Into the Rose Garden Novel - Chapter 10.2 Trapped in the Living Hell Late at night

Amidst the cackling of the men, the dull thud of flesh on flesh echoed. The smell of blood mixed with an unpleasant fishy odor. The men moved the unresponsive, pale legs around, and as their ugly bodies moved, Kloff saw a large belly, an arm twisted grotesquely as if pulled out, a neck and face covered in bruises, a hollowly open mouth, and lifeless blue eyes. As his neck rattled with the men’s movements, and his dead eyes met Kloff’s gaze, a sudden, pitch-black darkness enveloped him.

When he regained consciousness, there were two headless corpses, and a blood-soaked sword was in his hand.

“Aargh! Murder!”

The other two, who still hadn’t covered their monstrous genitals, scrambled to flee. Kloff, his gaze fixed downwards, commanded coldly.

“Kill them all.”

“Yes, Master.”

Hagen and the other servant, who had come with him, drew their swords and gave chase. The men, who hadn’t even pulled up their pants, couldn’t run properly and met their end with an unpleasant gurgling sound as soon as they turned the corner. But that wasn’t an important matter to Kloff.

He kicked one of the headless corpses aside. Aerocc, covered in blood, was far more devastated than Kloff had imagined. His naked lower body was covered in bruises and dirt. One of his spread legs was broken, with his ankle twisted outwards. The most terrible sight was between his legs. What had failed to withstand the monstrosities of beasts was torn apart, bleeding not bright red but a dark, almost black, blood. Along with it, white semen was smeared everywhere.

Kloff dropped the sword and, with trembling hands, took off his coat. Then he knelt beside Aerocc, who was covered in all sorts of filth, and embraced his upper body, which was as pale as a corpse, in contrast to his crimson lower body. As Kloff wrapped him in his coat, Aerocc’s unconscious body swayed like a broken doll. Kloff carefully lifted the grotesquely dislocated arm and placed it on Aerocc’s chest, calling out in a trembling voice.

“Aerocc?”

Despite the urge to shout and shake him awake, he couldn’t raise his voice. He felt as though Aerocc would shatter into pieces and scatter if he did. He couldn’t even bring himself to touch Aerocc’s bruised face, nor could he breathe easily.

“Aerocc? Try to wake up.”

His throat had tightened at some point. As he stood helpless before the unresponsive man, Aerocc’s tightly closed eyelids trembled slightly. Kloff quickly brought his ear to Aerocc’s nose and heard a faint, choking breath, as if he was struggling to breathe.

“…Thank you. Truly… truly thank you.”

He didn’t know who he was thanking. He just repeated it over and over.

The two men he had sent returned, covered in blood. Kloff looked at them and gestured towards the other corpses. Hagen nodded silently. The other servant ran out of the alley to fetch a carriage.

Kloff lifted the limp Aerocc into his arms. Even though he was thin, as a heavily pregnant Omega, he was heavy, but Kloff didn’t want anyone else’s help. He didn’t want anyone to touch even a single strand of Aerocc’s hair. As he was held in Kloff’s arms, Aerocc winced and made a faint sound, perhaps from the pain of his broken leg and arm, or from the other torn areas. Kloff pressed his head against Aerocc’s damp forehead and said.

“It’s okay now. This time, I won’t let you or our child die.”

They returned to the mansion, and Kloff laid him on his own bed. During the carriage ride, Aerocc’s water had broken, so Kloff’s clothes were also a mess. It wasn’t time for the baby to be born yet; it seemed to be due to the gang rape. He regretted not having killed those bastards more painfully earlier.

“Martha! Help me. You, call the doctor!”

After ordering one of the maids, Kloff examined Aerocc. His complexion, which had been moaning throughout the carriage ride, was truly as pale as if he were about to die. Martha, who had rushed over, seemed shocked to see Aerocc covered in filth, stood for a moment, then ran outside.

“Bring all the warm water and towels you can find! And new sheets and pajamas too! Everything!”

She shouted at the other maids, then pushed Kloff away from Aerocc’s side.

