A time close to midnight.
The reception room, where even the workers tidying up the hospital had all left, seemed emptier than usual today. The broken remnants were gone, and even the chairs had disappeared.
“Kailas. Are you really going to stay at the hospital? Even if the upper floor is intact, the reception room is in such a state… Wouldn’t it be better to come with me just for tonight?”
Kailas forced her lips to lower, suppressing the smile that kept creeping up at Julios’ concern. She averted her gaze and spoke softly.
“Patients always come early in the morning. If they find the hospital suddenly closed, they’ll be alarmed. They’ll feel reassured if I’m here.”
As much as she longed to go with Julios, she politely declined because her happiness levels had reached a dangerous threshold. Before the hospital renovations began in earnest tomorrow, she had to return to her room and tidy things up.
‘I need to clear away anything related to Julios first.’
Although Kailas liked Julios, she dared not dream of becoming his partner.
Her long, unrequited love was comforted by the traces of Julios she had gathered over the years.
A handkerchief he had given her long ago, a pen she had borrowed temporarily, a paper flower that had fallen on his clothes during a festival, and a ribbon from the cookies he had baked and packaged himself for the children in the slums.
Over the years, she had amassed enough to fill a drawer, complete with meticulous, handwritten reflections.
At first, it was just for record-keeping, but it grew longer and increasingly filled with indulgent musings.
If anyone else discovered them, she would have to leave Genos forever.
‘I must take good care of this latest handkerchief too.’
Julios wouldn’t remember, but he had given her no less than twenty-three handkerchiefs so far.
Initially, she had intended to return them, but in Genos, keeping a handkerchief offered as a gesture of help was considered polite.
The culture of Genos was truly perfect.
“Thank you so much for your help today, Your Highness. Then, I’ll see you at Madam Mano’s appointment.”
With a formal bow, Kailas bid farewell to Julios. He needed to leave quickly so she could indulge in her obsession. She had no idea what emotions Julios might have felt, being hurriedly sent away.
* * *
‘Getting rejected before confessing—this is the worst.’
Julios slumped into a chair on the terrace. While his heart was clouded over, the full moon shone astonishingly bright.
‘Who on earth has Kailas been in love with? If it’s someone she’s been admiring for so long, could it be someone I know?’
After realizing his feelings for Kailas, he had considered confessing them.
But there was a small issue to overcome. Back then, Julios was uncertain about his future. Over time, he managed to conquer his fear of the unknown. He even came up with names for his future adorable nephews and nieces. Now, he thought he was finally ready to confess.
Yet, a far bigger issue had arisen than his old fears.
‘Does she smile for that person?’
At some point, Kailas began to avoid him. She would stiffen her expression when their eyes met, avert her gaze when he spoke, and even blatantly avoid him.
Realizing this had come as a great shock.
Julios knew Kailas wasn’t particularly fond of people in general.
However, distancing herself from everyone was completely different from singling him out.
What could be the reason?
Had he unknowingly made some mistake?
If it had been anyone else, he would have asked for an explanation. But in front of Kailas, he couldn’t bring himself to speak.
Given Kailas’ naturally reserved nature, if she decided against him, she would undoubtedly shut him out forever.
Imagining those cold eyes from that time wasn’t difficult.
In the end, the only path left for him was to wait. Very cautiously, hovering just outside her boundaries.
Perhaps his efforts were paying off, as Kailas seemed to grow ever so slightly more comfortable around him.
Even the fact that she didn’t throw away the handkerchiefs he gave her brought him joy.
Julios felt like crying.
“Sigh.”
He had never imagined such an ending.
He was rejected before he could even confess.
Rejected…
* * *
Despite the pain of heartbreak, a new day began.
Early in the morning, Julios left the palace at the city guard’s request. It was the same place where Heinz had been left the day before.
The city guard’s captain greeted Julios with a face that looked as though it had aged a decade overnight.
“Apologies for summoning you at such an early hour, Your Highness. It seems handling the Tower Master is beyond our abilities.”
Heinz hadn’t posed any significant threat. Sigmund’s magical device was functioning properly.
No, in fact, Heinz himself had no intention of causing any trouble. He had simply been drinking and brooding in his melancholy.
Regardless, it must have been a nerve-wracking night for the city guard.
“No need to apologize. It’s natural that handling him would be difficult for the guard alone. You’ve worked hard throughout the night.”
Following the captain’s guidance, Julios was led to Heinz. The moment he entered the room, he noticed bottles of alcohol strewn across the floor.
Heinz, who had been sprawled on the bed, sensed someone’s presence and lazily propped himself up, waving a hand half-heartedly.
