“Hang in there. I’ll get you out of here soon.”

Jackal cut through the chains with a dagger that Nek transformed into but was unable to pierce through the thick iron bars.

He inserted Nek into the keyhole and reverted to his wild horse form.

With his entire body, he relentlessly pounded on the door.

After a tremendous noise as if the iron bars were breaking, he finally broke open the door and entered.

Asha sprang up abruptly and dashed toward him.

As soon as Jackal saw Asha’s face, he transformed back into his human form and grabbed her by the shoulders.

With a distorted face, he yelled.

 “What the hell are you doing? Coming to the village alone, why the hell are you so reckless?! Do you think you’re some kind of immortal?”

 “I-I’m sorry… I thought something happened to you…… that’s why…”

Asha spoke in a choked voice, but her eyes widened at that moment, and she couldn’t find the words to continue.

Shameless, Jackal hugged Asha tightly with his naked body, making it hard for her to breathe.

Holding her tightly in his arms, he closed his eyes and barely managed to speak.

 “I almost died for real…”

Feeling his big strong body tremble slightly, Asha, with a sad expression, pressed her face against his chest and closed her eyes.

 “I’m sorry…..”

Jackal gently patted her back, offering reassurance with his large hand.

 “……There’s no way I’d die easily and leave you behind.”

Upon hearing those words, hot tears welled up in Asha’s eyes.

Jackal wiped her tears away with his thick thumb.

Asha held onto him tightly and whispered.

 “Now, I think I finally understand… Why, among countless days of the past, I returned to the moment I met you….”

When Jackal released the embrace and looked at her, Asha gazed at him intently with her teary eyes.

 “That was the moment I regretted the most among all the choices I made in my previous life. No, it could have been the most significant moment fate gave me that I didn’t even know I missed it. In order to meet you, I blossomed as a winter flower in the snowy field that day.”

Asha closed her eyes and kissed Jackal first.

The sudden surprise kiss caused Jackal’s eyes to widen for a moment, but he soon closed his eyes and kissed Asha passionately in return.

On the cave wall, their silhouettes melded into one, casting a unified shadow.

After a brief yet intense kiss, the two finally parted their lips.

Asha looked at him with determination.

In the torchlight, her eyes blazed with purpose.

 “I believe all of this is fate. Even my encounter with you, Jackal, and becoming a hunter may be a sign to protect the empire from the monsters.”

Her ability to regress could not only mean going back in time, but also restoring back in time when the five spirits were in harmony.

And perhaps, the birth of the Black Rose was also a divine proclamation to unify the divided nobility and the discriminated minorities.

Jackal nodded in agreement.

 “By now, the first flower must be fighting the second flower.”

 “We should go and help.”

 “Yes.”

Together, they exited the cave.

Their clasped hands felt warm and solid as if they would never be apart.

* * * * * 

Meanwhile, there was a clash with the knights in the village.

The Lycaons and the Nasson clan fought valiantly against Count Delphinium’s knights, but the battle became even more challenging due to the assistance of the monsters fighting alongside the knights.

Gabe shouted as he severed the tentacle-like legs of the monsters.

 “These damn monsters…! It’s unfair—they outnumber us!”

Observing their struggle, Delphinium just laughed.

 “If only you had chosen a better battleground, perhaps this dire situation could have been avoided. If you had peacefully coexisted with minorities, you would not have faced such a tragic fate…..”

 “…… You’d better keep your mouth shut, Count.”

Suddenly, everyone halted their fighting and turned their gaze in a particular direction upon hearing a deep voice.

There stood a formidable group of armed knights.

They were the Cactus Knights.

At the forefront, Duran stood tall, his blond hair fluttering, and he spoke with an icy glare.

 “Watching all of you fight like this is akin to seeing fledgling bats flapping about aimlessly.”

 “What…what did you say!”

Kiam and his knights confronted them, bewildered.

He pretended to laugh as if the situation was already over.

 “It’s useless! Even if the Cactus Knights came, they wouldn’t be able to defeat him!”

 “…… Him, you say.”

Duran muttered, appearing somewhat perplexed, before briefly shifting his gaze towards the knights.

 “There’s no mercy for traitors. Let’s finish them off.”

 “Yes!”

Duran’s green eyes blazed fiercely like never before.

Kiam frowned and shouted at his knights.

 “Stop them!”

As the Count’s knights advanced, the Cactus Knights, led by Duran, brandished their swords menacingly and charged forward.

No matter what, they were no match for the Elite Imperial Knights, the Cactus Knights.

The Lycaons watched in a daze as the knights engulfed them like a tidal wave, but quickly regained their composure and turned their focus towards the monsters.

Gabe shouted with excitement.

 “Yeah, that’s it! This is the correct number! Let the knights fight amongst themselves while we hunt like true hunters!”

 “Yeahhh!”

The Lycaons moved swiftly, resembling wild dogs as they cut down the monsters.

With the arrival of the Cactus Knights, the battle became considerably more manageable.

* * * * *

At that moment, Karaf, who had regained consciousness, coughed as he struggled to open his eyes.

