155. Side Story. In the Forest of Oblivion (4)
Leana felt impulsive.
It didn't matter if he was her enemy. Even if he really killed her, she wouldn't mind.
She couldn't hold back this burning emotion.
"Maurice..."
She slowly brought her lips to his.
Just moments ago, when the fake man pretending to be her husband rushed in and tried to kiss her, it had been terrifying.
But now, the moment her lips met Maurice's, she was so trembling that she felt like she couldn't breathe.
Her heart pounded, and she felt dizzy.
So, as she pulled away again, her eyes met Maurice's.
For a split second, she felt his eyes burning fiercely.
She felt a little scared, and a little dizzying excitement...
At the same time, Maurice reached out and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close enough that their bodies touched, and their lips crashed together.
"...!"
Before Leana could catch her breath, he pressed his lips deeper into hers.
It felt like their first kiss.
Everything felt so unfamiliar, so bizarre, so embarrassing, so bizarre to Leana. It couldn't possibly be because she'd lost her memories.
And yet, and yet...
She didn't hate it... No, she liked it.
She felt as if she were on a cloud, her body flushed with heat.
Her heart pounded wildly, and her mind was blank.
There was only the longing to see this heat through to its limit.
And so, the reckless thought that even if she burned to ashes, it wouldn't matter.
Maurice seemed to feel the same way.
Their clothes fell to the floor, perhaps by someone's hand.
The soft moss embraced their bodies, and the hazy fog drifted.
The two felt as if they were in another world, unstoppable.
Day 3.
"Are you okay, Leana?"
"Yeah. But I feel a little strange."
"That's right."
Maurice smiled, stroking the nape of the silver wolf's neck as it lay lazily on the moss.
Leana, coming to her senses, realized she had transformed into a beautiful silver wolf.
"I was a member of the wolf clan?"
"Yes, the most beautiful of them all."
He hugged the silver wolf's neck, and their noses brushed against each other's.
"I want to kiss you."
"I've had enough."
"But I still want to."
"I don't think this will work."
"Then is this okay?"
Leana had returned to her human form.
Her silver hair flowed mysteriously across her naked body, her face devoid of any clothing.
The sight was so beautiful that Maurice couldn't take his eyes off her.
But Leana panicked and quickly picked up the clothes that had fallen to the floor to cover herself.
"What? Are you feeling embarrassed now?"
"Of course. I'm in my right mind now."
Maurice chuckled softly, finding Leana blushing and fuming with embarrassment adorable.
“But you don’t have to. I can’t see anything because of the fog.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“I can see your body very well. I thought you were weak, but you’re surprisingly strong.”
As Leana stared intently, Maurice shook his head. Then he kissed her soft cheek.
“You must have sharp eyes because you’re a wolf clan, so you can see well.”
“So you really can’t see me?”
Maurice nodded quickly, suppressing a laugh.
“Even so.”
Leana tossed the clothes she was holding in her hands and stood up.
“Why?”
“I’m thirsty. I can smell water strongly nearby.”
Leana felt impulsive.
It didn't matter if he was her enemy. Even if he really killed her, she wouldn't mind.
She couldn't hold back this burning emotion.
"Maurice..."
She slowly brought her lips to his.
Just moments ago, when the fake man pretending to be her husband rushed in and tried to kiss her, it had been terrifying.
But now, the moment her lips met Maurice's, she was so trembling that she felt like she couldn't breathe.
Her heart pounded, and she felt dizzy.
So, as she pulled away again, her eyes met Maurice's.
For a split second, she felt his eyes burning fiercely.
She felt a little scared, and a little dizzying excitement...
At the same time, Maurice reached out and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close enough that their bodies touched, and their lips crashed together.
"...!"
Before Leana could catch her breath, he pressed his lips deeper into hers.
It felt like their first kiss.
Everything felt so unfamiliar, so bizarre, so embarrassing, so bizarre to Leana. It couldn't possibly be because she'd lost her memories.
And yet, and yet...
She didn't hate it... No, she liked it.
She felt as if she were on a cloud, her body flushed with heat.
