Then Randall took off his coat and put it around Sylvia's shoulders. When she blinked in wonder, he said,
“I was worried that you might catch a cold. Your physical strength has improved a lot compared to before, but it’s still not enough.”
“...Isn’t it ultimately good for you if my physical strength improves?”
"No."
“...”
“Even if you look at it like that, it’s not true.”
Sylvia glared at Randall with her eyes wide open, but he shook his head stubbornly. But when Sylvia still did not take her suspicious gaze away, Randall seemed a little aggrieved and continued to speak seriously.
“Do you know how worried I was when I first saw you because you looked like you would fall over if I touched you?”
“So you’ve been worrying about this situation ever since then? You pervert...”
“I said no.”
Randall, who was feeling aggrieved by the repeated accusations, seemed to be contemplating whether or not to say something, but then he let out a deep sigh and poured out his heart.
“To be honest... The last time I went to Solis Hill with you, the way you were lying down with your hands clasped on your stomach was just like...”
Randall hesitated for a moment, choosing his words, then smiled quietly.
“There were times when my heart sank because it looked like a corpse lying in a coffin.”
“...”
“I must be seriously ill to have such absurd delusions.”
But Sylvia couldn't laugh. Her heart sank just as Randall had said.
‘... I already knew that you were a person with good intuition.’
She never thought it would be this bad. Her heart was pounding anxiously. While Sylvia was flustered and couldn't continue speaking, Randall suddenly remembered something and asked.
“Sylvia.”
"...Yes?"
She didn't want to lie to Randall. Now that she had come to expect the rest of her life with him because of Randall, she didn't want to tell him any more lies. That was probably why her tongue, which had been so smooth before, had become stiff and unmoving.
It was true that she had a selfish desire not to tell him because of those anxieties. However, she had come to love Randall, and she did not want to deceive him anymore. To establish a proper relationship, it was right to tell him her secret. However, she was afraid that he would hate her because of it, so she could not bring herself to open her lips. In the end, Sylvia barely managed to let out a short call as if she was choking.
“Randall.”
“Yes, go ahead.”
“I know this might be a bit of a weird question, but...”
She asked softly, avoiding Randall's eyes and keeping her gaze fixed on the surface of the lake.
“Do you believe in past life?”
“Previous life... you mean?”
Randall tilted his head in puzzlement at the topic that seemed to go further than he had thought. He wanted to ask why she was asking such a thing, but for some reason, Sylvia looked quite uneasy, so he decided to hold back.
“Past life... I originally didn’t believe in it.”
Randall, who had been speaking, stopped. He frowned slightly as he recalled the images of 'Alyssa' and 'Leo' he had dreamed of when he had lost consciousness earlier.
“...I think I believe it now.”
Sylvia's heart started beating a little faster. She opened her lips, feeling more nervous than before.
“Then maybe...”
What do you think about a human who is a reincarnation of the Demon King? Is that person a Demon King or a human? What do you think... What do you think?
“We need to take shelter from the rain for a moment. Run!”
Randall and Sylvia hurried to the cabin. But by the time they entered the cabin, which seemed to be a warehouse, and closed the door, they all looked like drowned rats. As soon as Randall confirmed that the door was locked, he hurriedly checked Sylvia.
“Sylvia. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, I’m fine, I’m fine.”
Sylvia tried to answer, but her whole body was soaked with rain, and her lips were trembling. Even when she covered her upper body with both arms, she could feel her body temperature dropping rapidly. At that moment, a series of thunderous sounds, like the sky was falling, rang out from outside the window. Randall looked around with an embarrassed face.
“It looks like the rain won’t stop any time soon. There must be a fireplace here too...”
Randall cleared the clutter in the cabin and found a fireplace. He quickly built a fire and sat Sylvia down in front of it, but by now even her lips were turning blue. Randall said seriously.
“Sylvia, if you keep wearing wet clothes, your condition will get worse. It would be better to take them off and dry them.”
He handed Sylvia the blanket he had found while searching the fireplace and turned around. Sylvia hesitated for a moment and then began to take off her wet clothes. Randall turned his back and closed his eyes, trying not to look at Sylvia. However, when he closed his eyes, the sound of clothes being taken off filled his ears, and his head began to fill with sinister imaginations. In the end, he tried to control himself by imagining himself going to battle with monsters. Sylvia wrapped the blanket over her bare body and called him.
“All done. You can turn around now. But what about you, Randall? I think it would be better for you to take your clothes off too.”
"I am okay."
“No matter how strong you are, don’t be proud. If you don’t, what’s the point of catching a cold?”
