“...Prince Radni?”
“Ah, ugh! Arm! Arm! I’ll break my arm like this!”
A bewildered voice leaked out of Randalll’s mouth.
Trevan, who was lying on the ground and holding onto his arm, shouted urgently and twisted his hand.
Although he was confused about what was going on, it didn’t seem like he would do something foolish since his identity had already been revealed.
It didn’t seem like he had any other guards hidden around him.
In the end, Randall stepped away from Trevan with a slight sense of caution.
Then Trevan groaned and got up with a jerk.
He turned his wrist, which had turned red in a short time, and let out an exclamation that wasn’t really an exclamation.
“Wow, Your Majesty is really strong. Even in Radni, it would take five or six men to run to me to even the strength of me.”
“...Did you notice from the beginning that I was the King and follow me? Why?”
Whether it was or not, the wariness in Randall’s eyes doubled.
Trevan jumped at that.
“I didn’t mean to follow you on purpose! I was just out sightseeing in the capital and happened to run into the fairy again, so I wanted to talk to her...!”
“...Fairy?”
The more they talked, the more they felt like they were falling into a maze.
Randall tilted his head in bewilderment.
Meanwhile, Trevan, who had unconsciously brought up the subject of ‘fairies’ because he was so upset, closed his mouth with a huff. However, he mustered up the courage to ask now, thinking that there was no other time to ask.
“I... I have a question.”
“What is it?”
“What is your relationship with the fairy?”
“You’ve been talking about fairies, fairies, but who on earth is the fairy?”
“The woman standing next to Your Majesty!”
At those words, Randall felt as if someone had hit him on the head.
A sound like a bell rang in his head.
‘...No way.’
Are you talking about Sylvia?
When he substituted Sylvia for Trevan’s ‘fairy’, he could understand what he was saying to some extent.
Of course, Trevan’s excessively sparkling eyes were not to his liking in many ways.
Randall muttered faintly.
“Fairy... In a way, it is true.”
“Of course! The way she was relaxing in the sun in the secluded palace! She was a fairy!”
Trevan stared blankly into space, unable to see Randall’s expression. He sighed and praised Sylvia, then turned his gaze to Randall. His blue eyes, resembling the sea, sparkled so much that it was burdensome.
“So what is your relationship with the fairy?”
“Her husband.”
“Husband?”
Randall returned the feeling of being hit on the head that he had felt to Trevan.
It was quite effective because Trevan’s jaw dropped.
He opened his eyes wide and stammered.
“W-Wouldn’t it be her?”
“The Queen of Elvares.”
“Gasp.”
“My wife.”
“Gasp...”
Trevan repeatedly inhaled.
His shoulders sank a little each time. His eyebrows followed suit.
Randall was certain after seeing that.
‘I’m certain.’
That Prince was overly interested in Sylvia. And rationally.
‘...At least I was able to stop him before his feelings got any deeper.’
Randall swallowed a sigh.
No matter how much he tried to die with his subjects, it was still difficult to say that Elvares was completely stable, both externally and internally.
In such a situation, it would be bad to have a feud with the Prince of Radni, one of the major neighboring countries.
No matter how much Radni was discouraged by the last defeat if war broke out, Elvares would also have to shed the blood of innocent people.
Randall was thinking that and trying to straighten his expression.
Trevan, who had been sullenly dropping his gaze, suddenly raised his head and steeled his resolve.
“No! But they say you don’t know a person’s fate until they’re laid in a coffin, so I’ll try! This is when the rational systems of divorce and remarriage exist!”
“What, you crazy kid?”
In the end, harsh words leaked out of Randall’s mouth before he could stop them.
It was too casual for the King of a country to say.
Meanwhile, Sylvia was following behind a fortune teller... a god in the guise of a fortune teller.
She bit her lip as she took in the back of his figure wrapped in a black cloak.
"Where are you going?"
"Follow me. I have something to show you."
When God first revealed his presence, Sylvia was frozen in shock, unable to even let out a sigh.
God calmly spoke to her and began to walk away without any hesitation.
Only then did Sylvia come to her senses and follow him absentmindedly.
However, as time passed and she had time to organize her thoughts in silence, the resentment that had been pushed aside by the confusion slowly found its place.
“Ah, ugh! Arm! Arm! I’ll break my arm like this!”
A bewildered voice leaked out of Randalll’s mouth.
Trevan, who was lying on the ground and holding onto his arm, shouted urgently and twisted his hand.
Although he was confused about what was going on, it didn’t seem like he would do something foolish since his identity had already been revealed.
It didn’t seem like he had any other guards hidden around him.
