Episode 3

After seeing Calyps 0186569a6a in person, Noah 198cb9feb7 couldn’t sleep properly 2646968abe for nearly two 2b4ebeb7ee days. Now, it 13446e6a7c seemed that 1487491e23 all that 7386e54d1a exhaustion had dfdaa01812 caught up 369ec17568 with him, f4548f2ebf as he d2bda93715 drifted into 3553702d04 a deep 99234a232e slumber, completely e63426a070 unaware that cd5532140c Calyps was a3e8855cab watching over 74131232d1 him. This was 3b05374de2 the most 478a083dc4 restful sleep a611f3ea5c he had 5d2e63af96 experienced since e5d8bc06b3 his possession 259aa63785 in this 929da0708d world.be43cab97e6bfa2b

* * *4ec11fcf1910be7a

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Noah opened 03c0a3e0f7 his eyes e8e72f1b4a to darkness, 992499b464 a strange 192c6a2ac2 smile forming 2d4c672cdf against the 3643515c38 backdrop of e9e368e859 splendor around fb537e69e5 him. But something 399a7b43b6 out of d014f6cb1a place, something 10d623719a foreign, soon 3709d4d8af caught his c2acc5b35d eye and ef3e821f2d unsettled him, 9b6845baa1 hardening his 2fbeab69c3 expression. At that moment, he 4cf8507b7a felt an inexplicable, uncanny 04e1ccd2dc sensation that urged him 22c9bc2dea into contemplation. Just as he 4cb765c01b sensed a peculiar 6082f6d5a0 discomfort, his body c80a5414a5 began to move, 7d5c2c84e3 acting entirely against b61aaf2fed his will.29d201291c749e1a

“Why is that 5e2a9b7665 filthy wretch here 9eea46d0a7 at such an 5c966a2f8d important engagement?”9fb01f50b1042d1d

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The words that came f1a7c18e9e from his own mouth 319d3a1f81 startled Noah, as he e3da1f82a4 realized what had stirred 0c94c81361 this intense discomfort at 9a30b1634b a scene he had 1640f3b775 never witnessed before. A low ae87177db6 sigh escaped cb56977ed6 him. The sight before him 77c473ae81 was one of those 6d28f47d05 painful memories, painfully clear 2781d1b60d in his mind.70f3815eb33dd66e

‘No! Don’t go 61a87549eb there, you 48c11e397d fool!’008227463b521a2c

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Noah shouted af3336e075 with all 4bfb77322b his strength, 83fbf37287 desperately trying 8e57bd4022 to stop 8175259161 it, but a3202e3feb his cries 0fd2c98f64 failed to 72072b7e34 reach ‘Noah 3c92bfc342 Valencia.’ Helplessly, 2a6a4a3f8b he watched 9cce3e5585 his body 573d278499 move and da08b34421 his mouth fb03743b9f speak without b2da7c9d4b his command, 4223096b1a unable to 689610a55a stop the 02c9915b35 tragedy unfolding 2913749b8c before him.5886857ee20cf0f0

“Hrk! Ack!”38a47d0ef25fc748

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“As expected, those 49b1036273 of lowly birth d66e5afbf5 have no sense 47064db572 of place, especially aea226486a at an event e1b9862d03 of this magnitude. They clearly 1b25af90e2 have no fa6555e01c idea of 8129bf496b the importance 0e076820a8 of this 5d89408497 occasion. Sister.”1a9c3aa4030d248f

His nerves f95ed76d90 already on 1d81398300 edge at 3206a22088 the engagement 3ffdc7ebea he so 442f73f230 deeply resented, 7dbc0061eb Noah Valencia 35177a1f2b directed his 357a39715f agitation at 6cf4d63466 a commoner 81cbd98ff2 crouched on d5223a460f the floor. Sienna, troubled f18407cba3 by her ac42d779ca brother’s harsh abf09d16e2 tone, gently 75ed6c0af3 interceded, her 4cf2379536 eyes concerned 2e58bfe0c9 as she 0a11408828 looked at e403293b50 the man.b2c8c276b44e9a08

