'A corpse… is nothing more than a pile of rotting flesh.'
'No thoughts, no movement. So why do people insist on honoring the dead through their remains?'
'Once someone dies, there's nothing left.'
'A corpse… is just a corpse.'
'Hmm… it seems this mind-reading ability still has its limits.'
'I can feel emotions… but I can't empathize with them.'
---
"Ugh…"
The moment Mephisto and Skullshatterer entered the courtyard, they both sensed something was terribly wrong.
At the very least, the sight before them—the smoke and dust from the explosion coalescing into the hand of a Zalak elder, cloaked and leaning on his cane, while two figures faced off in the yard—was enough to make them freeze in fear.
'Why is Duke Kashchey here?!'
Meanwhile, Faust had already taken position in a nearby ruin, crossbow aimed directly at Wei Yenwu.
They recognized Duke Kashchey—but the man standing opposite him was a stranger.
'…So it's just three annoying little brats.'
Kashchey identified the two boys standing awkwardly by the blasted gate, as well as the unseen gaze from the half-collapsed building.
Without a word, he silently unleashed three Black Snakes, sending them slithering toward the intruders.
He wanted to read their minds.
Wei Yenwu tensed, every nerve on edge.
He sensed the danger immediately.
Though he didn't know what those serpents were meant to do, he knew one thing for certain—whatever Kashchey was planning, it couldn't be allowed to succeed.
From what he knew, the two who had blown open the gate were both members of Reunion's leadership.
And those Black Snakes… were undoubtedly part of Kashchey's trap.
'Is he trying to frame Reunion for the death of Lungmen's governor?'
'But why?'
With one swift motion, Wei Yenwu drew his sword Chi Xiao and cut down the three serpents.
Then, he stayed perfectly still—but the blade remained unsheathed, gleaming faintly in the dim light.
---
Kashchey said nothing.
He didn't even spare a glance at the three Reunion youths. Instead, he resumed his work in silence, commanding more serpents to drag the coffin from the ground.
Wei Yenwu and Lin Kojui exchanged wary looks, neither willing to make the first move.
As for the three children from Reunion…
They didn't dare to even breathe too loudly.
Though Wei Yenwu's sword strikes had not been directed at them, the sheer pressure of his presence was overwhelming.
---
Kashchey grew restless.
He could feel Talulah's presence drawing closer.
'Tch… it seems things are getting complicated.'
And yet—a strange, inexplicable feeling welled up inside him.
'How curious…'
He lingered on the sensation, savoring it.
A genuine emotion—one that was truly his own.
He was curious.
'In your heart… what am I to you, Talulah?'
He hadn't read her mind since the day she turned eighteen.
---
Just as Kashchey was about to retrieve the coffin completely, the roar of a motorcycle broke through the air.
Talulah arrived—with Ch'en seated behind her.
"…Kashchey."
Her eyes swept over the scene—Kashchey surrounded by Lin Kojui, Wei Yenwu, and five of the Shadow Guards, with the coffin standing ominously at his side.
In that moment, Talulah felt as though she finally understood everything.
Well… maybe not everything.
For example, what were Mephisto and Skullshatterer doing here?
She frowned, ordering them to leave.
This was something she refused to let outsiders interfere in.
Especially when—
Her expression darkened as her gaze fell upon Kashchey, whose aura was growing ever more sinister by the second.
His face still wore that same gentle, amiable smile—
Yet the dark shadows swirling around him were growing thicker, almost tangible.
"I'm sorry, Talulah," Kashchey said softly. "You shouldn't have had to see such an unsightly scene."
He ran his hand along the rusted surface of the coffin beside him.
Inside it lay Talulah's biological father—Edward.
"You don't blame me… do you?"
His tone was almost playful, light and teasing, as if he were discussing something trivial rather than the desecration of a man's corpse.
---
"Skullshatterer… did we just stumble into something we really shouldn't have?"
Mephisto's voice trembled as he shrank back in fear.
The Kashchey before him was nothing like the man he remembered. The difference was so stark, so terrifying, that it made his skin crawl.
Even Faust, hidden in his sniper's nest, found his hands shaking as he gripped his crossbow.
The sheer malice radiating from Kashchey, so unlike the dignified duke they once knew, struck them both like a physical blow.
"Get a grip!"
Unlike the other two, Skullshatterer quickly forced himself to focus.
He had lived through the Ursus purges—he'd never had any fondness for Duke Kashchey to begin with, though he had kept those feelings buried.
He had long suspected that Kashchey's gentleness was nothing but a mask.
He hated the Ursus nobility to the core.
And even though he feared Kashchey's power and knew Talulah had ordered them to stay back, he refused to retreat.
He wanted to help his leader.
---
Ch'en dismounted from the motorcycle.
She hadn't fully grasped what was happening, but when she saw Wei Yenwu standing there with Chi Xiao drawn, she understood enough.
She had to assist him—drive Kashchey back.
But then she glanced at Talulah, hesitation flickering in her eyes.
After all, Talulah's relationship with Kashchey… seemed far too close.
---
"...Kashchey. Why are you doing this?"
Talulah's voice trembled with fury.
She was angry at his deceit. Disgusted by his lies. Outraged by his callousness toward her father's remains.
And yet—she still hadn't drawn her sword.
Deep within, a fragile sliver of hope still lingered.
A hope that Kashchey might stop on his own.
Because she didn't want to fight him.
---
When she was little, after moving into the Duke's manor, Talulah often had nightmares.
In those dreams, her parents, her friends—even the Ursus nobles—would treat her like a monster, tossing her aside as though she were a curse.
She was terrified of being abandoned.
"...You're such a troublesome little thing."
Lying in bed, Kashchey closed the book he was reading and looked toward the doorway.
There stood a young draconic girl, clutching her pillow tightly, eyes glistening with fear.
"..."
Talulah said nothing, just held the pillow closer.
"I've already moved all those cute little pets to another estate. What are you still so afraid of?"
Kashchey sighed, irritation creeping into his voice.
It was his first time trying to raise a child.
"..."
Talulah lowered her head, silent still.
"I hate talking with children," Kashchey muttered. "It always feels like we're speaking different languages. Ugh… Fine then. If you've given up on words, I'll use a more efficient method."
He was tired of this tedious stalemate—like being stuck on a level in a game.
So, he decided to cheat.
"...Ah—!"
Just as he began reading Talulah's mind—her thoughts unfolding before him like pages in a book—she suddenly burst into tears.
'Afraid of being abandoned again? What a nuisance these fledglings are. Do you really think staying in one place means you won't be left behind?'
'Physical closeness can't bridge the distance between minds.'
He paused for a moment, frowning in thought.
Then he decided against it—against turning her into a spare vessel.
'It's my first time raising a child, after all. I shouldn't give up halfway.'
He set his book aside, pulled the covers up, and closed his eyes.
This body still required sleep.
"Crying again? What a hassle… Remember this—it's the last time. Now, take your blanket and pillow, and make a bed on the floor. Understood?"
"...Mm."