<Episode 64>

“How do you even know whether I’ll tell Ivenes Willayden the truth or not?”

“Because you’re the one who protects me, Lord Dekarv.”

At her dry reply, Dekarv looked at her as if truly entertained. His eyes curved into crescents as he smiled, wiping his lips with a finger.

“You said I was your masterpiece, didn’t you?”

“That’s right. You’re the work I treasure most.”

“You chose me to bring to this island, didn’t you?”

“Yes.”

Dekarv rose from his throne.

Even with his towering height, Ivenes didn’t shrink back. She met his gaze head-on, believing that a god meant to protect her couldn’t possibly mean her harm.

He seemed pleased by her unwavering stare, smiling broadly once again.

“Since when did you know?”

“There’s a restriction.”

“Even among gods?”

“Yes.”

She remembered how, the last time he saved her, she had fallen asleep for an entire week afterward.

“Has the punishment for helping me ended? You said it would take about a week.”

“Well, it’s the kind of thing that ends once enough time’s passed. This time, they handled things over there in a dirty way, so I woke up early.”

He placed a large hand on her head, roughly ruffling her hair. The weight of his touch was so immense that she felt as though her skull might crush if he pressed any harder.

“It was because of me, wasn’t it?”

“If you know that, then stop making me worry. Why do you keep leaving your gun behind?”

“…I fainted this time, that’s why.”

Something about him reminded her of an old senior from the detective unit she once worked with — a gruff man who treated her like a kid no matter how old she got.

“So it’s really true. Only one person can survive this island.”

He stared straight at her. His crimson eyes looked as though they could pierce right through her.

“Do you know that red hair of yours is something I chose?”

“…”

“You became an Omega through my power, too.”

“That’s not an answer to my question.”

As she continued to meet his gaze without flinching, he laughed again.

“If you win, I’ll let the others reincarnate — in a different way.”

“What does that mean…?”
<Chapter 65>

“I have to win. And to do that, I need your victory.”

Ivenes frowned, instinctively wanting to reject what she’d just heard.

Dekarv gave a crooked smile and ruffled her hair again, his hand heavy and careless.

“You must win. That’s what’s best for all of you.”

“For all of us… if I win?”

“Yes.”

Ivenes looked at him, her eyes trembling with confusion, but his form was already fading—growing distant and indistinct.

“Wait!”

“Seems our time is up.”

“Lord Dekarv!”

He smiled once more, satisfied.

“We’ll meet again soon.”

The moment he vanished completely, Ivenes jolted awake.

—

“Milady!”

Someone was calling her.

“Are you all right?”

Crown Prince Ferite’s worried face came into view as he held her in his arms.

Even while he spoke, he kept moving; the scenery blurred past in her vision.

“I feel dizzy.”

“Bear with it. It seems two Alphas are approaching.”

Even through the haze, Ivenes forced herself to focus.

If Dekarv’s words were true—only one person could leave this island alive.
Dekarv was her guardian deity. A guardian wouldn’t lie.

That meant she would have to kill Abellard.
And Elkias.

Even this man carrying her now—Crown Prince Ferite.

Her hand clenched reflexively—and she felt something cold in her grasp.
As her vision cleared, she realized what it was.

A gun.
A Desert Eagle, loaded and with the safety already off.

*If you win, I’ll let the others reincarnate—in another way.*

If that was true… then maybe it would be better to kill Ferite here and now.

“Milady?”

She raised the barrel and pressed it under his chin.

“What are you doing?”

He smiled faintly, not even seeming to understand what she was holding, and kept moving.
Ivenes thought about pulling the trigger.

But she couldn’t.
He looked at her with such unknowing eyes, as if he truly didn’t understand.

She couldn’t bring herself to kill someone who was completely unaware.

This wasn’t how she wanted to live.

The reason she became a police officer came rushing back to her.

She’d been weak once—so she’d wanted to stand for the weak. That was why she’d entered the academy.