Her heart pounded wildly, and her mind was blank.
There was only the longing to see this heat through to its limit.
And so, the reckless thought that even if she burned to ashes, it wouldn't matter.
Maurice seemed to feel the same way.
Their clothes fell to the floor, perhaps by someone's hand.
The soft moss embraced their bodies, and the hazy fog drifted.
The two felt as if they were in another world, unstoppable.
***
Day 3.
"Are you okay, Leana?"
"Yeah. But I feel a little strange."
"That's right."
Maurice smiled, stroking the nape of the silver wolf's neck as it lay lazily on the moss.
Leana, coming to her senses, realized she had transformed into a beautiful silver wolf.
"I was a member of the wolf clan?"
"Yes, the most beautiful of them all."
He hugged the silver wolf's neck, and their noses brushed against each other's.
"I want to kiss you."
"I've had enough."
"But I still want to."
"I don't think this will work."
"Then is this okay?"
Leana had returned to her human form.
Her silver hair flowed mysteriously across her naked body, her face devoid of any clothing.
The sight was so beautiful that Maurice couldn't take his eyes off her.
But Leana panicked and quickly picked up the clothes that had fallen to the floor to cover herself.
"What? Are you feeling embarrassed now?"
"Of course. I'm in my right mind now."
Maurice chuckled softly, finding Leana blushing and fuming with embarrassment adorable.
“But you don’t have to. I can’t see anything because of the fog.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“I can see your body very well. I thought you were weak, but you’re surprisingly strong.”
As Leana stared intently, Maurice shook his head. Then he kissed her soft cheek.
“You must have sharp eyes because you’re a wolf clan, so you can see well.”
“So you really can’t see me?”
Maurice nodded quickly, suppressing a laugh.
“Even so.”
Leana tossed the clothes she was holding in her hands and stood up.
“Why?”
“I’m thirsty. I can smell water strongly nearby.”
“It must be because there’s a well. Go ahead and get it.”
“No. Let’s go get some water, Maurice.”
“Are you okay?”
“What do you think the wolf clan’s stamina is?”
Then Leana took the lead and started running towards the forest.
Every time, her flowing silver hair was dazzling, and her flawless, white skin, like a sculpted marble, seemed to glow.
The dawning forest gradually faded into darkness, and her presence sparkled like refreshing dew.
Maurice couldn't take his eyes off her.
When Leana turned and smiled, as if urging him on, he ran after her as if possessed.
This fog of oblivion wouldn't have any effect on him. But somehow, he felt like he'd forgotten everything.
He couldn't remember why he'd come here.
He only knew clearly that he wanted the woman before him.
The two men who had come to the spring stared at their faces reflected in the water. They smiled as if they had made a promise, then kissed again.
Chook. Chook...
“You say you're thirsty?”
Maurice asked teasingly as their lips parted.
“I need more kisses from you right now.”
Leana closed her eyes and protruded her lips, as if urging him to kiss her again.
Her childlike, innocent expression was so seductive, so captivating.
Maurice's throat shook with a burning thirst.
“It might not end with a kiss.”
“That would be even better.”
“Oh. You're a more slutty woman than I thought.”
Leana opened her eyes quietly and stared at him.
“The thought that you might kill me makes me want you even more.”
His face was reflected in her clear, blue-gray eyes beneath her long eyelashes. The man's face, flushed with desire, was utterly unfamiliar.
"Do you really think I can kill you?"
"If you don't, I might kill you."
"You can't. As a wizard, you don't have much time left."
"So that's what I hear..."
Maurice bit the flesh on his thumb.
Tap tap.
Red drops of blood dripped onto the green grass.
"What are you going to do?"
"I intend to send you away from here alive. So I guess I'll give you a farewell gift."
"A farewell gift?"
Maurice used his bleeding thumb to write in ancient language on Leana's long, white neck. It looked like a red necklace.
"..."
Then, as he clasped his hands together in prayer and chanted the incantation, the ancient language written on her neck began to spread and descend her body.
Leana's pale flesh, except for her face, was soon covered in red ancient language.
