“You just need to make them meet? Isn’t it too shameless until the end?”
Sigmund only grinned and didn’t bother to add any comment.
In fact, considering the results, the deals he made were close to fraud.
He turned back time, broke Leticia’s curse, and defeated the long-standing darkness.
He is even trying to change Julios’s destined death. If it were an official deal, he wouldn’t have achieved even half of it, even if he bet everything.
Nevertheless, he has accomplished almost everything he wanted.
No, more precisely, the humans he cherishes made it so.
Leticia and Dietrian.
And even Julios.
Mortals, who are all the more lovable because they have an end, turned an absurd gamble into a miracle.
‘That’s why I can’t help but love them.’
Other transcendents did not understand Sigmund’s extraordinary love for humans.
Whether they did or not, Sigmund didn’t care. It was enough for him alone to know the loveliness of mortals.
Causality, who had been glaring at Sigmund with a frown, spoke.
“Do you know well what it means to make the living meet the dead?”
The only way for a living person to meet the soul of the dead is to cross into the world of the dead.
“The king has a wife and children. Will he give up the family he protected through all kinds of adversity so easily?”
The humans Causality had seen were beings full of selfishness.
They didn’t seem likely to take a risk and venture into something that might lose the most precious things.
Sigmund shrugged.
“You say that even after watching their lives up close.”
“They are just humans after all.”
“Then, shall we make another bet?”
“A bet?”
“Whether Dietrian will accept my proposal to save his brother or not.”
“……Are you seriously betting all your power again?”
“Yes.”
Sigmund nodded.
“If that child doesn’t accept my proposal, I will give up all the power of the dragon and my life as a transcendent.”
“Crazy……”
Causality looked at Sigmund with a pale face. Although it wasn’t the first time, Sigmund’s recklessness was always hard to get used to.
“You know what kind of life a transcendent who has lost his power lives.”
Transcendents had great power, so the backlash of losing power was even greater.
It was on a different level than a human soul wandering the world of the dead.
They had to climb an endless mountain of penance, bearing the cost of all the power they wielded.
It was such an immense thing that Causality also readily accepted Sigmund’s bet.
“You’re crazy, completely out of your mind. Betting your existence on mere humans. I should have known since you said you were marrying a human.”
“Will you take the bet or not?”
“What do you want? Haven’t you already achieved everything you desired?”
“Rehir’s soul.”
“…What?”
“Hand over his soul.”
Sigmund gestured towards the screen still floating in the air.
Beside the seemingly asleep Julios, Rehir’s corpse lay.
More precisely, what once was a corpse had turned into a pile of dust.
The darkness that had engulfed the body, Rehir’s soul, had escaped, leaving it so.
If Sigmund’s guess was correct, Causality had smuggled away that soul.
The soul of a transcendent who had completely lost his power would be an incredible delicacy.
He wouldn’t want to miss the chance to obtain the darkness that had shaken the world for so long.
“Give me Rehir, no, ‘the darkness’. All Julios offered you was his suffering. You have no rights over the darkness itself, do you?”
Causality flinched at the precise point.
He quickly tried to hide it and managed his expression, but it was too late.
Unable to withstand the persistent gaze, he frowned deeply.
“Fine! I smuggled it! Persistent old man!”
“Hand him over to me. I’ll torment him for as long as you’re satisfied. Even you would find it hard to break principles out of greed.”
“Do as you please. Do as you wish!”
He angrily threw a small jewel.
Sigmund, who received it with a smirk, had a chilling look in his eyes.
“I’ve finally got it.”
What he felt from the jewel.
Though faint from expending power while escaping the castle, it was indeed the aura of ‘darkness.’
“Shall we check its state?”
As he injected a bit of dragon’s power, a tearing scream was heard from within.
「Aaaah! Aaagh! Save, save me! Aaaaah!」
“Don’t worry, I’ll keep you alive. I promised Causality I’d torment you for as long as my lifespan lasts.”
Transcendents have no lifespan. That meant he would torment him forever.
「Rather, annihilate me. Krrr! Aaagh!」
“You did such things to my children. This easily? Dream on.”
Sigmund’s smile deepened.