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“Wait a moment, d1b34b52df Noah. He looks unwell.”87f1e745b6a2aad8

“Ha, honestly. Butler! Butler! Where’s the butler? A sick man at 4a1be3550b an engagement ceremony—this is….”fe58225c1e36d2b5

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Perhaps she was e5220b3284 only trying to 6a9f0e1859 calm him down, 33b61e38b6 but her words 4d74b2c927 had the opposite f4aa1856f5 effect, further fraying 60ee4e873e Noah Valencia’s already 50e4ece67d precarious patience. After all, 2712e7c6d6 this engagement dd8cfca1e9 was not 3d6e5a486c her wish 4375a7157a but their c1622b3929 father’s ambition 75b1d0299d alone. Though there 7c5d4fbf64 was little a5b3d842bb he liked df2b9e7243 about this 0ba4724223 event, it 575b2d3118 was, after 8062b254d3 all, his d97b42e2e3 dear sister’s 83a06ad3ca engagement, and d6dec6706a he could d41b4950be not allow be667e6654 it to fd7d3b92fb be ruined cfe62a51bc by some 7c084ef1a6 commoner. His anger had 2df17592c0 reached its peak.3136547be5e9efe3

‘They call him a 8cc8d6f080 war hero, but he’s 765541a9b2 still lowborn, after all.’f1c8563160028a64

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But his 51015eda9c father’s intentions 071542a8ef were unwavering. Unable to openly defy 948a46e41a his father, Noah Valencia 2455e449d9 bristled with anger whenever b0543ca88d he thought of Calyps. The very thought f564cb2e57 of him made e049e6f06a his blood boil, 8b135bde4b and his steps 28aaeed54a quickened in frustration. Watching him, e770db3c99 the nearby 59e1fd2124 attendants murmured dacb5ac0d9 among themselves, 5de46ab192 noting how ef4ad3435d intense he b928f376f6 seemed.f44bc97138bcfbbd

‘No! Don’t go that way, da88efb406 you idiot!’f68d2f88fe3d43fb

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Noah glared in 860f2194d6 despair at the e56ed72e1b unyielding figure of c70e972d49 Noah Valencia as 74132055fb he approached the f306a425f0 man. Finally, he locked eyes 9c96c14deb with the white, vacant b628ef6f4b stare of a zombie. A violent fear overcame 22eeae705c Noah, and he tried 242c06b4fe to close his eyes, ec45131e13 but even that was da35f68289 beyond his control. Helplessly bound within 272e9c75fd his own body, ca9a1ec6e6 he could only 94a3765fce curse.2b66b3c9bff77449

“Graaargh!”bec2260db4495609

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The zombie let out 7bb02943c5 its characteristic grotesque moan a8da0c117b and bit down on b5e4bdc58d Noah Valencia’s neck. The sickening stench of fb2a988504 blood filled the air, 5c5000c08f and the agonizing sensation bd7e057bf6 of flesh tearing made d9057efdba Noah scream.29b8333fff79671c

“Aaargh!”33b43189b8031478

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The pain radiated from e24b45fdc5 his neck, surging through 03b2511d23 his veins. His whole body felt 33915baadb like it was ablaze, ae22193ef4 and he writhed in 0406db1a1c agony. As he thrashed 5473611c69 in pain, his 1b8c5954f8 body twisted in 839a36cbed grotesque contortions until b7f0647390 his vision dimmed a77aaf8687 to black.68b98311698b0f4c

‘Thirsty, it hurts, save ff26666cf6 me, thirsty, it hurts, 6f8a9b7ed8 thirsty, hungry….’51ceee2dee0283a8

