Chapter 28: I Love You

What words…

…would be necessary?

How should I start?

“…….”

In truth, Kariel had nothing to say.

There was no need to ask about Elhermina.

Nothing he was curious about.

Even now, he was cast out in the wilderness.

Pale and fleetingly bleached.

Within a space that had lost even its color.

He was simply chasing something.

“…….”

And yet.

Still, it was different from before.

If he gave up on everything.

…The contract he signed with the Demon King would activate.

[One. Kariel must defeat Lueld, who is both the Hero and his father, and force him to accept defeat.]

“…….”

This was not the problem.

However, there were additional clauses attached to it.

[Should he break or lose the resolve for this, he shall bear the most miserable and painful despair in the world.

This shall extend permanently, even after death, to him and all those he holds dear.

This shall continue until the day his bloodline vanishes.

(This does not apply to his father, Lueld, his mother, Ermina, or the sibling to be born in the future.)]

It had nothing to do with his parents or siblings.

The Demon King likely believed that if they were entwined in it, Kariel might choose to commit suicide as a way of taking revenge.

That was probably why he had specifically excluded his parents and siblings.

In fact.

Kariel had briefly considered such retaliation himself.

Surprisingly, he had thought of it often.

If you find me so distasteful.

What if I just died in front of you?

But.

It was a ridiculous assumption.

Even if he cut his own throat in an instant.

…His mother would surely bring him back to life.

Thinking of that made even suicide an exception.

Then, should I die somewhere else?

What happens after I die?

I wouldn’t be able to see the reactions of those two, would I?

It was a small stubbornness, bordering on a lingering attachment.

But because of that.

I couldn’t even choose suicide with satisfaction.

And now.

I have begun to fear interacting with anyone.

If I fail.

In the end, it won’t end as my own solitary misfortune and despair.

Someone might say:

You’re going to steel your resolve because of a mere maid? A commoner girl who works? Are you insane?

‘It doesn’t matter.’

Even that maid.

Though she was but a small light.

I have not forgotten that warmth.

It is separate from love.

Simply as one human to another.

I simply found it unbearable to see someone become unhappy because of me.

“I love you.”

“…….”

……?

…………??

“What?”

“It seems you’ve finally come to your senses.”

…Did that woman just make a joke?

Her expression didn’t change at all, making him wonder if he had heard a hallucination.

“Those words were my sincere feelings. You didn’t mishear, so there is no need to pretend you didn’t hear them.”

“…Wait. Wait a second.”

What is this out of the blue?

“That is why I am even more sorry.”

Sorry?

“Sorry… you are?”

“I.”

Why there?

With eyes tightly shut.

The one who had locked her lips.

Let out a short groan.

And then, snapped her eyes open.

“I am not good with words, Kariel. As you well know.”

“…….”

Now that the archaic tone is gone, she definitely seems to lack something.

The unique pressure surrounding her remained, however.

Was it the dignity of a ruler?

“My greatest miscalculation was this. I arbitrarily overestimated you.”

“Overestimated… me?”

“Yes. Therefore, I committed the foolish miscalculation of blindly believing that even if I did not protect you, you would willingly spring back to your feet.”

“…….”

“It wasn’t just me. His Majesty felt the same, and my Queen Mother thought so too. Sir Variel believed it without doubt, and so did Uncle Lueld. Aunt… Ermina might be a bit different, though.”

“…….”

“But in the end, it cannot be denied that it was our doing that brought the situation to this state.”

“You… wouldn’t be involved.”

Kariel replied in a calm tone.

Even if he mentioned that day five years ago.

At least at that time, you weren’t there.

By the time you returned to the capital, the situations had already been settled individually.

“Even so, I admit that I cannot be free from the Original Sin of having stood by and watched.”

“…Didn’t you say you didn’t stop Alessius for the sake of your own pride? You just confessed that with your own mouth, so why bring up Original Sin?”

“And as a result, did you not become unhappy?”

“…….”

Was this person always so blunt?

Though her expression of emotion was clumsy, her sincerity was clearly conveyed.

The appearance she always showed was one of indifference, where no emotion could be felt at all.

Even during grueling physical training.

Though she would sweat, her expression never faltered for a single moment.

Even within the Academy, the teachers themselves would learn a thing or two from her.

…They were not in a position to give her pointers or advice.

She was already a figure beyond the reach of the Academy level.

Perhaps the position was slightly different regarding magic.

But even that had long since surpassed the realm of a mere genius.

“I know that you and Eras shared the same dream.”

“…….”

“And those were words you told me as well, after you returned to your home country.”

That is unexpected.

“I? To you?”

“…Your memories must indeed be faint.”

The corners of her mouth trembled, looking beyond regret, as if she were slightly sorrowful.

“Did you not tell me that you wanted to go on an adventure?”

That the world out there is truly vast… and there are many places to go. That you wanted to see many things.

“Even the unexplored regions not marked on the map. The Land of Scorching Heat. The Mountain’s Ceiling. The end of the sea. Even the edge of the sky.”

Besides that, the Land of Scorching Heat where everything burns as if to kill.

Even the land of death shrouded in the unknown.