There had always been too many injustices in the world, and no one ever listened to the powerless.
She’d hated how people laughed at their pain, so she’d sworn to be someone who didn’t.

Even on the day she died in the line of duty, she’d never regretted being a cop.

If she was fated to die, she wanted to do it with honor.
She never thought living for others made her foolish.

Even if the world mocked weakness—she wanted to protect those the world trampled.

That was why she’d chosen that path.

So what was this now?
Was this really the only way?

Tears welled up. She hated herself for crying.

She didn’t want to kill anyone.

She never wanted to kill. She’d always fought to save, not destroy.

“Milady?”

“I’m trying to kill you, Your Highness.”

“Then why are you crying?”

“Because it isn’t right.”

He gave a faint, bitter smile—and then stopped walking.

Ivenes lowered the gun, and he gently set her down.

Ferite waited a moment, but she didn’t raise the weapon again.

“Why aren’t you attacking me? I even set you down to make it easier.”

“Because I don’t want to kill you.”

“So it was just motion sickness making you want me dead?”

“Yes.”

He laughed, softly, helplessly.

That laugh made her feel even more miserable.
Why did it have to be her?

“Milady.”

The Crown Prince stepped close and wiped away her tears with his thumb.

“I believe both our being here—and your becoming an Omega—were the result of divine interference.”

“Uh…”

Ivenes tried to reply, but the restriction tightened around her throat. She couldn’t speak.

“When you fainted in front of the temple earlier… did you see a god?”

She couldn’t answer.

“Whatever you saw, know this—gods are liars.”

“How would you know that?”

“I don’t believe in any of them. Gods are selfish—and deceitful.”

“Strange words from a Crown Prince.”

She chuckled faintly at that. After all, his claim to the throne was backed by the three high priests of those very gods.

“I’m only being honest with you, Lady Ivenes.”

“Why would gods lie?”

“They’ll lie without hesitation to achieve their goals—and they’ll call it righteousness.”

Ivenes tried to step back; he was too close now, his presence almost overwhelming.
But each time she moved away, he closed the distance again.

“Your face looks troubled. If that’s because of the god you saw—don’t believe a word of it.”

“Your Highness.”

“There was once a time when the three temples each delivered an oracle simultaneously.”

When he suddenly reached out to take her hand, she almost pulled away—until she saw the look in his eyes and stopped herself.

She hid the gun behind her back, unsure if he meant to disarm her.

“That event was how the Empire chose which god to serve as its patron deity.”

Ivenes knew that story. Long ago, the three gods had competed for dominion over the Cropperis Empire.

“So you do know.”

“Yes.”
Because the god who received the greatest number of offerings was to rule over the Cropperis Empire.

But the wise Emperor had offered the same amount to all three temples—so all three gods became both victors and losers.

And because of that…

“That’s how I became Crown Prince.”

Before Ferite was born, every other imperial prince and princess had died—struck down by the wrath of the gods.

“The oracle made it sound as though their competition was for the good of the Empire,” he said quietly. “In truth, it was nothing more than a game between them.”

Ivenes felt her pulse slowly calm as she listened to him.

“I don’t know what you saw, Milady. And I may never understand why you’re so sad right now. But if it’s because of something a god said—don’t believe it.”

“Your Highness.”

“Trust yourself, not the gods. Do what you believe is right.”

His words eased something tight in her chest. Her breathing grew steadier.

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

“Think nothing of it.”

He smiled faintly and released her hand. Ivenes disengaged the chamber of her gun, re-engaged the safety, and slipped it back onto her belt.

Just then—

“Ivenes.”

She turned.

Elkias stood there, breath heaving, expression tense.

And behind him—

“Ive!”

Abellard, drenched in sweat, was running toward her.

“Oh, dear.”

In an instant, a wall of ice rose between them, sealing the space.

“What now?” Ferite said, smiling wryly at her. “If it’s Lord de Levoir we’re facing, even I can’t guarantee a fair fight.”