“Not again! Not again from Elvenguard······!”
The moment Yulia heard the news,
she trembled with frustration.
It was news that there had been a dispute between the high warrior from Elvenguard and Transylvania.
At first glance, this didn’t seem all that unusual.
The problem was with the representative chosen to substitute for the duel.
According to the knight, the representative carried a great sword adorned with a mana stone and was accompanied by a young girl of the human race.
And apparently, he went by the name of Michael Jackson.
Yulia instinctively realized.
It could only be Yoo Jin.
“They suddenly stepped in because they insulted a witch…?”
However, the reason he became the representative for Transylvania was strange.
Rex insulted the witch of Petenburg, and suddenly showed hostility…
Yulia’s mind went blank.
For me?
Someone who left me in disillusionment is fighting for me…?
“Th-this isn’t the time! Q-quickly! I-I need to hurry······! Ugh!”
Yulia stumbled over some scattered magical tools.
But there was no time to examine her injuries.
Hurriedly, Yulia threw on some clothes and dashed out of the building.
The fastest route to Elvenguard would take two days.
By the time she arrived, the duel would already be over.
But who knows?
What if Yoo Jin stayed in Elvenguard for half a day after the duel?
Or left behind traces that could be followed…?
“Ugh.”
Of course, she knew quite well that it was unlikely.
Yoo Jin was thorough.
Even though it seemed like a cruel twist of fate,
in reality, it was all designed by Yoo Jin, so they could never meet.
“W-why won’t he meet me…?”
Tears streamed down her face.
A familiar sense of despair engulfed Yulia.
The carriage heading towards Elvenguard felt slower than ever.
Zing!
After pushing the horses day and night, Yulia finally arrived in Elvenguard a day and a half later.
She concealed her presence with magic and passed through the gates.
It was a simple spell, but it was effective.
However, since she didn’t have much demonic energy on her, she couldn’t maintain it for long.
But her self-taught magic worked.
That alone was quite an achievement.
Wearing her hood,
Yulia squeezed into the city center and began gathering information.
“Did you hear about the duel? I heard Rex lost!”
“What? Did the duel with Transylvania end already?”
“No! I’m talking about his duel with the humans! They say Rex lost there!”
It was a major incident that stirred Elvenguard, and voices discussing the duel were everywhere.
Listening closely and piecing it all together, it seemed Rex, the high warrior, lost his duel against the representative from Transylvania.
And Rex was seriously injured, and for some reason, his hair had turned completely white.
‘He burned through his lifespan…!’
Rex was the younger brother of the high warrior who had died at the hands of Transylvania.
Even until the day Yulia was exiled, he cast hostile glances her way.
He emerged from his duel against Transylvania with completely white hair?
He must’ve used the blasphemous dark magic, given to him by the World Tree.
Though she thought regarding his gaze that was consumed by rage, it made perfect sense.
Still, what worried her was not Rex, but…
“W-wait! W-wait!”
“What is it, miss? Speak up.”
“W-wait! W-wait!!!”
“Oh dear. Is she mute? How unfortunate.”
“I-I’m not mute! I-It’s been a while! I-I wanted to talk to a person! U-uh! What happened to that human…?”
Her worry for Yoo Jin took precedence.
In her urgency, Yulia forgot it had been months since she last spoke to someone, grabbing a passerby and asking.
“Was Michael Jackson okay?”
“Yeah. He had some slight wounds, but it looks like they were treated completely with herbs or potions.”
“He looks like a petty thief, but seems to be quite skilled. Is he a hidden swordmaster of the Holy Kingdom?”
“He seemed like a northerner, though.”
“Ah······.”
Hearing the elves talk, Yulia clutched her chest.
A sigh of relief escaped.
Yoo Jin was safe.
He had won against an elf who was ready to die using his lifespan.
Not just a victory, but he had won without killing his opponent.
Since it was a life-or-death duel, the significance was profound.
To win without killing the opponent meant one needed overwhelming power.
‘Well… He did climb the treacherous cliffs of Petenburg to meet me.’
She was momentarily surprised.
But upon deeper thought, it was nothing shocking.
Remembering past events, a bittersweet smile appeared on Yulia’s face.
“But who are you, miss?”
“I feel like I’ve seen you somewhere…”
“Your voice is familiar too.”
“Ah!”
But as the elves began to express their curiosity, Yulia pulled her hood lower and stepped back.
