slightly at the person standing beside him.
The other person understood, approached the crystal recorder on the table, and touched it.
The light immediately dimmed.
Duun (His voice was soft, not pressing):
"How are you feeling?"
Edie (He was silent for a moment):
"I don't know… I feel an emptiness."
Duun leaned back in his chair, staring at the boy in front of him, who no longer resembled the hero who once stopped As Now.
Now, he was just a child lost in life.
Duun:
"I don't want to take your statement. It's just procedure… A child like you can't overcome this shock if you keep suppressing it."
He didn't answer. He just lightly clenched his hands under the table.
Detention Area No. 5: Where National-Level Dangerous Subjects are Held
The iron door opened.
Edie stepped into the small room.
Facing him, sitting silently on a chair, was Hakan.
He wasn't wearing a prison uniform, just an old gray shirt, with dark circles under his eyes, his hands lightly cuffed on the table.
Hakan (He smiled, his voice hoarse):
"I'm sorry, Edie. Even if this makes you sad… this is the price I have to pay." Edie (He looked up directly):
"You're not wrong… so there's no need to apologize."
After that, no one mentioned the imprisonment again.
They just talked about everyday things:
The dishes they used to cook, their last hunting trip, small memories in the wooden house.
Edie always smiled.
Not because he was happy, but because he knew – if the atmosphere grew heavier, no one would be able to bear it.
He wanted to give Hakan a conversation… as if there had never been a day of separation.
Outside the surveillance room, Efill approached, reaching out to adjust the monitoring crystal.
Duun (He sighed softly):
"Help me send a proposal to execute Hakan as soon as possible."
Efill:
"Are you sure?"
Duun:
"The longer we wait… the more likely little Edie is to do something foolish."
Efill (He shook his head):
"Poor kid… Just got a real family… and now…"
Detention Room – Time Nearly Up
Hakan looked up at Edie, his eyes red-rimmed.
Hakan:
"Edie… Live well. Become a kind person, help others… Don't be like me – a devil." (Very slowly.)
Edie stood up. He didn't speak.
He just looked at him for a long, long time.
Then he turned away.
The iron door closed behind him.
Inside the room, Hakan bowed his head.
Tears rolled gently down his cheeks.
Not because he feared death.
But because he knew… this was the last time he could protect someone.
No matter how strong a man is… before life and death,
One does not cry for oneself,
But for those who must continue to live – alone.
Prison Hallway – After the Last Meeting
As the door closed behind him, Edie stood still for a very long time.
He didn't move, didn't look up.
A hot tear slid down his cheek.
Then another.
Then a whole stream…
He didn't even know he was crying
Until a choked sob burst from his mouth:
"No one… only me left…"
Not a word of comfort.
Not a hand on his shoulder.
Only the cold fluorescent lights, and loneliness clutching him like a wet blanket covering his chest.
A Few Weeks Later
Edie disappeared from the lecture hall.
No one saw him in class.
No assignments submitted.
No messages. He didn't answer anyone.
He lived silently in the old wooden house – where there used to be laughter, a warm kitchen, and Hakan's gaze.
Now, the house only echoed with the sound of falling wine bottles.
Each day, another scratch on the wall, another empty can in the corner.
A dose of something… that made him forget his own name.
Jinna came. But he sent her away.
Edie:
"I don't want you to live with someone like me."
"I'm not the Edie you know anymore."
One Rainy Afternoon, Someone Knocked on the Door
The wooden door creaked open.
A woman stood there – softly curled hair, carefully applied makeup, a designer coat.
Seal.
Edie's biological mother.
The one he had never fully called 'mother'.
Seal:
"Ugh… I heard you haven't been going to school lately, just hiding out like this… You don't need to be so miserable. He deserved it anyway. He's a murderer, Edie." (She looked into the house, frowning.)
Edie stood silently for a few seconds… then jumped up, yelling:
Edie:
"What do you know?! Even if he was a murderer, at least he taught me what family is! What about you and dad? You gave birth to me for your own benefit, when you already had someone else you loved, why did you even have me?! I didn't want to be born[span_85](start_span)!"
Without waiting for her reaction, Edie pointed outside.
Edie:
"Go away. I know you're not here for me. You're here because I made you proud by being a hero in everyone's eyes. But you already disowned the name Edie from before, didn't you?" (His voice hissed through clenched teeth.)
Seal stood silent for a few seconds, then turned and walked away.
No apology. No explanation.
Never looking back.
Edie slumped to the floor.
Looking at the ceiling.
Alone.
Edie:
"If this is light… then I really don't belong in it."
Bellasia Academy – Female Dormitory, Room 512 – Late Night
Light rain was falling.
The 5th floor of the female dormitory was silent as if no one lived there.
Furina sat still by the window, her empty gaze reflecting the distant streetlights.
Amal:
"You've seemed so sad lately. Is something wrong, Furi? Can I help?"
