Sid's breathing quickened, his pulse hammering in his chest. The system warning still echoed in his head, the same one that appeared when he first revived her. When he saw that black heart beating faintly in her chest. His stomach twisted.

"Oh God… I left you alone… I left you."

His voice cracking. His hands trembled as he gripped the flashlight tighter.

"I was out there… picking fabric like an idiot while you—"

His voice broke again.

"No, this can't be happening again. I— I always fuck this up— every damn time—"

He slammed a fist against the wall, his breath ragged, fighting the weight of guilt pressing down on him. A familiar face kept flashing over Evelise's feral expression, a memory he had tried so hard to bury.

Sid blinked rapidly, trying to shake it off, but the vision wouldn't fade. Each time he looked at her, that same face returned, overlapping, twisting. His jaw clenched, and his voice came out hoarse.

"Not now… please, not her face again…"

Evelise screeched and lunged. He barely dodged with [Ctrl + Space Bar], rolling hard to the side. She hit the ground where he had stood, claws splintering wood.

"Evelise! Stop! It's me—Sid! Your annoying human! The one you keep yelling at every morning!"

He shouted, backing away, knife raised but shaking. She crawled fast, animal like, her white hair matted with blood. Her torn wedding dress dragged behind her, stained and ruined.

"Damn it, don't make me fight you!"

He parried another swipe. The Combat Vision flared again— [Q], [D + Left Mouse Click], [Ctrl + Space Bar]. He moved instinctively, dodging and blocking, his movements tight and desperate. He could feel her strength in every hit. She wasn't the same.

Then he found an opening. Sid lunged forward, tackling her hard to the ground. They rolled, the knife clattering away. He used [Hold E] to pin her wrists down, his knees pressing against her arms to keep her still. He shouted, breath ragged.

"Evelise! Look at me! Look at me, damn it!"

She snarled, trying to bite him, her eyes wild and empty. He could smell the blood on her breath.

For a moment, Sid's strength faltered. His hands trembled as he looked down at her—Evelise, wild and broken, yet still her. The memories came rushing back all at once: their petty arguments, her constant nagging, the sharp tone that somehow made him listen, the rare laughter that slipped through her pride.

Then his combat vision flickered, a key pulsing beside her head—

[Right Mouse Button]

Sid's breath hitched. His eyes burned as tears slipped free, falling onto her bloodstained cheek.

"I can't… I can't kill you. Damn it!"

He choked out, his voice breaking as he clenched his fists, fighting the system that demanded her death. He whispered, his voice breaking completely.

"Not after everything today. You yelled at me, insulted me, made me clean a damn whole cabin but you made this place feel alive again. You made me feel alive again."

Her arms thrashed harder, her growl deep and guttural. Sid blinked tears from his eyes, forcing himself to move. He reached for his belt, pulling free a roll of fabric cord he'd taken from the shop.

"I'm sorry for this… but I can't lose you."

Using every ounce of strength, he tied her wrists, wrapping the cord tight around a nearby pillar beam. She fought hard, but Sid held her down until the knots held firm. He backed away slowly, panting, knife trembling in his hand. He said softly, tears streaking the dirt on his face.

"Just… hang on, okay? You'll come back to me. You haveto. Because I'm not doing this game without you."

Evelise strained against the bindings, snarling low, but the sound slowly weakened. Sid stood there, breathless, flashlight flickering over her face, his expression torn between guilt and exhaustion.

The cavern was silent again, except for the faint sound of her shallow, uneven breaths and Sid's whisper:

"I'm sorry, Evelise. I should've never left you alone— just like I did to her."

He stood there, staring down at her trembling body. His breathing came in ragged bursts, breaking the silence that hung heavy in the room. Evelise struggled weakly, her low growls clawing at his chest with every sound. He turned away, wiping at his tears with the back of his bloodstained hand, but they wouldn't stop. His HUD flickered to life at the corner of his vision—

[Side Mission: A Place to Call Home – In Progress]

He stared at it for a long moment before whispering, his voice raw and shaking.

"A place to call home… Yeah… we promised to make this cabin one, didn't we?"

He glanced back at Evelise, tied and trembling against the pillar. Her eyes still burned with wild fury, but beneath it, he saw a glimmer of the girl he'd fought beside. He managed a faint, broken smile.

"Stay here, alright? I'll make you that comforting bed now, one that actually feels like home. Just… hang on, Evelise."

He turned toward the stairs, his body aching in every joint. The moment he tried to move, pain shot up his right knee, burning hot and deep. He hissed through his teeth, gripping the wooden wall for balance.

"Damn it… not now. Not when I—"

He stopped, breathing hard, staring up the stairs that suddenly seemed taller than before. Each step looked farther away, like the whole staircase was stretching upward endlessly. Sid gritted his teeth.

"Come on, man. Don't you dare stop here. She needs you."

He dragged his leg forward, one step at a time, the sound of his labored breathing echoing in the dark passage. The pain only worsened, spreading up his thigh like fire. His vision wavered, and small black spots danced at the edges of his sight. Raising his left hand. He muttered,

"No choice but to— inventory: Painkiller."

A glowing bottle materialized in his palm— half-empty, rattling with painkillers. He popped the cap open, stared at it for a brief moment.

"This makes the pain go away… please."

Without hesitation, he tilted his head back and poured the remaining tablets into his mouth. The bitter taste hit instantly. He gagged slightly, forcing them down dry, his throat burning. A chime echoed in his HUD—

[Warning: Excessive dosage detected,]

"I don't have time for that. I need to save someone's life."

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