A Tramp and a Scoundrel

As Eulalia's gut-wrenching “blessing” blared through the phone, a chaotic crash nearly shattered Percival’s eardrums.

It felt like a thunderclap hit him. Percival staggered back a step, his ears ringing, and he heard something collapsing.

“Eulalia?” Percival called softly, testing the silence.

The phone was dead silent, so quiet it made his heart race.

“Eulalia, answer me.”

“Don’t mess around…” Percival’s voice was hoarse, like he was choking on blood.

“I’ll be back soon. Evadne and I are just pretending. I don’t like her. I’m only engaged to her to save your blood.”

“Do you understand?”

“Answer me… Eulalia.”

But no one could answer him. Percival’s face turned deathly pale as he stared at the blank phone screen. He tried to redial with trembling hands, but all he heard was the cold system message.

“Sorry, the number you have dialed is not in service…”

Percival kept redialing over and over, veins bulging on his forehead, cold sweat dripping into his eyes, something wet falling onto the