It had been over 50 years since she fled the priestess position, but in elven terms, 50 years isn’t long at all.
If they saw her face, she would surely be caught.
But as the elves surrounded her, and with nowhere to retreat, just before her face was exposed…
“Are you a spy? Why are you hiding your face?”
“W-wait…!”
“Everyone, please don’t be too harsh on my guest! She’s quite shy and feels pressured.”
“Priestess!”
A youthful voice rang out from behind.
At this, all the elves froze.
The priestess, Mia, casually lifted the umbrella made of the World Tree leaves towards Yulia and smiled at her.
Thanks to that, she escaped the crisis.
But Yulia couldn’t smile.
It was hard to even show a feigned smile to Mia.
Soon Yulia was led by Mia to her residence.
Here, there would be no prying eyes or ears.
“W-what’s your motive?”
“Pardon?”
“What’s your motive? You… dislike me, don’t you?”
Yulia’s fists clenched tightly.
At this moment, Mia, who was staring in disbelief with wide eyes,
when their eyes met, Yulia’s inferiority complex exploded.
“You’ve always looked down on me…!”
She had always found Mia annoying.
Initially, she thought of her as cute because she was the priestess’s new apprentice.
But right after the apprentice appeared, the elders completely changed their attitude towards Yulia, aggressively attacking her.
After all, they had someone to replace the priestess of the World Tree.
That was when it began.
Her dislike for that young girl, who learned quickly and effortlessly carried out the duties of the priestess, began.
“That’s not true. How can I dislike Yulia-nim, whom I respect so much?”
“·····.”
Mia approached Yulia and hugged her tightly.
Of course, Yulia knew that she wasn’t at fault.
There was no treacherous motive.
She also knew that Mia had lobbied until the day Yulia was exiled.
Even so, if Yulia didn’t hate this child, she felt as if she would break down.
But instead of responding to hatred with hatred,
Mia surrounded Yulia with acceptance.
“I don’t hate you.”
“I-I’m fine…”
Yulia lightly pushed Mia away and avoided her gaze.
This wasn’t pretending to be nice.
Mia was indeed a good child.
Even after being exiled from Elvenguard, she hid Yulia without spilling a word to the elders.
However, Yulia could never bring herself to be close to Mia as an act of reconciliation.
Perhaps forever.
Yulia wished to overturn Elvenguard.
Mia wanted to protect it.
Mia’s compassionate gaze was derived merely from her respect for the former priestess.
Mia had no intention of helping Yulia.
She neither wished to understand nor understand Yulia.
The irreconcilable differences in opinion.
That subtle rift would never disappear.
“So, why did you come to Elvenguard this time?”
“D-do I look like I don’t know…?”
In disbelief, Yulia countered.
She heard that Mia presided over the duel.
Then she should know why she was here.
Feigning ignorance even though she knew.
Oh, not again…
‘Just following manners, I see.’
The Mia who used to call Yulia “sister” was no longer here.
The way Mia treated Yulia now was clearly that of a priestess addressing an enemy of Elvenguard.
By being courteous and maintaining her decorum, Yulia realized.
She could never return to the past with Mia.
“Are you going to keep pretending? A good mama, huh? Where did Yoo Jin go?”
“Well, I don’t know?”
“I-I’ll ask again. Where did Michael Jackson go?”
“······.”
Despite her rather intimidating voice, Mia only smiled sweetly without even flinching.
This was how it had been before.
It was clear that Yoo Jin had come and gone here, and Mia knew something, but she remained firmly silent.
As the priestess of Elvenguard, she was simply doing her duty to protect the interests of Elvenguard.
From Mia’s perspective, it was simply a matter of doing what she should.
But for Yulia, it felt like she was being played with, which annoyed her.
“I-I’ll give you a warning. If you don’t speak honestly, I-I swear I’ll do something!”
“Yulia-nim, let’s not get too angry and just talk comfortably, okay?”
“E-eh?!”
“Just sit here. And, tell me about Yoo Jin? Could you?”
“······.”
Yulia’s insides were boiling.
Feigning ignorance.
But she had been consistently ignoring everything before, and now she was acting like she wanted to listen.
What change of heart, she didn’t know.
But Yulia thought it was worth a shot and sat on the comfy cushion Mia offered.
“W-why do you want to know everything?”
