Outside, chaos reigned. Fires raged, smoke filled the sky—but amidst it all, a single figure knelt on the ground, trembling and weeping.
"Beatrice!" Arash shouted as he spotted her.
He ran to her, eyes falling on the dagger trembling in her bloodstained hands.
"A-Arash…" she choked out, her voice shaking with grief.
"What's going on? Why haven't you killed the monster?" he demanded, confused and alarmed.
The others arrived just in time to hear her sobs. Beatrice looked up—and froze.
"M-Mother? Father?" she whispered, tears spilling from her eyes at the sight of her long-lost parents.
Kurtis stepped forward, eyes narrowing. "Why are you crying? Have you become weak now?" he asked.
Beatrice bit her lip hard, her whole body quivering. She shook her head.
"F-Forgive me, Father… For showing weakness… and for betraying our empire," she whispered.
"What are you talking about?" Matias asked, stepping closer.
A deafening roar cut through the air, shaking the ground beneath them. The monster was drawing nearer.
Beatrice closed her eyes, her tears falling faster.
"I… I can't kill him," she confessed.
"Why not?" Kurtis demanded. "It's just a monster!"
"No," she sobbed, clutching the dagger to her chest. "Because… because he's our brother—Hendrik!"
The world fell silent.
Everyone froze, their eyes wide in disbelief.
Kaye dropped to her knees, her gaze locked on the monstrous creature tearing through buildings in the distance.
"I-It's… Hendrik?" she whispered in horror.
Her son… turned into that?
She covered her mouth as fresh tears streamed down her face. The gentle, sweet Hendrik she once cradled in her arms—now unrecognizable.
"I can't do it!" Beatrice screamed, her voice breaking. "I can't kill my own brother!"
One by one, Kaye's other sons arrived. Their joyful shouts of "Mom!" filled the air—but they halted abruptly when the monster roared again, louder and closer.
"What should we do?" Kurtis muttered, glancing at Raon.
Raon let out a heavy sigh, stepping toward Kaye. He gently cupped her face and kissed her forehead.
"He's in pain, hon," he said softly, though his voice cracked. "We need to set him free."
Kaye met his gaze, her heart breaking. But she nodded, eyes fluttering shut. She understood.
Raon turned to Benjamin. "Cover her."
Benjamin nodded and moved behind Kaye, placing his hands gently over her ears as she closed her eyes. He shielded her from what was about to happen.
Raon walked forward and took Matias's sword.
"Are you sure about this?" Mikhail asked, his tone solemn.
"I'm his father," Raon replied. "If anyone must do this… it should be me."
Ran and Rin watched in stunned silence as their father approached the creature—Hendrik. They still couldn't comprehend it. That beast… was their brother?
Beatrice closed her eyes tightly, tears flowing freely.
With grim determination, Raon gripped the sword and broke into a run. Charmagne raised his hand and cast a spell, lifting Raon into the air.
As he soared toward the monster, Raon searched for a weakness. Then—he saw it.
A glowing crystal embedded in the creature's chest.
He lunged forward, driving the sword straight into the crystal. The blade pierced the beast's chest.
The world seemed to stop.
Everyone shut their eyes.
The monster let out a final, anguished roar—and then began to change. Slowly, painfully, its monstrous form dissolved, shrinking back into the body of a young man.
Raon caught Hendrik in his arms as he fell.
"Hendrik…" he whispered, cradling him.
The boy looked up at him and smiled faintly, peace finally returning to his eyes.
"Thank you… Father…"
And then, his body faded—turning to soft ash, carried gently away by the wind.
Raon held the air where his son had just been, his tears falling silently.
"Hendrik!" Kaye sobbed.
Raon turned and pulled her into his arms, holding her close.
"He's at peace now," he whispered. "He's no longer suffering…"
Kaye cried into his chest, clinging to him tightly.
The heartbreaking silence was broken when a soldier stumbled toward them, shouting:
"The enemy has been wiped out! The Montclairs have fallen! The war is over!"
A murmur of relief swept over the group.
They had won.
But then—
Matias suddenly doubled over and vomited blood.
"Matias!" Kaye screamed, rushing to him.
He clutched his chest, trembling. The dark marks began spreading across his face—dark veins twisting up his face.
"Mother…" he gasped, staring at his trembling hands, now fully covered with marks. "I think I'm… dying."
Mikhail moved quickly to his side, his face full of concern. "What's going on?"
"He's cursed," Arash said grimly.
"The book!" Beatrice shouted. She looked at Hajee, who immediately handed it to her. She flipped through the pages and began chanting.
Everyone focused on Matias—so much so that they didn't notice the figure sneaking up behind him.
Velmias.
With a twisted grin, he drove a cursed sword into Matias's back.
The blade pierced straight through.
"Matias!" Kaye screamed.
Blood poured from his mouth as he fell forward.
Mikhail roared in fury, grabbed a fallen sword, and charged. He stabbed Velmias again and again until his body hit the ground, lifeless.
Kaye cradled Matias in her arms, sobbing. "Please! Please don't die!"
Charmagne knelt beside her, casting healing spells—but they had no effect. The curse was too strong. The sword, laced with dark magic, had sealed his fate.
Matias's breathing grew shallow. His skin was growing cold.
"This is bad," Kurtis muttered grimly.
"Isn't there any way to save him?" Kaye begged.
"There might be," Charmagne said. "But… not in this world."
Everyone looked at him.
"What do you mean?" Kaye asked.
"He must be reincarnated… into your world. A new body. A new life. Just like what happened to all of you when you were reincarnated."
The parents exchanged glances—painful, knowing glances.
If that was the only way… they had no choice.
"How do we do it?" Mikhail asked, stepping forward.
Charmagne took a shaky breath. "I have a way…"