“Episode 20”
“She’s going to get hurt!”
Whether noble or commoner, they all watched anxiously as the Duchess, with her tightly bound hair now loosened, clung desperately to her galloping horse.
“Hyah!”
In contrast, Yuliana urged the black demon to go even faster, urging it on by tapping its side.
In response, the black demon surged forward fiercely. As if defying its unkind mistress, it raised its front legs and stood tall. Ereyna, alarmed by the dangerous sight, jumped up and shouted.
“We need to stop her!”
The Empress’s scream prompted everyone to rise from their seats.
But the black demon continued to gallop faster, while Yuliana, clutching the reins tightly, remained motionless.
Meanwhile, the horse ignored the statues and raced forward relentlessly. As it charged ahead, the solidly anchored statues collapsed one after another with a resounding crash of hooves.
It was strange.
Even the immense strength of the warhorse couldn’t easily topple the heavy statues with sheer force alone.
However, like scarecrows, the statues fell. Moreover, a strange light emanated from the entire body of the black demon.
It was armor.
The armor Yuliana had equipped her horse with shimmered brightly.
Seeing this, the nobles bowed their heads. A woman, sitting in the section reserved for the commoners and leaning forward to get a better look, asked the man behind her.
“What is that?”
“Magic?”
“That’s magic?”
“Even if she’s a magician, she wouldn’t be able to emit such a large amount of magical energy unless she’s in a stable state.”
The man spoke in astonishment. Hearing his words, even the few nobles who had been sitting in a relaxed manner rose from their seats.
The wizards were a race of magic users, considered both strong and weak. Memorizing formulas demanded concentration, which became a vulnerability on the battlefield. Therefore, archers and swordsmen were always needed to protect the wizards.
Only a handful of wizards possessed the wit and ability to turn the tide of a situation even in urgent circumstances.
Amid the admiring reactions of the nobles, the black demon, smashing everything in its path as if enraged, remained unchanged.
Yuliana, clad in armor from head to toe on the massive black demon, exerted all her strength to stay on the horse, which was now excitedly galloping.
Even that sight seemed somehow staged, like a painted picture. With a wild, captivating allure, Yuliana swayed on top of the horse.
Of course, that was only from the perspective of others; Yuliana herself was on the brink of death.
“…I haven’t used this much magic in so long. Damn it, I’m like my past self. Should’ve practiced magic instead of frolicking around like those decadent nobles of the fallen kingdom.”
Regretting the days of idly picking grapes like the dissolute nobles of the fallen kingdom, Yuliana tried to calm the black demon.
However, no matter how hard she tried, the black demon wouldn’t calm down. It seemed the problem lay in the combination of defensive magic with added offensive power. It was a misconception, perhaps from never before casting a protective spell with an attack added onto a living creature.
Yuliana quickly released the protective spell, afraid the excited black demon might even topple the small statue farthest away.
“Heeheehee!”
The crazed black demon suddenly paused. Its labored breathing calmed slightly, but it still maintained its frenetic pace.
While tightly holding the reins, Yuliana, without returning to the spectator stands, spotted Ereyna, who looked pale, on the outskirts of the arena.
With her body pressed tightly against the black demon’s back, Yuliana shouted with effort.
“Empress Mama!”
Ereyna was taken aback.
Her voice was strained but extremely firm. Her sharp eyes were fixed on Ereyna’s window.
Ereyna made a split-second decision.
And with that, she hurled the spear next to her toward the last remaining statue, which the black demon was charging towards.
Yuliana, fueled by some unknown force, let go of the reins and leaped from the galloping horse in a single bound.
In a brief moment, without any hesitation, Yuliana, standing firmly on the horse’s back, swiftly grabbed the lance as it passed over her.
“Gasp!”
People gasped in astonishment. Undeterred, Yuliana held the lance firmly and hurled it with determination.
Swish!
The formidable lance pierced through the statue’s neck. The statue crumbled pathetically, disappearing into a cloud of dust.
As soon as she realized her success, Yuliana faintly smiled. Then, she immediately lost strength in her entire body and fell from the horse.
—
“Ugh….”
