<Episode 115>

“Give me back my power.”

“Urgh…! Eve!”

Eveline reclaimed the power that had been residing within Abellard’s body.

Abellard looked at her in shock as Dekarv’s power, once coiled around his heart, slipped away and returned to her without resistance.

“You really do know how to disappoint me, Brother.”

“Eve, this is…”

“Don’t say anything.”

Having reclaimed Dekarv’s power, Eveline allowed time to resume.

“Eve… I really do love you. I love you.”

As Abellard cried out, nearly sobbing, Eveline sighed and looked at him. Breaking an oath sworn on one’s divinity meant being cast into the void as punishment.

She watched as Abellard’s body began to blur—fading as the penalty for breaking his divine oath—and turned to Elkais.

“Forgive him. If you do, he might not be banished into the void.”

“…But.”

“I forgive him.”

Elkais wanted to let Abellard disappear. If he vanished into the void, at least they wouldn’t have to see him for a hundred years.

But if he allowed that, Eveline would probably resent him for just as long.

“…Alright. I forgive him too.”

Still, he chose to look on the bright side: Eveline had returned to him, and he believed she trusted him more now than ever.

“Hic… Eve…”

Abellard began to cry even harder, wiping his face with the back of his hand.

“Huuhhh! I… I really, really… hic… like you, Eve…!”

“There’s no ‘us,’ Brother. I’ve never loved you that way. You’re just family—and you always have been. And the way you love… it isn’t the kind of love that works for me.”

“But…!”

“That’s why I can’t love you.”

“Hic… Waaahhh!”

At Eveline’s words, Abellard collapsed to the floor, crying like a child.

Time resumed its flow—and though Abellard had broken his oath, he was not cast into the void.

* * *

By evening, the guest house of the ducal estate—borrowed by Elkais from Duke Wilden—was glowing warmly with lights.

Eveline knew that Abellard had locked himself in his room and hadn’t come out. She figured he probably wouldn’t for the rest of the day.

Knock knock.

“Yes.”

At her reply, a servant silently opened the door and spoke.

“The Duke de Robein would like to escort you to the guest house, my lady.”

“Alright.”

Eveline adjusted her simply styled ivory dress and headed for the guest house.

Strangely, though she’d felt gloomy in her room after everything that happened earlier, her heart now fluttered as she walked toward the guest house.

She had never thought she would be able to marry someone in this life. She had lived as a beta until her constitution disappeared, and in her previous life, she had wanted to die in service as a police officer.

But now things were different.

Now, she wanted to live as Elkais’s wife. She wanted to have a child who resembled him, and a child who resembled her—and raise them together.

If there was one thing she knew for certain, it was that Elkais’s sincerity toward her couldn’t be mistaken.

Even when she tried to run away in fear, he gave everything of himself—like a moth drawn to a flame—for her. There was no ignoring it.

“Wait a moment.”

Eveline, on her way downstairs, stopped and stared at a vase on a table. It was filled with a lovely arrangement of red roses and fragrant freesias.

She plucked the most vivid, fully bloomed red rose.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes, my lady.”

And so Eveline headed to the guest house.

Now that it was dark, the gentle glow of lights from the guest house was stunning. It looked like fireflies were floating around, and the sight made Eveline smile.

She found it curious that she could only sense one presence inside the guest house.

“I’ll go in alone. Wait here.”

“Yes, my lady.”

She pushed open the door and looked inside. The scent of roses was thick in the air, drifting down the hallway from the entrance.

“Heh…”

Eveline laughed when she saw the crimson carpet and the black rose petals strewn across it. She remembered how he’d once asked her about the meaning of black roses.

“Honestly…”

She found it endearing that he had chosen black rose petals just for this.

As she stepped gently on the scattered petals, she gripped the red rose tightly in her hand—the one she had brought from the main estate.

She walked along the path lined with fallen petals.

The inside was dark, yet lit softly. The floating lights—like candles—were clearly conjured by magic.

Their soft, glowing presence, like fireflies, gave her a calm, warm feeling as she reached the curtained area.

“Eveline.”

“Can I pull this back?”

“Yes.”

