Chapter 5
Kidd awoke with a start, exhaling sharply as he rose from the bed. The old, rickety frame creaked under his movement.
Today was an important day—not a wedding day for Seniel, but a day Kidd had planned a murder. There was no time to waste in this place.
His sharp gaze swept the room.
The small chamber contained only a bed and a desk. On the wall was the empire’s emblem, an inverted rose. Kidd didn’t care where he was; he thought it looked shabby and roughly loosened his neatly tied hair.
“I told you not to touch me, but you didn’t listen. Damn it.”
Though the night was moonless and the room dark, his exceptional night vision allowed him to see the book sprawled open on the desk. It didn’t matter whether it was a Bible or some scripture—he only needed something to vent his anger on. He ripped the book in half with his bare hands and threw it to the floor.
Some faint underlining caught his eye—lines Seniel had made, though he rarely underlined anything:
“Sometimes returning can be more joyful. Like relationships that deepen after enduring everything together. Such bonds cannot be severed. Be a being that drinks tears together, a soul-shared human.”
The phrase “be a being that drinks tears together” had been underlined.
“Damn it.”
A pathetic case of love deprivation.
Outside, Kidd realized that the place was distant from the mansion and that Seniel had been staying at an inn.
A carriage from the mansion would have been perfect, but here it wouldn’t do. Reaching the destination from this spot would take far longer than expected.
All the plans he’d set in motion over the past month would be wasted. The thought made his anger surge.
Seniel didn’t know what Kidd had planned today; in his ignorance, he had caused this inconvenience. But for Kidd, it only fueled his rage.
He didn’t intend to store the anger—if you’re angry, you release it.
If this pointless nuisance was caused by Seniel’s wife, then it was time to give Seniel another clear warning:
Everything you’ve done, from past to present, has been meaningless.
By the time he reached the mansion in a regular carriage, it was well past midnight.
Kidd ground his teeth. Any trace of the fragile impression Seniel might have left was gone.
How should I warn her?
He entered the kitchen to select the proper tools for preparing the day’s “ingredients.” From a filleting knife to a thick, palm-sized blade, there were many options—but he ignored the larger ones. Quick kills were not his style.
Instead, he chose a well-balanced silver knife that fit perfectly in his hand.
Kidd walked down the corridor, letting the knife scrape the wall, producing a sharp, grinding noise.
He raised his eyebrows, thinking of where Seniel would “store” his wife. Of course, it would be the best place.
Opening the door, he found her trembling. She seemed to sense her impending death.
He struck a match and studied Vivi, who was desperately pretending to sleep. The sight was almost comical.
Kidd paused, curious about how long she would remain like that and calculating in his mind how to kill her to make Seniel tremble.
Only the ticking of a clock filled the silence. She didn’t rise. Kidd, bored, twirled the silver knife between his fingers.
This is dull.
Then, he decided to make it interesting.
He casually picked up a glass and dropped it, shattering it on the floor.
“…Still not opening your eyes?” His eyes narrowed. Now it was slightly interesting.
“Pretending to sleep, are you?”
Vivi flinched. Already scared, Kidd was now curious what expression she would make when she saw his face.
If she realized that the intruder in this empty mansion was her own husband… would she be angry, or beg for her life?
Perfect for warning Seniel.
“Your acting is impressive. If you don’t get up within three counts—”
Finally, Vivi could no longer resist and rose.
Her pale face glistened with sweat. Under the yellow lamp, her eyes were filled with terror—hers and Kidd’s.
They studied each other’s faces. His eyebrow twitched—something felt off.
She can see my face… Why no reaction? As if she knew all along.
The thought made him immensely irritated.
“Scared, yet you don’t even ask who I am?”
“…N-no. I-I don’t know who you are.”
Kidd observed Vivi closely. If Seniel had revealed his identity to her, there’d be no need to send her elsewhere—he’d have put her somewhere safe.
