A chillingly heavy silence settled over.
Vania's condition was serious after they hurriedly gathered her up and laid her on the bed.
Lost in consciousness, only letting out a few heated groans from time to time.
As the makeup was removed, a face as pale as a wax doll was fully revealed.
Nike was sitting in front of her...
Ryan stood beside him, watching his fist resting on his knee tremble.
“Did you really... have to hide it?”
A voice came out that was as confused and trembling as a tightly clenched hand.
Fear. A little anger.
Complex emotions could be felt in Nike's voice, but Ryan had nothing to say.
“Before that... couldn’t you stop it?”
"Wouldn't I have stopped her?"
Ryan swallowed a sigh and said.
“But you know what kind of supernatural ability Vania has. If she sets her mind to it, there is no way for me to stop her.”
"You should have told me."
Nike looked back.
Ryan held his breath in surprise at the look in his eyes and his expression.
Terrible sense of self-loathing.
“I... I would have tried to stop her.”
Worry, fear that she might die, guilt for not having taken action beforehand, foolishness for knowing nothing.
He is tormented by turning all those emotions into self-loathing.
Ryan realized why Vania had desperately tried to hide her condition from him.
“What is the exact state right now?”
Nike looked back at Vania once again with a helpless gaze.
“...”
"Ryan."
“Ah, well...”
At the frighteningly urgent voice, Ryan finally opened his mouth, sweeping a deep sigh in his hands.
“This kid... was gathering supernatural powers like an acorn, but she reached her limit. Now, it hurts every time she raises any ability by one level. She can't heal herself.”
“...”
“The body only undergoes a recovery period when it is in pain, like waiting for mud to harden. And naturally, she shouldn't use her supernatural abilities during the recovery period.”
"How can it hurt?"
“She has no stamina, she has a fever, she vomits blood, and sometimes she even faints like this...”
“...”
"She will be fine once the recovery is complete."
"Tell me the truth."
“...that’s what Vania said, but to be honest, I don’t really know either. Neither do Vanias. Because...”
“...”
"Because Vania's supernatural ability originated from her for the first time. There is no precedent. It is a power that Vania had to confront and experience firsthand to understand its limitations and dangers."
As he talked, Ryan also became frustrated.
"Since she experienced it before the regression, she's recalling it to regulate her state now so that she doesn't die."
"Then, even after the recovery is over, are you not sure... whether you can return to your healthy state?"
“Yes. I’d only know once she’s fully recovered, but I don’t know because that has never happened before. Just as her body was starting to feel better, she began training her supernatural abilities again. To stop the medical cartel...”
Nike's hand suddenly rose toward Ryan.
“Hey!!!”
Ryan, startled, stepped back to keep his distance from Nike.
“Stop it! You shouldn’t just do things like this without consent! Please?!”
He knew this would happen.
It is a good thing he kept his guard up; otherwise, Nike wouldn't have been able to respond and would have been helplessly regressed.
“What are you going to do if you turn it? How much do you plan to wind? Do you want to start all over from the beginning?”
“Why? Can’t you even do that much?”
“...”
Ryan's mouth dropped open.
'This bastard's eyes are crazy.'
With that thought in mind, Ryan cautiously asked.
"Did you happen to get your memories back while I was away?"
"No."
You're saying no?
Ryan thought Nike's eyes turned this crazy because he was reliving all the memories of how deeply he loved her.
Nike gritted his teeth and added.
“...”
Ryan was stunned.
What if you turned back time?
Everything we have prepared so far will be for nothing. We have to start over.
You lose everything and gain just one thing.
Vania's healthy body.
'Ah, he's a really dangerous guy.'
Ryan let out a bewildered laugh and slowly rubbed his forehead.
He was reminded of the Crown Prince who used to brag so much about his younger brother.
His younger brother, whom the Crown Prince knows?
He has a few mood swings and remains composed when distinguishing between public and private matters. While composed, he has a gentle personality. He dislikes conflict. He has a strong sense of duty as a member of the royal family. He is so obedient that he has never once disobeyed the demands of the royal family...
'Oh, you got them all wrong.'
He is a person with a dangerous inner nature who can unleash his full potential without hesitation once he gets fixated on something.
'If he had been a submissive man from the start, he wouldn't have dated a woman from an enemy family, and if he were a normal man, he wouldn't have abandoned his country for a woman.'
Regardless of the intention, the traitor of this empire who revived all the Wassenbergs that Ryan had killed before the regression is none other than...
Nike Valencier.
Only for the sole reason of saving his lover.
"Listen carefully."
Ryan took another step back from Nike just in case and began to speak.
“If you want to revert and return Vania to the time when she was fine, we would have to practically remove Vania from our plan and start over.”
