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“……What did you say?”

Bella couldn’t believe what she had just heard.

Meanwhile, Tristan, the one who had said it, remained calm.

“This dream is your dream, but it’s also a dream created by the Dream Demon. I was able to enter your dream because my body merged with the Dream Demon.”

Out of nowhere, Tristan placed a kitchen knife in her hand.

“So, if you kill me, the Dream Demon will die too.”

“Hah, how could I possibly do that?!”

Bella threw the knife far away.

Even if it was a dream, being asked to kill someone she loved was too cruel.

“This is the only chance to kill the Dream Demon, who has no physical form.”

“I can’t do it! How could I… how could I kill you?!”

“No. You have to be the one to do it.”

Tristan picked up the knife from the ground and placed it back into Bella’s trembling hand.

“As the dream’s owner, you must personally destroy the Dream Demon to wake up.”

“But even so…”

“Don’t worry. Even if I die here, it’s only happening in your dream. As long as you survive and leave, I’ll wake up from this dream too.”

Tristan’s hand gently covered hers.

Then, he guided the knife’s tip to his left chest.

“Stab me.”

“…Ah.”

Bella’s throat tightened again.

His hand on hers felt so warm that it didn’t feel like a dream at all.

“…What if this isn’t a dream?”

“You already know, don’t you? This is a dream.”

“No. I can’t believe it. What if I wake up and you’re not there? What will I do?”

Bella was afraid.

She feared that waking up would mean facing a nightmare-like reality.

Wouldn’t it be better to stay in this dream forever?

Tristan let out a small sigh.

“…When you wake up, I’ll be by your side.”

“…Really?”

“Yes.”

“Then… promise me.”

Bella held out her pinky finger.

“Promise you’ll stay by my side and not go anywhere.”

“…You’re really like a child.”

“I don’t care if you tease me. Just promise.”

“Tsk…”

Tristan, who had been shaking his head, clicked his tongue and hooked his finger with hers, making the promise.

“Bella. Remember this. When the Dream Demon dies, the gates of Hell will likely open.”

“Hell…?”

Bella flinched at the mention of Hell.

The eternal burning prison where demons and wicked sinners go.

Even mentioning it was unsettling.

“Yes. The dream we’re standing on now is directly above Hell. Originally, the Dream Demon prepared this stage to drag you into Hell… How laughable.”

Tristan placed his hand on his chest and continued.

“Demons belong in Hell. Whether they’re alive or dead, Hell is the only place they can return to…”

Then, as if giving her advice, he said,

“Be careful not to get caught up in it. Once you fall in, there’s no way out.”

“Count…”

“Let’s get started, then.”

Tristan checked the bracelet on his wrist.

The red part was almost gone.

“I’ll go first and wait for you.”

As if ready, he spread his chest open. The tip of the kitchen knife, reflecting the moonlight, pointed toward his left chest.

Bella, holding the knife, finally closed her eyes tightly.

Resigned to whatever would happen.

“……I’m sorry.”

*Thud!*

The knife plunged into Tristan’s chest.

A strange sensation spread through her hand.

It didn’t feel like stabbing a person but rather a straw doll.

Blood trickled from Tristan’s mouth.

He muttered quietly.

“Yes… This was bound to happen someday.”

“…What?”

Just as Bella was about to ask what he meant—

*Crack!*

The scenery around them began to fracture.

The cracks spread to everything surrounding them.

The cabin, the bed, the window overlooking the sea, the night sky with the moon—everything shattered into pieces.

“Ah…”

Tristan slowly slumped to the ground.

Bella quickly caught him in her arms.

The knife slipped out of Tristan’s chest on its own.

And something flowed out from his shadow.

A dark, slimy mass wriggled and soon transformed into a familiar figure—a woman’s corpse with a knife in her chest.

It was the Dream Demon she had seen in the underground archive.

The creature that had merged with Tristan had separated.