Eveline drew back the red curtain with her hand. And there—

“Heh…”

“Will you accept me?”

Elkais was kneeling in front of her, holding out a box.

“Who proposes by handing over a title ring?”

“I do.”

“Pfft…”

Eveline laughed when she saw what was inside. It wasn’t a wedding ring, but the signet ring of House de Robein.

“I’ll pressure the emperor into changing the law if I have to. Once we’re married, you’ll become Duke de Robein.”

“…Why would you prepare something like this?”

“Because I don’t want you to live merely as the duchess. A duchess isn’t a low title by any means, but it doesn’t suit you.”

At his words, Eveline looked at him, a little surprised.

“How do you know what I want, Elkais?”

“I’m always watching you. And I constantly try to understand what it is you want.”

Eveline felt something stir inside her at the fact that he had seen through her long-abandoned desire—the one where she had once wanted to change the world.

“How about becoming Duke de Robein and transforming the Croppers Empire?”

“What about you?”

“Then I’ll become the duke’s consort.”

He smiled brightly as he took her hand. Then he slipped the ring onto her finger and said,

“From now on, I’m yours completely.”

“…Elkais.”

“It’s kind of sad… All I can give you is a title and a family name.”

“How is that all?”

She chuckled, realizing how serious he was being. Elkais smiled joyfully at her expression and said,

“To you, House de Robein might seem small. But even before you became a goddess, I always wanted to give you the duchy.”

“Ah…”

“But now… it almost feels too small for you. It makes me feel sorry.”

“How could it be small? You built it with your own hands, Elkais.”

At her words, he smiled brightly again and helped her to her feet, still holding her hand.

“Compared to you, everything I have feels trivial.”

“…”

“You’re more precious than everything I own, and more brilliant than anything I’ll ever have.”

Hearing those words, Eveline felt her heart grow warm. His smile, his gaze locked with hers, the way he always checked on her emotions—everything told her he was sincere.

“I really…”

Her chest burned from the way Elkais kept watching her, so attentively, so carefully—always keeping himself in check so he wouldn’t hurt her.

“I love you, Elkais.”

“And I love you, Eveline.”

She gently placed the rose she brought behind his ear.

“I love you so much.”

Then she wrapped her arms around his neck and let out a soft sigh. Elkais listened to the sound of her heartbeat as he embraced her tightly.

“I’ll make you happy forever, Eveline.”

“That’s my line.”

And so, Eveline became engaged to Elkais.

* * *

It was late into the night. Eveline had wanted to make love to Elkais, but he adamantly refused.

His reason? He stubbornly insisted that on such a joyous day, he couldn’t end it by coughing up blood and passing out.

Eveline, on the other hand, wanted to be with him even if it meant coughing up blood. But he genuinely hated seeing her in pain, and so he comforted her by saying they could wait until the day after their engagement.

Elkais had fallen asleep beside Eveline in her bedroom—until he sensed someone’s presence and opened his eyes.

“…What is it?”

“It’s me.”

Eveline blinked sleepily awake as well. Standing at the foot of their bed, eyes swollen from crying, was Abellard.

“I—I really thought it over, Eve.”

“Brother…”

“So… will you hear me out?”

Eveline gently patted Elkais’s arm, sensing how tense he was as he held her protectively. Then she sat up. Abellard sniffled and let out a choked breath.

They waited for him to calm down. After a few minutes, he parted his lips and finally managed to speak.

“P-please… just listen to me.”

“We’re listening,” Eveline said softly, her tone warm and patient.

Tears welled up in his eyes again, and he choked on his words, only able to breathe out heavily before sealing his lips shut once more.

Just as Elkais’s patience was beginning to wear thin, Abellard finally spoke again.

“I’ll take your powers.”

“Brother…”

“This time, not with my divinity—but with all of my strength and will.”

“…”

“In return… I want something too.”

Abellard fought back another sob as he said,

“Eve, if you become human, you’ll keep reincarnating.”

“…”

“So… just once. Just once, in one lifetime… promise me you’ll love me.”

With those words, he collapsed, sobbing into his hands as he wept.

TL/N: bro can’t get the memo 🙄