The rain poured heavily outside.

Three figures followed behind Veronica as she led them toward the garden behind the tower.

All of them carried umbrellas except Leon. Myra held hers over Leon's head, shielding him from the rain.

Her own hair and shoulder were soaked, but Leon didn't look at her even once.

As they walked through the corridor, every maid and worker turned their heads.

First, they saw Veronica, the Lady of the Blood Tower, who rarely stepped outside her tower. And then they noticed the three behind her.

One of them was carrying a corpse.

The boy had jet-black hair and golden eyes hidden behind black-framed glasses.

A quiet murmur spread among the maids.

"Was she punishing him?"

"Isn't that young master Leon?"

"But… Why was he holding a corpse?"

Veronica glanced at them and shut them up, then walked to the far end of the garden. She stopped near the center and gestured to a spot.

"Here," she said.

Leon lifted his head slightly.

The garden was covered in hundreds of spider lilies. Their red petals stood out against the grey sky, glowing softly under the rain, as they bounced the rain droplets.

"This garden is filled with spider lilies," Veronica said. Her gaze stayed on the flowers. "People say they represent death and tragedy. But if you ask me… they're the most beautiful flowers that ever existed."

This was the only place in the whole Blood Tower that had no active maids or servants. And according to Veronica, this place is specifically kept maintained by one of her attendants. Only a few have been allowed inside.

And from the way Veronica was explaining, Leon understood that this place meant something to her.

She shifted her eyes toward him. "There's a shovel. I think you want to dig the grave with your own hands?"

Leon nodded once. "Yes."

Veronica didn't say anything more. She turned and stepped back.

Leon walked to the white marble bench under the shed and laid the skeleton down carefully.

Alice watched him doing all of that.

He picked up the shovel.

"Young master," Myra said. "Let me do it."

"It's fine," Leon replied. "I want to do it."

He stepped into the open garden and scanned the ground. A quiet moment passed before he found a small empty spot between the lilies.

"This might do," he muttered. "No one will bother her here."

Still, he recalled Shin's memory at this moment.

When he first saw her.

That day, she had jumped out the window after he caught her. The face she made was ridiculous back then. So childish.

Leon turned his head toward the skull.

"Her eyes look hollow… huh…" he whispered.

He still didn't know why he got to see Shin's memory. All he could deduce was that it happened because of soul fusion. A rare phenomenon in the Astral World.

But Leon had experienced it.

For now, he forced himself to believe there was no meaning behind it.

The shovel sank into the wet soil with a dull sound.

In his old life, Leon never believed in gods or afterlife. For him, death was the end.

Funerals meant nothing.

He used to think burying someone was pointless. The dead never returned, and the ground only took them away. He never understood why people went through the trouble.

But now… after Astral Tale, after meeting Lumina, after seeing Shin's memories, he understood.

There's something humans are afraid to lose.

They bury the dead because they want to hold on to what's left. It may be a trace or simply proof that they once lived.

Alice stood a few steps behind the lilies, watching him dig.

Rain dripped from her umbrella and hit the flowers gracefully.

Her expression twisted with frustration.

She didn't know why, but seeing Leon digging like that, silent and cold, annoyed her.

She hated this quiet.

She hated how he just shut everyone out and carried everything by himself.

"Oi," she called out.

Leon didn't look back. The sound of the shovel continued.

Alice's eyebrow twitched.

"Oi, you brick wall, I'm talking to you."

Still nothing.

She stomped forward, not caring about the mud splashing on her boots and not caring about Veronica listening to her.

"I swear, I'm gonna shove that shovel up your ass if you keep ignoring me."

Leon finally paused, turning his head a little.

"…What?"

"She meant something to me too, you know!" Alice's voice cracked between anger and something else she refused to name. "So don't just act like it's all on you!"

She snatched the second shovel lying nearby.

"Move." She pushed him away with her leg.

Leon frowned. "Hey, I didn't—"

"Shut your squelchy hole."

Her voice literally echoed in the garden. The kind that made Leon's brain briefly stop working.

