I, the Female Lead, Ruined the Original Chapter 143

Side Story 2. A Destiny Shared with an Angel

 

…Ah.

 

It was complete darkness. A perfect void where sight, sound, and touch all seemed paralyzed. The ground beneath suddenly gave way to an endless abyss. Instinctively, Rakrensius flailed his limbs, but finding nothing to grasp, he soon lost all sense of what he was even doing. Though his energy was drained, he couldn’t even feel his weakened body. The sensation was not unfamiliar.

 

“…Sob, I’m sorry…”

 

[There’s no need to blame yourself. The world is full of people who fault others for mistakes that are clearly their own. And you—weren’t you merely suspicious that the saintess harmed them to threaten you?]

 

“…Kkamang… Sob, mi-mister…”

 

[It could’ve happened to anyone. Just think of it as a series of unfortunate coincidences.]

 

“Sniff, sob…”

 

[…Well, perhaps that wasn’t the right thing to say.]

 

“…”

 

[If I was at fault, I apologize. Call me when you’re ready to talk.]

 

When Rakrensius was thirteen, the nightmares that he no longer dreamt of were once his reality. He spent the whole year steeped in mourning, guilt, and loss.

 

It was the year Rakrensius turned his back on his mother, who was so frail she seemed ready to collapse at any moment and was thrown into an utterly unfamiliar place. As a boy, merely swaying like a kite with its string cut in the storm of emotions was exhausting.

 

Was his mother still alive? What about Momo, the gardener mister, or the cook sister—were they all still well? What if they or their families have been completely ruined?

 

Though Rakrensius vowed never to become emotionally attached again, it didn’t make healing any easier. Just recalling the misfortune he had no choice but to accept filled him with anguish. He always felt on the verge of being crushed by sorrow or exploding with grief that filled his chest.

 

To soothe him, the Di would hum lullabies or share old jokes from unknown worlds—but nothing truly helped. Even as a sword, it was the first time it had ever had such a young contract holder. Deeming itself useless, Di decided to leave the boy alone, and as a result, he was completely alone. Even the voice inside his mind was silent.

 

And this—this emotion was exactly what he felt. Complete nothingness. A formless void that clung to his body and soul, seeping into his lungs while offering no place of rest.

 

The last time Rakrensius had felt this was two years ago—when he placed Di on Selleana and sent her away from the Magic Tower just as she was about to be taken to the Imperial Palace.

 

After becoming an adult and leaving the palace, he would often venture out, leaving Di behind. The disconnection from Di had become familiar. But this time, the fear of something happening to Selleana was added to that disconnection. Still, he had things to do—he did not let himself flail helplessly—and because he accomplished it, neither he, nor his friend, nor most importantly, Selleana, were lost.

 

Yes… nothing was lost. And so, when he realized this current sensation belonged to a dream, Rakrensius barely managed to lift his eyelids. Though even that was difficult for someone who had lost and just regained all sensation, he had to do it. And the first light that entered his finally restored vision was…

 

“Mmm…”

 

It was Selleana’s face, leaning close with her cheek slightly pressed against his arm. His angel fully entrusted herself to him in her vulnerable sleep. Rakrensius suppressed the emotion welling up in him as he gazed softly at her serene face.

 

The pale moonlight behind him spilled over his shoulder and onto Selleana, half-illuminating and half-shadowing her features. Thankfully, the shadow covered her eyes and didn’t disturb her sleep. Her shoulder rose and fell gently—her breathing seemed calm…

 

There was probably nothing wrong, right? But what if something was? Perhaps it was the return of those long-past, bitter emotions. His unease would not fade. Even though her expression was so peaceful. Her breathing was so steady. She was the same Selleana who often slept in his arms.

 

While those thoughts swirled, Rakrensius’s hand reached to lightly tickle the downy hair on her cheek. He had to confirm that what lay before him wasn’t an illusion, that she was real and present in his world—That she would respond to his touch.

 

His long, pale fingers moved softly, and after a few strokes, the corner of her cheek twitched. Then, her thick lashes quivered ever so slightly. At that tiny reaction, Rakrensius’s heart overflowed with relief and joy.

