Shun POV:

“My adorable baby. Mummy’s here. Do you want to hold Mummy’s finger? Here you go, Sweetie.”

A chubby hand grabbed hold of a slender finger. The tighter the grip, the deeper the wound. Innocence would never know the circumstances that led to her birth; it was another cross I had to bear alone.

Chloe’s cheeks rose further once my daughter tugged on it. Her eyes softened with every second that passed by while she rocked the cot from side to side.

“...”

I turned my back on the scene before walking away. Aggravation, anger, pain, sadness, and disbelief: they assaulted me in rapid waves. They locked me in a maze with no escape. It was an endless hallway with no deviation. It was a darkness with no light.

I could do nothing.

‘Nothing at all.’

I gripped my head, unable to support the weight it carried. Dungeon runs flickered through my mind: each one with the purpose of increasing my pain threshold, yet it failed to be of any use against this torment.

My shoulders crashed against the wall, brought back to the place where everything began. Just... what was the point in my escape?

Was I not... still a puppet in the end?

I wanted to scream and shout. I wanted to drag that woman away and beat her head in, but no strength came to my limbs. The wall supported me until a familiar face closed a door behind her near the middle of the hallway.

‘...Mildred?’

Her short black hair hadn’t changed, but the small bun was more visible without the bonnet. A pair of glasses sat over her small nose when her head lowered.

“Welcome home, M-Master Shun.”

Apart from Nicholas, none of the staff attended the wedding. I didn’t care, but I still took note of that detail. And now, I knew why.

Mildred could use Ki, but I couldn’t sense her Ki Stage. It was a reoccurring problem related to the difficulty of improving Ki Sense, but something else was bothering me.

I brought up every facet of information I had backlogged in my mind from that time period. I triple checked the details when irregularities began to appear.

Cedric: a skilled fighter.

His introduction revealed his combat prowess on the spot. The timing of Cedric’s appearance wasn’t a coincidence either; how could I bump into someone like him multiple times by accident?

Nicholas: the watchman.

He saw through my intentions and laid them bare before me. Nicholas provoked me to enter Chloe’s office and prove him wrong, but why? My reaction alone could have been used as evidence to verify his claim to Chloe, but he did... nothing.

Herb: the friendly botanist.

He gave me compassion and taught me about Sharir’s ecosystem. Herb provided the Reverie Extract after a clear warning of the consequences, so why encourage such a foolish attempt?

Camille: the quirky maid.

Her initial interest was quelled by Mildred, yet the opportunity would have been there for something to happen between us.

Mildred: the mature maid.

Her affection led to the reveal of a past lover Chloe had. Mildred’s care for Camille helped her head stay attached to her shoulders while giving me an indirect warning to not get any ideas.

Rollo: the enthusiastic chef.

He was always present whenever I entered the kitchen. The other staff never spoke or looked in my direction; they moved like background characters, only capable of responding to Rollo and no one else.

In other words, Chloe had instructed her staff to act like normal people. They were forbidden from talking about Ki in any capacity; that was why Rollo called for a Doctor, not a Healer.

If I looked at the situation through this new lens, everything changed.

Cedric: He gave me hope.

A hope that I could use physicality to escape, yet the only one who could teach me was Chloe. Cedric wanted me to bond with her on a physical level that didn’t involve intercourse.

Nicholas: He set a standard for me.

A standard that went beyond the way I dressed and required me to confront Chloe since he knew I wouldn’t be able to make it out of the estate before being caught. His true goal was for me to be honest with her about everything, regardless of whether the situation improved.

Herb: He gave me a chance.

A chance to reconsider whether it’s worth rejecting Chloe Ravendawn. His concern wasn’t her but The Creed. It meant that the torture I had gone through was nothing compared to what they would do to me. Herb gave me the Reverie Extract, hoping I would fail in my escape attempt and wake up.

Camille: She tested me.

A test to confirm the secret desires of my heart. What worth does a man have if he can’t stay faithful to one woman? Chloe herself admitted that I... was her first, so that past lover was a trial run. She never had any intention of being with that man in the first place.

Mildred: She encouraged me.

An encouragement of devotion that seemed innocent. Hidden feelings that seemed genuine yet could be pushed aside if the situation called for it. Why didn’t she fear Chloe’s punishment despite her clear affection toward me? Did she represent the self-sacrificing aspect of Chloe’s demented idea of love?

Rollo: He pushed me.

A push to be grateful. A push to do more for Chloe. He sang her praises every chance he got. Enthusiasm that boarded upon desperation for his concept of genuine love to be reciprocated for his Lady. Rollo wanted me to appreciate Chloe.

‘Then Herb was the only one who went against Chloe’s order or never received one at all.’

I cocked my head to the side, content with my reasoning thus far.

“Did you enjoy watching me suffer, Mildred?”

