It was the first time someone scrutinized another’s memories closely.
Adrian knew that this was rude.
It wasn’t something he had permission for. He didn’t know if Robert even wanted to reveal it or show it to him.
However, the reason he still tried to examine the memories was that he wanted to understand why Robert’s inner self had become like this.
Like the heart of a dying person, empty and void, he sought to understand and embrace it, if only a little.
It was something he alone could attempt, something others couldn’t do.
Perhaps it was compassion.
A type of person he had never seen before, sparking curiosity and drawing his gaze without him realizing.
There was no need to feel anxious around a stranger, yet strangely, he felt a fear that they could vanish at any moment while together.
That’s why he sought to read the memories.
Even if the memories he faced were meaningless, it would help to quench his curiosity.
As the light that spilled from Rosario enveloped his body, his consciousness began to fade.
It was time to confront Robert’s memories of death.
#
Even if one reads someone else’s memories, it is impossible to see everything from birth to death.
All he could do was catch glimpses of fragments of memories he had seen in pieces.
Since he was seeing it with divine power instead of sight, he could observe the untainted memories even in a colorless world.
Just as his consciousness began to blur, Adrian carefully opened his eyes, feeling the return of his sense of sight.
The sensitivity to even the smallest light,
As long as his divine power lasted, he would be able to see the memories, so it would be better to focus on those that seemed significant.
The space where he viewed the memories was Adrian’s inner world of imagery.
Perhaps because of that, all he could see around him was a winding path penetrating the center.
Walking along that path, he caught fragments of memories that Robert had shown him.
Indeed, they were anything but ordinary.
These memories all contained Robert’s death, suggesting that a single person had died multiple times.
It could only be explained by reincarnation.
Then, what was the reason for repeating the same time?
For what purpose, for what goal?
Understanding the concept of reincarnation was difficult, but he understood that it meant living a life eternally repeated from a certain point.
This was not something he had heard from someone else. It was a concept he instinctively understood the moment he glimpsed Robert’s life.
As if such a thing had existed from the start,
The concept that had blossomed alongside the divine power helped him understand Robert’s multiple deaths, if only slightly.
Like a droplet of water floating aimlessly in the air, he reached out toward the memories that surfaced.
The first death Robert experienced. As the memories seeped into his mind, Adrian slowly closed his eyes.
Reading memories felt like surrendering to flowing water.
Just as one would yield to a current, he quietly opened his eyes as he flowed into the memories.
In an instant, a changed landscape appeared; looking at the void with the sound of rain pouring, the dark sky was filled with dark clouds.
It was raining.
From the cold, dark heavens, a chilly wind blew, and the grass, having lost its light, swayed aimlessly in the wind.
Next to it stood a large mansion, and Adrian quickly realized the identity of that mansion.
This space was within Robert’s memories; that grand mansion must be Duke Taylor’s.
However, despite its grandeur, it was filled only with shadows.
A dark and murky energy, as the darkness touched by the divine power crumbled slightly, a faint scent of blood could be felt.
Why in the world was there a scent of blood here?
“Are you really here?”
The only visible color was a dark light.
In a colorless world, it felt as if his existence was excluded, and the pouring rain fell beneath Adrian, avoiding him.
He wasn’t getting wet. Confirming that fact, Adrian slowly moved his steps.
Wasn’t it like becoming a ghost from a fairy tale?
Even if he touched the wall, his body passed through, and even other people couldn’t notice his existence.
Of course, it was to be expected. He hadn’t reversed time to the past; he had simply become a spectator of memories.
When he saw a butler pass through his body, he was momentarily surprised, then gently brushed his chest and took a deep breath.
Seeing was one thing, and people passing through him was another. It was a sensation that was hard to get used to.
Perhaps if he lost his sight again, it would be incredibly inconvenient.
Being able to see something was quite comforting.
As much as he could directly see the expressions of those looking at him, he might finally be able to see the smile he had only imagined.
Every time he walked down the dark hallway, one question bubbled up.
