"Eve!"
My barely opened eyes caught sight of Michael's drenched face. It was none other than me who had made him cry.
“As expected... I knew it all..."
“Eve, don’t say anything.”
He heard my voice, which he longed for, but Michael's face was even more distressed. The thin voice sounded as if it had been squeezed out of life.
Of course, as is often the case with people who sense death coming, I did not listen to Michael's dissuasion.
“I’m sorry. It was a chance given to me by Michael... but I couldn’t do anything properly and it ended up like this..."
“It’s okay. Just turn it back. Then we can start over.”
He, who had abandoned everything he had achieved in his past life for the purpose of regression, is trying to do the same in this life.
“Then order both the 8th Princess and the 3rd Princess to be killed. Kill them first. Let's start with that. Then you'll be safe, so there's no problem."
“Michael..."
I could not respond, only calling his name bitterly.
It wasn't just that Michael's plan had a childish edge.
The ritual of regression, which defied the laws of the world, could not be repeated again and again. The absence of the Sage of the Spruce Grove was most likely a repercussion of the regression ritual. Eve knew intuitively that this life was her last chance.
'That's fortunate.'
“It’s okay. It’s all okay. The pain is only temporary. The breakup is only temporary.”
'Ah, Michael... is... unstable...'
So I had one last thing to do.
“Michael, don’t cry.”
“Eve..."
“Michael is so handsome... You're handsome even when you cry... But I still hate it when you cry..."
I mustered up my strength and raised one hand.
Michael did not reject the hand that reached toward his eyes as if to wipe away his tears.
'I'm sorry, Michael.'
I apologized in my heart and moved my hand.
“Eve?”
The place my fingertips touched was not Michael's eyes, but his forehead.
“Eve, no way.”
“Lord Agnito, stay like this. Stay still.”
The public voice clearly conveyed the intention to command.
"Eve!"
It was the first time I had directly wielded the power of the imprint.
Michael was completely blocked from even moving. The only way to express his will was through his voice.
“Don’t do it, Eve."
“Eve..."
The light in Michael's eyes quickly faded.
“Hey, hey, the Princess and Sir Agnito...!”
They quickly found Michael in the lake, holding Eve in his arms.
Perhaps it was because there was no movement as if time had stopped. They looked like marble statues, veiled in the moonlight.
Everyone stopped on land, unable to approach rashly.
As a solemn silence flowed, Brigitte, who had been staring at the lake with rapt eyes, opened her mouth softly.
“Ah, what a beautiful ending. Just like a fairy tale.”
The last threat was eliminated thanks to the responsible step-sister.
It was a perfect situation as if everything was arranged for her.
So Brigitte couldn't hide her joy at all.
Beneath the cold wall, the corners of her mouth formed a creepy curve.
Beside her, Elijah lowered his eyes. Not even an empty word could match Brigitte's sarcasm, not now.
“Stop. Where are you taking Eve? Are you going to leave? Leave her here.”
'Heaven helps my cause!'
Of course, it was all just a dream given by heaven to her.
Michael looked at Brigitte with a cold gaze without answering.
His eyes were cloudy, but the murderous glare was clear.
Then one person reminded them of their standoff.
“Sir Agneto. If it’s alright with you, may I look after the princess for a moment?”
It seemed that she was being modest. As if to prove this, Morien asked once more.
Brigitte used Morien as an excuse to step aside. After a moment's hesitation, Michael agreed. It was too late, but he needed to know the exact reason, so he could be sure who to kill.
My barely opened eyes caught sight of Michael's drenched face. It was none other than me who had made him cry.
“As expected... I knew it all..."
“Eve, don’t say anything.”
He heard my voice, which he longed for, but Michael's face was even more distressed. The thin voice sounded as if it had been squeezed out of life.
Of course, as is often the case with people who sense death coming, I did not listen to Michael's dissuasion.
“I’m sorry. It was a chance given to me by Michael... but I couldn’t do anything properly and it ended up like this..."
“It’s okay. Just turn it back. Then we can start over.”
He, who had abandoned everything he had achieved in his past life for the purpose of regression, is trying to do the same in this life.