But the Seniel Kidd knew wasn’t that considerate. Revealing his identity? Impossible. And if she reported him, it would only complicate things. More likely, she moved herself.
He looked down at Vivi, who was holding back tears. She trembled, but silently, which he found at least somewhat commendable.
Satisfied with her fear, he prepared to slice her carotid.
But he paused. Even when he’d warned Seniel with murder not to do stupid things, Seniel had only cried and continued his nonsense.
Looking back, even if he killed this woman, Seniel would likely continue to defy expectations.
What to do…
If she didn’t understand, making things even worse could be fun. He wanted to disrupt Seniel’s life completely.
Vivi’s eyes quivered under tightly shut eyelids.
“Recite Scripture, chapter 23, verse 20.”
“…W-what? Huh?”
Startled, she opened her eyes. She was too shocked at being alive to focus on his words. Kidd decided to show mercy.
“Scripture 23:20. Recite it.”
“…Ch-chapter 23, verse 2… uh… Sometimes returning can be more joyful… Like a being that drinks tears together, a soul-shared human…”
She stammered but remembered enough, missing only a sentence—still impressive.
“I’m contemplating something I’ve never done before… should I, or not?”
Her eyes, reflecting the lamp in a bright scarlet, were brimming with tears.
Kidd seemed satisfied and withdrew the knife. Her sharp intake of breath echoed the relief she felt, but she knew he could press the knife back at any moment.
Yet he said something unexpected.
“Hand.”
“…Huh?”
“I hate repeating myself.”
Vivi carefully pulled her pale, damp hand from under the blanket.
Kidd placed his knife in her hand. She stared blankly, then up at him.
Why?
His red eyes glimmered. He guided her hand to grip the knife.
“I’m postponing your death.”
“Eh?” Vivi almost asked, but bit her tongue.
Then he said something that made her gape.
“Seduce Seniel. Like that verse you recited—make him feel he can’t live without you.”
Like that foolish bird drinking tears together.
“I’ll give you plenty of time. I’ll check occasionally on your progress.”
“….”
“Warning: run, and you’ll regret it.”
Her best option was to quietly seduce Seniel and wait for a painless death.
Kidd knew Seniel’s affection deficit well—he, too, pretended goodness while secretly self-serving, avoiding hatred.
Ridiculous, yet it explained why she had suffered under her father, watching such people thrive. Vivi, slightly useful, then.
“If you fail to repay the favor properly, you won’t like it either.”
Kidd had no mercy for useless people.
Vivi’s eyes reflected confusion, despair, and just a glimmer of hope. If he intended to kill her, why not just do it? Why make her “seduce” someone?
And how would he check? They didn’t share memories—was he going to ask about their dates, intimacy?
Still, I’m not dying immediately… I bought some time…
Time was unspecified, but she was still alive.
While she pondered, he lifted her chin.
“Answer.”
“…Y-yes! I’ll do it, I promise. Th-thank you for sparing me.”
“I’ll check on you unexpectedly. Do well.”
Kidd smiled—a deadly, murderous smile.
“This knife is a gift.”
Vivi’s eyes asked why, but she gave a submissive thanks. Kidd turned and left.
Vivi remained frozen, gripping the knife until his footsteps faded completely.
She exhaled deeply, dizzy from tension finally released.
Was it like this in the original story? So I died because I couldn’t seduce Seniel?
What happened in that one week? No, she was supposed to die on first sight.
Weak and drained, her head sank onto the pillow.
Damn it… my life…
With that thought, Vivi lost consciousness—knife in hand.
She didn’t know that in the original, Seniel hadn’t gone on his business trip.
Because she begged him not to go alone in the empty mansion, fearing for her safety, he stayed by her side until she slept and left in a hurry, never reaching far. Thus, Kidd hadn’t been nearly as enraged in the original plan.
Original Vivi died wandering the halls, scared alone—but this Vivi had survived, unaware of all that, relieved and finally slipping into sleep.