"What are you doing, Maurice!"
Leana shouted in confusion, and his face instantly became solemn, like a judge.
“This is a gift for you. You will no longer be able to use magic. It’s a consideration to both eliminate the threat to us and control your power to save you. If you use magic against my will, these ancient words will come to life. It will devour your flesh and tear you apart.”
“Maurice...!”
His eyes, staring at Leana, seemed sad.
“I’m sorry, Leana. This is the best I can do. Even if I spare you, I cannot spare Leana, a sorceress.”
That way, Leana would be saved, and so would he and his companions.
“Maurice!”
“...So please, don’t use magic.”
Maurice cupped Leana’s cheeks and kissed her lightly.
“Goodbye, my Leana.”
As he turned, a fog that made it impossible to see anything ahead enveloped Leana.
How much time had passed?
The fog had turned into a white sheet, enveloping Leana, and the ancient words that had once covered her body were gone.
And Leana was outside the Forest of Oblivion.
“You can wake up now.”
Leana opened her eyes, following Kenny’s voice.
Tears were already welling up in her eyes. She blinked slowly, and the tears that had been pooling inside her eyes streamed down her cheeks.
Maurice was now dead.
She had ended his life with her own hands. That was how she had avenged her father and the wolf clan.
But after that, Leana had nightmares about him even more frequently.
When she woke up from these nightmares, her pillow was always wet, and she was overcome with a feeling of depression and helplessness.
So she finally reached out to Kenny for help.
She wanted to use hypnosis to find out what had happened during the three days her memory had been erased.
Was the nightmare in her dream real, or was it the work of an incubus?
“Do you remember everything now?”
“Yes, I do.”
“No. Let’s go get some water, Maurice.”
“Are you okay?”
“What do you think the wolf clan’s stamina is?”
Then Leana took the lead and started running towards the forest.
Every time, her flowing silver hair was dazzling, and her flawless, white skin, like a sculpted marble, seemed to glow.
The dawning forest gradually faded into darkness, and her presence sparkled like refreshing dew.
Maurice couldn't take his eyes off her.
When Leana turned and smiled, as if urging him on, he ran after her as if possessed.
This fog of oblivion wouldn't have any effect on him. But somehow, he felt like he'd forgotten everything.
He couldn't remember why he'd come here.
He only knew clearly that he wanted the woman before him.
The two men who had come to the spring stared at their faces reflected in the water. They smiled as if they had made a promise, then kissed again.
Chook. Chook...
“You say you're thirsty?”
Maurice asked teasingly as their lips parted.
“I need more kisses from you right now.”
Leana closed her eyes and protruded her lips, as if urging him to kiss her again.
Her childlike, innocent expression was so seductive, so captivating.
Maurice's throat shook with a burning thirst.
“It might not end with a kiss.”
“That would be even better.”
“Oh. You're a more slutty woman than I thought.”
Leana opened her eyes quietly and stared at him.
“The thought that you might kill me makes me want you even more.”
His face was reflected in her clear, blue-gray eyes beneath her long eyelashes. The man's face, flushed with desire, was utterly unfamiliar.
"Do you really think I can kill you?"
"If you don't, I might kill you."
"You can't. As a wizard, you don't have much time left."
"So that's what I hear..."
Maurice bit the flesh on his thumb.
Tap tap.
Red drops of blood dripped onto the green grass.
"What are you going to do?"
"I intend to send you away from here alive. So I guess I'll give you a farewell gift."
"A farewell gift?"
Maurice used his bleeding thumb to write in ancient language on Leana's long, white neck. It looked like a red necklace.
"..."
Then, as he clasped his hands together in prayer and chanted the incantation, the ancient language written on her neck began to spread and descend her body.
Leana's pale flesh, except for her face, was soon covered in red ancient language.
"What are you doing, Maurice!"
Leana shouted in confusion, and his face instantly became solemn, like a judge.
“This is a gift for you. You will no longer be able to use magic. It’s a consideration to both eliminate the threat to us and control your power to save you. If you use magic against my will, these ancient words will come to life. It will devour your flesh and tear you apart.”
