Tak, tak-

Leon's footsteps drew nearer again.

He was close.

But I couldn't react at all as my eyes remained fixed on the liquid within the chalice.

'My blood...'

I licked my lips. I struggled to come to terms with the reality of the situation, but there was no denying what I saw.

This really was my blood, and a realization suddenly hit me.

'No wonder people worship gods in this world. Just like the blood of... Mortum. There's the blood of other gods scattered throughout the world.'

The religion most likely stemmed from those who consumed the blood of one of the gods.

And in this case...

"

I reached out to grab the chalice.

The surface was cold beneath my fingers, and as I glanced down, my reflection stared back at

me.

Tak, tak-

Leon's footsteps drew nearer to me.

I closed my eyes, the traces of my reflection lingering in my mind.

Tak-

Leon's step sounded right behind me and I placed the chalice back down. Without looking back, I took out a couple of vials and filled them with the blood.

"This should be enough...'

I then moved to the side and allowed Leon to head for the Chalice.

His steps finally stopped.

With hollow eyes, he stared at the liquid in silence. I stared at him from the side, half- expecting him to drink the blood, but...

Splash!

"....!"

He directly spilled the liquid of the contents of the Chalice onto the altar.

Vooom!

Instantly, the altar lit up.

A strange glow manifested over it as the surroundings started to shake.

Rumble, Rumble-

Shocked, I looked around in confusion. Just what in the world...?!

The statues behind shifted, slowly turning to face our general direction as the fires within their palms grew brighter.

Rumble!

A bright glow manifested over the Chalice as Leon's expression finally showed signs of changes.

"Ukeh...!"

The Chalice grew brighter and before I knew it, Leon brought the Chalice directly to his heart. "Ueekh!!"

Leon let out another scream as his body squirmed.

Pulsing with life, blue lines formed all around his body, highlighting the veins on his body. Rumble, rumble-!

The surroundings shook as Leon's body started to change.

His skin started to peel off while the chalice merged with his body, pulsing as though it was his own heart.

I could do nothing but stare at the scene in silence.

.....It felt important.

"Ahhhh!"

His screams continued to pierce through the space.

They grew progressively weaker with each second that passed alongside the glow that formed around his veins.

'Is it over...?'

I wasn't entirely sure what had just occurred, but with the Chalice now gone and the glow on Leon's body fading as well, I assumed it was all over.

And indeed...

Thump!

Shortly after, Leon's body fell to the ground, his eyes closed. Leaning closer to him, I placed my finger over his nose.

"He's still breathing...."

I sighed in relief when I noticed that he was still fine.

In hindsight, it was a needless worry considering how the future Leon was still alive. However, I couldn't dwell on the thought for long as the surroundings started to shake once

more.

Rumble-

In the distance, an opening appeared, revealing what appeared to be a small tunnel with a long flight of stairs.

'Is that...?'

My heart eased upon seeing the stairs.

I had been thinking about how to get out of this place. Thankfully there was a way out.

Looking around, I picked up Leon and tossed him over my shoulder.

I wasn't worried about him waking up anytime soon. He looked out of it completely.

Taking a look at my surroundings my gaze fell on the altar that stood beside me. Cracks had formed around its body, expanding with each second as it slowly started to break down. I glanced at the carvings for a few seconds before looking away.

"The people of Eryndor..."

Mumbling the words that I had overhead in the vision, I walked towards the exit.

Rumble!

As soon as I stepped past the altar and headed for the exit, the entire place shook violently. Large chunks of the ceiling crumbled, crashing down as the ground quaked beneath my feet. In a matter of moments, everything was consumed by the falling debris, sealing it all away.

I never once looked back while moving up the long flight of stairs.

It was dark, but in the distance, I could see faint traces of light.

I moved towards it.

Tak, Tak-

For a few minutes, all I could hear was the faint sound of my footsteps. I focused on them as

they rhythmically echoed in my mind.

It felt somewhat relaxing to hear.

....Especially after everything that had happened.

There was... a lot that I needed to think about.

But most of all, I knew that things weren't over. There was still something that I had to do.