Sylvia glared at him without any ill will. Randall, who had given in to it, searched the cabin for a blanket to wrap himself in, but there was only one blanket, the one Sylvia had wrapped herself in. Randall smiled innocently.
“I’m glad you can at least wrap yourself in a blanket. I’ll just stay like this...”
"Then."
A small voice broke through Randall's words. Sylvia asked, gently unwrapping the blanket that had been wrapped around her body.
“Shall we cover it together?”
"...Yes?"
Randall's thoughts stopped. His gaze was drawn to the gap in the blanket that had opened up without a moment to stop. In the dark cabin, in front of the warm-colored light, Sylvia was laughing softly.
“Come in.”
“...”
After a while, Randall, who had been standing still, let out a sigh and took a step back. As he got closer to Sylvia, his green eyes gradually became cloudy. Soon after, the excited moans that filled the cabin were swept away without a trace by the sound of rain. The midday rain was unusually long and heavy.
'Should I go out to the balcony??'
Philia was racking her brain to figure out how to get out of this place without offending the Marchioness when she suddenly remembered the balcony. The Marchioness clearly said, "You must attend the ball and keep your place."
“Haha, that’s not true. I’ve never heard anyone say I was lacking anywhere.”
The man smiled confidently. He seemed to really believe that he could not possibly go unnoticed by Philia.
'He's crazy.'
Philia quickly came to a conclusion. People like that with flowers on their heads are usually incapable of communication and common sense. It was best to leave without engaging them. Philia pursed her lips like a clam and tried to pass him by and head toward her original destination. However, the man who had blocked her path this time grabbed her hand with force.
“No, where are you going? The song will start soon.”
“Let go of this.”
“By the way, your hands are really small. My ideal type is a woman with small hands.”
“What should I do...”
Philia, unable to control her anger due to his continued nagging, tried to kick him but stopped.
“I was worried that you might catch a cold. Your physical strength has improved a lot compared to before, but it’s still not enough.”
“...Isn’t it ultimately good for you if my physical strength improves?”
"No."
“...”
“Even if you look at it like that, it’s not true.”
Sylvia glared at Randall with her eyes wide open, but he shook his head stubbornly. But when Sylvia still did not take her suspicious gaze away, Randall seemed a little aggrieved and continued to speak seriously.
“Do you know how worried I was when I first saw you because you looked like you would fall over if I touched you?”
“So you’ve been worrying about this situation ever since then? You pervert...”
“I said no.”
Randall, who was feeling aggrieved by the repeated accusations, seemed to be contemplating whether or not to say something, but then he let out a deep sigh and poured out his heart.
“To be honest... The last time I went to Solis Hill with you, the way you were lying down with your hands clasped on your stomach was just like...”
Randall hesitated for a moment, choosing his words, then smiled quietly.
“There were times when my heart sank because it looked like a corpse lying in a coffin.”
“...”
“I must be seriously ill to have such absurd delusions.”
But Sylvia couldn't laugh. Her heart sank just as Randall had said.
‘... I already knew that you were a person with good intuition.’
She never thought it would be this bad. Her heart was pounding anxiously. While Sylvia was flustered and couldn't continue speaking, Randall suddenly remembered something and asked.
“Sylvia.”
"...Yes?"
“Come to think of it, why did you... decide to marry me? I had no other choice but to protect the North from the King’s command, but you could have refused if you wanted.”
Her green eyes were filled with pure curiosity and a little anticipation. He had felt an inexplicable attraction to her even before their marriage, or perhaps he had felt a liking for her after hearing rumors about her. It seemed as if he was expecting that kind of answer. But...
'That's not it.'
The answer Sylvia had was not so beautiful and pretty, but so sloppy and ugly.
Her green eyes were filled with pure curiosity and a little anticipation. He had felt an inexplicable attraction to her even before their marriage, or perhaps he had felt a liking for her after hearing rumors about her. It seemed as if he was expecting that kind of answer. But...
'That's not it.'
The answer Sylvia had was not so beautiful and pretty, but so sloppy and ugly.
Death. Her own complete death. She was hell-bent on achieving that goal, and so she accepted the marriage to use Randall.
“Oh, you can actually say there was no particular reason. I’m really fine.”
When Randall saw Sylvia's delayed response, he added that he thought she was in trouble and smiled softly on purpose. As Randall said, there was no particular reason, he was just following the King's orders, and it was clear that answering like that was the best way to get through this situation. Sylvia moved her lips to repeat the words exactly like a parrot, but for some reason, her voice did not come out as if her throat was blocked. She instinctively realized the reason.
