"Mom…?"
My voice trembled as I shook her shoulders.
"Mom, wake up…"
Her body didn't move.
Her skin was cold.
Too cold.
"Please… wake up…"
I shook her harder, ignoring the pain
screaming through my burned and battered body. Every movement tore at the scalded skin across my arms and back.
Tears slid down my face.
Each drop felt like fire as it touched my wounds.
But I didn't care.
"Mom…"
My voice cracked.
My voice cracked.
The warm home we once had… the laughter… the quiet nights where she would brush my hair and tell me stories before I slept—
All of it was gone.
Forever.
Hatred slowly filled the emptiness in my chest.
Hatred for the king.
Hatred for the concubine.
Hatred for everyone who took her away from me.
Revenge was the only thing left inside my heart.
I would not rest.
Not until I saw them both buried in the ground.
My body trembled violently as exhaustion washed over me. After being boiled in that basin for hours, I barely had the strength to breathe.
My vision blurred.
But just before my consciousness faded…
I saw them.
My father stood at the dungeon entrance.
Beside him was the concubine.
They were laughing.
Laughing.
The sound echoed in my ears like poison.
A sudden surge of strength rushed through my body.
I forced myself to stand.
Every muscle screamed in pain, but I didn't care.
"I'll kill you…"
My voice came out as a whisper.
My voice came out as a whisper.
I staggered forward.
But before I could take another step—
The torches suddenly went out.
Darkness swallowed the dungeon.
"What—?!"
Before anyone could react, a pair of strong arms lifted me from the ground.
I barely had the strength to struggle.
The person carrying me moved quickly, leaping through shadows and climbing upward.
Cold night air struck my face.
We were outside.
I lifted my head weakly and looked at the man carrying me..
His face was covered in bandages.
A dark cloak wrapped around his body.
The cloth was soaked with blood.
Whose blood…?
Fear flickered briefly in my chest.
But strangely…
I didn't feel afraid.
For some reason, being held by this man felt… safe.
Like I had known him for a long time.
He moved quickly, jumping from rooftop to rooftop with incredible speed.
The city passed beneath us like a blur.
Then he looked down at me.
His eyes were cold.
"Brat," he said in a rough, husky voice.
"Stop crying… or I'll kill you myself."
Despite everything…
I laughed.
The sound came out broken and weak.
"If you wanted to kill me," I said hoarsely, "you would have done it already."
I wiped my tears with trembling fingers.
"You saved me instead."
My lips curled into a bitter smile.
"I don't care who you are… but I'll remember that you saved my life."
Then I glared at him.
"But don't expect gratitude."
His eyes narrowed.
"Don't think too highly of yourself, brat," he said coldly.
"You're not a crown prince anymore."
"You're just a parentless child."
His words struck deep.
"Try escaping from me," he continued, "and I'll throw you back to your father myself."
I clenched my fists weakly.
"You old bastard…" I muttered.
The man suddenly stopped moving.
For a brief moment—
We were suspended in the air.
My eyes widened.
Wait…
Were we… flying?
Before I could react, his hand grabbed the collar of my torn shirt and lifted me slightly.
His gaze was sharp enough to cut.
"Listen carefully," he growled.
"If you say one more stupid thing, I'll drop you right now."
Below us, the ground looked impossibly far away.
"…Tch."
I looked away stubbornly.
"You're not scary," I muttered.
"If you get in my way… I'll kill you too."
My voice shook, but I forced the words out.
"I'll kill my father."
"I'll kill that concubine."
"I'll make them pay for what they did to my mother."
Tears began falling again.
"Why…?" I whispered.
"We never did anything wrong…"
My body finally gave out.
Darkness swallowed my vision.
The last thing I felt was the man tightening his grip so I wouldn't fall.
The man landed silently on a distant rooftop.
He looked down at the unconscious boy in his arms.
The child's face was pale and covered with tears.
"…Troublesome brat," he muttered quietly.
But his voice softened.
He brushed the boy's hair away from his face.
"You've suffered too much for someone your age."
The man's eyes filled with something he hadn't felt in years.
Pain.
Guilt.
"Don't worry," he whispered.
"I'll make sure those monsters pay."
He gently pressed his forehead against the boy's.
"I'll train you to become strong."
"Strong enough to survive in this world."
His voice lowered to a whisper.
"Forgive me… my son."
The wind rustled his cloak as he looked down at the sleeping child.
"I had no choice back then."
"They stole you from me… and took your mother away."
"My heart nearly broke searching for you."
He slowly stood, tightening his hold on the boy.
"But it's over now."
"I'm here."
His voice trembled slightly.
"Even if you hate me one day…"
"I'll still protect you."
He looked down at the child again.
"Sleep now."
"My little angel."