What did she say?

‘Run… away?’

As I mouthed Annie’s words, my breath caught in my throat.

A man’s head, much larger than Annie’s, had suddenly appeared behind her. I dropped my paper bag full of groceries, and the fruits I had chosen with such care tumbled out in a pathetic mess before I spun around and started running like a madwoman.

…This was insane! How had he tracked me down?

I ran like the hounds of hell were on my heels, but I was suddenly blocked by a group of people.

“Oh, no!”

They were Kairos’ dogs, no doubt about it.

I cast them a spell as I ran, not pausing in my stride. The force of it made my eyes sting, and the men who had been blocking my path collapsed, clutching their faces. I dodged between their fallen bodies and ran on like a maniac.

Annie had been captured. What was I going to do? Thankfully, Edmond and Ginger weren’t in this district, but they would be back by afternoon.

‘What am I going to do? What am I going to do?’

I ran as I frantically thought. I wove in and out of the crowds, my only thought to get away from him. I couldn’t slow down, not even for a second, because the terror of being caught was too real this time.

“There she is, the redhead!”

“Get Hazel!”

Cries rang out from all around me, and I could feel people staring at me in shock as they leaped out of my way. Ahead, I saw Sid’s face. He must have thought he had me cornered because he looked relieved for a second, but then I swerved and ran straight between two buildings.

“She’s going down the alley!”

This was madness! I was too frantic to even think of blocking him with magic, and I just kept running, turning corners like a maniac. If I could just get a little farther, I would reach the path that led to the forest.

I had definitely been here before…

“….!”

My eyes nearly popped out of my head, and I skidded to a halt with a squeak.

“No, this is definitely the right way.”

This was the path I always took. If I turned this way, I should come to the forest. I was stuttering. My thoughts and words all jumbled together.

A large wall loomed in front of me, blocking my path.

Oh no. My fear was getting the better of me, and my spatial magic wouldn’t work. I couldn’t climb over this. I could feel the blood in my veins turning cold and still. My hands began to shake uncontrollably.

No, no! I had to get away…

I felt like an idiot. If I could just pull myself together, I could dodge Kairos’ dogs and find an opening to escape, and then I could run to the forest and get out of here.

Crash.

Thump!

I spun around, my body trembling.

Oh…

A groan escaped my lips. It wasn’t Sid and his cronies who had followed me.

It was Kairos Hadid.

He had come for me himself. Kairos, whom I had never seen run a step in his life, was breathing heavily as he glared at me. His usually neat hair was disheveled, and the top buttons of his shirt were undone.

I had thought I had escaped him perfectly, though maybe I should have left Elkium after all.

It was pathetic how this entire continent was in the palm of his hand. I had taken so many carriages, walked so many miles, and used so many movement scrolls! I had almost made it from one end of the continent to the other. I had survived for a month, and I thought I had gotten away!

Was I going to die after all? Oh, how unfair. Was I really that evil?

When I thought about it, I hadn’t done anything compared to Kairos’ evil deeds and crimes! I had even paid him back the money. I had paid the interest, for goodness’ sake. I hadn’t even taken alimony, and I had agreed to divorce him!

Kairos walked slowly toward me, stopping about five paces away. He ran a hand through his hair in frustration.

“My wife, come here.”

Then, as if realizing he was scowling, he smiled pleasantly and held out his arms as if inviting me to come to him and be held.

I took a step back, shaking my head as I met his gaze. The wall was right behind me.

D*mn it.

“No, I’m not coming. I’m not going.”

I responded stubbornly as cold sweat trickled down my back.

This was a true terror.

I stood there frozen, shaking with fear, and Kairos, looking thirsty, licked his lips.

“What could have made my wife so angry? Hmm?”

He acted as if he had never received my letter. He must have known I had figured out who Kairos was when he read that letter. Was he pretending not to know? Or had he really not received it? I didn’t know which was worse, though I hesitated for a moment.

Should I just tell him?

“….”

Unlike the man who had chased me with fire in his eyes, he was now wearing Noah Edith’s face, making it all the more confusing.

“I’m sorry, Hazel. I must have misheard you. If I do something wrong, I’ll fix it. So, please come here.”

Even his expression was full of sorrow and resentment. He looked genuinely clueless, as if he had no idea why I had run away.

I gulped before I forced down my voice, which was failing me due to fear.

“You’re…”

My teeth chattered, and my voice trembled.

“Yes.”

“…Kairos Hadid. You’re Kairos Hadid. Not Noah Edith.”

I blurted it out, mixing in a bit of resentment. It didn’t matter anymore. I was going to die anyway. I might as well say something before I die to make it less unfair.

“….”

I closed my eyes, anticipating my death.

“….”

But even after a long time, there was no response.

When I opened my eyes, he was frozen like a statue. He looked like he wouldn’t respond unless someone touched him. Then, he exhaled and slowly brushed his hair back. He narrowed his eyes again and smiled.

“My wife seems to be mistaken.”

“Mistaken? Mistaken?”

“Yes, mistaken. There must be some kind of mistake. Hazel, please come here.”

I shouted out loud.

“Then, why is Kairos Hadid written on the marriage certificate instead of Noah Edith?”

“…”

“Tell me. Why am I Hazel Love Hadid instead of Hazel Love Edith?! Is this also a misunderstanding, an error?”

“Why did you see that?”

As he muttered to himself in a low voice, that was when his gentle, doe-eyed expression disappeared. The funny facade peeled away, revealing the sharp eyes of a predator that had spotted its prey. It was the moment his true self was revealed.

I opened my mouth to confront him.

“You’re also Count Lachman, aren’t you?”

“That’s right.”

“And Baron Rentain. I thought you were a trustworthy business partner!”

“…Yes. But it’s true that I was a trustworthy business partner.”

“Edith…”

I groaned, cutting myself off. Even Viscount Noah Edith wasn’t real.

“Viscount Noah Edith, too.”

“…He’s my husband.”

I glared at Kairos.

“Somehow, I thought he was too capable and rich for a viscount.”

“Even a viscount can be very rich. Of course, everything you said is true, Hazel.”

“My goodness, a viscount too! All of them, all of them!”

I screamed and collapsed from exhaustion. At the same time, he approached me to help me up, but I pushed him away.

“D, don’t touch me.”

Kairos helped me up, regardless. He held my arm and brushed off the dirt and dust on my body. Although I tried to shake him off again, he sighed deeply.

“You have dirt on you.”

“…What does it matter?”

At that moment, Kairos’ eyes narrowed. My body trembled again at the sight of his blood-red eyes. After a while, he let out another frustrated sigh.

“Let’s go home now. The trip has been too long.”

And he led me home, dismissing my escape as a trip or an escapade.

Why? Why was he taking me home to kill me? I tried to shake off his arm, but it was too strong. Strangely, my captured arm didn’t hurt at all.

“Let, let go. I’m not going. I’m not going. You might as well kill me here. That would be better!”

I couldn’t move an inch after Kairos uttered his next words.

—