Reti didn’t seem pleased that Rashiel was treating her like a nuisance, but surprisingly, she backed off without fuss.
The two of them left the building and walked to the rose garden.
The red roses blooming beautifully in the daytime were lovely, but under the moonlight in the dark, the view of the roses showing off their colors was even more breathtaking.
‘That scenery probably just looks black and white to Rashiel…’
Remembering that fact, a fresh wave of anger toward the Artez Imperial Family surged within her.
Elsez glanced up at him beside her, feeling a pang of sadness.
As expected, his eyes as he looked at the rose garden seemed unmoved.
Yet his figure standing amidst the scene looked so beautiful—it felt like a vision of a summer night.
As Elsez stared at his face, momentarily entranced, his eyes met hers, having noticed her gaze.
Startled, Elsez quickly averted her eyes and brought up what she had wanted to ask.
“So… you decided to help the Empire?”
“I’ve got some preparations to make, so I’m leaving at dawn tomorrow.”
Her brows furrowed at his response.
Then she asked carefully,
“Are you okay with this?”
“With what?”
“Getting involved in all of this.”
“I’m fine. There’s something to gain from it, after all.”
He truly looked like he didn’t mind at all, and that only made Elsez feel more uneasy.
Even if they hadn’t known each other existed before, Cedric was still Rashiel’s brother.
She didn’t care if Cedric died—he had already tried to kill Rashiel once—but Rashiel’s feelings worried her.
“That vice captain from the Imperial Knights—don’t you think he’s unbelievably shameless? How could he ask for your help knowing everything between you and the Imperial Family?”
“……”
“It’s easy for him to say—it’s not even his own family.”
“……”
“No, actually, the real problem is that Crown Prince bastard. I should’ve left him completely paralyzed back then…”
Just as Elsez was ranting about Cedric, a low chuckle came from beside her.
She looked at Rashiel with suspicion, wondering why he was laughing at a time like this.
Rashiel brushed aside a strand of hair that had fallen into her eyes and murmured,
“Why do I like it when you get angry for me?”
“There you go again. I worry about you and you make fun of me.”
Elsez gave him a pouty glare—but unlike before, she didn’t punch him in the gut.
His low, soft laughter sounded nice, so she decided to let it go for now.
‘And because his smiling face is so pretty…’
When the smile faded from his face, Elsez spoke again—this time more seriously.
“Rashiel. If you don’t want to do this, then don’t force yourself.”
She was worried about the people caught up in the situation, but that didn’t mean Rashiel had to be the one to solve it.
After all, this was the Empire’s problem—not the Tower Master’s.
“But if it were you, you’d definitely go to the Empire.”
His sharp observation made Elsez flinch.
“And if you said you wouldn’t go, I’d be the one insisting I would.”
He saw right through her.
Unable to deny it, Elsez said,
“That may be true, but still—you should make your own choice. Just because I would choose that path doesn’t mean you have to do the same.”
“I’m not going because I’m forced to.”
Rashiel replied firmly.
“I’m not someone who’s righteous or kind.”
He assessed himself with calm honesty, then added in a quiet voice,
“But if saving the world and helping the weak is your belief—what you want to protect—then I’ll do it.”
“……”
“Because you are my belief.”
Elsez looked at Rashiel with confused eyes.
The way he called her his belief—his gaze was so strong and unshakable that it couldn’t be broken by anything.
Only when she met those eyes did she finally understand.
That for some people, just one person’s existence could become their entire belief.
“But I don’t feel right leaving you alone like this… so I’m thinking of setting up a safeguard.”
“…A safeguard?”
“A contract—so in an emergency, you’ll be able to use my mana and magic.”
Elsez could use magic through the power of the Demon God, but if she used that in front of people, her true nature would be exposed.
So if she could borrow Rashiel’s mana and magic in a crisis, it would be a huge help.
“There’s a spell like that?”
“It’s ancient magic. High-level stuff that’s hardly ever used now.”
There was a reason ancient magic had fallen out of use.
Usually because of side effects… or it was often abused.
Elsez was about to ask more, but flinched when Rashiel suddenly took her hand, forgetting what she was going to say.
Rashiel placed her hand on his palm.
Then, a small magic circle began to draw itself on the back of her hand and his.
Elsez stared at it in fascination.
Rashiel explained further,
“Once the contract is complete, my mana and magic will resonate with you—just once, when you need it most.”
With his mana and magic, often called the strongest in the world, that would be more than enough.
“Can’t I use it twice?”
“You won’t need to.”
‘Is it because Rashiel’s magic is so strong that he’ll wipe them all out in one go?’
While Elsez pondered that question, the completed magic circle seeped into the back of her hand and disappeared.
“Is it done now?”
Rashiel gently yet firmly held onto Elsez’s hand as she tried to lower it and answered,
“No, there’s one final step left.”
As expected of high-level magic, the process was complicated.
“Before that, there’s something you need to know.”
“What is it?”
“For this contract to be sealed…”
Rashiel trailed off, staring intently at Elsez.
In that fleeting moment, an unfamiliar emotion stirred within his usually calm eyes.
“We have to kiss.”
Elsez blinked, staring blankly at him without immediately understanding, then a beat later her eyes widened in shock.
“…What?”
“Lending your mana as a mage means giving your whole self. This kind of contract is usually done between lovers or married couples.”
Only then did Elsez somewhat accept that the final step of the contract was a kiss.
‘But how am I supposed to do something like that with Rashiel…?’
Understanding it and actually doing it were two very different things.
Kissing him?
She had never even once imagined such a thing.
And of course—he had always been the boy she raised.
‘But… not anymore.’
Elsez looked up at Rashiel with confused eyes.
He was no longer a boy.
That impossibly beautiful face, his height that now towered over her, the kind of body she couldn’t just casually hug anymore—
Without even realizing it, Rashiel had become a full-grown man.
The moment she realized that, her hand in his suddenly felt awkward.
Elsez tried to subtly pull her hand away, but Rashiel had no intention of letting go. In fact, he only held on tighter.
Unable to meet his eyes, Elsez looked away and carefully spoke.
“Um… Rashiel. I appreciate that you’re worried about me, but… don’t you think this kind of contract is a bit much for us…?”
“Why?”
“You just said a mage lending their mana means giving their whole self… Shouldn’t you do something like that with someone you truly love…?”
While fumbling through her reasoning and trying to dissuade him, Elsez accidentally looked up—and met his slightly pained gaze.
The moment she spoke those words—
The moment she saw herself reflected in his crimson eyes—
She could no longer deny it.
‘You… you love me.’
So much that I became your belief.
So much that you’d give your whole self willingly.
The sudden realization of his true feelings crashed over Elsez like a powerful wave, shaking her to the core.
Rashiel stepped closer to her, who was still staring at him with dazed, confused eyes.
“What kind of madman would propose a contract like this to a woman he doesn’t love?”
His voice was soft, but the emotions flickering in his eyes were anything but gentle.
Suppressing the raw feelings that seemed ready to burst at any moment, Rashiel continued.
“I don’t know how you feel… but I’m not planning to lose you again.”
Whether it be death, or another world.
His grip on her hand tightened, as if to say he would never let go again.
“I don’t think I could leave you behind unless I set up at least this kind of safeguard…”
Rashiel reached out toward Elsez’s pale, slender neck.
His long, cool fingers brushed her soft hair aside, gently holding the back of her neck.
“If you don’t want this—push me away.”
And with a voice that made refusal impossible, his lips came down and captured hers.
At that moment, the magic circles drawn on the backs of their hands began to glow brightly— and then fused into one.
Comments (0)