“Go upstairs, Rebecca.”
I slowly rolled my eyes, answered with a faint smile, and started climbing the stairs again.
And finally, I arrived in front of the door and slowly opened it.
The midday sunlight pouring in through the window across from me soaked my toes.
I was dazzled by its splendor.
I closed my eyes slightly without realizing it and then slowly opened them.
Through my regained vision, I saw a familiar figure.
It's him again.
I had experienced enough in the months I had been away from Cedric that excessive longing could create such vivid illusions.
That person is standing there.
But not him.
The moment I realize that fact, my heart always tingles.
It's been a long time since I got used to that feeling, but I still feel pain and sadness about our breakup.
No, as time passes, this feeling becomes more and more difficult to bear.
'Why does it keep appearing...'
I crumpled my face as if I was blaming that illusion, or rather, that person.
And I lowered my head to try to ignore that sight.
Water droplets fell down my toes.
I didn't want to be left alone in a place where there was only the illusion of that person.
So it was time to slowly turn back towards the hallway.
“Rebecca.”
A very vivid bass sound penetrated my ears.
I miss Cedric so much.
So I must be crazy.
Now, it's not enough to welcome him, and he's even bringing his voice back to life.
It was just as I was trying to ignore it and take another step forward.
A warm hand gently wrapped around my waist from behind.
I felt a soft breath on my neck.
Little by little, the arm wrapped around my waist gained strength.
Soon, a small sobbing voice was heard.
The man buried his face in my shoulder and wet the area little by little.
A new, resentful voice flowed from his lips.
“...Why did you do that?”
“...”
“Why on earth did you leave me?”
I slowly turned around and looked at him.
His lower lip trembled slightly.
Finally, he is the one.
Cedric, my lover.
As soon as I was convinced of that, my eyes became wet.
His face, which had always shined beautifully, was haggard and damaged.
He held my hand dearly as if it were a treasure and kissed it repeatedly.
Tears fell down his cheeks.
“There’s no way I can’t protect you. I promised you countless times. But why do you treat me so coldly...”
His love and resentment toward me were stronger than ever.
He seemed like someone who was already dying from a long illness, or like someone who had just regained hope.
I was held in the arms of that pitiful man.
It was finally there. The embrace I longed for.
His arms around me gained even more strength.
He held me as if he were restraining me, but I did not avoid his touch.
If only I could be with him like this forever, if only we could return to being a happy family again, I was willing to accept any pain.
When I saw him, I was convinced. I want to be with him no matter what difficulties come.
“I missed you, Cedric. Me too..."
The words I had wanted to say for so long were finally poured out in front of my master.
The tears I had been holding back finally burst out.
Cedric's restraints were slowly loosened as I sobbed.
He looked down at me and gently stroked my cheek.
Cedric touched me as if he was caressing something very precious.
His lips soon found mine.
The kiss lasted for a very long time as if representing the many things we wanted to say to each other during the time we were separated.
From the moment we reunited, throughout the day, Cedric tried not to leave my side for even a single second.
If I got up from my chair for a moment, he would immediately stand up, and if I even tossed and turned while lying in bed with him, he would quickly show signs of nervousness.
Even if a servant came near me, a cold light of wariness would spread across his eyes.
His face was gaunt compared to before.
It's enough to believe that he hasn't slept a wink since the day we had no choice but to break up with each other.
Every time that face was pitiful and I said something vaguely worrying, Cedric fiercely raised his eyes filled with love and hate.
“You made it like this.”
The bass sound, which was always nice to listen to, now cracked every now and then, like a withered old tree.
It was definitely a different attitude from before when he smiled kindly no matter what I did.
Yet he acted like he couldn't bear it if he didn't snuggle into my arms.
“I definitely did my best not to go crazy. You are the one who broke me like this.”
It was a tone that felt fierce yet cool, like a wounded animal.
The color of his affection for me had already changed.
He was no longer as sweet and charming as before.
Cedric's love has suddenly become dark with obsession and possessiveness.
He seemed to be on guard even with me so as not to lose sight of me.
“Stop going back. From now on, you will stay in my castle.”
“But, Cedric...”
“Don’t even mention useless things like staying at your mansion. From this moment on, you cannot stay anywhere outside of my castle.”
