CH 155

As soon as he heard me,

Nghff— Rixus pulled me deeper and hugged me.

The memories of the past and the memories after losing them were connected as one.

All of them settled in me as strongly as a wave.

Then, suddenly, I felt the bandage on his chest.

I even remembered piercing him with ice spikes.

Even when he saw the blue roses, he came to me instead… The thought of him hugging me caught my breath.

“Ah, what do I do, Rixus?”

A cry broke out.

Now that I thought about it, I was so, so sorry for all that happened.

I covered his wounds with my hands and placed my forehead on it.

“Why didn’t you avoid me, why… why did you come to me even after I hurt you?”

“It’s okay. Berylia.”

Even the voice that replied that it was just okay was suddenly choked up faintly.

He smiled calmly in front of me, who was deeply saddened, with a thin film of water over his blue-purple eyes.

Rixus gently stroked my cheek as if touching something precious.

“Did you really remember all of them? All of them left behind.”

I nodded, weeping, my face covered in tears.

“Yes.”

He calmly blinked his eyes and adjusted his expression for a moment, then wiped my face and said,

“It’s a big deal since you’re prettier because you’re crying.”

“Fuh.”

In the end, with a grimacing and smiling face, I hugged him tightly.

We never parted, but it felt like I had met him again after a very long journey.

It felt like a fateful reunion after leaving a long road of no return.

Never again, I never wanted to miss him again.

I didn’t want to lose. my precious him.

“I love you, Rixus… I love you.”

I confessed because I felt like my heart was about to explode from beating so fast.

I was sorry that no matter how much I loved Rixus, it wouldn’t be as good as how much he loved me.

Rixus patted me with an infinitely warm hand and kissed me.

I seemed to know the answer to the confession of ‘I love you’ without even having to listen.

In a hut with memories, we found each other.

Today’s memories would become precious memories again in the distant future…

‘I want you to be by my side even in the future, Rixus.’

‘I want this love to last forever.’

* * *

Johann remained frozen like a stone all night, waiting for Berylia.

Not moving, not eating, not drinking.

He kept thinking like this.

‘What is she doing after going out with Rixus?’

Is she smiling in front of him?

Maybe she also told Rixus…

That she just wanted to entrust her future to ‘a man of value’.

Berylia and Rixus, Johann couldn’t stop imagining them together for even a moment.

His head felt like it was going to explode and his heart was burning.

Finally, he woke up in the morning, struggling all night with jealousy and wretched fantasies.

“…I’ll go back…”

Johann placed his large hand over his burning eyes and chewed on his thoughts.

‘The waiting is now over.’

Let’s go find her right away.

‘Melfis must have gone to the Imperial Palace and told her last night, so why hasn’t she come to see me yet?’

Perhaps… Did she spend the night with that bastard?

The scene where the two were tangled naked in bed flashed through his mind briefly.

It was as if his bones had shrunk and the muscle tissues of his whole body had been cut off.

Bang—

With a brief swearing, Johann got up and kicked away his seat.

[Huh!? Where are you going?]

That was then. Toulouse flew in through the window.

[Good morning! I’ve been to Marsephone, Johann! ]

“….…”

Johann’s two heated eyes turned to the dull crow.

A sensation of hostility penetrated the bones, but Johann smiled while wearing a terrifyingly calm mask.

“How’s Marsephone?”

Toulouse didn’t feel anything amiss at all.

It knew that Johann Marquis had been wearing a mask all his life, but he always showed only raw emotions in front of him, so he could not even imagine that he was still maintaining a mask now.

Toulouse replied, flapping its wings vigorously.

[Everyone said they are crazy excited with anticipation! They’re looking forward to crossing over as soon as possible! ]

“…Okay?”

[They were excited to meet the new ’emperor’… Oh, of course the emperor is, you! Johann! Haha!]

Johann smiled, raising his lips coldly.

“That’s great.”

[Right?]

“Then let’s do the ritual right now. Tomorrow at noon would be good.”

[What?!]

Toulouse was startled.

Never in the past seven times had Johann been so reckless.

He was just a human being who always wanted the world to end with a cynical attitude.

‘…But you are in such a hurry?’

‘Why are you doing this? Suddenly?’

“I can’t stand Berylia being with that bastard for a single day more… No, I can’t take it for another second.”

Toulouse frowned strangely.

