Annette fell to the ground, screaming, and a pitch-black shadow grabbed her from behind, leaving her with no time to come to her senses. Angie fell with her, and together they rolled out of the passage, entangled. The darkened vision was suddenly brightened by the mansion, the dock, and the torches hanging here and there. The clouds blocking the moon moved away, and the shadows were clearly visible.
“It was you, Annette. You were the one who was running around like a rat.”
“Mrs Dunst...”
Louis was holding Annette from behind. Something in her other hand was aimed at her throat. The blade gleamed in the frosty moonlight.
“Annette!”
Angie, who had risen from the other side, screamed. Mrs. Dunst looked as if she would stab Annette in the neck at any moment. Louis's face, glaring at her, was distorted with a fierce grimace.
“Let go of Annette, madam!”
“If you want to save this child, come here. Quickly!”
“Ugh... Ugh....”
Annette was gasping for breath in fear. The tip of the dagger slightly pricked her neck, and a squelching moan escaped her lips. The moment a red line appeared on Annette’s neck, Angie screamed again.
“Stop it! I’ll go now... Please send Annette away, right now.”
Angie gritted her teeth and took a step toward Louis. Her heart froze with fear, anger, and the cold of the winter night. The piece of wood in her pocket came to mind, but she didn’t dare take it out. It was obvious that the shard would be useless against the woman’s large body and the sharp blade.
“Don’t be so daunted, come here quickly. Are you okay with this kid dying because of you?”
Louis said through gritted teeth, holding onto Annette tightly. The sound of gunfire, shouts, and screams coming from the mansion were growing louder.
“You’re a useless woman, I should have gotten rid of you a long time ago. If only Michael hadn’t shown such a useless obsession with you... Anyway, we had to get that baby from Vintergar into our hands. You’re of no use at all.”
The last words were almost like a soliloquy, so she couldn't hear them clearly. Angie quickened her pace and shouted again.
“Let go of Annette! She’s on her way...”
Suddenly, the torches in the chapel went out, and darkness fell over them for a short moment. Annette let out a cry and fell to the ground. Someone had pushed her from behind Louis. The dagger that had fallen from the woman’s hand fell to the ground and rolled away somewhere.
“A baby?”
The metallic sound of the grip being loaded pierced through the cold night air and reached Louis's head. The actual tip of the gun was also touching her head. Kyle asked again. It was a low voice as cold as the muzzle of the gun.
“A baby? Who are you talking about?”
The commotion at the mansion grew louder. His interrogation was barely audible to Louis's ears.
“Tell me, Louis. Did Angie have a child?”
Louis Dunst took a deep breath in fear. She nodded, raising both hands.
“Yes, Master... Master.”
“Is this my child?”
“Yes, Master... ”
Bang!
From the moment he was born, he never once thanked God. He didn't believe in the existence of God. But now, he felt like he could willingly sell hia soul and worship the devil, not God.
The two held each other in their arms and did not know how to leave. It seemed as if only the time surrounding them had stopped for a moment. Only after a few more gunshots rang out from the main building did the two release their embrace and look each other in the eye.
“Angie. Are you hurt? Are you okay?”
Angie nodded. She tried to ask the same question, but her throat got choked up and she just moved her lips. Looking at her gaunt face, Kyle could imagine how much she had suffered in prison, and his heart ached.
“Why is your face like this...?”
Kyle seemed to be thinking the same thing as she did. He looked at her neck and collarbone, which had become even thinner as if the sharp walls of her eyes were about to break, and then he looked down at her bandaged arms again.
“That kid... did this? Did he make you like this?”
He growled like an animal, his blue eyes glowing with reddish spots and his breathing was ragged from hyperventilation. Angie quickly grabbed his arm and tried to calm him down.
“No, no. I’m fine. More importantly, how did you get out of prison? The mansion is....”
“I’ll explain later, so let’s go. Jerome has prepared a boat behind the chapel.”
