DYBAR - Chapter 148 < The Secret Sealed by the Mine >
Do Your Best And Regret
I had never thought like that before. Edwin has always been a great person to me. He was a person who gave me strong trust, so all he wanted to do was protect me.
But before he could say no, a heavy sigh reached his ears. The words trapped between trembling lips were scattered in a muffled sound.
The breath trapped in the back of my throat was cold, and it felt like a chill was enveloping my entire body. It was as if the only warmth I had left was the tenderness that spread through my shoulder as Edwin leaned on it.
So in the end I decided that all I could say was...
“...I thought it was my responsibility. After all, the reason the Prince imprisoned the two knights was because of me.”
It was an excuse-like word that lingered in my mouth every time something happened.
Even while my pulse was pounding hard, Edwin's words, without any pitch, could be heard clearly.
“Have you not even thought about the danger you would be in if you were to fall for the guy who brought you to the palace even after threatening you like that?”
"I am... It’ll be okay,”
“Do you really think that?”
The warmth on my shoulder disappeared.
My green eyes fluttered as if I were frightened. My lethargic hand tried to hold Edwin's hand several times, but Edwin did not hold my hand like he usually did.
Instead, he took two steps back and looked down at me calmly. His red eyes, which had lost their always affectionate gaze, became surprisingly cold, and my heart sank.
“Even the day he bruised your wrist.”
But when I lowered my head to avoid his muttering words, I couldn't help but bite my lip.
“In the valley of Senua...”
Edwin's large fist was shaking slightly. After a brief pause, the words continued slowly.
“...Even on the day you fell. Olivia said so. It’s okay.”
At that moment, my mind flashed back to Edwin's trembling hands as he hugged me that day.
“So, as Olivia asked me to believe, I have believed it until now.”
At the mansion, Edwin also told me to be careful when I asked him to trust me, with a look of disbelief.
“But it ended up being dangerous. Without me really knowing.”
Even his eyes, which are as red as they are now, are everything.
“... Maybe there really was another danger that I didn’t know about and still don’t know about.”
Questions as sharp as a dagger.
When I realized that what I had reaching the end of was his worry for me and his disappointment in me. I had to swallow my sobs.
My thoughts were short. Although I always asked Edwin to lean on me, I ended up betraying the trust he gave me in order to protect him.
I clenched my fists and strained my eyes. My eyes were blurred with tears, but I held on strong.
Edwin washed his face dry. With a pale face that stood out even in the darkness of the mine, I passed my hot words inside of me.
“...I support Olivia, but that’s only when Olivia’s safety is guaranteed.”
“...I won't. I will never go anywhere again without telling you.”
The voice echoing through the tunnel was faint. My round shoulders kept shaking, unable to even raise my head.
The moment he saw my fists clenched as if I was holding back my tears and my red lips that had been bitten hard, Edwin hugged me with a soft sigh and muttered.
“...Look at this. If this happens, I’ll be so hurt from the inside out that I won’t be able to even speak.”
My body in his arms was infinitely small. Edwin slowly comforted my small back.
The stubborn girl muttered like a parrot that she was wrong and that she would never do it again.
And Edwin slowly raised the tip of his lips as he listened to those words.
Lie.
Edwin couldn't believe Olivia's words that were spreading through his heart.
Olivia was good at saying she was wrong, but Olivia didn't know what was wrong. Although she said she would not do anything dangerous, if her people were in danger, she would be the first to step into danger.
Her standards for judging her own safety and risk are different. Like countless knights who have become numb to danger in a long war.
Edwin knew what kind of environment Olivia grew up in, and had a rough idea of what kind of mindset she lived in.
Having lived alone all her life, he understood to some extent that he couldn't change her all at once.
But to understand her and to watch firsthand as she threw herself into danger like a moth to her father was on another level.
“...No matter how well-intentioned you may have been in causing Olivia to act, I can no longer stand by it.”
At Edwin's words, Olivia only nodded her head and hugged him. Edwin clicked his tongue in pity as she clung to her small grip as if she would never let him go again.
If only she had been a little less brave...
But to understand her and to watch firsthand as she threw herself into danger like a moth to her father was on another level.
“...No matter how well-intentioned you may have been in causing Olivia to act, I can no longer stand by it.”
At Edwin's words, Olivia only nodded her head and hugged him. Edwin clicked his tongue in pity as she clung to her small grip as if she would never let him go again.
If only she had been a little less brave...
Even if it shines a little less...
But if it was a little less, Edwin knew it wasn't Olivia, so he sighed softly and cleared his mind.
How can we prevent ourselves from jumping into a dangerous situation?