In the end, Randall stepped away from Trevan with a slight sense of caution.
Then Trevan groaned and got up with a jerk.
He turned his wrist, which had turned red in a short time, and let out an exclamation that wasn’t really an exclamation.
“Wow, Your Majesty is really strong. Even in Radni, it would take five or six men to run to me to even the strength of me.”
“...Did you notice from the beginning that I was the King and follow me? Why?”
Whether it was or not, the wariness in Randall’s eyes doubled.
Trevan jumped at that.
“I didn’t mean to follow you on purpose! I was just out sightseeing in the capital and happened to run into the fairy again, so I wanted to talk to her...!”
“...Fairy?”
The more they talked, the more they felt like they were falling into a maze.
Randall tilted his head in bewilderment.
Meanwhile, Trevan, who had unconsciously brought up the subject of ‘fairies’ because he was so upset, closed his mouth with a huff. However, he mustered up the courage to ask now, thinking that there was no other time to ask.
“I... I have a question.”
“What is it?”
“What is your relationship with the fairy?”
“You’ve been talking about fairies, fairies, but who on earth is the fairy?”
“The woman standing next to Your Majesty!”
At those words, Randall felt as if someone had hit him on the head.
A sound like a bell rang in his head.
‘...No way.’
Are you talking about Sylvia?
When he substituted Sylvia for Trevan’s ‘fairy’, he could understand what he was saying to some extent.
Of course, Trevan’s excessively sparkling eyes were not to his liking in many ways.
Randall muttered faintly.
“Fairy... In a way, it is true.”
“Of course! The way she was relaxing in the sun in the secluded palace! She was a fairy!”
Trevan stared blankly into space, unable to see Randall’s expression. He sighed and praised Sylvia, then turned his gaze to Randall. His blue eyes, resembling the sea, sparkled so much that it was burdensome.
“So what is your relationship with the fairy?”
“Her husband.”
“Husband?”
Randall returned the feeling of being hit on the head that he had felt to Trevan.
It was quite effective because Trevan’s jaw dropped.
He opened his eyes wide and stammered.
“W-Wouldn’t it be her?”
“The Queen of Elvares.”
“Gasp.”
“My wife.”
“Gasp...”
Trevan repeatedly inhaled.
His shoulders sank a little each time. His eyebrows followed suit.
Randall was certain after seeing that.
‘I’m certain.’
That Prince was overly interested in Sylvia. And rationally.
‘...At least I was able to stop him before his feelings got any deeper.’
Randall swallowed a sigh.
No matter how much he tried to die with his subjects, it was still difficult to say that Elvares was completely stable, both externally and internally.
In such a situation, it would be bad to have a feud with the Prince of Radni, one of the major neighboring countries.
No matter how much Radni was discouraged by the last defeat if war broke out, Elvares would also have to shed the blood of innocent people.
Randall was thinking that and trying to straighten his expression.
Trevan, who had been sullenly dropping his gaze, suddenly raised his head and steeled his resolve.
“No! But they say you don’t know a person’s fate until they’re laid in a coffin, so I’ll try! This is when the rational systems of divorce and remarriage exist!”
“What, you crazy kid?”
In the end, harsh words leaked out of Randall’s mouth before he could stop them.
It was too casual for the King of a country to say.
***
Meanwhile, Sylvia was following behind a fortune teller... a god in the guise of a fortune teller.
She bit her lip as she took in the back of his figure wrapped in a black cloak.
"Where are you going?"
"Follow me. I have something to show you."
When God first revealed his presence, Sylvia was frozen in shock, unable to even let out a sigh.
God calmly spoke to her and began to walk away without any hesitation.
Only then did Sylvia come to her senses and follow him absentmindedly.
However, as time passed and she had time to organize her thoughts in silence, the resentment that had been pushed aside by the confusion slowly found its place.
'...Why now.'
Sylvia had already paid the price for the sins imposed by God.
Having barely regained peace, the presence of God appearing before her again aroused her instinctive fear and anger.
'That's enough.'
How much more do you have to interfere with my life before you are satisfied?
Sylvia's eyes became fiercer and fiercer.
Her hands tightened and her nails dug into her palms.
For a moment, the thought crossed her mind that she had offended God by leading the peace treaty with the Demons.
The Demons and the darkness were the exact opposite of God’s blessings.
‘But so what?’
Could someone who suppresses their natural instincts and even tries to drive out all life forms that strive to unite with other beings really be called a ‘god’, the father of all life?
At least in Sylvia’s opinion, this god was no better than Lang.
As she was about to utter a word, her anger welling up inside her, the god spoke first.
“We’re here.”
