Sylvia took another step back, trying to straighten her staggering body. She said self-mockingly through tearful eyes.
“...I was going to say it.”
“...”
As the story continued, Sylvia's breathing became more rapid. Before she knew it, she was panting.
“I was afraid you would despise me, so...”
The end of her speech became blurred. Sylvia squeezed her eyes shut and tried to catch her breath, but it wasn’t easy. How on earth did Randall know the name Alyssa? Would he look at her with contempt after hearing her story?
“...”
“...Because I didn’t want to keep it a secret.”
Sylvia, now reduced to rags, whispered with a painful smile.
“Because I've come to love you that much.”
“...”
“I wanted to tell you that I... I loved you that much.”
Eventually, she poured out everything she had in her mind and collapsed to the floor, staggering. She collapsed on her knees, lowering her head and beginning to sob incessantly.
"Sorry."
“...”
“I’m so sorry...”
Randall looked at her silently and then took a step. He slowly approached Sylvia and lowered his body with both knees on the floor like she did. Randall reached out with both hands and gently lifted Sylvia’s face. She was afraid to look at Randall’s face, so she tried to resist, but eventually, she was led by his hand and raised her head. Randall let out a slightly distorted smile when he saw Sylvia’s face, which was a mess due to tears. Sylvia, who saw that smile in her eyes, blinked in surprise.
'Smiling... you say?'
Why? How?
A calm, yet affectionate call came from Randall's mouth. Sylvia was puzzled by the name that seemed out of place and out of place, and then the memory that flashed through her mind was frozen in place. That name. That name, definitely...
“I spilled a lot of blood while dealing with the monsters. That’s why I thought I would be surrounded without being able to move... But maybe the blood of a monster is different from that of an animal, but the more blood I spilled, the less the monsters came near me.”
The more he dealt with the monsters, the more strange it felt. Surely, since he was making such a fuss, the more the monsters would swarm him. On the contrary, the more he became covered in blood, the more the monsters sniffed at him as if they were offended, and then left.
Sylvia opened her mouth in shock without realizing it. However, Randall, who had calmly answered, simply blinked innocently as if he did not understand her attitude.
“Look. Like this...”
Randall, who picked up the sword, concentrated for a moment. Then, shortly after, a faint, but definitely 'sword energy' appeared on his sword's blade. Sylvia stared blankly at his sword. Randall turned his head away in embarrassment and coughed.
“Compared to usual, it’s quite insignificant.”
“...If you had said those words in front of the other knights, you would have gotten beaten up and had nothing to say.”
"Yes?"
“It’s nothing.”
Sylvia shook her head in a slightly dispirited manner. Perhaps because she had never personally witnessed Randall fight before, she realized after hearing his words that he was no ordinary monster. Despite possessing the qualities of a great magician, Sylvia was unable to use proper magic due to the instability of her magical power. However, Randall had been able to create and maintain a small but solid sword energy. Considering the versatility of magic, Randall could handle magical power at least to the level of Sylvia.
‘...When on earth did you grow up so much?’
Sylvia looked at Randall with a new feeling. It still felt a little strange that he was a person like Cleon.
“...I was going to say it.”
“...”
“I really wanted to say that, but...”
As the story continued, Sylvia's breathing became more rapid. Before she knew it, she was panting.
“I was afraid you would despise me, so...”
The end of her speech became blurred. Sylvia squeezed her eyes shut and tried to catch her breath, but it wasn’t easy. How on earth did Randall know the name Alyssa? Would he look at her with contempt after hearing her story?
Many questions and fears filled her head in a jumbled manner. Her heart was beating so fast that it was hard to breathe. Fear, confusion. She even wished that time would stop forever... But.
“When I return from Kelvetia, I plan to tell you everything then.”
Sylvia, with her watery eyes, painfully pulled the corners of her lips. The tears that had been barely holding in flowed down her cheeks silently. The tears flowed down her colorless white face like raindrops.
“When I return from Kelvetia, I plan to tell you everything then.”
Sylvia, with her watery eyes, painfully pulled the corners of her lips. The tears that had been barely holding in flowed down her cheeks silently. The tears flowed down her colorless white face like raindrops.
Sylvia stared at Randall while crying. Randall had an unreadable expression. That was scary. However, Sylvia kept trying to keep her gaze fixed on Randall, who was trying to leave her. She didn’t want to avoid it.