And the moment he made eye contact with Bethanny, who was fidgeting a little away, his eyes turned red as if he had discovered a new insight.
Unless Olivia can change anytime soon. And if Edwin can't stop Olivia from doing that.
But if it was a little less, Edwin knew it wasn't Olivia, so he sighed softly and cleared his mind.
How can we prevent ourselves from jumping into a dangerous situation?
And the moment he made eye contact with Bethanny, who was fidgeting a little away, his eyes turned red as if he had discovered a new insight.
Unless Olivia can change anytime soon. And if Edwin can't stop Olivia from doing that.
...Then, all you have to do is eliminate the dangerous situation itself. As if Vikander was already fully prepared.
“...I guess I was wrong.”
"Yes?"
Olivia asked back in monotonous muttering. In the end, looking at her small face holding back tears, Edwin gently clicked his tongue. Then, he gently swept the area around her eyes, as if caressing a piece of glasswork, and spoke.
“There won’t be any more dangerous situations anyway.”
“...Edwin?”
“Olivia. I will go to the imperial palace soon. With Vikander’s knights.”
Olivia's eyes trembled slightly. She understood what that meant right away. A declaration that she could see blood.
“We will rescue Vikander’s knights and intelligence merchants, and we will definitely turn the relationship with the imperial palace upside down... So that they cannot do any harm to our peace.”
Edwin's voice did not falter one bit, as if he was reciting a predicted future. And now Olivia had no intention of stepping forward in her place, saying that she would avoid a situation where she would shed blood.
“...What a relief."
Edwin tilted his head, perhaps because the answer was different from what he expected.
"Because... I threw a handkerchief in the Prince’s face.”
“Olivia, are you?”
“Of course, half of it was because of the wishes of the previous Grand Duchess.”
Edwin tilted his head as if he couldn't believe it and blinked for a moment. The end of his thinly trembling lips was filled with anticipation and a vague sense of nervousness that it could not possibly happen.
“...Olivia. How did you get here? Bethanny, are you sure you used too much force?”
Bethanny shook her head quietly. And she said in as calm a voice as possible.
“The previous Grand Duchess sent us to this mine.”
"No way. My mother...”
“...In the deepest part of the bedroom of the Emperor's palace, there was a portrait of the previous Grand Duchess. With the preservation spell applied.”
Edwin's face, which had been filled with confusion, cleared for a moment. The face that couldn't believe its own ears slowly looked at Bethany and then at Olivia.
No way... No way...
The faces that looked at him in denial expressed in silence that his thoughts were correct. Edwin clearly saw the Emperor's intentions, which he had only guessed for some time.
In the end, what made his childhood difficult was that his father had to be dead for ten years. In the end, the mother went to the imperial palace on behalf of Vikander...
In the end, everything...
Ha...
“...Edwin?”
“Olivia. I will go to the imperial palace soon. With Vikander’s knights.”
Olivia's eyes trembled slightly. She understood what that meant right away. A declaration that she could see blood.
“We will rescue Vikander’s knights and intelligence merchants, and we will definitely turn the relationship with the imperial palace upside down... So that they cannot do any harm to our peace.”
Edwin's voice did not falter one bit, as if he was reciting a predicted future. And now Olivia had no intention of stepping forward in her place, saying that she would avoid a situation where she would shed blood.
“...What a relief."
Edwin tilted his head, perhaps because the answer was different from what he expected.
"Because... I threw a handkerchief in the Prince’s face.”
“Olivia, are you?”
“Of course, half of it was because of the wishes of the previous Grand Duchess.”
Edwin tilted his head as if he couldn't believe it and blinked for a moment. The end of his thinly trembling lips was filled with anticipation and a vague sense of nervousness that it could not possibly happen.
“...Olivia. How did you get here? Bethanny, are you sure you used too much force?”
Bethanny shook her head quietly. And she said in as calm a voice as possible.
“The previous Grand Duchess sent us to this mine.”
"No way. My mother...”
“...In the deepest part of the bedroom of the Emperor's palace, there was a portrait of the previous Grand Duchess. With the preservation spell applied.”
Edwin's face, which had been filled with confusion, cleared for a moment. The face that couldn't believe its own ears slowly looked at Bethany and then at Olivia.
No way... No way...
The faces that looked at him in denial expressed in silence that his thoughts were correct. Edwin clearly saw the Emperor's intentions, which he had only guessed for some time.
In the end, what made his childhood difficult was that his father had to be dead for ten years. In the end, the mother went to the imperial palace on behalf of Vikander...
In the end, everything...
Ha...