Cedric gritted his teeth and said.
“If I’m going to be stubborn until the end, I have no choice but to force you to go to the Mansion of Light... No one will be allowed to go near the room you are locked in.”
And finally, I arrived in front of the door and slowly opened it.
The midday sunlight pouring in through the window across from me soaked my toes.
I was dazzled by its splendor.
I closed my eyes slightly without realizing it and then slowly opened them.
Through my regained vision, I saw a familiar figure.
It's him again.
I had experienced enough in the months I had been away from Cedric that excessive longing could create such vivid illusions.
That person is standing there.
But not him.
The moment I realize that fact, my heart always tingles.
It's been a long time since I got used to that feeling, but I still feel pain and sadness about our breakup.
No, as time passes, this feeling becomes more and more difficult to bear.
'Why does it keep appearing...'
I crumpled my face as if I was blaming that illusion, or rather, that person.
And I lowered my head to try to ignore that sight.
Water droplets fell down my toes.
I didn't want to be left alone in a place where there was only the illusion of that person.
So it was time to slowly turn back towards the hallway.
“Rebecca.”
A very vivid bass sound penetrated my ears.
I miss Cedric so much.
So I must be crazy.
Now, it's not enough to welcome him, and he's even bringing his voice back to life.
It was just as I was trying to ignore it and take another step forward.
A warm hand gently wrapped around my waist from behind.
I felt a soft breath on my neck.
Little by little, the arm wrapped around my waist gained strength.
Soon, a small sobbing voice was heard.
The man buried his face in my shoulder and wet the area little by little.
A new, resentful voice flowed from his lips.
“...Why did you do that?”
“...”
“Why on earth did you leave me?”
I slowly turned around and looked at him.
His lower lip trembled slightly.
Finally, he is the one.
Cedric, my lover.
As soon as I was convinced of that, my eyes became wet.
His face, which had always shined beautifully, was haggard and damaged.
He held my hand dearly as if it were a treasure and kissed it repeatedly.
Tears fell down his cheeks.
“There’s no way I can’t protect you. I promised you countless times. But why do you treat me so coldly...”
His love and resentment toward me were stronger than ever.
He seemed like someone who was already dying from a long illness, or like someone who had just regained hope.
I was held in the arms of that pitiful man.
It was finally there. The embrace I longed for.
His arms around me gained even more strength.
He held me as if he were restraining me, but I did not avoid his touch.
If only I could be with him like this forever, if only we could return to being a happy family again, I was willing to accept any pain.
When I saw him, I was convinced. I want to be with him no matter what difficulties come.
“I missed you, Cedric. Me too..."
The words I had wanted to say for so long were finally poured out in front of my master.
The tears I had been holding back finally burst out.
Cedric's restraints were slowly loosened as I sobbed.
He looked down at me and gently stroked my cheek.
Cedric touched me as if he was caressing something very precious.
His lips soon found mine.
The kiss lasted for a very long time as if representing the many things we wanted to say to each other during the time we were separated.
***
From the moment we reunited, throughout the day, Cedric tried not to leave my side for even a single second.
If I got up from my chair for a moment, he would immediately stand up, and if I even tossed and turned while lying in bed with him, he would quickly show signs of nervousness.
Even if a servant came near me, a cold light of wariness would spread across his eyes.
His face was gaunt compared to before.
It's enough to believe that he hasn't slept a wink since the day we had no choice but to break up with each other.
Every time that face was pitiful and I said something vaguely worrying, Cedric fiercely raised his eyes filled with love and hate.
“You made it like this.”
The bass sound, which was always nice to listen to, now cracked every now and then, like a withered old tree.
It was definitely a different attitude from before when he smiled kindly no matter what I did.
Yet he acted like he couldn't bear it if he didn't snuggle into my arms.
“I definitely did my best not to go crazy. You are the one who broke me like this.”
It was a tone that felt fierce yet cool, like a wounded animal.
The color of his affection for me had already changed.
He was no longer as sweet and charming as before.
Cedric's love has suddenly become dark with obsession and possessiveness.
He seemed to be on guard even with me so as not to lose sight of me.
“Stop going back. From now on, you will stay in my castle.”
“But, Cedric...”