“I don’t know what you will think of me. To you, to you...”
“I don’t know what you will think of me. To you, to you...”
“...”
“...Because I didn’t want to keep it a secret.”
Sylvia, now reduced to rags, whispered with a painful smile.
“Because I've come to love you that much.”
“...”
“I wanted to tell you that I... I loved you that much.”
Eventually, she poured out everything she had in her mind and collapsed to the floor, staggering. She collapsed on her knees, lowering her head and beginning to sob incessantly.
"Sorry."
“...”
“I’m so sorry...”
Randall looked at her silently and then took a step. He slowly approached Sylvia and lowered his body with both knees on the floor like she did. Randall reached out with both hands and gently lifted Sylvia’s face. She was afraid to look at Randall’s face, so she tried to resist, but eventually, she was led by his hand and raised her head. Randall let out a slightly distorted smile when he saw Sylvia’s face, which was a mess due to tears. Sylvia, who saw that smile in her eyes, blinked in surprise.
'Smiling... you say?'
Why? How?
Sylvia was so surprised that she forgot to cry for a moment and stared blankly at Randall. Randall met her gaze and slowly moved his lips.
“...Zenya.”
“...Zenya.”
A calm, yet affectionate call came from Randall's mouth. Sylvia was puzzled by the name that seemed out of place and out of place, and then the memory that flashed through her mind was frozen in place. That name. That name, definitely...
However, before Sylvia could even recover from the shock, Randall continued.
“I still don’t know why you want to die, but that’s okay.”
“...”
“Will you live with me?”
Second, life as 'Zenya'. Words of confession heard in that life.
'How did Randall do that...?'
But Sylvia's shock gradually changed into a different emotion as the words continued.
“I want your face to be the first thing I see when I open my eyes.”
A confession I heard in my third life.
“I want to welcome the coming spring together with you. What about you?”
The confession she had heard in her fourth life. Then the fifth, sixth, and up to now. All the confessions Sylvia had heard in each life flowed out through Randall’s mouth. As he continued to speak, the shock she had felt changed to confusion, enlightenment, and finally sorrow.
“I still don’t know why you want to die, but that’s okay.”
“...”
“Will you live with me?”
Second, life as 'Zenya'. Words of confession heard in that life.
'How did Randall do that...?'
But Sylvia's shock gradually changed into a different emotion as the words continued.
“I want your face to be the first thing I see when I open my eyes.”
A confession I heard in my third life.
“I want to welcome the coming spring together with you. What about you?”
The confession she had heard in her fourth life. Then the fifth, sixth, and up to now. All the confessions Sylvia had heard in each life flowed out through Randall’s mouth. As he continued to speak, the shock she had felt changed to confusion, enlightenment, and finally sorrow.
Sylvia held onto Randall’s arm tightly, her fingertips trembling. Unfathomable emotions surged over her like waves. Tears that had gradually welled up in Randall’s eyes flowed down the corners of his eyes.
“Alice.”
“...”
“...Sister Lyssa.”
"Ah..."
At the last call, Sylvia couldn't help but frown as she recalled the face of the boy who had always been by her side, even though he had grumbled.
“Alice.”
“...”
“...Sister Lyssa.”
"Ah..."
At the last call, Sylvia couldn't help but frown as she recalled the face of the boy who had always been by her side, even though he had grumbled.
It's you. Everything... It's you.
Randall, who had brought out countless lives and countless hearts one after another, whispered while crying.
"I love you."
First life. What he wanted to say to her when he was 'Cleon'. Now, barely, he said it.
"Ah."
The moment she heard that confession.
“...!”
Tears came out without a moment to stop them. Sylvia cried out loud, suffocated by the weight of her heart that she could not bear to fathom. In her long life, she was always the one who was left behind. Trust, intimacy, love. They all crumbled over time or were blown away by the wind, losing their original light. It was terribly lonely to be left alone, embracing a heart that had lost its light. So Sylvia chose to close her heart. If she had never let anyone into her heart from the beginning, she would not have felt the emptiness when that someone disappeared from her heart. But...
"I love you."
Always you. You alone believed in me and never let me go. I was not alone.
"I love you."