Her pupils dilated. Her hands trembled, and long eyelashes became more evident with the fall of her gaze. Mildred pulled in her quivering lip, unable to prevent the tears from pooling at the corners of her eyes.

I didn’t care if I hurt her sensitive feelings.

They watched me break in real time. They watched me lose the ability to form a coherent sentence and have several panic attacks, yet she welcomed me back?

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This damn woman knew this would happen. They all did. It also explained why there was no surprise on any of their faces once I returned to this cursed estate.

‘Tch.’

After my first interaction with Camille, she took a more measured approach toward me. I attributed her change in demeanour to the warning Mildred gave her, but I was wrong. I made a mistake in not noticing such an obvious detail despite being aware of Nicholas’s role.

It was more plausible to assume that Chloe had reprimanded Camille. This information would have increased the likelihood of me arriving at a similar conclusion to my current hypothesis.

Each of the staff chose their words with care. Each of the staff tried to redirect me back towards Chloe in their own way.

In retrospect, the target was always her. I should have used the staff to formulate a plan to deal with Chloe as an equal, not run away. My escape only strengthened the hold she had over me. My escape only gave Koli more methods of using me for her own entertainment, but I did the best I could under those stressful conditions.

“I know you were ordered to act like a normal person.”

Mildred’s eyebrows curved inwards. Her gaze shifted to her black skirt before a hand smoothed out the creaseless seams. The frequency of her blinking increased for only a second, but I noticed it.

She felt guilty.

It confirmed that Mildred wanted to do more for me at the time but couldn’t. I observed her first wipe the tears away in a refined manner, then bow her head lower than the initial greeting she gave me in an attempt to make amends.

“Forgive me, Master Shu—”

“Is Herb alive?”

Thin eyebrows rose by a small margin. She straightened her back before parting her lips.

“Of course, Master Shun. Herb is a key member of this household.”

Mildred wouldn’t lie to me. Love aside, she was a sincere and sweet woman. Her words verified my current line of thought, but that only increased the number of questions I had.

Did I get lucky meeting ‘The Last Will of Enigma?’

Was it luck if I ended up right back where I started?

‘…’

I didn’t know anymore. I didn’t want to think anymore.

My feet stopped beside Mildred. Her head fell once more, and her body trembled like a gong, struggling to recover from the force that struck it.

“I’m glad you’re alive, Mildred.”

Those words took the weight off her shoulders and made her cheeks rise. She didn’t need to suffer or feel responsible for the decisions Chloe Ravendawn made.

I didn’t hate her.

I didn’t hate any of them.

“Thank you for your care, M-Master Shun.”

I reached the stairway and saw fragments of Mildred flipping through the air to catch me. My eyes swivelled back to her, still wiping the tears away with both hands.

‘...’

The 2nd floor was the same: memories of a desperate boy sprinting forward with a weak leg, rose to the forefront of my mind. I watched him rush past me when our eyes met. He questioned why I was here. He demanded an answer—an explanation for the solemn expression on my face.

Why... WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO COME BACK TO THIS PLACE?!!

WHY DID YOU MARRY HER?!!

His tears didn’t become mine.

He would understand one day that we were only a part of the bigger picture once he saw his daughter. The boy shook his head; he denied the outcome in front of him and clenched his teeth. He ran faster. He ran harder, refusing to acknowledge that this would be the result.

How could he have known?

How could I have known?

I stood by the window and watched him dash down the pathway until he disappeared into the darkness. He hadn’t stopped to realise that it wasn’t just The System that manipulated him that day; it was Chloe too.

The stats were fake, yet why did she react that way? Why did she nod to give her consent when she knew I was nothing more than a commoner?

She wanted a plaything and found the perfect person to break.

I walked forward to push the past behind. Two stairways leading to the ground floor soon came into view. Dozens of wedding gifts were arranged in a neat manner around a large table in the middle of the foyer.

My gaze fell on a beautiful vase: it was the same vase I gave to Chloe, with an identical arrangement of Reverie more vibrant than before. I never paid attention to the black crow feathers drifting past the white canvas. I never noticed the sea of darkness that covered its base. The only purpose it had was to help me escape, yet she treated it like a treasure. Her deluded mind accepted the flowers as a genuine memento that should be on display 24/7.

As for the gifts, they ranged from expensive perfume to jewellery to... children’s clothes.

I peered down at a frilly dress when my vision blurred. I covered my eyes with my hands, unable to stop the tears from running down my cheeks.

I cried.

I cried alone in the large foyer.

Some time passed, and the shaking rescinded. I noticed a beige cotton bag fastened together with three drawstrings. It leaned against the front of the table, bathing in the bursts of sunlight that streaked across the sky.

I stood in front of the sword bag before picking it up. Four notes were written on the thick fabric: one from each of my party members.

“...Shun, I don’t know what to say to comfort you, but I do know that I’m proud to call you my friend. You made adequate preparations and braced yourself for an unfavourable result. You took on a burden many would have discarded. You did right by your daughter.”