Despite the promise of the gruesome process, Michael's eyes remained bright with the possibility of saving Eve. Somewhere along the way, Michael's hope was shattered.
"Again..."
“Yes, again. When I go back, choose me as your direct knight. And order me to kill the 8th Princess right away.”
“Rosie is... when she might not be..."
“Yes, again. When I go back, choose me as your direct knight. And order me to kill the 8th Princess right away.”
“Rosie is... when she might not be..."
“Then order both the 8th Princess and the 3rd Princess to be killed. Kill them first. Let's start with that. Then you'll be safe, so there's no problem."
“Michael..."
I could not respond, only calling his name bitterly.
It wasn't just that Michael's plan had a childish edge.
The ritual of regression, which defied the laws of the world, could not be repeated again and again. The absence of the Sage of the Spruce Grove was most likely a repercussion of the regression ritual. Eve knew intuitively that this life was her last chance.
'That's fortunate.'
Holding on to a shattered hope would force Michael to live like he had in his last life, and it pained him to think of the emotional wear and tear that comes with being so focused on a goal that he would do anything to achieve it.
I just felt so bad that the man of his past life had thrown it all away and squandered a semi-opportunity.
Unaware of the futility of his will to sacrifice his life, Michael repeatedly said. His soothing words were somehow brainwashing her.
Suddenly, I felt the chill that enveloped all of Dandelion. Even the World Tree, Yggdrasil, was shaking in her branches.
“Michael, don’t cry.”
“Eve..."
“Michael is so handsome... You're handsome even when you cry... But I still hate it when you cry..."
I mustered up my strength and raised one hand.
Michael did not reject the hand that reached toward his eyes as if to wipe away his tears.
As usual, he was defenseless in front of me.
I apologized in my heart and moved my hand.
“Eve?”
The place my fingertips touched was not Michael's eyes, but his forehead.
“Eve, no way.”
The baptismal palm took Michael's breath away, and only then did he realize my intention to close it and back away. But I was quick.
The public voice clearly conveyed the intention to command.
"Eve!"
It was the first time I had directly wielded the power of the imprint.
As king of Homunculus, Michael should have been able to resist, but it seems that I, the most powerful of the royal family, was able to control Michael if I wanted to.
“Don’t do it, Eve."
"Eve, no. Eve, please...!”
Despite his desperate refusal, I had no choice. To break the imprint, I concentrated my strength. Fortunately, the palm covering the mask flowed down a little and covered Michael's eyes.
If I had to meet your gaze, I wouldn't have been so cruel.
Because Michaelis Agnito has always been my weakness.
“Please, Eve. I’ll hold on. I’ll hold on.”
It was absorbed into my palm during the previous imprinting ritual.
A white light spread out that seemed to blind the eyes and melt the heart.
"Ah...!"
A sigh burst from Michael's mouth. It felt as if half his heart had been torn out.
A feeling of extreme loss and emptiness washed over him.
The binding force from Eve to Michael was gone, and so the imprint was nullified.
The light cleared. Michael, who was able to move his body, looked down into his arms.
“Eve?”
Her face was peacefully asleep.
"Eve.."
"Eve..."
There was no answer.
Her breath swept over the branches of the tree, shaking the tip of Eve's nose, and he felt nothing.
Despite his desperate refusal, I had no choice. To break the imprint, I concentrated my strength. Fortunately, the palm covering the mask flowed down a little and covered Michael's eyes.
If I had to meet your gaze, I wouldn't have been so cruel.
Because Michaelis Agnito has always been my weakness.
My palm was soaked with the glow of my mana and the bite of Michael's. Michael tried to convince me, almost pleading.
“You can't use that body to nullify the imprint. Have you forgotten how many Amplified Alchemy Stones were sacrificed when we imprinted? It's suicidal, Eve.”
“Eve, stop. Please stop. What are you doing in front of me, do you want to see me lose my mind before the imprint breaks? Eve, Eve!”
A white light spread out that seemed to blind the eyes and melt the heart.
"Ah...!"
A sigh burst from Michael's mouth. It felt as if half his heart had been torn out.
A feeling of extreme loss and emptiness washed over him.