Kyle grabbed Angie's hand and tried to lead her, but when he saw that she was barefoot, he quickly picked her up and hugged her. She said it was okay and asked him to get off, but he ignored her and ran. On the contrary, she was so light that it felt like his heart was going to burst. It was lighter than it had been three years ago, despite how much he had suffered.
Michael...
For now, he was going to leave Angie safe with Jerome and return to the mansion. He couldn't leave Te Deum without killing Michael with his own hands, most painfully and horribly possible.
“Annette, what are you doing! Come quickly!”
Annette also got up awkwardly at Angie's call and followed her. When she turned around to see that some part of the mansion seemed to have become brighter, she saw flames shooting up from the hall on the first floor.
Kyle carried Angie as lightly as a baby as he walked through the chapel corridor and up the stairs. Over the vault, near the roof, he passed a window, and the back of the mansion was much closer. The layout of the Te Deum was as familiar to him as the palm of his hand.
Unfortunately, the workers at the Duke's Mansion knew Te Deum as well as their master. Those who had lived there for the past three years especially.
Michael quickly retreated from the chaos of the mansion and headed toward the chapel. As he passed under the spire, the body of Louis Dunst came into view. Angie's ribbon fell next to it.
He ran straight to the spire, but as expected, the room was empty. Suddenly, a person came to mind.
“Kyle”
He threw the empty gun on the ground and picked up the dagger that had fallen beside the body instead. His sense of duty was boiling like a flame. Today was the day he would personally cut off the ill-fated relationship with his half-brother.
He entered the chapel and ran across the corridor. If his hunch was right, the two men were heading towards the stern dock through the roof window, a shortcut.
Annette's deep vocal cords, following behind Kyle, let out a groan but it was blocked. Michael lowered the hand that had been covering her mouth from behind and pulled out the sword embedded in his waist. He should have aimed for the heart, but it narrowly missed. He shook off the blood-spilling frail body and followed Angie's back in the distance.
Angie got off Kyle's arm and stood in front of the window under the roof. She couldn't go down the steep, cliff-shaped outdoor stairs while holding him. Kyle stood at the top of the five-story staircase and looked into the darkness below.
“Angie, stay there. It’s dark and you might misstep, so just follow my pointed steps and come down.”
“Be careful, Kai.”
At that moment, a strong wind blew and the cloak's hood was taken off. Angie was trying to fix the hood. An eerie shudder ran through her. She unconsciously turned her body. At that moment, Michael rushed in and grabbed her by the nape of her neck, pulling her towards him. He was faster than the wind. There was no time to resist or scream.
"Ka..."
Kyle looked back at the two just before he stepped down the stairs. The tip of the revolver was already pointed at Michael. It was hard to tell which would be faster: the single movement of his dagger cutting Angie’s throat, or the speed at which Kyle's finger pulled the trigger.
“You crazy kid.”
Kyle opened his mouth. It didn't sound like his voice. The intense tension was actually calming the tone.
“Put the gun down.”
“It was you, Annette. You were the one who was running around like a rat.”
“Mrs Dunst...”
Louis was holding Annette from behind. Something in her other hand was aimed at her throat. The blade gleamed in the frosty moonlight.
“Annette!”
Angie, who had risen from the other side, screamed. Mrs. Dunst looked as if she would stab Annette in the neck at any moment. Louis's face, glaring at her, was distorted with a fierce grimace.
“Let go of Annette, madam!”
“If you want to save this child, come here. Quickly!”
“Ugh... Ugh....”
Annette was gasping for breath in fear. The tip of the dagger slightly pricked her neck, and a squelching moan escaped her lips. The moment a red line appeared on Annette’s neck, Angie screamed again.
“Stop it! I’ll go now... Please send Annette away, right now.”
Angie gritted her teeth and took a step toward Louis. Her heart froze with fear, anger, and the cold of the winter night. The piece of wood in her pocket came to mind, but she didn’t dare take it out. It was obvious that the shard would be useless against the woman’s large body and the sharp blade.