“Maurice...!”
His eyes, staring at Leana, seemed sad.
“I’m sorry, Leana. This is the best I can do. Even if I spare you, I cannot spare Leana, a sorceress.”
That way, Leana would be saved, and so would he and his companions.
“Maurice!”
“...So please, don’t use magic.”
Maurice cupped Leana’s cheeks and kissed her lightly.
“Goodbye, my Leana.”
As he turned, a fog that made it impossible to see anything ahead enveloped Leana.
How much time had passed?
The fog had turned into a white sheet, enveloping Leana, and the ancient words that had once covered her body were gone.
And Leana was outside the Forest of Oblivion.
***
“You can wake up now.”
Leana opened her eyes, following Kenny’s voice.
Tears were already welling up in her eyes. She blinked slowly, and the tears that had been pooling inside her eyes streamed down her cheeks.
Maurice was now dead.
She had ended his life with her own hands. That was how she had avenged her father and the wolf clan.
But after that, Leana had nightmares about him even more frequently.
When she woke up from these nightmares, her pillow was always wet, and she was overcome with a feeling of depression and helplessness.
So she finally reached out to Kenny for help.
She wanted to use hypnosis to find out what had happened during the three days her memory had been erased.
Was the nightmare in her dream real, or was it the work of an incubus?
“Do you remember everything now?”
“Yes, I do.”
“I see.”
Kenny didn’t ask any more questions. The fact that tears continued to flow from Leana’s eyes was enough to guess what had happened between them.
But Leana’s face looked even angrier at that.
"Why aren't you asking? About what happened between him and me?"
"Because I don't think you want to talk about it."
Leana shook her head strongly.
She wanted to talk.
She had to hide it; she knew it was right to hide it, but if she didn't say it, her heart would burst and she would die.
"I loved him. No, we loved each other. More than any lovers for three days..."
Intensely and desperately...
Leana covered her mouth because tears were about to burst out. But it was no use. She was already trembling and sobbing.
"Miss Leana..."
"I don't need comfort. I have to mourn. You can criticize me for shedding tears for such a person. But I killed the person I loved so much with my own hands. For countless of my comrades. For my revenge. So Kenny, just let me mourn. This is... my punishment for killing my lover."
Leana got out, mounted any horse she could find, and galloped madly.
"Ahhh! Morris, you son of a bitch! You son of a bitch! You son of a bitch! Aahhhh!"
She galloped, screaming at the darkening sky.
Scenes of their love flashed through her mind.
And his dying face in front of her...
Leana, appearing on the roof of Oswald Mansion, was ready for a final showdown with Maurice.
“Take everyone and leave the Oswalds in ten minutes.”
“What are you talking about?”
Christine asked, but instead of answering, Leana closed her eyes and began to chant softly.
Even though she knew that if she used magic, the ancient words that covered her entire body would burrow into her skin and kill her, she wanted to kill him just as much.
“...”
The air swirled, and ancient red words began to form in the air.
It soon engulfed Maurice and Leana fiercely.
She said her final goodbye to Christine, who was visible beyond the tornado.
“Please tell her that Adele’s apple pie was always the best. Be happy, you two.”
It was true. Adele’s apple pie had left her with the warmest, happiest memories. So, it would be nice if Christine and Adele were truly happy.
“What are you doing, Leana! Stop it!”
Christine’s voice could be heard far away behind the red tornado. And the red tornado gradually and relentlessly sucked everything around it, transforming into a massive typhoon.
The two were right in the eye of the storm.
It was utterly quiet, save for the howling wind. It was the perfect place to die.
“Maurice, now you’re going to hell with me.”
Leana’s eyes were bloodshot, and blood was streaming from her nose and mouth.
Maurice, covered in blood, chuckled as well.
“No, Leana, I won’t let you die.”
“What?”
“I told you. I had countless chances to kill you, but I didn’t. And it’s the same now. Well, you probably forgot everything I said that day.”
“No way! Why would you?”
Instead of answering, Maurice gathered all his strength and chanted an ancient incantation.
