“Else.”
“Really? Is it really you?”
She raised her hand and stroked his cheek. However, as she approached to get a closer look, Else’s knees began to buckle. As she suddenly sank to the ground, Sybil hugged her. Else caught her breath and grabbed his collar.
“...Doesn’t it hurt anymore?”
She wanted to ask why he was here. But what was leaking out between her lips was his well-being. His eyes, thin because of her. Corroded and sunken. His eyes, once healthy and lustrous, had rusted to a viridian color. Just as Else had rusted and ruined, so had he.
“You’re not in pain anymore? Huh? Are you feeling better?”
Sibyl did not answer. His thick eyebrows and eyes were distorted as if he could not bear something. Else kept nagging at him because she was frustrated. Was he okay? Was he better now? She did not even see him when she left Siena. His knights were so fierce that she had no time to talk to him.
After making it like that, after making such a mess...
So now she really thought it was the end. He in his place, Else in Else's place. When Else's short life was over, would he be able to see her? When Else's life was over and she returned to Hermi, would Sybil find another woman?
Or maybe he was going to send her away and take another woman as his wife. Maybe he was going to leave her in Idun and find another woman. But it couldn't be helped. It should have happened a long time ago... There was no other future for them.
"You."
A soft voice came from Sibyl's lips. The low, low tone was cold and sharp. Else looked at him, trembling. She was alone and had many thoughts. Even though she was so absent-minded, she was conscious at the moment when she was thinking about him.
'Because I still can't forget you.'
Yes. That was the problem. That was the tragedy. It was a tragedy of love and a tragedy of life. Why did she still love Sybil? Even when she tried to kill him, she loved him. She doesn't know why she loved him. She couldn't understand why she loved him. It was sickening. She wanted to let it all go. She was crazy enough to do everything. But she still liked him. Even when shr couldn't kill him and was impatient...
“...You moved away from me. You didn’t have time to breathe. You were in too much pain. You’re a woman who can’t live next to me.”
The distorted man shouted. Even his exhaled breaths seemed harsh, filled with agony. Else swayed as he shook her and touched his dry cheek. When Else’s finger touched his cheek, Sybil flinched. Soon, tears fell from his eyes. Else smiled. The corners of her lips naturally tugged.
“I’m so glad. Really. I’m so glad that you’re getting better...”
It was fortunate that he didn't die. It was fortunate that he recovered from his damage. He was the one who would be damaged and ruined as he was. He was so harmless and soft. He had become too soft and burst. Why had he been so vicious in the past? Why had he been so vicious? Why had he refused to give her even a small opening? If only he had given her root to take root. If only he had been a little less twisted... She wouldn't have been such a vicious woman.
If that had been the case, shr would not have acted so recklessly. Perhaps she would have been able to coax Sybil like a clever government... If that had been the case, Hermi might have been fast asleep in her arms by now. A sob escaped her chapped lips little by little.
Tears flowed again. Could I forgive Sybil? Could I hold this man again?
“But still, I hate you.”
Else, who had been swallowing her tears with her head down, finally raised her head after a long time. The man who had been carefully holding her chin slowly stroked her eyes. The sound of her wet breathing echoed faintly.
"I know."
Else broke down. He held the head of the woman, who was still sobbing. Else completely collapsed against the man's chest. What should we do? How can we be at ease? Sybil thought that it would be nice if at least Else could be at ease.
He was the one who should be punished in this thornbush. It was the thornbush he had created. It was he who had torn her up so cruelly and frozen her. So if he was to be punished, it was right that he should be punished.
“I know you hate me. I know you hate me so much, and it’s so horrible that even your love is horrible.”
Sibyl smiled neatly. Else, who had been looking down, stared at him. The tears in her eyebrows trembled pitifully. Sibyl gently kissed her eyelids and gently held her wounded hand. A tingling sensation ran up her fingertips.
“It’s something I’ve already said.”
“...”
“Don’t try to forgive me.”
"But."
“Keep hating me.”
Else closed her lips. She wanted to ask if she could live like that. Could she live like that? Could she hate him but love him? Sibyl smiled at the woman who was closing her lips tightly like a baby duck. Else, who had been staring blankly at him, slowly crawled into his arms. Sibyl completely sank to the floor and hugged Else, who was crawling into his arms. Else buried her head in his arms like a baby.
“I love you, Sybil. I missed you. You hurt Hermi, and yet I... I’m a mother, so I shouldn’t be like that.”