Furina:
"My relative just passed away. So now… everything feels so quiet." (Her voice was soft.)
Amal paused for a moment, then nodded:
Amal:
"I'm sorry… If you want to be alone, I'll go back to my room."
Furina:
"Mm-hm."
The door closed.
Furina still didn't move.
Only her eyes… were slightly wet.
Her mother – had passed away from illness 5 years ago.
Her father – who had just appeared, before she could even truly call him 'father'… had vanished from this world.
She sat close to the windowsill.
Arms wrapped around her knees, head resting against the wall, silently watching the raindrops spread on the windowpane.
Until—
A hand reached up from outside the window.
Then a face… drenched with rain, gasping for breath.
Edie.
Edie:
"Help me…" (He whispered.)
Furina froze, unable to react.
But when she realized who was clinging to the fifth-floor window ledge, she quickly leaned out and pulled him in.
Both fell onto the wet, cold floor of the room, confused.
Edie carried a bag inside with alcohol, a few opened cans, and some hastily packed snacks.
The smell of alcohol mixed with the scent of rain and… the smell of pain.
Edie:
"Do you drink?"
Furina nodded lightly:
Furina:
"Yes."
No chairs needed.
No table needed.
Both sat on the floor with their backs against the wall, shoulders touching.
No one said anything serious. No one tried to ask "are you okay."
Only the sound of cans being opened.
And the wind whistling through the gap in the door.
Edie:
"I lost my father."
Furina:
"I lost my mother."
Edie:
"Now… I don't need anyone."
No one said those exact words
But they both understood every bit, every nuance, every silent phrase.
The night lingered for a very long time.
The rain fell very slowly.
Only two people… and the same sorrow, quietly sharing it with wine.
No one saved anyone. It was just that sitting together, it was a little less cold.
Wooden House – Early Morning the Next Day
Edie woke up.
His head ached slightly.
His hands were cold.
His body felt as if it had just drifted from a very long dream.
He turned his head to the side – saw a magic staff leaning against the wall.
Edie:
"…Jinna."
He didn't remember how he got home.
He just knew he had been sitting on the 5th floor, drinking, and then…
He stepped outside.
The smell of soup wafted through the air.
Jinna was busy by the stove, her hair tied up, stirring a pot, humming softly.
Jinna:
"You're awake?" (She turned around, smiling lightly.)
Edie frowned, his voice hoarse:
Edie:
"I told you… don't care about me anymore. Just leave me alone."
Jinna didn't turn back:
Jinna:
"I like caring. Who was it that said he wanted to marry me, and now he's so irresponsible?"
Edie was speechless.
He didn't say anything.
He sat down beside her.
Watched her cook.
Watched the soup bubble in waves.
And inside, something spilled out…
Not tears.
But the feeling of seeing light for the first time after weeks in darkness.
They ate together.
No one said too much.
But the silence was very gentle.
After the meal, Jinna took Edie for a walk around the forest.
The wind was cool. Sunlight streamed through the leaves.
They talked about trivial things: the squirrel in the tree, the heart-shaped stone on the ground, and the smell of damp moss after the rain.
Until they stood on a cliff overlooking the river, where the wind blew strong, and the sky seemed clearer.
Jinna held Edie's hand, looking directly at him:
Jinna:
"Edie… I love you. And I hope we can share – move forward together. No matter what happens… I won't leave."
Edie didn't answer immediately.
He just squeezed her hand gently.
His eyes watched the water flow, thinking about what he had lost.
Edie (internal thought):
"There are some pains that never end. But if I don't move on… the person beside me will suffer instead."
From that moment, Edie chose to live.
Not for himself.
But because there was still an important person holding his hand.
The cliff.
Sunset.
Two people.
Jinna stepped closer.
The wind blew softly, her hair fluttering as if the air was also waiting for something to happen.
Jinna:
"Edie…"
She looked up.
Kissed him.
Very lightly, very gently.
Very real.
And in that moment, Edie believed everything would be okay.
Until—
Pain.
Cold.
Burning.
Something pierced through his flesh, stabbing directly into his stomach.
He opened his eyes.
Her arm was still
wrapped around his shoulder.
But her other hand… was holding the knife handle.
Jinna:
"I love you." (She smiled faintly.)
Then she pushed him.
Not hard.
Not fast.
Just enough… for him to lose his balance.
Thud[span_210](start_span)!
Edie's body fell into the river.
Cold water enveloped him.
He couldn't breathe.
And as he slowly sank, he burst into tears. Not from pain. But because finally… he had no one left to miss.
From behind a nearby rock, someone burst out.
Two X:
"What are you doing?! Why did you push him down?[span_216](start_span)!" cite_start
Jinna turned around, casually:
Jinna:
"I slipped."
Two X:
"Slipped my ass… Did Ras hire you to push him down?"