Raindrops began to fall on Bella’s head.

By the time she noticed, the scenery had changed.

Bella was sitting on a rainy hill.

Behind her, a white mansion was sinking with a groaning sound.

*Groan…*

As she stared, mesmerized, Bella realized something.

The hill she thought she was on was actually a cliff.

As the cliff began to crumble, the mansion was falling into the abyss below.

In the midst of the chaos, Bella checked Tristan’s condition.

“Count…”

He lay in her arms, eyes closed as if dead.

Seeing him like that, a wave of emotion surged within her, but Bella barely held it back.

*Stay calm. This is just a dream.*

Didn’t we make a promise?

That he’d go ahead and wait for me.

When she woke up, he’d be by her side, unharmed.

Bella laid Tristan down on the ground.

She couldn’t bring herself to leave his rain-soaked body.

Even though she knew it was a dream, seeing his lifeless form tore her heart to shreds.

Just as she was about to force herself to leave, something hit her.

“…Ugh?!”

The sudden impact sent her tumbling across the ground. She rolled several times before finally stopping.

“Cough…!”

Blood poured out of her mouth along with the cough.

Her insides must have been injured.

A terrifying voice reached her ears as she coughed in pain.

“You humans dare…!”

Bella looked up to see a woman standing in the rain.

Covered in mud and blood, it was the Dream Demon who had been lying there moments ago.

Her eyes burned with hatred.

“You’re… still alive?”

“Hah! You underestimated a demon’s vitality!”

The Dream Demon pulled the kitchen knife from her chest.

Her charred chest wriggled as if regenerating.

“How dare you…! How dare you humiliate me! You lowly creature!”

The Dream Demon, still furious, kicked Tristan’s corpse at her feet.

Seeing that, Bella exploded.

“Stop it!”

“What?”

“Get your hands off him right now. If you don’t want to die!”

Bella shouted with a voice full of anger. But the Dream Demon looked at her with amusement.

“If I don’t want to die? You’re the one who should stop messing around if you want to live.”

“Shut up!”

Bella swung her hand, trying to cast a light magic spell.

But at that moment, she felt dizzy and staggered.

“Ah!?”

“Heh heh! Seems like you didn’t realize it while you were dreaming!”

The Dream Demon laughed mockingly.

“While you were blissfully dreaming, I’ve been draining your magic power. You fool.”

“Ugh?!”

The Dream Demon, who had vanished from sight, grabbed Bella by the neck and lifted her up.

Bella struggled but couldn’t break free from the demon’s grip.

“Now that the dream is over, I don’t have much power left, but dealing with a powerless brat like you is easy.”

The Dream Demon dragged Bella toward the crumbling cliff.

“Look. The gates of Hell have opened to take me. But do you think I’d go to Hell? Huh? You’re going in my place.”

“Ugh…”

“Don’t worry. I’ll make good use of your body! Heh! A light magic user falling into Hell—what a sight!”

“Let go… you demon…”

Bella kicked in the air, but it was useless.

Hell was beneath her feet.

A pitch-black darkness churned below the cliff.

It was a chilling aura.

Somehow, she knew that once she fell in, she’d never come back.

The Dream Demon, with a face full of confidence, slowly loosened her grip on Bella to drop her.

But at that moment—

“Gahk?!”

Suddenly, dark red blood spilled from the Dream Demon’s mouth.

Staggering from the sudden impact, she accidentally let go of Bella, leaving her just inches from the edge.

“Cough…!”

As if the goddess of luck had arrived, Bella, barely alive, coughed and looked up at the Dream Demon.

And there…

“Y-you…! You bastard!”

Standing behind the Dream Demon was a man.

The blade he had plunged into her back was sticking out of her chest.

“Count…?!”

Had the knife Bella stabbed missed his heart?

Tristan, who had stabbed the Dream Demon, spoke to Bella.

“…You’re too kind to kill me. Cough…!”

“Count!”

