I had a nostalgic dream.
This was back during my days as an apprentice maid.
Soft spring light poured from the heavens, casting a shimmering glow over the flower fields that lined the brook. Small blossoms of white and pale purple bloomed in profusion, swaying in the breeze and scattering a sweet fragrance through the air.
It was a serene corner of the Ducal Territory—a place where danger was supposed to be nonexistent.
"Lord Rai! Look at these! The scent is incredible!"
I held up a double handful of herbs and called out to Lord Rai, who stood a short distance away. Though I was only an apprentice then, I was still a maid at heart. I had been so eager to be of use to the person who had taken me in.
"Ugh, that really is... potent..."
Lord Rai winced slightly at the strong aroma, yet he still offered me a smile.
"The way it clears the senses... I’m certain these are highly effective! The Head Maid taught me all about them the other day!"
"Heh, you’ve already memorized things like that? You're impressive, Lene. You’ve really been studying."
Lord Rai praised me with a gentle look. Then, he leaned over to inspect my hands.
"Did you leave the roots? If you pull them all out, we won't have any next year. ...Er, a book I read mentioned that sort of thing is important, you know?"
"Yes! I made sure to leave them! We’ll be able to harvest plenty next year too!"
I snapped a sharp salute with one hand and declared, "No problems here!" This earned me a bright, warm smile from Lord Rai. He reached out and gave my head a light, affectionate pat.
"Good girl. You’re a fine apprentice maid."
"Ehehe..."
I was so happy. I wanted to be even more useful to him—
"I’ll go pick some more! There’s a large cluster further down the river!"
"Ah, wait. That way is—"
Before he could finish, I had already spun around and bolted.
I wanted to do more. I wanted him to praise me again. Driven by nothing but those simple desires, I stepped onto the riverbank—never realizing the grave mistake I was making.
The soil at the water's edge was far more fragile than I had anticipated.
Eroded by the previous night’s rain, the bank had become a sheer, unstable ledge.
But at the time, I was oblivious. Floating on the clouds of Lord Rai’s praise and desperate for more, I had let my guard down completely.
"...Eh?"
By the time I realized, it was too late.
The ground vanished beneath my feet. My body pitched forward, and my world inverted.
I saw the blue sky and the herbs I should have been clutching, and then the shimmering surface of the water rushed up to meet me.
"—!!?"
A frigid shock enveloped my entire body.
The river, swollen far beyond its usual depth by the spring snowmelt, was deeper and more powerful than I could have imagined.
"Cough, ghack...!"
My feet couldn't find the bottom. The current was fierce, dragging me away from the shore in an instant.
My maid uniform grew heavy with water, pinning my limbs so I couldn't swim, and every time I tried to gasp for air, the river rushed into my mouth.
Just as the cold hand of death gripped my heart—just as my chest tightened and tears began to spill—a massive splash reached my ears.
"Lene!"
A familiar voice echoed through the roar of the water.
It wasn't his usual gentle tone. It was frantic, desperate, and commanding. Cutting through the current, Lord Rai swam straight for me and thrust out his hand.
"Grab on!"
I reached out with every ounce of strength I had left.
The moment our fingers locked, he pulled me toward him with incredible force.
"You're going to be okay! Don't you dare let go!"
Even as the current threatened to take him too. Even as he was dragged beneath the surface time and time again. The grip he had on my hand never faltered for a single second.
By the time we finally dragged ourselves onto the shore, we were both gasping for air.
We collapsed onto the mud, unable to do anything but breathe for several long minutes. My chest heaved painfully, and my throat burned as if scorched by fire.
My entire body was trembling. From the cold, from the terror of the water, and—
"It... it's my fault...! I put Lord Rai... in such danger...!"
My voice broke, and my vision blurred with tears.
I had almost lost him. Just like during the Labyrinth Disaster. That realization squeezed my heart until I couldn't stop sobbing.
"—!"
In that moment, Lord Rai pulled me into a fierce embrace.
His wet arms wrapped around me, providing a sudden, profound sense of security.