“Please stand over there for now. There’s no use holding his hand right now.”

“Martha.”

“We have to save him, don’t we? So please help me do my job.”

Kloff was pushed away from the bedside, and she wiped Aerocc’s wounds until the doctor arrived. The experienced housekeeper, seeing Kloff’s messy clothes and realizing Aerocc’s water had broken, slapped Aerocc’s cheek to wake him.

“You must not lose consciousness. Wake up! Here. Hand me another towel.”

At her swift commands, the maids constantly washed and handed over blood-soaked towels. Meanwhile, another maid approached Kloff and told him to change his clothes, but he refused. He would not leave this spot until he confirmed Aerocc was safe.

The doctor, who arrived quickly, entered the room, horrified to learn that a heavily pregnant Omega had been gang-raped.

“When did her water break?”

“Not that long ago.”

“Oh, what a mess. This will be difficult.”

At Martha’s words, the doctor lifted the white sheet covering Aerocc’s lower body and clicked his tongue.

“He’s still bleeding. If we don’t get the baby out quickly, both will be in danger.”

The doctor rolled up his sleeves, looked at Kloff, and asked.

“Are you the Alpha?”

Before the doctor, with his serious expression, could say anything more, Kloff spoke first.

“Save them both.”

“I can’t guarantee it. As you can see, it’s a premature birth, and he’s already lost too much blood.”

“If you fail to save them, I won’t let you off lightly.”

“Threats are useless. No matter how much of a doctor I am, I am not God. Of course, I’ll do my best.”

The doctor ignored the angry Kloff and went back to Aerocc’s side, quickly giving Martha some instructions. She followed the doctor’s directions, preparing clean scissors, silk thread, warm towels, and other items. During that time, Kloff could do nothing. It was the same before. His only task was to wait. The doctor expertly attended to Aerocc with swift hands.

“The mother has lost consciousness, so we’ll have to force the baby out. Don’t just stand there, come here and help hold him.”

Kloff obediently followed his instructions. The doctor, intending to do something, folded a towel and placed it in Aerocc’s mouth, then instructed Kloff to firmly press down on Aerocc’s already limp shoulders.

“That’s not firm enough. Press down hard.”

“His shoulder is dislocated.”

“That’s nothing compared to the pain he’s about to endure. He’ll thrash, so hold him tight.”

“What are you going to do?”

“First, we need to get the baby out to save either of them.”

With those words, the doctor leaned deeply over the bed. Then, placing both hands on the pregnant man’s swollen upper abdomen, he looked alternately at Kloff, who was pressing Aerocc’s shoulders, and between Aerocc’s legs, then signaled to the waiting Martha.

“Starting now.”

He pressed down on the abdomen with his body weight. At that moment, Aerocc, who had been unconscious and limp, suddenly opened his eyes wide and tensed his entire body. He tried to rise with such force that even Kloff was surprised and had to press down on his shoulders.

“Aaaaaaaaaagh!”

Despite the towel in his mouth, a horrifying scream, delayed in time, escaped him.

Kloff, pale, embraced Aerocc, who was thrashing with eyes rolled back despite his injured body, and shouted.

“Are you doing this right? He’s about to die!”

“The mother is not in a condition to push properly, so we must force the baby out. Hold him tightly. If you let go, both the baby and this person will die.”

The doctor replied with cruel composure and continued to press on the abdomen. From top to middle, then down. Though Kloff couldn’t see clearly, covered by the sheet, Martha’s paling complexion indicated that the situation was not good. The maid next to her, who kept handing over clean towels, looked as if she might faint at any moment.

“Doctor. I see the head!”

“Good! I’ll keep pushing, so grab the head when it comes out and pull it. Understood!”

“Yes!”

During several more spasms, sweat beaded on Kloff’s forehead. As the desperate screams pounded in his ears, no one spoke. A moment later, Martha, using a few more towels, looked at the doctor, put both hands under the sheet, and then pulled out a tiny baby. Simultaneously, the doctor removed his hands from Aerocc’s abdomen. Aerocc’s thrashing also stopped. He slowly relaxed and went limp. Kloff, still holding him, gasped for breath. The thought that it was finally over made him not even think of looking at the baby.

