At the extreme words, Raphine frowned as if confused.

He had no idea that Antonio would be so obsessed with him. You're going to protect me until you kill my mother?

To be honest, I couldn't believe it. I've never met so often that my heart deepened like this, and there's never been an incident like that.

'It's just an obsession.'

Raphine knew how much a simple obsession without love can ruin a person.

Because that's how Zerkan's life was in the original.

"I don't know why you are doing this to me."

As Rafine said, Antonio's face contorted.

you really don't know? Antonio resented Raphine for not knowing his heart and was savage.

"I want you."

"...."

"I always wanted you. Ever since I was little, I have been...!"

"that."

"...."

"Anthony, you are alone."

At Raphine's words, Antonio only blinked. The back of the hand holding the iron fence trembled.

"I never accepted you, I never liked you. Antonio."

"Ha, but...."

"If you threaten me like this and I choose you, will it really make you feel at ease?"

"I am...."

"You must not force your heart on others, Antonio."

"Shut up! Don't try to teach me!"

Antonio yelled. He opened his bloodshot eyes and shouted.

"Yeah, that's a threat! You'll die here if you don't go with me! Do you really want to die?"

"...."

"Are you saying that you will choose death only when you will be held in my arms? Are you so noble for your brother? so far... do you love my brother Is it like that! Answer me!"

"...."

Antonio's eyes looked just like those of a madman. When Raphine didn't answer, he groaned and shouted.

"Yeah, die! I'd rather die! Because of you... Because of you...!"

Tears streamed from the corners of Antonio's eyes. He looked really painful.

Raphine was afraid of Antonio who was suffering, but also felt sorry for him.

"It hurts so much... It's painful! whoops...."

Antonio grabbed my chest and sobbed. Raphine couldn't say anything.

A hasty consolation would be a useless hope for Antonio.

Realizing that nothing could persuade Raffine, Antonio bit his lip and stood up.

So Antonio strode out of the prison. Camilla, who was waiting in front of the prison entrance, found him and bowed her head.

Then he put the sleeping needle in Antonio's neck. It happened at the same time he passed Camilla.

"Ugh!"

Antonio fell slowly.

Just now.

When Antonio, who he thought had gone to the Imperial Castle, returned and said he would talk to Raffine, Camila was quite embarrassed.

But at that moment, he could not stand against Antonio. There was no win. So, for once, he nodded.

And after a while, Antonio, who had escaped from the prison, turned to head to the second floor, not outside the mansion. At that moment, Camilla made a quick decision.

'You're trying to kill Empress Rebecca.'

Camila heard a conversation coming from inside the prison a while ago.

Camila dragged Antonio, who had collapsed with a whimper, out of the back door of the mansion.

Then, after putting it on top of the horse that had been riding so far, and fixing it, I kicked off the horse's buttocks.

A smart horse will take care of it and head towards the back door of the Imperial Palace.

* * *

While Camila disappeared with Antonio.

A black shadow that had been silently watching the two of them from a blind spot headed into the prison.

* * *

After Antonio had left, Raffine, who was waiting for Zerkan inside the prison, put her chin on her knees and sighed.

In the midst of anxiety, he went all the way to Antonio, and I felt uncomfortable.

It was then. A small footstep was heard and it was getting closer and closer.

It was very light and slow to be called Zerkan's footsteps.

"Huh...."

Raphine was perplexed when she saw the person standing in front of the iron bars. And that person's behavior made Raphine even more embarrassed.

squeaky.

The iron window that had been locked with a large padlock opened.

Suddenly, the key that opened the lock fell to the floor.

"Run away."

"...."

It was Saint Celestina who freed Raphine.

The saint looked at the prison entrance as if impatiently.

"I don't have much time, but... Still, there is room. Rebecca's maid groaned and dragged Antonio, who had fainted. It will take a while to get back."

"Why me...."

Raphine couldn't understand the saint, so she only blinked. The saint shouted as if frustrated.

"Gerrol Tedler will kill you."

"... But you're on the same team with Gerol."

Raphine said that, but got up and quickly escaped the prison.

Celestina didn't answer, but asked the question again.

"Why are you watching me?"

"... for winning."

"Then you knew I was kidnapped, so why did you follow me right away? Did you even try to save me? Alone too?"

"To be honest, I wasn't alone. I was with the spirit."

Raphine tucked her arms full of restraints and said, "It ended up like this." and added.

In response, the saint clenched her fists and smirked.

"You know now that it's useless to give unnecessary recognition."

Raphine tilted her head.

"Well, is it really useless? You open the prison door yourself and let me go?"

At that, Celestina bit her lip and frowned.

"I'm just paying for what I did last time."

"okay, thanks."

"...."

At the words of thanks that came out without hesitation, the saint stiffened with a strange expression.

Raphine stopped while trying to pass Celestina like that. Then he hesitated and held out a ring on his finger.

"What?"

"... It could save your life at least once."

The saint snorted and said.

"I do not need it."

"I'm paying back what I saved, so take it."

"Then I will be in debt again!"

When she screamed, Raphine added more excuses.

"At that time, his life was not at a level that was dangerous. You must pay for your life with your life."

"...."

When Raphine grabbed the ring, Celestina frowned, but did not throw the ring away.

'It's not that great anyway... '

It was a ring with water attack magic made with Orphana's power. It was a one-time use only.

'Now that the power of the spirit has been neutralized, it cannot be used, but....'

Raphine believed that the spirits would return if the restraint orb was broken. That's the way it was. It was because of that belief that the ring was given.

So Raphine hurried out of the prison.

Since you don't know when Zerkan will come, it's better to get away from this mansion as much as possible.

To be honest, I was a little scared. Antonio said that Rebecca would kill him, and Saint Gerald said that he would kill him.

'No, why is everyone trying to kill me?'

The reason was clear.

As Gerol said earlier, he thought that Rebecca, Gerol, or Zerkan's weakness was him.

'I didn't even know I was fooling around, you assholes.'

Although he and Zerkan were close, it wasn't to that extent.

The only weakness that makes Zerkan black is her mother.

Perhaps the Empress was difficult to abduct, so she seemed to have chosen her as a target.

'That's why they made something like this.'

Because of the restraint device, I was out of breath even after walking a little.

As Celestina said, there was no one in front of the passage leading to the dungeon.

Raphine walked slowly towards the entrance of the mansion. You need to get out of there quickly and get as far away as possible. Quickly....

"Where are you going?"

It was then. Raphine turned her head at the creepy voice.

Rebecca was slowly coming down the stairs to the second floor. Her gossip was not a word. His body was covered in blood and he had a dagger in his hand.

The problem is that all those red marks don't seem to be her blood. So I guess I'm just walking around like that.

Rebecca looked like a demon from hell.

'You must have killed Gerol.'

The two were meant to kill each other.

And then it was Raphine. Only then will Rafine's death be overlaid on the opponent.

'Damn it...!'

Raphine tried to move as fast as she could, but her legs kept getting weak. The sound of the empress's footsteps coming down the stairs from behind became faster.

It was when I reached a distance that I could reach if I stretched out my hand. Raphine managed to avoid the touch and pushed the large door with her body, and she fell.

No, I almost fell.

Coogong!

Suddenly, with a huge vibration, my eyes brightened. An unbearably bright light poured down.

"Aww!"

Behind him was the sound of the queen's screams. Raphine immediately recognized who was holding her.

The body temperature that I have become accustomed to, the scent of warm breath.

That's the only way I could figure it out.