My lip quivered from the dark blue ink dyed into the brown fabric. I was always cautious of Aiden due to his observant nature, but that also made him reliable. He walked behind to take the lead if the situation ever called for it.

He was a man who valued his friends.

“Ahh... Is this the end of the Dungeon Maniac?!! We had our differences, but the moment you chose the party name, I knew that deep down inside you were a good person, Shun. I... know how hard it can be but stay strong, friend. You’ll always be a part of Starcry.”

Tears gathered near the corners of my eyes. The light brown ink reminded me of our first meeting. Gerard disliked my attitude, and if it wasn’t for Phoebe, he would have never agreed with me joining the party. Our first confrontation over Byeol’s treatment. Our first time controlling the monster hordes together as Tanks.

He was always willing to stand on the frontlines, taking on the most damaging role, to protect those he loved. The loss of Byeol took most of the light out of his eyes, yet he never neglected his responsibility to those he called friends.

“I still love you.”

The banks overflowed.

“I... want you to be happy more than I want us to be together. I don’t want you to be in pain, so it hurts that things ended up this way. We...”

The pink ink became lighter. A sentence that was never finished. A relationship that was never confirmed.

“You’re not a Dungeon Maniac. You are Shun. Take care of your daughter well.”

My hands trembled. The receptionist who never gave up on closing the distance. The acquaintance who supported me in ways I wasn’t aware of. The friend who was willing to fight to make me see sense.

The woman who made my heart beat again.

Her name was Phoebe Kurzman, the leader of Starcry.

“Dear Shun,

Your decision is not only brave but heart-moving. Even while writing this, I am unable to stop the tears from flowing down my cheeks. Please take care. Please stay safe, and please avoid the overuse of your ability.

I proposed the idea of buying you this gift. Your friends, my friends—our friends all readily agreed. Shun, walk the path of the sword. I believe that your journey will not end here, so please remember that we are with you.

Sincerely,

Katherine Brightfield.”

The black ink was lined with gold. I held the sword bag close to my heart; shoulders continued to rise and fall alone in the foyer. Katherine deserved to be called an angel: her kindness, mannerisms, selflessness, and purity were genuine. She was a woman I respected, and a person that I was grateful I met.

“Thank you all for everything.”

[You have cleared the mission: ‘Marriage or Escape.’]

The light faded from the sky, and the darkness took its place. I put the sword bag back down with the other wedding gifts before making my way upstairs to confront Chloe.

The door I closed was now open. Quiet giggles seeped into the hallway, supplemented by a sweet voice bonding with new life. It wasn’t an invitation to step inside but an order. However, the darkness chose to observe the source from afar.

‘…’

Chloe’s fingers swam through the air, only descending to stroke my daughter’s cheek before rising again. The opening wasn’t long enough for those chubby hands to catch hold of. They missed. They watched the fleeting bird ascend but didn’t chase. Instead, her fingers unravelled and formed a landing that embraced patience.

“Have you given her a name yet?”

The bird perched on the space provided.

A light radiated from the cheeks that rose in my direction.

“No, Shun. That’s something the parents should do together.”

I avoided Chloe’s gaze and walked over to my daughter. The moment she saw me, her smile widened. Her hands flew toward the sky, clawing away at the distance separating us until Chloe gave her the wings she sought after.

Standing side by side, Chloe rested her head on my shoulder. Two large eyes brightened before my daughter clasped her hands together, and soon, sleep dimmed the brightness on her face.

Once cushions supported the baby's head, I shoved this disgusting woman away from me. Chloe’s lips curved into the same sadistic smile that trapped me in a box. Those same fuchsia eyes that burned with demented love, following me wherever I went. Yet this damn psycho spread open her arms? Beckoning me to hug her after everything she put me through?

‘Damn it.’

I turned around, took off my clothes, and got into bed. It didn’t take long for the sheets to ruffle when a soft hand pressed against my vest. A few minutes passed by before I found the strength to turn over; this was something I had to do.

“Did you mean it when you said you wanted to be a proper mother and give our daughter the love you never received?”

“Yes, Sweetheart.”

Chloe’s vibrant pink eyes complemented the permanent blush across her cheeks. Despite this, the tone of her voice carried a firm seriousness to it.

“Alright... Then let’s... start over...”

Tears poured out of her eyes. Chloe didn’t let out a single sound in order to not disturb my daughter.

“Really, Sweetheart?”

I turned back over, not wanting to see her face any longer. I gripped my quaking hands tight before parting my lips.

“Yeah. Don’t disappoint me, Chloe.”

“I love you, Shun.”

Somehow, the sweet voice became even sweeter. It drifted into my ear more affectionate than ever before, yet traces of relief could be found within. I hesitated but opened my mouth in the end.

“I... Love you... too...”

End