CH 116

There was someone in his arms.

It was Nelia. He could still feel her faint breathing.

‘She’s still alive……’

The duke held Nelia closely in his arms.

“I can’t believe you finally made it out.”

The duke spotted Carlos when he slowly turned his head to the side. He spoke with his arms crossed.

“I really found out it was an illusion.”

The duke remembered what Carlos had said to him in the illusion before.

‘You still look like a fool who doesn’t know anything.’

Carlos was the first one to find out it was an illusion, so that was why he said so. He became conscious now after having learned the whole truth.

If Carlos passed the test first, he would have been the one who made a wish.

The duke stared at Carlos. His silver eyes were as fierce as ever.

“I must keep Nelia alive.”

“Do you hear what I’ve said?”

Carlos let out a low sigh when the duke’s eyes were still as fierce as a beast.

“Neither I wish nor would be able to see Nelia like this. Therefore, you don’t have to waste your energy.”

“You want me to save Nelia……?”

“Yes.”

There wasn’t a hint of a lie on Carlos’ expression. Only then did the murderous look in the duke’s eyes disappear.

“We’re running out of time. Nelia might stop breathing soon. Tell him your wish.”

He was right. He shouldn’t have wasted any more time.

The duke turned his head and looked at the heart. Sigrid’s heart, which was beating, emitted a strong energy.

The duke once again earnestly spoke his wish.

“Save Nelia.”

Then, the heart trembled wildly. A solemn voice came out of it.

[Is your wish really to save Nelia?]

The duke nodded.

“Yes.”

The flames surrounding the heart fluttered.

[Then, it means you have to live your life where you can turn into a snake at any moment.]

“It doesn’t matter.”

[Will you not regret it?]

The duke looked at the heart with an unwavering gaze.

“I’ve never been so sure of my decision at this moment in my life.”

The flames rose at the end of the duke’s firm answer.

[Sure thing, I will make your wish come true.]

Sigrid’s heart beat almost painfully. And the fire surrounding the heart spread around as if creating an explosion.

Blip!

***

When Duke Hart opened his eyes, which he had closed for a moment, he found out that he was in a white space.

The duke looked down to his arms with an empty feeling. There was no Nelia there.

“Nelia……?”

The duke looked around.

“Nelia!”

“There’s nothing to be worried about with Nelia.”

The duke’s eyes turned to the side. There stood Sigrid disguised as Zenuit.

“Nelia must have made it back safely to the original world by now.”

When his anxious mind was relieved slightly, the duke looked around belatedly.

The hazy space felt unreal. Carlos had disappeared before he realized it.

The duke’s eyes, which were looking at his surroundings, stopped at the child standing in front of him.

He thought the child was strange, but……

The duke slowly opened his lips whilst keeping his eyes on Sigrid.

“Now I must hear what you are.”

Sigrid replied without hesitation.

“I’m the owner of the heart, whom you made your wish to.”

The duke’s brow narrowed.

“You are Sigrit……?”

“Yes. Nelia happened to awaken me, and she said that she wanted to find the heart for you. That’s why I opened the door of the dimension and led you along with Carlos to where the heart was.”

“Why did Carlos come with you?”

Sigrid had a distant look on his eyes. As if he wasn’t sure what to say or where to begin.

However, he knew it was necessary to inform Duke Hart, just as he had confided the truth to Nelia.

Sigrid began the long story. The secret of the Hart Family, the duke’s previous lives, and his terrible relationship with Carlos.

Duke Hart recited quietly when he finished the story.

“I’m the reincarnation of Shilin……”

Sigrid nodded.

“Yes, and when you and Carlos put aside the anger in your hearts and agreed that you two wanted to save Nelia together, the long-standing resentment was extinguished.”

“Then, does it mean I won’t be able to hear Shilin’s voice, the one who used to bother me, anymore?”

“Yes. The same goes for Carlos. His right arm will now be neither firm nor painful.”

The duke laughed lowly.

He didn’t do anything, but it was over. When he thought of Nelia, who must have struggled on his back, he felt a part of his heart ache.

“But, there is one thing.”