The doctor cut the premature baby’s tiny umbilical cord, created a navel, and handed it to Martha. She sighed in relief, wiping away tears from her eyes. She then tried to offer the baby to Kloff, but he shook his head.

“Quickly, save this person first.”

Aerocc’s breath, held in Kloff’s arms, was too weak.

“It’s probably not too late. If we can just stitch the wound and stop the bleeding, he might live.”

The doctor immediately took out a needle and thread from his medical bag and sterilized them in boiling water. Then, lifting the sheet and just as he was about to stitch the torn wound, he blinked a few times, let out a deep sigh, and put the tweezers with the needle back on the tray. Then he began to feel inside with his hand.

At that moment, Aerocc’s eyes half-opened again, and he began to make a deflated sound, as if he no longer had the strength to scream properly. Aerocc, who wore an indescribably pained expression, neither crying nor laughing, clawed at Kloff’s arm, which was pressing him down, and struggled. Kloff felt a chill run down his spine at the horrifying plea.

“What’s wrong?”

“Oh, it’s twins. We won’t be able to stop the bleeding like this.”

The doctor looked at Kloff with a grim expression. And then he shook his head. Kloff’s mind went blank. As he merely gaped, unsure what to say, Aerocc let out another terrible scream. The second child began to emerge.

Soon, the other child was fully out. That child was much smaller than the first, so the doctor had to give it artificial respiration to make it breathe. In the end, it survived safely, but Kloff had no time to hold the fragile creature. Aerocc was dying.

“His body is too weak, and he has suffered severe mental and physical trauma. Even if that hadn’t happened, impregnating a male Omega five times would lead to this state. That’s why I recommended contraception from the beginning.”

The doctor clicked his tongue, shook his head, and added.

“I’ll do all the treatment, but honestly, there’s no hope. If he survives, it would be a miracle. It would be best to prepare yourself.”

Kloff said nothing. Martha and the other servants were busy with the suddenly born children. The doctor, having nothing more to do, soon left, and Kloff was left alone with Aerocc in the now quiet room.

Aerocc, in his arms, was already like a corpse. It was doubtful if he was even breathing. Kloff took his limp hand and placed it on his chest, while with the other hand, he stroked Aerocc’s forehead. At that moment, his eyelids trembled slightly, and Aerocc let out a small sigh.

“Aerocc?”

When Kloff called out, Aerocc slowly opened his eyes. His eyes, which had been staring blankly into space, slowly narrowed their pupils, then tilted sideways towards Kloff. He blinked very slowly, and his chapped lips barely moved. His voice was so faint that it could not be heard unless one leaned close.

“…The baby?”

“Twins. Both survived.”

“…Good. That’s a relief.”

Kloff had to barely suppress the uncontrollable emotions at the airy, light voice, devoid of any life. Otherwise, all the inexplicable things would burst out at once. Kloff bit his lip, then looked up at the ceiling for a moment to catch his breath. Because the fact that Aerocc, after enduring such a terrible ordeal, woke up and first asked about the children, made what he had barely suppressed threaten to overflow.

Did he have enough consciousness to distinguish that he was giving birth in a situation that would drive anyone mad? What on earth are you?

Kloff swallowed whatever kept rising in his throat. He had to make him speak. Otherwise, he felt he too would die.

“Why did you run away? If you hadn’t run away, none of this would have happened.”

Even though he tried not to, only accusations poured out. Aerocc slowly closed and opened his eyes, then spoke again.

“…It hurts. They weren’t human. That’s not… sex.”

“You stupid bastard. You were gang-raped! You were raped!”

Kloff couldn’t bear to listen, so he burst out in anger, and Aerocc blinked again.

“I can’t feel my body.”

He had been talking nonsense for a while, so his consciousness seemed to be flickering. The very act of speaking was a miracle. No matter how much Kloff raged and accused, it was useless.

“I’ve lost too much blood.”

Aerocc looked at Kloff with slightly trembling eyes, then cast his gaze far away and said.

