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The world should not have calmed.
Not after everything.
Not after the shattered sky, the collapsing palace, the reality fractures spreading across the capital like open wounds.
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And yet—
For one brief moment—
Everything became quiet.
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Because she was looking at him.
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Rosy stood frozen where she was, Azrael's hand still against her cheek.
Warm.
Steady.
Real.
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The touch should have felt insignificant compared to the chaos surrounding them.
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Instead—
It felt louder than the destruction itself.
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Her breathing slowed slightly.
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And behind her—
The massive shadow flickering across the sky became still.
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Azrael noticed immediately.
Of course he did.
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His eyes softened almost imperceptibly.
"…There."
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Rosy blinked slowly.
"…There what?"
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A faint smile touched his lips.
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"You came back a little."
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The words hit harder than they should have.
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Because no one had ever spoken to her like returning was something good.
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Not dangerous.
Not terrifying.
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Wanted.
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Her fingers tightened slightly at her sides.
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"…You make it sound easy."
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Azrael's smile faded just enough to become honest.
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"…It isn't."
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Silence settled between them again.
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But this silence felt different.
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Heavier.
Closer.
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Rosy hated that she noticed the details now.
The way his silver-black hair moved in the wind.
The scar barely visible near his neck.
The warmth in his eyes that only appeared when he looked at her.
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Especially when he looked at her.
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It made her chest feel strange.
Unsteady.
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Dangerous.
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"…Stop looking at me like that," she muttered quietly.
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Azrael blinked once.
"…Like what?"
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She immediately looked away.
"…Like I'm breakable."
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For the first time—
He laughed softly.
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Not mockingly.
Not teasingly.
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Genuinely.
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"…You destroyed half the capital."
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A pause.
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"I don't think 'breakable' is the word I'd use."
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Rosy frowned slightly.
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"…Then why?"
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Silence.
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His expression shifted.
Softer now.
More serious.
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"…Because you look tired."
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Her breath caught.
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That answer—
That stupid, simple answer—
Affected her far more than it should have.
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Because no one had noticed that before.
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Not the fear.
Not the power.
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Just her exhaustion.
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Rosy slowly lowered her gaze.
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"…I am tired."
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The confession came out quieter than expected.
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Azrael's eyes darkened slightly.
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"…I know."
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And somehow—
That made it worse.
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Because he sounded like he truly did.
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Behind them—
Her father watched silently from the ruins.
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"…Emotions are stabilizing her resonance," he murmured.
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Rosy instantly stiffened.
---
The moment shattered.
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Her eyes sharpened coldly again.
"…Stop talking about me like I'm some experiment."
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The air distorted sharply around her.
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Azrael sighed softly.
"…You really know how to ruin a moment."
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Her father remained completely calm.
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"…You are an experiment."
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Silence.
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Dangerous silence.
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Rosy's expression emptied instantly.
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Azrael's gaze darkened.
"…That was the wrong thing to say."
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But her father continued anyway.
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"You were never born naturally."
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The world stopped again.
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Rosy stared at him blankly.
"…What?"
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A pause.
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Then—
"You were created."
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The words echoed heavily through the ruined palace.
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Azrael immediately stepped forward.
"…Enough."
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But Rosy grabbed his wrist before he could move.
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Her fingers were cold.
Trembling slightly.
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"…No."
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Her eyes never left her father.
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"…Explain."
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Silence stretched.
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Then calmly—
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"You were born from something beyond this world."
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Another pause.
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"An existence humanity was never meant to touch."
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Rosy's breathing became uneven again.
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Fragments flashed through her mind instantly—
Ancient symbols.
Dark rituals.
Golden light splitting apart.
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Screams.
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So many screams.
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She grabbed her head again sharply.
"…Stop…"
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Azrael immediately caught her shoulders.
"Rosy."
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Her father kept speaking.
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"The Blackwell bloodline existed for one purpose."
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His gaze sharpened.
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"To contain you."
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The shadow behind her pulsed violently.
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Azrael's voice turned cold.
"…You're pushing her too far."
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But Rosy suddenly laughed.
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Softly at first.
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Then harder.
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Not happy.
Not sane.
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"…Contain me?" she whispered.
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Her eyes slowly lifted again.
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Black and violet swirling violently.
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"…You mean imprison me."
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The pressure exploded outward.
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The ground vanished beneath them again.
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Reality cracked harder than before.
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Azrael grabbed her immediately.
"…Rosy!"
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But her eyes remained fixed on her father.
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"…So I was never your daughter."
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Silence.
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For the first time—
Her father hesitated.
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Very briefly.
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"…You were."
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Rosy smiled faintly.
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"…That almost sounded real."
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The pain hidden inside those words made even Azrael tense slightly.
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Because this wasn't rage anymore.
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This was heartbreak.
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And heartbreak was always more dangerous.
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Her father stepped forward slowly.
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"…I did care for you."
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Rosy's laugh came out sharper this time.
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"…Enough to chain me?"
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"…Enough to save the world."
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"And what about saving me?"
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Silence.
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That silence—
Answered everything.
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Rosy closed her eyes briefly.
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When she opened them again—
Something inside them had changed.
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Not unstable.
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Cold.
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Azrael noticed instantly.
"…Rosy."
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She pulled away from him slowly.
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"…Don't."
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His expression darkened.
"…Don't what?"
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A pause.
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Then quietly—
"…Look at me like that."
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"…Like what?"
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Her voice cracked slightly for the first time.
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"…Like I still matter."
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Silence hit harder than any attack.
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Azrael stared at her for a long moment.
Then slowly—
He stepped closer again.
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Too close.
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Close enough that she could feel his breath.
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"…You think I stayed all this time for no reason?"
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Her heartbeat stumbled once.
Hard.
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Dangerous.
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"…Azrael—"
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"No."
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His voice dropped lower now.
Softer.
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"You don't get to decide what you mean to me."
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The shattered sky trembled above them.
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But Rosy couldn't move.
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Because the way he was looking at her—
It felt too honest.
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Too intense.
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Like he had already chosen her long ago.
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And somehow—
That terrified her more than becoming a monster ever could.
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"…You're cruel," she whispered weakly.
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A faint smile touched his lips.
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"You noticed late."
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Despite herself—
A tiny breath of laughter escaped her.
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Small.
Fragile.
Real.
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And the moment it happened—
The shadow behind her weakened slightly.
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Her father noticed.
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His eyes narrowed carefully.
"…So that's the trigger."
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Neither of them paid attention.
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Because right now—
The world had become very small.
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Just her.
And him.
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And the dangerous feeling growing between them.
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A feeling that threatened to undo every seal ever placed on her heart.
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End of Chapter 22