The binding force from Eve to Michael was gone, and so the imprint was nullified.
The light cleared. Michael, who was able to move his body, looked down into his arms.
“Eve?”
Her face was peacefully asleep.
"Eve.."
"Eve..."
There was no answer.
Michael's fingers shook uncontrollably. Maybe it was the wet wind.
He hugged her body tightly.
Their chests were touching, but no pulse should have been felt from the living person.
Their chests were touching, but no pulse should have been felt from the living person.
“Eve..."
The light in Michael's eyes quickly faded.
By this time, people were being drawn to the white light created by Eve and Michael's ritual. Brigitte and those in Eve's barracks were the first to arrive, followed by Helione, the chief of the village, accompanied by the people of the village.
They quickly found Michael in the lake, holding Eve in his arms.
A lake at night, draped like a veil by the branches and leaves of the World Tree. In the rippling water, the knight held the Princess in his arms.
Everyone stopped on land, unable to approach rashly.
As a solemn silence flowed, Brigitte, who had been staring at the lake with rapt eyes, opened her mouth softly.
“Ah, what a beautiful ending. Just like a fairy tale.”
Brigitte's face was one of overwhelming satisfaction, almost ecstasy.
And with good reason. Brigitte recognized immediately that the white light that guided them like a beacon was derived from the nullification of the imprint.
It was a perfect situation as if everything was arranged for her.
So Brigitte couldn't hide her joy at all.
Beneath the cold wall, the corners of her mouth formed a creepy curve.
Beside her, Elijah lowered his eyes. Not even an empty word could match Brigitte's sarcasm, not now.
Jurrrrr...
That's when Michael pulled himself up from the water. He couldn't let the cold lake water take away Eve's warmth any faster, so he picked her up and started to walk back to the barracks, but Brigitte stopped him.
Brigitte's commanding tone was somewhat more subdued than it had been in the barracks. She assumed that now that the imprint had been removed, Michael would obey her as an imperial subject.
He is, after all, a powerful homunculus currently without a master. Brigitte was also thinking of switching her immediate knight from Elijah to Michael.
Of course, it was all just a dream given by heaven to her.
Michael looked at Brigitte with a cold gaze without answering.
His eyes were cloudy, but the murderous glare was clear.
In fact, the Michael of today could have killed enough imperials to ignore the loyalty indoctrination without being a Rosenite.
“What, what, didn't Eve stabilize him by breaking the imprint?'
Brigitte was deeply disturbed. Her instincts warned her of danger, but her natural imperial arrogance would not allow her to back down in the face of a mere homunculus.
“Sir Agneto. If it’s alright with you, may I look after the princess for a moment?”
The calm, polite voice belonged to Morien. As a landowner, she apparently doubled as the village doctor. As if to prove it, Morien asked once more.
“I am a descendant of those who were once called witches and banished to Dandelion. They were accused of healing people in ways that were not divine, and that knowledge has been passed down to us, and it may be of use to Her Highness.”
A backward, isolated outpost was not to be dismissed; perhaps it was better than the Empire, where witches had lost their divine powers and medicine had fallen behind.
Michael laid Eve down on the dry cloak on the floor. Morien bent down, supported by Helione.
The old woman's light-filled hands slowly began to run over Eve from head to toe.
It was then that it was the chest's turn to completely stop rising and falling.
“This, this is...!”
Morien was so surprised that the wrinkles around his eyes smoothed out.
“...So, how is she?”
'Then I will kill the other person in just as much pain.'
It was at that moment when Michael was making that grim promise that Morien spoke in a high-pitched voice.
“The Princess is still alive!”
The old woman's light-filled hands slowly began to run over Eve from head to toe.
It was then that it was the chest's turn to completely stop rising and falling.
“This, this is...!”
Morien was so surprised that the wrinkles around his eyes smoothed out.
“...So, how is she?”
Michael asked, witheringly. His voice was raw and gritty, for, as far as he was concerned, Eve must have been subjected to something quite evil, judging by Morien's shocked reaction.
It was at that moment when Michael was making that grim promise that Morien spoke in a high-pitched voice.
“The Princess is still alive!”
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