Chapter 77

Theo and Noquia slipped back into Jezenia’s camp through the veil they had prepared in advance. The moment they exited, the time-limit expired and the veil dissolved into mist. Had they been just a few seconds slower, they might not have made it back.

Victory banners fluttered over Jezenia’s side, and parts of Theo’s silver outfit shifted back to blue as if nothing had ever changed.

The camp was overflowing with celebration. Players returning one after another were greeted with cheers and praise, all of them shouting joy over a victory that felt like a dream.

Amid the roaring welcome, Theo and Noquia walked forward to claim their Territorial War rewards from Jezenia.

Since they had won against a high-rank boss in a territorial war, the reward was already substantial. But Theo had been the intel itself—and he destroyed the boss crystal—so his rewards multiplied further.

The reward list flooded his display in rapid succession. Theo and Noquia glanced at each other, mouths slightly open. Was this real? They couldn’t hold back their laughter—quiet snickers turning into loud, goofy grins.

But the laughter didn’t last long. The weight of what was coming… was terrifying.

Theo’s destruction of the crystal—and disappearance—was a shock that left Ord’s camp speechless. They stared at the empty space where the two vanished. Then, the announcement of Ord’s defeat slammed down over them like a guillotine.

Everyone stood frozen. A comrade who had survived countless deadly moments with them had betrayed them in an instant—slipping to the enemy side and becoming the very reason for their loss. It was impossible to accept.

Father and Holanghee exchanged baffled looks. The trust they’d built with Ord would drop to zero… all their achievements gone. Why would he do that?

While countless players speculated and spat out theories, Blaine alone stared at the place where Theo disappeared. If anyone was crushed by this, it was him.

“Blaine, let’s go.”

Father approached quietly and laid a hand on Blaine’s shoulder. Blaine nodded without looking up. Holanghee tried comforting him as the three took Father’s wagon back to Lucilvania.

They searched the guild house first—hoping Theo and Noquia might be there—but the building was empty. They asked other guild members, but everyone shook their heads.

Blaine tried sending a Whisper. No reply.

Defeated, the three sat in the central hall waiting for them. Hoping for even a single explanation.

But time passed. And passed. And passed. No one came.

Eventually, Blaine had to drag himself home to Ratteon alone.

The night wind carried the now-familiar salty scent of the sea. From far off came the cries of seagulls. He suddenly realized—other than the day they first moved here—he’d never walked this road alone.

His throat burned. Tears threatened. He wiped his eyes with his sleeve and kept walking until he reached a fork in the road. Left led to Theo’s house. Right led to his own.

He hesitated… then, for the first time, stepped right.

But then—

“Blaine.”

A voice echoed behind him.

Familiar. Longed for. A voice that made his heart ache simply by existing.

Tears spilled instantly as Blaine clenched his eyes shut. He turned slowly.

Theo stood there, looking almost unchanged. But behind that neutral face—there was guilt.

“You’re only coming now?”

His question made no sense—they were standing in the middle of the road. Neither at Theo’s home nor Blaine’s. Just the crossroads between them.

Theo didn’t answer. He simply looked at Blaine, seeming unsure how to start… and stepped forward.

But Blaine flinched visibly and stumbled backward.

Theo froze, eyes widening. Completely lost, he backed up as well—and that tiny distance was all it took for Blaine’s tears to burst.

His sobs spilled out in shaking breaths. Shoulders trembling, raw heartbreak pouring out.

Theo panicked—his hands lifted, hovering uselessly mid-air, unable to approach him at all.

“B-Blaine, don’t cry, okay? Wh-Why are you crying?”

“Why… why did you leave just me behind…?”

“What?”

“You should’ve… you should’ve taken me too…”

The words were clumsy and choked with tears — childish complaints, really. But to Theo, they stabbed deep.

“No, look… your reputation would drop, your merits would reset. I had nothing left to exchange with merits, so I went for a one-time payout… but you still had things you wanted to earn…”

“I didn’t need any of it…! If you had at least told me beforehand… even if you abandoned me…”

“W-Wait! Abandoned? That’s… way too extreme!”

