Chapter 133

Kinaine felt consciousness slowly returning. It seemed he had briefly lost consciousness after being strangled by Hasan.

But something was strange.

―Sob, hic.

From somewhere, the faint sound of a child crying could be heard.

Though he thought it might be his imagination, the sobbing soon changed into words.

―Really... want to. Want to go... back...

The peculiar thing was that it sounded as if it was being transmitted directly into his mind rather than through his ears.

The crying continued. Moreover, it was becoming increasingly clear.

Just as Kinaine finally couldn't bear it anymore and was about to lift his eyelids, the hand gripping his wrist fell away, and the crying sound that had been echoing in his mind instantly disappeared.

"His pulse is beating, so he's not dead. Come check his condition."

Instead, Hasan's voice reached his muffled ears.

'...Did I hear things?'

He assessed his surroundings without opening his eyes.

There was a faint smell of iron and blood. It seemed he was still in the underground prison.

"How much longer can he live?"

"Since it's caused by demonic energy, medicine won't be of much use."

Unlike before he lost consciousness, there was one more person present. The voice answering Hasan's question was familiar to Kinaine's ears as well.

"The reason I can't tell you the exact time remaining is because we don't know when the demonic energy will reach his heart. ...I apologize, Your Majesty."

'Tiron.'

Kinaine's body flinched as he identified the other person. The two seemed not to have noticed that he had regained consciousness as they were engaged in conversation.

"I'll leave him to you, so keep managing him. Keep him alive somehow. I have other uses for him."

"I'll do my best."

Listening to the conversation, Kinaine realized.

Hasan had no intention of killing him. At least not yet.

He had naturally thought Hasan would harm him...

'It seems my lifeline really is long after all.'

It wasn't the kind of thought someone with a terminal illness would typically have, but as the situation unfolded this way, he couldn't help recalling words he had heard before.

Kinaine was a head shorter than the other mercenaries when standing among them. His frame was so slender that even with muscle, he couldn't escape the impression of being willowy. Mercenaries were like a pack of beasts, distinguishing between those stronger and weaker than themselves, and in their eyes, Kinaine belonged to those who would soon die.

But Kinaine always betrayed their expectations. Even when he suffered injuries that should have resulted in instant death, even when the mercenary group was annihilated by magical beasts, he survived.

When he managed to return alive from situations deemed impossible for survival, everyone recoiled as if they had seen a corpse crawling out of the ground. They wondered how his lifeline could be so tough.

At the time, he had only laughed hollowly at those words. What long lifeline? How ridiculous those words must have sounded to the only one among them who knew how much time he had left.

But having gone through all sorts of things and still being alive, perhaps those words were true after all.

Kinaine spat out saliva mixed with blood onto the floor. The ongoing conversation abruptly stopped.

"...Doctor, you may leave."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Only after the receding footsteps disappeared did Kinaine open his mouth. A hoarse, cracked voice emerged.

"You're going to, keep me alive? Why?"

"Because you want death. And I have no intention of giving you what you want."

"..."

"Besides, there's no point in tormenting someone who's dead since they can't feel anything. I want to see you suffer."

Hasan's tone carried a composure that hadn't been there before. He thought Kinaine was no longer a match for him.

Whatever method he had used, he had prevented the black magic and realized that Kinaine was on his deathbed, so he understood there was no longer any need to fear him.

To think that his being alive would become Hasan's joy—he had never imagined such a day would come.

"Thinking about it, I tried to kill you too easily back then. I was young and shortsighted at the time. Bringing you back and keeping you as a slave would have been more miserable for you... Now I even think it's fortunate you didn't die then."

Laughter followed. Hasan seemed quite excited by the thought of making him a slave now and ensuring his remaining short life was as miserable as possible.

Unfortunately for Hasan, however, Kinaine still had a way to escape the miserable remaining life Hasan planned to give him.

He didn't necessarily need poison or a sword to die. If he was prepared to endure the terrible pain he never wanted to experience again.

...Still, he really disliked this method the most.

Knowing what level of pain would come, it took more resolve than expected to open his mouth.

"Actually."

It felt as if a cold hand was gripping his heart. It was a clear warning sign. But Kinaine continued speaking without stopping.

"Actually, I'm the real Kinai..."

Terrible pain began, too intense even to scream. His entire body trembled uncontrollably, regardless of his will. It felt as if all his nerves were burning.

Nevertheless, Kinaine tried to continue speaking. Whether dying from the shock of pain or having his heart torn out, dying was dying either way.

However, before he could finish his words, Hasan hurriedly covered his mouth.

"You're out of your mind."

Well, how could I be in my right mind?

As blood flowed from his mouth, he felt Hasan hastily removing his hand. In truth, he wondered if he could have completed his sentence even without Hasan covering his mouth.

He had certainly done it once before. How had he managed to finish his words then?

It was to the point where he found himself impressive. Perhaps he hadn't completed his words back then? Was that why he hadn't died?

As soon as the hand covering his mouth disappeared, Kinaine opened his mouth again. But Hasan was faster.

"If you commit suicide, I'll cut off the limbs of the doctor who brought you here, along with the girl and the old man, and kill them all!"

Kinaine's blood-stained lips trembled momentarily. After a while, he raised the corner of his mouth as if sneering. Due to the aftereffects of the pain, his lips were still trembling as if convulsing, so it was unclear if he was properly smiling.

"Kill them... They're the ones who reported me and got me locked up here. I don't care whether they live or die."

"You're still good at lying without batting an eye."

"Lying? Why would I tell such a lie? Brother, do you still see me as my former self?"

Hasan was silent for a moment. A deep gaze was felt as if gauging whether he was speaking the truth.

"Well then, let's continue. Let's see how much you've changed."

Kinaine opened his mouth with a smiling face.

"..."

But no sound came out.

The silence stretched endlessly. The forced smile had disappeared at some point.

"Ha! I knew it was a lie."

Hasan's cold voice pierced his ears.

In truth, it wasn't a complete lie. Half of him just wanted to say it. He knew that with just one word, he could end all this pain and suffering.

...He was tired of suffering now.

Did he welcome pain? Did experiencing it countless times make it not hurt? He was just an ordinary person too. He preferred not to be in pain and wanted to avoid difficult things.

He wanted to confess everything to Asad as well, and regardless of what he thought, selfishly take the place beside him. He wanted to beg shamelessly not to hold the selection, not to marry anyone else but him. Even if he died, not to forget him forever. Please just remember me...

He had agonized over it countless times. But he couldn't do it. Because his mouth wouldn't open, just like now. Because he simply couldn't say such things.

Smack! With a sharp sound, his head turned.

"Why haven't you changed at all?"

Deep anger permeated the voice. Strangely, Hasan seemed more angry than when he had realized Kinaine was alive.

"Why are you..."

At that moment, Kinaine realized he had unintentionally given Hasan a taste of his own medicine.

Hasan seemed unable to bear the fact that he hadn't changed more than anything else.

With another smack, his face turned again. Something must have been hit wrong because he couldn't properly hear what Hasan was saying, but he could tell he was shouting something.

However, in Kinaine's view, the person who truly hadn't changed at all was Hasan.

The violence ceased only after Hasan regained his senses. A cold hand gripped Kinaine's chin with strong force as his head drooped.

"No, you can't die now."

Hasan said ominously. He probably wanted Kinaine to fear him, but unfortunately, Kinaine's attention was focused elsewhere.

―Why doesn't... anyone... find me. Please come get me, Igni!

This was because a child's sorrowful and pitiful cry echoed in his mind once again.