Blood spilled from Tristan’s mouth.

He was alive, but severely injured.

Even in his battered state, he held onto the knife he had stabbed into the Dream Demon.

“Y-you’re on the verge of death…! Where did you get this strength…!”

The Dream Demon screamed in hatred, thrashing about.

She looked ready to bite Tristan’s head off.

But the wound Tristan had inflicted was deep, and she couldn’t move easily.

“I’ll kill you! I’ll kill you! I’ll tear you limb from limb!”

“Blah blah blah, so noisy…”

But something was off.

Tristan wrapped his arms around the Dream Demon from behind, immobilizing her.

Then, he began to step forward.

Realizing his suspicious movements, the Dream Demon’s eyes widened in horror.

“Y-you…! What are you trying to do?! Don’t tell me you’re taking me with you?!”

“That’s right.”

Tristan smiled with a look of ‘pride’ and said to the Dream Demon,

“Let’s go to Hell together.”

“Y-you lunatic!!”

Tristan threw himself off the cliff, taking the Dream Demon with him.

*

“Count!!”

Bella, surprising even herself, quickly got up and leaned over the cliff.

*Please, reach him!*

She stretched out her hand and felt something touch her fingertips.

She grabbed it with all her might.

“Ugh…?!”

Bella almost got pulled over the edge but managed to hold on with the last of her strength.

However, what she had grabbed wasn’t Tristan’s hand.

Bella had barely managed to grab Tristan’s bracelet, which was wrapped around his wrist.

The woven bracelet stretched taut.

The Dream Demon was falling into the depths of Hell.

It was over. Thankfully… no, she couldn’t relax yet.

“Ugh…”

Bella held onto Tristan with one hand. She didn’t have the strength to pull him up.

But she couldn’t let go, no matter what.

“Bella…”

“Ugh… don’t talk… it’s hard…”

“Let go.”

“…?!”

Bella’s eyes widened at his calm voice.

“What…! Ugh?!”

Despite her desperate resistance, Bella’s body was being pulled toward the edge.

“If this continues, we’ll both fall.”

“Shut up… I’ll… pull you up soon…”

Bella strained her arm.

It felt like it might tear off.

Tristan shook his head.

“…If you don’t let go, you’ll fall too.”

“I said shut up!!!”

Bella’s voice was closer to a scream.

“I won’t go… no, I can’t go! I can’t abandon you! If I let go, you’ll fall into Hell!”

“…I shouldn’t have said unnecessary things.”

“Just stay still! I’ll definitely save you…!”

Bella cried out desperately.

But despite her words, she was being pushed closer to the edge.

*My arm…*

Bella bit her lip hard.

“I’ll save you… I’ll save you…”

“……”

“You’re the person I love…!”

Blood seeped from her lips.

Tristan, hanging from the edge, silently looked at Bella.

Rain fell on his battered face. Or perhaps it was Bella’s tears.

“Since we’ve left the dream, there’s no time left… Let go.”

As Tristan said, the bracelet was now almost completely black, with only a few strands left.

But Bella shook her head.

“No… I won’t let go, even if I die…”

Bella’s arm trembled.

Even if it meant falling, she would never let go.

Then, Tristan quietly raised his arm.

In his other hand, he held the kitchen knife.

The blade was aimed at the bracelet Bella was holding onto.

Realizing what Tristan was planning, Bella burst into tears.

She desperately shook her head, trying to stop him.

“Bella.”

“Don’t…”

“Don’t cry for me.”

“Don’t do it…”

“I’m not worthy of your tears…”

The blade slid between the strands of the bracelet.

In the end, Bella pleaded.

“Please, please…! Don’t do it…! Don’t do it!”

“Bella…”

In the final moment, Tristan smiled softly.

Not with pride, but with tenderness.

And for the first time, he said something he had never said before.

“I’m sorry.”

*Thud.*

Tristan fell into the depths of Hell.

 

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