Sylvia stopped walking. It was an instinctive action.
“This is..."
She raised her head, looked around, and furrowed her brows.
The place the god had brought Sylvia to was a shady back alley connected to the festival street.
What on earth was he going to show her in a place like this?
To her who was wondering, God raised his hand and pointed to the end of the alley.
“Look over there.”
Sylvia turned her gaze to the place God had pointed to.
Then, she saw a beggar crouching at the end of the alley, like a dried and crumbled leaf.
The beggar was sitting on the edge of the shade, staring blankly at the festival street.
He could have stepped out onto the brightly lit festival street with just one step, but he was reluctant to do so.
“Do you recognize him?”
“...No.”
Sylvia shook her head with a dubious expression.
However, her heart thumped as God added calmly.
“Harold.”
“...”
“He is the reincarnation of one of your comrades who betrayed you in your first life.”
Thud, thud.
As her heart, which had once fallen to the tips of her toes, returned to its original position, the beating in her ears grew louder and faster.
Her breathing became more rapid as a result.
Next to Sylvia, whose gaze was caught by the pedestrian, God muttered in a heartless voice.
“I gave a similar punishment to those who conspired to kill ‘Alice’.”
“...”
“He doesn’t remember his past life like you, but if he can’t overcome his greed and hurt someone again, he will be reincarnated endlessly and live a difficult life.”
The story that Sylvia had only learned for the first time after countless lives made her head spin.
Even as Sylvia stared blankly ahead, God continued to speak.
“Among them, Harold was born as the successor to a fairly wealthy family in this life.”
Sylvia had already paid the price for the sins imposed by God.
Having barely regained peace, the presence of God appearing before her again aroused her instinctive fear and anger.
'That's enough.'
How much more do you have to interfere with my life before you are satisfied?
Sylvia's eyes became fiercer and fiercer.
Her hands tightened and her nails dug into her palms.
For a moment, the thought crossed her mind that she had offended God by leading the peace treaty with the Demons.
The Demons and the darkness were the exact opposite of God’s blessings.
‘But so what?’
Could someone who suppresses their natural instincts and even tries to drive out all life forms that strive to unite with other beings really be called a ‘god’, the father of all life?
At least in Sylvia’s opinion, this god was no better than Lang.
As she was about to utter a word, her anger welling up inside her, the god spoke first.
“We’re here.”
Sylvia stopped walking. It was an instinctive action.
“This is..."
She raised her head, looked around, and furrowed her brows.
The place the god had brought Sylvia to was a shady back alley connected to the festival street.
What on earth was he going to show her in a place like this?
To her who was wondering, God raised his hand and pointed to the end of the alley.
“Look over there.”
Sylvia turned her gaze to the place God had pointed to.
Then, she saw a beggar crouching at the end of the alley, like a dried and crumbled leaf.
The beggar was sitting on the edge of the shade, staring blankly at the festival street.
He could have stepped out onto the brightly lit festival street with just one step, but he was reluctant to do so.
“Do you recognize him?”
“...No.”
Sylvia shook her head with a dubious expression.
However, her heart thumped as God added calmly.
“Harold.”
“...”
“He is the reincarnation of one of your comrades who betrayed you in your first life.”
Thud, thud.
As her heart, which had once fallen to the tips of her toes, returned to its original position, the beating in her ears grew louder and faster.
Her breathing became more rapid as a result.
Next to Sylvia, whose gaze was caught by the pedestrian, God muttered in a heartless voice.
“I gave a similar punishment to those who conspired to kill ‘Alice’.”
“...”
“He doesn’t remember his past life like you, but if he can’t overcome his greed and hurt someone again, he will be reincarnated endlessly and live a difficult life.”
The story that Sylvia had only learned for the first time after countless lives made her head spin.
Even as Sylvia stared blankly ahead, God continued to speak.
“Among them, Harold was born as the successor to a fairly wealthy family in this life.”
“...”
“However, he killed his younger brother because he didn’t want to share the property with him, and when his parents found out, he was expelled from the family and thrown out onto the streets.”
“...”
“If he had been content with what was given to him, he could have atone for his sins with this life.”
At first glance, it sounded like he was sorry.
However, what was in God’s words was utter indifference.
Sylvia turned her head in response to the sharp words.
God also turned his head to meet her gaze.
An indecipherable question fell into her ear.
“Do you blame me?”
“...”
“If they hadn’t betrayed you in the first place, you wouldn’t have committed a sin either, so have you ever thought that it was all their fault?”
Sylvia didn’t answer. Instead, she bit her lip.
God’s guess was true.