“Oh, hey.”
Julios turned toward the city guard captain.
“Please, leave us.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Once the captain left, Heinz gestured with his chin toward the chair beside the bed, his eyes hollow.
“Sit down. What brings you here at this ungodly hour?”
“The city guard found it challenging to manage you, Tower Master.”
“What did I do? I’ve just been drinking all night.”
Heinz pouted his lips. Julios merely shrugged in response. For the city guard, the drinking was likely the biggest issue. After all, an intoxicated Tower Master could be unpredictable.
“Did you drink all of this on your own?”
Julios asked, glancing at the floor littered with bottles. At a rough estimate, there were over thirty. To consume thirty bottles of strong liquor in one night… an ordinary person would have long since been incapacitated.
“Of course, I drank it all myself. Who else would drink with me? Weak humans wouldn’t dare. And Sir Sig? Don’t even mention it.”
Heinz muttered gloomily. Julios silently observed him. The former Tower Master, who had surpassed human limits, looked unusually forlorn today.
‘I’m hardly in a position to comfort anyone.’
Suppressing a bitter smile, Julios finally spoke.
“Isn’t it that you want to be with him again? It seems like you’re longing for the old days.”
Heinz flinched.
“Why not seriously tell Lord Sigmund that you want to stay in Genos? If you wish, I’ll help you.”
Julios didn’t know exactly what Heinz was missing in the world of transcendents. Still, he had a vague idea.
‘Even transcendents must have emotions. They must feel loneliness too.’
Julios himself, rejected before he could even confess, was no less lonely. He stared blankly at the bottles scattered on the floor. Perhaps he should have spent the night drinking here instead of heading to the palace yesterday.
His mouth tasted bitter.
After hesitating, Heinz asked cautiously, “Would you really help me? Are you saying it’s okay for me to stay in Genos?”
“Yes.”
“But won’t the people of Genos feel burdened by me? Like that city guard captain earlier.”
Heinz meant that everyone probably saw him as a ticking time bomb.
“Don’t worry about that. In Genos, there’s not only Lord Sigmund but also the Wings of the Goddess. While they might feel uneasy at first, everyone will adapt soon enough.”
What Julios meant was that with Sigmund and Leticia’s Wings around, any trouble Heinz caused would be manageable.
‘From Genos’ perspective, Lord Heinz will be a great asset too.’
No matter how unruly Heinz could be, he was a transcendent who far exceeded human capabilities. He would undoubtedly bolster Genos’ power.
Of course, while Heinz was adjusting to Genos, coordinating various issues would be a hassle.
Even so, Julios was willing to take on that role.
‘At least it’ll keep me occupied.’
Outwardly, Julios seemed fine, but inside, he was a mess. Years of unrequited love had ended far too abruptly.
‘Who could it be? Who is the person Kailas loves?’
Even while having this important conversation with Heinz, the memory of her tearful confession kept intruding on his thoughts.
Who could be the person she had gazed at so fondly? His heart ached at the thought that he had never once been the recipient of such a look.
“If you’re helping me, I feel reassured. After all, you’re the human Lord Sigmund values the most.”
As if his earlier gloom had vanished, Heinz now looked cheerful. It seemed he genuinely wanted to remain in the human world.
“Alright. I accept the deal.”
Heinz extended his hand, and Julios chuckled lightly as he took it.
“If it’s a deal, there has to be an exchange. What will you offer me in return?”
“There’s no such thing as a free favor in this world, is there? Name it. I’ll grant it.”
“Thank you for your kind words, but I’ll let you know after the nobles’ meeting.”
“The nobles’ meeting? Why bother with something like that?”
“Because Lord Heinz is such a powerful magician. We need to find a suitable place for your abilities, don’t we? That’s why we need a meeting.”
“Are you going to tell the nobles you got rejected by the Wing of Healing?”
“…Pardon?”
“Well, I won’t stop you, but are you seriously going to say that? You’re an odd one.”
Heinz nonchalantly threw the bomb. Julios, frozen like a statue, barely managed to open his mouth.
“I got… dumped?”
It was true that he got dumped, but hearing it from someone else tore his heart apart. He couldn’t bring himself to affirm it.
“Weren’t you dumped? You were fine until yesterday, but now you look like death. I thought it was because you got dumped. Am I wrong?”
As Julios was left speechless, Heinz tilted his head and shrugged nonchalantly.
“If not, that’s even better. Not dumped yet means you haven’t confessed yet, right? There’s still hope. Alright, just trust me. I’ll help you properly.”
Julios hastily protested.
“No, absolutely not. Please, don’t do anything.”