“Don’t be so daunted, come here quickly. Are you okay with this kid dying because of you?”
Louis said through gritted teeth, holding onto Annette tightly. The sound of gunfire, shouts, and screams coming from the mansion were growing louder.
“You’re a useless woman, I should have gotten rid of you a long time ago. If only Michael hadn’t shown such a useless obsession with you... Anyway, we had to get that baby from Vintergar into our hands. You’re of no use at all.”
The last words were almost like a soliloquy, so she couldn't hear them clearly. Angie quickened her pace and shouted again.
“Let go of Annette! She’s on her way...”
Suddenly, the torches in the chapel went out, and darkness fell over them for a short moment. Annette let out a cry and fell to the ground. Someone had pushed her from behind Louis. The dagger that had fallen from the woman’s hand fell to the ground and rolled away somewhere.
“A baby?”
The metallic sound of the grip being loaded pierced through the cold night air and reached Louis's head. The actual tip of the gun was also touching her head. Kyle asked again. It was a low voice as cold as the muzzle of the gun.
“A baby? Who are you talking about?”
The commotion at the mansion grew louder. His interrogation was barely audible to Louis's ears.
“Tell me, Louis. Did Angie have a child?”
Louis Dunst took a deep breath in fear. She nodded, raising both hands.
“Yes, Master... Master.”
“Is this my child?”
“Yes, Master... ”
Bang!
The gun barrel fired without mercy.
Aah!
Annette was thrown into Angie's arms, covering her face with both hands. Louis couldn't continue speaking and slowly fell over. Blood was gushing out like a fountain from the gaping hole.
She fell to the ground with her eyes wide open and did not move anymore. A long-time loyal servant of the Blackwell family, a woman who led her masters to become servants of the devil and constantly tried to indoctrinate even young Kyle into becoming a slave to her doctrine. Louis Dunst, who coveted eternal life, met her end like this.
“Kyle...”
Kyle turned to Angie, blood all over his face and uniform. She was shaking in shock, hugging Annette. She tried to get up, patting Annette on the shoulder repeatedly.
“Angie...!”
Her body moved before her head. The next moment, she was in Kyle's arms. The stinging smell of gunpowder and blood made her suffocate. But instead of pushing him away, she hugged his waist tightly with both arms. Tears welled up and wet her cheeks.
“Kyle, is this really Kyle? This isn’t a dream?”
“...I’m sorry for coming so late.”
I'm so glad you're safe, Angie. If anything had happened to you, I would have followed. I would have killed those who did this to you in the most painful way possible, burned them alive...
She fell to the ground with her eyes wide open and did not move anymore. A long-time loyal servant of the Blackwell family, a woman who led her masters to become servants of the devil and constantly tried to indoctrinate even young Kyle into becoming a slave to her doctrine. Louis Dunst, who coveted eternal life, met her end like this.
“Kyle...”
Kyle turned to Angie, blood all over his face and uniform. She was shaking in shock, hugging Annette. She tried to get up, patting Annette on the shoulder repeatedly.
“Angie...!”
Her body moved before her head. The next moment, she was in Kyle's arms. The stinging smell of gunpowder and blood made her suffocate. But instead of pushing him away, she hugged his waist tightly with both arms. Tears welled up and wet her cheeks.
“Kyle, is this really Kyle? This isn’t a dream?”
“...I’m sorry for coming so late.”
I'm so glad you're safe, Angie. If anything had happened to you, I would have followed. I would have killed those who did this to you in the most painful way possible, burned them alive...
There were dozens of words he wanted to spit out.
But after apologizing for arriving only now, he said no more. Kyle just held Angie's head in his arms and continued to confirm the vivid warmth.
Thank you, God.
But after apologizing for arriving only now, he said no more. Kyle just held Angie's head in his arms and continued to confirm the vivid warmth.
Thank you, God.
From the moment he was born, he never once thanked God. He didn't believe in the existence of God. But now, he felt like he could willingly sell hia soul and worship the devil, not God.