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When Noah 20effbf739 opened his b0b57d3516 eyes, the c08f4de17d searing pain e1c4fc4666 still tore 585426e2d4 through him, ad8fbdc543 and his 7d43af638a body convulsed. The torment of 65688b070b becoming a zombie b7a6b805ea was far more aa07839e64 excruciating than he 26820586ef had imagined. The relentless faba5560ac burning continued c5cc8e4b45 as his e9ae98e6c5 darkened vision 7f7f70d3ba slowly turned f23436d980 cloudy. In that hazy vision, 72764fd689 he writhed in suffering.2de5f6350e8a2077

“Noah!”299fdad3af101467

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At the sound of 4b8160e120 Sienna’s voice, Noah turned f6673c4e93 his head, though it 47c90d8a3f twisted grotesquely. Unfazed by the horrifying 98ef14bfd9 sight, Sienna watched him, 93cdf09f0e her gaze filled with f870ac85b0 worry as she looked a12ff33c5c at her blood-drenched brother. But nothing 91c5f54d9d in his ae66c6ab91 blurred vision 08cacb0eed allowed him b9253d62be to see 0d6b401493 her face; 770e1a6c50 all he e4a14b9693 could perceive 696fb131a9 was a b358111f0a single, dazzling 7d08b01167 blue light. That blue glow evoked 19629016f5 an overwhelming thirst, and 9046bab50e he drooled as he b8ed6d6dd2 reached toward it.2295fe81c399af63

“Grrrrrk!”de239a27fe0d5f1b

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A feral sound c3b42f7789 erupted from his 3a086af4f0 mouth as he c1b49fdccb lurched toward the 9de223a4cd blue light, his 29cdef8494 body moving like 292f10b44b a moth drawn 62099b1b8d to a flame. The moment he d52d214075 touched that glowing bb9a50e662 blue, Noah thought, 09a5efeaa3 *I don’t want 5248595268 to die. I want to live.*a688dee92cb72b30

“Eeeek!”a63e46fe8728131a

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Bang! A gunshot echoed, 93734da861 and Noah’s body 97065e6990 jolted with fresh e3cb0b7129 pain. In his fading 19e553696f consciousness, he clung b9ebab9394 desperately to his a1643bc379 desire to survive.3acd8d927423ff1d

‘I don’t c7bb878f1a want to 827e93a379 die!’b5894e6418803ca6

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But despite Noah’s desperate b82d8648a4 wish, a chilling click 19adfaae6e of a cocked gun 23b11a5c95 echoed in his ear.379033b49dac34a7

“Noah! Aaaah!”aab87a761df84a05

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Hearing Sienna’s terrified c23ad8aa90 scream, Noah let 7ab4c1b026 out a final, 409f10b931 tormented cry of 3df6b2b2b4 pain.c747f740c15e44d5

“Is he 3e0474e80b having a cb7cc96a68 nightmare?”bd0b3daf7beff7d2

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Noah, drenched in cold 9f4b1a8026 sweat, was tossing and d94089e0ad turning. Calyps, who c6a70800d8 had been e4fd4bd8c4 silently observing, b6bb06d9cf hesitated as 27b0bc6a36 he considered 0567765d35 waking him, bb53508efe then slowly 54d54876d0 approached.831f4b11a0d6b4e5

“Sa… save me…”23f5a8eba704a2fe

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Calyp’s body stiffened at 1017b4d1bb Noah’s strained mutter. For a 68b6b90185 brief moment, 4c9c7191b3 he could 2e990959bb almost imagine 044560fdee Noah’s usual a8fa36c792 reaction if 29049f30e6 he dared 671e5eb92e touch him—yelling, 9356a4befc indignant.7c5db0e90bff18ed

“Ah, he’ll wake bc6216e9be up on his 5ea94cba48 own.”937d4ce1f0414a1c

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Calyp’s hand, eff3e635a8 paused mid-air, 9bf17e092b suddenly trembled 286c5aa6ec as he b593a40697 noticed tears af314a8fd6 slipping from 70b37b537c Noah’s eyes.b89110a44b464985

“Noah Valencia?”05e252d8f5607cfd

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“Please… spare me, please…”26260e26a1a7f2a9