‘...I don’t want to lie.’
“Oh, you can actually say there was no particular reason. I’m really fine.”
When Randall saw Sylvia's delayed response, he added that he thought she was in trouble and smiled softly on purpose. As Randall said, there was no particular reason, he was just following the King's orders, and it was clear that answering like that was the best way to get through this situation. Sylvia moved her lips to repeat the words exactly like a parrot, but for some reason, her voice did not come out as if her throat was blocked. She instinctively realized the reason.
‘...I don’t want to lie.’
She didn't want to lie to Randall. Now that she had come to expect the rest of her life with him because of Randall, she didn't want to tell him any more lies. That was probably why her tongue, which had been so smooth before, had become stiff and unmoving.
'But...'
Could I really tell the truth?
Could I really tell the truth?
If she were to tell Randall everything, she would have to tell him why she wanted to die and even her memories from her previous life. Could he, the strongest shield against the demons, really accept her as the demon King? After hearing the whole story. Could he really not look at her with contempt?
“...”
“...”
It was true that she had a selfish desire not to tell him because of those anxieties. However, she had come to love Randall, and she did not want to deceive him anymore. To establish a proper relationship, it was right to tell him her secret. However, she was afraid that he would hate her because of it, so she could not bring herself to open her lips. In the end, Sylvia barely managed to let out a short call as if she was choking.
“Randall.”
“Yes, go ahead.”
“I know this might be a bit of a weird question, but...”
She asked softly, avoiding Randall's eyes and keeping her gaze fixed on the surface of the lake.
“Do you believe in past life?”
“Previous life... you mean?”
Randall tilted his head in puzzlement at the topic that seemed to go further than he had thought. He wanted to ask why she was asking such a thing, but for some reason, Sylvia looked quite uneasy, so he decided to hold back.
“Past life... I originally didn’t believe in it.”
Randall, who had been speaking, stopped. He frowned slightly as he recalled the images of 'Alyssa' and 'Leo' he had dreamed of when he had lost consciousness earlier.
“...I think I believe it now.”
Sylvia's heart started beating a little faster. She opened her lips, feeling more nervous than before.
“Then maybe...”
What do you think about a human who is a reincarnation of the Demon King? Is that person a Demon King or a human? What do you think... What do you think?
The moment she was about to ask that, whoosh-
A heavy rain suddenly poured down from the sky. The question she couldn’t finish was quickly drowned out by the sound of the rain. Randall panicked and helped Sylvia up. He looked around and found a small cabin on the other side of the lake and shouted.
“We need to take shelter from the rain for a moment. Run!”
Randall and Sylvia hurried to the cabin. But by the time they entered the cabin, which seemed to be a warehouse, and closed the door, they all looked like drowned rats. As soon as Randall confirmed that the door was locked, he hurriedly checked Sylvia.
“Sylvia. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, I’m fine, I’m fine.”
Sylvia tried to answer, but her whole body was soaked with rain, and her lips were trembling. Even when she covered her upper body with both arms, she could feel her body temperature dropping rapidly. At that moment, a series of thunderous sounds, like the sky was falling, rang out from outside the window. Randall looked around with an embarrassed face.
“It looks like the rain won’t stop any time soon. There must be a fireplace here too...”
Randall cleared the clutter in the cabin and found a fireplace. He quickly built a fire and sat Sylvia down in front of it, but by now even her lips were turning blue. Randall said seriously.
“Sylvia, if you keep wearing wet clothes, your condition will get worse. It would be better to take them off and dry them.”
He handed Sylvia the blanket he had found while searching the fireplace and turned around. Sylvia hesitated for a moment and then began to take off her wet clothes. Randall turned his back and closed his eyes, trying not to look at Sylvia. However, when he closed his eyes, the sound of clothes being taken off filled his ears, and his head began to fill with sinister imaginations. In the end, he tried to control himself by imagining himself going to battle with monsters. Sylvia wrapped the blanket over her bare body and called him.
“All done. You can turn around now. But what about you, Randall? I think it would be better for you to take your clothes off too.”
"I am okay."
“No matter how strong you are, don’t be proud. If you don’t, what’s the point of catching a cold?”
Sylvia glared at him without any ill will. Randall, who had given in to it, searched the cabin for a blanket to wrap himself in, but there was only one blanket, the one Sylvia had wrapped herself in. Randall smiled innocently.
“I’m glad you can at least wrap yourself in a blanket. I’ll just stay like this...”
