I gently pull the soft girl’s wrist and lead her into my room.
“Lev…?”
Yeriel, already looking slightly flushed as if she has blush on.
“This isn’t like you, Lev… is it?”
Clatter.
The reason I invited her into our private space was simple.
First, a check on the Tarchangel transformation,
Ding!
——————————————————
[Yeriel Artina]
▶[Status Average]
: 5.5
▶[Specialization]
Circle Magic (6)
▶[Unique Trait]
Tarchangel Transformation (Lv.??) (Active) (Stage 2)
Elemental (Lv.7)
Spirit Magic (Lv.5)
——————————————————
Using my mana, I confirm—naturally, she’s at Stage 2 now.
‘…I let my guard down.’
Stage 4 means Tarchangel transformation.
So… I had to accept it now.
The fact that so far, I had gritted my teeth and ignored this truth.
Yeriel’s heart might belong to me rather than Edwin.
‘Is that okay, actually?’
Of course, either way, reaching Stage 4 in Tarchangel transformation doesn’t come easily.
It was predicated on a huge chain of misconceptions about Edwin, a cancerous development, and the extremity of neglect towards Yeriel.
Ultimately, it was Caeran who shattered her mentality, causing the Tarchangel transformation to begin.
In short, even if Yeriel came to realize her true feelings, the Tarchangel transformation wouldn’t progress further if she remained in despair and hopelessness.
Sadly, considering what Caeran did, it wouldn’t be easy to create a shock that significant.
As I slowly started accepting the situation,
‘Ah.’
Yeriel was somehow struggling to breathe.
And she couldn’t meet my eyes at all.
She seemed to talk in a melted, unusual manner.
“…This isn’t right… Lev.”
Though she showed no strength in her grip, she still shows a bit of resistance.
“Let go of me… huh?”
Rather, she sounded like she didn’t want me to let go.
“I’m going to get mad…?”
Maybe because of Aria’s confession on her mind, she also spoke a bit coldly, as if she planned to take a step back.
“I’m sorry.”
As I said that and relaxed my grip, Yeriel scurried to the door.
“If there’s nothing to say… then I’ll take my leave…!”
“I do have something.”
“!”
At that, Yeriel flinched and sneaked a glance at me.
“What is it…?”
“Honestly, it’s a bit delicate, but I wanted to ask about the communication device from earlier.”
“…”
Communication device.
That word made Yeriel’s rationality come back in three stages.
“…Communication?”
1 – Realizing the purpose was different.
“Whew…”
2 – Then feeling embarrassed that only she was thinking differently.
“…………”
3 – Maybe feeling upset that she jumped to conclusions and was misled.
Maybe it was my misunderstanding, but there seemed to be an inexplicable sense of regret mixed in.
To spare Yeriel, I asked casually.
“Pardon my intrusion, but could you tell me if what you mentioned earlier is related to the Haisman family?”
Haisman family.
They had produced war heroes and are the hard-hitting powers in the South…
Anyway, the villain guild Crow Pay is set to move their headquarters from Hwangdo, siding with the Demon Realm, and is supposed to have backstage support for this.
In the story, after this point, the southern ducal family falls, and though Yeriel had a marriage proposal with Haisman, her activities became restricted under the guise of investigation, entirely losing her presence in the latter part.
Thanks to Edwin, Yeriel managed to wrap up her engagement with the Haisman family, but.
‘Back then, it was too late.’
Truth be told, it’s a meager setting despite its fragmented nature, yet given how rapidly the story was advancing, it was a section that needed careful checking.
Yeriel calmly explained to me.
“Yeah… Recently the Haisman family has frequently held meetings in the southern region… This time, the head’s mother is participating, so it’s problematic to invite you to the mansion. But how does Lev know this…?”
‘As expected.’
Yeriel’s mother is also a temporary head.
Having no one trustworthy to delegate the work, if she’s absent, the Artina house wouldn’t be able to host guests.
‘Glad I asked.’
If the Haisman family were to request cooperation from the Artina family, it would lead to a tragic development as per the original story.
‘The conclusion is a speedy cut-off.’
What needs to be done now lies with me.
For Yeriel’s sake, I must thwart the Haisman family marriage proposal.
With determination, I looked into Yeriel’s eyes and asked.
“It’s your turn now.”
“My turn?”
“Yeah. You also have something you want to ask me, right?”
“…”
Yeriel looks down slightly, as though struck at the core.
“I… might not have anything…”
“That’s disappointing.”
“…Lev doesn’t need to be disappointed because of me…”
-…
After a little silence passed, Yeriel still didn’t ask anything.
It must be her consideration for me and Aria.
Those two heroines are so sweet, it’s foolish how easily they can be used by Caeran…
Sigh.
In that moment, my temper flared up again.
I took a step closer to Yeriel.
“Yeriel, do you trust me?”
Instead of answering, Yeriel slowly nodded her head.
I couldn’t postpone it anymore.
Next, what I had to do was to give her the Elixir of Immortality without anyone knowing.