“You did abandon me.”

His tone accused Theo like a blade — but his face was only full of hurt. Theo opened his mouth quickly, wanting to argue that if that counted as abandonment, then Father and Holanghee should say the same… but the sight of tears streaming down Blaine’s cheeks made his throat lock.

Those tears shouldn’t have weighed anything — yet they felt unbearably heavy.

Theo swallowed a pained sigh and asked quietly:

“What do you want me to do?”

“…?”

Blaine stared at him, tears falling steadily.

“How do I make you forgive me?”

Blaine just looked — dazed, sniffling, nose red. Every time he blinked, droplets fell one after another, and Theo’s shoulders twitched as if each tear landed on his chest.

He stepped forward unconsciously, hand halfway out — wanting to wipe those tears.

Blaine flinched hard, stumbling back.

“……”

Theo froze again. Then he narrowed his eyes and pointed to the ground directly in front of him.

“Come here.”

“…What?”

“If I move, you back away. So you come to me.”

After a brief hesitation, Blaine shuffled forward just like Theo asked — stopping two steps away, enough distance to breathe. Theo looked up at him again.

“So? What do I do now?”

Blaine still cried silently… then finally parted his lips.

“…Comfort me.”

“…Huh?”

“……”

Theo blinked, stunned. Blaine didn’t elaborate — he just looked at him, pleading and hurting.

“How…?”

“…Hug me.”

Blaine spread his arms, tears continuing to fall. Theo’s eyes widened, unsure — but his body moved first, hand reaching out slowly.

Blaine stared in surprise — like he truly didn’t expect Theo to do it. When Theo’s arms wrapped around him and pulled him close, Blaine’s shoulders tensed… then melted. His face buried into Theo’s shoulder, and he clung tightly in return.

Theo patted his back and gently ran his hand over Blaine’s head. Leaning close, he whispered:

“I’m sorry about today.”

A muffled sob answered him. Blaine trembled in his arms, holding tighter as if he’d fall apart otherwise. Theo stayed like that — holding him, calming him — until the tears finally began to ease.

Players passing through the road glanced at them with curious eyes. Saying it wasn’t embarrassing would be a lie… but Theo didn’t dare push Blaine away. He would hold him for as long as Blaine needed.

After who knows how long, Blaine’s sobs faded, and his trembling stopped. He slowly lifted his head. His face was a mess of dried tears, but at least they weren’t falling anymore.

Theo checked his expression.

“Feel better now?”

Blaine stared silently at him… then shook his head. Not good enough.

Theo let out a helpless sigh.

“Haa… then what else do you want me to do?”

“Let me sleep over.”

“Huh? What? Do you want me to sing you a lullaby?”

“No. Let me sleep at your house tonight.”

“…What?”

Theo frowned, unsure he heard that right. Blaine suddenly stiffened, mentally preparing to fight for his request even if he was rejected. He would insist—demand it, even.

But Theo answered far too easily.

“That’s all? Okay. Let’s go.”

Blaine froze. He didn’t expect a yes.

Before he could even process it, Theo had already led him inside his house.

After changing into comfortable clothes and disabling their custom cosmetics, the two sat face-to-face in the living room, eating egg hoppers Theo cooked. It wasn’t a special recipe nor an exceptional dish—but to Blaine, it tasted better than anything Father had ever made. Every meal Theo made tasted that way to him.

“But, hyung… won’t the sisters scold you for betraying them?”

Theo paused mid-sip. He swallowed his beer and wiped his mouth before answering.

“Quia said she’ll handle it, so don’t worry.”

“…Will it really be okay?”

“Well… it’s not like they’ll kill me, right? If things go bad, I’ll just beg until my hands become my feet.”

Noquia insisted he trust her—but frankly, Theo wasn’t entirely convinced either.

That restless anxiety sat in both their chests as the night rushed by far too quickly, as if the morning was chasing them down.