First life. What he wanted to say to her when he was 'Cleon'. Now, barely, he said it.
"Ah."
The moment she heard that confession.
“...!”
Tears came out without a moment to stop them. Sylvia cried out loud, suffocated by the weight of her heart that she could not bear to fathom. In her long life, she was always the one who was left behind. Trust, intimacy, love. They all crumbled over time or were blown away by the wind, losing their original light. It was terribly lonely to be left alone, embracing a heart that had lost its light. So Sylvia chose to close her heart. If she had never let anyone into her heart from the beginning, she would not have felt the emptiness when that someone disappeared from her heart. But...
"I love you."
Always you. You alone believed in me and never let me go. I was not alone.
Sylvia laughed and cried like she was crazy. Randall was the same. They were already touching each other’s foreheads, but they desperately pulled each other as if they didn’t want to be apart. Countless words floated through their mouths. But in the end, only one word came out of their lips.
"I love you."
A moist whisper pierced his ear. Sylvia met Randall's gaze with wet eyes and smiled. She spoke again as if she could not bear the loveliness.
“I love you, Randall.”
Randall burst out laughing at that confession. He smiled back at her with a furrowed eyebrow.
“I love you, Sylvia.”
How long had it been since they had come back to hear this, to tell it?
"I love you."
A moist whisper pierced his ear. Sylvia met Randall's gaze with wet eyes and smiled. She spoke again as if she could not bear the loveliness.
“I love you, Randall.”
Randall burst out laughing at that confession. He smiled back at her with a furrowed eyebrow.
“I love you, Sylvia.”
How long had it been since they had come back to hear this, to tell it?
They pulled each other in and kissed as if they were trying to recover the time they had lost. Their bodies slowly tilted and soon became completely entangled on the dirt floor. Their slightly rough lips tasted of tears. At the same time, they tasted happiness.
Randall and Sylvia rolled around messily on the dirt floor, kissing each other affectionately and longingly as if comforting each other and rejoicing. Whispers of love leaked out between their long kisses, then dispersed, and then mixed with their breath again.
It was love. They loved. They were people who loved.
***
Sylvia and Randall finally stopped crying after a long time and had a moment of awkwardness. They talked about their past lives to shake off the awkwardness. And it was very effective. Randall was instantly murderous when he heard Sylvia's story about being betrayed by his colleagues in her first life.
“What... did you say just now?”
“Well, so Harold...”
“What... did you say just now?”
“Well, so Harold...”
“Harold only?”
“That’s not true, but...”
Sylvia rolled her eyes and trailed off when Randall showed more anger than she had expected. Randall noticed this and quickly tried to calm his nerves, but his hardened expression showed no sign of loosening easily. Sylvia had also been so angry at their betrayal that she had gone to her comrades to punish them as soon as she ascended to the throne of the Demon King.
“That’s not true, but...”
Sylvia rolled her eyes and trailed off when Randall showed more anger than she had expected. Randall noticed this and quickly tried to calm his nerves, but his hardened expression showed no sign of loosening easily. Sylvia had also been so angry at their betrayal that she had gone to her comrades to punish them as soon as she ascended to the throne of the Demon King.
However, regardless of her own feelings, she did not want Randall to be hurt by those guys. So Sylvia hurriedly changed the subject.
“By the way, how on earth did you survive here alone? If you couldn’t control the darkness, the scent of humanity would have spread all over...”
Sylvia forgot to change the subject and looked at Randall with a genuinely worried expression. Randall narrowed his eyes at Sylvia and then sighed helplessly and moved on. Of course, that did not mean she had forgotten the atrocities of Harold and his colleagues.
“...When I first came to my senses, I was deep in the forest. It wasn’t long before I encountered monsters, perhaps because they smelled me.”
When Sylvia misunderstood him as trying to kill herself and confessed her feelings to him, they fell together in Kelvetia. Perhaps due to the shock of being suddenly caught up in the magic circle, Randall regained all of his memories as 'Cleon' and woke up deep in the forest.
“By the way, how on earth did you survive here alone? If you couldn’t control the darkness, the scent of humanity would have spread all over...”
Sylvia forgot to change the subject and looked at Randall with a genuinely worried expression. Randall narrowed his eyes at Sylvia and then sighed helplessly and moved on. Of course, that did not mean she had forgotten the atrocities of Harold and his colleagues.
