As I was driving around the entrance to the annex building, I heard the faint sound of a dog barking. I assumed I'd misheard, but then I saw something suddenly lurch out in front of the car, and I slammed on the brakes.
Squeak-.
The thing blocking the car was the shape of a large dog. Its eyes gleamed in the headlights. A thin stream of white breath gushed out from beneath it. Only by seeing its bristling brown fur did I realize it was Boaz. Boaz, who could distinguish the sound of cars, must have followed me across the stairwell.
“Get out of the way!”
I poked my head out and shouted sternly, but Boaz stood firm on all fours, unmoving. He barked desperately at me. It was almost a pleading howl, just like that day when I left the mansion.
"You can't go with me. Stay here with the Queen and Max. You'll be safe here."
I tried to calmly persuade him, and at other times, I got angry and tried to scare him, but he just barked back at me. It felt like he was arguing with me.
Finally, I loaded my pistol and fired into the air.
Boaz didn't run away. He just stood there motionless, staring at me. Perhaps he wasn't scared of things like this, being a military dog. No, he didn't want to lose his family again and be left alone. For a dog, it must be the most terrifying thing in the world. Noah and I were Boaz's world. The thought of how similar we were made me chuckle. I got out of the car and opened the passenger door.
“Boaz, let’s go together.”
Boaz, who had climbed into the passenger seat, breathed warm air on my cheek and repeatedly licked it. It was an expression of joy and affection.
"I'm sorry I didn't understand your feelings. I won't leave you behind. We're family."
The dark clouds that had obscured the moon became transparent, and a circular halo formed in the sky. The bright moon and stars adorned the night sky. The cities above were pitch black, devoid of any lights. I wondered if heaven and earth had been turned upside down.
Running frantically, I arrived at Loganfield, a ruined city. Since the bombing target was not Colin City, but another city, I decided to turn off my headlights and rely on moonlight to navigate, fearing fighter jets might pass by. I saw abandoned, burned-out cars and carriages on the road. Even the historic Rembrandt Bridge had collapsed.
The city, once a vibrant, colorful painting, had been transformed into a stark black-and-white landscape. I turned toward the neighborhood where politicians and bureaucrats lived.
Passing Barbara's house, now a mere steel frame, I soon found myself nearing my former residence. A hazy mist hung over the small mansion in the distance. Fortunately, the artillery fire had deflected it, and its exterior appeared intact.
I wonder if Noah is really there. If I ever see him again, what should I say to him?
A burst of gunfire rang out from behind, followed by the sound of bullets bouncing off the car's body. It seemed they were after me. I quickly turned the steering wheel and headed into the forest. The car jerked to one side, and the wheels spun wildly. It seemed the bullet had ruptured a tire. I pulled into the most secluded spot possible, parked the car, and turned off the engine.
“Boaz, come here.”
“Ugh...”
"Noah will be at the house we used to live in. Go there and ask for help."
Boaz, who had crawled into the bushes, gazed at me with his eyes before disappearing beyond. I hid among the trees, pistol in hand. Even the rustling of leaves underfoot made me nervous. I regretted not having trained with the special forces. Furthermore, I only had two bullets left. I held my breath as tightly as I could, trying not to let out a single breath. Tension gripped me, and my whole body froze.
I heard a voice calling out to me from not too far away.
“Princess Diana!”
Eileen's mother was Captain Russell of the Guard.
I stood with my back to the tree, my mouth covered, and looked around. The sound of footsteps approaching was not the only one.
"Princess! I've come to rescue you on Her Majesty's orders! Eileen is part of the forces plotting to harm you! She's even confessed to leading you to the ambush of assassins! Where on earth are you?"
It's difficult to discern truth from falsity in propositions. Eileen's eyes were too kind to be considered pure lies, and the sadness she carried was so transparent that it was almost transparent, despite its depth. The Eileen Russell I know is a warm and gentle person.
I closed my eyes tightly. I tried to cool my head, drawing on my life experiences, but I also tried not to forget the warmth that had seeped into my heart during our time together.
As soon as the complex problem was unraveled, a simple and clear interpretation emerged.
If that were the case, Eileen would have shot me dead in the garage.
I decided to believe Eileen's sincerity.
The footsteps branching out seemed to be coming from at least five men. If I continue like this, I might get caught. With only two bullets in my pistol, it's far from enough to defeat these skilled fighters. Captain Russell's voice, which had been calling out to me with concern for a while, suddenly grew louder.