As he breathed heavily, he found Dart still standing in front of him.

Dart clicked his tongue and sprinkled holy water on Karaf’s face once again.

 “Maybe it’s because you are a rotten flower, are you thirsty for water?”

Feeling the water trickle down his face, Karaf trembled with shame.

Even in his weakened state, Dart found it amusing and grabbed Karaf’s chin.

Karaf, his black bangs plastered to his face, stared at him.

Dart spoke cruelly, his gaze fixed on Karaf.

 “You have been abandoned by two butterflies. For Mother, and now for Vanessa. Look around. Look who else is by your side.”

On the hill where they stood, only a desolate wind blew.

There were no Cactus Knights, no other nobles, no Jackal, no Lycaons, no Asha.

Karaf was completely alone.

Unconsciously, a single tear rolled down Karaf’s cheek.

Although he didn’t want to believe that they had betrayed him, the deep wounds of betrayal had already pierced his heart, brainwashing him in the cruelest manner.

Especially since Karaf, unaware that Dart had already blossomed by his mother’s choice, could only think that Asha was truly responsible for his blooming.

Whether of her own free will or the influence of others, she may have been forced to make an unavoidable decision, possibly to protect Jackal’s life.

Just like my mother…..

Not knowing that Asha had come to the village alone to save him, he had no choice but to believe it.

Dart had developed an uncanny talent for manipulation during his time as a priest.

It was easier to brainwash those with desperate hearts.

Manipulating and persuading the numerous people who visited the temple with sweet words, playing on their emotions, was an easy task for him.

Even the ambitious Count Delphinium and the village chief had succumbed to his charm and eloquence.

The integrity and sanctity of the priesthood made the work even more effective.

Dart gently wiped away Karaf’s cold tears with his finger and spoke in a soothing tone.

 “You shouldn’t cry yet. It’s not over. Do you have any idea how much pain I’ve endured up until now? You shouldn’t be easily hurt and die so fast. Then I’d feel so empty.”

A twisted smile adorned Dart’s lips.

 “Don’t worry. No one will search for the grave of a black rose, but I will.”

But then, something unexpected happened.

A surge of dark energy began to emanate from Karaf’s body.

Dart frowned.

All the legs of the centipede monster that had restrained Karaf’s body were severed.

Karaf, white-eyed, screamed like a monster and fiercely struggled.

Countless black thorny bushes encircled Karaf’s body, seemingly protecting him.

Dart muttered, clicking his tongue.

 “Has he finally gone berserk…?”

He had heard tales that when a spirit reaches the brink of death, it spirals into a self-destructive frenzy before perishing.

Dart burst into laughter, reveling in the knowledge that Karaf had reached his breaking point and was destined for self-destruction.

 “This is perfectly suited to your demise!”

As Karaf’s power surged uncontrollably, the surroundings gradually transformed into a desolate scene reminiscent of hell itself.

With each surge of black energy emanating from Karaf’s body, green leaves withered and decayed, water evaporated into thin air, and the ground turned as black as night.

 “A cursed flower… Can it still be considered a flower…?”

Dart muttered as he witnessed Karaf’s power, but he casually watched the spectacle without much concern.

Watching the unfolding destruction a little longer didn’t seem like a bad idea to Dart.

After all, it aligned perfectly with the ancient prophecy, the black rose bringing about the collapse of the world, and a new flower reviving it.

In Dart’s eyes, there was no other plan as flawless as this one.

But then, something unexpected occurred.

 “…… Stop!”

When Dart turned his head, he saw Asha riding a blue-gray horse in the distance.

With an expressionless face, Dart spoke.

 “So, you’ve come all this way to stop me, Lady Vanessa.”

Asha’s gaze widened as she looked at Karaf, who was caught in huge thorny vines.

Suddenly, she felt as if she could hear a young Karaf’s voice echoing in her ears, pleading, ‘Save me’.

Asha bit her lower lip. 

He had embarked on the pilgrimage with good intentions. She felt immense sorrow knowing he had been betrayed once again by someone she knew.

But this time, she wasn’t going to let him fight alone.

She fervently wished that she hadn’t arrived too late.

Then, someone appeared behind Dart.

Emitting a fiery aura from his hand, it was none other than the village chief.

 “Your Majesty, please allow me to kill the butterfly. There is no hope left. This butterfly will not join us.”

For a brief moment, Dart’s face darkened, but then he nodded in agreement.

 “I grant permission. It would be more fitting to await the arrival of the next butterfly, even if it takes a little longer. They will be remembered as a withered flower and an inept butterfly incapable of making him bloom in the history books.”

Upon hearing Dart’s words, Asha prepared to aim her bow at them, but Jackal, now in his human form, immediately halted her.

 “I’ll handle the village chief. You awaken the flower. Now is not the time to be sleeping peacefully.”

Although his words were laced with humor, Jackal had a serious expression as he looked at the village chief.

The village chief smiled calmly.

 “So, it has come to this?”

Jackal’s eyes glinted like blue flames as he responded.

 “Let’s put an end to this horrible relationship.”