Episode 97. I hope you feel the pain I felt
The moment Lacrahan and Bercheria discovered the parallel butterfly under Kelita's bed, Bercheria attempted to destroy it on the spot.
The mere existence of the parallel butterfly made her so afraid of the variables that would arise in the future.
Bercheria still harbored trauma from her mother.
"It's not time yet."
That's why Lacrahan was so flustered by her sudden interruption.
"What do you mean?"
"I don't know everything about the divine beings, but I remember who created the parallel butterfly."
Bercheria blinked, and Lacrahan briefly listened to Rosie's voice from outside, then pressed closer to Bercheria.
"You do know that all divine beings on Earth are objects left behind by gods, right?"
"Yes, I do."
"Who do you think the god is who left the parallel butterfly?"
Bercheria shook her head.
“Janus.”
Bercheria, who resided on earth, didn’t know all the gods who inhabited the heavenly gardens.
However, she had heard stories about a few famous ones.
Janus, in particular, was a quirky god known for his two-faced nature.
“While in this butterfly form, you can use your powers freely, but if it’s destroyed or damaged, there will be serious side effects.”
“Side effects?”
“I don’t know for sure, but I can guess that the switched souls will never be safe.”
Bercheria’s brow furrowed.
Lacrahan was saying that if she could just use the Parallel Butterfly at the right moment, she could put both Lawrence and Kelita to sleep.
“There will definitely be a chance.”
As the two stared at each other, the door opened without warning, and Rosie entered.
Rosie, having dismissed the servants who had come to clean, urgently called out to the two.
“You must come out now.”
Lacrahan and Bercheria stepped outside, clutching the Parallel Butterfly.
Rosie scanned the hallway anxiously, then asked with a face full of hesitation,
"Where is the real Princess Kelita right now?"
Lacrahan and Bercheria stared at each other, bewildered.
It was unclear whether Rosie was perceptive or had sensed it because of her close relationship with Kelita, but it was at this moment that the reason she had helped them became clear. Rosie looked back and forth between them and asked again,
"Tell me honestly. Is the Princess already dead? Or can she come back?"
Bercheria recalled the conversation she had just had with Lacrahan.
She didn't yet know what would happen to the soul trapped within the Parallel Butterfly if it were destroyed.
But she knew she wouldn't miss this opportunity.
"Rosie. That..."
"She probably won't come back."
Lacrahan's words drew the two women's gazes.
"Someone used a sacred substance to put their soul into Kelita's body. If she were to return to normal, the normal situation would be..."
Lacrahan chose his words carefully, trying to avoid shocking Rosie.
But in this situation, he couldn't console Rosie by giving her hope for the impossible.
"Most people die. They can't endure it."
Rosie's face visibly hardened.
She wiggled her fingers, looking anxious, then raised her head.
"Is there no hope at all? With your help, wouldn't there be a chance?"
Rosie let out a long sigh, watching Lacrahan shift his head from side to side.
It was clear the situation was far worse than she had imagined.
"I'll get you out of here without being noticed. Come here."
Rosie walked ahead, as if they were unrelated. Once they were some distance from Kelita's room, they exchanged a glance and quietly walked away, leaving Rosie to ask if she ever needed their help again.
Lacrahan, watching, said,
"The imperial court will gradually become divided."
With the arrival of the weather goddess, Bercheria, they were inevitably in a situation where they would face off against Emperor Gerard.
People will now gradually try to solidify their positions between Bercheria and Gerard.
"It's human nature, so don't think too harshly of it. When the time comes, their actions may prove beneficial."
The fact that humans were on Bercheria's side could, at times, be quite threatening to the Supreme Being.
"What did the Supreme Being fear most?"
"Humans who could kill gods?"
"Yes, that's right. Like you in the past and me now."
Lacrahan smiled bitterly, recalling the old story.
"They believe that gods are revered and perfected because mere humans cannot kill or harm them."
This was precisely why the Supreme Being had so terribly opposed their love.
"The mere fact that humans are on your side and believe your words will make the Supreme Being feel threatened. So, if possible, take care of those who hate Gerard."
"I will."
Just then, the two men staring at each other heard the sound of another group approaching.
Even though they were far from Kelita's room, the party wasn't over yet.
The sight of Bercheria and Lacrahan sneaking out to have a secret meeting was not a good thing.
