Author: Byuon

Chapter 125

 

“Excuse me.”

“What’s going on?”

“I was on my way to the capital, but the carriage broke. I’m sorry, could you give me a ride to the capital?”

“Of course.”

“Thank you. My name is Lenia Evelyn.”

“I’m Helios Anthemion.”

“Lady Evelyn?”

“Huh? Young master Anthemion?”

“I see you here.”

“I know, right. I didn’t know that the young master would even attend such a gathering.”

“I’m acquainted with the Marquis of Halstein. And Lady Evelyn?”

“Today is my first time. But I don’t want to come again.”

“Isn’t it fun?”

“It’s not fun, and it’s more disappointing than I thought.”

“Like what?”

“I was expecting a lot of handsome men in the capital, because I’ve only seen one so far.”

“One?”

“That is you, Helios.”

“Lena, shall we get married?”

“Duke will not allow it.”

“Even if my father is against it, we can do it ourselves.”

“You know it doesn’t work. Helios.”

“Why not? If we get married, my father won’t be able to stop us.”

“I don’t like it, and if I drive a wedge between you and the Duke, people will curse me.”

“… Okay. I’ll see if I can get my father’s permission somehow.”

“I’m carrying Helios’s child.”

“Pardon?”

“Do I have to say it twice? I’m pregnant with Helios’ child.”

“…….”

“The wedding date has already been set. So, don’t disturb us and just leave.”

“Lady Melks… Are you going to marry Helios?”

“Yes. Why, did you really think Helios would take a woman from such a shabby family as yours to be his wife?”

“…….”

“Why! Why is it always you! who are you, I’m Helios’ wife, why is he only looking for you!”

“Ugh, Ch-Charlet… put this….”

“Die! Die! You just need to die! So please die!”

“Ugh…! If I die, ugh, do you think Helios will look at you?”

“What?”

“Helios loves… me. Whatever you do, Helios….”

“… Really?”

“…….”

“Then I guess I’ll just have to be Lenia Evelyn.”

Charlet Melks stabbed me in the back.

 

 *****

 

“Why do I have to take care of her!”

Bam! There was the sound of something breaking in the living room. I covered my ears and hid under the desk.

However, the voices of my father and my stepmother only grew higher and higher.

“Oh really!”

My half-brother nervously kicked the door open.

“I don’t have a quiet day because of you.”

My half-sister, who was studying, threw the book. Her thick workbook hit my head and fell.

“Hey! Because of you, our parents fight every day. If you have a conscience, you should run away! How long are you going to live here?”

“That bedbug wouldn’t run away. Don’t you know they like sticking around like that?”

“You’ve got a thick face as an illegitimate child.”

“She is just like her mom.”

“Hey, sister. Can’t you lend me a thousand won?”

“What?”

“I was hungry, so I wanted to buy one kimbap….”

“It’s you, have you touched my money?”

“What?”

“You’re the one who stole 30,000 won from my wallet! I know everything.”

“Oh, that’s not what I did. It’s her….”

“Why are you accusing me of that? Are you crazy?”

“I saw you take my money out of my wallet–”

A flash of light flashed in front of me.

 

  *****

 

“…….”

The pitch-black space was as warm as a mother’s arms. Like a fish swimming in the open sea, I floated in the air.

Mixed memories intersect at random.

I was Lenia Evelyn who loved Helios, I was Lenia Evelyn who had to leave him, and I was Lenia Evelyn who was captured by Charlet Melks.

I was an orphan abandoned by my mother, an illegitimate child living in my father’s house, the spoiled brat bullied by my stepmother and half-siblings.

All of that was me.

Me in this world and me in other worlds were all the same me.

The moment Charlotte Melks plunged her sword into my back to claim my body, the ‘me’ that bounced out of my body became one with the ‘me’ of the other world and lived that life.

‘That’s why Lenia’s memory was faint.’

I’ve been living as someone else for 20 years, so it’s no wonder Lenia’s memory is fuzzy.