"That stupid girl I took in as my daughter, fed her, and put her to bed, is now luring me away by pretending to be a Princess, even though she can't help me. I never thought the saying, "You can't take in a black-haired beast," would be true!"
It was a clear mockery, a hum, a rhythmic taunt. The captain of the guard continued, as if certain I was nearby.
"I won't kill you, so come out. It's a good bargaining chip. The Queen might even give up the throne in exchange for a large ransom. This might be a chance to confirm your mother's true love. You won't have to inherit the throne, so you can start over with that man."
I already checked everything. What the hell are you talking about?
The indifferent moon illuminated my features in detail. Reflecting on it, I realized I was unlucky. I glanced over. Three soldiers, including the captain of the guard, stood on a low platform. Beside them, I could see a sunken, cone-shaped pit.
I recalled the description and illustration of an unexploded bomb I'd seen in a book during military training. It was a time bomb stuck there, unexploded. I decided to dismiss the idea of bad luck for now. I'd managed to find the unexploded bomb by moonlight. I aimed my gun at it. Whether it would explode or not was uncertain. I wasn't confident I could accurately hit the bullet, which had sunk so deeply into the ground. It was a gamble with slim odds. I took a deep breath and counted.
One, two, three.
I fired two shots, but nothing happened. It didn't explode. That defective product really doesn't explode. It looks like it was made hastily and delivered by a defense company on the verge of bankruptcy. It's a stretch to link that to my causal relationship, though. The three people who heard the gunshots simultaneously turned their gazes in my direction.
“Over there!”
“The Princess is over there!”
I guess I'm really unlucky. I didn't even have time to complain, so I started running with all my might.
Soon after, I felt a sharp heat hit my back, accompanied by a deafening explosion.
I was swept away by the aftershock of the explosion and fell to the ground. The tinnitus, which had been long and thin, gradually subsided. I raised my head and looked back.
“Did it explode?”
Before I could even grasp the situation, a gunshot rang out, and a bullet struck the tree I was leaning against. I tried to stand up, but my legs wouldn't move. I managed to raise my pistol and aim it in the direction the bullet had come from.
The man staggering toward me was Captain Russell. Covered in dirt, her pistol dripping with blood. She gritted her teeth, unable to conceal her indignation.
"I'm giving you a great opportunity. You say you don't want to ascend to the throne. The Spencer family has been doing this for too long; it's annoying. Don't you think so?"
I tilted my head at her, aiming the empty gun at her.
"Who asked you for a chance? I have no reason to listen to your nagging."
Captain Russell chuckled at my indifferent voice.
“Mother and daughter are the same.”
“It was a shame for Eileen to be your daughter.”
"She was a good kid. Being good isn't a compliment. It's a descriptive term for someone who lives a life of foolish exploitation, only to die a miserable death."
“Did you kill Eileen?”
"I told you, 'a dog's death.' Isn't that the perfect end for an ungrateful orphan?"
“Dog death...”
Eileen was one of the precious siblings Renier wanted to protect. Like Renier, she chose the path of goodness and sacrificed herself. All because of someone like me. It felt like everything happened because of me. The captain of the guard, observing my expression, burst into laughter.
"Well, the Queen thought you were dead, so she went berserk with her rifle. She shot my men dead, and only then did she realize it wasn't you. Did you know? She's a skilled marksman. And yet, she's a hypocrite, refusing to go to war herself, saying she didn't want to get her hands dirty."
I thought of the Queen who couldn't hit a single migratory bird with her rifle. Hypocrite, I don't care about other people's values. The captain of the guard, who had been scorning me, suddenly contorted her face, lost her balance, and fell flat on her face.
“Ugh!”
A single scream opened my blurry eyes. A ferocious beast mounted on her fallen back, growling and biting at her gun-wielding arm. The captain of the guard tried to push him away with her free arm.
“Let go! Let go!”
The moment I realized that the beast with its sharp eyes and fangs was Boaz, a wild gunshot and a shriek rang out.
“Boaz.”
I slowly saw Boaz collapse, foaming at the mouth. I felt the blood circulating in my veins rush back, piercing my head. The very foundation of my life, which I had built up to a certain standard, was shaken and ultimately turned upside down. A dilemma, a fixed idea firmly ingrained in my mind, was completely shattered.
'You must not kill people.'
I leaped back as if recoiling and struck her hard in the head with the grip of the pistol I was holding.
"Why?"
I lost my senses. I had long since crossed the line I had maintained as a human being. I continued to lash out at the unresponsive object, despite countless questions.
