#54.
“Haha, this is really troublesome.”
Harry stiffened as he glanced at the hooded man. The man gestured for Harry to stay quiet and then approached the woman.
The moment he removed his mask in front of her, the woman’s face twisted in shock. It was as if she recognized him.
“You…?”
Her voice trembled as she continued.
“Hadell…”
But the man didn’t wait for her to finish. He whispered something to her—and then attacked.
Bang!
By the time she regained her senses and fired a signal flare, it was already too late. Watching the collapsing woman, Harry was annoyed at the man who had made the situation worse.
Harry shuddered as he shook off the memory. He had only meant to toy a little with that unlucky bastard of a bastard child, but before he could even try, he had been caught—and worse, someone got hurt. He yelled at the man.
“Ethan, did you know that woman? No—why the hell did you attack her in the first place? Are you out of your mind?”
“She was a stranger. I think she mistook me for someone else.”
Guinness—whom Harry kept calling Ethan—smiled slyly. Harry, still trembling, whined.
“That woman… she seemed to know the Crown Prince. Damn it! What if she wakes up? What then?!”
“……”
“I told you not to pull stunts I didn’t order! What are you going to do about this mess?”
As Harry’s nagging continued, Guinness ran a hand through his hair in irritation. He was bored of listening and even yawned.
He hadn’t expected Bienna to eavesdrop either, so he was just as unsettled. Still, he had erased her memories—there was no way she could expose him.
The real problem was Harry in front of him. Guinness had only wanted to play a dangerous prank because Sohee and Allen’s behavior frustrated him to no end.
He had intended to dump onto Roni the minor conflict that had appeared in the comic. The drug he had given Harry was meant to paralyze the body and make the victim appear dead for a time.
He had wanted to see what Allen would feel, watching the person he cherished most die.
Would you still keep up that façade of kindness and gentleness after that? Guinness had wanted to provoke Allen into wondering if such a wound could be erased by losing just one girl.
Guinness hated Allen in a strangely irrational way. Perhaps because Allen resembled him—but he refused to admit it.
So, you’re interfering again, are you?
He smirked bitterly, thinking of the one who had sent Bienna. A black cat had stayed at her side before vanishing.
It was unmistakably Sasha, the one who always followed Sohee around. Guinness recalled the way Sasha had glared before disappearing.
He hadn’t expected God to attach a “watcher” in this way. The fact that Sohee and Allen were being protected that much only fueled his fury.
Guinness looked up at the sky, curling his lips in a mocking smile as if to say, Come on, let’s see what you’ve got.
“Do you think this is funny? Why the hell are you grinning like an idiot?”
Harry grabbed Guinness and barked at him. Only then did Guinness meet his eyes.
“Even if she wakes up, the only one she’ll remember is you.”
“What?”
Harry blinked, dumbfounded by Ethan’s sudden shift. She’ll only remember me? It sounded like Guinness was planning to pin everything on him.
Sensing something was wrong, Harry grabbed Ethan’s shoulders and threatened in a low voice.
“What’s with you all of a sudden? Do you think you’ll get away with this? I’m a Romanyt. Do you think someone like you can touch me?”
“I’ll be fine. Because you’ll forget you ever met me in the Red Forest.”
“W-what?!”
Finally realizing Ethan’s attitude was dangerous, Harry stumbled back. Guinness cast a binding spell on him and approached slowly.
“L-let me go!”
Harry thrashed, trying to escape, but Guinness gripped his jaw tightly, his smile cold.
“Shut up.”
At that command, Harry’s mouth snapped shut. Guinness, looking satisfied, continued.
“The plan is changing. Right now, you will find Roni Shaligan and drag her into the heart of the Red Forest. There, cast this magic circle on her. This is an order, Harry Romanyt.”
The moment Guinness finished speaking, Harry’s eyes glazed over. His violet irises glowed red, and like someone under hypnosis, he muttered:
“I will obey. Lord Guinness.”
Releasing the binding spell, Guinness jerked his chin for him to go. Harry moved stiffly, like a puppet, and disappeared.
Guinness chuckled darkly at the sky, as if addressing someone listening.
“This is my response to your meddling.”
Allen calmed the startled Roni and brought her back to her room. The sudden incident had cut their serious talk short, but Allen didn’t push.
After confessing his feelings, his face was lighter, more relieved.
I’ll wait. When you’ve sorted out your feelings, tell me then. We have plenty of time.
With a boyish smile, Allen left Roni speechless. She knew she didn’t have much time left—making it all the harder.
She couldn’t sleep, her emotions in turmoil.
Suddenly, the door burst open without a knock. Roni jumped in fright. Standing there was Harry Romanyt.
“What rudeness is this?”
“Roni Shaligan.”
Ignoring her protest, Harry stepped inside. Unlike usual, his face was blank. Alarmed, Roni warned him again.
“Get out now. If you come any closer, I’ll scream.”
But Harry only smirked. It was then Roni noticed: his eyes.
The Romanyt family’s trademark violet eyes were glowing red, unfocused. Like he was being controlled.
Realizing the gravity of the situation, Roni trembled and screamed for help.
“Somebody hel—mmph!”
Her cry was cut short as Harry swiftly covered her mouth. Struggling, she grew weak and collapsed into his arms.
Without hesitation, Harry leapt out the window with her and ran toward the Red Forest.
Meanwhile, Allen sensed Roni’s presence vanish and rushed to her room. It was empty.
The window stood wide open, curtains whipping in the wind. A dreadful, familiar feeling crept up his spine.
Allen read the flow of mana lingering in the room. Someone had cast a sleep spell and abducted her.
That mana signature—he knew it. With a chilling voice filled with rage, he spoke the name.
“Harry Romanyt…!”
He sprinted straight toward the Red Forest where Harry’s presence lingered.
But once inside, he couldn’t sense Harry anymore. The forest itself seemed enchanted, dulling his senses.
He thought he was moving left, only to find himself going right. Allen’s brow furrowed. This wasn’t Harry’s doing alone—it was far too powerful. Was there really someone in the Empire capable of such large-scale magic?
As he searched the forest, Allen pondered who Harry’s backer could be.
The force pressing down on him was like an invisible wall. Fear gnawed at him, but he didn’t stop. The thought of Roni being in danger sharpened his focus.
Breaking through the paralyzing magic at last, Allen followed the faint trace of Harry’s aura.
When Roni opened her eyes, she was deep in the Red Forest. It was night, and only the moonlight illuminated her vision.
She watched Harry draw a magic circle with a twisted grin. She was at the center of it.
Once the preparations were complete, he looked at her. His eyes were still red. She sensed danger, but the binding spell held her immobile.
Harry stepped back from the circle and poured his mana into it. The lines glowed crimson.
When a man in a hood appeared and placed his hand on Harry’s shoulder, the faint glow of the circle flared into an explosive light.
A searing, chilling energy swept through her body. Behind Harry, the hooded man’s lips curved into a wicked smile.
Roni blacked out.
When she opened her eyes again, she was in a familiar room.
Trash littered the floor. Her small hands picked it up, powerless to resist. She realized in horror that she had shrunk into a child’s body.
She knew this place—it was the villa where she had lived with her mother as a child. Silent tears slid down her cheeks. Her bruised body stung.
“Stop crying. I can’t stand the sound.”
Her mother hurled an empty can at her. It struck her head, knocking her down. The reek of beer filled her nose.
Stifling her sobs, Sohee—now her younger self—picked up the can and put it in a bag, as she had done countless times before.
But even that enraged her mother, who began to curse.
The sensations were too vivid. Breathless, suffocated, Sohee felt herself being dragged back into the darkness of memories she never wanted to recall.
