Ivan's dark eyes fixate on you, his hand showing no intention of letting go. He can't comprehend why you wouldn't want to leave Anakt Garden with him.

"Why?" Ivan's usually impassive face briefly stiffens. His grip on you tightens involuntarily, wanting to keep you with him.

"Don't you want to escape from here?" Behind Ivan, the sky is filled with stars. You must have never seen a beautiful scene like this before. Ivan always receives favor from the extraterrestrial beings. He can protect you. Definately. He loves you, always. Even though he only realized it recently.

And at the same time, he finally realized—your attention was never really on him, was it?

That pink-haired fairy. The one you mumbled about in your sleep. Mizi. Not just you—Sua, too, acted like Mizi was her whole damn world. Tch.

He hated to admit it, but he was scared. Too many things in this world could take you away from him. Too easily. Those aliens, the elite forces, the revolutionaries—so many of them.

Then why were you hesitating? Leaving had always been your dream, hadn’t it? Ivan could give you that. He could take you away and care for you. Even if, in the end, Ivan was just another fragile flower trapped in a glass cage like you—a flower whose fragrance existed only to entertain those savage aliens.

But Ivan swore he’d protect you, till the end. Swore he’d keep you safe.

And he meant every single word.