It was already painful enough that his unrequited love had ended in vain, but for that feeling to be exposed? And worse, for Heinz to interfere?
He couldn’t imagine what Heinz might do, but whatever he imagined would likely pale in comparison to the worst-case scenario.
“I will handle my feelings myself. So please, absolutely, do not do anything.”
“How about becoming a cat? I saw yesterday with Sig, and it worked really well.”
“Please, let’s pretend I didn’t hear that.”
“Ah, come to think of it, if you use the Wing of Healing, she might recognize it’s you. Sig was recognized immediately yesterday, too.”
As expected, it was the worst. Just imagining it made Julios feel the hair on the back of his neck stand up. He said firmly, “Staying still would be the best way to help me. Don’t even dream of it.”
“You don’t like being a cat? Then suggest something else. It doesn’t necessarily have to be an animal, you know? I’ve seen plenty of fun things in the Transcendent’s realm…”
“Please, I just want to live as myself.”
“Becoming cute solves most problems. Don’t resist; just listen to my plan. We’ll start by emphasizing your good looks and making your eyes blue…”
“No. I don’t want to become cute. So please restrain yourself.”
After a prolonged back-and-forth, Julios somehow managed to persuade Heinz. Although Heinz still seemed reluctant, he eventually nodded.
“Alright. I’ll stay put, as you said. But if you change your mind, let me know anytime. I’ll make you the cutest pet in the world, I swear on the Tower Master’s honor.”
“…Please, let’s pretend I didn’t hear that.”
Julios murmured in a voice drained of energy. Still, it was a relief to have gotten a promise out of Heinz.
Little did Julios know what Heinz’s idea of keeping a promise entailed, nor why Sigmund referred to Heinz as a lunatic.
Julios realized the destructive potential of the former Tower Master not long afterward.
* * *
After meeting Heinz, Julios was swamped. Following discussions with Dietrian about Heinz’s whereabouts, he had to bring the matter to the nobles’ council for deliberation.
The most critical task was getting Sigmund’s approval.
When Sigmund heard the news, he let out a disbelieving laugh.
“That guy wants to live in Genos? What an unpredictable fellow. He was whining about being worked to the bone, and now he wants to stay here voluntarily.”
“If you do not wish it, I will not proceed.”
Julios cautiously replied. Sigmund smirked.
“Opposed? Far from it. If he’s staying on his own, it works out well for me. Do you have any idea how rare it is for a Tower Master to voluntarily settle here? Since he’s staying of his own accord, I can work him as hard as I like, and he won’t complain.”
Julios briefly worried about Heinz’s future, but considering his own unresolved feelings after being rejected, he decided to leave it alone.
With Sigmund’s approval, everything moved quickly. Dietrian also welcomed the news, as having a transcendent like Heinz align with Genos was a great benefit. As for the nobles, they were even more pleased.
“If Lord Heinz comes, it will greatly contribute to training new magicians. There are talented children in Genos as well.”
“How about seeking cooperation from the Magic Empire? I’ve heard many magicians there revere Lord Heinz. Once the news spreads, we’ll have plenty eager to collaborate with Genos.”
While everyone else was buzzing with excitement, Julios found himself sinking into gloom. He had been deliberately keeping himself busy to forget Kailas, yet everything he heard kept reminding him of her.
‘Will I see Kailas today?’
Why were humans so foolish? Even though he knew he should let go, his heart refused to sever ties cleanly.
‘Maybe I should volunteer to be dispatched to the Tower.’
With Heinz’s return, someone would have to visit the Tower. If it were up to him, he would pack up and leave tomorrow.
…Or so he thought.
“Leave? No way.”
Julios looked up at the darkened hospital with a hollow laugh. Despite running around all day, he had ended up back here once again.
‘Will I be able to see her?’
Kailas wasn’t at the hospital today. She was treating patients at a temporary clinic.
Even though he knew waiting was pointless, Julios sat on a bench. The autumn breeze had grown chilly.
“…It’s cold.”
He couldn’t tell if the chill came from the weather or the emptiness in his heart. Julios stared blankly at the night sky.
‘Should I really not meet Lord Heinz in person?’
He needed to deliver the news that Heinz could stay in Genos, but he simply couldn’t summon the energy.
Julios closed his eyes, resigning himself to whatever happened.
‘It’ll be fine; I sent someone in my place.’
Whoever went would have conveyed the positive outcome, so there shouldn’t be any issues.
Even Heinz, as reckless as he was, wouldn’t cause a scene after hearing good news.
*Jingle.*
The sound of a bell behind him made Julios flinch. He sprang to his feet and turned, his eyes widening in surprise.