 

Blink, blink. Her eyelashes fluttered like the wings of a butterfly brushing against his heart. Then, finally, his sun began to emerge. Focus returned to the hazy surface of her eyes, and as they found him, a sleepy, genuine smile spread across Selleana’s face.

 

“You woke up early.”

 

“…”

 

The sight overwhelmed him so much that he forgot to exhale after taking a breath. Rakrensius pulled her tightly into his arms. Her cheek was pressed even flatter against his chest.

 

“Mmm, did you have a bad dream?”

 

“Does it look that way?”

 

“Your face looked like you were crying your eyes out because you missed me.”

 

“Did I?”

 

What kind of expression had he worn?

 

After losing and regaining all sensation, everything felt unfamiliar to Rakrensius. Even the movement of his own face was imperceptible. All he could feel was her—her beautiful face, her playful voice, her affection that even suppressed her sleepiness to comfort his unknown sorrow, the delicate curves of her soft, petite body…

 

Not a single thing was not overwhelming. Even if he hadn’t just had a nightmare, every morning, he was filled with wonder at how such fortune had come to him. To open his eyes and find another person in his arms. And that person was the girl who, in his youth, was the only outsider he’d ever known. That she was the angel he had fallen for at first sight. And that angel had fallen for him at first sight, too—though with a bit of trickery involved. Still, the fact remained that he had even ended up marrying her…

 

“I had a scary dream.”

 

“How scary?”

 

“A dream where you weren’t there.”

 

“Oh my…”

 

As Selleana reacted with dramatic concern, he pulled her waist close, his hand sliding down the slender curve of her back to draw her nearer. “So I must confirm whether my wife is real or just a mirage.”

 

“Whether it’s really me in your arms? Or whether I’m really your wife?”

 

“All of the above.”

 

Selleana’s playful voice was quickly swallowed by his lips. Used to waking up to her clingy husband, she chuckled and wrapped her arms around his neck. His silver hair cascaded down like a veil, shrouding the intimate moment. Their breaths grew more unsteady as they kissed.

 

After a whirlwind romance that shocked the entire empire and even the imperial family, the two had finally married and were now on their fifteenth day of honeymoon.

 

* * *

Rakrensius, the fight prince of Nepelsian and the master of the Magic Tower, and Selleana, the beloved daughter of Duke Elard, were married on a bright May day at the duke’s estate. Normally, a prince’s wedding is an imperial affair hosted by the imperial family. However, since the empress had been deposed two years ago, and no new empress had been appointed, the only one managing the imperial household was the Crown Princess Eunice—who had just married the crown prince. With no senior figure to oversee the wedding, discussions stalled. So, Duke Elard made a bold move.

 

“For us Elard, this is a significant wedding. We can’t have my child’s wedding in the same place where others have already used it.”

 

It was a reasonable claim—if you ignored the fact that ‘the others’ were the crown prince and his bride, and ‘the same place’ was the imperial palace’s grand banquet hall.

 

“You’d prefer it far from the capital, right, Darling? That way, fewer people will come.”

 

“For me… Since you’re the star of the event, I’ll give up on everything anyway. Holding the engagement ceremony unofficially was already a huge consideration. Let the duke have his way…”

 

The couple themselves also actively supported the plan. Besides, the emperor owed debts of gratitude to both his son Rakrensius and the Elard family. And so, the wedding of the master of the Magic Tower and Duke Elard’s daughter was held in the luxurious garden of Duke Elard’s estate.

 

Even the invitations were astonishing. To flaunt the groom’s magical prowess and the Elard family’s wealth, the invitations themselves were teleportation scrolls—capable of bringing the recipient directly to the estate, regardless of location.

 

Only Rakrensius could cast such magic across the continent. In other words, receiving an invitation meant experiencing magic that many didn’t even believe existed.

 

Thus, from the moment invitations were sent, the wedding became the hottest topic in Nepelsian high society, contrary to Rakrensius’s wishes.