Because Yeriel had a sad ending in the fanfic, it was because she wasn’t strong enough like Melissa.
I pulled out a small object from my pocket and extended it to Yeriel.
——————————————————
[Elixir of Immortality]
[Rarity: SS]
[Once consumed, it’s said to greatly enhance one’s reach towards the ultimate of the undying spirit. However, if not a compatible heir, the effects will significantly diminish.]
[Cannot be used]
——————————————————
A small vial that looked like a red feather layered on top of each other.
“Is it a gift…? That sounds a bit strange, doesn’t it?”
“Lev…?”
Yeriel could only look at me, trying to grasp what it was.
“This is…”
I confessed everything honestly.
How I obtained it as a reward for catching the Pitbit Jae, and what happens if she drinks it.
With Edwin, it was urgent and the Black Dragon’s jewel was easy to secretly imbue into the game system.
But the Elixir of Immortality required drinking, so I couldn’t force her.
Power comes with responsibility.
Whether drinking this allows Yeriel to prevent the tragedy of the Artina family, or if it brings her to aid in my time of need,
I had no idea what outcomes this would result in for her.
To be honest, it’s funny now.
‘Isn’t this just like Caeran?’
Fearing that I might be using the heroines, I wanted to distance myself from that at least a little.
So, I offered it lightly, only letting her hold it.
“You don’t have to drink it.”
And I whispered while looking into her golden eyes filled with so much.
“I just wanted you to keep it.”
That was when.
Pop!
“Yeriel…?”
Without a moment’s hesitation, she drank the Elixir of Immortality.
Swish.
—!
And then, she took my hands and squeezed them tightly.
“I’ve decided to trust Lev…”
“…”
“And from now on, I won’t leave Lev alone either! So don’t make that sad face anymore…!”
What expression was I making then?
“Sorry…”
“If you keep apologizing, I’ll really get mad!”
Yeriel puffed her cheeks with all her might, and then whispered into my ear in an unusually soft and energetic tone.
“And…! Do you know…?”
“What?”
“My room is a bit far from Lev’s and Aria’s rooms…?”
“Why is that?”
“Well, so today… just for today…! Even if Lev is somewhere else… I’ll understand.”
“……”
“It’s late. You should hurry and go!”
“…”
Her gaze shaped a clear crescent moon.
No matter when I look, that beautiful smile is radiant and alluring.
I suddenly suppressed the arriving emotions,
and now, I had to accept it.
I… love the pure white girl, Yeriel Artina.
*
…
Even as the festive atmosphere didn’t fade,
on the streets, colorful lights gifted everyone a special memory for the day.
In a solitary place at an inn in Neldaran,
fresh from a shower, the silver-haired girl, Aria, lay her arms and head on the bed, with just a small light illuminating the space.
“Will it be okay…?”
She was worried about what she had just said.
“I think it will be okay…”
The reason she revealed her heart amidst everyone’s presence…
And the reason she rejected Lev’s answer was simple.
To Aria, it seemed like Yeriel and Selena had feelings for Lev, and she thought she had no right to compete in the race.
“…I shouldn’t like him.”
Unlike Yeriel and Selena, who had continuously built their affections, there was still one fact Aria needed to confirm.
‘Andras.’
Her intuition spoke that way.
That Lev Denec couldn’t be tied to her.
Thus, her feelings for Lev had to remain light as a feather.
‘Isn’t that silly…?’
Are you… the Great Demon, Andras…?
The more she thought about it, the more ridiculous it sounded.
Perhaps a being she ought to loathe and detest thrice over.
‘To like someone on my own whims, that’s preposterous…’
Aria wanted to escape the ‘conclusion’ she had come up with.
He bothered her every time, it was awkward to face him, yet it felt comforting, delightful, and made her smile constantly.
If she fell for him through those feelings and later discovered his identity in its worst form…?
Then her foolish past would transform into guilt and constrain her at once.
‘So, it ends today…’
With the earlier confession, everything had come to an end.
No longer did she have to like him.
As Aria stood up to get dressed, bearing a bittersweet smile,
“Um…?”
Transparent droplets began to fall from her eyes.
“…Um, why…?”
Her emotions were an unruly chaos.
Above all, her chest ached.
She felt like soft whimpers were about to escape her lips.
‘……’
It was already too late to carve out memories of Lev Denec.
It had been since that time during the festival? No,
from the dungeon exploration when they went to catch the Hwayeomakgui.
She had denied it long enough.
She felt foolish.
This one time again, she rationalized saving him, saying she couldn’t leave a hurting person before her.
“……”
However, what pierced Aria’s heart deepest was…
The fact that none of this felt regrettable.
‘I’ll be okay…’
She firmly believed that after this night passed, the wounds would mend just like time ails them.
.
.
.
Then it happened.
Knock, knock.
“…!”
Two crisp knocks, she could sense with instinct.
…Once the door opened, there would be no turning back.
Yet, Aria’s body moved as if compelled to the sound.
Clatter…
And when she opened the door, there stood,
The man with ashen hair.