“Kailas?”
Contrary to his assumption that she had moved to the temporary clinic, Kailas was at the hospital.
She had been there to bury her collection of Julios memorabilia in the garden.
As she carefully wrapped the items to prevent dirt from getting on them, Kailas couldn’t help but recall old memories.
At that moment, she happened to glance out the window and saw Julios under the moonlight. Drawn as if spellbound, Kailas found herself stepping outside.
Perhaps it was because she had just been reminiscing about her feelings for him, but Julios looked even more handsome than usual tonight. His sky-blue eyes seemed almost tender.
Kailas, lost in admiration, suddenly snapped out of it.
‘What on earth am I doing?!’
At this rate, her feelings would be exposed. She quickly bowed her head.
“Your Highness. What brings you to the hospital at this hour…?”
Julios stepped closer.
“Kailas, are you staying at the hospital tonight as well? I thought you were staying at the hotel?”
She *was* supposed to stay at the hotel—the best room in the capital’s finest establishment, no less.
She couldn’t possibly reveal the real reason why she came here instead of staying at the perfectly fine hotel.
As she hesitated, Julios, fortunately, made a guess.
“You were worried about the hospital.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
To be precise, she was worried about the treasures she had hidden in the hospital.
“I couldn’t stop thinking about it, either. It kept crossing my mind, so I decided to come by.”
Of course, what he meant was that he couldn’t stop thinking about Kailas, but he couldn’t bring himself to say that outright.
“…”
“…”
An awkward silence suddenly descended.
Normally, Julios would be the one to break the ice, but today, he couldn’t.
In the end, Kailas spoke first.
“Then, would you like to take a look around?”
“Can I?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Kailas walked ahead of Julios. As soon as they entered the hospital, accompanied by the soft jingle of the bell—
*Boom.*
Thunder cracked directly above their heads.
‘The weather was clear?’
Kailas tilted her head in confusion and looked up.
Gray dust started falling, and the ceiling visibly cracked and split apart. Her eyes widened.
The ceiling was collapsing.
“Kailas!”
With a short, sharp scream, Kailas’s body lurched forward.
* * *
Julios, despite being a member of the royal family, often wandered around without a guard. This was because he didn’t need one.
Sigmund’s magical artifacts always protected him.
Julios glanced at the ceiling debris floating a hand’s breadth above his head and swallowed hard.
‘I didn’t think I’d survive a building collapse thanks to a magical artifact.’
Just moments ago, the ceiling had come crashing down the instant he and Kailas stepped into the hospital. Yet, neither of them had suffered even the slightest injury.
The magical artifact had generated a shield, forming a small dome that protected them both. As expected of something created by a dragon, it seemed sturdy enough to withstand not just a collapsing hospital but even a crumbling castle.
All they needed to do now was wait quietly for someone to come rescue them.
The only problem was…
“Your Highness, are you alright?”
Julios closed his eyes tightly at the sound of Kailas’s urgent voice, which seemed to reverberate through his entire body.
Successfully shielding Kailas in his arms had been a relief, but the space was far too cramped. With debris all around them, they were pressed tightly together, unable to move an inch.
‘Lord Heinz, I never asked for your help in *this* way!’
Right after the ceiling collapsed, as Julios struggled to collect himself from the shock, small glowing letters appeared in the air. They were positioned where Kailas couldn’t see them.
*”There’s no such thing as a free favor, is there? Hahaha!”*
It was a result of Heinz’s uncontrollable excitement after hearing from Sigmund that his stay in Genos was approved.
‘That lunatic Tower Master.’
This was entirely Julios’s fault for underestimating Heinz. He wanted to cry, but it was far too late to undo anything now.
“I’m fine. What about you, Kailas?”
The worst part was that even in this ridiculous situation, his heart was racing uncontrollably.
Despite years of unrequited love, he had never been this close to Kailas before.
They had barely brushed hands a few times, and now he was holding her so tightly that there wasn’t even a sliver of space between them.
‘Please.’
The warmth of her breath against his neck, the curves he could feel through her clothes, and the way her arms clung around him—everything about Kailas was unbearably vivid.
“I’m fine. But how could a hospital in perfect condition suddenly…?”
Her voice quivered with unease.
“It’s because of me. If only I hadn’t brought Your Highness to the hospital…”
Unlike Julios, who knew the collapse was Heinz’s doing, Kailas believed it was all her fault. Overcome with worry and guilt, she was a wreck.
“Your Highness, if you’re in pain, please tell me. I’ll heal you completely.”
Her voice trembled as she hugged him even tighter, channeling her healing magic to its fullest extent.
