As soon as Sef saw Marcellus breathe, he transfered Bel to Erze’s care and carried the boy on his small shoulders. He was supposed to head down stairs and forage every useful item, but their exodus could no longer wait. They need to reach a safer place fast, and it will not happen unless they start climbing the stairs now.

He secured his hold on boy’s thighs and began subtracting the stone steps piled before him. No words were exchanged. Only the occasional noises made by Marcellus accompanied his ears, which were often times whimpers, but sometimes anguished calls that hinted to the fate Aurellius suffered.

“where are we going?” Erze asked.

Sef ignored her and hastened his steps. It would hurt her for sure, but he had to do it. The the consequences of his trick already started to set in. He must deliver Marcellus to Nessa now, before he himself becomes another burden in need of carrying.

Thankfully, his gamble paid off. They reached the stairs’ summit and entered the wall of fog just in time, making a sleepy Knox squint his eyes in at the sight of their wounded bodies.

“am I dreaming again?” the old man murmured to himself.

Sef laid Marcellus down. “you're not. I’m really here... again”

Knox bounced his narrowed eyes from Erze to Marcellus. “this is Cornelius, correct?”

“no, it’s his grandson”

“oh” Knox nodded slowly. “so what is it? A pack of hell hounds?”

“Parvanos’ men probably”

“I see, so he already paid you a visit”

Sef dragged Marcellus and seated him at the edge of the road. “luckily for me, it wasn't him exactly. It’s Myrno that showed up”

Knox snorted. “so that mind reading fool lasted this long huh? My, talk about a bad surprise”

“his soul is useful” Erze said. “it would be foolish of any master not to keep him alive”

“since you’ve mentioned useful...” Knox beamed at Bel and pointed at the ground beside him. “why don’t you drop the little girl here? I’m pretty useful when it comes to waking exhausted souls up”

Erze stepped back, but Sef’s feeble nod made her oblige. The old man may be a pervert, but he was also a responsible adult when it comes to adorable children.

“any good spots here, Knox?” Sef asked.

The old man summoned a blanket out of thin air and laid it on Bel. “good for what?”

“for rest”

“I know one, but it’s a bit unkept at the moment”

Sef nodded. “we’ll take it”

Knox snapped his finger, and the wall of fog behind him gave way, revealling a part of the Cainon road neither Sef nor Erze has seen yet. It was not white nor smooth, but green and bumpy. Filled with stones of varying sizes, golden bell-shaped flowers and a carpet of moss that covered a long stretch of the road.

Without a word of warning, Sef pushed Marcellus into the clouds and offered a hand at Erze. Knox voiced out his shock as expected, but none of his hostile words mattered anymore. There was something inside Sef that must be released, not here, but definitely right now.

“call us when the boy returns” he said, leading Erze out of the fog. With the first few steps alone, the consequences of his trick came in full effect. His joints ached, his muscles cramped and his insides burned as if the red liquid passing through them was not blood, but boiling water.

“hey” Erze stopped. “we can do it here, you’re already burning”

Sef flashed a faint smile and allowed gravity to do its work. The result was not a pretty one. Aside from the hidden stones digging into his skin, a rock caught his head mid fall, acting like a pillow that brought more pain than actual comfort.

“idiot! You should’ve told---”

“Erze...”

“what?!”

“I’m sad”

Instead of a piercing rebuke, Erze fearfully transferred Sef's head on her lap. “that’s why I’m here right?”

A wave of pain forced tears out of Sef’s eyes. “can I be lame just for now?”

“you already are stupid. Go ahead, I’ll listen”

Sef took a deep breath and surrendered all control to his emotions. His stoic face crumpled in pain, his upright shoulders shuddered with sobs and his silence shattered with words he did not expect to let out. “damn it Aurelius... why do you have to go out like this? You stupid... good for nothing... what do you think will Maurise feel about this? You didn’t even...”

Erze stroked his hair. “that’s it, let it out”

“you’re one of the last connections I have, you fool! You’re not supposed to die yet! You’re not supposed to leave me yet! You’re not supposed to... You’re not supposed to... You’re not supposed to make me feel immortal”

“anything else?”

Sef looked away. “I’m done”

“are you sure?”