“Besides, Dinute is also eager to get at you. Forget about peaceful rest.”
* * *
At the same time.
The search for Julios and Rehir was still ongoing at the old castle.
Everyone was doing their best, but the most desperate by far was Dietrian.
It was because of Leticia’s curse.
Despite the curse manifesting, Leticia, the children, and Dietrian were all fine.
Though anxiety rose, Dietrian didn’t show it and comforted Leticia.
「My brother will be alright. Curses can’t be easily overcome.」
「But…」
「I will look for him first. You should rest for now.」
He left Leticia in Noel’s care and searched every corner of the castle with all his might.
“Brother!”
But why? He shouted for Julios until his throat was sore, yet there was no answer.
「Does my brother have to go to the empire? What does he want to protect so badly?」
「There is something. Something very precious.」
Old memories kept surfacing.
He worried that he might not be able to protect his brother again, just like back then.
Dietrian clenched his fists tightly.
Now was clearly different from seven years ago.
There was no longer a young boy who needed his brother’s protection. He wouldn’t lose anyone precious ever again.
Resolutely, he moved forward when the spirit pursuing Rehir ran up to him with news.
「Your Majesty! Rehir was hiding in the storeroom! But it seems he escaped through a secret passage while the door was being opened! Apparently, some minions of the darkness still remained and helped him escape!」
“Minions, still remaining? Rehir’s minions were all eradicated…”
Suddenly, his heart felt like it froze with a loud thud. Could it be, his brother?
“Which storeroom was Rehir found in?”
「Probably the western one… Your Majesty?」
Ignoring the spirit’s puzzled call, Dietrian started running.
‘My brother helped Rehir? Impossible. He regained his memories. But why?’
It didn’t make sense.
Despite thinking so, his instincts whispered that the answer he realized was true.
There was a reason why Julios, who regained his memories, would help Rehir.
If it was his brother, he could very well do that.
If that was the truth, it would explain why Leticia was fine despite the curse manifesting.
And finally, he saw it.
“…Ah.”
Dietrian’s lips trembled in disbelief at the sight before him.
Julios, leaning against a tree, looked like he was simply asleep.
Dietrian, staring blankly at his peaceful, closed eyes, moved closer.
Even as he approached, Julios didn’t stir.
Kneeling down beside him, unable to bring himself to hold his hand, Dietrian clutched his brother’s clothes instead.
And he called out earnestly.
“Brother. Brother, wake up. It’s… it’s me.”
Even with his desperate call, there was no response.
His eyes grew hot, but he forced a smile, holding back his tears.
Then he said the words he had always wanted to tell Julios if he ever met him again.
“Let’s go. Leticia wants to see you. You know? Soon, your nephew will be born… a truly amazing child. He has protected Leticia several times. Oh, and I’ve awakened as Gilead. So I also know why you left for the empire… Mother really likes Leticia. I saw it in a dream. So you too…”
But eventually, his limits were reached.
Dietrian’s smile crumbled.
Thick tears fell before he could even wipe them away. He curled up and burst into tears.
“Brother, why… This isn’t right.”
He lost his brother twice.
He couldn’t even be there for his final moments.
It felt like his heart was shattering.
“Dietrian.”
It was then.
He flinched at the familiar voice behind him.
Slowly rising, he gritted his teeth.
Composing himself, he turned around.
“Lord Sigmund.”
As he expected, Sigmund was standing there.
Dietrian’s eyes widened. Sigmund was smiling. His heart pounded heavily.
“Why have you come to see me? Is it possible… is there a way to save my brother?”
Sigmund let out a light laugh.
“You’re quick-witted.”
Dietrian closed his eyes tightly. It felt like trampled hope was reviving.
“The living must wander the world of the dead. It won’t be easy.”
Dietrian answered quickly.
“I’ll do it.”
“You must take risks.”
“I don’t care.”
“What about your wife and child?”
Dietrian’s face twisted as if he were about to cry. He choked up and responded.
“Can we live happily after sending my brother away like this? Would Leticia accept his sacrifice?”
“…Right. Your wife wouldn’t.”
Sigmund replied with a faint smile. He lowered himself and placed a hand on Dietrian’s shoulder.