Julios shut his eyes tightly. He felt like he wasn’t going to die from the collapse but from a heart attack instead.
When he remained silent, Kailas panicked even more.
“Your Highness! Why aren’t you saying anything? You’re not hiding an injury, are you? Could you have passed out already?!”
She began firing off questions in rapid succession and started fumbling over his back, trying to check if he was alright in the pitch darkness. Desperate, she pressed her ear to his chest.
‘I have to hear his heartbeat!’
But his coat was too thick. Without thinking twice, she slid her hand inside his shirt. Julios let out a groan and grabbed her wrist.
“I didn’t pass out. I’m fine.”
“Your Highness?”
“Really, I’m okay. I was just a little startled.”
Gently, Julios pulled her hand away from where it had been resting halfway across his abs. The sensation of her palm against his bare skin lingered like a burn.
“But your voice has been weak since earlier…!”
Tears welled in her eyes as she leaned her face against the opening of his coat. She was determined to confirm his heartbeat, even if it meant pressing closer.
Julios no longer had the strength to stop her and merely shut his eyes.
A moment later, Kailas let out a shriek.
“Your Highness, your heartbeat sounds strange!”
Julios asked with difficulty.
“Why is my heart acting up again?”
“It feels like it’s going to burst! I think it’s a seizure!”
Kailas forcefully removed Julios’s coat.
“It might be because of an injury. I’ll find it.”
“I told you, there’s no injury.”
“It might be such a severe wound that you’ve lost sensation…”
“You already used your healing power on me.”
“Even though I used healing power, Your Highness’s heart still feels like it’s about to explode!”
In the darkness, Kailas desperately searched Julios’s body for traces of bleeding. She even buried her nose in him to check for the smell of blood.
She examined vital areas like his neck, abdomen, and sides, but no injuries could be found.
“Where is it? What’s the problem?!”
Why was Julios acting strange despite the healing power? Could it be because he experienced death?
Julios flinched each time Kailas pressed her nose against his bare skin. When she tried to undo his shirt, he felt it had gone too far and gently grabbed her wrist.
“That’s enough, just stay still.”
“Your Highness!”
“I’m really going to die like this, so please, just stay still.”
Muttering like a sigh, Julios eventually intertwined his fingers with hers. It seemed the only way to stop her.
‘Kailas already has someone she likes… Is this okay?’
His worry lasted only a moment. Now he was resigned, half-thinking, ‘Whatever happens, happens.’
‘After all, this is probably the last time.”
The warmth of Kailas’s hand, held tightly in his, made his heart ache.
‘This is enough. Let’s just stay like this until the others come.’
Borrowing the strength of the darkness, he lightly brushed her palm. The feel of her calluses painted a vivid picture of how fiercely she had lived.
His eyes stung with emotion.
‘I like you, Kailas. I’ve liked you for years. Even though I know you don’t feel the same, my eyes kept straying to you. So, I kept hovering near you.’
After coming back from death, he thought he would no longer want for anything. But human greed truly knew no bounds. He wanted desperately to confess these feelings.
Fearing he might do something foolish, Julios bit the inside of his lip slightly.
‘It hurts, but seeing you worry about me makes me happy.’
For the past few years, she had never been as kind to him as she was today.
“I’m really fine. I don’t know why my heart’s acting up like this, but maybe it’s just because I stayed up all night.”
“You stayed up all night?”
“Sir Heinz wanted to stay in Genos.”
Kailas, confused, questioned further.
“Sir Heinz? Sir Sigmund wouldn’t allow that…”
Right after throwing her the jewel, he had been arguing furiously with Sigmund in midair.
“It’s a long story, but everything was resolved well. Sir Heinz won’t cause any major trouble, as Sir Sigmund will be watching. Even this shield protecting us was created by Sir Sig… Oh!”
Julios rummaged through the inside of his coat. He wondered why he hadn’t thought of it earlier.
“Wait a moment. Among the magical artifacts Sir Sig gave me, there’s one with a light magic spell. I completely forgot about it because I rarely use it… Found it!”
Julios lit up as he pulled out a fountain pen. It was a tool imbued with hundreds of daily-use magical spells, including light magic.
“Kailas, close your eyes for a moment. The light might be brighter than you expect.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Kailas quickly shut her eyes. As Julios fumbled to locate the button to activate the light magic, he mumbled to himself.
“This should make things a lot easier… Huh?”
As a faint light seeped out of the pen, the surroundings began to brighten slightly. Naturally, his attention was drawn to an object that had been beside him all along.
‘My handkerchief?’