"...!”
Then the red ancient language that had been covering Leana’s body gradually blurred, and the pain that felt like a knife being pierced through her heart disappeared.
“What on earth did you do...?”
She wondered if Maurice had saved her life.
But why?
“Well, why did I save you? I hope you’ll wonder for the rest of your life.”
Kwaaaaang!
At that moment, flames rose up with a tremendous roar like a typhoon exploding.
At the same time, Maurice flew with his entire body and enveloped Leana.
In her fading consciousness, Leana seemed to hear those words.
“Then you won’t forget me...”
“Maurice! Maurice!”
Leana cried out his name until her throat was hoarse.
The name of her lover, whom she missed so much, who she loved so much.
Kenny didn’t ask any more questions. The fact that tears continued to flow from Leana’s eyes was enough to guess what had happened between them.
But Leana’s face looked even angrier at that.
"Why aren't you asking? About what happened between him and me?"
"Because I don't think you want to talk about it."
Leana shook her head strongly.
She wanted to talk.
She had to hide it; she knew it was right to hide it, but if she didn't say it, her heart would burst and she would die.
"I loved him. No, we loved each other. More than any lovers for three days..."
Intensely and desperately...
Leana covered her mouth because tears were about to burst out. But it was no use. She was already trembling and sobbing.
"Miss Leana..."
"I don't need comfort. I have to mourn. You can criticize me for shedding tears for such a person. But I killed the person I loved so much with my own hands. For countless of my comrades. For my revenge. So Kenny, just let me mourn. This is... my punishment for killing my lover."
***
Leana got out, mounted any horse she could find, and galloped madly.
"Ahhh! Morris, you son of a bitch! You son of a bitch! You son of a bitch! Aahhhh!"
She galloped, screaming at the darkening sky.
Scenes of their love flashed through her mind.
And his dying face in front of her...
Leana, appearing on the roof of Oswald Mansion, was ready for a final showdown with Maurice.
“Take everyone and leave the Oswalds in ten minutes.”
“What are you talking about?”
Christine asked, but instead of answering, Leana closed her eyes and began to chant softly.
Even though she knew that if she used magic, the ancient words that covered her entire body would burrow into her skin and kill her, she wanted to kill him just as much.
“...”
The air swirled, and ancient red words began to form in the air.
It soon engulfed Maurice and Leana fiercely.
She said her final goodbye to Christine, who was visible beyond the tornado.
“Please tell her that Adele’s apple pie was always the best. Be happy, you two.”
It was true. Adele’s apple pie had left her with the warmest, happiest memories. So, it would be nice if Christine and Adele were truly happy.
“What are you doing, Leana! Stop it!”
Christine’s voice could be heard far away behind the red tornado. And the red tornado gradually and relentlessly sucked everything around it, transforming into a massive typhoon.
The two were right in the eye of the storm.
It was utterly quiet, save for the howling wind. It was the perfect place to die.
“Maurice, now you’re going to hell with me.”
Leana’s eyes were bloodshot, and blood was streaming from her nose and mouth.
Maurice, covered in blood, chuckled as well.
“No, Leana, I won’t let you die.”
“What?”
“I told you. I had countless chances to kill you, but I didn’t. And it’s the same now. Well, you probably forgot everything I said that day.”
“No way! Why would you?”
Instead of answering, Maurice gathered all his strength and chanted an ancient incantation.
"...!”
Then the red ancient language that had been covering Leana’s body gradually blurred, and the pain that felt like a knife being pierced through her heart disappeared.
“What on earth did you do...?”
She wondered if Maurice had saved her life.
But why?
“Well, why did I save you? I hope you’ll wonder for the rest of your life.”
Kwaaaaang!
At that moment, flames rose up with a tremendous roar like a typhoon exploding.
At the same time, Maurice flew with his entire body and enveloped Leana.
In her fading consciousness, Leana seemed to hear those words.
“Then you won’t forget me...”
“Maurice! Maurice!”
Leana cried out his name until her throat was hoarse.
The name of her lover, whom she missed so much, who she loved so much.
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