‘Ugh, you disgusting child.’

That guy’s obsession peaked with each regression.

However, in this life, it was fortunate not to have to worry about having his plans ruined because of Berylia.

‘Since she’s alive.’

[The difference between a day or two is very big, Johann. To receive my heart in an unprepared state…]

Toulouse continued while choosing the correct expression.

[It’s like putting hard bricks into a bowl that hasn’t hardened yet. Even if it’s just a day difference, the pain you feel will increase by hundreds or thousands of times!]

“I’ll enjoy the pain.”

[…C-Crazy man! Crazy man! ]

Toulouse flapped its wings as if in shock, then put on a satisfied expression on his face.

[If you like it, then I like it too! ]

“….…”

[Tomorrow, a new world will finally open. Follow me!]

Shouldn’t they be sharing this good news with everyone?

Johann and Toulouse went straight to the temple inside the mansion.

In front of the Black Fountain, Johann swore. Tomorrow at noon, he would receive the heart of Toulouse and fill the world with the power of Toulouse.

The Black Fountain was bubbling and boiling. Through the fountain, their will would be transmitted to Marsephone.

Toulouse looked at it with a moved expression.

[I feel good this time…]

“……”

[I think we’ll finally succeed! Isn’t that so?]

At Toulouse’s voice, Johann created a picturesque smile.

“Yes.”

The black eyes smiled silently, as if they were invincible.

“I’m sure you’ll succeed.”

‘Not us…’

‘Only me. Only.’

* * *

After regaining the memories, I wanted to be with Rixus, but I ended up returning to my bedroom with regrets.

It was a situation where I had no choice but to be conscious of Johann.

Who made me lose my memory… I was really curious about that… 

‘Johann Marquis.’

The answer was right in front of me.

Cold, hostile cynicism crept across my lips.

It was no coincidence that I lost my memories the night I learned the secret about Johann and the blue roses.

I thought I was eavesdropping, but I guessed I had figured it out eventually.

My anger at him for taking away my memory, confusing me, and playing with it was like wildfire.

But now was not the time to focus on that anger.

I finally remembered his ‘weakness’.

I wanted to compliment my former self, who put Verdi’s Ears to good use.

Johann Marquis… You should have killed me instead of taking away my memories that day.

“You asked about the weakness of Archduke Marquis…Then I will tell you the story that Verdi’s ancestors heard from a prophet a long time ago.”

A very long time ago.

It was said that Verdi’s ancestors listened to the story at a high price from a famous prophet.

Due to the Verdi’s nature of collecting information, they thought that prophecies of the future were valuable.

The prophet revealed:

After a century, a person with the ambition to “destroy the world” would appear on this earth.

He made a pact with the corrupt demon, ripped off half of his heart and kept it deeply.

The remaining half was to be filled with the demon’s.

He would be reborn as a monster that was neither a human nor a demon… 

“Those who seek to pass on power by making pacts with evil beings sometimes keep half of their heart in storage. That is… the only remaining ‘human aspect’ to him.”

It was said that if that piece of heart was left behind, he could be resurrected in the future even after he died for any reason.

The halves of the heart were what underpinned their immortality.

However, the heart was literally ‘human’, so it was very fragile.

“The prophet said that the man would wear the mask of a high noble… and be with a three-headed raven.”

At that time, I only realized when I heard the story of a ‘three-headed crow’ from Verdi.

To me asking about Johann… The reason why Madam Verdi dared to tell me such a story.

At the same time, what kind of family ‘Verdi’ was, who knew everything but just observed and survived countless years.

It was a moment of understanding.

Having remembered all these conversations, I was struck by a very simple yet important question.

‘Where did you put that half of your heart?’

It was uncertain whether he, who wielded Toulouse’s magic, could be defeated by attacking head-on.

Besides, if Rixus and I approached him with ‘murder intent’, wouldn’t he notice it?

Everyone would be in danger if we move too hastily.

‘But if I find the heart…’

‘He wouldn’t have left it far.’

Because it was his weakest part, his life itself.

‘He will keep it by his side.’

It was then when I was in deep thought.

Outside, Duke Orléans urgently requested an audience.

“Come in.”

He looked uneasy from the moment he entered.

“What’s going on?”

Duke Orléans bent his back deeply and opened his mouth.

“Your Majesty… from the temple, an ‘oracle’ has come down.”

“!”