Fortunately, it didn’t seem like a question that required an answer.
God spoke with sharp eyes but on the other hand, as if nothing existed.
As if explaining an extremely obvious truth, dully.
“What’s important to me is not your feelings.”
“...”
“The innocent souls you harmed who should not have died.”
Ironically, Sylvia understood when she heard those words.
Why God had given her the heaviest punishment.
However, understanding did not mean she was convinced.
She was not a god, but a mere human.
“...What are you trying to say?”
Sylvia tried not to grind her teeth and barely managed to spit out the words.
However, the absurd words flowed into her ears without any reward.
“However, just because I gave you a heavier punishment does not mean that I care for them more than you.”
“...”
“Rather, I would have cared for you more, since you were the one who took the lead in saving humans.”
“Ha.”
In the end, anger overcame fear.
A hollow laugh burst out of Sylvia’s teeth.
She laughed like a madman for a moment.
God finished speaking without wavering even after seeing Sylvia’s face laughing in anger.
It was even creepier.
“That’s why you reincarnated at a similar time this time when the contract with the child ended so that you could meet that child again.”
“That child.”
“However, he killed his younger brother because he didn’t want to share the property with him, and when his parents found out, he was expelled from the family and thrown out onto the streets.”
“...”
“If he had been content with what was given to him, he could have atone for his sins with this life.”
At first glance, it sounded like he was sorry.
However, what was in God’s words was utter indifference.
Sylvia turned her head in response to the sharp words.
God also turned his head to meet her gaze.
An indecipherable question fell into her ear.
“Do you blame me?”
“...”
“If they hadn’t betrayed you in the first place, you wouldn’t have committed a sin either, so have you ever thought that it was all their fault?”
Sylvia didn’t answer. Instead, she bit her lip.
God’s guess was true.
Fortunately, it didn’t seem like a question that required an answer.
God spoke with sharp eyes but on the other hand, as if nothing existed.
As if explaining an extremely obvious truth, dully.
“What’s important to me is not your feelings.”
“...”
“The innocent souls you harmed who should not have died.”
Ironically, Sylvia understood when she heard those words.
Why God had given her the heaviest punishment.
However, understanding did not mean she was convinced.
She was not a god, but a mere human.
“...What are you trying to say?”
Sylvia tried not to grind her teeth and barely managed to spit out the words.
However, the absurd words flowed into her ears without any reward.
“However, just because I gave you a heavier punishment does not mean that I care for them more than you.”
“...”
“Rather, I would have cared for you more, since you were the one who took the lead in saving humans.”
“Ha.”
In the end, anger overcame fear.
A hollow laugh burst out of Sylvia’s teeth.
She laughed like a madman for a moment.
God finished speaking without wavering even after seeing Sylvia’s face laughing in anger.
It was even creepier.
“That’s why you reincarnated at a similar time this time when the contract with the child ended so that you could meet that child again.”
“That child.”
Probably referring to Randall.
Thinking of Randalll’s face, her heart calmed down a little.
She took a deep breath and opened her mouth with a face colder than God’s.
“Listen carefully, you damn rascal.”
At those words, for the first time, a ‘crack’ appeared on God’s face, which had been like porcelain.
His sparse eyebrows twitched slightly.
Sylvia gritted her teeth and tilted her upper body.
She locked eyes with God right in front of her, chewing on each word as she spoke into his ear.
“If the person receiving the love doesn’t feel it as ‘love,’ then it’s just selfishness and satisfaction on your own. So don’t dare say in front of me that you did it because you loved me more.”
“...”
Thinking of Randalll’s face, her heart calmed down a little.
She took a deep breath and opened her mouth with a face colder than God’s.
“Listen carefully, you damn rascal.”
At those words, for the first time, a ‘crack’ appeared on God’s face, which had been like porcelain.
His sparse eyebrows twitched slightly.
Sylvia gritted her teeth and tilted her upper body.
She locked eyes with God right in front of her, chewing on each word as she spoke into his ear.
“If the person receiving the love doesn’t feel it as ‘love,’ then it’s just selfishness and satisfaction on your own. So don’t dare say in front of me that you did it because you loved me more.”
“...”
“It was our will that allowed me to meet Randall again, not your damned love and mercy. Do you understand?”
The God showed no reaction to Sylvia’s words.
Not anger, not guilt. Not anything.
He simply said in his usual calm tone after an unknown amount of time had passed.
“Let’s go.”
He had said everything he had to say anyway, so he had no regrets.
He hadn’t expected an answer either.
Sylvia nodded.
She and God walked silently back toward the festival street.
The street was still full of people, and laughter filled the air.
