Leonthan kicked Heavien in the head. She bent down and punched him in the stomach. She was stunned when she remembered that she had a wound on her right hand, so she had to use her left one.
"Ah!" she twitched.
She wasn't hit, but her back wound seemed to open because of Seyah's stab earlier. It hurts so bad she twitched while bearing it. She moved too much, and the wound opened. The cloth wrapped around her back wound came loose. This is bad because her opponent is still tough after all the attacks he received from his victims. He remains standing regardless of what Trake did to him. What trick does he have? She ran away from him to hide for a while.
"Running away?"
She ignored what he had to say. Insult or harass her; the important thing is that she can wrap the cloth around her back again properly. She ran very fast and entered the mansion. She went to the comfort room and took off the cloth wrapped around her hand promptly. She washed the cloth with clean water and wrapped it again. She took off her uniform blouse and removed the cloth wrapped around the back of her chest. She touched it, and the wound was open.
Ouch...
It's good that she has a bad wound on her back so she can't see. Just imagining what her back wound looks like makes her hand tremble. She rinses the extra cloth they have in the comfort room and wipes her cold sweat. Please help me. Guide me in healing my wound, regaining my strength, and fighting Leonthan. She just closed her eyes for a bit.
"Where are you?"
She was horrified when she heard the creepy tone of Leonthan's voice. She got dressed immediately and felt as if he was just near the door of the comfort room. Now he's searching for her. How thirsty is he for her life? When she heard a faint footstep coming up, she got out of the comfort room and slowly closed the door. She sighed.
"There you are."
"Whaaa?!" she shrieked when he startled her.
"Where have you been?"
Why is he here so fast?
"C-CR. You saw me. I-I just came out, didn't I?" she mocked him while feeling jittery.
His eyebrows met. She can't look at him straight. She can clearly see his gentle face because it is bright inside the mansion. But his body is dirty from rain, blood, and blows after Trake beat him with punches.
"Do you think you can escape me?"
Heavien shook her head and bowed. She still has her knife with her. She has nothing to fear. As much as possible, she avoids her eyes from his eyes because every time she sees his brown eyes, she forgets they are opponents. She can't believe that she still yearns for him because she got so worried when she thought he was dead. She wants to talk to him, she wants to laugh with him, she wants to hear his life stories... She gulped and was stuck in place where she stood.
"Watch out!"
She turned her gaze to the one who had just spoken and was surprised when he ran towards her.
W-What just happened? Why did he shout?
She turned her gaze to him. His eyes—it's not like before. Blank, dark, and with murderous intent. Not like the eyes of a killer ... but... the eyes of the Leonthan that she has known.
Leonthan touched her head and hugged her. She can feel his wet and cold uniform, but she feels more and hears the speed of his heartbeat. She is so close to his chest and smells the Leonthan that she once knew. He embraced her tightly.
She does not know why. She can't see anything else. She can't hear anything else. She can't smell anything else. She can't feel anything else. Nothing but Leonthan's arms, voice, scent, heartbeat, and warmth.
When he hugged her, there was a glimpse of hope. Hoping that he gets back to where he used to be, who he really is. It was as if the agony she was dealing with disappeared in an instant. She seems to have forgotten that they are still playing. She seems to have forgotten that they are opponents supposed to be killing each other.
Then she realized that she was lying down. It startled her when he was on top of her and closing his eyes. She saw his forehead. It's bleeding! She rubbed his face and wiped his forehead wound with her hand. She observed her surroundings, and the whole mansion had collapsed! It has no roof, and the walls are crumbling. The floor has cracks, and there's blood.
"Can you stand up?" She knelt on the floor facing him.
She asked him if he could manage to stand up by himself so that she could treat his wounds. He is in a severe state.
What happened here? Why did the mansion collapse?
She grabbed both of his arms to support him.
"Ugh," he grunted.
"I'm sorry! Where does it hurt you? Ah!"
He put his head on her chest. The speed of her heartbeat is uncontrollable. She shuddered, especially at what she thought was a possibility. She raised her head and... there was an iron bar in his back!
"Leonthan"
She touched his back, and it was warm and wet. She saw that her hand had red liquid. She sat up properly and checked his face.
"Leonthan!" Her eyes are getting watery.
"You're exaggerating," She was momentarily taken aback. He is stammering and coughing. "I'm not yet dying. I'm still alive, maybe in a couple of seconds." He struggled against the ache and physical pain he was feeling.
"Why are you making a joke out of this?"
He just smiled. She cried even more when she heard his true tone and voice. "Why did you do that?"
"Now that I'm dying, it's time to tell you the truth." She waited for him to speak again. "I killed them for you not to be killed. I know that you have trauma when it comes to violence, that's why you can't kill. That Trake guy's primary goal was to kill you last because he was saving the less difficult for last. If he can't win against me, who is a strong enemy of his, then there's no point in killing you earlier than me."
So that's how it was. She was wondering why Trake didn't kill her while she was an easy target. And maybe Trake was also hesitant to do it hastily because she's known him.
"Why are you protecting me to this extent? This is too much to ask for, but you don't have to do any of it."
"I already lost my family, and I won't allow losing you. This is the only way for you to live."
She must be dead. She should be gone now and died more than two days after their ceremony, but Leonthan sacrificed his prize from winning the third tri-games and risked his life to save hers.
"Why do you even have to pretend? You sacrificed your life just to be able to participate in the fourth tri-games again." This has been bugging her. What's the need for doing that?
"For you to kill me. I want you to do it, but you can't. I became a villain to protect you."