Terror

The door slowly creaked open.

Haldvir's hand clenched the damp cloth, hesitating. His eyes locked onto the opening door.

One step.

Then another.

A figure with long, blood-red hair cascading past their shoulders walked toward him. A simple sash covered most of their body, yet their arms and lower legs were bare. Their pale skin almost seemed to glow in the dim light.

Haldvir swallowed.

(POV: Haldvir)

What… is this? Their face… their body… It's flawless. I can't take my eyes off them. I feel like I'm being drawn in…

A fleeting moment of admiration.

Then—

His entire body locked up.

His thoughts came to a halt. His muscles turned to stone. His heartbeat quickened—faster, faster, faster—

Thud. Thud. Thud.

His breath caught in his throat.

This was fear.

But not ordinary fear. It was something primal, something that made him want to scream and run. It seeped under his skin, burrowed into his bones, numbed every cell in his body.

The person before him was too terrifying to be human.

And Haldvir couldn't move.

---

(POV: Ravien)

When I opened the door, I found someone standing there.

He wore plain black clothes. His dark brown hair was slightly disheveled.

Thin.

His shoulders slumped slightly, his arms were slender. He looked like someone who had gone hungry for a long time, yet he must have been used to hard work.

He was holding a dirty cloth, a bucket of water beside him.

A servant.

But there shouldn't have been a servant here. As far as I recalled, only the old butler had come to this castle with me. No one else should be here.

Then…

I furrowed my brows slightly. Who was this man? Had the butler hired someone without my knowledge? Or had I simply not noticed him because I never left my room?

For a moment, my body tensed. A flicker of something stirred inside me. My muscles stiffened slightly.

Then, an instinct—deep, primal—kicked in.

A pressure spread from my body. A killing aura.

I didn't stop to think about the reason. There was no need. I didn't even bother to decide whether he was a threat.

Without realizing it, I was radiating a terrifying presence.

I simply walked forward, without a moment's hesitation.

The man froze where he stood.

His pupils dilated. His breathing turned erratic. His entire body tensed involuntarily.

I twitched my fingers slightly. My veins became more pronounced. I raised my hand.

With one move—

I could rip out his heart.

---

(POV: Haldvir)

Why… can't I move?

My muscles had locked up, my breathing had become uneven. My throat was dry. I couldn't even shift my gaze.

Was it because of the person who had just stepped out of that room?

I could hear his footsteps. Slow, deliberate. Even with my limited vision, I could sense him approaching.

And I was terrified.

My heart pounded against my ribs as if trying to break free. A single thought circled in my mind, over and over— I have to move.

This person… He was most likely the young master.

If I showed respect, maybe he would spare me.

Come on, Haldvir. Bow. Speak. Do something!

My trembling muscles slowly loosened, inch by inch. My body felt as heavy as if I were carrying a massive weight, but I forced myself to bow. I pried my lips apart and let the words spill out:

"I… deeply apologize, young master."

---

Ravien stopped in his tracks.

The cold expression on his face flickered with a trace of surprise. His gaze bore into the bowed servant before him.

A few seconds of silence. Then his face hardened again.

His voice was cold as he asked, "Who are you, and what are you doing here?"

Haldvir responded immediately, his voice carrying a hint of relief:

"Young master, I am one of the castle's servants. My name is Haldvir. I started working here three years ago. The one who hired me was your butler, Sir Jiho."

He kept talking.

Nonstop.

Spilling unnecessary details—how hard they worked at the castle, how meals were sometimes late, the complaints of the other servants… His voice trembled slightly. He was clearly panicked.

(POV: Ravien)

According to him, Jiho had started hiring servants because I never left my room. That was all. A simple explanation.

But this Haldvir…

He wouldn't shut up.

He was still talking.

Even the mere movement of his lips was starting to irritate me.

I narrowed my eyes slightly, furrowing my brows, and cut him off with a short, sharp command:

"That's enough. Be quiet."

Haldvir immediately fell silent.

I took a deep breath and spoke in a calm voice:

"Take me to Jiho."

Haldvir set down the cloth and bucket before hurrying ahead. His steps trembled slightly, but he didn't hesitate.

Ravien silently followed behind.

Under the dim lights of the corridor, the two figures moved forward—slowly, steadily.