Where were all the people from this vast Ducal Residence?
Occasionally, there were people passing by, but Robert’s face was nowhere to be seen.
He clearly remembered the appearance he had glimpsed in his memories.
Despite having cold eyes, it was that face that smiled gently at Miragen.
– There was someone.
Could it be that the person he had in his heart was about Miragen?
He must have encountered her countless times in this life. Yet, he couldn’t believe he hadn’t felt any emotion.
Then what thoughts was he harboring? How would he regard Miragen, who had already been his lover in a previous life?
Suddenly arising questions wrinkled Adrian’s brow.
It was something he didn’t need to worry about.
That was an emotion Robert would decide for himself, and even if he did worry about it, nothing would change.
As he erased the residual thoughts flooding his mind, he continued walking down the quiet hallway.
Wading through the silence where even the sound of footsteps was absent, the discomfort only grew.
What he sought was the memory of when Robert had died; wasn’t it odd that this memory’s location was the Ducal Residence?
It was a little later when Adrian finally stopped walking through the vast Ducal Residence.
He halted abruptly at the faint voice coming from below.
“You’ve always been like this. Always pathetic, useless, and foolish.”
The cold and dark voice of a woman, Adrian realized it belonged to Yuria Taylor, Robert’s sister, and began to move again.
Going down underground wasn’t too difficult.
As he infused Divine Power, his body floated, and as he reached for the ground, the scenery of the basement began to reveal itself.
Completely placing his body into the basement, he landed on the floor.
Thud.
Adrian, with his feet touching the ground, quietly surveyed the surroundings.
This basement was not just a single room; it seemed to extend indefinitely downward.
Frowning at the iron door seeing a person trapped inside, he realized it was a mysterious affair typical of noble families.
Perhaps it could be described as rumors spread like urban legends.
High-ranking noble families each hide something underground.
They handle betrayers and directly kidnap hazardous elements.
It was surprising to see that reality unfolding before his eyes, but he briefly shut his mouth and turned away.
The time he could remain in memory wasn’t very long.
Isn’t finding Robert the priority now?
Offering a prayer for the fallen, he started walking towards the direction where Yuria’s voice was heard.
As the voice drew closer, he realized the sounds were not singular.
The sounds echoing were not just one.
Someone was screaming.
A scream filled with pain, pleading for forgiveness for something.
A muffled sound escaped from clenched teeth.
It was a voice I knew well.
Robert Taylor, who always whispered softly to me, was letting out a scream that turned my face pale.
Adrian, biting down on trembling lips, carefully looked ahead.
What lay before him was too horrific.
A man bound to a chair, vomiting blood, and a woman watching him indifferently.
Who would believe that they were siblings?
A scene of one torturing their own family, yet feeling not an ounce of guilt.
“Robert…”
Adrian’s voice did not reach him.
Robert’s eyes rolled back as he screamed from the penetrating blade, the agony of searing metal burning his flesh.
Tears stained with blood flowed from his eyes.
His lips, chewed until they were completely torn, were filled with wounds that exposed his bones.
“Please, sister… I… I was wrong. This whole incident is a misunderstanding—surely you know I have no intention of betraying you… Please forgive me.”
“How could I believe that you have no intention of betrayal?”
Thud.
As the metal skewer pierced his thigh, another scream escaped Robert’s lips.
But now it seemed he could barely scream at all.
For a brief moment, his final cries escaped him, followed by shallow breaths as his head drooped.
“…Why. We are family.”
He could not comprehend the word “betrayal,” but still, this was something he could not understand.
No matter the wrongdoing, there was no reason to be tortured like this.
At least in Adrian’s understanding, there was no sin that warranted such torture.
His fingernails and toenails had all been pulled out.
Blood dripped down, pooling on the basement floor.
Still, Robert continued to plead for forgiveness. He didn’t know what sin he had committed.
But surely, he did not deserve such punishment.