“Don’t even mention useless things like staying at your mansion. From this moment on, you cannot stay anywhere outside of my castle.”
Cedric gritted his teeth and said.
“If I’m going to be stubborn until the end, I have no choice but to force you to go to the Mansion of Light... No one will be allowed to go near the room you are locked in.”
Then he began to chant in a somber voice as if he were alone in a dark frame of thought.
“If by any chance there are people hanging around you, I will kill them on the spot.”
For a moment, his eyes slowly opened wide as he met my frightened face.
He blinked as if surprised by his own attitude, then hurriedly took me into his arms.
Then he gently stroked my hair and begged in a trembling voice.
“... Please come back with me, Rebecca. Please don’t make me suffer anymore here.”
I hugged that pitiful man tightly.
Only then did I feel the tremors throughout his body slowly subsiding.
I lightly kissed his cheek as he gradually regained his composure.
Then a faint smile appeared on Cedric's lips.
I looked at him and slowly removed his lips.
“Cedric, I want to be with you more than anyone else right now. Not only did I miss you enough to see your image while we were away...”
I massaged my swollen belly and looked up at him again.
“Now that I have a child in my belly, I need you more than anyone else.”
"I know. So right now...”
“But I can’t follow you right now.”
When I spoke firmly, Cedric's face immediately crumpled cruelly.
Right now, it seemed like he didn't even have the slightest time left to think about what I said.
“Because of her? Do you really think of me as a man so pathetic that I can’t even protect his own woman?”
It still felt unfamiliar to see him so angry.
I shook my head and spoke quickly.
“That’s not it. Of course, I am wary of my body and my child being taken away by that woman, but other than that, there is another reason why I cannot return to the Empire now.”
“What on earth is that?”
Cedric nervously loosened his tie.
His patience was clearly running out.
At this point, I was overcome with fear that I might be forcibly taken away as I had predicted.
Cedric's inner self was so broken that even I felt the same way.
“...The two of us will definitely protect our child from that woman. So what I’m really worried about is what happens next when she’s gone from us.”
I gently stroked his cheek.
“If I stay by your side now, it will only be a matter of time before my pregnancy becomes known to the Holy See. If that happens now, less than a year after our divorce became known...”
“...”
“Then our precious child may grow up to be an illegitimate child forever. Cedric, for the sake of our child, I must not be in the public eye, not only to Lobelia but to anyone else.”
“...Ha."
A faint smile escaped Cedric's lips.
“Are you afraid of those guys? If you're trying to use that as an excuse, stop. It’s an empire I built, so all I have to do is destroy it with my own hands.”
“Cedric... !”
Cedric grabbed my wrist roughly.
“You should come back with me right now.”
His muscles bulged fiercely above his square jaw as he spoke with force.
Cedric seemed like a man who had finally lost his senses.
He was a man who truly cared for the Western Empire he founded and the mixed-race demons who followed him.
But now, he seemed determined to cruelly eliminate anything that stood in his way, even if it was something he cared about.
I was saddened by the way Cedric had changed, and by the fact that the person who made him that way was me and no one else.
What kind of hell did he endure alone until he was broken like this?
What kind of hell did I put my child through to protect him?
Tears finally fell from the corners of my eyes as I looked up at him.
I hated the reality that we had to suffer this much.
And I hated the woman who gave us this reality.
My tears, a mixture of remorse, hatred, and sadness, showed no sign of stopping.
Cedric couldn't hide his surprise when he saw me crying.
“Rebecca, this is..."
Cedric's grip on my wrist gradually lost strength.
His voice suddenly became softer than before.
He continued to stroke my tear-soaked cheek.
But when the tears didn't stop, he covered my face with both hands and kissed my cheek, as if he didn't know what to do.
“...Don't cry, please, please."
I was the one shedding tears, but it was Cedric who looked heartbroken as if the world had collapsed.
He kissed my face again and comforted me.
“I won’t. I won't do it if you don't like it. I won't even force you to go back. If you want Lillian's heart, there must be a good reason. I could kill my cousin right now and offer it to you. Therefore...”
“..."
“So please...”
He paused for a moment and placed his mouth on my forehead.
A teardrop ran down his cheek.
“...Don’t run away from me, Rebecca.”
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