~~ Thank you so much for the coffee ~~
━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━
As I released the barrier and opened the door, Raphir was standing there. He gestured to the knights behind him to stay put and entered the room.
“Eila, why won’t you evacuate?”
“I just told you a moment ago. In a situation where the fate of the country is hanging in the balance and my father and my brothers are all staying to fight, how can I run away and leave them behind?”
I looked directly into Raphir’s eyes as I spoke.
“Don’t say that I should be protected just because I’m a girl or the youngest. I want to protect my family just like you.”
Raphir smiled quietly.
“You’re right. I knew you would say that.”
“You… knew?”
“Yeah. Even when you were trapped with me inside the artifact, you vowed that you would always save me, no matter what.”
“I don’t remember making such a vow.”
I was somewhat confused, and Raphir let out a short laugh.
“But you actually kept that promise. I owe you a lot.”
“…….”
Feeling awkward, I shifted my gaze around without saying anything.
“So, Your Highness, did you come here to try to persuade me?”
“Yes, that’s right. I came to persuade you.”
“…What?”
I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at that.
“Listen to your family, Eila. You need to flee to another country before it’s too late.”
“What are you…? I just clearly told you that I don’t want to be in a position where I’m protected. Didn’t Your Highness understand my intentions?”
“I understand, of course, but it is not only the duty of a member to protect their home. In times of desperate crisis, seeking refuge to ensure the continuation of the lineage is also a significant responsibility.”
I was momentarily speechless.
A self-deprecating smile appeared at the corner of Raphir’s lips.
“You see. You’re not the only one who’s been told to flee for the sake of our country and family behind, Eila.”
“…….”
I wasn’t surprised, really. When a country is on the brink of destruction, it’s not uncommon for the royal family to flee and plan for the future.
I could tell just by looking into his eyes. Raphir must have been tormented by the fact that, as the Crown Prince of the Empire, he had to abandon the country in such a situation.
“Unlike me, you may not have a mother or a younger sister to take responsibility for, but I hope you don’t really think you’re alone. Everything you have, including the name and blood of Rojasis, is the legacy of your family. You have a duty to protect all of that.”
“…….”
Raphir extended his hand toward me.
“So come with me, Eila. Let’s share the burden, responsibility, and accompanying pain that rests on your shoulders.”
“Your Highness, I…”
“I know that I haven’t won your heart yet. Just like before, I have no intention of forcing you now or even in the future. I will wait as long as it takes. But I cannot leave you here. That’s one thing I cannot tolerate, no matter what you say. Let’s go, Eila. I’m begging you.”
“…….”
I stared at him in bewilderment, not taking his outstretched hand or saying anything.
After a while, Raphir slowly lowered his hand and smiled bitterly.
“…What I just said was my honest feelings. But I know that it’s just my selfishness. As promised before I entered this room, I will not force you into something you don’t want.”
“…….”
“However, Eila, I hope you won’t ignore the fact that your survival is your duty as a member of the Rojasis family. I, too, am determined to fulfill that duty, no matter how painful it may be.”
Raphir stepped away from me.
“I’ll come back tomorrow morning. I hope you’ve made up your mind by then.”
“Tomorrow… but, Your Highness, if you’re going to flee, you’d better hurry….”
“Yes, that’s true. So I hope you’ll make your decision as soon as possible.”
“…….”
He was willing to wait a night just for me.
Moreover, it wasn’t due to any urgent circumstances, but to give me time to decide. And he was determined not to force anything that went against my wishes.
‘Do I really deserve this much care and love….’
That thought crossed my mind for a moment.
Then Eleanor’s voice echoed in my mind.
– I take back what I said before.
‘…What?’
– Marry the crown prince. He’s a man you shouldn’t let slip away. With him, you might still be able to pursue your path as a mage even if you become the Crown Princess.
‘…….’
– Ah, of course, there’s something you need to do first. After all, if you married the crown prince, you wouldn’t want a husband to have no country to rule.
‘…I can’t tell whether you’re joking or being serious, Master.’
– I am always serious, no matter what.
With a solemn tone, I let out a sigh.
After Raphir left, I locked the door again and set up a barrier.
