CH 25

That day, I managed to salvage the situation and escape from Clyde at the masquerade ball, but there was no guarantee that I would be able to do the same next time.

Simply avoiding social gatherings won’t solve the problem.

If anything, I couldn’t predict what Clyde would do to approach me.

I had to make a decision.

Plan and act. Find a way, somehow.

Whether it was seven years ago or now, that was my only weapon.

*****

A few days later.

Late at night, I secretly infiltrated the mansion where Clyde was staying.

Contrary to my preparations, the magical barriers against external intrusion were almost non-existent, so I was able to enter without difficulty.

I cast an invisibility spell and stepped into Clyde’s bedroom.

“Who’s there?”

A chillingly cold voice echoed, sending shivers down my spine.

Clyde slowly rose from the bed.

Unlike when I saw him at the masquerade ball, his eyes were now the same intense red as when he was born.

They emitted a sharp light even in the darkness.

I took a short, deep breath and released the invisibility spell.

Clyde lit up the room.

I could see him recognizing my face and his expression stiffening.

“It’s me, Ruby.”

The words slipped out of my mouth.

I had transformed into the appearance I had when I first met Clyde seven years ago.

Illusion magic has been my specialty since I was a child.

That’s why I was able to use invisibility magic so freely at that age.

The transformation magic belonged to the advanced spells within the illusion magic category.

That’s why I couldn’t use it when I was twelve years old.

Even when I escaped with Clyde, I used an enchantment spell to make me seen as a real adult man, instead of transforming into one myself.

But now, after seven years, I could use transformation magic as well.

Clyde looked at me with a bewildered expression.

He seemed as if he was in a dream.

Clyde got off the bed and cautiously walked towards me.

Finally, he kneeled down in front of me.

Clyde’s cold hand touched my cheek.

It was a cautious touch, as if touching an illusion that would disappear if disturbed.

I couldn’t help but feel surprised by his unexpected reaction.

When we met a few days ago at the masquerade ball, Clyde was almost certain that I, Eila Rojasis, at the age of twenty, was Ruby.

So I thought he would be guarded when he saw me in my thirteen-year-old form for the first time.

But now, it seemed as if there was no doubt in his mind about whether I was real or fake.

“Ruby.”

Clyde called my name again and tightly embraced me in both arms.

The strength was so overwhelming that I almost suffocated.

“I missed you, Ruby…..”

Clyde’s voice was filled with intense longing.

I couldn’t help but feel my heart break.

“…Clyde.”

I spoke with a cracked voice.

“I feel a bit suffocated.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

Clyde hurriedly pulled away from me.

He seemed restless, as if afraid that I would disappear at any moment.

He looked so different now, so vulnerable and defenseless, completely different from the image I saw at the ball.

For the first time since reuniting with Clyde, it felt believable that he was the same person as the young boy in my memories.

“I’ve heard the story of what happened at the Imperial Ball not long ago, but you’ve got the wrong girl. That woman wasn’t me.”

Clyde’s eyes narrowed slightly at my words.

“You’re saying you’re not Eila Rojasis?”

I nodded and crossed my arms, wearing a smirk as if pitying him.

“Of course. I just transformed into the youngest daughter of Duke Rojasis to infiltrate the Duke’s mansion.”

“…….”

Unlike a moment ago, there was a certain light returning to Clyde’s eyes.

It was clear from his expression that he harbored doubts.

“Look at me now. If it wasn’t transformation magic, how could I still have the same appearance you saw seven years ago?”

“…….”

“Think about it. Isn’t it obvious? There’s no way a child like me could undo the barrier of Julion Rojasis, the Grand Archmage of the Empire, and rescue you. It was just a disguise. I thought that even if I were discovered by the Duke, I could easily deceive him, and if you saw me as a girl of the same age, you would be less guarded.”

Clyde stared at me silently for a moment.

“You said back then it was because you were a genius.”

“Of course it was a lie. Did you believe it?”

“I believe everything you said.”

“…….”

This time it was my turn to shut up.

“Everything, even the part where you said you’d see me again in three years.”

“…I’m sorry.”

I lowered my gaze.

“But I thought it would be better for you if we didn’t see each other again.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s dangerous, of course. Why on earth would you come back here, after all I’ve done to get you out, and why would you do something like walk right back into the tiger’s den?”

“…….”

“Julion Rojasis could have been at that ball. He could have recognized you. Who knows what would have happened then?”

Clyde stared at me, his face expressionless.

“Then I could have made him pay for what he did.”

“Clyde!”

Without realizing it, I raised my voice.

“It doesn’t matter, I’m not the same person I was back then.”

“What are you talking about?”

Clyde raised his right hand with his palm facing upward.

As he did, a crimson aura began to swirl around him.

It was a concentrated surge of magic power, dozens, no, hundreds of times more powerful than before.

It was a terrifying force that, if unleashed, could reduce a mansion the size of this one to ashes in an instant.

I could feel a cold sweat running down my spine.

“Clyde, how on earth…”

“As it turns out, the demonic blood flowing within me is not so useless after all.”

Clyde tightly clenched his fist, and the surge of magic power disappeared in an instant.

“…….”

I thought I had changed the future.

I thought I had rescued him before my Father, Julion could break his spirit, so he wouldn’t go on a rampage and awaken, like in the original story.

But I was wrong.

After seven years, the Clyde I met again had already awakened his dormant powers, which had been within him all along.

“What on earth… What has happened in the past seven years?”

“…….”

Clyde looked at me in silence.

“…What about your mother?”

The thought suddenly came to my mind, and I blurted it out reflexively.

“Is she doing well?”

“…….”

Clyde avoided my gaze.

“No way….”

“Yeah, she’s dead.”

“Why…!”

“Don’t worry. It’s not your fault.”

“That’s not the point, why? When? What about you? Did nothing happen to you? Have you been alone all this time?”

“…….”

As I fired a series of questions, Clyde, who had momentarily had a vacant expression, suddenly gave a faint smile.

He raised his hand and gently wiped my cheek.

“Don’t worry, I’m fine now.”

“But how can you say that you’re fine?!”

“Because I have you now.”

At Clyde’s murmured words, I couldn’t finish my sentence.

“It’s okay, because I have you again. Finally, finally.”

“…….”

His red eyes seemed to shimmer with emotion.

“So don’t go anywhere now. Because you’re the only one I have.”

“…….”

Clyde pressed his forehead against mine, and for a moment we were still.

I couldn’t push him away or hug him; I could only stand there quietly.

After a while, Clyde pulled away and said.

“I want to see the real you.”

“That’s not possible.”

“Why?”

“You’d be disappointed.”

“I wouldn’t.”

“I could be an incredibly ugly woman. Or maybe even a wrinkled old grandmother.”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“…I could be a man.”

“Well, that’s a bit… disappointing.”

Clyde said that and chuckled.

“But it’s okay. The fact that you’re you won’t change.”

“…….”