“Am I dying?”

“…Probably.”

“Ah.”

Aerocc blinked again. Even at the words that death was imminent, he showed no thrashing, no resentment, no tears. He simply closed and opened his eyes for a moment, as if listening to someone else’s story. He cast his gaze at Kloff and smiled faintly.

“Did Raphiel die like this too?”

Did he still have the strength to be sarcastic even at this moment? Kloff was crushed by immense despair and frustration, momentarily unable to breathe. How much more must this demon mutilate his soul to be satisfied? What sin had he committed against him to make him choose only such cruel acts? He truly wanted to go mad. Perhaps if he went mad, he would forget these indescribable emotions and live. Now, what he could no longer suppress began to burst forth.

“What did I ever do wrong to you in the first place, why… why did you…?”

Bitter tears flowed from the despairing man’s eyes. This demonic bastard inflicted unbearable wounds on him even in his dying moments. Yet, Kloff could not utter a single curse. He merely embraced the fading body and shed uncontrollable tears. Cold tears fell onto Aerocc’s white cheek and flowed down. Aerocc’s eyes, seeing him, wavered. His chapped lips trembled slightly.

“…I’m sorry.”

“Don’t lie like that now.”

“I’m sorry. For everything. I understand the pain Raphiel must have felt now. I tried to die quietly. By reminding you of your pain…”

“Shut up!”

Feeling as if he would go mad at this rate, Kloff roared. In the sudden surge of extreme hatred, he wanted to strangle this demon and end his breath as quickly as possible. But the moment his hands gripped that slender neck, he froze. The two clear, glass-like blue eyes that always looked straight at people were now soaked.

Ah.

The moment Kloff’s grip loosened, clear teardrops rolled down his damp golden eyelashes.

“At first, I just intended to endure it. That was the way to pay for my sins. I just had to stay still like before. Haa. But when the child seemed to be in danger, I couldn’t. I resisted… and got beaten.”

The wounds were not something that could be simply called “beaten.” His arm was dislocated, his ankle broken, and his entire body defiled. Yet, Aerocc calmly recounted it, without a single hateful curse. As if he didn’t notice Kloff crying.

“Raphiel probably did the same. To protect her child. Because it was the child of the person she loved.”

Kloff wanted to demand how he dared to say such a thing, but his throat was already so tight he couldn’t speak. Aerocc looked at him and smiled. Tears streamed down his face incessantly. It was incomprehensible how he could still cry after losing so much blood. It was as if a dam had broken, releasing everything he had accumulated throughout his life.

“My eyes feel strangely hot. Ah, I’m… I’m crying now, aren’t I?”

Aerocc slightly raised the corners of his lips, as if pleased. His limp fingertips twitched, as if wanting to confirm it with his hand, so Kloff instead wiped away his tears with his thumb. Seeing Kloff’s large, soaked hand, Aerocc also closed his mouth as if his throat was constricted and swallowed something.

“Will you believe me now? I also have feelings and can be hurt. Even though I’ve committed unforgivable sins.”

After a moment, Kloff nodded at the trembling voice. Aerocc’s wet blue eyes widened slightly, then gently curved.

“I intended to ask for forgiveness from both you and Raphiel… but now that I’ve experienced it myself, it doesn’t seem like something to ask forgiveness for. He’ll be in heaven, and I won’t, so we probably won’t meet.”

He smiled and blinked. The tears that had gathered fell in drops.

Kloff turned his head so Aerocc wouldn’t see and sobbed silently. He didn’t know the meaning of the tears; everything just melted out. The tears that flowed down his cheeks and chin mixed with the tears flowing down Aerocc’s white face. Aerocc, as usual, did not avoid his gaze, looking straight at him with a faint smile, and said.

“I apologize for the trouble I’ve caused. I hope I can repay it if I’m reborn someday. Then, I won’t even go near your lover.”

“…Is that all you have to say to me?”

Even his final farewell was laced with noble sarcasm, leaving Kloff with nothing but a hollow laugh.

You cruel demonic bastard.

