The dungeon fell silent, save for the deathly stillness and the sound of breathing between a man and a woman as their lips parted.
It was as if they were commemorating their first kiss, right in front of Gerald, who stood frozen, hanging on the wall, witnessing the entire scene.
The excruciating pain he felt moments ago seemed to vanish, his heart seemingly stopped, unable to process what had just happened.
The joy of seeing Emilia again clashed with the visceral sense of betrayal, the two emotions surging within him, colliding.
He wanted to express his longing, but the words wouldn’t come.
After a long silence, they turned into a heart-wrenching cry.
It was hard to believe—how he wished it was just an illusion.
“Emilia, what are you doing? Why?”
His expression was out of control, neither crying nor laughing, his voice trembling, teetering on the edge of madness.
A trace of disbelief flickered in his eyes as he struggled against his restraints, to no avail.
How he wished she’d say it was just a mistake, a hallucination.
That she still loved him, reluctant to let go, just like before.
But reality was cruel.
She pursed her lips, feeling the lingering warmth, instinctively shielding Sieg behind her as she took a deep breath.
“Kissing, as you can see, Gerald. I know this might seem disrespectful to you, but I’m doing this to make my stance clear. I want you to understand there’s nothing between us anymore. This is goodbye—we’re strangers now, nothing more. Please don’t bother me for no reason.”
No hesitation—she preferred to cut through the mess swiftly.
Lingering wasn’t her style, especially when there was no point or reason to drag it out.
If she let it continue, Sieg’s affection would inexplicably plummet like a rollercoaster, and she might not be able to handle that.
“No, no, you’re mine, Emilia! Don’t you understand? We’re meant to be together. You can’t live without me, and I can’t live without you. I know I’ve wronged you, and I’ll apologize, do anything for you. Just give me a chance, please! You used to forgive me no matter what, so why not this time? Why betray the love you had for me? Can you really go against your true feelings?”
Ignoring the pain coursing through him, Gerald yanked at his restraints, desperate to break free and embrace the girl before him, to confess his love and longing.
But it was futile—his struggles only tore his wounds open further, blood flowing anew.
All he could do was plead, tears streaming down his face.
At that moment, Emilia was the only one he could rely on, the only one he trusted.
Everyone and everything else was unreliable.
Only she had accepted all his flaws, his shortcomings, even willing to give everything for him.
It might have seemed insignificant growing up, but in his darkest moments, he realized she was the one he couldn’t live without.
He tried to rekindle her love, to remind her of their shared past.
No one could completely sever their history—not even a holy separator could.
But sadly, any feelings Emilia might have had—any reluctance or hesitation—had been exhausted a year ago.
Her actions, from start to finish, were merely tasks assigned by the system.
And if she had any feelings left, they were only for Sieg—a love she hoped would last a lifetime, a bond she’d stay by his side to atone for, forever if she could.
“Sorry, Gerald. You haven’t wronged me, and I don’t care about your mistakes. I won’t accept your apologies either. We’re just strangers, nothing more. I don’t want to repeat myself.”
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I was wrong, truly wrong. I can’t live without you, Emilia. What would I do without you? How would I survive? Please come back, I’m begging you!”
Realizing she had truly let go of their relationship, Gerald broke down, shouting and screaming, tears unstoppable.
He refused to give up, feeling that letting go would mean losing something vital.
He couldn’t let go, no matter how pathetic or disgraceful it seemed.
“Tell me what I need to do for you to forgive me. Please, I’ll do anything, Emilia.”
After this ordeal, Sieg, who had been silent and disconnected for so long, finally snapped back to reality.
Ignoring the chaos around him, he slowly raised his hand, touching the lingering warmth of Emilia’s kiss on his lips, frowning slightly as if pondering something profound.
Perhaps he was contemplating life itself, stroking his chin, his mind still not fully clear.
After all, for a virgin, the impact of this moment was immense—something she wouldn’t understand, only caring about herself.
This led to his next actions being bizarre and sluggish.
He reached out, lightly patting Emilia’s shoulder, interrupting the conversation.
Whether he was playing dumb or genuinely confused and seeking confirmation, he seemed to be verifying if what just happened was real.
“Um, Emilia, did you kiss me? Why? Did I offend you somehow? Why did you… do you like me? I don’t understand. Weren’t you with Gerald…?”
Before he could finish, her glance and a few words silenced him.
Her demeanor turned commanding, no longer timid, likely because the situation demanded she take charge.
“Be quiet for now. I’ll answer you later. Stay there and don’t move, Sieg. Be good.”
“Oh, okay. I guess you need to deal with your… with Gerald’s private matters first. We’ll talk after.” Like a docile kitten, Sieg, usually sharp-tongued, didn’t dare mock or argue.
Scratching the back of his head, he lowered it and fell silent.
His playful side was temporarily sealed away—there was no helping it; this woman was just too overwhelming.
Caught off guard, he was utterly sunk.
Quick as ever, Emilia seized the moment, grabbing Sieg’s stiff hand, gently swaying it, holding it tightly to prevent him from pulling away.
She lifted her head, smiling, and turned to Gerald, offering her final answer.
“I’ll dedicate my life to becoming his wife. That’s my only goal now—to live for him. Nothing else matters to me. Let’s go, Sieg. Everything that needed to be said has been said.”
“No, no, no! I don’t accept this! I won’t let you go! You’re mine!”
Unable to stop her, Gerald gritted his teeth, spitting out harsh words, his tone resolute.
“Emilia, no matter what, I’ll win you back. I swear, by any means necessary. I can’t live without you in this lifetime. Wait for me—I’ll come for you!”
As his voice fell, his bloodshot eyes, filled with resentment and regret, could only watch the two figures grow distant, their intimacy undeniable.