Morning draped the Vermell estate in a thin veil of mist. Sunlight streamed through the trees, passed the window of Suael's room, and made her pale green hair shimmer like crystal.
Suael opened her eyes. This body still felt unfamiliar—too small, too fragile, too… alive.
She adjusted the oversized bow crooked on her head, then stepped out of the room. At the end of the hallway, a servant bowed upon seeing her.
— "Lady Suael. Madam has prepared breakfast."
She didn't reply.
Descending to the dining hall, she met him — Duke Argent Vermell. A tall man with silver hair and eyes as cold as snow settled on ruins. But not as cold as Suael's once were—when she was still Nivrael, the one who had guided thousands of souls across the river of death.
— "You're up early."
— "Not early. Just no need for dreams anymore." Suael replied flatly.
He looked up, scrutinizing her face.
— "You seem… different."
— "Because I'm no longer the Suael you once knew."
With that, she rose, turned, and walked away—leaving behind the tangled look of doubt in her father's eyes.
In the back garden, Violet was waiting with Calen. Violet, ever composed; Calen, clearly annoyed.
— "You're always late."
— "I don't belong to human time," Suael answered, eyes steady.
Violet chuckled, but Calen frowned.
— "I don't like how you speak like you're above everything."
Suael glanced at him.
— "I'm a Death God. Do you expect me to talk like an eight-year-old lady of the house?"
Calen's grip tightened on his wooden sword. The tension crackled between them—until Violet broke in:
— "That's enough. If you two fight, I'm just going to watch. No bandaging, no saving."
Silence. Suael turned away, her fingers brushing the black pendant at her neck.
"Second soul identified.
Target: Helmer – elder butler of Ivar village.
Status: Unstable.
Warning: Interference detected from escaped soul – Kairin."
The group froze.
— "He's… really interfering," Suael whispered.
— "Are we going?" Violet asked.
Suael nodded. But before they moved, she stopped—then suddenly turned to Calen.
— "I need to ask you something."
— "Ask what?"
— "Why do you want to come with me? Now that you know what I am."
Calen fell silent. Then he looked up, his eyes clear as glass.
— "Last night, I climbed to the roof. I saw you sitting there. Your hands trembled after collecting your first soul. You're a Death God—but you were afraid. And I realized… you're not a monster."
Suael froze. That answer—she hadn't expected.
— "I don't need pity."
— "I'm not pitying you," Calen said calmly. "I just think… if even a Reaper can feel fear, can hesitate, then you must have something worth protecting. And if you ever step into darkness again… then I want to be the one who stands in front of you."
Suael looked at the boy for a long moment—longer than necessary.
Then, with a sudden motion, she reached out and placed a faint blue mark on the back of his hand. A tiny symbol, like the wind.
— "I have no knights. But if you wish to protect someone who has taken thousands of lives—"
— "I'm not protecting you. I'm protecting my choice to trust you," Calen interrupted, steady.
Violet burst out laughing.
— "Did you two just make a pact?"
Suael turned away, a faint smile—barely there—curving her lips.
— "Let's go."
That night – The abandoned estate of Count Browse.
Thick fog and a choking sense of death clung to their throats. Helmer's wooden cottage stood in silence, half-concealed by ancient woods, resting on the edge of a cemetery.
— "The soul is inside," Suael said.
The three stepped in. The cold bit deep into their skin. A groan echoed from beneath the floorboards.
— "I can feel it… this one's stronger than the first," Violet muttered.
CRACK!
The floor split open. A black, cracked hand shot up from the earth. Helmer emerged—twisted, sagging face, eyes blazing red with hatred.
— "Nivrael… you've come to take me?"
Suael stepped forward.
— "No. I've come to punish your arrogance."
Helmer hissed.
— "I'm not afraid of you anymore! Kairin said… you're nothing now!"
At that moment, a voice laughed from the shadows outside.
— "Long time no see, Nivrael."
Suael turned.
Kairin.
He stood among the mist, violet eyes glowing, ash-gray hair falling loosely down his back. His gaze locked onto Suael as if trying to consume her whole.
— "So you've begun your path to redemption. How quaint. But unfortunately..."
— "I won't let you take another soul."
Suael roared, swinging her scythe—but Kairin smirked and vanished, taking Helmer with him—the second soul, gone.
The three children stood in the empty house.
— "He's breaking every rule," Suael murmured. "And I—must end this before the boundary between life and death collapses."