“All I can do is make you and your brother meet. The rest is up to you.”
“Can I meet him right now?”
“Only for a very short time. If you fail to persuade him within that time, it’s over. The living can’t stay in the world of the dead for long.”
“I can do it. I will persuade him.”
“He won’t easily come back. In the future he saw for you all, he wasn’t there. He would think that coming back to life would ruin your happy future.”
At this, fire sparked in Dietrian’s eyes.
“So he bore it all alone again and left. Thank you for letting me know. I’ll grab him by the collar if I have to and make him come to his senses.”
“Haha. That’s right. That’s the spirit of my descendant.”
Sigmund burst into laughter, then smiled gently.
“Go. Grasp happiness with all your might.”
* * *
When he opened his eyes again, what lay before him was a barren, crimson land.
Dietrian closed his eyes briefly, gazing at the sky where day and night mingled strangely.
‘As I thought, that dream was Gilead’s dream.’
A long time ago, when he dreamed of meeting Julios again in Heden.
He and Julios were standing in the middle of a landscape that seemed impossible to exist in this world.
At the time, he thought it was just because he missed his brother, but now he realized it wasn’t.
It was a dream about the moment he would meet Julios again in the world of the dead.
Dietrian carefully surveyed his surroundings.
‘There’s no time. I must find my brother as quickly as possible.’
The living can’t stay long in the world of the dead because it gradually saps their vitality.
Sigmund’s power was protecting him, but limits would soon be reached.
Julios was the same.
Though he was still intact now, having not been dead for long, his soul would soon merge with the world of the dead.
Luckily, it didn’t take long to find Julios.
Seeing Julios sitting on a rock and staring into the distance made something surge within Dietrian.
On the one hand, he was relieved that Julios still seemed fine.
At the approaching footsteps, Julios turned his head expressionlessly.
He blinked blankly, then his eyes widened in shock.
“It’s been a while, brother.”
Julios rubbed his eyes in disbelief, staring at Dietrian.
Seeing that Dietrian didn’t disappear, he urgently asked.
“Why are you here!”
“I came to get you.”
“What, what did you say?”
Instead of answering, Dietrian just smiled.
There were so many things he wanted to say when he met Julios again.
He wanted to ask why he always tried to bear everything alone.
He wanted to resent him for not knowing how deeply his death affected him.
On the other hand, he wanted to tell him he understood his choices. He would have made the same choices if he were in Julios’s place.
Yet, he couldn’t give up on his brother because he loved him.
Now, he wanted everyone’s happiness, not just the sacrifice of one person.
Dietrian wanted to say all of this and more.
“How… how did you even find me…?”
“Brother, did you think we would never meet again?”
“Dietrian.”
“If you thought we’d never meet again… if you thought you’d never return, how could you leave alone? That’s too much.”
“How did you…?”
“I had Gilead’s dream.”
Dietrian smiled playfully and then hugged Julios by the shoulders.
“I’ll explain everything later. Let’s go back now. There are so many people waiting for you.”
After a moment, Julios, who had been standing rigid, tightly shut his eyes and then shook his head.
“I can’t. I won’t go.”
“Brother.”
“Go back. This isn’t a place for the living.”
Dietrian released his hug and looked quietly at his brother. As Sigmund had predicted, this was the response he expected. So, without a hint of worry, he sat down and declared.
“If you won’t go, then neither will I.”
“What? Are you insane?”
A startled Julios sprang to his feet.
“Do you know what it means for the living to stay in the world of the dead?”
“I know.”
“Then why!”
“I learned something when I fell in love with Leticia.”
Dietrian spoke softly.
“Not everything in life goes as we wish. But even so, we mustn’t give up.”
Throughout her two lives, Leticia had endured countless hardships. Despite living such a precarious life, she held on and seized happiness. Loving Leticia had changed his life, and he wanted to share this with his brother.
“As you said, brother, if you return, the future might change. Our happy future might be disrupted.”
“….”
“But I don’t care. If new hardships come, we will face them together.”
Dietrian extended his hand to Julios and spoke earnestly.
“Let’s go back, brother. That’s the only way we can all be happy.”
