Chapter 70
Despite the sharp threat, Aseph did not step back.
“I surrender. What is it that you want?”
As Aseph extended his hand, Bea instead stepped back abruptly.
Afraid she might run away, Aseph hurriedly approached Bea.
“Don’t go, please. If you follow him, there’s no turning back.”
Aseph begged as if pleading, holding Homun in his arms, silently praying for her to change her mind while trying to hide a budding resentment.
Aseph had prepared many excuses for Bea. He was fully capable of shielding Bea from the storm Myron Devesis might bring. He could handle the situation as if Bea was not involved, ensuring she suffered no harm.
But that plan would be useless if Bea chose to follow him.
So now, if she would only return, things could still be reversed.
“Bea, don’t follow him. It’s not what you want.”
“……”
“Come here, please.”
In his impatience, Aseph reached out to grab Bea. Bea swung her knife again, but Aseph was quicker and grabbed her wrist. It was a dangerous move that could have cost him his fingers.
Aseph thought that by doing so, Bea might calm down.
However, he immediately realized his mistake when the opposite blade came flying.
He raised his arm reflexively to block the knife, not to counterattack but to protect Homun in his arms.
The result was immediately felt through the smell.
A cold wind swept through the forest. A heavy scent of blood wafted from the deep wound on his shoulder.
At the same time, Aseph could see it with his own eyes.
Bea’s expressionless face crumbled, slowly revealing emotion.
Clang!
The knife fell to the ground.
Drip, drip.
The droplets of blood flowing down Aseph’s arm soaked into the rain-dampened earth.
Bea’s wide, green eyes lingered on Aseph’s face, Homun in his arms, and the spreading blood on his arm. Her gaze finally settled on her own arm.
Clatter!
The dagger in her other hand also rolled to the ground.
“……”
Bea stood there, mouth agape.
Aseph swore he had never seen Bea look so surprised before. Perhaps, she even seemed frightened.
“Are you okay? You’re not hurt, are you?”
“……”
“It was a mistake, wasn’t it? No, no, it’s my fault. I startled you by trying to embrace you forcefully.”
Despite being the one wounded, Aseph desperately tried to soothe Bea.
“You did nothing wrong—I just brushed against you a bit while moving. It’s really nothing.”
Aseph pulled on the arm holding Bea’s wrist, drawing her closer. Having lost both her weapons before she could reach for new ones, Bea allowed herself to be pulled into Aseph’s embrace before she finally found her voice.
“…Ugh.”
It was a suppressed groan. Given how rare it was to see any expression on her face, the emotions now fully visible were even easier to read.
Confusion, turmoil, fear.
While the expression was undoubtedly distressing, Aseph found it somewhat relieving.
If it had been a deliberate act, she certainly wouldn’t have shown such an expression. More than that, what increasingly caught his attention was the worsening condition of her ear. Blood from Bea’s ear dripped down her jaw.
“Bea, let’s go back. You must be under some kind of threat, right? In any case, you’ve overexerted yourself. You need to rest now. There must be another way for Homun…”
Bea’s wavering gaze landed on Homunculus held between them. Blood from Aseph’s shoulder had stained Homun as well.
Aseph’s hand, unable to contain his distress, reached for Bea’s hearing aid. At his touch, Bea startled and opened her mouth wide.
After letting out a silent scream, Bea pushed Aseph away and fell back.
“Ugh…!”
Only Aseph, who had further opened his wound, let out a groan.
Far away, Bea’s chest heaved rapidly. It was clear she was breathing heavily. Seeing her usually calm demeanor so disturbed was unprecedented.
“Bea, no. It’s really okay.”
“……”
Bea remained silent, stepping back like a frightened animal.
“Bea!”
Aseph called out to her urgently, fearing she would turn and run away at any moment.
“Bea, I love you.”
Bea stopped moving.
“Did you not feel anything for me?”
“I…”
Bea turned away, unable to look at Aseph. Her green gaze fixed on the ground.
“I… I don’t know…”
“Bea!”
That was the last thing he said.
Bea ran and ran and ran.
As if being chased by death itself.
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