For Raphir’s sake and to ensure the Empire doesn’t fall like in the original story,
‘Now, please teach me, Master.’
– Very well.
I closed my eyes, and just like before, I felt the overwhelming flood of knowledge, as if my entire consciousness was being swept away.
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Clyde was sitting alone on the ruined city walls of Illassa.
It was the city he had destroyed with his own hands just a few hours earlier.
But from where he was, the town looked remarkably intact. Not a single roof had collapsed, and there was no smoke rising from anywhere.
“There you are, Your Majesty.”
When he turned around, Lieutenant Sakaya was standing there. He had brown skin, white hair, and pitch-black pupils without white in his eyes, and he had goat-like horns, a characteristic appearance of the Ethendal race, which made up more than 60% of the population in the demon world.
“I’ve completed all the preparations for the legion. We are ready to march whenever you give the order.”
Without a response, Clyde turned his head again. It was a signal that meant, “If you have nothing more to say, you can leave now,” so Sakaya lowered his head and descended from the city walls.
The newly crowned Demon King preferred to do everything on his own. In fact, this war had been won almost entirely by his own power.
The demon army that Clyde was now leading, from recruitment to the overall organization, was all created by Sakaya. If it weren’t for Sakaya, Clyde might have invaded the human realm all by himself. Of course, even if he had, it wouldn’t have changed the outcome. That’s how overwhelmingly powerful Clyde was.
The voices that questioned Clyde’s heritage because of his mixed human blood had long disappeared. The demon realm was a society ruled entirely by the logic of power.
It was already well past sunset, but to the demons’ eyes, it was as bright as noon. That’s why they had always scheduled their sieges for the midnight hours.
As Clyde gazed silently into the sky, a silhouette suddenly appeared before him.
His eyes widened in surprise as he turned to look at her.
Silver-white hair like starlight, a cute yet determined face, a slender body adorned with the robe of a mage
It was Ruby.
It was the image he had pictured for the past two years, whether he was awake or asleep.
‘…Not again.’
A bitter, wry smile tugged at the corner of Clyde’s lips. It wasn’t the first time he’d seen an illusion of her.
Especially in the Demon Realm, the dense magical atmosphere peculiar to that place often responded to his magic and emotions, creating Ruby’s illusion.
Since coming back to the human realm, this was the first time he had seen such a vivid illusion.
Perhaps it was because he would soon be able to see her again.
As the distance between them grew closer, his thirst intensified.
Ruby’s illusion moved around as if it were a person in the dark, squinting her eyes as if unable to see anything, making Clyde chuckle at how realistic it was.
“…Clyde?”
But eventually, Clyde’s expression turned cold when he heard the voice.
Until now, the illusions Clyde had seen were just illusions, and she had never spoken.
Clyde clenched his teeth and released magic from his hand to disperse the illusion.
But instead of dispersing, the illusion of Ruby, which must have been shaped by magic, screamed as it was enveloped in Clyde’s magic.
“Ahh!”
With a painful cry, Ruby fell below the castle walls.
Without time to recover from the shock, Clyde leapt after her on pure reflex.
In mid-air, Clyde caught Ruby and held her tightly, crouching down to protect her.
Soon, a dull shock spread through his entire body.
━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━
“Ruby, are you okay? Ruby? Ruby!”
“…ah, ugh….”
A faint groan escaped from my throat. My whole body felt like it had been torn apart by sharp blades.
The complete darkness around me made it impossible to know what had happened. I was definitely attacked by someone and fell from a high place….
I don’t know anything else, but one thing was certain—I was currently in Clyde’s embrace.
It had been a long time, but there was no way I could ever forget his temperature, his smell, or his touch.
“Ruby. Please, please, wake up, Ruby…”
I could feel droplets of water on my forehead. I wondered if it was raining in my hazy mind.
“It’s okay…, I’m okay, Clyde….”
I opened my eyes as I said that, but I still couldn’t see anything in front of me.
I forced myself to circulate mana within my body through the pain.
“Ci… Etera…”
As I recited the spell, a white mass of magical light appeared in front of my eyes.
And there, with a contorted face and tears streaming down, was Clyde.