It was as if they had been living a time away from the world for a while.
The God showed no reaction to Sylvia’s words.
Not anger, not guilt. Not anything.
He simply said in his usual calm tone after an unknown amount of time had passed.
“Let’s go.”
He had said everything he had to say anyway, so he had no regrets.
He hadn’t expected an answer either.
Sylvia nodded.
She and God walked silently back toward the festival street.
The street was still full of people, and laughter filled the air.
It was as if they had been living a time away from the world for a while.
God pulled up the hood on his cloak and suddenly added,
“I didn’t really plan on coming to see you... I came because there was a spirit nearby who had received a little bit of my power. I think I told you everything I needed to tell you. And.”
Underneath the hood, unfocused eyes stared straight at Sylvia.
“If you still feel pain because of your past memories, I will erase them. That child’s as well.”
“...”
Sylvia’s fingertips trembled at those words.
It was understandable because God’s words seemed to penetrate every emotion she had felt recently.
"Mom!"
Juliet.
Her daughter whom she had met in her second life.
That child remained in her heart.
Sylvia hesitated to have children even though she knew that the royal couple’s duties included succeeding in the throne.
Whenever she saw Philia and Rubia’s children, she felt love for them, but she also felt pain at the fact that she felt such emotions because she had failed to protect Juliet.
But...
“I refuse.”
Sylvia firmly shook her head.
God asked back, looking like he didn’t understand.
“Why?”
“There were certainly many painful moments, but I don’t want to forget the moments of happiness that shone even brighter because of that.”
To erase the misfortune, she didn't want to erase the memories that sparkled like seashells that she sometimes found in the sand.
She should cherish every moment of her life. And she should always do her best.
That was what Sylvia had realized over her long life.
"And I also don't want to think that if I lose my memories, I might end up praising you without thinking."
The last words contained a bit of provocation and sarcasm.
However, once she had said them out loud, Sylvia was afraid of the repercussions, so she glanced at the god.
However, perhaps because he was a being that had no emotions, the god surprisingly showed no reaction. He simply muttered calmly.
“I didn’t really plan on coming to see you... I came because there was a spirit nearby who had received a little bit of my power. I think I told you everything I needed to tell you. And.”
Underneath the hood, unfocused eyes stared straight at Sylvia.
“If you still feel pain because of your past memories, I will erase them. That child’s as well.”
“...”
Sylvia’s fingertips trembled at those words.
It was understandable because God’s words seemed to penetrate every emotion she had felt recently.
"Mom!"
Juliet.
Her daughter whom she had met in her second life.
That child remained in her heart.
Sylvia hesitated to have children even though she knew that the royal couple’s duties included succeeding in the throne.
Whenever she saw Philia and Rubia’s children, she felt love for them, but she also felt pain at the fact that she felt such emotions because she had failed to protect Juliet.
But...
“I refuse.”
Sylvia firmly shook her head.
God asked back, looking like he didn’t understand.
“Why?”
“There were certainly many painful moments, but I don’t want to forget the moments of happiness that shone even brighter because of that.”
To erase the misfortune, she didn't want to erase the memories that sparkled like seashells that she sometimes found in the sand.
She should cherish every moment of her life. And she should always do her best.
That was what Sylvia had realized over her long life.
"And I also don't want to think that if I lose my memories, I might end up praising you without thinking."
The last words contained a bit of provocation and sarcasm.
However, once she had said them out loud, Sylvia was afraid of the repercussions, so she glanced at the god.
However, perhaps because he was a being that had no emotions, the god surprisingly showed no reaction. He simply muttered calmly.
“What...”
“...”
“Demons are wandering around the human world, so it’s not like non-believers can’t wander around either.”
“...”
“Take care.”
With that greeting, the god closed his eyes.
As the god left the fortuneteller’s body, Sylvia supported her as her body swayed.
“...”
She stared blankly at the sky for a moment.
The voice she heard at that moment blew away all her complicated feelings.
“Sylvia!”
“...Randalll.”
Sylvia smiled brightly and turned her head toward the voice.
Towards the one she had chosen, and who had chosen her and endured a long time with her.
“Demons are wandering around the human world, so it’s not like non-believers can’t wander around either.”
“...”
“Take care.”
With that greeting, the god closed his eyes.
As the god left the fortuneteller’s body, Sylvia supported her as her body swayed.
“...”
She stared blankly at the sky for a moment.
The voice she heard at that moment blew away all her complicated feelings.
“Sylvia!”
“...Randalll.”
Sylvia smiled brightly and turned her head toward the voice.
Towards the one she had chosen, and who had chosen her and endured a long time with her.
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