Because she hadn't closed her eyes, the two pairs of pupils met each other. Amelia was so surprised that her lips trembled as they touched, but she didn't avoid Ivan's eyes.
“...”
After some time had passed, Amelia lowered the heel she was holding. Naturally, Amelia’s gaze lowered.
"I am."
She didn't have the confidence to meet his gaze. She was afraid of the rejection or the rejection that might be seen in Ivan's eyes.
“I think I like it.”
Besides, she knew that somewhere in her heart, which was now clinging to Ivan, there was a little bit of a base desire hidden. Even though she knew that it was wrong to use people, she wanted to escape from this place by using Ivan.
"...you?"
So there was no way she could just casually wait for his answer. Amelia stared at Ivan's shoulder and somewhere near his collarbone, waiting for his answer.
But Ivan didn't answer for a while. Amelia couldn't bear his gaze pouring down on her head and raised her head.
“What about you?”
And she asked the question more clearly. She didn't hide her desire to get an answer that she was quite eagerly waiting for. She hoped that even if this expectation was burdensome, she would lie.
“Does my answer matter?”
Ivan's green eyes were more beautiful than expected, like jewels. However, Ivan's words were not the kind Amelia had expected. For a moment, she felt resentful. She forgot that she had the lowly mind to use Ivan's heart. She just felt the ground beneath her feet give out. The hope that she might be able to get out of here by connecting with him seemed to be dissipating into thin air.
“You’ll be stuck here your whole life anyway, and you’ll just forget about me as if I were a passing thing.”
“...”
“You can’t be anything for me.”
But Ivan's cold voice woke Amelia up.
“You can’t be my lover or my wife. I know that, and you know that too.”
“Ivan.”
“But what good is it that you shook me with just a wavering heart for a moment...”
Ivan tried to push Amelia away, but Amelia felt her heart beating strangely fast, as if she had jumped.
You like me, don't you?
As she was getting closer to her conviction, Amelia felt the rapid flow of blood and excitement through her veins.
"No."
Amelia cut Ivan off.
“Ivan. I can be your lover or your wife.”
And whispered in his ear.
“If only I could get out of here.”
It was a voice that seemed both earnest and seductive. Ivan flinched at the sound that seeped into his ears. Amelia could tell from the movement that he was agitated.
“Take me out of here, Ivan.”
Amelia clung to Ivan. Previously, she had only held onto him with her gaze or voice, but this time she held onto him physically and clung to him.
“I, I want to follow you.”
Ivan looked down at Amelia with somewhat confused eyes. His expression showed that he had no idea what Amelia was saying, or if what he had just heard was true, or what her intention was.
“I’m nothing, really.”
“What does that mean?”
Ivan asked with a frown.
“You already noticed. You know I’m not special.”
“...”
“Because I haven’t done anything special, other than not growing old or dying.”
Ivan does not believe in God. So he could not believe in the existence of Amelia, who pretends to be God's representative. He would think that the things Amelia has done have nothing to do with spiritual matters. That was natural.
“I’m trapped here, Ivan.”
Ivan stared at Amelia. Amelia felt anxious because he didn't seem to believe her words. Regardless of whether she believed Ivan liked her.
“Just like my mother and grandmother.”
Ivan's smooth eyebrows twitched. They were somewhat steeply slanted. It was an expression that seemed to be assessing his true intentions. If she wants to persuade Ivan, she has to be honest. Amelia thought so and raised her hand with a determined expression.
“What are you doing now...”
And then she pulled down the shoulder part of the dress she was wearing. Ivan was surprised by the unexpected action and was about to stop Amelia's movements when his hand stopped in midair.
“...”
Perhaps because she didn't usually enjoy going out, her exposed skin looked pale under the moonlight. But what really caught Ivan's attention wasn't her pale, smooth skin.
“Can you see it?”
Amelia asked, pointing to the scar just below her shoulder, just barely covered by her dress.
Evidence of hardship and suffering that should never occur to such a precious body.
“This is the scar I got when I was ten years old, trying to run away from here, from a dog bite.”
The crescent-shaped bite wound was quite large when viewed from the front. Ivan could guess the extent of the pain. As she grew, her skin would have stretched, so the wound would have been smaller than it is now, but it must have been a large wound on her small body that still leaves a scar.
“Do you know what it means to me to have a mother and a grandmother?”
“...”
“And that I got hurt like this when I tried to run away.”
Amelia spoke with a trembling voice. Then she took Ivan’s hand and brought it to her scar. Through Ivan’s fingertips, he could faintly feel the texture of the scar, different from her original skin.
“I am not an agent of God.”
“...You're not an immortal being.”
Amelia nodded with a face that looked like she was about to cry at Ivan's addition.
“I know you might feel burdened.”
Amelia and Ivan only met a handful of times. It was a miserable and shameful thing to reveal everything to a man she liked. It was close to human despair.
Nevertheless, Amelia had reasons to confess to him and ask for his help.
“There are only two weeks left.”
There were only about two weeks left until Coming of Age Night. And as the time wore on, the strangulation of Amelia's neck grew stronger.