Despite Dietrian’s plea, Julios couldn’t bring himself to take his hand.
The future he had seen still held him back.
In the future he had seen, he wasn’t there.
He only saw the people he loved missing him.
He feared that his return would ruin the future of those he loved.
At that very moment.
「The rumors were true, it seems. There’s a reason Sigmund boasts about you so much.」
A strange voice, one he had never heard before, spoke directly to his soul.
「If you truly want to protect my daughter, I will show you a new future.」
「If you accept your destiny, that future will become a reality.」
「Can you really protect her?」
The voice, as if knowing Julios well, was incredibly gentle. Taken aback, Julios instinctively asked,
“Daughter? Who is that?”
「Leticia.」
At that moment, a burst of white light filled his vision.
The future he had seen in dreams began to unfold.
But something was different.
It was similar to the future he had seen as Gilead, but not entirely the same.
Amazingly, in the sparkling future, he was alive.
He was laughing and talking with the people he loved.
Julios’s eyes widened in disbelief as he watched the scene.
Two children, who looked just like Leticia and Dietrian, came running towards him.
They grabbed his hand with their tiny hands and spoke in lisping voices.
「Uncle! Play with us!」
「Me too! I want to play too!」
With those words, the vision of the future disappeared.
Julios now realized who the voice belonged to.
The goddess Dinute. Another transcendent who helped Leticia had reached out to him.
「Can you accept a new life?」
Julios’s eyes filled with tears.
The answer was clear.
Having seen such a happy future, there was no way he could give it up.
“I accept.”
He whispered softly and took his brother’s hand. At that moment,
The ninth wing of prophecy awakened.
* * *
Upon hearing the news of Rehir’s defeat, the princess, who had been waiting, rushed over like the wind.
With remarkable speed, she organized the situation and gave orders to the demonic creatures.
“Destroy that wretched castle completely.”
Though the castle was already in ruins, she didn’t retract her order.
The princess turned around after confirming the demonic creatures eagerly set off.
She teared up as soon as she saw Leticia.
“Saint, are you really leaving now? When will we see you again?”
Leticia gently wiped the princess’s tears with a silk handkerchief and spoke kindly.
“It won’t be long. I will return before your coronation.”
“You must come back. You’re taking all the wings with you. If you don’t return, the empire will fall.”
“I promise. We’ll see each other again in the near future.”
Leticia worked hard to comfort the princess, who finally calmed down and asked earnestly,
“So, you’re going straight back to the Principality now? Without crossing the desert, using a teleport scroll?”
“Yes. That’s right.”
“It’s such a shame to part like this.”
“I’d like to stay a bit longer too, but there are people waiting for me there.”
Leticia pointed to a nearby place and continued.
“There are people I’d like to introduce to the new wing.”
The princess followed Leticia’s gaze and nodded.
“Yes, I understand.”
She too had just heard of the miraculous events that took place today.
Because of that, she quickly figured out who Leticia meant by “the person I’d like to introduce the new wing to.”
“I hope you meet soon.”
Even as she said that, the princess felt a bitter taste in her mouth.
When it became known that Leticia’s legacy was false, it would cause great turmoil in the empire.
Thinking about handling that chaos already gave her a headache.
Still, the princess didn’t hold Leticia back any longer.
She knew how important this was to her.
The empire could no longer hold Leticia back.
After firmly grasping Leticia’s hand once more, she spoke cheerfully.
“Then, have a safe trip back. Leave the rest to me.”
“Don’t worry too much, Your Highness. Callisto will also be with you.”
“Though he’ll soon return to the Magic Tower and be of little use, he’ll still listen to you.”
“I’ll ask him once more.”
“Thank you. Also, consider the marriage proposal. I really want to be in-laws with the royal family of the Principality.”
Leticia laughed.
“When Your Highness gets married, I’ll consider it.”
“So, I’m planning to find a fiancé as soon as possible.”
“Haha.”
Finally, everything was ready for their departure to the Principality. Dietrian grasped Leticia’s hand and whispered.
“Shall we go?”
“Yes.”
With that, a bright light emanated from the teleportation magic circle.