As his flesh was being torn away, enduring torture that could kill him at any moment, Robert’s words always remained the same.
“I’m sorry.”
“I noticed your behavior change recently, and I thought maybe I could finally see a possibility where the name Taylor wouldn’t be sullied. But… to think you would do something so pathetic.”
“I’m sorry…”
The sharp blade severed his thigh.
The flowing blood showed no signs of stopping.
A transparent liquid was sprinkled on top, and witnessing Robert writhing in pain made Yuria smile softly.
Adrian realized that smile was purely one of joy.
Pure joy over Robert suffering, over this reality of him being so utterly destroyed.
It was as if she had wished for this situation. His legs had given out, leaving him unable to walk.
If this reality was indeed Robert’s memory, it meant he had gone through this countless times.
Wasn’t this not the first time he faced death?
He had witnessed this many times over, yet could still smile gently at him. How could that possibly be?
His trembling hand reached into the air. Even though he couldn’t walk and couldn’t touch him, the tip of Adrian’s hand was aimed at Robert.
In front of Yuria Taylor, a man bowing his head, barely holding onto his consciousness.
Of course, it did not reach. The hand stretched towards his cheek merely passed through Robert.
Even the blood pooled on the ground did not stain Adrian.
Adrian did not ask.
Isn’t it obvious? He was merely reflecting on his memories, unable to provide any help to Robert.
Nothing at all. He couldn’t heal that wound, nor could he exact retribution on Yuria Taylor.
All he could do was watch.
Perhaps the death he would witness afterward would be the same. No matter how many times he saw it, it was the same thing. No matter how many times he looked back, it was the same.
He couldn’t help Robert at all.
Even though it was a natural thing, why did it not sit well with his heart? Clenching his hand that touched the ground tightly,
after a long while, until his hands turned white, Adrian lifted his head, only to find that Yuria Taylor had already disappeared.
In the silence where only Adrian’s breath could be heard, Robert’s faint voice penetrated.
“…Once again. Is nothing changing?”
His narrowed eyes were not empty as he knew them to be.
Rather than anger or resentment about his own pain, they were filled with mere sympathy for the vanished Yuria.
It was puzzling, but Robert’s words continued.
“Once again, do you not believe?”
Tears streamed down his cheek and fell below.
Unlike when he was in pain, they were now a transparent color.
Regrets about something, and hearing those words made Adrian realize that this life was not his first.
Even after going through several deaths, those eyes were not empty,
then what had Robert experienced, even worse than this?
It was an unbelievable fact, one he did not want to trust.
But before he could add anything, the scenery began to change slowly.
Staring blankly at the landscape crumbling like smoke, he turned his gaze, realizing the pouring rain continued unabated.
Swoosh-
“From now on, I will begin the execution of the sinner Robert.”
Tied to the gallows, waiting for death, Adrian’s complexion turned pale again.
Countless onlookers watching the execution, and Robert tied in the middle waiting for death.
In this circular arena, this execution unfolding like a show made Adrian tightly shut his eyes.
“Robert, just a moment…!”
He shouted, knowing this voice would not reach.
Even if he exerted his strength, there would be no one to see it.
Even if he unleashed his divine power to break the gallows, Robert’s gaze was merely directed at the void.
His expression was one without any lingering attachments.
As if he sensed everything was over, those tightly shut eyes showed no signs of opening.
Tap-
Letting out a voice that would not reach, Adrian dashed through the people and finally reached in front of Robert.
He was close enough to see Robert’s face clearly.
Though witnessing the death before him, he remained composed for a moment, then his eyes narrowed as he stared at Robert’s slightly parted lips.
It seemed he wanted to say something.
Like a promise to himself, Robert quietly moved his lips as he gazed at the approaching blade.
“…Next time, for sure.”
Was that a word about the life to come? Adrian could not understand.
He couldn’t even grasp this unexpected memory, yet still, the memory continued.
Like dust blowing in the wind, the world began to scatter.
And then he realized.
Robert’s death was still a long way off.
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