Chapter 63.2

Chapter 63 – Part 2

“……?”

I stared at him in wonder. Zen’s face suddenly turned red, and he quickly blinked his eyes, avoiding my gaze.

“Ah, well I… S-Suddenly my face feels hot! Is the fire too strong?”

“…….”

This is a hallway without a fireplace… I frowned and tilted my head to the side. I don’t know why, but Zen seemed distraught. He moistened his lips with her tongue and gulped before saying again.

“Well, come to think of it, I just have something to show you.”

“…To me?”

“Yes, it’s not far from here! This way.”

I followed Zen’s lead and moved. Zen was as tall as Theodore and had long legs, so he walked much faster than I did. I walked leisurely, not trying to catch up with him.

Zen must have realized too late that he had gone too far, so he suddenly stopped and waited for me, his face reddened.

He looked apologetic, but I smiled, meaning it didn’t matter as I really didn’t mind.

“So, what do you mean show me?”

“Ah… Um, this way.”

Zen pointed to one side of the wall in the hallway, sprinted to it and tugged at the curtains.

Then, the tapestry-shaped curtain went up all the way, revealing the picture frame hidden underneath it.

“……!”

Immediately recognizing the picture in the frame, I stood still in amazement and froze.

‘This painting…’

My heart thumped. An unknown trembling engulfed me. It felt like I had found a milestone in my life that I had lost, and it felt like I had met the end of my life.

Looking back, this painting entered my heart even more deeply than before.

A lantern amidst darkness

A painting by an unknown artist who was said to have been favored by the king. A wanderer, or hermit, standing alone in pitch black darkness, holding a dim lantern in his hand.

“…….”

I still didn’t know. Why am I drawn to this painting? What was the exact reason?

Well… I think so too. You don’t need to know why.

I just need to know that this painting is special to me.

“…….”

…Yes, it’s like loving someone. As Zen Delacroix once said.

Without taking my eyes off the painting, I smiled. And he murmured softly.

“The light of this lantern is faint but eternal. Because it is immortalized in this painting.”

In the painting, moment and time are frozen. I’ve been thinking that maybe that’s why people paint. To preserve eternity.

“Even in this thick darkness, this lantern will not go out. Forever.”

…At that moment, it seemed like I finally knew.

Why I like this picture.

I smiled a bit more clearly and looked back at Zen. His golden eyes stared blankly at me.

Oddly enough, my mind was at ease. Now it seemed like I could really fly somewhere. I still don’t know what this feeling is. But what is clear is… Lily Everett— No, Lily did not have to hope for anyone’s salvation anymore.

Ever since I was little, I’ve longed for someone to rescue me.

For someone to get me out of this hell, to give me hope.

After meeting Theodore, I mistakenly thought that he was my savior.

I would have expected. I want my marriage with him to be my escape. So that I could escape from Everett’s clutches forever.

But, it was an illusion to be exact.

It’s not that I made a mistake in thinking that ‘Theodore is my savior’…

It was a mistake to think that ‘I can’t save myself’.

Even though it can’t be.

I laughed out loud. I thought I was laughing, but strangely, my eyes were tearing up.

It felt like something hot was running down my cheeks.

“…Duchess Valentino…”

Zen called me in surprise. No, he didn’t call me. I looked at him and shook my head.

“I am no longer Duchess Valentino.”

“…….”

“Not even Lily Everett.”

“…….”

“Just… Lily.”

For the first time in my life, I was able to laugh with my mind clear.

I was really, really fortunate.

To be able to see A lantern amidst darkness once again before I die.

The injured received proper treatment, and thanks to the ample rest at Zen’s cabin, everyone felt better.

It was truly very fortunate.

The problem, however, was that as soon as night fell, it became difficult to go down the mountain.

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