In the small apartment, the cult leader faced the succubus.
"Why?"
Ash's question caught Freya off guard. She hesitated, then replied, "I'm still a legal citizen. I can rent a place and hide you. I can work to support you. Whatever you find inconvenient, you can leave to me. I'll… I'll do anything you ask."
"While I'm flattered that you're offering to work hard for my sake," Ash said with a chuckle, "that's not what I mean. It's not about why I should take you along, but why do you want to come with me?"
Freya's face flushed. She lowered her gaze to the little folded-ear cat brushing against her feet. "There's no real reason… I just want to go with you."
"Alright, then let me put it another way. Why can't you accept me leaving you?"
Freya opened her mouth to answer but found no words.
She bit her lip as an ache welled in her chest, an unfamiliar pain she didn't know how to express.
Years of education had drilled into her the rule: never show weakness.
Suddenly, she remembered something Ash had said to the cat earlier: "If it hurts, don't just suffer in silence. Cry out, or no one will know."
"Because it hurts," she whispered. "When I think about never seeing you again, never tasting your cooking, never talking with you… it feels like there's this dull ache in my chest. It's hard to bear. I even feel like crying."
Her voice wavered as she continued, a pout forming on her lips. "Everything will go back to the way it was before, but why does it feel so unbearable? Nothing's really changed, yet you've thrown my emotions into chaos. Why does it have to be like this?"
"Because you're lonely," Ash said softly.
"Lonely?" Freya looked at him in confusion. "But I—everyone has always been lonely. That's what we're taught, isn't it? Loneliness is the wings of freedom, and freedom shines because of loneliness…"
Ash gently guided her to sit down beside him in the entryway. His tone was calm and warm as he said, "But you've never truly embraced loneliness. You've just been running from it. You're young, and the world still feels fresh and exciting to you. Life still holds a sense of wonder, so you've always managed to keep loneliness at bay."
"You saw Fenansnow's speech, didn't you? Do you know why he was searching for his descendants? Because loneliness caught up to him. He's old now. The world has lost its novelty, and his life has boiled down to cold calculations. With nowhere left to run, loneliness finally found him. So, he's desperately searching for a way to pour his loneliness into another vessel. And what better vessel than watching his bloodline continue to thrive?"
"What I've done is create a bond with you. When we're together, this bond drives loneliness away. But if I leave, the other end of the bond connects to loneliness. That's why it hurts. Loneliness has caught up to you, and there's no escaping it now."
Freya stared down at her painted toenails, her voice barely a whisper. "You're cruel…"
"In your view, I must seem like a villain," Ash said with a faint smile. "And honestly, you're not wrong. Bloodmoon's teachings were designed for your protection. As long as you avoid intimate relationships and never form bonds with others, you won't face disappointment, loneliness, or pain. You can't lose what you've never had."
"But… I can't accept this so-called 'protection.'"
Ash gestured toward the cat, who padded over. He lifted it up, holding it high as he gazed at the spot where its surgery had been performed. "Pet shops neuter cats before selling them. It spares them the pain of going into heat, reduces complications, and makes their lives easier. In a way, it's for their own good."
"To me, what Bloodmoon has done to its people is no different. You're all too afraid to step into relationships, too cautious to even handle something as harmless as cotton candy. Sure, this shields you from potential harm, but it's also taken away humanity's greatest gift—the ability to love."
"But humans aren't pets. Or at least… they shouldn't be."
"I'm proud of you, Freya," Ash continued, locking eyes with her. "You've learned how to love. You've realized you should face loneliness instead of running from it. That doesn't make you broken. It means this nation is."
"You truly are the ultimate cult leader," Freya said with a bittersweet smile. "So, what am I supposed to do now?"
"Don't resist relationships. Actively seek new bonds—whether friendships or love. That's how you'll fight loneliness," Ash replied. "But you'll need to adjust your approach to love. Right now, you're too extreme. Offering to work and support me? Jumping from complete independence to complete dependence like that? You're setting yourself up to get hurt by the wrong kind of guy."
"Stay true to yourself, and learn to love. If you can do those two things, you'll live well in this crazy country—or at least, happier than most."
Freya looked at him, her eyes wide and vulnerable. "Are you sure I can't go with you?"
"It's not that you can't," Ash said with a sigh. "I'd actually be happy if you did. But think about what that means. You'd be throwing away years of hard work. You'd risk becoming a fugitive. You'd give up your degree, access to university resources, the Bloodmoon Nation's advanced sorcerer training programs… even your dream of becoming a psychic sorcerer. Are you ready for that?"
Freya froze.
"I've only been in your life for five days, Freya. Compared to the years you've invested in your future, that's nothing. I'm not as important as you think. This is just a moment of impulsiveness—though I'm flattered by it. It shows that your capacity for love is growing."
Ash chuckled softly. "You know, I once asked someone to come with me. She turned me down immediately because of reality's constraints. Now here you are, asking to join me, and I'm the one saying no."
"You just want what you can't have and take for granted what's handed to you," Freya muttered.
"You're making me question my character here," Ash said with a laugh. "But my stance hasn't changed—I'll give you the choice, but only if you're sure."
"I don't want to be your disaster, Freya. I'm okay being your regret."
Freya cradled the cat in her arms, sitting on the floor in thought. After a long silence, she said quietly, "So, you're just going to leave me broken like this and walk away?"
The logic in his words cooled her emotions, if only slightly. Becoming a psychic sorcerer was her dream. Though her feelings seemed all-consuming now, it was clear she hadn't fully weighed her options.
Visible goals outweighed intangible emotions.
"You make me sound like some heartless player," Ash said with a wry smile. "I haven't done anything that bad, you know. And hey, I'm not leaving you empty-handed. I gave you a spirit, didn't I?"
He paused. "Until you find your next bond, just look at the spirit and think of me. Sometimes, memories can soothe loneliness, even nurture hope."
Freya stared at the glowing sphere, feeling an ache deep in her chest.
"You've been so good to me, done so much for me… Was it all just out of sympathy?"