“Why are you taking everything away! Why!”
What did I do so wrong?
When I suddenly came to my senses, everything was already over.
The forest was peacefully quiet. The moment I ended another's life with my own hands and embraced a paradoxical peace, a cold wind brushed past my ears, wailing mournfully. I opened my palm and looked down. It was the mark of a murderer, painted red, a trace of my transformation into a complete demon.
Having reached the end of hypocrisy, I let out a hollow laugh.
“So that’s why you wanted to end this cruel era.”
Because I wanted to show my loved one a beautiful world instead of hell. Because I wanted to live happily together there. I hugged Boaz and collapsed, swallowing my despair and pain, then spitting them out again.
"It was to save me. The reason I committed the crime can't disappear. If that happens, I don't think I can bear it. Please don't leave me alone."
The faint breaths and rippling body of Boaz began to subside. If Boaz were to die, I would have committed a meaningless murder. It seemed I was not even allowed to grieve. From afar, someone's furious voice could be heard.
“Captain Russell! What have you done!”
He seemed to be a soldier who had gone in another direction. He must have immediately grasped the situation, as a thick, white puff of breath escaped his trembling lips. He raised his gun and aimed it at me.
"I can never forgive you. The captain is the person I respect the most."
What does that have to do with me? I don't know anymore.
My selfish instinct to live warned me countless times. I watched helplessly as everyone died. I felt disgusted, and my teeth trembled. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. I heard a heavy gunshot, different from a pistol shot. Feeling no pain, I lifted my eyelids in puzzlement. What I saw before me wasn't someone trying to kill me, but a beautiful man with silver-white hair and blue eyes. He was staring at me with a blank expression, his rifle slung over his shoulder. I looked at the fallen soldier, barely able to raise my gaze, and asked.
“Why did you come back here? You know I abandoned you.”
Noah's face was eerily emotionless. But despite his expression, he answered in a gentle tone.
“I came to save you. I won’t abandon you.”
He was always kind to me.
A person who appears perfect on the outside, but is completely imperfect on the inside. I found that dazzlingly beautiful.
The reason I chose to live on, despite the hopelessness of a world that threatens to destroy humanity, instead of returning to my original world. It was because there was a man in this world, possessing that imperfect beauty.
Squeak-.
The thing blocking the car was the shape of a large dog. Its eyes gleamed in the headlights. A thin stream of white breath gushed out from beneath it. Only by seeing its bristling brown fur did I realize it was Boaz. Boaz, who could distinguish the sound of cars, must have followed me across the stairwell.
“Get out of the way!”
I poked my head out and shouted sternly, but Boaz stood firm on all fours, unmoving. He barked desperately at me. It was almost a pleading howl, just like that day when I left the mansion.
"You can't go with me. Stay here with the Queen and Max. You'll be safe here."
I tried to calmly persuade him, and at other times, I got angry and tried to scare him, but he just barked back at me. It felt like he was arguing with me.
Finally, I loaded my pistol and fired into the air.
Boaz didn't run away. He just stood there motionless, staring at me. Perhaps he wasn't scared of things like this, being a military dog. No, he didn't want to lose his family again and be left alone. For a dog, it must be the most terrifying thing in the world. Noah and I were Boaz's world. The thought of how similar we were made me chuckle. I got out of the car and opened the passenger door.
“Boaz, let’s go together.”
Boaz, who had climbed into the passenger seat, breathed warm air on my cheek and repeatedly licked it. It was an expression of joy and affection.
"I'm sorry I didn't understand your feelings. I won't leave you behind. We're family."
***
The dark clouds that had obscured the moon became transparent, and a circular halo formed in the sky. The bright moon and stars adorned the night sky. The cities above were pitch black, devoid of any lights. I wondered if heaven and earth had been turned upside down.
Running frantically, I arrived at Loganfield, a ruined city. Since the bombing target was not Colin City, but another city, I decided to turn off my headlights and rely on moonlight to navigate, fearing fighter jets might pass by. I saw abandoned, burned-out cars and carriages on the road. Even the historic Rembrandt Bridge had collapsed.
The city, once a vibrant, colorful painting, had been transformed into a stark black-and-white landscape. I turned toward the neighborhood where politicians and bureaucrats lived.
Passing Barbara's house, now a mere steel frame, I soon found myself nearing my former residence. A hazy mist hung over the small mansion in the distance. Fortunately, the artillery fire had deflected it, and its exterior appeared intact.
I wonder if Noah is really there. If I ever see him again, what should I say to him?