It was the handkerchief he had given Kailas not long ago. It was neatly folded and tied with a red ribbon. Julios tilted his head in confusion and reached for it.
‘Why is this here? And what’s with the ribbon?’
When he tugged on the handkerchief, it was heavier than expected. As he carefully checked, he discovered more handkerchiefs tied together with the ribbon. Julios’s eyes widened as he inspected the patterns on the handkerchiefs.
‘They’re all the ones I gave her?’
Julios vividly remembered each of them. Even for trivial gifts, he always agonized for days before giving them to Kailas.
‘Kailas kept all of these?’
The handkerchiefs were meticulously packaged, showing care and attention. Julios pulled out a note tucked into the ribbon. His fingers trembled slightly as he unfolded the neatly folded note.
“Genos Imperial Calendar, Year XX, January 3rd. The seventeenth handkerchief His Highness gave me. He handed it over, saying it was for cleaning tea. His smile was incredibly beautiful. Our hands brushed slightly, and my heart almost exploded from excitement. I thought I would die trying to keep my expression in check. …I miss His Highness so much, but I can’t see him every day. It’s so sad. I plan to sleep hugging this handkerchief for a while.”
“Your Highness?”
Julios, who had been reading the tiny handwriting, couldn’t say a word. A strange thought crossed his mind, but he couldn’t bring himself to voice it.
“Your Highness? What’s wrong?”
As Kailas called out cautiously, Julios didn’t respond. He wasn’t looking at her.
Following his gaze with a puzzled expression, Kailas froze.
Her mind went blank for a moment, and then she gasped sharply.
“No!”
With a sharp cry, she leapt forward and threw herself over the handkerchiefs, covering them with her body.
Crash.
The movement caused the precariously stacked debris around them to shift. Reflexively raising her head, Kailas glared with wide eyes.
Through the newly opened gaps, more items she had collected over time were revealed: a pen Julios had lent her, a ribbon from a package of cookies, and love letters she had written to him whenever she had a spare moment.
From behind her, Julios’s hand darted out and grabbed one of the items from her collection.
Kailas felt her vision go dark.
And at that moment—
“Your Highness! Are you all right?”
“Kailas!”
“Please hold on! We’ll get you out of there soon!”
* * *
Kailas sat on a bench, completely dazed.
“It’s all over now.”
Workers were still clearing the debris from the collapsed hospital, but she couldn’t bring herself to care.
In her mind, the scene of her collection spilling out in front of Julios replayed over and over.
“His Highness must think I’m a pervert.”
If he only thought her a pervert, that might be a relief. She wouldn’t even blame him for thinking of her as a stalker. Kailas buried her face in her hands, utterly despondent.
“What do I do now? How can I face His Highness again? What should I even say? How can I apologize? And if I do, will he forgive me?”
What if Julios couldn’t forgive her? Would she have to leave the capital? If so, how would she break the news to Leticia and Mano?
Despair followed despair, each thought darker than the last. The worst part was imagining Julios hating her forever.
“He’ll never smile at me again.”
Even as she silently endured her hopeless one-sided love, his kind smile had always been a source of comfort. But it was all over now. No matter how kind Julios was, there was no way he could be gentle with someone he saw as a perverted stalker.
“Kailas.”
She flinched and opened her eyes. She couldn’t bring herself to lift her head.
Something warm and heavy draped over her tense shoulders.
It was Julios’s coat.
“It’s gotten quite cold.”
Her eyes welled up. This couldn’t be real. She had been wrong. Julios was kind, even to a perverted stalker. He had to be an angel sent from the heavens.
She needed to disappear from his presence, for his sake.
Still hanging her head, Kailas stood up.
“I’m fine.”
“I’m not.”
“Truly, you don’t need to concern yourself.”
Kailas placed the coat back on the bench and clasped her hands together.
“I am truly sorry, Your Highness. I bow my head in apology.”
“Kailas, why are you apologizing all of a sudden?”
“Because I committed an act I should never have dared to commit.”
“…What do you mean by that?”
“I…”
She needed to speak, but her throat closed up. Everything that had happened today weighed heavily on her.
She had loved Julios, but she had never dared to hope it would be reciprocated. Simply watching him from afar had been enough for her.
Now even that was impossible.
“I dared… to love you, Your Highness.”
The tears she had held back fell freely. Her vision alternated between clear and blurry.
“You’re such a radiant person that, without meaning to, I ended up harboring feelings for you. At first, just watching from afar was enough, and that’s where I should have stopped. But I foolishly allowed myself to want more…”
Despite all her efforts, Kailas couldn’t stop crying.
