Chapter 4

The conversation between Gaia and Aurus continued after she admitted that she knew where Tana was, though she still refused to reveal her twin’s exact location. She also kept silent about the true nature of their relationship.

Instead, she ordered that Aurus and Zeus be released from their cell, provided with food, and given a place to stay. They remained under constant surveillance within Dooms Gate to ensure they wouldn’t do anything reckless.

“As far as I know, your illness is called the Bloody Illness,” Aurus began after Gaia summoned him to her tent once again. “It’s likely hereditary. Fortunately, the ingredients needed to cure it can all be found within Forbideria.”

“What ingredients?” Gaia asked.

“Have you ever heard of the medicinal herbs Skroutz, Litauen, Krandular, Prietz, Queirmone, and Uterob?”

“What kind of herbs are they?”

“Skroutz is a golden powder. Litauen is a red fruit. Krandular is a gray flower. Prietz is a blue root. Queirmone is water drawn from the Black Lake. Uterob is a rope-like sea plant. Once you’ve gathered them all, you must bring them to the Muselyo. That’s where the tools needed to prepare the cure are kept.”

Gaia slowly nodded. The names were familiar.

“Those medicines have long been forgotten in Forbideria,” she said. “No one knows their exact locations anymore, and collecting them is no easy task. Without sufficient knowledge, anyone who searches for them risks losing their life. Even if I somehow manage to gather every ingredient, I still wouldn’t be able to enter the Muselyo. It’s a sacred place, accessible only to members of the royal bloodline.”

“You’re strong enough to find them, Premier Guard,” Aurus replied without hesitation. “I believe in your abilities.”

A faint laugh escaped Gaia’s lips, though it barely resembled laughter. It was more like a weary breath escaping the tightness in her chest. Perhaps there truly was no hope left for her. Perhaps this was as far as her life would go. Perhaps she would never spend another day with Tana again. The only thing left for her to do was get her sister safely out of the kingdom before death finally claimed her. She could feel that day drawing near.

“Forget I asked,” Gaia said quietly. “You may return to your tent.”

She noticed the sympathy in Aurus’s eyes. Her expression immediately hardened.

“Don’t pity me, stranger. I don’t need your sympathy. You may leave.”

“If you truly have a connection to Tana, she wouldn’t want to see you come to harm,” Aurus said gently. “Help yourself as well, Premier Guard. Find the ingredients and bring them to the Muselyo. If you need the help of a noble, then seek one out. Better yet, marry someone of royal blood. It would be the fastest way to gain access to the Muselyo.”

Gaia let out a dry scoff.

“Are you trying to be funny?” Gaia said. “In a place like this, having a family is nothing but a weakness. I’ve never dreamed of having a husband. He’d only become another burden. I already struggle enough just keeping myself alive. Why would I willingly give my enemies another vulnerability to exploit?”

Life in Forbideria had never been easy. Violence was part of everyday life. Whether to kill or not was always a choice—but if she wanted to survive, she had no choice but to fight back. Having a family would only make survival even harder. It would be like forging her own weakness with her own hands.

“I won’t force you if that’s truly your decision,” Aurus said. “But think carefully about it. I’ve already told you everything you need to know. Now it’s your turn. Tell me where Tana is. My companion and I intend to leave as soon as possible.”

With those final words, Aurus quietly left her tent.

***

That night, Aurus’s words continued to weigh heavily on Gaia’s heart. She already knew she and Tana would soon be separated again. But this time... it might be forever.

She wanted to see her sister one last time. Without hesitation, she made her way through the overgrown forest path leading to Tana’s secluded cottage. The darkness didn’t bother her. Neither did the person who had been following her for quite some time. Whoever it was moved with remarkable stealth. Their footsteps were nearly soundless. If they hadn’t accidentally stepped on a dry branch, Gaia might have mistaken their presence for nothing more than the wind.