A burst of gunfire rang out from behind, followed by the sound of bullets bouncing off the car's body. It seemed they were after me. I quickly turned the steering wheel and headed into the forest. The car jerked to one side, and the wheels spun wildly. It seemed the bullet had ruptured a tire. I pulled into the most secluded spot possible, parked the car, and turned off the engine.
“Boaz, come here.”
“Ugh...”
"Noah will be at the house we used to live in. Go there and ask for help."
Boaz, who had crawled into the bushes, gazed at me with his eyes before disappearing beyond. I hid among the trees, pistol in hand. Even the rustling of leaves underfoot made me nervous. I regretted not having trained with the special forces. Furthermore, I only had two bullets left. I held my breath as tightly as I could, trying not to let out a single breath. Tension gripped me, and my whole body froze.
I heard a voice calling out to me from not too far away.
“Princess Diana!”
Eileen's mother was Captain Russell of the Guard.
I stood with my back to the tree, my mouth covered, and looked around. The sound of footsteps approaching was not the only one.
"Princess! I've come to rescue you on Her Majesty's orders! Eileen is part of the forces plotting to harm you! She's even confessed to leading you to the ambush of assassins! Where on earth are you?"
It's difficult to discern truth from falsity in propositions. Eileen's eyes were too kind to be considered pure lies, and the sadness she carried was so transparent that it was almost transparent, despite its depth. The Eileen Russell I know is a warm and gentle person.
I closed my eyes tightly. I tried to cool my head, drawing on my life experiences, but I also tried not to forget the warmth that had seeped into my heart during our time together.
As soon as the complex problem was unraveled, a simple and clear interpretation emerged.
If that were the case, Eileen would have shot me dead in the garage.
I decided to believe Eileen's sincerity.
The footsteps branching out seemed to be coming from at least five men. If I continue like this, I might get caught. With only two bullets in my pistol, it's far from enough to defeat these skilled fighters. Captain Russell's voice, which had been calling out to me with concern for a while, suddenly grew louder.
"That stupid girl I took in as my daughter, fed her, and put her to bed, is now luring me away by pretending to be a Princess, even though she can't help me. I never thought the saying, "You can't take in a black-haired beast," would be true!"
It was a clear mockery, a hum, a rhythmic taunt. The captain of the guard continued, as if certain I was nearby.
"I won't kill you, so come out. It's a good bargaining chip. The Queen might even give up the throne in exchange for a large ransom. This might be a chance to confirm your mother's true love. You won't have to inherit the throne, so you can start over with that man."
I already checked everything. What the hell are you talking about?
The indifferent moon illuminated my features in detail. Reflecting on it, I realized I was unlucky. I glanced over. Three soldiers, including the captain of the guard, stood on a low platform. Beside them, I could see a sunken, cone-shaped pit.
I recalled the description and illustration of an unexploded bomb I'd seen in a book during military training. It was a time bomb stuck there, unexploded. I decided to dismiss the idea of bad luck for now. I'd managed to find the unexploded bomb by moonlight. I aimed my gun at it. Whether it would explode or not was uncertain. I wasn't confident I could accurately hit the bullet, which had sunk so deeply into the ground. It was a gamble with slim odds. I took a deep breath and counted.
One, two, three.
***
I fired two shots, but nothing happened. It didn't explode. That defective product really doesn't explode. It looks like it was made hastily and delivered by a defense company on the verge of bankruptcy. It's a stretch to link that to my causal relationship, though. The three people who heard the gunshots simultaneously turned their gazes in my direction.
“Over there!”
“The Princess is over there!”
I guess I'm really unlucky. I didn't even have time to complain, so I started running with all my might.
Soon after, I felt a sharp heat hit my back, accompanied by a deafening explosion.
I was swept away by the aftershock of the explosion and fell to the ground. The tinnitus, which had been long and thin, gradually subsided. I raised my head and looked back.
“Did it explode?”
Before I could even grasp the situation, a gunshot rang out, and a bullet struck the tree I was leaning against. I tried to stand up, but my legs wouldn't move. I managed to raise my pistol and aim it in the direction the bullet had come from.
The man staggering toward me was Captain Russell. Covered in dirt, her pistol dripping with blood. She gritted her teeth, unable to conceal her indignation.
"I'm giving you a great opportunity. You say you don't want to ascend to the throne. The Spencer family has been doing this for too long; it's annoying. Don't you think so?"
I tilted my head at her, aiming the empty gun at her.
"Who asked you for a chance? I have no reason to listen to your nagging."