Ryan saw Vania.
“Supernatural abilities are honed the more you use them. Vania needs to train her abilities as little as possible to stay healthy. If that happens, we will have to accomplish many of the things Vania has been involved in so far, solely through the strength of the two of us, without her.”
“...”
“Do you think that’s possible? What can a lethal weapon capable of nothing but killing people over, and a clock hand whose only job is to click back time, accomplish together?”
As he spoke, Ryan also felt tormented by a sense of helplessness.
“To be honest, we were able to get this far all thanks to Vania. It was a fight where we were outnumbered and didn't match in weight class, but Vania compensated for it with her various supernatural abilities.”
There was no wavering on Nike's face.
It looks like persuasion isn't working at all.
'Ah, screw me.'
If Nike makes up his mind, there is no way to stop him. Because if he manages to make contact somehow, Ryan will be 'forced' into regression.
"He must not know that I'm sick."
'Vania, you were wise.'
Perhaps Vania might have anticipated the sight of Nike completely losing his mind.
'Ryan, stay alert.'
He opened his mouth, pondering what to say to persuade Nike.
“How futile must it be for Vania, who has suffered so much until now?”
A faint crack appeared on Nike's face. Ryan caught it.
“I cannot say that Your Royal Highness, the Prince, is not the reason Vania sacrificed herself. Because the one she loves is a member of the Royal Family who will be responsible for the future of this country. Because there are things that must be done. To help.”
That was the reason Nike had no choice but to blame itself.
To him who is suffering.
"However, Your Highness is not the only reason."
Ryan told him for sure.
"Vania is more satisfied now fighting for a just cause than she was in her life before the regression. She also feels a moral responsibility to stop them, as the majority of those doing bad things are of her own blood."
“...”
"I am saying that Vania built this tower of her own free will, finding a sense of fulfillment in it, not solely for Your Highness. By what right do you intend to tear it down?"
Finally, Nike's eyes wavered.
His gaze toward Vania remained unchanged, but he was clearly wavering.
'When this guy gets all stubborn and won't talk, Bania's the one with the master key...'
Vania's condition was serious after they hurriedly gathered her up and laid her on the bed.
Lost in consciousness, only letting out a few heated groans from time to time.
As the makeup was removed, a face as pale as a wax doll was fully revealed.
Nike was sitting in front of her...
Ryan stood beside him, watching his fist resting on his knee tremble.
“Did you really... have to hide it?”
A voice came out that was as confused and trembling as a tightly clenched hand.
Fear. A little anger.
Complex emotions could be felt in Nike's voice, but Ryan had nothing to say.
“Before that... couldn’t you stop it?”
"Wouldn't I have stopped her?"
Ryan swallowed a sigh and said.
“But you know what kind of supernatural ability Vania has. If she sets her mind to it, there is no way for me to stop her.”
"You should have told me."
Nike looked back.
Ryan held his breath in surprise at the look in his eyes and his expression.
Terrible sense of self-loathing.
“I... I would have tried to stop her.”
Worry, fear that she might die, guilt for not having taken action beforehand, foolishness for knowing nothing.
He is tormented by turning all those emotions into self-loathing.
Ryan realized why Vania had desperately tried to hide her condition from him.
“What is the exact state right now?”
Nike looked back at Vania once again with a helpless gaze.
“...”
"Ryan."
“Ah, well...”
At the frighteningly urgent voice, Ryan finally opened his mouth, sweeping a deep sigh in his hands.
“This kid... was gathering supernatural powers like an acorn, but she reached her limit. Now, it hurts every time she raises any ability by one level. She can't heal herself.”
“...”
“The body only undergoes a recovery period when it is in pain, like waiting for mud to harden. And naturally, she shouldn't use her supernatural abilities during the recovery period.”
"How can it hurt?"
“She has no stamina, she has a fever, she vomits blood, and sometimes she even faints like this...”
“...”
"She will be fine once the recovery is complete."
"Tell me the truth."
“...that’s what Vania said, but to be honest, I don’t really know either. Neither do Vanias. Because...”
“...”
"Because Vania's supernatural ability originated from her for the first time. There is no precedent. It is a power that Vania had to confront and experience firsthand to understand its limitations and dangers."
As he talked, Ryan also became frustrated.
"Since she experienced it before the regression, she's recalling it to regulate her state now so that she doesn't die."
"Then, even after the recovery is over, are you not sure... whether you can return to your healthy state?"
“Yes. I’d only know once she’s fully recovered, but I don’t know because that has never happened before. Just as her body was starting to feel better, she began training her supernatural abilities again. To stop the medical cartel...”
Nike's hand suddenly rose toward Ryan.
“Hey!!!”
Ryan, startled, stepped back to keep his distance from Nike.