Jinna shrugged:
Jinna:
"I'm a reliable businesswoman. Whether he lives or dies is fate. Remember to give me my payment."
Two X:
"You… If he dies, I'll kill you." (Shaking with rage.)
Jinna sneered:
Jinna:
"Try it. Our organization will put you on the blacklist immediately."
She took off her mask.
It wasn't Jinna.
Just a fake face.
Jinna:
"Finally done acting… Hypnotizing myself to believe I loved him… so tiring." (She sighed, as if finishing a play.)
Two X:
"Xam! Where are you?[span_232](start_span)!" (He roared.)
A shadowy figure appeared.
Xam:
"What is it?"
Two X:
"Jump in and find him! Quickly!"
The sound of water splashing.
The sound of wind blowing.
The sound of someone's heart… no longer beating to its old rhythm.
The splash of water as Xam jumped in.
Deep river.
Undercurrents.
And the dark night swallowed all light.
Two X stood on the cliff, clenching his fists, his eyes scanning every ripple.
Jinna stood beside him, smiling indifferently, as if she had just completed a scene in a script.
Xam:
"No body found." (He surfaced after a few minutes.)
Two X:
"Impossible. It's not that deep. It doesn't flow that fast." (He frowned.)
Xam:
"The river has many underground branches. If he drifted into one… he's lost."
Two X:
"That dog Ras… Always ruining my plans." (He gritted his teeth, his hand trembling.)
He turned to look at Jinna.
She was still calmly adjusting the fake skin on her face, not bothering to care.
"No body.
No person.
No trace."
In the darkness, the wind howled stronger.
On the river, only a few spreading bubbles remained…
Then everything sank into silence.
Drelas Riverbank – A Few Days After Edie's Disappearance
Police cordoned off the area. Yellow tape was everywhere, the forensics team was still diving for the body, but the results were only negative numbers.
In the far corner of the area, near the edge of the forest, a man in black stood silently watching the swirling water.
Duun.
???:
"I didn't expect TIB to investigate a normal person's case."
Duun turned around. A tall man was approaching — black hair, neatly trimmed beard, deep violet eyes like bottomless pits.
He wore a neat black suit, a dark black shirt, no badge, no introduction needed.
Ras Sloven.
Duun:
"Greetings, Mr. Ras. I'm just here to observe. He… has been through too much. Now he's disappeared. I'm starting to think… someone is involved." (He nodded lightly, remaining calm.)
Ras glanced towards the river, a vague smile:
Ras:
"Probably. Your friend… touched where he shouldn't have. It's best… to consider this a missing person case. Investigating deeper… might uncover something you don't want to see."
Duun was silent.
Every word from Ras was like small pebbles falling into water – no noise, but creating deadly whirlpools.
Duun:
"Is he alive… or dead?"
Ras still looked at the water, his voice as even as if he were discussing afternoon tea:
Ras:
"Perhaps dead. Perhaps… still alive. But not the Edie you knew anymore."
He said no more.
He just turned his back and slowly walked away from the grassy bank.
His shadow stretched with the afternoon sun like an ink stain spreading on ancient history.
Efill walked up next to Duun:
Efill:
"What did he say? Is it related to Edie?"
Duun still watched Ras's retreating figure:
Duun:
"A lot. I'm sure he's holding him… Maybe to protect him… Not from us, but from that guy."
Efill:
"He really is a monster. He manipulated the entire cabinet, hiding under the title of 'royal advisor' for 8 years. In reality… he was the king in the shadows." (He sighed softly.)
Duun:
"And now… perhaps he's the only one who knows where Edie is."
Spiwell Manor – Stone Tea Room
The night wind howled through the ancient corridor. The moss-covered walls seemed to silently listen to the unnamed conversation.
Roock sat on a stone chair, his hand resting casually on the armrest, the firelight from the fireplace illuminating his thoughtful face.
A figure appeared at the spiral staircase.
No warning, no invitation needed.
Ras Sloven.
Ras walked over, smiling faintly:
Ras:
"Have you been waiting long for me?"
Roock:
"Not too long." cite_start
Ras sat down opposite him:
Ras:
"It's time to tell you the truth, Roock. About that boy."
Roock:
"I've known about that for a long time. Anyway… that child of mine couldn't live long. Congenital heart disease. At first, I didn't feel anything towards him, I just saw him as a painful memory. Something unintended."
Ras didn't react, just listened silently.
Roock smiled faintly:
Roock:
"But somehow… He started to make me care more and more."
Ras nodded slowly, his eyes deep:
Ras:
"Now… perhaps it's also time for Edie to know the truth."
Roock put down his glass, his eyes hardening:
Roock:
"Yes. About his bloodline… And the enemy he will face."
The fire crackled in the hearth.
The wind stopped blowing.
The story also ended there — silently as if it had never existed.
—End of Chapter—