We entered the street of the Central Square and wandered around.
“Look here, Lars. It seems they’re selling wizard wands on the street these days. The quality is terrible. We need to investigate and punish the merchants importing such items.”
“It’s just festival toys for kids.”
“Oh, is that so?”
Acella awkwardly put the wand back where it was.
As we browsed various shops, Acella’s gaze lingered on one place. It was a cafe that looked nice.
“Curious?”
“No thanks. You’ll just stop me from going, saying it’s bad for my health.”
“Wait a moment.”
I took Acella to the cafe’s vendor and bought a few items.
I handed one to her. It was a lollipop made from fruit syrup.
“Just take this instead.”
“I’m not a child. How long are you going to keep giving me candy?”
Despite saying that, Acella began to unwrap it and started sucking on it beneath her mask.
I knew you would do that.
“It’s almost time. Let’s go.”
Saying this, Acella tugged at me, urging me to hurry.
Before we knew it, the sun was nearly down, and darkness was settling in the sky.
Acella led me to a castle wall.
It was a relatively quiet spot, somewhat detached from the square.
As the crowd was starting to swarm, it was a wise choice by Acella to move here.
“Isn’t this where the Guards stand? Security…”
“I bribed them in advance.”
“Aha.”
As expected of Acella. She’s well-prepared.
…There are a lot of stairs.
After climbing halfway, I turned around to catch my breath and saw the square was packed with people gathered to watch the fireworks.
Many were enjoying a peaceful time with their lovers, friends, or family.
“Lars!”
A voice called out to me.
Acella, who had climbed the wall first, was now shedding her disguise and looked ready for a ball.
With her signature devilish smile, she reached out towards me.
I climbed the rest of the stairs towards her.
*
The top of the castle wall felt like a ballroom just for the two of us.
The short wall between two towers offered a view that couldn’t be seen from below but allowed us to overlook everything — a breathtaking sight.
Even though she wasn’t sure Lars would return, Acella had hoped to watch the festival with him at this very spot.
Thank goodness it wasn’t pointless.
The sandwiches she had practiced so hard on.
She believed it was a success as long as Lars ate them without complaint.
…Once I realized it, time had swiftly approached without compromise.
The moment Acella had been waiting for.
On one hand, her heart raced so much that she hoped he wouldn’t come.
Boom!
Before she could even gather her chaotic thoughts, a loud sound filled Acella’s ears.
“It’s the fireworks.”
The artisans’ fireworks shot up from the Central Square, painting the night sky in vivid colors.
Lars was momentarily captivated. His chest felt strangely full. Seeing the people below all excitedly clapping their hands, he figured everyone was feeling the same way.
Was Acella feeling this emotion too?
He became curious all of a sudden.
What did she feel on ordinary days?
What thoughts crossed her mind?
Was the Empress Acella he knew really only a fragment of an evil spirit?
Then what about you now?
Lars wanted to confirm.
To ask that question, he turned to her again and spoke.
“How do you feel, Your Royal Highness? Is this your first…?”
Before Lars could finish his sentence…
He felt Acella’s soft finger against his chin.
In contrast, a passionate grip that seemed to pull the life out of him from the back of his head.
Acella’s lips met Lars’s.
Not just their lips.
‘Tongue, lingua. If dry or high acidity is observed, it’s necessary to examine the function of submandibular, sublingual, and parotid glands.’
The unexpected kiss of two people was an affectionate display typical of lovers.
Acella delved deeper, wanting to fill Lars, a sickness of hers, with her love.
As much as she filled him up, it overflowed into her.
With this act, he would become hers, and her instincts demanded to keep him forever.
Acella did not reject that voice.
As much as she had held back until now, she filled the defenseless Lars with her love, as if every second was precious.
…A peculiar taste.
Somewhere between an addictive subtle drug flavor.
She became more engrossed in searching for the faint hints of honey and fruit within.
So, was the first kiss what everyone describes as sweet?
The kiss that seemed endless suddenly broke off with a pop.
Acella, overly eager, had bumped her front teeth against Lars’s, bringing her back to her senses.
Slowly, she released his shoulders, bringing their first moment to a close.
“…Hah.”
They both sighed, catching their breath.
Their eyes met just close enough to see each other’s eyelashes without breaking away.
Boom!
The fireworks were still going on.
They just couldn’t hear the sounds.
“Your Royal Highness, I…”
“I’ll go first.”
Acella interrupted Lars.
“I’ll be the one to speak first.”
Acella, half-leaning on Lars’s body, casually put her arm on his shoulder to catch her breath.
…Her lips trembled.
The Royal Princess Acella, who always spoke boldly, couldn’t make her words turn into sound at that moment.
“Phew.”
As Acella gently moved away, taking a deep breath.
At the same moment.
‘This is…’
A message appeared on Lars’s status window.
Boom!
With each burst of fireworks, Acella’s face brightened, reflecting in Lars’s eyes.
Finally, she spoke.
“I like you, Lars.”
[No. 056 Incarnation of Jealousy 7% → 0%]
[Ending Deleted]
“I don’t know since when.”
[No. 022 Isolation 14% → 0%]
[Ending Deleted]
“It’s not because you’re my attending physician.”
[No. 062 Black Plague 23% → 0%]
[Ending Deleted]
“It’s not because you’re my betrothed either.”
[No. 101 Magic Explosion 11% → 0%]
“I like you.”
Boom!
No matter how loud the fireworks, Lars couldn’t mishear Acella’s words.
He could hear every breath of hers.
Lars finally understood many things.
Things began to make sense, and his perspective shifted.