Perhaps the novel I thought I had ‘read’ was a preview of a future that never happened, or would happen someday.

One by one, my questions were answered. But nothing was resolved.

So what should I do now?

I must have been taken over by Charlet Melks, how do I get my body back? No, can I go back?

It would have been nice to be able to take a look at what was going on, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get out of this mysterious space.

Am I trapped in this space forever?

In a dark space, I kicked this strange space, neither the earth nor the sky, with my toes, and then collapsed.

… Is Helios okay?

He would be very surprised to know that I have become like this.

I hope you’re not giving up without me.

— Mom.

I jumped up to the sound of a voice coming from somewhere.

Escal?

─ No, it’s me.

Who?

– It’s me, Mom.

I heard a small whisper in my stomach.

 

  *****

 

The western border, where the monster sweep was over, was in the process of reorganizing the ruined city.

The recovery speed has accelerated as the young people who have left the city because of the monsters have returned.

Helios worked diligently, calculating that he would be able to return in two months at this rate.

“Duke.”

“Ken?”

A child about Escal’s age came trotting up, holding out a pouch.

“This, an old man told me to give it to the Duke.”

“What is this?”

“I don’t know.”

The child who finished the errand looked up at him with twinkling eyes.

Helios grinned and handed him a gold coin.

“Good job, you can go.”

He watched the child return with the gold coins, and then opened the pouch.

“……!”

Inside the pouch were a piece of hair that appeared to belong to Lenia, her favorite headdress, and a note with a rough map on it.

[Come here if you want to save Lenia Evelyn]

Helios, who had dropped the pouch, managed to bite his trembling lips.

Lena.

His eyes were blurry. His head knew he had to calm down, but his body didn’t listen.

Helios barely picked up the pouch that had been dropped and touched the hair in the pouch.

I wanted to dismiss it as a nonsensical trick, but seeing Lenia’s hair, he was certain.

He closed his eyes tightly and opened his mouth, calling for Dustin.

“Dustin.”

“Yes, Duke.”

“Lenia has been kidnapped.”

“—Yes?”

Dustin asked in a suffocating voice. Dustin, who checked the note and hair in the pouch, looked at Helios with a puzzled expression.

Helios handed the pouch to Dustin and quietly got on the horse.

“I’m leaving now, so you can organize the knights and follow me.”

“You must not go alone, Duke!”

“Go.”

 

 *****

 

Helios rode the horse all night without rest. It was a two-day carriage ride to the destination, but he felt like he was crossing a continent.

‘Please, Lena. Please just stay safe.’

Helios repeated those words countless times, striking the weary horse with a whip.

It had been a full day since departure when he arrived where Lenia was.

Helios parked his horse in front of the cave and jumped off the horse as if rolling. It was a familiar cave he never wanted to come back to.

He entered the cave, grabbing the handle of the sword so that he could draw his sword at any time.

A gentle wind blew from the depths. A musty smell like something rotting vibrated along with a thick black mist as if from a fire.

It was difficult to see because of the fog. Helios proceeded cautiously inward through the fog.

‘Is this cave this wide?’

Just as I walked in so deep that I couldn’t see the entrance, a familiar person appeared in the dark fog.

“Welcome, Helios.”

Lenia greeted him with a smile.

“Lena!”

Helios let go of the sword he was holding and ran to Lenia. The tension was finally relieved by her usual appearance, and he embraced Lenia.

“I’m glad you’re safe.”

There was water in the voice that he exhaled like a sigh. Lenia patted him on the back, her eyes narrowed in affection.

Helios put his head on her shoulder without a word.

A dampness soaked his entire body. After what seemed like an eternity, Helios slowly lifted his head.

“I missed you. Helios.”

Lenia’s eyes filled with tears. Even with her eyes closed, it was the face she always missed.

Helios, who was gazing at the crying Lenia, slowly opened his mouth.

“Who are you?”

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