The duke looked at Sigrid after he spoke in a serious voice.

“You have spent your wish to save Nelia, so you must continue to live as a creature, neither a snake nor a human being.”

“Well, there’s nothing I can’t do about it.”

The duke replied nonchalantly. His face showed no regret.

“As you said, I wasn’t even human in the first place. My ancestors just found a way to trick our appearances into human forms.”

Sigrid shook his head at the calm tone of the duke.

“Although you’re the reincarnation of Shilin, you hardly resemble him.”

Sigrid muttered, ‘……It doesn’t matter.’ and looked again at the duke.

“You may think it doesn’t matter, but I don’t think so.”

Sigrid’s eyes, partially covered with his eyelids, were as serious as they could ever be.

“The reason why I left the heart and granted a wish to those who find it was because of Shilin.”

The duke’s gaze grew stern.

“You left the heart…… for Shilin?”

“Yes. When Elena died and I was left alone, I thought about Shilin and Carl.”

“…….”

“And I regretted it. I, who didn’t understand the pain you’ve gone through. I realized later that I had ruined everything.”

Sigrid’s expression as he recalled the past was filled with dark shadow.

“I was particularly guilty for Shilin. To take wings and legs from him carelessly and granted him a curse that caused him to have crawled on the floor, and set his future in a fire pit.”

The duke asked after he listened intently.

“Weren’t you supposed to release the curse?”

“I wanted to, but I couldn’t find Shilin, who was hiding. After Elena died, I was too helpless to do anything.”

Sigrid continued in a helpless voice.

“I couldn’t overcome my regret and depression, I hid my heart beyond the door of the dimension and sealed myself away. I hoped that one day Shilin would find my heart and return to his dragon form.”

“……”

Actually, Sigrid’s woeful story didn’t get the duke to hit home.

Even if he was his son in his previous life, he didn’t have any remaining memories or feelings now.

It would bring no good even if Sigrid confessed his true feelings now.

“In the end, you used the heart to save Nelia.”

Sigrid opened his eyes widely at the sound of the duke’s aloof voice.

“However, I think I can disappear in peace only after I release the curse I put on you.”

Disappear……?

“Even though I don’t have a heart now, I still have a body.”

“No way……”

“Yes. I will burn my body to release your curse. Then, you’ll be able to regain your dragon form. Or, perhaps, you can even remain in your human form as you are now by being imbued with my power.”

The duke asked in an unpleasant tone.

“Should you go to such an extent to release me from the curse?”

“Isn’t it a good thing for you?”

“……I don’t want to get what I want at the cost of someone else’s life.”

[t/n: I teared up at this line. The duke was just-]

Sigrid raised the corners of his mouth.

“You’re not just anyone. Although you’re his reincarnation, you’re still my son.”

“……”

“I know my existence may be foreign to you. However, you just have to know that’s what I think.”

Sigrid continued, his mouth was still smiling.

“And I’m trying to release you from this curse for the sake of Nelia.”

There was a momentary warmth in his eyes.

“I don’t want to make Nellia marry a human who can turn into a snake.”

“……”

“Therefore, you have no right to refuse!”

Duke Hart sighed and ran his hand through his hair.

“Please do as you please.”

Sigrid grinned.

“Yes, then I must go and say my last greeting to Nelia.”

***

Nelia opened her eyes in the white space.

After she felt like she was out of breath after falling into a deep swamp that she couldn’t even see anything in front of her, her body became light as a feather.

The arrow stuck on her shoulder had disappeared. She didn’t feel any pain.

Nelia slowly touched the floor and raised her upper body. She saw a small white hand in front of her.

When she looked up, she spotted Sigrid, who had taken in a form of Zenuit.

“What are you doing? Don’t check on me.”

Nelia took Sigrid’s little hand. He was in the form of a child, but he helped Nelia up effortlessly.

Seeing the rare bright expression on Sigrid’s face, Nelia knew that things had turned well.

“His Grace must have finished the test.”

“Yes. However, the wish was granted on someone else, not the duke.”

“What……?”

Nelia’s face stiffened.

“The duke used the wish to save you.”

