No Need For Regrets

Chapter 22

“Now it means surrender to me, Sereniel Verdellet.”

Sereniel didn’t say anything.
It wasn’t because she felt bad or was confused. It was because she didn’t understand what Lexion had just said.

“What… do you mean…?”

“Just as I said.”

But Lexion’s expression was unreadable. Reflected in Sereniel’s eyes, he seemed like someone who had been preparing to say those words for a long time.

“All I want from you is that. I don’t need the mine or moonstones. Those are already yours.”

“……”

“If I thought I would covet your property like Calian or Belles, that would be a big mistake.”

The menacing black pupils of Lexion, filled with Sereniel, glinted ominously.

He had never been someone she could reach. No matter how much she harbored him in her heart, she couldn’t show it, and she couldn’t even call his name comfortably.

But now everything would change. And surprisingly, it was Sereniel who reached out her hand.

Lexion never intended to let Sereniel go. No matter what he had to do or what risks he had to take.

“Why? Is the surprise too big for you?”

Lexion’s eyes softened beautifully.

“Every time you asked me. Why do you want to help me? What’s the reason? The answer is simple.”

“……”

“You have value to me.”

Even if she heard the answer, it was still incomprehensible.

Sereniel knew nothing about Lexion Rosevester. Not even in her original life, where she lost her life because of Leraie’s poisonous tea.

What Sereniel remembered was a party about six months ago at most. Lexion’s question about her happiness. Even that was only remembered now.

“It’s an expression of not being able to understand.”

“…… Yes. That’s exactly it.”

At Sereniel’s sincerely inexplicable question, Lexion laughed softly again.

“Am I scary?”

It was an unexpected question.

“I… ”

Sereniel’s voice trembled slightly without her realizing it.

Was he scary?
There was no way not to be scared.
But Sereniel remembered what happened a few days ago vividly. The clumsy comfort reaching out towards her from the cliff that was terrifyingly high.

When Sereniel couldn’t give a clear answer, Lexion spoke again.

“Even if you treat me like a mad murderer like others, it doesn’t matter much to me. You’ll find out the truth of those rumors when you experience it firsthand. But I promise one thing for sure. As long as I’m behind you, no one, including me, will harm you.”

“……”

“Of course, including me.”

Sereniel’s pupils flickered briefly. She looked at Lexion for a moment without saying anything, then asked faintly,

“Do you have feelings for me?”

“Or… Are you asking if there are rational emotions?”

Lexion didn’t answer. He just thought.
It would be impossible to fit his feelings for Sereniel into the framework of what is known as rational emotions.

Could he just tailor it to such trivial emotions? If it were possible, six months ago. He wouldn’t have turned away from Sereniel’s laughter of happiness.

By any means, he would have forced her to stay by his side.
It wasn’t an impossible story. Then and now, Lexion could easily trample Belles and Calian without any difficulty.

“I… ”

Sereniel, with a confused expression, spoke while fidgeting her fingers.

“I don’t trust anyone anymore, and I don’t plan to.”

“……”

“If the other person harbors trivial emotions, that’s even more so. And it’ll be like that in the future. Forever, until I die.”

No one would trust her again.

Sereniel continued to experience firsthand what the end of naive and foolish trust looked like.

Now she didn’t need that anymore.

What Sereniel needed now was minimal safety and…

To regain what was taken from her by them and to seek revenge.

“I never told you to trust.”

And Lexion responded in a calm tone.

“That’s not something you can solicit just because you’re begging like a beggar.”

If that were the case, he would have done it already.

I’m sincere. I can make you happier than Calian Helcar. So please, accept me…

“If you want to be entangled in a contractual relationship like that, then do it according to your own terms. It’s not difficult.”

“……”

“I’ll help you divorce Calian Helcar and protect you from Belles. I’ll help you regain everything you’ve been robbed of, and I’ll take care of them in front of your eyes.”

There was no trace of affection for Calian in Sereniel’s eyes. It wasn’t incomprehensible.

Lexion, too, now understood the situation completely. That day, he also knew why Sereniel was crying so hard in the rain and who the mother of the child hidden in the villa was.

So that wasn’t a problem anymore.

The rest…

“Maintaining a lifelong marriage with me.”

Sereniel hesitated.

“Let’s make that conditional.”

“What do you mean?”

“If, as you said, one year later.”

“……”

“If, even then, you still feel you can’t trust me at all. Then do as you wish at that time.”

Although the words were conditional, Sereniel couldn’t help but be taken aback.

It was advantageous to her but disadvantageous to Lexion. Didn’t she just say that she would never trust anyone again…?

But Lexion had a look on his face that seemed to indicate he didn’t care about such things at all.

“How about it? Is this a deal you can make? For you.”

Sereniel still wore a confused expression, but eventually nodded her head. Very slowly.

“……”

Lexion looked down at Sereniel, who had heard his words, and it was clear what she was thinking now. But Lexion was certain.

You’ll come to trust me.

I’ll do whatever it takes to protect you, to do what you want.

For Lexion, there was nothing easier than that.

There was nothing as easy as making her love me, but I was confident about this.

“The deal is made.”

And Lexion whispered into Sereniel’s ear in a low voice.

“Since I’ve set foot on your battlefield, you’ll definitely win.”

[War isn’t just fought with swords and arrows. You’re stepping into your own battlefield now, too.]

Thinking back to Lexion’s words I heard a few days ago at Paul’s shop…

Sereniel thought.

Yes, I’ll never lose.

Even if choosing Lexion causes some repercussions.

“……”

Suddenly, Lexion’s black pupils collided with Sereniel’s emerald ones in the air.

Reaching out his hand, Lexion lightly grabbed Sereniel’s slightly disheveled blonde hair. Sereniel hesitated for a moment, but she didn’t react as strongly as she did last time. She just looked on, her gaze fixed on the man’s eyes, which showed no signs of light.

“I’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time.”

“What… do you mean?”

Well, wasn’t it at a moment like this?

When you look at me like this, and when you can call out my name as freely as you want… Lexion thought to himself.

He could still vividly remember.

Before I claimed Rosevester. When I lived fighting on the battlefield.

The noble viscountess who smiled brightly behind my eyes and in my mind.

Even I, a lowly commoner, couldn’t bring myself to utter her name.

I wonder what it feels like to be able to attach this surname to your noble name again… I still feel that way.

“Serinial Rosevester.”

“Today’s choice, you’ll never regret it. Like I said before, I’m the most perfect and only option for you.”

Lexion lightly kissed Sereniel’s ear as he held her blonde hair in his hand. Then he smiled slightly.

“……”

That’s right.

There’s no need for regrets anymore.

Looking at Lexion smiling at her, Sereniel made a resolution.

It was a day in the mid-spring, a day with exceptionally good weather.