“I have to create a replacement for myself soon. Here, it is called my duty.”
"No way."
Ivan couldn't bring himself to say his guess out loud, so he moved his lips. Any human would have done the same.
“It is the honor of my life to fulfill that duty. But, Ivan, I...”
“...”
“I don’t want to live and die like that.”
So please save me.
Just as she was about to say that, Ivan let out a low sigh. Amelia's shoulders trembled as she expected rejection.
“If you follow me, you will have to give up everything you have now.”
Ivan grabbed Amelia's trembling arm as if to calm her down. He gently ran his thumb over her scar. Perhaps because she was so scared and excited, her body temperature felt particularly cold and low. As he realized it, the hair on the back of his neck stood up, and goosebumps appeared. However, his heart calmed down.
“Do you still want to follow me?”
Ivan asked.
"Still."
It was nothing to worry about. Amelia answered without hesitation. Ivan smiled faintly.
“Come with me, then. I’ll figure out a way to get you out.”
And he obediently gave Amelia the answer she wanted. Amelia hugged his neck with a flushed face.
“Thank you. Thank you, Ivan. I really...”
As she expressed her gratitude with tears in her eyes, Ivan's hand, which had been frozen in surprise, gently stroked Amelia's spine. It was a soothing touch, something she had never felt before here.
Amelia felt secure for the first time in her life in the man's firm embrace. She felt like she could live in comfort like this forever in this man's embrace.
“...!”
Until someone blasted open the door to the annex prayer room.
“Your Ladyship.”
Under the dim moonlight, the intruder's face was obliquely revealed. It was Aaron, accompanied by his knights.
“...”
Aaron said nothing. He simply glanced at the man with the hood of his robe pulled back for a moment, then turned his cold, betraying gaze to Amelia.
It was ridiculous. Betrayal. What else is there between them except coercion and oppression?
“Catch that bastard and lock him up right now.”
As soon as Aaron gave his order, the knights moved quickly. They came in an instant and grabbed Ivan's shoulders and arms with great force. No matter how powerful Ivan was, he could not shake it off in an instant.
“Let go!”
Amelia struggled with her frail arms to keep Ivan from leaving, but it was no use. Amelia barely managed to grab hold of his fingertips, but there was no way to physically move away. Even the fingertips that were barely touching slowly moved away and then completely fell apart.
“Oh, no.”
She reached out desperately again, but Ivan's hand was out of reach.
Just like Amelia Escliffe, who had spent her entire life without holding on to anything, all that was left were hands stretched out in the air, unable to grab onto anything.
A few hours later, a huge fire broke out in the building that housed the prison for the criminals. The fire was so strong that even the temple officials rushed to put it out.
“...”
After some time had passed, Amelia lowered the heel she was holding. Naturally, Amelia’s gaze lowered.
"I am."
She didn't have the confidence to meet his gaze. She was afraid of the rejection or the rejection that might be seen in Ivan's eyes.
“I think I like it.”
Besides, she knew that somewhere in her heart, which was now clinging to Ivan, there was a little bit of a base desire hidden. Even though she knew that it was wrong to use people, she wanted to escape from this place by using Ivan.
"...you?"
So there was no way she could just casually wait for his answer. Amelia stared at Ivan's shoulder and somewhere near his collarbone, waiting for his answer.
But Ivan didn't answer for a while. Amelia couldn't bear his gaze pouring down on her head and raised her head.
“What about you?”
And she asked the question more clearly. She didn't hide her desire to get an answer that she was quite eagerly waiting for. She hoped that even if this expectation was burdensome, she would lie.
“Does my answer matter?”
Ivan's green eyes were more beautiful than expected, like jewels. However, Ivan's words were not the kind Amelia had expected. For a moment, she felt resentful. She forgot that she had the lowly mind to use Ivan's heart. She just felt the ground beneath her feet give out. The hope that she might be able to get out of here by connecting with him seemed to be dissipating into thin air.
“You’ll be stuck here your whole life anyway, and you’ll just forget about me as if I were a passing thing.”
“...”
“You can’t be anything for me.”
But Ivan's cold voice woke Amelia up.
“You can’t be my lover or my wife. I know that, and you know that too.”
“Ivan.”
“But what good is it that you shook me with just a wavering heart for a moment...”
Ivan tried to push Amelia away, but Amelia felt her heart beating strangely fast, as if she had jumped.
You like me, don't you?
As she was getting closer to her conviction, Amelia felt the rapid flow of blood and excitement through her veins.
"No."
Amelia cut Ivan off.
“Ivan. I can be your lover or your wife.”
And whispered in his ear.
“If only I could get out of here.”
It was a voice that seemed both earnest and seductive. Ivan flinched at the sound that seeped into his ears. Amelia could tell from the movement that he was agitated.
“Take me out of here, Ivan.”
Amelia clung to Ivan. Previously, she had only held onto him with her gaze or voice, but this time she held onto him physically and clung to him.
“I, I want to follow you.”
Ivan looked down at Amelia with somewhat confused eyes. His expression showed that he had no idea what Amelia was saying, or if what he had just heard was true, or what her intention was.
“I’m nothing, really.”