“There’s no way……!”

Sigrid held Nelia’s hand.

“Nelia, please calm down and listen to me.”

Nelia calmed down a bit at the composed voice of Sigrid.

“The duke used the wish to save you, but his curse will also be lifted.”

“That means……”

“The duke won’t turn into a snake anymore from now on. He will obtain his dragon form back.”

Nelia blinked in surprise. It was certainly a pleasant thing, but it was hard to believe.

“……How is that possible?”

Sigrid continued while still holding Nelia’s hand.

“You know that I was actually Sigrid now.”

Nellia pursed her lips.

“Yes. But you lied to me by saying that you were just Sigrid’s only subordinate back then.”

“I’m sorry, but it’s because I didn’t have the courage to appear before the duke, the reincarnation of Shilin, as Sigrid.”

“……”

“I regretted and blamed myself for what I’ve done to Shilin and Carl before I died. Even if the duke and Carlos didn’t recognize me at all, I couldn’t bring myself to show up in front of them. That’s why I lied like a coward and hid my identity.”

Nelia wasn’t happy at what Sigrid said, who felt guilty.

“I told you not to tell my existence to the duke until the door of the dimension was opened for the same reason. My heart just wasn’t ready.”

“Sigrid……”

“Don’t give me that look. In the end, everything ended well.”

Sigrid grinned. Brighter than usual.

“It’s all thanks to you, Nelia.”

“…What did I do?”

“You’re asking what did you do? Didn’t you were the one who relieved the anger of the brothers that have been there for thousands of years?”

Sigrid’s sincere tone made her feel like she had done a wonderful job.

Nelia rolled her eyes slowly out of embarrassment.

“I still don’t know. Why did I wake up you, who was trapped inside Elena’s Tears, Sigrid, and how did I bring the duke to his human form?”

“Do you remember what I said before? That emotion has great power in itself?”

Sigrid once said that he would give a hint about the test.

“The duke changed his fate by falling in love with you.”

“……”

“So are you. Since day one, you’ve been in love with the duke, and changed all his fate.”

Nelia blushed.

“Love……”

She just realized how she thought of the duke recently, but it felt strange to hear from someone else.

Sigrid smiled faintly when seeing Nelia’s blushed face.

“Nelia, don’t forget the importance of emotions and try to live while keeping it in mind. And…… It was really fun and I enjoyed the time we shared together.”

“……”

“It’s been thousands of years since I felt this emotion. Sometimes I feel like you’re my daughter, and that’s why I even disapproved of Duke Hart’s act.”

Perhaps, that was why he sometimes had a quarrel with Duke Hart.

However, Nelia just came to think Sigrid’s words were strange.

“……What’s the matter? You sound as if it’s our last.”

Sigrid slowly let go of Nelia’s hand which he was holding.

“Nelia. I intend to burn the rest of my body to lift the duke’s curse. Then, the duke will be able to live normally like others.”

Nelia seized Sigrid’s hand again.

“No way!”

“Nelia……”

“Is there no other way……? The other way so that you don’t have to perish in order to lift the curse, Sigrid.”

Sigrid had a gentle smile on his face.

“Unfortunately, there is no other way. And actually…… I want to close my eyes. Now that my sons are ready to lead a happy life as I wished before I died, I want to stop and meet Elena.”

“I was so happy you’ve awakened me.”

Tears fell from Nelia’s eyes, one and two drops. Sigrid slowly pulled Nelia into a hug when she was crying without a sound.

“Please be happy, Nelia.”

Sigrid’s hugging figure on Nelia gradually faded. As that of a summer haze.

“Zigrit……! Don’t go!” “Sigrid……! Don’t go!”

Nelia shook her arms at the disappearing figure of Sigrid as if she attempted to catch the sand slipping from her hand.

“ZENUIT!”

She shouted the name she was already familiar with, but she was left alone in the empty room.

“If you’re going to go away like this, then why……”

Nelia’s desperate voice dispersed like smoke in the air. Nelia shrank her body and cried after she was left alone.

“Zenuit……”

It was as if she could still feel Sigrid’s touch on her palm.