SOTBW - 238

He hadn’t said anything particularly harsh, so why was she crying? Feeling perplexed, he glanced toward the residence. It would be problematic if Najane were to see them like this.  

Just as he was about to urge her to stop crying, Luna made a motion as if clutching something tightly to her chest. Sensing something amiss, Maximón stepped back. With unfocused eyes, Luna stared blankly into the distance.  

Maximón glanced over his shoulder—there was nothing behind him. An inexplicable sense of unease crawled up his spine.  

“Do you love my sister that much?”  

At that moment, Luna’s voice, low and strained, broke the silence as if she were hugging herself tightly.  

“It’s not just ‘liking’ her—it’s love.”  

He corrected her sharply, as though offended by the inadequacy of the word. The pride in his tone, implying that mere “liking” couldn’t capture the depth of his feelings, caused Luna’s expression to harden further.  

Luna didn’t bother hiding her displeasure with Maximón and Najane’s relationship. It wasn’t that she couldn’t conceal her emotions—it was that she deliberately chose not to.  

Her attitude, intentionally provoking him, left Maximón momentarily lost in thought. Luna radiated a quiet fury, as though mourning the loss of a loved one right before her eyes.  

Maximón grew increasingly uncomfortable, as if dealing with someone unhinged. What could this corpse possibly be aiming for?  

He turned his gaze toward the nearby residence. Najane was likely spending her time peacefully somewhere inside. He didn’t want her to witness this subtle clash of nerves between him and Luna.  

If he were to fight with Luna, it would only distress Najane. Moreover, he couldn’t be certain that Najane would side with him. So, it was better for him to retreat—not Luna.  

Deciding he no longer wished to continue the conversation, Maximón moved past Luna.  

“It’d be best if you went inside the residence. Najane is probably waiting.”  

“…And yet you’re the one who drove her to such a state.”  

The moment Maximón passed her, a faint, accusatory whisper reached his ears. He froze mid-step. His emerald-green eyes darkened instantly.  

“What did you just say?”  

“You’re both insane.”  

Luna spat the words out venomously.  

“How can you claim to love her when you don’t even know what she’s done to you? And Najane—how could she marry a man who knowingly let her die? Only madness could explain it.”  

Her sudden rudeness made Maximón raise his eyebrows sharply. A crease formed between his usually smooth brows.  

Turning his body toward Luna, he tilted his head stiffly, silently daring her to continue. Though he had been tolerating Luna’s insolence for Najane’s sake, his long years of ruling over others made it impossible for him to endure such impudence any longer.  

The unpleasantness, disgust, suppressed irritation, and anger he felt toward this inconvenient existence surged all at once, igniting a fierce light in his previously subdued emerald eyes. Most people would have frozen upon seeing that glare, but Luna smirked instead, seemingly pleased by Maximón’s unguarded display of emotion.  

“In truth, you only kept her around because she was convenient, right? Did you grow attached somehow? Oh, but thanks to the curse, she couldn’t get pregnant, so it must’ve been quite comfortable for you. Isn’t that right? Besides, since she’s going to die anyway, you probably thought you’d use her and toss her aside—but then, feeling pity, you decided to marry her. You’re such a noble piece of trash. And Najane? She’s no less than a remarkable whore… Ugh!”  

Maximón roughly grabbed Luna’s jaw, his anger now fully unleashed as he glared at her with murderous intent. It looked as though he might crush her jawbone at any moment. Yet Luna laughed as if she felt no pain. Her small, deranged giggles caused Maximón’s lips to twist into a cold sneer.  

“If you ever speak of Najane like that again…”  

A crackling sound came from Maximón’s fingertips gripping her jaw.  

“I’ll rip your tongue out so you can never utter such nonsense again.”  

Blinded by rage, he pressed down harder, leaving a deep indentation where his fingers dug into her flesh. Her jawbone had shattered, but in his fury, Maximón failed to notice that Luna showed no sign of pain.  

Luna clung to his wrist and smirked mockingly. How easily he revealed his violent streak. Her eyes curved beautifully.  

“Did you know… Najane isn’t her real name?”  

Still gripping her jaw, Maximón lifted Luna off the ground until her feet dangled. Despite being choked, Luna continued to babble endlessly.

“With her hands gripping Maximón’s wrist, Luna laughed with her mouth wide open, revealing her throat.  

“Do you think Emaydis would still love you if she knew your true nature?”  

The fierce light in Maximón’s emerald-green eyes dimmed rapidly as an overwhelming wave of fear replaced the surge of violent emotion.  

Maximón froze like someone drenched in ice water. The ferocity that had consumed him moments ago vanished, leaving behind a chilling sense of dread. Though he was intoxicated by Najane’s love, he had no intention of revealing his inhuman nature. How could he possibly explain it? That blue blood flowed through his veins, that wounds rarely formed on his body, and even when they did, they healed almost instantly. Or that if his eyes were plucked out, they would turn into gemstones—how could he ever…?  

By now, Luna was staring at him as if in fear. He knew it was all an act; he understood her manipulation perfectly well. But seeing those crimson eyes, so much like Najane’s, looking at him with such terror made his heart sink.  

The thought of Najane fleeing from him in fear crushed his chest like a vice, suffocating him. It felt as though fire blazed within his heart. Though the scenery remained clear, he felt blind, and though he could hear the voice of his beloved, it seemed distant. Alive, yet he felt dead.  

Maximón was gripped by an unfamiliar terror. This fear surpassed even the thought of Najane’s death. It didn’t matter how Luna had uncovered the secret he had hidden his entire life. Above all else, Najane must never discover his horrifying truth. She had to continue loving him just as she did now, without ever knowing.  