A breathless sound escaped from empty lips. With an empty and miserable face that could not be expressed in any words, Olivia only held Edwin's hand tightly.
The wind that came through the mine entrance made a mournful sound and wrapped around the shaft. At the end of that sound, Olivia continued her words quietly.
“I heard the wishes left behind by the previous Grand Duchess in that portrait. The previous Grand Duchess....”
She immediately felt his eyes looking at her Meeting his gaze, Olivia repeated the words of the previous Grand Duchess as best as she could.
“I hope Edwin, the descendant of Lowell and Vikander, becomes strong enough to take back this mine. I love you all my life....”
Olivia extended her hand towards Edwin.
She spoke with sincerity in the hope that she could convey to him as much affectionate energy as the warmth that reached me.
“...She wishes you happiness. She really wanted it.”
Edwin's eyes became wet. As Olivia stood facing Edwin, she smiled as she looked at the magic stone on the necklace wrapped around his hand.
“So, based on that sincerity, I will try to solve the secret of this mine in hopes of Edwin’s eternal happiness.”
"Miss? No way...!”
Bethanny, holding her breath, called out to Olivia as if she were screaming. Olivia nodded her head as if she guessed it right away and she looked at both Bethanny and Edwin.
"Yes. Her Royal Highness, the previous Grand Duchess, briefly showed it to me. A way to unlock the secrets of this mine.”
***
In the quiet mine, Olivia began humming slowly. The melody of the previous Grand Duchess seemed somewhat familiar. The note uttered through my voice was the same note my mother had sung to me a long time ago.
A thin voice spread through the wind and into the tunnel.
At some point, Edwin's eyes widened as he nodded his head at a sound that seemed familiar to his ears.
The song Olivia sang was the same one his mother had sometimes sung to him when he was young.
The moment they realized it, a brilliant green light began to emanate from the magic stone of the necklace wrapped around Edwin and Olivia's hands.
Warmth as gentle as a gentle breeze and fresh, sweet scents of grass and flowers reminiscent of Senua's Valley.
Edwin gritted his teeth as the energy encompassed all five senses in an instant. Unlike Olivia, who seemed at peace, he held onto her fingertips, and a tingling sensation filled his entire body.
A thin voice spread through the wind and into the tunnel.
At some point, Edwin's eyes widened as he nodded his head at a sound that seemed familiar to his ears.
The song Olivia sang was the same one his mother had sometimes sung to him when he was young.
The moment they realized it, a brilliant green light began to emanate from the magic stone of the necklace wrapped around Edwin and Olivia's hands.
Warmth as gentle as a gentle breeze and fresh, sweet scents of grass and flowers reminiscent of Senua's Valley.
Edwin gritted his teeth as the energy encompassed all five senses in an instant. Unlike Olivia, who seemed at peace, he held onto her fingertips, and a tingling sensation filled his entire body.
When a strange energy was transmitted that took his breath away, Edwin realized that he could hear a voice gradually becoming clearer at the end of the sweet wind.
“...I'm sure you will be happy. Just as I had hoped.”
The voice filled with cheerful laughter disappeared as if by magic. Edwin blinked his eyes and looked down the road where the voice had disappeared.
The barren, dark mine was filled with the light of the magic stone. The mine wall became more sparkly as if it resonated with the magic stone every time it sparkled.
The stones in the mine shaft disappeared as if they were shedding their skin like living creatures. Only when the hidden feelings began to be revealed did Olivia open her eyes after finishing the prayer she had been reciting?
There were flashing lights everywhere. It was filled with green transparent gems from floor to ceiling. Both Olivia and Edwin blinked at this sight they were seeing for the first time.
He felt like he couldn't say it out loud because he was so overwhelmed by the idea of a gem that filled him with strange and pure power just by looking at it.
Meanwhile, Bethanny, who was looking at all of this while gasping for breath, pointed to one wall with her fingertip and let out a loud noise. Magic sparkling like lightning suddenly came out.
It was the first time since he was a child that he felt so full of magic. There was only one way to explain.
“...Mother... !”
It was Lowell's secret, a magic stone, hidden under the facade of a dry white crystal mine.
***
A dusky morning.
A carriage with Madeleine's pattern hurriedly stopped in front of the Prince's palace.
Did they have a prior appointment this early?
The servants approached the carriage, remembering the Prince's schedule.
“Meet the Duke,”
The servants who opened the door with a formal greeting opened their eyes wide. The Duke of Madeleine's attire was appropriate for meeting the Crown Prince, but his silver hair was not set properly.
Such a disheveled Duke...!
Wow this is amazing
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