The winter sun was warm, the sky was blue, and the blowing breeze was pleasant. But that was all. He didnt feel any excitement.

Raytan was sitting alone and leaning against a rotten tree. His gaze was directed to the Imperial Palace. The Imperial Palace looked so small that Raytan felt like it was just a dollhouse. When he stared at that place, he felt like everything that happened there had nothing to do with him at all, including everything that had happened in the last few days.

Raytan set a blank expression on his face.

Even in the past, someone like you the same thing

General Haydens voice rang in his ears like a hazy dream.

Someone like me

Who the hell did he mean? Raytan couldnt understand even one of the things that General Hayden had said.

My ancestors what they were trying to stop

General Haydn said he knew this was going to happen. If so, did the same thing happen in the past? Was that why he said something like that?

But just be smart. This time too Someone will stop youThe fact that it will be you who will eventually lose

No Raytan closed his eyes tightly and muttered to himself.

He did not fail anything. It was running exactly like the scenario his mother had planned. There was nothing to worry about.

However, there was a strange sense of dread.

How could all of these damn things happen?

Who did that?

Who made him keep seeing and hearing strange things?

The cursed those

Dont let me down.

General Haydens and Lizes voices took turns piercing through his eardrums.

Huh.

Raytan inhaled roughly before lowering his head. After that, he covered his face. He felt like he could smell a whiff of blood. A bloody smell that did not go away no matter how much he washed and rinsed.

So, will these strange things keep happening to him?

His hands trembled a little.

I How

Brother.

Brother Raytan.

Raytan froze for a moment.

Brother, its me, Sezh.

He did not reply at all, so Sezh gently reached out her hand. She grabbed Raytans hand, which he had used to cover his face, and lowered it.

He had an unfamiliar face.

A lonely expression was carved on his face as if he was isolated from the world.

Sezh.

Sezh.

Yes, Brother? While answering, Sezh held Raytans hand. Ive been looking for you for a while. I didnt see you anywhere.

Why?

What?

Why

Because I was worried.

Sezh hesitated for a moment, then instead uttered a different sentence. It was because Raytan may have come here to avoid being caught looking like this.

I want to be with you, Brother.

Its because Im alone. I feel lonely, Sezh sat down next to him.

Silence descended between the two of them. Sezh didnt ask anymore. Instead, she decided to wait for Raytan to speak first. And after a while, Raytan finally parted his lips with a crackling voice.

I couldnt think of any place other than here.

What do you mean?

A place to escape.

Why did you have to run away.?

Instead of answering, Raytan bit his lips.

Im scared. I feel like Im going to go crazy forever.

However, he found it hard to be honest.

There is a smell.

The smell of blood The bloody smell

Sezh suddenly remembered what happened yesterday. The red stain on his white shirt that she saw.

Maybe something was already happening. However from what Sezh remembered, it was still not time yet.

Sezh felt an ominous feeling for a moment. She unknowingly turned her head to look at Raytan. But rather than his usual cold expression, Raytans trembling hand caught her eyes first. She could see his worn face as well.

Brother, you look tired.

Are you having trouble sleeping?

Raytan nodded his head a little.

Wait.

Sezh pulled back her hands from his and then stretched her legs out. Following that, she gently pulled Raytan by the collar. Raytan flinched a little but didnt push her away. Sezh then laid Raytans head on her thighs.

Close your eyes for a bit. Ill wake you up.

A small, white hand covered his pair of eyes. The sunlight was so bright that Sezh was afraid he might not be able to sleep because of it.

Raytan didnt say anything more. He just lay down quietly. When Sezh removed her hand, she noticed that his eyelids were already closed. But did he fall asleep? She couldnt be sure about it. Maybe hes just closing his eyes.

Without Raytan knowing, Sezh slowly stretched out her hand. Soon the wind began to blow. The wind wasnt that strong, but it wasnt weak either.

There was no smell of blood in the first place.

Still, Sezh thought it would be good if the wind washed away the smell of blood that she couldnt even smell. Sezh believed it would be better to blow that smell far away so that Raytan will never make a face like that again.

It was a small consolation she could give him. His black hair, as black as night, fluttered in the wind. Sezh softly stroked his hair like how he did when he had tied her hair up back then.