Fresh tears gushed out of Sef’s eyes. “what’s the point of continuing anyway? I lost another one, for the stupid hundredth thousandth millionth time, I became lonelier than I already was”

Erze's gentle hands touched his face again, this time realigning his gaze back to her sincere smile. “I’m immortal too remember? No matter how many connections you lose, I’ll still be here. You won’t be alone completely”

A sarcastic laugh left Sef’s lips. “wow, that sounds very original"

Erze stuck her tongue out. “I just served the same medicine you gave me last time. Make sure you savor it well”

Though the heat inside him spiked, Sef’s pained face turned into the expression he was more used to do with her. A grin from ear to ear, made with the right amount of sincerity, and the right amount of playfulness.

“you’re okay now?” Erze asked. “good, please can get off my lap”

“wait” Sef commanded his hands to move but only his fingers responded. “I haven’t enjoyed this in along time, give me a few more minutes”

“you ignored me again, you don’t deserve any extentions”

“I’m sorry”

Erze blinked. “that’s it?”

Sef blinked back. “what else do you want me to say?”

“won’t you even explain why you did it? Atleast give me a reason you unexciting runt”

“even if I say my reason, it won’t change anything. I’m still wrong for doing that to you”

Erze folded her arms. “fine, I’m still mad at you then”

Sef chuckled. “I know how to solve that?”

“how? By ignoring me even more?”

“by saying something better than sorry”

“better?” Erze raised an eyebrow. “what’s better than sorry?”

Sef forced his finger to move and beckoned her closer. When she lowered her face, he pressed his lips on her forhead and whispered his trump card. “thank you”

Erze straightened up covering her forhead, cheeks rosier than they already were “th-this isn’t fair, you cheated again”

“since when did thank you become cheating?”

“it’s the kiss! Why do you have to kiss me?!”

“so you’re flustered by kisses now? Aren’t you the same girl who forced me to do it last time?”

“this is different!”

Sef rolled his eyes. “oh, explain please”

Erze leered away. “last time was just an experiment. It was just an act. Like when we embraced each other during the winter. This one... this one was sincere, I know it”

A part of Sef wanted to deny it, but the joy in his partner’s eyes shined too bright to be spoiled. He raked his brain for a question, a joke, or anything that will dispell the awkwardness he contributed to create, and his eyes lead him to Erze’s now exposed left shoulder.

“um, your shoulder, how is it?” he asked with rehearsed curiosity.

“you’re already looking at it, fool”

“I mean, does it still hurt?”

Erze flicked his nose. “this is nothing. Mind your own pain”

Sef sighed. “this is when you’re supposed to act like a maiden and pretend you’re hurt”

“and why is that?”

“because after this, our little role playing game will be over. We will get more pain and less times like this”

“if that’s the case...” Erze poked his cheek. “why don’t you act like the person you really are and sing me one”

“you...” Sef said with a nervous smile. “do you really want me to reopen old wounds?”

“you don’t have to reopen them, just sing something that’s not about her for once”

Sef hesitated at first, but released his soul in the end. The air became chilly, the moss became moist and the flowers opened in response to his song, releasing bright pollen that decorated the air with green glitters.

“above the wall, two souls share their pain”

“sad yet joyful, is their playful game”

“sometimes as friends, sometimes as lovers”

“becoming whatever, each heart desires”

“how will this end?”

“where will this go?”

“though the eyes don’t see”

“Pandora’s heart knows”

“which knee will bend?”

“who’s faith will grow?”

“though dark is the sea”

“the Hallow king glows”

Even after Sef closed his mouth, his soul continued to sing. Again and again, it repeated without cease, surrounding the two listeners with immense peace and curiosity.

“um, e-excuse me...”

Erze dropped Sef’s head and looked towards the wall of fog. “what is it? Is the boy back?”

Sef withdrew his soul, used Erze’s shoulder for support, and beamed at the red ribbon tied on Bel's head. “is Marcellus there, Belly?”

The little girl nodded and stiffly walked back inisde the fog. Sef and Erze followed, and with the first step alone, the difference between the atmosphere they enjoyed and the air in Knox’ domain became palpable. It was heavy and forbboding, the kind that can only be felt around someone who was up to no good. A person who, though seated silently at the edge of the road, was evidently brewing inside him thoughts that will darken his soul.