"Then."
A small voice broke through Randall's words. Sylvia asked, gently unwrapping the blanket that had been wrapped around her body.
“Shall we cover it together?”
"...Yes?"
Randall's thoughts stopped. His gaze was drawn to the gap in the blanket that had opened up without a moment to stop. In the dark cabin, in front of the warm-colored light, Sylvia was laughing softly.
“Come in.”
“...”
After a while, Randall, who had been standing still, let out a sigh and took a step back. As he got closer to Sylvia, his green eyes gradually became cloudy. Soon after, the excited moans that filled the cabin were swept away without a trace by the sound of rain. The midday rain was unusually long and heavy.
***
Meanwhile, on the day of the founding of the country. Philia was walking around the ballroom with a bored expression on her face beneath her mask.
'Rubia, where on earth did that come from? Did you wear a wig or something?'
She frowned and sighed deeply when she couldn't easily find Rubia in the crowd. Philia and Rubia were never on good terms. Unfortunately, Rubia was the only person Filia could be with without causing trouble. Sylvia would probably be with her husband, Randal.
'... It would have been less boring if Jeffrey had been there.'
Philia pouts. Only those whose names are on the noble lineage are invited to the masquerade ball held at the palace. This means that Jeffrey, who became a knight while being a commoner, is not included.
'Rubia, where on earth did that come from? Did you wear a wig or something?'
She frowned and sighed deeply when she couldn't easily find Rubia in the crowd. Philia and Rubia were never on good terms. Unfortunately, Rubia was the only person Filia could be with without causing trouble. Sylvia would probably be with her husband, Randal.
'... It would have been less boring if Jeffrey had been there.'
Philia pouts. Only those whose names are on the noble lineage are invited to the masquerade ball held at the palace. This means that Jeffrey, who became a knight while being a commoner, is not included.
A ball without Jeffrey? What kind of North without monsters?
Philia was trying not to attend the annoying ball. However, she had no choice because her mother, the Marchioness, glared at her and said, “If you run away, I’ll really break your legs.”
'Should I go out to the balcony??'
Philia was racking her brain to figure out how to get out of this place without offending the Marchioness when she suddenly remembered the balcony. The Marchioness clearly said, "You must attend the ball and keep your place."
She didn't specify where in the ballroom she should spend her time. If Philia hides in a corner balcony, draws the curtains, and hides until the ball is over, she can avoid nagging and talking to annoying and boring people.
'Killing two birds with one stone. Great.'
Philia, who had made that judgment, pushed her way through the crowd with sparkling eyes and headed toward the balcony. However, not long after she took her first step, she was grabbed by a ridiculous man in a feather mask.
“Excuse me, ma’am.”
A man suddenly jumped out of the crowd and blocked Philia's path. What is this guy?
'Killing two birds with one stone. Great.'
Philia, who had made that judgment, pushed her way through the crowd with sparkling eyes and headed toward the balcony. However, not long after she took her first step, she was grabbed by a ridiculous man in a feather mask.
“Excuse me, ma’am.”
A man suddenly jumped out of the crowd and blocked Philia's path. What is this guy?
Philia frowned under his mask, and he spoke to her in a sly voice.
“I’ve been watching you since a while ago. It seems like there’s no other gentleman who caught your eye. How about dancing a song with me?”
As he spoke, he looked Philia up and down with a serious gaze. She responded sharply, feeling uncomfortable with his crawling gaze.
“...Are you not aware that there are other gentlemen who do not stand out, or are you pretending not to know?”
“I’ve been watching you since a while ago. It seems like there’s no other gentleman who caught your eye. How about dancing a song with me?”
As he spoke, he looked Philia up and down with a serious gaze. She responded sharply, feeling uncomfortable with his crawling gaze.
“...Are you not aware that there are other gentlemen who do not stand out, or are you pretending not to know?”
“Haha, that’s not true. I’ve never heard anyone say I was lacking anywhere.”
The man smiled confidently. He seemed to really believe that he could not possibly go unnoticed by Philia.
'He's crazy.'
Philia quickly came to a conclusion. People like that with flowers on their heads are usually incapable of communication and common sense. It was best to leave without engaging them. Philia pursed her lips like a clam and tried to pass him by and head toward her original destination. However, the man who had blocked her path this time grabbed her hand with force.
“No, where are you going? The song will start soon.”
“Let go of this.”
“By the way, your hands are really small. My ideal type is a woman with small hands.”
“What should I do...”
Philia, unable to control her anger due to his continued nagging, tried to kick him but stopped.
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