Michael
"What do you want to talk about, Reiji?" Michael asked, his voice cold.
Reiji looked toward Olivia's window and said quietly,
"Your eyes reflect hers. After all, it is the same blood."
Michael frowned.
"Whose eyes? What are you talking about?"
Reiji sighed and leaned against the railing.
"There was a girl I loved more than my own life. She loved me too, but things never worked because her clan hated me."
"What am I supposed to do with this story?"
"Just listen."
Rain fell between them.
"She was a Valric. Even after everything, she still chose me, and we married each other. I thought love would be enough."
Reiji's eyes darkened.
"But later she died because of me."
Michael stayed silent.
"Her clan murdered her because she married me."
Michael crossed his arms impatiently.
"I still don't understand where this is going."
Reiji smiled faintly.
"It wasn't going anywhere… until I remembered the name of the man who ordered her death."
Michael's expression changed.
"Who?"
"Jaques Valric."
Michael froze.
"That's my father."
Then he blinked.
"Oh… so this is where the story was going."
Reiji stepped closer, his green aura flickering through the rain.
"I spent years wanting a Valric to feel the same pain I felt. Fair trade, don't you think? Your father killed my wife… and I kill yours."
Michael's eyes widened.
"HEY! DON'T YOU DARE!"
Green fog suddenly flooded the rooftop.
In the next instant—
Reiji vanished.
Michael's heart pounded.
Then he looked toward Olivia's window.
Reiji stood inside, waving at him with a calm smile.
"WHAT THE HELL?! Did he teleport? Is that what the Green Emperor's powers do?!"
Michael sprinted across the rooftop, leapt toward the building, and crashed through the window.
Glass shattered everywhere.
He hit the floor hard, cutting his arm.
There was no sign of Reiji.
Footsteps approached.
Olivia entered the room and stopped in shock.
"Michael?! What are you doing here? And why is my window broken?"
Michael stood up painfully.
"I can explain, Olive. Please trust me. There's a man trying to kill you."
Olivia's eyes hardened.
"Since when did you start caring about me?"
"I always cared."
"If you cared, you would have come inside and talked to me instead of watching me from that rooftop. Did you really think I wouldn't notice? Seeing you hurt yourself like this breaks me."
Michael lowered his head.
"I never wanted to hurt you. Please don't cry, Olive… please."
Her anger slowly faded.
Silence filled the room.
For the first time since their separation, they looked at each other without fear, shame, or confusion. They had both experienced what it felt like to lose the other.
Olivia sat beside him.
"How have you been all this time?"
Michael smiled weakly.
"I missed you every day. I know things became terrible between us, but now I understand something."
He took a deep breath.
"Nothing is worse than living without you."
His voice trembled.
"I love you more than I hate myself."
Olivia's eyes filled with tears.
She hugged him tightly.
The warmth of that embrace broke something inside Michael. The grief, exhaustion, and depression that had haunted him for days seemed to loosen their grip.
"Thank you for understanding me," he whispered.
Olivia smiled through tears.
"No, Michael. Thank you for coming back."
Michael took the ring from his pocket and placed it in her hand.
"This felt heavier than Regicide for a long time. Please wear it again."
Olivia slipped the ring onto her finger.
"I love you, Mike."
Outside, hidden in the rain, Reiji watched quietly.
He had never intended to kill Olivia.
The story about his wife being a Valric had been a lie.
He only wanted Michael to stop hiding from his own feelings.
Reiji smiled faintly and disappeared into the storm.
Inside the room, Michael stood and looked toward the door.
"Wait for me. I'll come back, and when I do, I'll take you with me."
Olivia nodded.
"I'll wait forever if I have to."
Michael kissed her forehead gently.
"Bye, Olive. I have some business to handle."
He stepped into the rain, thanked the old man silently for his help, and began his journey back to Ashfang Alley to reunite with the Devil Horns.