“I’m so sorry, Your Highness. I’ll throw away everything I’ve kept. I won’t leave a single thing behind.”
The belief that feelings aren’t a crime—it was a lie. Sometimes, loving someone could indeed be a sin. Letting such feelings be discovered was an even greater sin.
“I’ll never show you this kind of sight again. I’ll abandon my feelings for you… completely.”
“Kailas.”
Julios gently lifted her tear-streaked face. Kailas couldn’t bring herself to look at him. She was terrified that she might see disgust or contempt in his expression, and it would shatter her completely.
“You can’t abandon them. Thanks to you, I found the courage I needed.”
Julios carefully wiped away her tears with a handkerchief. Kailas lowered her head, ashamed to show him her tear-stained face, yet she didn’t want to avoid his gentle touch. Overwhelmed by her own selfishness after showing such an unseemly side of herself, she burst into tears again.
“I’m so sorry, Your Highness…”
“You don’t have to apologize. No, don’t apologize.”
Julios pulled her into an embrace and whispered softly.
“Because I like you too.”
“…”
“So don’t feel sorry. There’s no need for that.”
Julios’s heart ached at her tears, yet at the same time, he felt an overwhelming sense of joy.
It was a feeling only Kailas could give him.
“I’ve liked you for years. I didn’t even have the courage to confess my one-sided love, so I just stayed by your side.”
Julios slowly recounted everything.
The two dreams he’d had, the emotions he’d felt afterward, the days he’d misunderstood her actions and suffered, and the time he’d spent lingering near her, unable to let go.
“Helping at the hospital? That was because of you. Visiting so often? It was because I wanted to see you.”
At some point, Kailas’s sobs subsided. Her breathing grew quiet, and she stayed still, simply listening to him.
“Sometimes, you’d smile at me—just a faint smile. Even that felt like I’d gained the whole world.”
Julios whispered again, as if driving a nail into her heart.
“I like you, Kailas.”
“…”
“I love you, Kailas. I’m so happy you feel the same way. I don’t think I could be any happier than I am right now.”
Kailas, who had been frozen, finally managed to speak, her voice trembling.
“Your Highness… you liked me?”
“Yes.”
Julios loosened his embrace. Kailas, still in a daze, looked up at him and placed a hand over her chest.
“Kailas, what’s wrong?”
“My heart…”
She muttered in disbelief.
“Is it… going crazy?”
Julios chuckled softly. He pulled her back into his arms, gently resting her head against his chest.
“I feel the same. I’ve felt like this since earlier. Even now.”
Listening absentmindedly to the sound of his heartbeat, Kailas spoke with a trembling voice.
“Then, it wasn’t a seizure earlier…”
“I really thought I might die. When someone you love keeps touching you, how could your heart possibly stay calm?”
Kailas’s face turned bright red.
“I’m sorry.”
“Enough with the apologies.”
“I really had no idea it would be like that.”
“How about replacing an apology with a confession?”
“Pardon?”
“I’d like to hear you say you like me. Can you tell me properly, just once more?”
The playful whisper finally made it all feel real. Kailas trembled slightly.
‘His Highness likes me. I was loved by His Highness.’
The person who shone brightest in her world said he liked her. That he felt the same way.
He wanted her confession.
Of course, she had to give it.
A confession? She could do it a thousand, no, ten thousand times. If he asked her to pluck stars from the sky, she felt like she could do even that.
Tears began to fall again.
But this time, they were tears of overwhelming joy.
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Kailas wiped her tears with the back of her hand and looked up at him. Julios, smiling gently, had tears welling in his eyes too. Knowing those tears were because of his love for her filled her heart to the brim.
The memories of her long, unrequited love flashed before her.
“I want to stop this one-sided love. It’s gone on for far too long.”
“…”
“I like you. No, I love you, Your Highness.”
With those words, she flung her arms around him. Julios embraced her tightly in return, saying, “Me too.” In that moment, their hearts felt full to the point where they could want for nothing more.
And then—
“You must have felt the might of the great Tower Master, right?”
Golden letters appeared in midair. The handwriting, unmistakably Heinz’s, carried its usual self-assured tone. Julios couldn’t help but laugh.
Indeed, Heinz truly was a great Tower Master.
* * *
A few weeks later.
The great Tower Master, looking gaunt, lay sprawled on the sofa in Julios’s office. Julios removed his glasses and asked in bewilderment.
“You’re asking me to help you leave Genos, Sir Heinz?”
“Yes, please. Help me. I’m so sick of dragons!”