“...When I first came to my senses, I was deep in the forest. It wasn’t long before I encountered monsters, perhaps because they smelled me.”
When Sylvia misunderstood him as trying to kill herself and confessed her feelings to him, they fell together in Kelvetia. Perhaps due to the shock of being suddenly caught up in the magic circle, Randall regained all of his memories as 'Cleon' and woke up deep in the forest.
Even though he regained his memories as Cleon, he was still human, and there was no way to hide his human scent. Therefore, encountering monsters was inevitable.
“I spilled a lot of blood while dealing with the monsters. That’s why I thought I would be surrounded without being able to move... But maybe the blood of a monster is different from that of an animal, but the more blood I spilled, the less the monsters came near me.”
The more he dealt with the monsters, the more strange it felt. Surely, since he was making such a fuss, the more the monsters would swarm him. On the contrary, the more he became covered in blood, the more the monsters sniffed at him as if they were offended, and then left.
Because of this, Randel speculated that perhaps the monsters' blood masked the scent of humans, and it was quite true. He wore the monster's skin over his head and sprinkled the monster's blood around his place, so the monsters couldn't approach him easily.
“While I was moving while hiding like that, I overheard the demons making a fuss that they had found a human. At this point, you and I were the only humans in Kelvetia, so I ran quickly. I’m sure you know what happened next, Madam.”
Randall smiled and kissed Sylvia on the lips again. She blushed and glared at him without any ill feelings. Soon, Sylvia shook it off and looked at Randall with a slightly curious expression.
'Anyway, he's a natural.'
When she was Alyssa, she was so eager to fight that she didn't even think about hiding her body. After several lives, she finally realized that she could cover her human scent with darkness. Randall's ability to instinctively realize the effects of monster blood and utilize it without ever experiencing Kelvetia was terrifying. God is unfair, after all.
“While I was moving while hiding like that, I overheard the demons making a fuss that they had found a human. At this point, you and I were the only humans in Kelvetia, so I ran quickly. I’m sure you know what happened next, Madam.”
Randall smiled and kissed Sylvia on the lips again. She blushed and glared at him without any ill feelings. Soon, Sylvia shook it off and looked at Randall with a slightly curious expression.
'Anyway, he's a natural.'
When she was Alyssa, she was so eager to fight that she didn't even think about hiding her body. After several lives, she finally realized that she could cover her human scent with darkness. Randall's ability to instinctively realize the effects of monster blood and utilize it without ever experiencing Kelvetia was terrifying. God is unfair, after all.
Sylvia glanced at the sky and sighed deeply. She tilted her head at the question that still remained unanswered and asked.
“Even so, how can you last more than half a day with just one sword? The magical power here is extremely unstable, so you won’t be able to create sword energy.”
“If it’s a sword, it can be created. Of course, it’s not even close to what it was in the human world.”
“...What did you say?”
“Even so, how can you last more than half a day with just one sword? The magical power here is extremely unstable, so you won’t be able to create sword energy.”
“If it’s a sword, it can be created. Of course, it’s not even close to what it was in the human world.”
“...What did you say?”
Sylvia opened her mouth in shock without realizing it. However, Randall, who had calmly answered, simply blinked innocently as if he did not understand her attitude.
“Look. Like this...”
Randall, who picked up the sword, concentrated for a moment. Then, shortly after, a faint, but definitely 'sword energy' appeared on his sword's blade. Sylvia stared blankly at his sword. Randall turned his head away in embarrassment and coughed.
“Compared to usual, it’s quite insignificant.”
“...If you had said those words in front of the other knights, you would have gotten beaten up and had nothing to say.”
"Yes?"
“It’s nothing.”
Sylvia shook her head in a slightly dispirited manner. Perhaps because she had never personally witnessed Randall fight before, she realized after hearing his words that he was no ordinary monster. Despite possessing the qualities of a great magician, Sylvia was unable to use proper magic due to the instability of her magical power. However, Randall had been able to create and maintain a small but solid sword energy. Considering the versatility of magic, Randall could handle magical power at least to the level of Sylvia.
‘...When on earth did you grow up so much?’
Sylvia looked at Randall with a new feeling. It still felt a little strange that he was a person like Cleon.
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