Chapter 130 - North Korean rabbit

Episode 130

On a night when the ominous crimson moon rose.

Arpad was spending the night in his hideout in the underground cemetery beneath the imperial capital, where no moonlight seeped in.

He had come here to avoid facing the moonlight.

However, he had made a small hole in one corner of the ceiling, allowing a thin stream of moonlight to seep through, reflect off several mirrors, and then shine onto the floor.

This was a device to observe the state of the moonlight.

Looking at it reflected in a mirror or the like, without being directly exposed, did not stimulate his mania.

In this way, Arpad keenly checked the state of the moonlight each time.

'It's the second day, and it's still red.'

Word was that the crimson moon would rise for several more days.

His chest felt newly stifled.

Arpad did not sleep on nights of the crimson moon.

No matter how long the red moon hung in the sky.

Because of the several tragedies he had experienced during the period of the crimson moon, losing consciousness to his mania.

He hated the sea of blood he would see upon regaining his senses.

Worse than the fact that he had slaughtered was that he had acted like a mindless beast.

Lately, one more worry and anxiety had been added to that.

'Come to think of it, did the crimson moon also rise in that dream...?'

The dream where he hurt Hilia and made her cry.

It seemed the moonlight was also red in that ominous dream.

And what was most vivid and unsettling was something else.

In the dream each time, Arpad desperately desired Hilia.

At that moment, he craved the blood flowing from her body, the tears she shed, like a thirsty beast.

When his tongue touched that liquid...

"...!"

Arpad was suddenly startled.

What on earth had he been thinking?

For a moment, his consciousness threatened to blur, and a thought that did not feel like his own tried to invade his mind.

His sharp senses whispered.

'Dangerous.'

Tonight was truly dangerous.

Arpad covered the multiple mirrors with black cloth, completely blocking even the moonlight meant for observation.

And he also securely prepared the 'safety device' in case his symptoms worsened. The sound of chains clattering and clashing rang out.

Arpad did not keep a single lamp lit, as he felt no discomfort in his vision even without light.

Soon, the underground cemetery was enveloped in darkness.

In that darkness, Arpad sensed one anomaly.

Something in his breast pocket was glowing faintly.

"This is..."

What was glowing dimly was a ring.

A ring with three gemstones set like petals.

Hilia and Ludwig's wedding ring.

After taking it from her hand, he had subtly not returned it.

It was one thing for him to keep holding onto another man's wedding ring.

But he also did not want to give it back to Hilia.

Because he was not confident he wouldn't see red if, by any chance, he saw this ring on Hilia's finger.

Giving it back to Ludwig, who would be subjected to hard labor, also made no sense.

So, Arpad intended to return this ring to its original place.

Since the Emperor had bestowed it upon Ludwig, simply sending it back to the imperial treasury would suffice.

With that thought, just as he was about to enter the treasury to place the ring, he encountered an unexpected person.

"Arpad."

"...Father..."

An awkward air settled between father and son.

Thanks to Hilia, an opportunity to grow slightly closer had been arranged, but the distance built up over thirteen years could not diminish in just a few months.

Just as Arpad was about to achieve his purpose and escape the awkward situation, the Emperor spoke upon seeing the ring.

He recognized Hilia's ring. It was only natural, as he was the one who had originally given it to Ludwig as a wedding ring.

"It seems Hilia gave you that ring."

"Ah, yes."

Arpad decided to let it be taken that way.

After all, Hilia was now his wife, acknowledged even by the Emperor.

It was also inappropriate for such a Hilia to keep holding this ring.

The Emperor nodded and then smiled faintly.

"Seeing that the ring you chose has returned to you, it seems it was fate to end up this way after all."

"What do you mean?"

Arpad frowned. He had chosen it?

The words that followed from his father were shocking.

"Three years ago, when I was to betroth Ludwig and Hilia, I intended to bestow betrothal gifts upon them. Wasn't the gift you chose at that time that ring?"

"I, chose this ring?"

The Emperor nodded as if it were obvious.

Arpad was astonished. No matter how much he searched his memory, he had never done such a thing.

'No, more than that, there was no reason for me to do so, was there?'

Ludwig and Hilia's marriage was something Arpad had to be wary of.

Because it was a political means to supplement the weaknesses of Ludwig, who lacked legitimacy and authority.

But to have not only failed to hinder or sabotage it, but to have even chosen an imperial treasure to be used as a betrothal gift?

Arpad asked frankly.

"Was I going mad at the time? Or has Your Majesty belatedly been struck by mania?"

"I was similarly surprised as you. But you chose it yourself, gave it to me, and said, 'This would suit.'"

The ring was set with purple diamonds crafted like petals.

Setting aside the fact that it was a wedding ring for Ludwig, if asked who came to mind when seeing this ring, for Arpad there was no one else.

And if he were to use the expression 'would suit' for someone, that too would be...

Only Hilia.

In the midst of terrible confusion, Arpad ultimately took this ring out with him in his breast pocket.

And, now.

Arpad was glaring at this ring, the only thing glowing in the darkness.

"What on earth is this?"

An event from three years ago that was not in his memory.

And the dreams related to Hilia, the fantasies that surfaced more unreal than dreams.

As the ring's light intensified once more, Arpad felt a terrible dizziness.

The sky and earth spun round and round, everything churned and mixed together.

"Arpad, I..."

"Abduct me."

"Save me!!"

Time periods tangled in chaotic confusion.

The woman who confidently laughed and demanded a marriage of abduction, and the woman who cried in pain, begging to be saved.

The woman who looked at him with a face more desolate than anyone's.

They were all the same person.

Arpad, without realizing it, called that name.

"...Hilia."

"...!"

"...Hilia."

"...d!"

In an instant, a single beam of light pierced through the pitch-black tangle in his head.

Only then did the woman's voice ringing in his ears become properly audible.

"Arpad!"

His mouth was completely filled with the metallic smell of blood. He was holding another's blood in his mouth.

It was unbelievably rich and sweet.

Cooler and sweeter than spring water quenching a parched throat.

He wanted to swallow it all. Not just what pooled in his mouth, but this woman before him, whole...

Whole, what?

Arpad was horrified by his own thoughts.

He barely recognized the current situation.

This place was still the catacombs. However, he was not alone inside the hideout that had become a mess.

The woman who should least be here was before his eyes.

No, she was lying on the cold floor, pinned beneath him.

Large purple eyes were trembling with surprise and pain.

But she was not afraid.

Rather, the one who was afraid... was himself.

Seeing the wound on Hilia's lips and the blood that flowed from it, Arpad realized.

Whose blood it was that he now held in his mouth.

Whose blood he was tasting and finding so terribly sweet.

Going a step further, he was... her...!

"...!"

Arpad abruptly raised his body. And spat out the blood that filled his mouth.

It was so sweet and fragrant, his instincts screamed to just swallow it, but he desperately ignored them.

If he drank even a single mouthful, he felt he would absolutely not be able to stop at just that.

Seeing that, Hilia shouted.

"Why are you spitting that out? What a waste!"

Arpad, trying to wipe away the lingering taste of blood from his lips with the back of his hand, shouted.

"Why are you here? I clearly said it was dangerous...!"

Hilia looked at him incredulously, then flared up at Arpad in anger.

"Whether it's dangerous or not, where I go is up to me!"

In the moment he paused, struck by shock, fear, and confusion.

Hilia approached even more actively.

And stretching out both hands, she cupped Arpad's cheeks and pulled him toward herself.

Even that was not enough; Hilia had to rise on her tiptoes.

Once again, their lips met in the darkness.