Rumble-

Coming out of the exit, the path behind me crumbled.

I looked around to find myself out of the mine. It was sunny outside and I could hear the

frantic voices of the miners in the distance.

They were all probably shaken by the explosion that had occurred.

Thud.

I dropped Leon on the ground before heading back towards the entrance while disguising

myself once more.

'I... I deserve it! Should I take the strange liquid that I found? Maybe then I can...'

The words from the diary reappeared in my mind. A thought occurred to me as I lowered my

head and stared at my hand where several vials appeared.

The liquid that the previous Julien was talking about... it wasn't this, was it?

I didn't need to dwell on the answer for too long as I already knew it.

'Right...'

"What the hell happened?!"

"Did you hear the explosion? What in the world happened?"

"Are there any injuries?!"

The entrance of the mine was in chaos. Miners and guards frantically rushed in and out of the

mine as they tried to figure out the situation.

"What about the young master?! Where is he...!"

"Ah, he entered with his retainer and the girl from the Verlice family...!"

"Oh, no!" "Hold on for now! Nobody goes in! We will send a search party soon! For now, stay here and

don't move!"

I walked past the miners and back into the mine. I scanned the surroundings before heading towards a familiar path.

.....I knew exactly where I needed to go.

'He should be around here.'

I could feel a faint presence in the distance. It was right by the fork road that led to place

where the explosion occurred.

"Was he really not here? Or did he die?"

A curious head peeked and looked around the remains of the place. It was none other than

Julien who chewed on his fingernails.

I had long lost the necessary words to describe him.

All I felt was repulsion and disgust.

'I really did take the body of such a person...'

I took a deep breath before retrieving one of the vials. I was a little hesitant while staring at it,

but after a brief thought, I tossed it to the ground.

Tink!

"Uh...?"

Julien noticed the vial almost immediately as his head turned towards it.

"What's this...?" Heading towards it, he picked it up before looking at it. He tilted his head a couple of times

before opening it and sniffing it.

Immediately his expression changed.

He probably felt something from it.

Whatever the case was, I finally knew what the strange liquid he was talking about in the diary

was. It was none other than my blood...

....And he used his own brother to test it.

I thought about Julien's observation of the effect of the blood on his brother. It only

mentioned his strength increasing by a little.

However, I knew best that was the furthest thing from the truth.

Linus... Julien's brother...

He definitely gained something from the blood.

But what exactly did he gain...?

"Haa."

I took a silent breath while taking my eyes away from Julien. I wanted the effect of the third

leaf to end, to send me back, but it didn't.

It was clearly still not time for me to return yet.

Still, I didn't want to linger here for a moment longer. The sight of the Julien behind me

repulsed me. Especially when I noticed the crazed and maniacal look on his face as he looked

at the blood contained within the vial.

"Yes, with this I can be stronger... Maybe I can be better... Swordsman. I'll become a

swordsman..."

I closed my eyes before heading away.

Julien wasn't necessarily at fault. He had been manipulated into becoming what he was now

and even if I wanted to help, it was too late.

He was far too gone with his obsession.

'Hm? There's someone else here...?'

I felt a presence but it was quite far and deep.

Most of the miners were outside, waiting for the guards to arrive and check on the situation.

For there to be someone else here...

I headed out and turned toward another one of the paths.

I wasn't sure for how long I walked, but soon a faint voice echoed in the distance.

"Hello...?"

It was soft and trembling.

"I-is anybody there? I... I don't know where I am... H-help!"

I paused for a moment before changing my appearance.

"A-nyone? Wh-what's going on? What is h-happenin—"

The words stopped the moment she took notice of me. Her entire body shuddered and I

frowned.

"Stupid bitch."

I tried my best to imitate the current Julien's pitch while speaking.

Evelyn trembled upon hearing my words. She was clearly overcome by fear, but as soon as she

heard my voice, the trembling stopped. The previous fear that was clouding her body

disappeared and what replaced it was a cold look.

"Hey, where are you going!?"

"...."

She didn't answer and just walked past me.

I followed right behind her.

"Answer me when I'm talking. Who do you think you are?"