Yuliana tossed and turned in bed, feeling a headache about to split her head open.
However, as soon as she felt the softness of the blanket, despite the headache, she felt a sense of relief.
“I’m alive after all.”
Surviving a fall like that. This life might be precarious, but it seems destined for a long one, Yuliana thought to herself.
Wanting to feel the softness of the blanket intentionally, Yuliana tossed again.
That’s when it happened.
A firm, rough hand brushed against Yuliana’s cheek, then gently touched the end of her tangled hair. It was a cautious touch, as if handling something precious.
Finally, despite her reluctance, Yuliana opened her eyes.
“Oh…”
As expected, her husband was right in front of her.
Evan sat near the head of the bed, staring blankly with eyes so chillingly blue they seemed icy. It was a silent gaze, devoid of criticism or affection, which made it even more unsettling. Yuliana parted her trembling lips to call out to him.
“Evan?”
As Evan flicked his finger, the faint candlelight flickered, and suddenly, the small candle ignited with a fierce flame. The intensified fire consumed the candle aggressively. Yuliana, with hazy eyes, watched the candle burning before belatedly noticing Evan’s gaze. After locking eyes, he spoke heavily.
“Why did you do that?”
“…Because I didn’t want you to get hurt.”
“You could’ve just played along as the foolish emperor’s plaything. It would’ve been over once you got hurt, as we agreed.”
“That was your plan? To get hurt and then win?”
“I didn’t think you’d believe that. And you didn’t. Am I wrong?”
“…”
Yuliana tightly shut her lips, as if she had turned mute. She contemplated invoking her right to remain silent. After all, it felt unjust for her husband to question her after she had orchestrated such a brilliant game, only to return to find him less injured and interrogating her.
With a pale face, Yuliana glanced at Evan, who folded his arms stubbornly, his gaze persistent.
“But your next move was truly unexpected. Because—”
“Because you thought I wouldn’t care whether you got hurt or not?”
“Yes.”
“!”
Yuliana was at a loss for words. She didn’t know what to say to Evan, who confidently claimed he wouldn’t care whether she got hurt or not, despite his completely unscathed appearance.
Stammering, Yuliana spoke up.
“Why… Why would you think that? Did I seem that indifferent?”
“After returning, my wife immediately suggested divorce. What could I have expected?” For the first time, Evan spoke disdainfully. His handsome face carried a cruelty that didn’t suit him as he continued.
“I’m begging, but you have nothing to give me. Unfortunately, this relationship was ours. It was the least damaging, the least hurtful.”
“I, I…”
Yuliana blinked back tears, her eyes moist with the hint of crying, as Evan pursed his lips.
“Don’t cry. I didn’t mean to make you cry. Please, trust me.”
Evan softened his tone quickly after his disdainful demeanor, reaching out to gently stroke her trembling cheek.
Yuliana didn’t recoil. Stained with injustice, anger, and confusion, she was about to say something when Evan spoke softly before her.
“You were making sounds while you slept. In a language I’ve never heard before…”
“!”
Yuliana gasped. Yes, she had a dream. It felt like a distant event… but it wasn’t far removed from her past life. And somehow intertwined with her current life.
It was a nightmare.
Frozen with fear of uttering a fragment of the nightmare, Yuliana was startled when Evan, his face shining with unfortunate beauty, asked her:
“Yuliana, are you the Yuliana Oben I know?”
“…”
Shocked, Yuliana blinked rapidly and shuddered.
What kind of dream did she have?
What kind of, what, dream?
“…I dreamt of Mom.”
Yuliana blurted out the sentence that came to her mind, and then she gasped, covering her mouth in surprise. Simultaneously, Evan’s eyes narrowed slightly. His hand, which had been caressing her cheek, now grasped her pale hand.
Yuliana spoke as if making an excuse, “It was just a nightmare.”
“You sounded like you were calling for something,” Evan said softly, trying to soothe her.
The story of Yuliana Oben’s mother, Theresa, was well-known. She was a cruel woman who abandoned young Yuliana Oben.
But Yuliana wasn’t talking about her present life. She was only talking about her mother who abandoned her in her past life.