That perhaps we only vaguely avoid them because we are ignorant and afraid.

“You told me that.”

And that.

Planted another dream, another hope, within me.

“……I don’t remember.”

Kariel could only respond with a stutter, feeling strangely awkward.

She didn’t seem to mind.

“It is alright. You were gravely ill at the time.”

At those words, he could vaguely guess which time she was talking about.

“I do not know the full story because Sir Lueld remained silent, but because of it, the Elves became particularly difficult with us. And they began to volunteer concessions.”

And at that time.

“I heard personally from His Majesty that Sir Lueld almost chopped the World Tree into pieces, and that it wasn’t just a joke.”

“…….”

It was a story he didn’t know.

But what was certain.

Was that the journey of being dragged around as a hostage ended with the Land of Elves.

And at some point after waking up.

I had suddenly returned to the Empire.

By the way, World Tree?

Tear■■ ■ it.

■a■■ ■.

You ■■■ be ■■.

W■ ■■sh.

W■■ ■■ be ■■.

====

-I see.

So that was the culprit.

-I wondered.

Suddenly.

From a position where he could look down upon the lush forest floor.

The Demon King, looking up at the night sky further above.

Asked thus.

-Did the old fogies already know?

…….

……….

-Ha. Of all things to ask.

What do I expect from mere wraiths.

However, it seemed the symptoms were relatively less severe within the Heart of the Empire, the Imperial Capital.

Looking back up into the void, the Demon King let out a small sneer.

Spirits?

That thing… is a Spirit?

Even though his physical body had vanished long ago.

He felt a surge of nausea.

-Did they only manage to mitigate it?

Could there be such a coincidence?

Or is this too a necessity disguised as a coincidence? A predestined harmony?

Rather than someone intentionally planning it, would it be more accurate to say the location was just auspicious?

Furthermore.

-The old fogies were desperately trying in their own unconscious way, weren’t they?

…….

……….

-Kukuk!

In a way, the Demon King was nothing more than a wraith himself.

Still, the difference between him and them.

Was because the grade of their existence was different.

There was a difference in fundamental aptitude.

To begin with, there is a clear difference between those pitiful beings who must form a physical entity bound by the laws of matter to maintain their identity.

And those like us, who grew without an identity and had one established for various reasons.

-There is bound to be a difference.

Regardless, the situation is turning out interestingly.

To think that princess would throw a confession right to his face so openly.

-What a wonderful time of life.

But.

It is truly regrettable.

…It’s too late.

Even if Kariel accepts that confession.

Now, he is in a position where he must relentlessly turn the Cartwheel without ever being able to stop.

Rather, your confession.

To the embers of his complacency and emptiness.

Will act as a desperate fan, fueling the fire in the name of urgency.

Soon, the embers will flare up.

Even if you weren’t there, there was a child who provided the catalyst beforehand.

‘Because he learned fear.’

Wouldn’t he have been happier for a while if he hadn’t known?

Ignorance.

Is sometimes sweeter than the juice of a sweet fruit.

But now, he knows.

Once he knows, Kariel can no longer give up.

If he were to inadvertently imagine those who sincerely cared for him.

All of them being ruthlessly cast not into a mild purgatory, but into an abyss pouring out screams.

At that moment, even surrendering to frustration would become impossible.

Given his tendencies and nature.

‘There are things that should be forgotten.’

However, there was nothing he couldn’t understand.

That was how much.

He must have believed he had no particular lingering attachments to the world.

He believed he had no specific, precious bonds with anyone.

But that remains to be seen.

Perhaps you simply do not remember.

Because of that.

If your frustration ultimately leads to their indiscriminate despair.

Will you still be able to laugh joyfully then?

Or.

Will you even be able to cry?

====

For some unknown reason, cold sweat turned into beads of perspiration streaming down.

I feel as if I am forgetting something, but the thought of recalling it makes me shudder.

Fear climbs from my toes through my entire body, weighing down my shoulders.

My tongue stiffened, and my jaw began to tremble automatically.

“Kariel?”

“…….”

Though it was a trivial pride.

At that call, I regained a sliver of my senses.

What I need to do here is obvious.

I haven’t forgotten.

Deep breath.

Just a deep breath.

Straighten the back.

Pushing the breath deep inside.

Yes, as I always have.

When the mental state falters, the breathing collapses first.

So, the breathing….

“……?”

Who did I learn this from?

[Don’t panic. Start with your breathing, calmly. Slo~wly. You don’t need to think about anything.]

If you keep doing that, once your breathing is refined, your troubled heart will naturally settle down.

So.

“…….”

It’s strange.

I’ve only just stepped outside the capital.

My mood felt very peculiar.

Did I unconsciously relax because I heard Elhermina’s unexpected confession?

What on earth….

“So, let us return now.”

But.

At that sound, my scattered mind snapped awake instantly.

“…That won’t do.”

Surprisingly.

A perfectly sane answer burst through my lips.

My blurred vision corrected itself.

The world before my eyes, which had been hazy, became clearer.

That was its original form.

And so, in the forest where darkness had fallen.

The damp scent emanating from the forest quickly awakened my mind, which had almost frozen stiff.

“That would be problematic.”

I declared.