3.3.

Hug.

Brown hair scattered across his shoulder, her clean warm body enveloped his haggard, blood-soiled clothes.

"Schwii, I.."

"Shh.." she placed her fingers on his lips, eyes barely able to hold back her tears. "It's alright. What matters is that you're safe.. okay?"

Saying nothing more, she tightened her arms around him.

Ro and Lilian who were in the living room watched in silence, aware of how Sequencee had almost died.

"Schwii, let me change first."

"Ah, yes.." she pulled away.

Sequencee greeted Ro and Lilian and headed straight to the bath.

Iona, who didn't look too good herself, greeted Schwii.

"Are you alright?" Schwii asked in concern.

"Thank you for your concern. I should be fine after some rest."

"Okay. Please take it easy for now, we've already ordered dinner."

"My apologies," Iona bowed.

"No, no. It's not your fault, you did very well.. thank you for saving him, Iona, if not for you maybe he would've.."

"It was your wise judgment which gave him a second chance. I merely followed your orders."

"Then we'll call it mutual. I dismissed you from work for tonight. Let's celebrate your return."

"I'm grateful for your consideration."

Dinner was pizza. Ro suggested the idea, thinking that it was the most convenient option available considering the situation.

Iona and Sequencee had been walking since afternoon and only came to the surface nearing dawn. After going thought all that, it would be inconsiderate to bring everyone out for dinner or tell Iona to cook. Best was to stay at home and chill.

One pepperoni, one salmon mustard and two wild hunt pizzas with soda drinks and a side of stew and garlic bread. To Sequencee who had been eating the repetitive sandwiches and onigiri in an unconducive environment the past one week, coming back home to eat hero cusine was liberating to his mental state.

"Iona. I'm sorry for what happened," Sequencee said.

"You need not to," she replied.

"Did something happen?" Lilian asked.

"I tried to kill her at the spur of the moment," Sequence confessed. Ro and Lilian froze up, Schwii nodded.

"At least you've come to your senses. It isn't that surprising, considering the things you had to go through. Still though, why did you not listen to my instructions? I clearly told you to stay away, did I not," Schwii said with a hint of anger in her voice. She bit down on a slice of pizza.

"Sorry. The hero just felt like my mother, so I joined him out of instinct.."

"Nm.. don't do it again next time. Your safety is more important to me than anything else."

"So.. what did you find down there? A new location, right?" Ro said.

"Hero Rika's library. Ten plus floors, around 5,000 square meters."

"What?" Ro blinked.

"A secret place. I think in the past, Hero Rika used to come down there often to research. There are a lot of old devices down there collecting dust."

"Did you find anything of interest?" Schwii asked.

"Everything."

"I shouldn't have asked," Schwii muttered.

"How about the monster? What kind of monster was that? Not even the hero could handle it?"

"It's an S-rank lesser levithan."

"What's that?"

"Something like a large sea serpent.." Sequencee turned to Iona who was not wearing her maid uniform for once. "Iona, how exactly did you save me?"

"That child thought you were playing."

"What?"

"Do you not realize.. I suppose you haven't been educated."

".. No."

Iona leaned in and whispered.

"You are His son. How would it dare to defy its own ruler."

'Hah?'

"It saw you as a challenger." Iona pulled back, "If you still don't understand, may I suggest Schwii to bring you on a honeymoon to visit your own home nation for a few months."

"I-Iona, watch your words," Schwii's voice quivered, her cheeks flashing red.

'So that Leviathan thought we were challengers? That doesn't explain why it would want to kill us.. actually, that would explain why it kept its distance, wouldn't it? The previous one I encountered with my mother was much more aggressive. Ah, I don't know really..'

"Sequencee, are you feeling alright?" Schwii asked.

"I'm fine, maybe."

'I don't know about it myself. Everything feels so distant..'

Sequencee looked at everyone. Ro, Lilian, Iona, Schwii– these people who had come into his life in some unexpected way. Could he have predicted this? No. Was he glad to be here? Yes.

'If not revenge, what else can I do..?'

For what reason did he have to sacrifice the now for the sake of an assured path to his own destruction? Was it really worth the effort? Did he need to go so far? Wasn't this all some mere excuse to keep living?

'What I'm I denying..'

