Chapter 104
“The Mask”
The masked man spotted me and Roitz and ran immediately.
No hesitation at all—he bolted the instant he saw us.
“……!”
I chased him at once, but a strange thought crossed my mind.
Normally, when someone is discovered, there’s at least a moment of hesitation—
should I fight, or should I run?
That tiny pause is usually enough time for us to block the way.
“But he ran right away, the second he saw us.”
That meant he already knew who we were.
The masked man turned left, into the park.
Roitz gestured toward him and broke off to the right.
I kept chasing from behind, while Roitz circled around through another path.
As I ran, I grabbed a branch and wrapped sword energy around it, throwing it straight toward the man’s path.
The branch whistled through the air, flames sparking from it. The masked man swerved quickly, dodging the fire that nearly brushed his nose.
‘He’s fast. Definitely someone trained properly.’
From the quality of his clothes, he had to come from a wealthy family. His hands didn’t look old either—likely young, someone of noble birth trained beyond self-defense.
But even more than that—
The way he moved, the speed of his reactions…
‘This isn’t just a noble trained for protection. This feels like… a knight.’
I chased harder, my chest tightening from the sprint.
Then, as if to slow me down, he pulled a dagger from his waist and hurled it at me.
“……!”
The blade grazed my cheek. A sting, a drop of blood.
The wind touched the cut, burning faintly.
For a second, my balance faltered.
‘……I’ll lose him!’
I grabbed a fallen branch, once again wrapping it in red flame. I hurled it at his feet—fire sparked, forcing him to swerve again.
But in my head, a terrifying thought kept echoing.
Something I didn’t want to confirm.
From ahead, Roitz appeared, blocking the way.
He tried to seize the masked man’s shoulder, but the man dodged narrowly and countered with a blade.
Roitz deflected it easily with his dagger.
I rushed in, reaching for the mask.
“……Serdin, wait!” Roitz called out.
But the feeling in my chest—my suspicion—I couldn’t stop myself.
I had to know. I had to prove my fear was wrong.
I yanked the mask’s strap hard. It snapped, falling to the ground.
Inside… was the twisted, pained face of a man.
I froze.
Breath caught in my throat. My expression hardened, but my eyes trembled.
I couldn’t blink.
“Aaron… Dessein.”
My classmate from Elche.
“A…”
Before I could speak further, Aaron raised his arm—his blade aimed straight at me.
But my eyes wouldn’t leave his face.
“Aaron…!”
His expression wasn’t cruel. It was filled with pain.
Even as his sword aimed for my throat, he stayed silent.
Clang!
Roitz struck his blade aside. Aaron’s weapon flew, his arm dropping weakly.
I caught his arm, shouting again:
“Aaron!”
His face twisted further—not just pain, but desperation.
With his other hand, he lifted the sword again.
“…You knew.”
“What?”
“You knew it was me.”
“I…?”
Before I could respond, Roitz struck the back of his neck.
Aaron collapsed unconscious into my arms.
“……”
I sank to the ground, holding him tightly, breath ragged.
‘Aaron… why…?’
My thoughts spun in chaos.
Back on the cruise ship, I had felt a strange familiarity with the masked man. But never—not once—did I imagine it was Aaron.
I clutched his arm tightly. Even crushed in my grip, he only lay still, unconscious.
My mind went blank.
Roitz gently took Aaron from me, laid me down where I sat, and carried him away.
‘It really was Aaron…?’
After some time, Roitz returned. He must have handed Aaron over to the soldiers.
I was still frozen, unable to move, unable even to follow.
Roitz lifted me to my feet.
“Let’s go.”
At the street’s entrance, a carriage waited. Roitz opened the door and gestured inside.
I climbed in, too shaken to argue, though I muttered:
“Why a carriage? We have horses.”
But honestly, I didn’t have the strength for a saddle.
“Carriages exist for times like this.”
As the wheels began to roll, I leaned back, empty.
Something soft touched my cheek.
A handkerchief. Roitz silently wiped away the blood from my cut.
He said nothing. No scolding, no sharp words—only clenched his jaw, as if he himself were the one wounded.
“……It was Aaron, wasn’t it?”
“…Yes.”
The carriage rattled on, hooves pounding against the road.
Roitz’s voice was low:
“He appeared during a monster subjugation nearby. They say he even attacked one of the knights.”
“Aaron… attacked a knight?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“That, only Aaron can answer.”
Silence filled the air again.
Why would Aaron do such a thing? Why had he stood near the Cresen family estate?
I couldn’t understand.
He was my classmate. My friend.
And yet now, I had seen with my own eyes—he had attacked knights, hidden behind a mask.
The ache in my chest was unbearable.
Guilt. Loss. Anger. Confusion.
I couldn’t even sort my own feelings anymore.
My eyes closed, breath falling heavy.
The next moment, my head rested against Roitz’s shoulder.
He guided me there gently.
“Sleep. I’ll wake you. You always fall asleep in carriages, don’t you?”
His shoulder was warm—too warm.
So I didn’t lift my head.
“I’m not sleeping. Just closing my eyes.”
“Sure.”
“Really…”
But at some point, I did fall asleep.
When the wheels slowed, I stirred. We had arrived.
“Serdin.”
The door opened, Roitz’s voice calling.
But stubbornly, I kept my eyes shut.
Outside, another voice rang:
“Sir Vivi is asleep, I see.”
A clear, gentle voice—Lucike.
Roitz carefully moved my head to the other side, then stepped out.
The door closed.
Alone, I opened my eyes slowly.
Through the window, I saw them standing together, talking in the night.
I adjusted my posture and pressed my hand against the place where my head had rested.
“……”
The warmth was already gone.
