Chapter 22
Acares and Alberto’s eyes turned in the same direction at the same time.
A faint scream echoed through the white forest.
Alberto stared blankly toward the sound and spoke with a trembling voice.
“That was… Bella’s voice.”
Before Alberto even finished his sentence, Acares sprinted toward the source of the scream.
As Alberto watched the ground burn white where Acares had dashed off, he swallowed nervously.
‘Run away.’
He had first met Acares behind the half-destroyed royal palace of Roye.
Just as his title “Cruel Butterfly” suggested, Acares was beautiful—but terrifying.
The eldest son of the Emperor of Atlanta, who swallowed an entire continent. A man whose mere presence created fear.
Hidden under Acares’ white flames, Alberto had been warned:
“There is nothing left here that you can change. That’s why I’m letting you go. Run. Now.”
It was unbelievable that the man leading the army that slaughtered his family would show mercy.
But back then, Alberto had no time to question anything.
The flag of Roie Kingdom fell, and the palace was engulfed in flames.
Losing all will to fight, Alberto fled in his beast-form—running anywhere the butterfly couldn’t follow.
When he finally regained his senses, he was locked in the basement of a woman named Bella Isis.
And soon after, he was shocked.
The man who had once freed him now stood before him again—acting completely differently, almost like a character in a play.
And the woman with him pretended to be Bella’s maid while wearing a maid outfit that didn’t suit her at all.
That’s when he decided to investigate.
Why were two infamous killers staying in this small countryside house, acting like they were playing some childish pretend game?
And finally—he found a clue earlier today.
‘She used a strange magic before, didn’t she?’
The golden light that came from Bella’s hand, and the words she whispered—because of that, he regained his strength and willingly took Sui back to the Piroche.
He hadn’t realized it at the time, but now he was sure: Bella’s magic had controlled his consciousness.
Alberto swallowed hard and hurried after Acares.
***
Meanwhile
“Mom—! Oh, oh no!”
Bella screamed as she climbed the cliff.
The bear chasing her swung its huge paw threateningly from below.
Just one hit from that paw would kill her instantly. Bella trembled.
‘Why is a bear awake? It should be hibernating!’
The tree branch she was clinging to looked like it would break any second.
“Please! Save me!”
All she could do was cry into the empty air, begging for her life.
She felt an overwhelming helplessness pressing on her chest.
Tears filled her eyes as the bear’s paw brushed the bottom of her foot.
Its growling roar sounded like the voice of the underworld calling her.
Her mind snapped awake from the fear. She hurriedly opened the Oracion Book with her free hand.
If she was going to die anyway, she might as well struggle until the end.
“Please… someone save me,” she whispered, trembling.
“I want to go back…”
Back to Piroche, where Sui was waiting.
And then—
“…Acares.”
She called his name softly.
Even though all he ever showed off were cringe-worthy sweet lines…
Even though the only useful thing he’d done was chop firewood with his shirt off in the cold…
‘Acares… please come save me.’
She prayed desperately.
Then—light burst out of the Oracion Book.
The golden light shot upward through the blizzard, illuminating everything.
“Bella!”
A familiar voice echoed from not far away.
Through her blurry vision, she saw a figure approaching.
‘Acares?’
White hair like winter snow, blood-red eyes—he looked like Acares.
But the man running toward her was not Acares.
The man leapt into the air and dove straight into the pit.
In a flash, his foot struck the back of the bear’s head.
The huge bear collapsed instantly from a single kick.
It felt like a dream.
‘Ah… I must be dead and hallucinating, Mom…’
Her eyelids fluttered, growing heavy.
Someone hugged her, calling her name, but Bella slowly lost consciousness in the warmth.
***
Flashback
A fierce blizzard slammed against the windows.
Bella, still a child, hid under the table, crying.
Her eyes were swollen, her body too thin.
She couldn’t remember the last time she ate. She had been crying for days.
Then—
“Isis! Are you home?”
A voice shouted outside her door.
Bella lifted her head slightly. Someone was knocking loudly again.
“Isis! Open the door! Something terrible happened!”
Bella blinked slowly.
It must be someone looking for her father.
Her father had never returned home after selling out her mother and becoming rich.
So she didn’t need to answer.
She twisted her hair with her fingers, dust clinging to the strands and making her nauseous.
‘Did Dad really report Mom…?’
Bella remembered the last day she saw her father.
Instead of answering her, he tossed her a single silver coin and said:
“You should thank me, Bella. Your mother had such a magnificent power but still kept us starving! I saved you!”
With just one silver coin, he bragged endlessly and left.
‘What fate did Mom see in him that she stayed with a man like that…?’
Bella’s eyes filled with tears.
Her mother once told her:
She knew all destinies, but lived only for Bella.
She wanted to raise Bella in a shining palace, dressed like royalty, but even that the Oracion never allowed.
All she could do was show illusions—she couldn’t make herself or her husband truly happy.
Her greedy father didn’t care about any of that.
Her mother claimed Bella “wasn’t ready yet,” but Bella believed God had abandoned her.
Otherwise, how could she explain all these disasters swallowing her life?
***
“Is no one home?”
Another voice spoke outside.
Bella pressed her ear to the door, listening.
“She hasn’t been seen for days. Looks like she left the house entirely.”
“This is bad. At this rate, everyone’s going to die!”
‘Die…?’
Horror made Bella shift nervously.
She crawled closer to the door.
“What’s happening below the hill?”
“It’s terrible. Half the village is already buried in snow. We haven’t rescued anyone for hours.”
“If only we could help even one more person…”
The men clicked their tongues and soon walked away.
When their footsteps faded, Bella pushed the door slightly.
But the snow piled up to her knees kept the door from moving at all.
She tried again and again—no use.
‘I need another way.’
Bella hurried to the window.
She needed to see what was happening outside.
“What is going on—huh?”
Bella’s eyes widened in horror as she looked out.