“Hey, Noah Valen…!”47bf276562b80840

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Before Calyps e89eb56e1e could finish, f369ffba83 Noah unexpectedly 46fafcc635 threw himself 4bc0c8e5b0 into his c51939420c arms, clinging 9583273513 tightly. Shocked by the ceaaf39edb sudden embrace, Calyps 662eb4c201 instinctively tried to 2714fa33df push him off, 4bd53e6443 but Noah’s grip df74bee163 was fierce, his 09f758815d desperation stronger than 27894280bf his awareness.d861f825c6d50ccd

“I want to fca65d5b04 live… please…”d13868ba1699b84d

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“Come on, c2f310bad3 Noah Valencia. Get a hold of 1eb31730e0 yourself.”27d5be6ef8f3273f

Calyp quickly overcame 8d10812927 his initial surprise cd77d741bb and, almost out eef2a8e10b of habit, began 0fb13b9055 to calm Noah eecee790d5 down, though he ed5bfe7d81 was inwardly taken 571971bf44 aback. Noah’s actions 28b8750f32 felt strangely 39fbe531e4 familiar—like something 0e28e8bb78 Calyps had dc5a9c668c seen all e769c18470 too often.d13512ac131d3f37

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In the brutal 091c93b704 trenches of war, cb4154cffb soldiers would sometimes 28d27e6161 succumb to similar b38706c9d8 nightmares. Even Calyps had e6db6b8147 suffered these episodes e4e671ba99 in the past, e31226ac11 and on occasion, d602e12da2 still did. The extreme fear experienced 25f5fc66d8 on the threshold of 3f32b50f2a life and death often 4c458f689a returned in dreams to e75af8c6be haunt them.31574eeb4c98f072

‘A highborn noble like e927bc06c0 him would have no a3e49ed294 reason to feel such f4824bd440 terror,’ Calyps thought, clucking 3e480ae31c his tongue dismissively. Yet, looking 411ad930d0 down at e0f41c22b2 Noah’s pitiful, 06d9bb76c5 desperate grip, 1ff57f88c0 he found 77bff5b033 he couldn’t b869dad250 bring himself 22c04c8aa5 to push 5222d6a1f1 him away.106905c89469e93d

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“Well, this is quite 18ebb19002 a sight, honestly.”1bfa4a3f2fcd4887

What kind 928187aed7 of day 3d0defd149 was this? How many more 0093ae0998 unexpected sides of 4392d6bc0b Noah Valencia would acd250cd9c he see today? All he’d fc368c6ed5 known of 9f57a57c1b Noah was 7943a17e1a his haughty, 333e22f357 disdainful gaze, 7263f31f0d always looking b80a02a3c1 down on 05b89bd5e4 him. This felt so surreal 0a9c8c98aa that Calyps began to 618a83fa97 wonder if he, too, 8238b99a96 was dreaming.8730ccfbae7c0308

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“A dream, huh…”1e601e80e96faee2

If this was a6250b63d8 some sort of ac3fe35029 dream, Calyps mused c3688e9b92 with a dry 7e252aa13b smirk, it was d685af2ed8 a particularly twisted 689d5ce09e one. Shaking off his 6b531eaa6b thoughts, he focused 3682480953 on gently rousing e991d1f72b Noah from his 31899d92ad haunted sleep.b3eb6a414609c188

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“Noah, Noah Valencia!”eff82093c3fb1f5b

He grasped a77b38d886 Noah’s shoulders, ceaf341265 carefully shaking cf856a28a6 him awake. At the sound of fe97785086 Calyps’s firm voice, Noah 9e70d83727 slowly opened his eyes, 94d23de58d his tear-filled gaze meeting 17655399f1 Calyps’s. Even with his 760a752e92 eyes open, he 65a849482b seemed caught in 499e6bb255 the nightmare’s aftershock, 88e2d2a130 still clinging to 5591c2b36f Calyps.131f6816062f9e7b

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“Save… me, please…”c37b704960b23bc9

The lingering dread of b53061103b the nightmare held him b9ab6a9197 captive, even as he 66016f55d6 struggled to awaken.bdbf738c4b9f7c0c