He understood the things Acella had done for him.
Sometimes, her actions that were hard to comprehend.
The increasing bad ending ratio that rose for no reason.
He had speculated since then.
Perhaps, just perhaps.
From the time she developed a rational affection for him in the northern uncharted territories.
It was not to demand a price as a subject, but to draw attention as a lover.
Of course, it was a childish and bothersome method, no different from an elementary school kid’s.
‘But it wasn’t only bothersome.’
The first person to run to him when he was in danger was Acella.
The person who worried about him the most.
The one who believed in his medicine and trusted his skills above all.
The current Acella was entirely different from the Empress Acella he knew.
That premise was.
‘…That might be true.’
In the future, Lars suffered greatly because of Acella.
At first, just seeing her would kindle anger in him, and as time went on, fear would freeze him, making him unable to move.
Eventually, he became numb to the point that, like training for strategy against a Demon King or a terrible monster, his body reacted instinctively.
To him, Acella had just been that kind of existence.
But in this regression, he had time to observe her as an attending physician.
He had learned the reasons why Acella became a tyrant when she lost her mind. He had also removed the cause.
She had changed.
And looking back on the time they spent in the Imperial Family with her, it wasn’t is it terrible.
‘It was more enjoyable.’
He could confidently say that it was more fulfilling than battling the Demon Race on the battlefield without hope.
After all, where else would someone confess so boldly, accompanied by such an intense kiss?
That kiss awakened something within the dormant Lars.
He scrutinized Acella’s face attentively once more.
…He found himself wondering whether she had always been this beautiful.
She had the grace and aura befitting the Emperor of the Empire.
His betrothed.
Someone who cherished him.
…It was problematic that she often tried to confine him since her affection was excessive.
‘But what about me?’
Although Lars had speculated and analyzed, he only felt concerned about Acella.
He hadn’t given any thought to what he would do if that became reality.
‘What does Acella think of me?’
He had never felt that way.
‘Still.’
Acella had mustered so much courage.
Even if she was usually arrogant and unruly, courage is still courage.
He needed to respond properly.
‘I do.’
At this moment, Lars felt quite positively towards Acella.
Knowing her efforts and changes over the years he had spent by her side, he found himself liking her more because of her affection for him.
“Your Royal Highness.”
Let’s start from there.
Lars thought as he opened his mouth.
But…
Thud.
Acella swiftly covered his mouth with her palm.
“…No.”
What was she denying? Lars had questions.
“Don’t answer now.”
Ordering him, Acella slowly removed her hand.
Her fingers brushed against Lars’s chest.
“Your Royal Highness?”
“I don’t want it that way.”
Though her expression was clumsy, Acella excelled at understanding people.
She noticed Lars’s attitude.
It was something difficult to perceive in her usual demeanor, but after becoming more aware of him and becoming more interested, she could gather it to some extent.
And now, Lars’s response was incredibly straightforward.
As much as she loved him, realizing that he did not love her.
She understood it straight away after confessing.
You couldn’t start a love due to sympathy or obligation.
‘…Then, until you like me.’
Until you desire, crave, and need the Acella von Württemberg.
I’ll drive you mad.
Then I’ll have you.
‘You’ve healed me.’
I must take responsibility for the rest of my life.
I’ll also ensure that you’re set ablaze with passion.
I won’t become a woman with no charm.
‘No need to be anxious.’
Acella thought so.
After all, they were betrothed.
It would be a few years until she became an adult for marriage anyway.
In that time, she would firmly establish an ardent relationship with him.
“Get up, Lars.”
As Acella dismounted from him, she pulled on his tie.
Lars, almost being led, stood up.
“Lars.”
“Yes, Your Royal Highness.”
“Thank you for healing me.”
“It’s nothing.”
The two stood facing each other.
Boom!
With that greeting, the fireworks concluded.
The heat of the crowd in the square began to settle down a little.
What had just happened felt like a dream.
But it was definitely not a dream.
‘Hmm?’
Lars suddenly chuckled at one message displayed on his status window.
“What’s wrong?”
“Oh, it’s nothing.”
[43 Endings Deleted.]
[No. 077 Incarnation of Jealousy 13% → 15%]
All other bad endings caused by Acella have been deleted.
However, seeing one bad ending that managed to survive and even increased in probability, Lars confirmed once again that Acella was indeed Acella.
“By the way, we made a promise, Lars.”
Acella spoke as if recalling something.
“You said you would reward me if I cured you. Shall we fulfill the Geass contract now?”
Acella took out a letter from her wallet.
Protected by magic, it was unwrinkled. It was that very envelope Lars had written.
Lars smiled lightly at the sight and gently pushed Acella’s hand away.
“Is it really urgent? Let’s put it off for a while.”
“Really? I thought you’d want it right away, so it’s unexpected.”
Disappointed, Acella shrugged and returned the letter to her wallet.
‘Let’s wait a bit.’
Acella still had one bad ending remaining. For Lars, it was something he could actually ignore.
Even though she was the Inner Palace and Empress,
He wanted to keep an eye on Acella a bit more.
At least until he had a plan to eliminate more bad endings.
“Let’s go back down and stroll a bit before we head in.”
“Sounds good.”
“Is coffee off-limits?”
“Absolutely not.”
“Then you drink it, and just let me have a sip. That should be okay, right?”
“Well… if that’s the case, I suppose so.”
“Oh, but one more thing before that.”
Acella suddenly stopped in her tracks, turning to grasp Lars’s arm.
She stood on tiptoe.
The festival concluded, marking the start of the New Year.
The hero was discovered.
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