* * *
Mano felt exceptionally good since morning. She had heard the news that Leticia and Dietrian were returning.
The royal family of the Principality was busy preparing to welcome the Grand Duke and his wife, along with their new family members. Julia, hugging a doll, smiled as she watched Mano hum a tune.
“Madam Mano, are you that happy?”
“Yes. The baby is coming.”
The doll Mano was holding had become her most cherished possession recently. She was preparing it every day as a gift for Leticia. Julia asked in a soft voice.
“Madam Mano, you knew that Her Highness is expecting, didn’t you?”
“Expecting?”
“She is pregnant.”
“Oh!”
Mano exclaimed and then nodded vigorously.
“Yes, she will move soon.”
Then, with sparkling eyes, she looked up at Victor.
“Baby, when will the child start moving?”
“Haha.”
Julia burst out laughing, holding her belly. Victor gazed wistfully out the window.
Victor’s belly had been getting rounder recently. Mano, who often mistook Victor for Leticia, had been worried when she saw Victor’s belly flatten.
Victor had decided to endure it until Leticia’s return, eating a whole turkey at every meal.
“Come here, baby. I had a really good dream today.”
“What kind of dream?”
“Julios appeared in my dream!”
Mano said excitedly.
“So I held hands with him and went on an outing. It was fun, right?”
At Mano’s words, Julia exchanged glances with Victor. Julia, glancing out the window, carefully helped Mano up.
“Madam Mano, shall we go for a walk? There’s someone I want to show you.”
“Me?”
“Yes. They should have arrived by now.”
Mano, supported by Julia, went outside. It had been a while since her last walk, so she was very excited. As they reached the garden, someone ran up and hugged Mano.
“Mano!”
Mano, startled and stiff, widened her eyes. Then she embraced the person tightly.
“It really smells like baby!”
It was Leticia, Mano’s most cherished person.
“It’s not a big baby, it’s really the baby!”
Mano cupped Leticia’s cheeks and tucked her hair behind her ear.
“Have you been well?”
“Yes. And you, baby?”
“I’ve been well too, Mano. I’m pregnant.”
“Yes, I knew.”
Mano nodded enthusiastically and patted Leticia’s back.
“You did really well. You’ll continue to do well.”
“Of course. Mano, come this way. There’s someone I want to introduce you to.”
“Introduce?”
“You know I’m the saint of the empire, right? I met a new wing.”
“A new wing?”
Mano tilted her head in confusion. She didn’t know what a wing was, but since Leticia liked it, Mano did too.
“I’ll introduce you to Kailas soon. She’s resting because of severe motion sickness. With her healing powers, she’ll help you too.”
“Yes.”
Mano nodded eagerly but then paused. She slowly looked up at the long shadow cast before her. She blinked in disbelief.
“Huh?”
It was strange. She was sure she had woken up from a dream, yet why could she see Julios? Julios’s face twisted as if he were about to cry, seeing Mano standing there blankly.
“Mother.”
Mano gasped.
Leticia quickly supported the swaying Mano.
Leticia’s eyes were also red as she helped Mano sit on a bench.
Julios approached and knelt on one knee before Mano.
Mano, staring blankly at her son, raised a trembling hand to cup his cheek.
Then she gasped.
“Warm.”
“I’m sorry, Mother.”
Julios buried his face in Mano’s hand.
Hot tears wetted her wrinkled skin.
“I came back too late. I’m sorry, Mother.”
“You’re really my baby.”
“I’m sorry, Mother.”
Finally, tears welled up in Mano’s eyes.
Realizing that Julios had finally returned, Mano hugged her son tightly.
“You did well. It’s good you came back. For parents, it doesn’t matter when; as long as their child returns, that’s enough.”
Watching the two, Leticia wiped away her tears.
Then she held Dietrian’s hand tightly.
“Is it all done now?”
“Yes. You did very well, Leticia. It’s all thanks to you.”
Dietrian smiled and pressed his lips to Leticia’s forehead.
Overwhelmed with emotion, he embraced her again.
“Thank you for being my happiness, for being my miracle.”
As Dietrian said those words, he instinctively knew.
As long as he was with Leticia, miracles would continue to happen.
Leave a Reply