Episode 25
“Because we’re special.”
Lennox stopped himself from saying “cursed.”
Being “special” wasn’t a good thing.
“You can’t change what already happened, but from now on, you can stop new disasters.”
Lennox explained the duty of Winterlen to Duren, just like his own mother once did to him.
“So there’s no one else now?”
“Right.”
Duren’s eyes drooped.
“I wanted to save them.”
“Then save people from now on.”
The duty of Winterlen was to protect people from the Magi (dark energy), and because they lived long lives, they had to watch loved ones die without being able to do anything. That was their curse.
“You can save people from now on.”
Duren had all the features of a Winterlen: black hair, red eyes, even immunity to Magi. Lennox didn’t know how he had these traits.
But one thing was certain — unless the child was also cursed by the gods, this couldn’t be a coincidence.
‘This child must be cursed too.’
The thought left a bitter taste.
Then Duren suddenly spoke cheerfully.
“Then Doo-doo and mister are heroes!”
“Heroes?”
“You save people from danger! Doo-doo already saved Granny!”
The world might call them devils, but Lennox didn’t bother correcting Duren.
“You’re still young and weak, so saving many people will be hard.”
“Doo-doo can do it!”
Duren said firmly.
“When I grow up and get super big and super strong, I’ll protect Mom and everyone else!”
It was such a simple, childish way of thinking.
Lennox let out a small laugh.
“Good. Become a strong adult.”
“Okay!”
‘He really is still just a child.’
Lennox lifted the light child back onto his shoulders to make sure he wouldn’t fall.
Duren grabbed Lennox’s hair again to “steer” him like before.
Lennox, feeling his scalp pull, thought again about picking Duren up like a handbag — a ridiculous idea. But he gave it up, afraid he might drop him.
“Let’s go back now.”
“Okay!”
They walked back the way they came. Once they reached a place safe from the Magi, Lennox set Duren down.
Plop.
“Mom!”
Not far away, Estelle was there. Duren ran toward her.
But suddenly—
“Duren!”
Estelle shouted his name, but it wasn’t out of joy.
Duren paused when he saw her pale face.
It felt like the world suddenly darkened.
And it wasn’t just a feeling.
“Duren, run!”
A huge monster — three times the size of a grown man — was right next to Duren.
Grrrr—
This was Duren’s first time seeing a monster.
The moment he saw its big, dark eyes, all his brave dreams disappeared.
Fear, terror, panic.
Duren couldn’t move a single toe.
“Duren!”
The monster had no intelligence. It was a predator and normally would go after the weakest.
But it chose the nearest target — Lennox.
That was lucky.
Lennox reached for the sword at his waist and spoke.
“Estelle, move far away—”
But Estelle was already running.
When she saw the terrified, frozen Duren, she forgot all logic.
Her only thought: “I have to stop the monster.”
Estelle could control Magi. Monsters were made of Magi too.
‘Maybe I can control it.’
She had to protect the child.
Estelle stood in front of Duren.
‘Disappear!’
They say if you wish hard enough, it might come true.
The monster split in half.
What?
Just then, a white cape flew in front of Estelle’s eyes for a moment.
The clean white clothes could only belong to one person — someone who hated getting dirty.
“Damn it.”
Lennox, who had cut down the monster with one strike, muttered.
“Just because people call you Winterlen doesn’t mean your blood is. If you jump in like that…!”
The monster was easy for Lennox.
He raised his voice but stopped the moment he looked at Estelle.
“Estelle.”
Her breathing was uneven.
Was she just shocked?
No, she was looking directly at Lennox, trying to speak.
As he was about to ask what she was saying—
She collapsed.
“…Mom?”
Duren ran forward, scared, but Lennox quickly stopped him.
Thankfully, no Magi had touched Duren. The cape had helped.
But they couldn’t relax yet.
They had just come from a place filled with Magi — it was dangerous to touch ordinary people.
“Let me go! I want Mom! Mom!”
Duren cried and struggled in Lennox’s arms.
“No.”
“I hate you!”
Lennox held him tightly and frowned.
He kept staring at Estelle.
Could she be… dead?
People die more easily than you’d think.
Lennox had seen more death than life.
He’d watched many people die without blinking. But now, for some reason, his heart was pounding.
Like someone truly afraid.
He blinked slowly to calm himself.
‘No, she’s not dead.’
Her face was covered in cold sweat.
Not dead from Magi. But not safe either.
She’d fainted from something else — probably her body giving out.
“Mom! Mom!”
Lennox wanted to carry her like he did Duren.
But he couldn’t.
He was scared that one wrong move might stop her shallow breathing.
“Pippin.”
Lennox called out to Pippin, who was still lost among the confused knights.
“Take Estelle to the main castle. Right now.”
He clenched his teeth as he ordered.
Pippin carried Estelle into the carriage with a knight’s help.
Lennox stayed behind, holding Duren.
Even as the carriage disappeared from view, Lennox couldn’t take his eyes off it.
A deep helplessness spread inside him.
The same feeling he’d lived with since he was born.
* * *
“Her body is in terrible condition. How did she even walk around like this?”
The doctor who checked Estelle after she was brought to the main castle was shocked.
He always knew she was too delicate for the harsh north — even from her appearance.
She had refused any serious medical check-ups before, so he only gave her health tonics.
But now…
“She could have suddenly died any time within a year.”
“What?” Lennox asked.
“She’s either naturally weak or severely overworked. Her pulse is extremely faint. She must’ve known her condition was bad. Didn’t she say anything?”
“…No.”
Lennox remembered the time Estelle coughed blood.
Back then, he wasn’t sure if it was blood.
Now he realized — she had been hiding her pain and pushing herself too hard.
When Duren went missing, her body was already at its limit.
But she forced herself to keep going, just to find him.
Even after she found him, she kept pushing.
But no one can survive on willpower alone.
When the monster was defeated, her tension broke — and she collapsed.
“Will she wake up?”
“She got an IV. She’ll wake up after some rest. But that’s just temporary. Long term, there’s no real solution.”
“You’re a useless doctor.”
“It’s not that. Her whole body is failing, not just one part. Any doctor would say the same.”
“Typical excuse from a quack.”
“I understand you’re upset, but this is serious.”
Upset?
Me?
Because of a woman who’s leaving in a year?
“I’ll leave you alone now. I’ll return when she wakes up.”
The doctor quickly left, sensing danger in Lennox’s cold stare.
The room became quiet.
Duren had cried himself to sleep not long after arriving at the castle.
Now, the only one left by Estelle’s side… was Lennox.
