Annan's breathing became more and more difficult, and phlegm stuck in his throat.

He couldn't open his eyes at all, and with all his strength he could only make his eyelids move slightly.

Annan felt pain all over his body...... It doesn't happen anywhere, but it hurts all over the body, under the skin, in the internal organs, and in the bones. Thankfully, his spell was still working.

This weakened this pain countless times - and yet even after being weakened countless times, Annan could clearly feel this pain.

All his spell could do was to make Annan calmer.

It was a feeling of weakness that I had never felt before......

Not to mention asking and chatting, Annan didn't even have the strength to scream. With each breath, it became weaker and closer to death.

…… I see.

Is this what it feels like to grow old and die of illness?

Annan had enlightenment in his heart.

It is not a life that can be terminated by suddenly exhaling the last breath.

Rather, they died little by little. It's like a fire that's gradually extinguishing......

Suddenly, Annan saw something-

The most eager, the middle-aged woman holding her hand...... It seems to be a person like the daughter of "oneself". Her body suddenly lit up.

Even Annan doesn't need to open his eyes to see her image.

（…… Is this time finally going to end, but it's going to kill me. The old man is about to choke...... ）

As Annan's left eye warmed slightly, a very soft whisper sounded in Annan's heart.

…… Is this, the left eye of the angel?

Annan was stunned for a moment before he reacted.

The next moment, the young woman, who had been sobbing in the corner, finally cried out loud.

It was a howl that burst out of my throat when I couldn't hold back it.

The man beside her sighed deeply, took the woman in his arms, and gently patted her shoulder to comfort her silently.

And at this moment, the young man also suddenly appeared in the light.

（…… Really, it's better to die soon. Jenny hadn't slept in days, and her body would definitely not be able to stand it if she continued like this...... ）

As the maiden named Jenny cried, a real sadness spread around the room like a curse.

People who didn't intend to cry couldn't help but choke up a little.

Tears welled up in their eyes, but they didn't even notice it in their eyes. And those who shed tears are not necessarily sad in their hearts.

Even in the corner of Annan's own eyes, he couldn't help but get a little moist.

A middle-aged man stood up suddenly, lowered his eyes, sobbed, stretched out his trembling hand, and wiped the corners of Annan's eyes with a handkerchief.

"Teacher ......"

He whispered in a somewhat choked voice.

That solemn mentality, no one looks very sad.

But in Annan's eyes, he was suddenly highlighted:

（…… Well, I finally found an opportunity to express my filial piety. The teacher's family has now seen my sincerity, and when I use the teacher's name to sell paintings to make money, they will not come out to break me for the sake of face...... ）

Immediately afterwards, one person after another in the room gradually lit up in Annan's eyes.

A stumbling, malicious whisper sounded in Annan's heart:

（…… I don't think I have a share of the teacher's legacy. Then I'll take the paintings from the studio tomorrow...... ）

（…… I don't know if the second uncle's inheritance can fill Xiao Marin's gambling debts. This is obviously a terminal illness, what did you do when you wasted so much money to continue your life before, did you toss the old man...... ）

（…… It's really retribution, and it deserves it. If my grandfather hadn't prevented me from marrying Justin, I wouldn't have run out of money to find a priest now...... ）

（…… It's been a waste of more than a month, and I'm going to die. It's good that my job is gone...... ）

As Annan got closer to death, the more grief the people around him became.

But the malice ignited in their hearts has become more and more intense.

That may not be called malicious.

— just the expectation of Annan's death.

The old painter, who had lived in a sick bed for a long time, had already burned out the grief of his family and students during the long, near-death journey.

The noise in Annan's head faded away.

Everything around him suddenly became quiet, the pain in his body disappeared, and the whole person fell into complete silence.

…… He remembered.

They weren't like that for some time when they first fell ill.

- Neither is it.

"Don't waste any more money on my treatment, I can't cure this disease......"

"Don't say that! If you have money and don't treat the elderly, is it like words? ”

Like a flashback, Annan was reminded of the scene four months ago, when he had just fallen ill.

In people's eyes, there is anxiety and urgency, and in words and deeds, there is an ardent and tangible "love".

But soon after that, that love burned out completely.

The trivialities of life, the energy, mental and financial resources consumed before the sickbed, gradually equaled with the "love" of the past, and even overflowed.

I don't know where to start, and the heart of looking forward to "finally getting through" gradually turned into looking forward to "dying sooner".

Or 10%, or 30%, or 50%.

What they show is still the love of the past, but in the eyes of the old man, what is in their hearts can be seen at a glance.

…… I want to rekindle that love.

- The only way to do this is to die.

Let the tiredness, irritability, pain, and sadness all be cleansed and turned into nostalgia.

- The only way to do this is to die.

I want to be hated by people, I want not to be hated by people, I want not to cause trouble to people......

- The only way to do this is to die.

…… Is that what you want to show me, Denton?

Annan looked at the flashback of life in the old studio, and such a thought came to his mind.

It's not just about letting yourself die in a nightmare.

In this way, I confuse my perception of "life" and "death".

Instead, it planted the idea in Annan's heart that "I am wrong to live", and let Annan have the idea that "people are looking forward to my death".

…… And then what is Denton going to do?

Outside, detonate this self-destructive desire?

"—it's boring."

Annan sighed deeply: "It's not as interesting as the previous trap." ”

In front of Annan, the nightmare suddenly shattered.

He reopened his eyes.

The sparkle in his eyes dimmed slightly, but in the blink of an eye, he overflowed again.

"It's too weak, it's too weak."

Annan sighed: "Why is this a lore? What do you think of me as someone?

"This level of fear is too weak...... I don't even have a single thought, 'I should die.'" ”

“…… Actually, it's really ......."

The white-haired young man opposite Annan frowned with some incomprehension: "You are a ...... Don't have a heart?

"When the people who love you hate you, don't you feel even the slightest guilt? You don't even want them to give up saving you......"

"—that's nature. People hate me, what does it have to do with me? I didn't live for them. ”

Annan sighed and staggered to his feet.

The ruins beneath his feet suddenly shook.

Collect all seven Fear Shards...... The whole nightmare suddenly shuddered.

Fragments of buildings gradually swirled and gathered together; In the void, the buildings are outlined, filling the gaps in the ruins.

The ship, which had been worn out to pieces, was reorganized in the blink of an eye.

Finally, Annan recognized it.

A complete picture of the ship.

That's what ...... The first nightmare he ever experienced.

Benjamin used John's soul, Don Juan Gerante's entire curse, to create an artificial nightmare.

- The ship.

"Hey, make no mistake, Denton."

Annan looked down at the white-haired young man who was still leaning against the wall, and said very calmly: "I am not a saint, not a god, and not a king.

"What outsiders do is none of their business with me. I can't control so much, all I can do is myself.

"It's like a spider silk nightmare before – I told them to follow me. But have I ever waited for them? Do I have any expectations for them? Did I give orders and command them?

"Do I stipulate that they have to keep up with me? Have I asked them not to betray? Did I say a word when they flinched? ”

Annan laughed heartily: "Don't make a fuss, Denton!

"I'm the only crazy person who is abnormal, and they can do whatever they like. I am not sacrificing because I want to respond to their requests, but because I want to achieve this, so I will not need to be paid; Then when I am hated and not needed, I will not respond to them.

"They love to play this game called 'Life', so I take them to play. But when I don't want to bring it, no one wants to force me to help them; If they don't like to play, they go back and live their lives. Ultimately......

"What they expect has never been my business."