Just as Soren passed the corner beside the flower shop, he heard intermittent sobbing nearby.
It sounded like a drenched kitten whimpering pitifully.
Following the sound, he turned into a narrow alley and saw a little girl crouched against the wall.
A pale blue ribbon was tied in her hair, and she tightly hugged a stuffed teddy bear missing one ear.
Her tears had soaked the bear’s whole fur, and her tiny shoulders trembled nonstop.
The sight softened his heart immediately.
“Hey there, what’s wrong?
Did you lose your mom and dad?”
Soren carefully lightened his footsteps as he approached.
When he crouched down, he deliberately tucked the heart-shaped tail behind his clothes, worried that the horns and tail might scare her.
The little girl looked up.
Her round eyes were clouded with tears, and the tip of her nose was as red as a cherry.
She stared at Soren’s horns for two seconds.
But instead of crying or shrinking away, she simply pouted and nodded.
“I-I came to buy candy with Mama, but when I turned around, I couldn’t find her anymore… Uwaa… Mama said I’m not supposed to run around.
Did I do something wrong?”
Soren’s heart tightened.
He gently patted her back.
“You didn’t do anything wrong.
You just accidentally got separated from her.
Do you remember what your mom looks like, or where you were supposed to go afterward?”
“Mama was wearing a light purple dress, and she had a bag with Windwheel Asters embroidered on it…”
The little girl counted on her fingers while recalling it.
Suddenly, her eyes sharpened.
“Oh!
Mama said after buying candy, we were going to the Knights of Favonius to find Papa.
Papa’s a knight!”
The Knights of Favonius?
Soren hesitated inwardly.
He only vaguely knew the direction of the headquarters from the game.
He’d still have to figure out the exact route himself.
Albeit looking at the little girl’s pitiful expression, there was no way he could just leave her here.
Gritting his teeth, he took her hand.
“Come on.
I’ll take you to the Knights of Favonius.
The people there can definitely help you find your parents, okay?”
The little girl tightened her grip around his fingers and softly nodded.
She hugged the stuffed bear even tighter.
The two walked along the stone-paved road toward the Knights of Favonius headquarters.
The girl walked slowly and occasionally stopped to stare at dogs by the roadside.
Soren never rushed her.
He patiently waited every time.
When they neared headquarters, they could see a figure standing at the entrance.
A white cape fluttered in the wind.
Long golden hair swayed gently behind a tall, upright figure as steady as a pine tree.
It was Acting Grand Master, Jean.
A knot formed in Soren’s heart.
The Jean from the game had always seemed gentle and dependable.
Meanwhile, now that he was about to interact with the “real” Grand Master, he couldn’t help feeling nervous.
Just as he was about to step forward with the little girl and explain the situation, Jean had already noticed them and quickly walked over.
“Sir, this little girl is…?”
Jean’s gaze landed on the child.
Her tone remained gentle.
However, when her eyes swept across the hand Soren was holding, an unusual emotion flashed through her pupils so quickly it was impossible to grasp.
“Grand Master Jean-”
Soren hurriedly explained.
“This child got separated from her parents.
She said her father’s a knight, so I wanted to bring her here to find her family.”
Jean thought for a moment before nodding.
“Little one, why don’t you head to the lounge first?
I’d like to speak with this big brother for a moment.”
The girl slowly released Soren’s hand while hugging her doll.
Obediently, she headed toward the lounge.
Watching the little girl quietly walk inside, Soren finally relaxed slightly.
A relieved smile unconsciously appeared on his face.
Turning toward Jean, sincerity filled his voice as he entrusted the child to her almost instinctively.
“Thank goodness the Grand Master’s here.
Then I’ll have to ask Grand Master Jean to please take good care of that child.
Sorry for troubling you.”
The instant the word “ask” left his mouth, the atmosphere abruptly froze.
Jean, who had been standing there with a relatively calm expression, suddenly trembled.
Her shoulders began shaking uncontrollably, as though she were desperately suppressing some emotion on the verge of exploding.
Before Soren could even react, Jean stepped forward.
Both hands shot out and gripped his shoulders tightly, her fingertips pressing down with force.
Soren’s heart skipped.
The slight ease he’d just felt vanished at once, replaced by an inexplicable chill.
He looked into Jean’s eyes.
There was no trace of gentleness left within them.
Only fanaticism remained.
Like two blazing flames, they locked onto him.
“Grand Master Jean?
W-What’s wrong with you?”
Instinctively, Soren tried stepping backward.
