“Ailuka... were you corrupted by a Dark God?” Anne asked, her voice trembling.

In this world, so-called Dark Gods were the root of most disorder and distortion—symbols of depravity and destruction. Like shadows beneath the sun, they seemed silent and unseen, rarely entering the view of ordinary people. Yet they were always there, clinging just beyond the edge of the world, coveting everything beautiful it held.

Like gluttonous beasts, hungry for the bait woven of blood and desire.

And so, if they found even the tiniest thread of corruption to latch onto, they would stretch their limbs toward it without hesitation, spreading their touch and corroding everything they saw and heard.

That was why Dark Gods were so generous—because with nothing more than flesh and blood, one could trade for power.

But the less one paid up front, the greater the eventual price.

And when that price piled up beyond what you could afford... everything you had would become their plaything.

Nothing is given without cause.

“Dark God?”

At Anne’s question, Ailuka looked slightly displeased.

“How could you say that about the great deity, Master? The God was so kind to me! To help me fulfill my wish of loving everyone, He gave me the power to make that dream come true!”

“You didn’t... pay anything for it?”

Anne’s breath caught again.

If she hadn’t paid even a shred of cost for that power... then what would she have to offer when the Dark God came to collect?

Her soul?

“Hey, Master,” Ailuka said with a smile, arms outstretched as if she were inviting Anne into an embrace. “You still haven’t answered my question.”

“Will you accept my love?”

......

Silence.

A silence as thick and suffocating as blood.

Ailuka waited without speaking. The room grew so still, even breathing was inaudible.

Anne lowered her eyes. Her hands instinctively folded at her abdomen like always.

But the whiteness of her knuckles betrayed the tremor in her heart.

She was hesitating.

Or perhaps... she was thinking.

It felt like centuries passed.

Just as impatience crept into Ailuka’s smile, Anne suddenly stepped forward—through the blood—toward her.

“You agreed, Master?!”

Ailuka beamed with joy. Like a butterfly rushing toward a flower, she threw herself at Anne with reckless glee.

“Let’s be together forever, Master! I’ll love you forever and ever—!”

The joyous cry cut off.

Ailuka blinked in confusion, then slowly looked down.

A cold blade was clutched in Anne’s hand.

And it had been driven straight into Ailuka’s heart.

Anne’s hand trembled, but she forced herself to push harder—twisting the knife violently.

Grinding it until the very origin of life, the heart that beat with desire and madness, was torn to shreds.

“Ghk—Cough... Why, Master?”

Ailuka coughed up chunks of bloody flesh. Her wide eyes were filled with bewilderment.

“Don’t you... want to accept my love?”

“...I’m sorry.”

Anne looked up, the ever-strong woman’s eyes rimmed red.

“I’m sorry, Ailuka. I can’t let you hurt anyone else.”

“Cough... What are you talking about, Master?”

Ailuka tilted her head, puzzled.

“I haven’t hurt anyone.”

“I just... gave them my love, that’s all.”

“I love them, Master. What’s wrong with love?”

“Shut up—!”

Anne suddenly snapped, screaming in fury. “That’s not love!”

“Not love? Then what is it? This is love! This is what you taught me—love means possessing everything of the one you love!”

Ailuka’s eyes widened. She stepped forward, forcing Anne back with every stride.

The shattered heart didn’t seem to hinder her at all.

She kept spewing blood and flesh, but her eyes—those of a curious child—remained fixed on Anne as she asked:

“Then tell me, Master. What is true love?”

“Tell me, Master. You’re my teacher, aren’t you?”

“What is love? What’s love supposed to be? How do I give you true love?”

“I...”

Anne’s lips moved, but no sound came out.

What is love?

Is love really just possession?

That had once been a belief she held without a doubt—unshakable.

But now, standing before Ailuka... she couldn’t even bring herself to say it again.

Clang.

Anne’s heel struck something hard—she’d backed into a cold metal step.

Unknowingly, she had nowhere left to run.

“Ah...”

Something grabbed the hem of her skirt.

Anne turned instinctively—and saw it.

The girl on the iron bed—the one who’d been gutted—had extended a withered hand and clutched her dress.

Crying, she murmured:

“I love youuu...”

So full of affection... and so utterly horrifying.

“No...”

No.

No.

This isn’t love.

This couldn’t be love.

The love she knew—what she believed in—couldn’t be this monstrous thing.

Something’s wrong. Something’s horribly wrong.

Gritting her teeth, ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) Anne tore the hand away and stumbled to the side in desperation.

“Master, don’t run.”

Ailuka lunged.

She moved with terrifying agility—nothing like a mere mage.

She tackled Anne to the ground, pinning her down with full force. Her sweet face was now flushed a deep red.

“Please answer my question.”

Beneath her open shirt, the dark face embedded in her belly writhed and twisted—eyes filled with venom—as it glared at Anne.

And it chanted.

Over and over:

“I love you...”

“I love you...”

“I love you...”

“Stop it...”

Anne struggled fiercely.

She tried to throw Ailuka off.

But those calls of “love”—that endless refrain—clung to her like maggots on bone, tearing at her sanity like worms in her skull.

“I love you...”

“Please... stop saying that.”

“I love you, I love you, I love you...”

“Stop saying it...”

“I love you, love you, love you, love you, love you, love you, love you, love you... I love you, Master.”

“SHUT UP!!”

Anne squeezed her eyes shut in agony.

By sheer instinct, a blade of energy coalesced in her hand.

Slash.

Again.

The wet sound of flesh being carved echoed through the room.

Hot blood sprayed, mixing with the cold, foul pools already coating the floor.

And suddenly—the weight on her chest vanished.

“Hah... hah...”

Anne opened her eyes.

Staring at the blood-splattered ceiling, she gasped for breath like she’d just survived a battlefield.

“...I’m sorry.”

She rose to her feet and bowed toward what was left of Ailuka—her body now severed into pieces.

“I had to do it.”

Even if her chest felt crushed under some invisible hand...

Even if her soul was drowning in guilt and couldn’t breathe...

Her last sliver of reason screamed at her—Ailuka had to die.

If the corruption of the Dark God spread any further, who knew what horrors might follow?

“I’ll cremate you properly,” Anne whispered. “And bury you beside the people you loved.”

She staggered toward the door, heading for the kitchen to find something she could use to start a fire.

But after only a few steps—

“Ah! I get it now!”

A cheerful cry rang out behind her like a sudden revelation.

Her heart stopped.

“...What?”

Anne’s teeth chattered. Slowly, she turned around.

And saw—

Ailuka’s severed head. Just her head.

Smiling with radiant joy, like she’d finally understood something.

“I understand now,” she said sweetly. “This is your love too, right, Master?”