Kloff took Aerocc’s hands in both of his and pressed them to his forehead. What should he say?

Goodbye? That he should remain in this terrible world alone, forever cursed? This damn bastard. Then, a fading voice was heard.

“I love you.”

At first, Kloff thought he had misheard and stupidly asked, “What?” as he lifted his head. Aerocc smiled and said again.

“I always loved you.”

Kloff didn’t know what to say. He gaped blankly, then unconsciously denied, “What you did wasn’t love.” At his words, Aerocc seemed a little disappointed, then smiled awkwardly.

“Perhaps. I’ve never… loved anyone else… besides you… so I might not… know well…”

With those words, Aerocc let out a deep sigh. He took a shallow breath, and unlike before, his voice, now broken, barely continued.

“Still… even if it’s a lie… please… won’t you tell me you love me… just once…?”

But Kloff dared not utter such words. Even if it was a lie, there was nothing he couldn’t say, but the words simply wouldn’t come out in the end. Aerocc remained silent, leaving a bitter smile. His blue eyes, unmoving, stared blankly at Kloff’s trembling brown eyes for a moment, then slowly disappeared behind his eyelids.

“Aerocc!”

At Kloff’s desperate call, his eyelids, which had slightly opened again, slowly closed completely. No matter how much Kloff shook him and called out, he never opened his eyes again.

He didn’t die immediately. Perhaps the doctor wasn’t a quack after all, as the bleeding was barely stopped, and Aerocc survived for three days even while unconscious. And then, on the third day, on a bright morning, while sleeping in a clean bed, embraced by Kloff, he quietly passed away.

Kloff didn’t understand why he held the enemy he so hated and kissed his forehead until his last breath for those three days. He simply couldn’t bear to leave the slowly cooling body. Kloff did not step out of the room until Aerocc’s faint breaths completely ceased. Occasionally, he would moisten his own lips with a little water and put it into the pale, unconscious Omega’s mouth. When their dry, chapped lips met and parted, a faint breath escaped.

As Aerocc fell into an unbreakable sleep, he would sometimes move his lips and shed tears, as if dreaming. Then Kloff would embrace him and brush his lips against Aerocc’s eyes.

Funnily enough, tears had a taste. They were probably just saltwater, but they had a very alluring, hard-to-describe taste. Neither bitter nor salty, if anything, it was a sweetness that felt like it would numb his tongue. He thought he had finally gone mad.

But he soon realized. Aerocc was having an extremely happy dream in his last moments, and so he shed sweet tears of overflowing happiness. To others, it would just be saltwater, but to Alpha Kloff, who had intertwined his body with Aerocc’s for years until their scents mingled, he licked those drug-like tears, embraced the cold body, and gently stroked his back. The limp body gradually stiffened.

Occasionally, Kloff would hold his hand and kiss his forehead, calling out, “Aerocc?” but he never woke from his happy dream. When his slowly beating heart finally stopped, Kloff, who had drunk Aerocc’s last tears, gave a short kiss to his dry lips. Aerocc, wrapped in a white sheet, looked incredibly peaceful as he departed as if in a dream.

Now, Kloff was the only one left in this living hell. He was not allowed to take his own life like Aerocc. Because he had children. The precious children Kloff had brutally raped Aerocc to create, sacrificing even his remaining life. In return, Kloff had to live alone in this terrifying hell, with a torn soul that would never heal. Forever alone, from now on.

Unlike Raphiel, who was buried in the family cemetery, Aerocc was buried in a sunny spot near the shack. His tombstone was simple. Birth and death years, and his name. There were no common eulogies. Kloff didn’t bring any flowers, but instead, the flowers he had diligently tended during his life bloomed in vibrant colors, adorning the lonely tombstone. To the very end, he was a self-luminous being.

Sometimes, when he brought the growing children near the shack, Kloff would occasionally stand before that tombstone for a long time. Late regret dominated him.

If only he had said the words he wanted, even if they were lies, back then.

He traced the top of the tombstone with his fingers, trying to say those words belatedly, but they never came out in the end.

A moment later, Kloff walked towards the children calling him from afar.