She reacted instantly. In a blur of movement, she circled behind the pursuer. She hadn’t expected the counterattack to come so quickly, but she caught the stranger’s wrist before the strike could land. She attempted to throw them to the ground, but they managed to steady themselves. The two of them froze in a deadlock, their forearms locked together as each prevented the other from moving.

Gaia couldn’t help but admire the stranger’s skill. Whoever they were, they were clearly accustomed to fighting in complete darkness.

“Who are you?” she demanded. “Who sent you to kill me? Are you another one of the guards trying to assassinate me? Answer me.”

“I’m not here to kill you, Premier Guard.”

The familiar voice immediately made Gaia lower her guard.

“I followed you because I had a feeling you were going to see Tana.”

It was Aurus.

“Come with me,” Gaia said.

She no longer had a choice. She would have to show him the way to the cottage. It wasn’t long before they arrived. Tana was already standing at the doorway as though she had been expecting Gaia’s visit. The moment she spotted her sister, she waved enthusiastically.

“Gaia! Twin! I missed you!”

“So, my suspicion was right,” Aurus murmured behind Gaia. “You really are Tana’s twin, Premier Guard.”

Gaia ignored him. Before she could say anything, Aurus hurried past her.

“Tana... I finally found you.”

“Paopao?”

Tana hesitated, confused for only a moment. Then recognition dawned on her face.

“Paopao!” She threw herself into his arms, and the two embraced tightly.

Gaia quietly stepped aside, allowing them their reunion. She entered the cottage, where the only light came from a single oil lamp. Then... a sharp pain gripped her chest.

Please... not now.

She forced herself to remain calm, refusing to let the pain show. Silently, she sat down on a bamboo chair and waited for the two of them.

A few moments later, Tana and Aurus entered together. The joy on Tana’s face was unmistakable. Aurus wore the same relieved smile. Seeing her sister so happy was enough. That smile was what Gaia wanted to remember after Tana was gone.

“Gaia, I just need to grab something from my room,” Tana said cheerfully. “Can you keep Paopao company for a moment? I’ll be right back.”

As soon as she disappeared inside, Aurus spoke.

“Tana is returning to Maleferia.”

He looked directly at Gaia.

“But she won’t agree to leave you behind. You need to come with us too, Premier Guard.”

“I’ll be the one to speak with Tana about that,” Gaia replied. “Now go back to your… argh!” A cry of pain escaped her.

She clutched her right eye. It burned as though it were on fire. As if something inside it was struggling to break free. Her chest tightened violently. Breathing became almost impossible.

“What’s happening to you?” Aurus asked, alarmed. “Are you alright?”

“Damn it... it hurts.” The words escaped her over and over.

She felt Aurus gently take hold of her wrist, lowering the hand covering her eye. She didn’t even have the strength to resist. The moment he saw her face, his eyes widened in shock.

Damn. The mark had appeared.

This was the very mark that had branded her as cursed back in Atar. People believed she had been born under a terrible curse—that anyone who stayed close to her would suffer. That she would never have friends. That she would spend her entire life alone. That people would fear her until the day she disappeared from the world.

“Gaia, I forgot to give this to you.”

Tana’s voice echoed from behind them.

Panic flooded Gaia’s chest. If Tana saw the mark, she’d realize the truth immediately. She was too perceptive not to. And once she knew... she would never leave.

Gaia couldn’t allow that. She forced herself to stand, intending to flee the cottage before Tana could see her face. But her knees gave out beneath her. She collapsed.

Aurus caught her before she hit the floor, wrapping an arm securely around her waist. Instinctively, Gaia gripped his arm for support.

“Gaia... are you alright?”

Her fingers tightened around his sleeve. For the first time in her life. She was afraid. Not of dying. But of Tana discovering the truth.

Then Aurus did something she never expected. He pulled her into his embrace. Deliberately shielding her face against his chest so Tana wouldn’t see the mark. Cradled safely in his arms, Gaia slowly felt the panic inside her begin to settle.

It was the first time a man—someone who was still, in every sense, a stranger—had ever held her like that.