"Come here."
Bercheria took Lacrahan's hand and led him into a quiet room.
Opening the door, he saw a half-open window, a breeze seeping through the cracks.
Thin curtains swayed helplessly above it.
In the center of the room, where the scent of paint permeated the air, the most striking feature was the easel.
Besides it, painting supplies were scattered here and there, and unfinished portraits lined the walls, tightly packed. As voices drew nearer to the door, Lacrahan pushed Bercheria to the corner. He shielded her with his body and leaned against the wall behind him, ensuring that no one would see her if the door suddenly opened.
The two waited, close enough that they could hear each other's breathing, for the crowd to drift away.
As Lacrahan gazed toward the door, a sudden warmth touched his chest.
"I have no intention of sitting still and watching."
Lacrahan's pitch-black eyes slowly turned to Bercheria.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, I will do my utmost to prevent you from marrying Kelita."
A faint smile played on his lips.
“Yes. Please do.”
There was no way he would marry Kelita anyway.
For Lacrahan, it was merely a nuisance, not a difficult one.
However, he would have to continue to think about how to make this situation more advantageous for them.
Lacrahan kissed Bercheria’s lips, who looked up at him lovingly.
The scent of the sweet paint and the cool night air mingled, forcing their breaths together. Her hot, small body entangled with his, he wished for this whole situation to be resolved sooner.
If only he could hold Bercheria all day, never leaving bed.
If only he could begin and end each day leisurely with her.
For that one thing, he felt he would give anything.
***
“No!”
Lawrence groaned miserably, trapped inside Kelita’s body.
“Why do you have the Parallel Butterfly? Why!”
When the Supreme Being gave her the Parallel Butterfly, he had included a warning.
"If you lose the Parallel Butterfly while your bodies are switched, a terrible disaster will strike, so be careful."
Lawrence didn't even ask what that disaster was. After all, it was all right as long as she didn't lose the Parallel Butterfly, right?
When she stayed in the Empress's chambers, she had no worries because she had a secret place she'd made.
But after entering Kelita's body, she couldn't sleep, worried that someone might steal the Parallel Butterfly, or that he might be caught cleaning.
So she made the entire room a mess, preventing the maids from even thinking about cleaning.
With no room to even step, finding the Parallel Butterfly in there would be next to impossible.
With a few sacred objects hidden away like that, she had no worries.
But why, when!
"You stole my Parallel Butterfly? You?"
She lunged at Bercheria as if she would kill her at any moment.
"Ugh."
But a thick fog enveloped Kelita's feet, immobilizing her.
She couldn't move forward even a single step, as if she were stuck in a sticky swamp.
"I went into Kelita's room and brought this butterfly."
Bercheria's flat voice sent chills down her spine.
"Yes, you dare."
"Mother."
Golden eyes settled calmly on Kelita.
“Recall carefully from now on.”
Kelita began to tremble.
“The pain I felt while you threw me into the tower and tormented me as a child.”
The parallel butterfly holding her leash fluttered its beautiful wings in Bercheria’s palm.
“How much pain I felt eating the dry bread you gave me.”
“Now, wait a moment, Bercheria.”
“Remember how my face looked every time you told me that humans would hate me.”
With each tightening of Bercheria’s grip, Kelita writhed in fear.
“Wait a minute! I’ll tell you everything. Just put that aside for now.”
“My heart, which could not die even while feeling the pain of being whipped by you.”
Bercheria held out her hand, the parallel butterfly resting on it, in front of Kelita’s nose.
In front of Kelita, who was in despair, Bercheria’s beautiful face loomed like a fantasy.
“Because what you’re feeling now is what I felt then.”
“Aah!”
Kelita reached out and snatched the parallel butterfly.
No.
The moment she was about to snatch it, a crunching sound was heard in Bercheria's palm.
"Huh!"
Kelita's mouth fell open helplessly in the damp, fog-shrouded space.
She stared blankly at the silver antennae poking out between Bercheria's fingers.
Trapped in Kelita's body, the parallel butterfly vanished.
There was no way for her to return to her own body.
And she had no idea what would happen inside this body.
"I hope a terrible disaster befall you, Mother."
Only the certainty that it would be an irreversible pain dominated her.
"Gyaaaaah!"
Kelita began to scream, clutching her head.
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