His very existence is the bane of mankind. The fact that he was both the child of one of the greatest mothers and one of the most revered fathers. Did he need to ask for anything else? Would he exchange this life for another?

"Schwii, can I speak with you later?"

"Hm? Sure. In my room or.."

"Come to my room."

"Okay."

===

It was after a round of nice pizza.

"Sequencee, I'm here."

"Just come in. Close the door," Sequencee finished writing an entry inside his journal and closed the book shut.

"What are you writing?" Schwii pushed the door into place with a click.

"A journal."

"A journal about."

"Things that I'm grateful for, basically."

"What did you write today then?"

"About you, and Iona."

Schwii climbed onto his bed without reservation. She sniffed his blanket, feeling both delighted and embarrased.

Sequencee smiled wryly and got up from his seat.

"So, what do you want to talk about? I'm here to listen," Schwii wrapped his blanket around herself.

Sequencee sat down at the edge of the bed and looked straight into his eyes.

"Schwii, can you tell me the truth? Just real truth. Why you came here. Why I'm needed to save your mother. Why you don't want me to join the hero's party. Why you're so kind. Why you're.. still here even though I'm nothing but a useless kid."

"Sequencee, you're not useless."

"Please tell me. I really don't know what else to do, Schwii. I don't even know why I want to kill my father. I don't even know why I chose this path. I want to start over. I want to know why your here.." his voice trailed off.

Schwii bit her lips and thought contemplatively.

"I'll do my best to accept whatever truth it is. It must be hard for you to keep dodging my questions. So please," Sequencee gave it another push.

"Sequencee, I love you."

"Schwii, I love you too but.."

"I love you. I don't want to see you hurt, that's why I'm hiding the truth. I'll tell you about it when you're ready.." Schwii said hesitantly.

As if he had expected such a response, Sequencee grabbed her by the shoulder.

"Sequencee.. mnng?!"

Ans forceful kiss was planted onto her lips. He pressed her down onto bed, the surprise attack caught her off guard, her eyes widened in shock as a deep thirst grew from the depth of her heart.

'Tell me the truth, Schwii. I don't want to keep running anymore.'

Their lips melted into ones, the flames burned within them.

Sequencee pulled back and looked at her down. Her hair scattered across his bed, eyes slightly moist, her delicious pink lips raring for more and her seductively ruddy cheeks enticing him to eat her whole.

"Sequencee, stop. I said I'll tell you when.." She resisted.

He sealed her lips once more.

'What is he doing..'

Schwii thought as her mind drowned into a mess at the taste of his lips.

'What's happening here.. why is he acting like this?'

"Tell me," he demanded, pressing down against her shoulders, restraining her movements.

"..."

"Looks like I'll just.."

"Your mother's death was an accident," she gasped.

"..."

"We never wanted to attack your home. It was a misunderstanding of orders."

'I see..'

"I'm sorry Sequencee. I'm really.. I'm really sorry I couldn't do anything. I was powerless, I was too naive.."

He sealed her lips for the third time. By the end of this session, their breathing grew haggard.

"That black knight.. was the one, correct?"

"The black knight?" her voice swooned.

"Who is he? That black knight."

"I.. don't know either. He just appeared out of nowhere one day."

"What did father say about him?"

"I don't know. Only my mother knows."

"What do I need to do to save your mother."

"Forgive.." Schwii felt her words clog up. A sudden pang of fear caused her to change her phrasing, "..Forgive me for teeling you this. Tell father that you'll forgive the blunder of our actions, and my mother will be released."

"So that's the condition.. which means the reason you're here is.."

Schwii nodded solemnly.

Whatever his thoughts at the moment, whatever his emotions– she had to accept that she had used up her chance. Was this the correct timing to reveal the truth? She wasn't sure, yet she felt calmer than she was afraid.

'How sly..'

To use seduction to force her into confessing. Wasn't that a succubus' tactic?

"Thank you."

Those two words were like a trigger. She felt the edge of her eyes well up, warm wet liquid slid down her side.

"I'll do my best to forgive them… my father too. Thank you, Schwii, I really.."

He leaned in closer with fumbling words, she tilted her head and gently lowered her eyelids.

".. love you."

His whisper ended with their lips melting into one for the fourth time.

The work wasn't over yet but.. her efforts weren't in vain.