“Stop it! You shouldn’t just do things like this without consent! Please?!”
He knew this would happen.
It is a good thing he kept his guard up; otherwise, Nike wouldn't have been able to respond and would have been helplessly regressed.
“What are you going to do if you turn it? How much do you plan to wind? Do you want to start all over from the beginning?”
“Why? Can’t you even do that much?”
“...”
Ryan's mouth dropped open.
'This bastard's eyes are crazy.'
With that thought in mind, Ryan cautiously asked.
"Did you happen to get your memories back while I was away?"
"No."
You're saying no?
Ryan thought Nike's eyes turned this crazy because he was reliving all the memories of how deeply he loved her.
“If she’d wanted to save time and take care of her health, Bania would have done it herself.”
“She wouldn’t have.”
“That’s what you’re telling me to do, isn’t it?”
Ryan was stunned.
What if you turned back time?
Everything we have prepared so far will be for nothing. We have to start over.
You lose everything and gain just one thing.
Vania's healthy body.
'Ah, he's a really dangerous guy.'
Ryan let out a bewildered laugh and slowly rubbed his forehead.
He was reminded of the Crown Prince who used to brag so much about his younger brother.
His younger brother, whom the Crown Prince knows?
He has a few mood swings and remains composed when distinguishing between public and private matters. While composed, he has a gentle personality. He dislikes conflict. He has a strong sense of duty as a member of the royal family. He is so obedient that he has never once disobeyed the demands of the royal family...
'Oh, you got them all wrong.'
He is a person with a dangerous inner nature who can unleash his full potential without hesitation once he gets fixated on something.
'If he had been a submissive man from the start, he wouldn't have dated a woman from an enemy family, and if he were a normal man, he wouldn't have abandoned his country for a woman.'
Regardless of the intention, the traitor of this empire who revived all the Wassenbergs that Ryan had killed before the regression is none other than...
Nike Valencier.
Only for the sole reason of saving his lover.
"Listen carefully."
Ryan took another step back from Nike just in case and began to speak.
“If you want to revert and return Vania to the time when she was fine, we would have to practically remove Vania from our plan and start over.”
Ryan saw Vania.
“Supernatural abilities are honed the more you use them. Vania needs to train her abilities as little as possible to stay healthy. If that happens, we will have to accomplish many of the things Vania has been involved in so far, solely through the strength of the two of us, without her.”
“...”
“Do you think that’s possible? What can a lethal weapon capable of nothing but killing people over, and a clock hand whose only job is to click back time, accomplish together?”
As he spoke, Ryan also felt tormented by a sense of helplessness.
“To be honest, we were able to get this far all thanks to Vania. It was a fight where we were outnumbered and didn't match in weight class, but Vania compensated for it with her various supernatural abilities.”
There was no wavering on Nike's face.
It looks like persuasion isn't working at all.
'Ah, screw me.'
If Nike makes up his mind, there is no way to stop him. Because if he manages to make contact somehow, Ryan will be 'forced' into regression.
"He must not know that I'm sick."
'Vania, you were wise.'
Perhaps Vania might have anticipated the sight of Nike completely losing his mind.
'Ryan, stay alert.'
He opened his mouth, pondering what to say to persuade Nike.
“How futile must it be for Vania, who has suffered so much until now?”
A faint crack appeared on Nike's face. Ryan caught it.
“I cannot say that Your Royal Highness, the Prince, is not the reason Vania sacrificed herself. Because the one she loves is a member of the Royal Family who will be responsible for the future of this country. Because there are things that must be done. To help.”
That was the reason Nike had no choice but to blame itself.
To him who is suffering.
"However, Your Highness is not the only reason."
Ryan told him for sure.
"Vania is more satisfied now fighting for a just cause than she was in her life before the regression. She also feels a moral responsibility to stop them, as the majority of those doing bad things are of her own blood."
“...”
"I am saying that Vania built this tower of her own free will, finding a sense of fulfillment in it, not solely for Your Highness. By what right do you intend to tear it down?"
Finally, Nike's eyes wavered.
His gaze toward Vania remained unchanged, but he was clearly wavering.
'When this guy gets all stubborn and won't talk, Bania's the one with the master key...'
Ryan breathed a sigh of relief and quietly took a step back.
In the silence.
Time passed.
Nike agonized.
After watching Vania, who was breathing heavily with a pale face, occasionally letting out sighs like pain, and finishing his thoughts after a long while.
"Ryan."
Nike quietly called out to him and got up.
"Yes."
For some reason, the answer came from a distance, and Nike turned around.
“...”
“...”
Ryan had gone far away, perhaps to avoid being sent back.
“...I’m afraid you might grope me. Please just tell me from there.”
“...”
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