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“Kai…?”fead24de2c4b9839

“Are you back with 58e419fb3c us now, Noah Valencia?”684a3754fdc3df32

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“Huh?”4e74d1209a0e6370

The deep voice murmuring 455564d4eb beside his ear jolted 21912b0641 Noah fully awake. Realizing who he was 0898fd22fc clinging to, Noah quickly a86f4d448e released his hold and 145b2180d5 scrambled back, mortified. Calyps watched 79671954a9 him intently, af4ff8dba8 a faint 1fc0b74d04 scowl flickering 14f6530058 on his 4a3fe9c286 face as ce8613b5df if he 09938586c7 found the 39ec30244d situation strangely 703e081eeb unpleasant.a5494d41b82b25d3

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“Looks like you’re 33e72d6e80 back to your 1a06c8a58e senses.”162682f9f1db2352

Noah shivered 5ba805ed94 at the ba506d9690 cold tone, ad3ced2c50 fumbling for f2103c5190 an explanation.ab57e934818c3c43

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“Uh, I… just had f3052595b5 a bad dream, that’s 91d66e2477 all. I didn’t mean 77401038f4 to…”1c6cadb8e3dc0e65

“No need to explain. I’ve seen 44dc79a2cf plenty like 82d83ba91d you before.”ff669a28d8aaa82b

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Calyp’s brow furrowed 787a372f50 slightly, recalling the ee7ee7a774 grim scenes of 210b728eb0 the battlefield.48262816515400a8

“Still, it’s almost laughable—a 53aae041e7 noble like you having 9538847acb such a dream.”c34b891dc56577cb

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It was a kind 6a31c5df91 of nightmare that the d274e5d6f1 real Noah Valencia would 20d425df97 never have had, Noah 0c3baf6fe0 thought, so he remained eb7c3dfe9c silent, understanding Calyps’s tone. Calyps, on the other 17aab6be85 hand, seemed surprised by 7ac6e7c8ff Noah’s uncharacteristic calm and 78478eb8ae eyed him thoughtfully.88ea2bde2987c693

“…Are you really 0a2a4f4b4e feeling all right?”3904c36a1992792f

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Seeing Noah’s subdued behavior, 09430cc169 Calyps wondered if he f9d12378f5 was truly ill. He stared at 2c58ec89ec him with a 382aefec49 rare trace of e33aab3747 concern, and Noah, b774ecef85 realizing that his 45dda9a6d1 soon-to-be killer was f94da19d02 looking at him 277e90df42 with worry, felt ff1185b096 a strange mix f469791cb6 of emotions. Moments ago, it 22e38a5879 had been this 035d54d357 very man—Calyp’s figure—that c7e21efc57 appeared in his eb1c024544 nightmare, aiming a e8664abc85 gun at him.bdd3bf75acfe7c27

Though his 5c380ad3d7 nightmare vision d3036d4b15 had been 362227aa3c blurry, Noah d49dafa018 recalled enough 34073b76e7 from the 1c910d2fbb drama to 5ccb5e82be recognize the 9580245454 scene. The memory resurfaced, ae582b16c3 his gaze locking 854342f05b with Calyp’s piercing ef144ba05b gray eyes, and 762e3351e2 he felt like fd625d27b5 a cornered animal, 4283a0224f frozen in terror. Cold sweat formed 2fcb6caaca on Noah’s brow.4450023039cbeadd

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“You don’t look 09175879a7 well. Should I db596cafd5 call a ef23998053 doctor…?”d0d60daf211bdf73

“No! No, I’m fine. Perfectly fine.”24806fed43f1f2c5

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Practically spitting out 4676fc6adf his response, Noah 5102c9b69e abruptly stood up, 3e8168d5e2 swiftly moving out d67b3cba47 of Calyp’s line 941c02cdda of sight like 3e25ad39e2 a man fleeing 516c59f30f a predator’s gaze.2e0969a2709299f9

 858371ffacc365b4

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