But Jean’s grip on his shoulders was too tight for him to move.
Even his voice carried a faint trace of fear.
Jean didn’t answer.
She only continued staring fixedly at his face.
Several seconds passed before Jean finally seemed to force herself out of that overwhelming excitement and regain her voice.
Her tone was light and trembling, yet filled with unmistakable madness.
“Soren… what you just said… that was a ‘request,’ right?
You asked something of me, didn’t you?”
Her thumb slowly rubbed against the fabric over Soren’s shoulder.
The movement carried an almost greedy sense of attachment, while the fanaticism in her gaze grew stronger and stronger.
Like a hunter who had found prey at last, she could no longer conceal the possessiveness burning in her eyes.
“You actually… took the initiative to ask something of me.”
Looking at this unfamiliar side of her, Soren’s heart pounded against his ribs.
Only now did he realize that his careless words of trust had somehow become the “key” that ignited Jean’s obsession.
“Grand Master Jean, y-you look really scary right now…”
Soren trembled as he struggled.
Abruptly, then, Jean suddenly reached out and grabbed his tail.
Her fingertips tightened around it.
The rough texture of her leather gloves brushed against the tail tip.
Soren’s legs instantly weakened, and he nearly collapsed on the spot.
Only by leaning against the stone pillar behind him could he barely keep himself upright.
“Grand Master Jean… let go!”
“Shhh… don’t speak.
You’ll attract attention.”
Jean suddenly leaned forward.
Her breath wrapped around the shell of his ear.
Her other hand slipped behind Soren and gently cupped the back of his head, her fingertips slowly stroking the soft hair behind his ear.
“Would you rather become someone who gradually loses the ability to take care of themselves…”
Her voice dropped impossibly low.
“Or would you rather I cripple you so you can only rely on me to take care of you?”
Soren’s whole body froze.
He even forgot how to breathe.
The warmth of Jean’s palm seeped through the fabric.
It was warm, yet it made him feel frozen-locked in place.
He could feel the hand on the back of his head tightening a bit more, drawing him closer toward her.
The distance between them became so small he could see his own terrified reflection within her silver-blue eyes.
There wasn’t the slightest trace of hesitation there.
Only absolute certainty.
A certainty that no matter what he chose, the ending would remain the same.
“Don’t rush to answer.”
As though sensing his panic, Jean lightly pressed her fingertips against his temple.
The force was neither heavy nor light, yet carried a domineering control over everything.
“You can think carefully about it.”
“If you choose the first option, you’ll still keep your body intact.
You’ll have food and water every day.
You’ll never need to suffer through wind or rain again.
“All you have to do is obediently listen to me and leave every aspect of your life in my hands to manage… Slowly, you’ll forget how to tie your shoes, forget how to boil water, forget how to tell directions apart.
In the end, you won’t even be able to leave my side for a single step.”
She paused.
Her breath brushed against the reddened tips of Soren’s ears, and her tone gained a cruel sort of temptation.
“If you choose the second option, it’ll hurt a little.
You might have to stay in bed for a very, very long time.
I’ll feed you, wipe your body down, and take care of your wounds… Eventually, you’ll realize that even with a crippled body, life can still be very comfortable, because I’ll care for you perfectly in every possible way.
The only difference is that in the first option, you’ll ‘willingly’ become useless, while in the second, I’ll ‘help’ turn you into someone who can only depend on me.”
Soren’s throat felt painfully dry.
He wanted to shake his head.
He wanted to shout, “I choose neither.”
Even so, the hand gripping the back of his head felt as heavy as a thousand pounds, locking his movements in place.
He stared at Jean’s face only inches away.
Those silver-blue eyes blazed with madness like burning flames ready to swallow him whole.
“Y-You can’t do this…”
“I can.”
Jean let out a soft laugh.
Her fingertips slid down from his temple before gently pinching his chin and forcing him to meet her gaze.
“Because you said the word ‘ask,’ Soren.
That word is proof that you handed yourself over to me.
No matter which option you choose, you’ll stay by my side in the end.
You’ll become someone who can only survive through me… This isn’t a threat.
It’s a ‘gift’ I’m giving you.”
Her thumb brushed across Soren’s trembling lips.
Her eyes overflowed with satisfied possessiveness.
“Now tell me.
Which one will you choose?”
“Don’t do this…”
Soren’s voice trembled.
However, Jean’s patience had already begun running out.
Suddenly, she released him.
Then, in the next instant, she swung her fist forward and knocked him unconscious.
“It’s fine.
I’ll choose the second option for you.”
…