"…,"

Leon stared at her blankly.

She didn't wait for his answer.

She slammed the shovel into the ground like she was picking a fight with the soil itself. Her arms moved fast and roughly, the S-rank stamina making it easier for her.

From this angle, and with her wet hair all down, Leon was unable to see her eyes. It hid behind her bangs.

Leon sighed, clicking his tongue.

"Just don't mess with my digging."

Alice smirked without looking at him. "Oh, I'll dig faster than you."

The two of them worked side by side. She was fast and impatient, throwing dirt around like a storm. Leon was steady and firm.

Watching her dig like that, Leon muttered under his breath.

"What a brat." He said, smiling a bit.

Alice pretended not to hear him, but the small curve at the corner of her lips rose.

Veronica, standing under her umbrella, folded her arms.

She glanced at Myra, who hadn't taken her eyes off Leon even once. Myra's shoulders relaxed as she saw the faint smile appear for a brief moment on Leon's face.

Veronica understood. She wanted to help him too.

Standing beside her, Veronica reached out and gently ruffled her blonde hair.

"My lady?" Myra looked up, surprised.

"You were scared, huh?" Veronica asked.

Myra nodded slowly.

"Don't think too much," Veronica said. "His words might seem harsh, but he doesn't mean it."

"Mhmm," Myra replied. "I… know."

"Good girl," Veronica added with a small smile.

After a few minutes of digging, with Alice helping, the hole was already deep enough.

Leon and Alice exchanged a glance.

"I think… it's enough," Leon said quietly.

Alice nodded. "I guess."

"Right. Go bring her." Leon stayed in the hole while Alice went to the bench and carefully lifted Lumina's wrapped skeleton.

She walked back slowly.

Alie crouched as she passed Leon all the bones.

He gently placed her inside, wrapping his coat tighter around her. He aligned each bone carefully, almost like he was afraid of hurting her.

"Haah…" His breath came out shaky.

'This is fine, right?'

He adjusted her one last time and turned to climb out of the hole.

"Here."

Alice extended her hand down to him.

Leon stared at it for a second, then at her drenched face.

Mud was smeared across her cheek, but she didn't seem to care.

"I can climb on my own," he said.

Alice glared the moment he said that. "I know that. My fault for helping you, asshole."

"…"

Before she could take back her hand, Leon grabbed it.

"...!"

"Be honored," he muttered.

"Honor my ass," Alice said with a grin, pulling him up.

Before the hole could fill with rainwater, they both started shoveling the soil back in.

Bit by bit, the hole disappeared beneath the earth.

When it was done, Alice knelt down and gently placed a single spider lily on top of the grave.

She whispered softly.

"May the Lady guide your soul."

Veronica followed her lead and placed one more. Myra did the same.

"To the great hero," Veronica said calmly. "May your soul finally rest in peace."

Leon held his flower for a moment. Then he stepped forward.

He placed it on top of the other three.

Clasping his hands together, he lowered his head.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

The rain fell harder, but none of them moved away for a couple of minutes..

Leon finally turned toward the three of them.

"Thank you for attending her funeral," he said.

He bowed.

"..."

"..."

"..."

Veronica and Myra quietly followed him and Alice back into the tower.

Myra and Veronica parted ways near the main stairs, telling them to get changed and meet in the hall for dinner.

Leon and Alice continued walking down the hallway.

The maids they passed gave respectful nods. Some whispered softly, but Leon ignored them.

He glanced down at his hand.

The spirit ring still sat on his finger.

'I didn't even get to use it.'

'Maybe… next time.'

Just as he thought that, a voice sliced through the hallway.

"What are you doing here?"

Leon felt his skin crawl.

His steps halted.

Alice stopped too.

He knew this voice, and he didn't want to turn around.

"Did you not hear me once?"

Her voice cut again.

"And who's this girl with you?"

Leon exhaled softly. The corner of his lip twitched in something between annoyance and exhaustion.

He slowly turned, not letting a single flicker of emotion appear on his face.

"A pleasant evening," Leon said. "Mother."

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