The two held each other in their arms and did not know how to leave. It seemed as if only the time surrounding them had stopped for a moment. Only after a few more gunshots rang out from the main building did the two release their embrace and look each other in the eye.
“Angie. Are you hurt? Are you okay?”
Angie nodded. She tried to ask the same question, but her throat got choked up and she just moved her lips. Looking at her gaunt face, Kyle could imagine how much she had suffered in prison, and his heart ached.
“Why is your face like this...?”
Kyle seemed to be thinking the same thing as she did. He looked at her neck and collarbone, which had become even thinner as if the sharp walls of her eyes were about to break, and then he looked down at her bandaged arms again.
“That kid... did this? Did he make you like this?”
He growled like an animal, his blue eyes glowing with reddish spots and his breathing was ragged from hyperventilation. Angie quickly grabbed his arm and tried to calm him down.
“No, no. I’m fine. More importantly, how did you get out of prison? The mansion is....”
“I’ll explain later, so let’s go. Jerome has prepared a boat behind the chapel.”
Kyle grabbed Angie's hand and tried to lead her, but when he saw that she was barefoot, he quickly picked her up and hugged her. She said it was okay and asked him to get off, but he ignored her and ran. On the contrary, she was so light that it felt like his heart was going to burst. It was lighter than it had been three years ago, despite how much he had suffered.
Michael...
For now, he was going to leave Angie safe with Jerome and return to the mansion. He couldn't leave Te Deum without killing Michael with his own hands, most painfully and horribly possible.
“Annette, what are you doing! Come quickly!”
Annette also got up awkwardly at Angie's call and followed her. When she turned around to see that some part of the mansion seemed to have become brighter, she saw flames shooting up from the hall on the first floor.
Kyle carried Angie as lightly as a baby as he walked through the chapel corridor and up the stairs. Over the vault, near the roof, he passed a window, and the back of the mansion was much closer. The layout of the Te Deum was as familiar to him as the palm of his hand.
Unfortunately, the workers at the Duke's Mansion knew Te Deum as well as their master. Those who had lived there for the past three years especially.
Michael quickly retreated from the chaos of the mansion and headed toward the chapel. As he passed under the spire, the body of Louis Dunst came into view. Angie's ribbon fell next to it.
He ran straight to the spire, but as expected, the room was empty. Suddenly, a person came to mind.
“Kyle”
He threw the empty gun on the ground and picked up the dagger that had fallen beside the body instead. His sense of duty was boiling like a flame. Today was the day he would personally cut off the ill-fated relationship with his half-brother.
He entered the chapel and ran across the corridor. If his hunch was right, the two men were heading towards the stern dock through the roof window, a shortcut.
***
Annette's deep vocal cords, following behind Kyle, let out a groan but it was blocked. Michael lowered the hand that had been covering her mouth from behind and pulled out the sword embedded in his waist. He should have aimed for the heart, but it narrowly missed. He shook off the blood-spilling frail body and followed Angie's back in the distance.
Angie got off Kyle's arm and stood in front of the window under the roof. She couldn't go down the steep, cliff-shaped outdoor stairs while holding him. Kyle stood at the top of the five-story staircase and looked into the darkness below.
“Angie, stay there. It’s dark and you might misstep, so just follow my pointed steps and come down.”
“Be careful, Kai.”
At that moment, a strong wind blew and the cloak's hood was taken off. Angie was trying to fix the hood. An eerie shudder ran through her. She unconsciously turned her body. At that moment, Michael rushed in and grabbed her by the nape of her neck, pulling her towards him. He was faster than the wind. There was no time to resist or scream.
"Ka..."
Kyle looked back at the two just before he stepped down the stairs. The tip of the revolver was already pointed at Michael. It was hard to tell which would be faster: the single movement of his dagger cutting Angie’s throat, or the speed at which Kyle's finger pulled the trigger.
“You crazy kid.”
Kyle opened his mouth. It didn't sound like his voice. The intense tension was actually calming the tone.
“Put the gun down.”
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