Before leaving, everyone gathered at Princess Angelina’s mansion as per her wish to bid farewell to the noble ladies.
“I guess I’m not Lady Karson anymore.”
“Yes.”
“Now, you’re just Frances.”
Erin called her by her name. She had regained her own name.
“From now on, I have to find my way by myself.”
“Yes. You have to be strong from now on.”
She nodded with determination.
“Thank you. If you hadn’t all helped me, nothing would have changed.”
Then she sincerely greeted everyone.
“So I wanted to say this to everyone here.”
Her gaze met each person’s eyes.
Slowly, her lips parted.
“Because of you, I realized that I need to gather my courage.”
She smiled bravely.
“I’ll be back to see you all when time passes. I’ll come back stronger, not as weak as I am now.”
“We’ll be waiting. Come back soon.”
Erin respected her intentions.
“Send me some delicious wine later. I’ll think that you’re doing well every time I have it.”
Claire said lightly to brighten the mood on purpose, causing laughter around her.
“But don’t overdo it. Remember, there are people who will help you when times are tough,” Angelina cheered her on.
“Yes.”
She turned brightly and left.
That’s how Lady Karson left.
The last time they saw her before parting, her face looked much brighter and lighter than before.
So everyone could support her and say goodbye with a smile.
***
It had been a few days since Lady Karson had left when Erin received a message from Demielan.
It was a polite request for her to come to his workshop. When she received the letter, Erin’s expression deepened.
“It must have something to do with Lady Karson,” she thought. However, she couldn’t guess what he wanted to say, but she prepared to go out to meet him.
Erin found Demielan’s workshop.
There, she saw an unfinished sculpture she was familiar with.
“No, wait. It’s not unfinished….” Erin squinted and looked closely at the sculpture.
“So, is your heart at ease now?”
“Yes. It’s more peaceful than I thought,” Demielan said calmly.
“She came to see me before leaving. She must have known my heart.”
A smile appeared on his face.
“She didn’t say much before leaving. She just laughed and said she felt like she needed to say a final goodbye.”
As he spoke, a faint smile appeared on Demielan’s face.
“It was the face I saw when I fell in love at first sight. The one that smiled brightly without a care in the world.”
Maybe that was why he completed the sculpture differently from the original.
“Seeing that, I felt it was time.”
His masterpiece did not remain unfinished. His sculpture was completed. The face of her that had remained unfinished in the sculpture.
She had a beautiful smile as if her eyes were sparkling.
“It’s much better now that it’s completed.”
Erin murmured absentmindedly as she gazed at the sculpture.
“So, what are you going to do now?”
“I appreciate the support I’ve received, but I plan to leave again.”
Demielan said apathetically. Erin nodded slightly.
“How long do you plan to be away this time?” He always stayed in the capital for a short while and then left.
“I don’t plan to come back.”
Erin silently looked at Demielan’s expressionless face.
” …Yes, then let it be so.”
Erin had never asked him for anything or supported him for any particular purpose from the start. So, there was nothing he owed just because he received support from Erin.
There was no reason for Erin to hold him back. “I hope you keep sculpting wherever you go.” Erin wished him a bright future.
“I will. Sculpting is like my life to me.” A faint smile appeared on Demielan’s face. “When will you leave?”
“I have some things to take care of, but once I resolve them, I’ll leave right away.”
“I see. Then today will be the last time I see you.”
“Thank you for everything you’ve done.”
“Can I ask for one thing?”
“Before you go, could you give some advice that would help Julia when she sculpts in the future?”
” …Yes. I’ll tell her everything I know, whether it will be helpful or not.”
“Thank you. And goodbye.” Erin waved to Demielan as he left.
After meeting Erin, he met Julia. Then, a few days passed, and Demielan left.
Afterward, he never returned to the capital. However, he traveled around, keeping his promise and leaving many sculptures in various places.
Occasionally, when news of him reached her, Erin would smile quietly. She wished him well.
***
After Demielan left, the last piece he created in the capital, “Lienster,” arrived.
It was what he left for Erin. When Erin lifted the cloth covering the sculpture, she held her breath. It was a completed work of art.
The sculpture captured emotions vividly on the face, and as they moved it to the storage room, everyone was amazed.
It was captivating and stood out with a mysterious feel at first sight.
Aiden also showed interest in the sculpture, so Erin and Aiden went to the storage room to see it together.
“Is this the sculpture?” Aiden asked quietly.
Erin told him the story behind the sculpture, and Aiden listened, looking solemn throughout.
When Erin mentioned that this was the last gift he left, Aiden asked, “What are you thinking so deeply about?” tilting her head towards Aiden.
Aiden mumbled, “I just think it’s nice to leave such a gift.”
Erin’s gaze narrowed as she observed his expression.
She seemed to understand what Aiden was thinking.
“Why do we need a sculpture, anyway?” she asked meaningfully, and Aiden looked at her with a puzzled expression.
She leaned in close to his face. “There’s something realer than that,” she said, the corners of her eyes crinkling.
“Why do I need a sculpted gift?” For Erin and Aiden, they were gifts to each other.
There was no need for a substitute like a sculpture in the first place.
Demielan was right. The sculpture was an unrequited confession of love that couldn’t be realized.
It couldn’t symbolize a destined love. Love shouldn’t be left on a sculpture but should be directed towards a person.
Even though it couldn’t be achieved, just like Demielan confessed before Frances left, perhaps Frances had been somewhat healed from his lonEriness and anguish, knowing that there was someone who had loved him for a long time.
Demielan was able to complete the sculpture and let it go because he had settled his feErings and confession well.
In the end, it was necessary to reveal their hearts.
At that moment, Erin felt even more precious, being able to fully express their hearts to each other in front of Aiden.
***
Erin Lianster had lived as Erin for over ten years now. She had lived a life different from the original.
She had been satisfied with her life and had even been proud of it in her own way.
But she seemed to have never cared about how other people in this world were living.
Erin had reasons and motives for not living confined to the perspective and background of this world.
She had a modern mindset and knew the original story of this world’s beginning.
But other people were simply living trapped within the framework of this world, which mostly had a negative impact on them.
Aiden, who was so precious to Erin now, as well as Logan and Isabella, had suffered within that framework.
And the original Erin in the story had also been the same.
But now, she was living outside of that framework.
That’s why the situations of other people, including Countess Karson, became more relatable to her. Therefore, she couldn’t pretend not to know.
Especially as a result of this incident, Erin began to think that there might be more for her to do.
Ultimately, the person who underwent the most unexpected change due to this incident was…
Erin was herself. She hadn’t been very interested in social circles.
It was enough to just show her presence among them to a certain extent.
Therefore, she didn’t know much about their various aspects.
Not their outward appearances, but rather their true thoughts, personalities, and individual circumstances.
Inevitably, she had an accepting and accommodating heart.
In fact, they had been resigning themselves to important parts of life, just needing opportunities and conditions.
“There needs to be hope that seems immediately graspable in front of their eyes.”
Erin looked down at the palm of her hand. The money and strength she had gathered over the past ten years to protect herself and Aiden, as well as the funds she had planned to save for leaving after divorcing Aiden, were still there.
“I didn’t know what to use it for. But now I think I know where to put it.”
