Chapter 132

Rumors about Alexandria and the knight Temperchi had already spread like wildfire. The truth that nothing had happened between them, and that Alexandria had never once betrayed Dephensores, was something only Lunailliah knew.

“If that’s the case, then just tell everyone the truth, Alexa! If things keep going like this, you really will lose everything.”

“Luna… I’ve done everything I ever wanted to do in this place. And among all that, you and Dephensores became like family to me. I told you that, didn’t I?”

“…You mean, that you’ve never had a real family before?”

“Yeah. In this whole world, you and Dephensores are what matter most to me, Luna. That’s why… I don’t want Dephensores to be hurt by humans ever again.”

“But… your betrayal might be just as painful for him.”

Lunailliah pleaded with Alexandria, her voice trembling with emotion.

“You’re just as precious to me as I am to you, Alexa. Please… don’t let me lose you…”

Tears welled in Lunailliah’s clear eyes. Her hand, tightly clasping Alexandria’s, trembled violently. She bit down on her lip, and when she spoke again, her voice was soaked with suppressed sobs.

“Luna. What would hurt Dephensores more? Losing just me, or losing all the human knights who follow him?”

Power too immense becomes a source of fear. The truth was that all the humans surrounding Temperchi had betrayed Dephensores. And in order to persuade Temperchi, Alexandria had met with him frequently. She never imagined those meetings would spiral into scandalous rumors. Lunailliah broke down in tears.

She had been there with Dephensores when he restored order to a broken world and founded the Empire. The chaos had been caused by humans. Dephensores was one of the gods who still remembered the creation of the world from the darkness. As a young wolf, he had seen and felt the moment when the gods opened the world.

To Dephensores, the humans who had brought the world into turmoil were objects of hatred. But through his love for Lunailliah, his mistrust of humans began to dissolve. And through meeting Temperchi and Alexandria, he was able to let go of that hatred.

“Then I’ll be the villain. Maybe it’s better if I become someone blinded by love. Who knows? Maybe Temperchi will have a change of heart.”

“Temperchi…”

Alexandria knew as well as anyone: he wasn’t someone who would come back. But she believed in the weakest part of the human heart. And she believed that Temperchi had never been evil from the start.

“Luna. Temperchi… he loves me.”

That was the only shield Alexandria had left to hold onto. If she sacrificed herself to stop him, he would have no choice but to halt.

“For now, that might be the only thing protecting Thersion, Luna.”

“Love… it’s not forever…”

“I know. But I was never meant to stay here forever anyway. You know my real name, right?”

Lunailliah nodded deeply. She knew that Alexandria was a stranger from another worldline. With every nod, the tears in her eyes shimmered and fell like scattered stardust.

“Yu-hee…”

“Yes, Han Yu-hee. That’s my real name. I have to return to being Han Yu-hee, Luna. I learned something after coming here… that I loved being Yu-hee too. So, if someone has to carry the burden, it should be the one who’s leaving.”

“But… what if I… if I miss you, Yu-hee…?”

“Luna.”

Alexandria gently wiped away the tears streaming down Lunailliah’s cheek.

“I promise. I’ll come back.”

“Y-You really will…?”

“Yes. I love Alexandria just as much as I love Han Yu-hee. You believe me, right?”

Lunailliah nodded firmly. It was that day that Alexandria went to meet Temperchi, hoping to persuade him.

But Lunailliah already knew she had failed. Temperchi had planned to kill Dephensores to satisfy his own greed, and Alexandria had chosen to sacrifice herself to stop him.

The moment Temperchi’s sword pierced through Alexandria’s waist, she elevated Dephensores into the cycle of reincarnation, something only humans could access. With the last of his strength, Dephensores cursed Alexandria for her betrayal.

“Alexa! I curse you with the same trust I once gave you. With all my life, I curse the Red Clan! You will lose all your power, and the Red Clan will be hunted and forced to flee from Thersion forever! Those who died unjustly will return and set everything right!”

Dephensores vanished first, and Lunailliah remembered everything that followed with searing clarity. Alexandria, soaked in blood, had embraced Temperchi.

“This is where it ends… Temperchi.”

“Alexa!!! I… I…”

“This is the end. Don’t harm Thersion… We were all together once.”

Those were the final words Alexandria left behind. Lunailliah realized she would never forget that day’s tragedy. She knew she would spend the rest of her life waiting for Dephensores and Alexandria.

* * *

Having finished her story, Lunailliah broke down in sobs. Alexandria had sacrificed herself to stop Temperchi and protect Dephensores. Dephensores had said that the unjustly slain would return.

But contrary to his belief, Dephensores was not the only one who died unjustly. Alexandria had, too. And because of that, she had returned just as his curse decreed.

“Alexandria once said Dephensores would learn and grow through the human cycle of reincarnation. That in time, his hatred and pain would begin to fade.”

Lunailliah gripped Alexa’s hand tightly. Even if Alexa had lost all her memories, Lunailliah knew she was still the one she had waited for. Her voice trembled as she whispered, “I missed you, Han Yu-hee.”

Alexa couldn’t hold back the tears swelling inside her. She’d always believed she was alone, that there was no one who would wait for her, or love her. But upon returning, she had gained everything she once lacked. A family that always believed in her. A friend who had waited for her all this time.

“Luna…”

“It’s okay if you don’t remember anything. I remember it all.”

Lunailliah, despite the many years she had lived, sobbed like a child. Every time she blinked, her tears fell like glistening gems.

“I missed you so much, Yu-hee…”

“Thank you…”

Thank you… for saying you missed me. Her reunion with Lunailliah healed Alexa’s weary heart. She gained things she’d never dared hope for. She gripped Lunailliah’s hand tightly.

“There’s something I need to tell you, Luna. I think… it’s time for Dephensores to return.”

“Dephensores…?”

“I met him. In a place called Karakter. If I’m right, he’s on his final cycle of reincarnation, waiting for the time to come back.”

Lunailliah’s eyes trembled uncontrollably. With Yu-hee’s return, and now Dephensores’, her long, long wait might finally be over.

“He’s… coming back?”

“Yes. I don’t think he remembers everything yet, but…”

Alexa recalled the look in his eyes. He still seemed to carry resentment toward the Red Clan and Alexandria. He’d said the curse wouldn’t end until Alexandria died.

“Alexa. If he returns, then the curse he cast on the Red Clan… it might finally be lifted!”

Lunailliah’s words carried hope. If the one who cast the curse came back and broke it himself, the curse might not need to be fulfilled.

“This time, everyone can be happy, Alexa!”

“But first, there’s something we need to finish, Luna.”

“Something to finish…?”

“The war between Thersion and Temperchi still isn’t over.”

Alexa spoke in a quiet, steady voice.

“We have to end it before Dephensores comes back, Luna.”

She was right. If Dephensores returned now, he would bring catastrophe. The Wolf God’s wrath was not something the world could endure. Chaos would descend once more.

“Please help me. I have to break the Oath Seal, Luna.”

“…What if it all happens again? Temperchi can’t be trusted.”

“Jeremiah is different.”

Alexa spoke firmly. In the records from the other dimension she’d lived in, Jeremiah had never betrayed Thersion. Though she hadn’t read the story to its end, Jeremiah in that novel had loved Thersion. Just like the one who lived now.

“Jeremiah will protect Thersion, Luna.”