“It’s okay. Hermi will understand you. Our daughter is a good and loving child.”
At those words, Else shivered. She closed her eyes. She bit her lip and felt her nose sting. As she cried silently, Sibyl hugged her tightly and began to pat her. A small murmur reached her ears.
“I love you, Else. I even love your hate.”
Else looked at the face of the man who loved even hate. His fingers wiping her wet eyes were warm and affectionate. Why couldn’t we have faced each other like this from the beginning? Why couldn’t love be everything when we were in love? Why only after losing Hermi...
His lips touched the warm tears. Else began to sob again at the warm and soft feeling. She couldn't believe that she was back in his arms. After all that she had been through, it was still this man..
"I'm scared."
"It's okay."
“I’m so scared. It’s not you who’s scared, it’s me, I....”
"It's okay."
He closed his eyes tightly. A large hand wrapped around Else's head, who was sobbing while holding onto his chest. Else collapsed into his arms as if collapsing. The warm sensation sent shivers down her entire body. Sybil buried his lips in the crown of her head and closed his eyes. He felt like crying because of the woman who had chosen him despite the irreversible things in the world. His throat was choked as he hugged the woman he had tried to tear away because he didn't want to lose her. His heart felt like it was going to break from the tears that were staining his chest.
"I love you."
But you don't have to love me. I will swallow even your hatred that cannot flow and accumulate. I will receive it all. Sibyl moved his lips until they were worn out and pressed his lips to her reddened earlobe.
“I love you, Else.”
The languid whispers were sweet as a lullaby. It was the most earnest and heartbreaking confession in the world. A confession that was no different from asking for forgiveness. So now it would no longer be a savage love. A love that would not gnaw at her, nor dig her up... It would be okay now. Everything would be okay. Even if they hated and loved each other and became one lump, their love would not be a withered flower petal, but a pair of shoes that would not wear out. Else sighed softly. Nothing had faded. But she thought it was okay.
“Really? Is it really you?”
She raised her hand and stroked his cheek. However, as she approached to get a closer look, Else’s knees began to buckle. As she suddenly sank to the ground, Sybil hugged her. Else caught her breath and grabbed his collar.
“...Doesn’t it hurt anymore?”
She wanted to ask why he was here. But what was leaking out between her lips was his well-being. His eyes, thin because of her. Corroded and sunken. His eyes, once healthy and lustrous, had rusted to a viridian color. Just as Else had rusted and ruined, so had he.
“You’re not in pain anymore? Huh? Are you feeling better?”
Sibyl did not answer. His thick eyebrows and eyes were distorted as if he could not bear something. Else kept nagging at him because she was frustrated. Was he okay? Was he better now? She did not even see him when she left Siena. His knights were so fierce that she had no time to talk to him.
After making it like that, after making such a mess...
So now she really thought it was the end. He in his place, Else in Else's place. When Else's short life was over, would he be able to see her? When Else's life was over and she returned to Hermi, would Sybil find another woman?
Or maybe he was going to send her away and take another woman as his wife. Maybe he was going to leave her in Idun and find another woman. But it couldn't be helped. It should have happened a long time ago... There was no other future for them.
"You."
A soft voice came from Sibyl's lips. The low, low tone was cold and sharp. Else looked at him, trembling. She was alone and had many thoughts. Even though she was so absent-minded, she was conscious at the moment when she was thinking about him.
'Because I still can't forget you.'
Yes. That was the problem. That was the tragedy. It was a tragedy of love and a tragedy of life. Why did she still love Sybil? Even when she tried to kill him, she loved him. She doesn't know why she loved him. She couldn't understand why she loved him. It was sickening. She wanted to let it all go. She was crazy enough to do everything. But she still liked him. Even when shr couldn't kill him and was impatient...
“...You moved away from me. You didn’t have time to breathe. You were in too much pain. You’re a woman who can’t live next to me.”
The distorted man shouted. Even his exhaled breaths seemed harsh, filled with agony. Else swayed as he shook her and touched his dry cheek. When Else’s finger touched his cheek, Sybil flinched. Soon, tears fell from his eyes. Else smiled. The corners of her lips naturally tugged.
“I’m so glad. Really. I’m so glad that you’re getting better...”
