She shook her head desperately and opened her lips to speak.

Riftan is d-different from that person. You wont ever be miserable. I Ill be back right away. When I return I wont ever leave again. Never Never

Im already at the limit. Max stiffened, staring at his numb face. His black eyes, like coals, swayed in pain. Since I started wanting you I always felt like I was standing over burning charcoal. Do you know what that is? Not being able to stop my feet from moving even for a moment. I cant sit or stand. Keep running I have to keep running. I cant stop over a never-ending fire I cant rest even for a moment and I have to keep running.

His voice had a faint whisper, as if it revealed the weariness on his back. Only then did Max notice that his face had become haggard in a few days. He ran his rough cheeks down with one hand.

I want to be free from that .

Riftan I

Her lips were twitching, not knowing what to say. A reddish light filtering through the window cast a gloomy shadow on his face. And he opened his mouth again.

If you go, I wont wait for you anymore.

Ill stop thinking about you. This time Ill stop. Im going to quit making myself miserable. Maxs mouth hung open in shock. He squeezed her forearm and uttered each word heavily. Do you still want to go?

It felt as if all the air had disappeared from her lungs. His dark eyes warned her that this would be the last time he would hold her. She hesitated and tried to back away, but he didnt let go of her arm. Maxs lips twitched like a fish rising above water. Her heart was pounding loudly, and her throat tingled as if she had swallowed a shard of glass. Max grinded her teeth and repeated the same words like a parrot.

I-Ill come back. Whatever it takes Ill come back to you. S-so

All light disappeared from Riftans eyes. When she saw those bleak eyes, she couldnt bring herself to speak anymore. He slowly released her arm.

Right.

Even though she tried to escape before, Max felt alone in cold snow when his hand was gone. His voice sounded empty like an echo.

Thengo. To that place where you want to go

As if that was the end of the conversation, he stood up. She couldnt move, it felt like she was paralyzed. Riftan walked over to the table and took a new glass. Max, who looked at him in frustration, got up quickly and reached for him in a hurry. Then Riftan stepped back and exclaimed fiercely.

Dont touch me!

Max took a breath and stepped back. Shock blinded her. Riftan glared fiercely and roared like a wounded beast.

If you touch me now, I will never let you go. Even if I have to lock you up, I will keep you by my side. You wont like that Max instinctively backed away as he approached. Riftan whispered under his breath. Get out of here this instance.

.

Dont even think that youre leaving for my sake. I never wanted this. Youre Youre leaving me for your own satisfaction.

Max, who was standing as if she was nailed to the door, flinched, and turned around. Her legs were shaking. Each step she took was as difficult as if her flesh were being torn apart. She looked down at the elongated shadow under her feet, she wanted to look back, but couldnt because she was scared. Max, who hesitated as she stood rigid in front of the door, quickly made her way to the dark corridor.

After going down a distance in the hallway, she suddenly heard a shattering sound behind her back. The loud noise that hit her eardrums made her shudder. Suddenly, her head went cold and she wondered what the hell he had done.

Have I gone crazy? How can I even think of leaving him? Even if I lose the whole world, I cant lose him.

Max turned around urgently. However, she didnt even move as if her feet were fastened to the ground. The gut seemed to melt with the desire to return to him immediately and beg him to do what he wanted, but she could not take a step. She knew what she had to do. Not knowing what was holding her, she froze and trembled violently. Tears ran down her cheeks. Although it was so painful, she really had to go.

What in the world is holding my two feet back? I wanted to give up everything.

But as her shoulders shook and she swallowed her tears, she turned around again. Every time she walked away from him, she felt as if something around her crumbled. She felt like a young bird breaking out of its egg. It was cold, she was desperate, scared, and sad. She bit her lips. A ray of sunlight from the setting sun painfully pierced her hazy vision blurred by tears. When she turned her head and looked at the glass window where the light was streaming in, Max took a step again.

Through the pain that seemed to split her body in half, she had to move forward and forward again

Note LF: I understand Riftans pain, but dang he did such a sadboi thing The next chapter will be the last for book 1 </3

Nymeria: Yeah I cried