Yuliana was captivated by a sense of detachment.
“Yeah… In this life or the last, I had such a mother.”
She had never thought she resembled her current life. But thinking about her childhood, where she felt abandoned, pained her.
Ah, even if I were to be born again…
“I’m sorry,” Evan whispered to the exhausted Yuliana, squeezing her hand tightly.
“Every time you’re kind, I fall into the misconception that you’re not yourself.”
Yuliana looked at him with confused eyes.
“Yeah… Why did I want to save you? You’re just a man in a story, and I’m just a woman who got caught up in that story. I just want to stay away from the main story and be alone. But, Evan, you changed that. You changed me. I’m scared of that.”
Yuliana raised her gaze from lowered eyes to meet Evan’s icy eyes.
“Evan.”
“Yeah?”
“What if I’m not Yuliana Oben?”
Even as she sensed the change in herself due to her awareness of her past life, Yuliana wanted to ask him.
Neither the Yuliana of her past life nor the Yuliana of her current life believed in love. Specifically, they didn’t believe in love that would last forever. The one she loved the most left her for a better love in an instant. Then the child couldn’t easily become an adult.
Both the Yuliana of her past life and the Yuliana of her current life felt that way. Yuliana Oben couldn’t erase the memory of the closet where her mother had left with her clothes. That’s why love had always been difficult for her.
She didn’t want to give affection. They left. The things I love…
Before realizing her past life, Yuliana always tested Evan Hillchen.
“I was just trying to prove eternal love,” she would say mockingly, sometimes feeling pathetic or disgusted with her past self, and urged on by all these words as if they were jokes.
“Hmm?”
Yuliana simultaneously nudged Evan backward. As she continued to nudge him like a prey, Evan approached.
It was Yuliana who first released the persistent gaze. Just as she was about to laugh it off as a joke… Evan spoke with an indifferent tone, as if stating the plain truth.
“I didn’t expect you to do that to help me. So, I kept thinking. What I might be missing about you. I’m still curious and afraid you might turn away.”
Yuliana remained silent in response to his sudden words.
As always, Evan showed himself in Yuliana’s silence. He lost his composure in confusion and guilt, whispering in a low voice.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make things difficult for you. I just… I felt so helpless when I heard you were losing it. It was so confusing. So yeah. I never hoped you’d do that for me. Why did you? I keep wondering.”
Yuliana felt the confusion in his tone. She wanted to calm him down in that confusion.
So, she reached out to the foolish knight who promised to willingly offer a blue rose. Evan Hillchen’s arm under her hand was trembling thinly.
“Evan.”
Just calling his name once. Surprisingly, Evan Hillchen’s trembling subsided.
“Yuliana.”
After calling her name, Evan kissed the back of her hand.
And he kissed her palm as well. His breath and lips sticking to her palm felt strangely unfamiliar.
Yuliana blushed at the sensation. Evan, with lips touching her palm, briefly glanced up at Yuliana.
His straight gaze was intense, as if it could devour Yuliana. However, as if realizing he hadn’t looked at her like that before, he soon removed his lips from her palm.
Then, still pale, Yuliana smiled softly. His lips touching her hand still felt warm. To be precise, it felt like the skin where they touched was pleasantly warm and tingling.
Receiving his gentle gaze, Yuliana melted into the blankets. At the same time, he blew out the candle with a swift motion.
Darkness enveloped them. Yet Evan Hillchen, sitting in the chair across, didn’t go anywhere. Yuliana felt relieved at that fact.
The confusion didn’t vanish, but a strange tranquility settled in.
How much time passed like that?
Yuliana slowly drifted into a deep sleep, free from nightmares.
Eventually, Evan Hillchen kept his promise to give Yuliana a blue rose.
Despite her great fall and miraculous survival, one morning Yuliana was surprised to find a blue rose shining by her bedside.
It was a rose that combined the beauty of wildflowers with noble elegance. Although Yuliana already had a rose garden where blue roses bloomed regardless of the season, she had never seen such a beautiful rose before.
She deeply inhaled the scent of the rose as if savoring a dream.
“What is this, exactly…?”