Captain Russell chuckled at my indifferent voice.
“Mother and daughter are the same.”
They faced each other, guns drawn, separated only by a wooden pillar. My heart raced faster in the tense situation. Yet I felt a pang of sorrow. To adopt someone as family, only to use them as a tool. Eileen must have tried so hard to be a good daughter to that woman she called mother. I glared at her with a look filled with hatred.
"She was a good kid. Being good isn't a compliment. It's a descriptive term for someone who lives a life of foolish exploitation, only to die a miserable death."
“Did you kill Eileen?”
"I told you, 'a dog's death.' Isn't that the perfect end for an ungrateful orphan?"
“Dog death...”
Eileen was one of the precious siblings Renier wanted to protect. Like Renier, she chose the path of goodness and sacrificed herself. All because of someone like me. It felt like everything happened because of me. The captain of the guard, observing my expression, burst into laughter.
"Well, the Queen thought you were dead, so she went berserk with her rifle. She shot my men dead, and only then did she realize it wasn't you. Did you know? She's a skilled marksman. And yet, she's a hypocrite, refusing to go to war herself, saying she didn't want to get her hands dirty."
I thought of the Queen who couldn't hit a single migratory bird with her rifle. Hypocrite, I don't care about other people's values. The captain of the guard, who had been scorning me, suddenly contorted her face, lost her balance, and fell flat on her face.
“Ugh!”
A single scream opened my blurry eyes. A ferocious beast mounted on her fallen back, growling and biting at her gun-wielding arm. The captain of the guard tried to push him away with her free arm.
“Let go! Let go!”
The moment I realized that the beast with its sharp eyes and fangs was Boaz, a wild gunshot and a shriek rang out.
“Boaz.”
I slowly saw Boaz collapse, foaming at the mouth. I felt the blood circulating in my veins rush back, piercing my head. The very foundation of my life, which I had built up to a certain standard, was shaken and ultimately turned upside down. A dilemma, a fixed idea firmly ingrained in my mind, was completely shattered.
'You must not kill people.'
I leaped back as if recoiling and struck her hard in the head with the grip of the pistol I was holding.
"Why?"
I lost my senses. I had long since crossed the line I had maintained as a human being. I continued to lash out at the unresponsive object, despite countless questions.
“Why are you taking everything away! Why!”
What did I do so wrong?
When I suddenly came to my senses, everything was already over.
The forest was peacefully quiet. The moment I ended another's life with my own hands and embraced a paradoxical peace, a cold wind brushed past my ears, wailing mournfully. I opened my palm and looked down. It was the mark of a murderer, painted red, a trace of my transformation into a complete demon.
Having reached the end of hypocrisy, I let out a hollow laugh.
“So that’s why you wanted to end this cruel era.”
Because I wanted to show my loved one a beautiful world instead of hell. Because I wanted to live happily together there. I hugged Boaz and collapsed, swallowing my despair and pain, then spitting them out again.
"It was to save me. The reason I committed the crime can't disappear. If that happens, I don't think I can bear it. Please don't leave me alone."
The faint breaths and rippling body of Boaz began to subside. If Boaz were to die, I would have committed a meaningless murder. It seemed I was not even allowed to grieve. From afar, someone's furious voice could be heard.
“Captain Russell! What have you done!”
He seemed to be a soldier who had gone in another direction. He must have immediately grasped the situation, as a thick, white puff of breath escaped his trembling lips. He raised his gun and aimed it at me.
"I can never forgive you. The captain is the person I respect the most."
What does that have to do with me? I don't know anymore.
My selfish instinct to live warned me countless times. I watched helplessly as everyone died. I felt disgusted, and my teeth trembled. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. I heard a heavy gunshot, different from a pistol shot. Feeling no pain, I lifted my eyelids in puzzlement. What I saw before me wasn't someone trying to kill me, but a beautiful man with silver-white hair and blue eyes. He was staring at me with a blank expression, his rifle slung over his shoulder. I looked at the fallen soldier, barely able to raise my gaze, and asked.
“Why did you come back here? You know I abandoned you.”
Noah's face was eerily emotionless. But despite his expression, he answered in a gentle tone.
“I came to save you. I won’t abandon you.”
He was always kind to me.
A person who appears perfect on the outside, but is completely imperfect on the inside. I found that dazzlingly beautiful.
The reason I chose to live on, despite the hopelessness of a world that threatens to destroy humanity, instead of returning to my original world. It was because there was a man in this world, possessing that imperfect beauty.
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