“Maximón!”  

At that moment, a desperate cry echoed from behind him. In what felt like slow motion, Maximón slowly turned around. Najane stood at the gate, her face stricken with horror as she looked down at him.  

Najane stumbled down the slippery hill, clutching desperately onto Maximón’s arm.  

“Let Luna go…”  

Tears filled Najane’s eyes. Maximón could only stare at her, speechless. She struggled with all her might to pry his hand off Luna, then screamed.  

“Let her go! Please, let Luna go!”  

Her nose reddened from crying, Najane shouted hoarsely. Only then did Maximón realize he was still gripping Luna tightly. Luna wept pitifully, like a child.  

Standing there like a statue, Maximón tried to process what had gone wrong before finally releasing his grip on Luna. She collapsed onto the ground with a thud.  

Najane frantically stroked Luna’s small face, then pulled her younger sister tightly into her arms. Luna clung to Najane, sobbing even harder.  

Maximón, rooted to the spot, mirrored Najane’s devastated expression, his lips sealed shut. Najane looked up at him with tear-filled eyes, silently demanding an explanation for why he had harmed Luna. He stood there like a mute, his gaze shifting only to look at Luna, who continued to sob bitterly.  

Just as the urge to twist that rotten neck crossed his mind, Najane suddenly sprang to her feet. With tears streaming down her face, she stepped between Maximón and Luna, shaking her head.  

“Don’t look at my sister like that. She’s not prey, not a Serith—she’s my sister.”  

Najane fiercely shielded Luna. This was exactly the situation Maximón had anticipated.  

He opened his mouth to say something but turned away instead, covering his lips with his palm. There was nothing he could say. The only thing left to do here was apologize to that wretched Luna.  

Maximón exhaled deeply after repeatedly wiping his face with his hand. It felt like falling from heaven straight into hell.  

Only then did he remember why he had sent Rockbell to find Luna, and what he had intended to do once she was found. He had considered quietly eliminating her, fearing this very day might come. Just the thought of Luna becoming Najane’s first priority simply because she was her younger sister infuriated him.  

But Najane’s emotions were far more precious to him than his own feelings.  

After composing himself and suppressing the rising storm within, Maximón turned to look at Najane. She was helping Luna to her feet, carefully checking for any injuries. When their eyes met again, Maximón clenched his jaw tightly.  

Avoiding Luna’s gaze, Maximón focused on Najane. She waited for him to acknowledge her, but Najane avoided him, holding Luna’s dirt-and-ash-streaked hands while evading his gaze.  

“Najane.”  

Maximón reached out, but Najane shifted her body protectively, shielding Luna. Luna trembled visibly, as if putting on a show. Najane sighed deeply, deliberately ignoring Maximón’s gaze as she turned her back to him. She gently consoled Luna, whose back quivered faintly.  

“Let’s go to your room. You can rest there, and we’ll talk slowly, just the two of us. Okay?”

Najane whispered endlessly tender words to Luna, who stood with her head bowed, unsure of what to do. Luna nodded and, in a trembling voice meant for Maximón to hear, asked:  

“...Are you on my side, Sister?”  

Maximón’s eyes hardened at the faint murmur.  

After a brief hesitation, Najane tightly grasped Luna’s hand.  

“Of course. I’ll always be on your side, Luna.”  

Her voice was softer and more affectionate than usual, as if trying to comfort her sister.  

Najane supported the staggering Luna and began descending the hill. With every step, she could feel an emotion-laden gaze burning into her back. She knew exactly what that emotion was—a desperate, anxious love pleading with her not to leave him behind.  

But she refused to turn around. If she looked back at Maximón now, she feared a flood of resentment and tears would burst forth. Having witnessed Maximón fight countless times in the field, knowing how he treated others outside of herself, Najane couldn’t help but feel enraged.  

Maximón had tried to kill Luna. No matter what mistake Luna might have made, his actions were a tremendous shock to Najane.  

Overwhelmed by despair, Najane lamented why such a thing had happened. As they reached the bottom of the hill, tears that had gathered at the corners of her eyes began to fall, one by one, onto the snowy ground. She was utterly bewildered. She had planned to entrust Luna to Maximón after her death, so she didn’t know what to do or how to fix this situation.  

Maximón stood rooted to the spot like a lonely stone monument, watching Najane grow smaller in the distance. He had only loved Najane, yet the consequences felt unbearably cruel.  

But his silence, too, was born of love. He couldn’t bring himself to tell Najane about the things Luna had said. Whether she would believe him was beside the point.  

As he stared at Najane’s footprints imprinted deeply in the snow, Maximón covered his face with his hand, trying to suppress the anguish twisting his features.  

Najane… You have no idea what you mean to me. Loving you makes me feel a little more human, bit by bit. Yet paradoxically, the things you cherish unknowingly drag me down into the muck. You’re like the summer light that turns me green, but also like the rainy season that causes me to rot.  

Don’t leave me here. Don’t abandon me in a place like this. Come back and hit me, trample me if you must. Resent me, hate me—but please don’t walk away like this. Najane. I’m already drowning in you. If you don’t hold my hand, I’ll have no choice but to die. Surely you understand that loving you is akin to embracing death itself.  

“...I’m sorry.”  

Maximón muttered in a choked voice.  

“...I’m sorry, Najane.”  

But there was no one left to hear his apology.  

For a long while, Maximón remained standing there.  

Najane did not return.  

It felt as though he were trapped inside a wall with no doors.