After arriving in Genos, Heinz had vowed to turn over a new leaf. Since he had requested to come, he resolved to become an upstanding Archmage. While Sigmund’s terrible temper bothered him, he figured that with Sigmund preoccupied with his romance, he wouldn’t be harassed as much as before. He had hoped to enjoy his freedom and live a new life.
It was a complete delusion.
“That damned old lizard. He’s definitely trying to grind me to dust! He’s planning to strip me down to my bones!”
Sigmund had made Heinz his proxy. At first, Heinz felt proud, even puffing out his chest. But soon after, Sigmund used it as an excuse to work him to the bone. Every task in Genos that required the power of a transcendent was dumped on Heinz. Initially, Sigmund coaxed him with sweet words, saying it was only fitting for a great Archmage to handle such matters. Later, he outright threatened Heinz, saying that if he refused to work, he’d send him back to the transcendent realm.
He was the worst kind of exploitative boss.
“You really don’t want to return to the transcendent realm, do you?”
“No, I don’t! That’s the problem!”
After arriving in Genos, Heinz had signed a contract with Sigmund. It stated that he needed Sigmund’s permission to roam the human world but could automatically terminate the contract by returning to the transcendent realm.
At the time, Heinz thought it was a fair deal since he could cancel the contract at will. But now, he realized it wasn’t. The longer he stayed in Genos, the less he wanted to return to the transcendent realm.
He wanted to keep living among humans, thriving in their midst. He enjoyed being praised and revered as the great Tower Master. He had also come to realize that glimpsing the ultimate truths only sparingly was more gratifying.
In short, he wanted to enjoy the human world—more grandly, more gloriously!
But this cursed dragon was working him to death. At this rate, the great Tower Master was going to die of overwork!
“Julios, help me. You owe me. If it weren’t for me, you and Kailas would’ve both died alone as old hermits!”
“Of course, I’m grateful for that, but—”
“You’re planning to propose to Kailas, aren’t you? And of course, she’ll say yes. All thanks to me.”
Julios’s eyes widened in alarm.
“Propose? What do you mean? Who said anything about that?”
“What, so after years of mutual pining, you’re going to keep dragging out this romance? When do you plan to get married?”
“Ugh. That’s something for us to decide.”
“Fine. Get married or don’t. But if you don’t help me, I’ll go to Kailas. She owes me too!”
Julios pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation. Heinz, however, remained insistent. Julios finally relented with a sigh.
“How about the Holy Empire?”
“The Holy Empire?”
“I’ve heard they’ve struggled for years since many of their Wings relocated to Genos. Without Sigmund’s blessing, the frequency of monster attacks there is much higher. Your assistance would be greatly appreciated.”
“Really? That sounds tempting.”
In truth, Sigmund had anticipated this and advised Julios in advance. It was true that the Holy Empire needed the strength to fill the void left by the Wings. When Julios expressed concern about the empire, Sigmund had smiled and said:
“The Holy Empire has the Wing of Purification. For a dark mage like Heinz, she’ll be a nightmare. And his personality is far from ordinary. He’ll be the perfect leash for him.”
In other words, it was a case of “fight fire with fire.” The idea of Banessa and Heinz clashing was almost comical. Despite the human-transcendent pairing, Julios couldn’t help but feel a bit sorry for Heinz.
“Or perhaps,” Julios thought wryly, “I should be worried about the prince instead.”
If Banessa and Heinz caused chaos together, Callisto would have to clean up the mess.
Heinz, finally making up his mind, brightened visibly.
“Fine, I’ll go to the Holy Empire. You’ll get the lizard’s permission for me, right?”
“Understood. I’ll get back to you with the results as soon as possible.”
Heinz left the office in high spirits, thrilled to finally escape his exploitative employer.
Julios silently offered his condolences to the current Tower Master in the Holy Empire, who would soon have to deal with the whirlwind that was Heinz.
“I’m sorry, but I can’t keep accommodating Sir Heinz. I have pressing matters on my end as well. There’s something very important I’m preparing for.”
Julios discreetly opened a drawer. Inside was a small ivory box. As he carefully lifted it, a smile tugged at his lips.
“I’m about to propose.”
When he opened the lid, a pair of radiant diamond rings gleamed back at him. They had been secretly crafted in preparation for Kailas’s upcoming birthday.
Although he had vehemently denied Heinz’s meddling for fear of any mishaps, the truth was that he had been waiting for this moment ever since the day he confessed his feelings to her.
After spending years apart, unaware of each other’s hearts, he longed to never be separated again—not even for a day. He could already imagine the heartfelt letter Kailas would write after receiving the ring, and the thought filled him with anticipation.
—
<The Tower Master’s Diary>
The End
Leave a Reply