"...I'm just so glad you're safe."
That was all he said.
I thought he would scold me.
I thought he would be furious.
My carelessness had nearly cost him his life.
But there wasn't a single word of reproach. Only that one sentence: "I'm glad you're safe."
"...Uuuugh!"
Something deep inside me tightened.
"...I'm so sorry..."
The words spilled out through my sobs.
I wailed like a child, clinging to his chest.
Lord Rai said nothing more. He simply continued to stroke my back, slowly and rhythmically.
Gently. Over and over again...
That warmth was etched forever into the depths of my soul—
When I snapped awake, I was lying in bed.
The sensation of wet cheeks and the lingering warmth of the dream remained, leaving me in a complicated state between embarrassment and nostalgic joy.
I slowly sat up, and the duvet slid down my chest.
"...Huh?"
My eyes drifted across the familiar ceiling of the student dormitory and the familiar furniture, finally settling on the space beside me.
His figure, which should have been there—was nowhere to be found.
My hand reached out, stopping when my fingers touched nothing but cold fabric.
"...Lord Rai?"
I called his name softly, but there was no reply.
He had certainly been here last night. Sensing my anxiety, he had smiled and told me everything would be okay. He had welcomed me into his bed, just like he had on the day of my transfer.
His body heat had been so comforting, and the way he stroked my hair had been so gentle.
I remembered clinging to him until sleep took me.
...And yet, all that remained now was a cold void.
My fingertips felt only the chill of the bedding; there wasn't even a trace of his warmth left behind.
"—!"
A dark premonition seized me, and I scanned the room again.
The desk, the chairs, the wardrobe. My eyes searched every corner before finally landing on something at the edge of the desk.
I scrambled out of bed and hurried over.
The item I picked up was Lord Rai’s sleepwear.
The clothes he had definitely been wearing last night.
They were folded with fastidious care, without a single wrinkle.
"——!!!"
My throat hitched.
His uniform, which should have been there, was gone.
It wasn't on the chair, nor was it in the wardrobe. No matter where I looked, it was missing.
"Lord Rai!?"
I shouted louder this time, but the silence was my only answer.
My heart hammered against my ribs.
An alarm went off in my mind. This wasn't a case of him waking up early or going for a stroll.
"...No!"
The moment I remembered what day it was, a chill raced down my spine.
Realizing he was exactly the type of person to do this, I turned my gaze toward the window—toward the Primal Labyrinth.
The Abyss remained as it always was, a jagged chasm splitting the earth.
Even in the morning light, it exuded a sinister presence, looking like a festering wound carved into the world itself.
"...You're there, aren't you?"
The feeling in my chest was beyond a mere hunch; it was a conviction.
He is there. Alone, without a word to anyone, sacrificing himself for the sake of the others.
And—surely—for me and Lady Elysia.
I'm just so glad you're safe.
The words from my dream returned with vivid clarity.
I loved that man’s kindness—the way he always put himself last and moved to save everyone else.
He was stronger and gentler than anyone I knew. He was my proud Master—the person I loved most in the world.
"..."
But that kindness is sometimes cruel.
To shoulder the entire world's burden just to keep us safe.
Thinking he could find peace of mind by leaving me behind.
...That's just too selfish.
My throat tightened, and my vision blurred again.
My chest, which had been warm with the glow of the dream just moments ago, was now aching with a cold, sharp pain.
The Primal Labyrinth was a place of death.
It carried the same scent as the place where I had lost everything—my home.
A terrible restlessness surged within me.
To be honest, I was terrified. But more than that—
"I hate the idea of you being gone even more."
I didn't want to just be protected.
If the alternative was being left behind, I would rather face any wound.
Even if I was a crybaby, even if I was shaking with fear—
"By your side is where I belong."
I wouldn't yield that place to anyone.
No matter where he went, no matter what he had to carry.
"I won't let you be alone."
I managed a small smile.
Even with the tear tracks still fresh on my face.
"I love you. All of you."
If he was there, then even at the bottom of the abyss, I knew I could keep smiling.