In the meantime, I tried my best to copy how the previous Julien talked. I felt like I was doing

a really good job at it.

"Bitch, answer when I'm talking!"

***

Bang-

Evelyn was startled by a sudden explosion.

The noise was deafening, and fear gripped her. Without thinking, she sprinted deeper into the

mine, her heart pounding in her chest. She ran until her legs burned, pushing herself as far as her stamina would allow.

But when she finally stopped, gasping for breath, a terrifying realization dawned on her...

She was lost.

"A-ah, no." Evelyn's body shook.

...She was scared. Looking back, she didn't know how to return.

She was... lost.

"H-hello?"

It was dark, and it was silent. Evelyn hugged her body while her lips trembled.

"A-anybody?"

It was so scary.

Biting her lips, she clenched her teeth. If not because that guy forced them into hiding...!

Evelyn's eyes grew moist.

"Hello...?"

She reached out again.

"I-is anybody there? I... I don't know where I am... H-help!"

But nobody answered.

The darkness and silence around her seemed to swallow her slowly, intensifying the fear that

she felt.

'Someone..'

"A-nyone? Wh-what's going on? What is h-happenin-"

"Stupid bitch."

A sudden voice broke through her pleas.

When Evelyn raised her head, a familiar-looking face appeared. For a moment, her chest grew

light, but shortly after, her expression changed, and the fear that she previously felt

vanished.

What replaced it was a cold and unyielding sense of disgust.

It was so intense that she found herself walking past him.

"Hey, where are you going!?"

He tried to call out for her, but Evelyn didn't bother replying.

"Answer me when I'm talking. Who do you think you are?"

....He followed right behind her, and as they walked, he continued to taunt her and throw

insults at her.

Evelyn felt her blood boil with each word that came out of his mouth.

"Bitch, answer when I'm talking!"

But she promptly ignored it. Strangely, she no longer felt scared.

If anything, she just wanted to find the way back as fast as possible. She couldn't stand his

voice any longer.

"Stupid cow, it's that way! Can't even get your stuff right."

His insults continued, forcing her down the right path. She just didn't realize it. Her anger

surpassed all reason.

"Walk faster you idiot."

The insults continued.

It pushed her forward.

...And whenever she went the wrong way, the insult would only grow.

"Ah, you idiot! That's the wrong direction. Next time you mess it up I'll beat you and Leon."

It made her frustrated.

She wanted to beat him up.

But...

She couldn't.

Especially when she realized he was guiding her out.

Right, he was guiding her out... But how does that make sense? Evelyn turned her head to look

at Julien. From his handsome features to his jet-black hair and brown eyes...

The person before her was indeed Julien, and yet...

Why did he feel so different?

Right, he felt a little different than the Julien she knew.

His eyes were different.

They felt different. But in what way? Did he change? Whe-

"Oy, hurry up!"

"....!"

Evelyn's head flicked away as she found herself unable to look at him.

"Go!"

He continued to hurl insults at her, but the more he insulted her, the less angry she became.

She soon came at peace with them, and strangely enough, she slowly found the insults to be

-comforting.

In this strange silence...

It didn't make her feel so alone anymore.

...And soon, she caught a glimpse of a faint light in the distance.

'The exit...!'

Her eyes lit up at the sight.

And the moment they did, she stopped.

A figure appeared in the distance.

It was... Julien.

"Uh?"

Evelyn blinked her eyes and looked back.

"....!"

To her shock, nobody was behind her.

'What the...'

She blinked her eyes slowly, unable to process the situation. When did he...

As if sensing her gaze, Julien turned his head to look at her. His expression crumbled as

mumbled disappointedly,

"You didn't die?"

"...."

Evelyn bit her lips.

'W-wasn't he...? But how?'

Her mind was still confused, unable to process the situation. She could've sworn Julien had

been with her the entire time.

And yet... Nobody was behind her.

Julien was in front of her and his eyes were different. The Julien before her was the Julien that

she knew.

Her heart sank.

'So it was all my imagination?'

Maybe...

But why...?

Why had he felt so real?