“What does that mean?”
Ivan asked with a frown.
“You already noticed. You know I’m not special.”
“...”
“Because I haven’t done anything special, other than not growing old or dying.”
Ivan does not believe in God. So he could not believe in the existence of Amelia, who pretends to be God's representative. He would think that the things Amelia has done have nothing to do with spiritual matters. That was natural.
“I’m trapped here, Ivan.”
Ivan stared at Amelia. Amelia felt anxious because he didn't seem to believe her words. Regardless of whether she believed Ivan liked her.
“Just like my mother and grandmother.”
Ivan's smooth eyebrows twitched. They were somewhat steeply slanted. It was an expression that seemed to be assessing his true intentions. If she wants to persuade Ivan, she has to be honest. Amelia thought so and raised her hand with a determined expression.
“What are you doing now...”
And then she pulled down the shoulder part of the dress she was wearing. Ivan was surprised by the unexpected action and was about to stop Amelia's movements when his hand stopped in midair.
“...”
Perhaps because she didn't usually enjoy going out, her exposed skin looked pale under the moonlight. But what really caught Ivan's attention wasn't her pale, smooth skin.
“Can you see it?”
Amelia asked, pointing to the scar just below her shoulder, just barely covered by her dress.
Evidence of hardship and suffering that should never occur to such a precious body.
“This is the scar I got when I was ten years old, trying to run away from here, from a dog bite.”
The crescent-shaped bite wound was quite large when viewed from the front. Ivan could guess the extent of the pain. As she grew, her skin would have stretched, so the wound would have been smaller than it is now, but it must have been a large wound on her small body that still leaves a scar.
“Do you know what it means to me to have a mother and a grandmother?”
“...”
“And that I got hurt like this when I tried to run away.”
Amelia spoke with a trembling voice. Then she took Ivan’s hand and brought it to her scar. Through Ivan’s fingertips, he could faintly feel the texture of the scar, different from her original skin.
“I am not an agent of God.”
“...You're not an immortal being.”
Amelia nodded with a face that looked like she was about to cry at Ivan's addition.
“I know you might feel burdened.”
Amelia and Ivan only met a handful of times. It was a miserable and shameful thing to reveal everything to a man she liked. It was close to human despair.
Nevertheless, Amelia had reasons to confess to him and ask for his help.
“There are only two weeks left.”
There were only about two weeks left until Coming of Age Night. And as the time wore on, the strangulation of Amelia's neck grew stronger.
“I have to create a replacement for myself soon. Here, it is called my duty.”
"No way."
Ivan couldn't bring himself to say his guess out loud, so he moved his lips. Any human would have done the same.
“It is the honor of my life to fulfill that duty. But, Ivan, I...”
“...”
“I don’t want to live and die like that.”
So please save me.
Just as she was about to say that, Ivan let out a low sigh. Amelia's shoulders trembled as she expected rejection.
“If you follow me, you will have to give up everything you have now.”
Ivan grabbed Amelia's trembling arm as if to calm her down. He gently ran his thumb over her scar. Perhaps because she was so scared and excited, her body temperature felt particularly cold and low. As he realized it, the hair on the back of his neck stood up, and goosebumps appeared. However, his heart calmed down.
“Do you still want to follow me?”
Ivan asked.
"Still."
It was nothing to worry about. Amelia answered without hesitation. Ivan smiled faintly.
“Come with me, then. I’ll figure out a way to get you out.”
And he obediently gave Amelia the answer she wanted. Amelia hugged his neck with a flushed face.
“Thank you. Thank you, Ivan. I really...”
As she expressed her gratitude with tears in her eyes, Ivan's hand, which had been frozen in surprise, gently stroked Amelia's spine. It was a soothing touch, something she had never felt before here.
Amelia felt secure for the first time in her life in the man's firm embrace. She felt like she could live in comfort like this forever in this man's embrace.
“...!”
Until someone blasted open the door to the annex prayer room.
“Your Ladyship.”
Under the dim moonlight, the intruder's face was obliquely revealed. It was Aaron, accompanied by his knights.
“...”
Aaron said nothing. He simply glanced at the man with the hood of his robe pulled back for a moment, then turned his cold, betraying gaze to Amelia.
It was ridiculous. Betrayal. What else is there between them except coercion and oppression?
“Catch that bastard and lock him up right now.”
As soon as Aaron gave his order, the knights moved quickly. They came in an instant and grabbed Ivan's shoulders and arms with great force. No matter how powerful Ivan was, he could not shake it off in an instant.
“Let go!”
Amelia struggled with her frail arms to keep Ivan from leaving, but it was no use. Amelia barely managed to grab hold of his fingertips, but there was no way to physically move away. Even the fingertips that were barely touching slowly moved away and then completely fell apart.
“Oh, no.”
She reached out desperately again, but Ivan's hand was out of reach.
Just like Amelia Escliffe, who had spent her entire life without holding on to anything, all that was left were hands stretched out in the air, unable to grab onto anything.
***
A few hours later, a huge fire broke out in the building that housed the prison for the criminals. The fire was so strong that even the temple officials rushed to put it out.
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