It was fortunate that he didn't die. It was fortunate that he recovered from his damage. He was the one who would be damaged and ruined as he was. He was so harmless and soft. He had become too soft and burst. Why had he been so vicious in the past? Why had he been so vicious? Why had he refused to give her even a small opening? If only he had given her root to take root. If only he had been a little less twisted... She wouldn't have been such a vicious woman.
If that had been the case, shr would not have acted so recklessly. Perhaps she would have been able to coax Sybil like a clever government... If that had been the case, Hermi might have been fast asleep in her arms by now. A sob escaped her chapped lips little by little.
Tears flowed again. Could I forgive Sybil? Could I hold this man again?
She doesn’t know. The love was vivid. But the hatred was not forgotten. None of it had weakened. They had hurt and bitten each other so much, so why on earth...? She wished she had been an idiot. There was a time when she prayed that she would become an idiot after that incident. There was a time when she thought it would be better to be a woman who knew nothing and prayed that Sybil would have another child. Else was serious. The feelings of love and hate were so painful that she was crazy. And yet those feelings had not dissipated.
How on earth could I live...? I thought I would never be able to forget Hermi, so how on earth could I live?
“But still, I hate you.”
Else, who had been swallowing her tears with her head down, finally raised her head after a long time. The man who had been carefully holding her chin slowly stroked her eyes. The sound of her wet breathing echoed faintly.
"I know."
Else broke down. He held the head of the woman, who was still sobbing. Else completely collapsed against the man's chest. What should we do? How can we be at ease? Sybil thought that it would be nice if at least Else could be at ease.
He was the one who should be punished in this thornbush. It was the thornbush he had created. It was he who had torn her up so cruelly and frozen her. So if he was to be punished, it was right that he should be punished.
“I know you hate me. I know you hate me so much, and it’s so horrible that even your love is horrible.”
Sibyl smiled neatly. Else, who had been looking down, stared at him. The tears in her eyebrows trembled pitifully. Sibyl gently kissed her eyelids and gently held her wounded hand. A tingling sensation ran up her fingertips.
“It’s something I’ve already said.”
“...”
“Don’t try to forgive me.”
"But."
“Keep hating me.”
Else closed her lips. She wanted to ask if she could live like that. Could she live like that? Could she hate him but love him? Sibyl smiled at the woman who was closing her lips tightly like a baby duck. Else, who had been staring blankly at him, slowly crawled into his arms. Sibyl completely sank to the floor and hugged Else, who was crawling into his arms. Else buried her head in his arms like a baby.
“I love you, Sybil. I missed you. You hurt Hermi, and yet I... I’m a mother, so I shouldn’t be like that.”
“It’s okay. Hermi will understand you. Our daughter is a good and loving child.”
At those words, Else shivered. She closed her eyes. She bit her lip and felt her nose sting. As she cried silently, Sibyl hugged her tightly and began to pat her. A small murmur reached her ears.
“I love you, Else. I even love your hate.”
Else looked at the face of the man who loved even hate. His fingers wiping her wet eyes were warm and affectionate. Why couldn’t we have faced each other like this from the beginning? Why couldn’t love be everything when we were in love? Why only after losing Hermi...
His lips touched the warm tears. Else began to sob again at the warm and soft feeling. She couldn't believe that she was back in his arms. After all that she had been through, it was still this man..
"I'm scared."
"It's okay."
“I’m so scared. It’s not you who’s scared, it’s me, I....”
"It's okay."
He closed his eyes tightly. A large hand wrapped around Else's head, who was sobbing while holding onto his chest. Else collapsed into his arms as if collapsing. The warm sensation sent shivers down her entire body. Sybil buried his lips in the crown of her head and closed his eyes. He felt like crying because of the woman who had chosen him despite the irreversible things in the world. His throat was choked as he hugged the woman he had tried to tear away because he didn't want to lose her. His heart felt like it was going to break from the tears that were staining his chest.
"I love you."
But you don't have to love me. I will swallow even your hatred that cannot flow and accumulate. I will receive it all. Sibyl moved his lips until they were worn out and pressed his lips to her reddened earlobe.
“I love you, Else.”
The languid whispers were sweet as a lullaby. It was the most earnest and heartbreaking confession in the world. A confession that was no different from asking for forgiveness. So now it would no longer be a savage love. A love that would not gnaw at her, nor dig her up... It would be okay now. Everything would be okay. Even if they hated and loved each other and became one lump, their love would not be a withered flower petal, but a pair of shoes that would not wear out. Else sighed softly. Nothing had faded. But she thought it was okay.
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