“I want to hear who he is. How does Yulia-nim feel about him? I’d like to know.”
“······.”
At Mia’s brazen tone, Yulia’s cheeks puffed up.
It was clear she intended to gather information without giving anything regarding Yoo Jin.
Mia was effectively declaring her intention to unilaterally collect information.
“Yoo Jin is······.”
Yet despite that, Yulia opened her mouth.
She couldn’t hold it in any longer.
She wanted to feel relieved.
Instead of locking her feelings about Yoo Jin away,
she wanted to unload this frustration on someone.
If anyone could take it, it would be the quiet, heavy-hearted Mia.
“The only person. The one who is irreplaceably, only Yoo Jin for me.”
Her encounters with Yoo Jin were brief.
It wasn’t a childhood meeting, but a meeting after experiencing the ups and downs of life.
At that point, Yulia thought no one would change her life anymore.
Tired of relationships with people, Yulia had severed all ties.
As a successful engineer and lord, she would never look up to someone else.
The only gaze she accepted was one of reverence, looking up to her.
It was a one-way street.
She believed no one could break this structure.
Until Yoo Jin appeared.
“B-because he’s a mere descendant of a god. I, I never thought I’d underestimate a mere descendant of a god… He taught me that not everyone is filled with malice. Not everyone hates me.”
The only person who had such a profound impact on Yulia was Yoo Jin.
Yoo Jin faced her without hesitation or reservation.
For Yoo Jin, she was neither the priestess of the World Tree nor the witch of Petenburg.
Just a friend with whom he could share tastes in alcohol and enjoy a conversation.
Unlike the facade she showed to the world, he never questioned or pried into her stuttering and lack of confidence.
He never inquired about her essence.
Yoo Jin accepted her just as she appeared to him, without prejudice.
“O-only Yoo Jin was like that. H-he viewed me as a person, as I am…”
No one else could do that.
And there would be no one else in the future.
That’s why Yoo Jin was more precious than anyone else.
Someone precious must be treated with equal care.
You had to treat them with the utmost regard.
“But… I ruined it… I, I was so anxious that Yoo Jin would leave me… I messed everything up…”
Out of fear that Yoo Jin might disappear.
Out of fear he would leave her, she had made a mistake.
That single moment of error sparked a war and ruined everything.
“I-I regret it so much… I want to apologize… but now I can’t, can’t do that… He pushes me away, and doesn’t meet me anymore…”
She wanted to meet him again.
She wanted to see Yoo Jin’s face again.
If they met, there would be so much to say.
First, she would say she was sorry.
Sorry for being selfish.
And then she would whisper to him.
Stop the regression and live with me.
If it couldn’t be stopped, she would help him stop it.
“I-I want to spend time with Yoo Jin. I want to grow old with Yoo Jin. Even if our lifespans are different.”
Her resentment toward Yoo Jin wasn’t gone.
In that moment when time froze, the words he said to her still stabbed her heart.
But she could forgive him.
Thinking about Yoo Jin repeating the same life again and again, she could understand that much.
After all, it was true that the one who missed out would have to adapt to the one who loved more.
No matter what conditions were thrown at her, as long as she could be with Yoo Jin, she would accept it all.
“If Yoo Jin dies tomorrow, I’d be fine with it being today…”
Tears rolled down Yulia’s cheeks.
She thought that once she confessed everything, she would feel relieved.
But the pain in her heart only intensified.
“So, that’s how it is…”
Yulia soon couldn’t hold back and began to sob.
Mia looked at Yulia with pity and then turned her gaze toward the back door.
.
.
.
“I-I want to spend time with Yoo Jin. I want to grow old with Yoo Jin. Even if our lifespans are different.”
Yulia’s voice was barely audible.
I squeezed my eyes shut.
It felt like my heart was burning.
It was Mia’s suggestion.
She would lead Yulia to express her innermost feelings, and I should just listen.
At first, I refused.
I intended to stay until Yulia arrived, but if I was caught, that would be the worst.
‘Are you sure you won’t regret it?’
But Mia’s words made me waver, and in the end, I decided to wait.
I erased all traces of myself.
Even going as far as burning the carriage that carried Michael Jackson to create an alibi.
I hid myself in the barrier Mia created, behind her residence.
From this side, I could see and hear the other side, but they wouldn’t know me at all.
“Yoo Jin dies tomorrow, I’d be fine with my life ending today…”
It may have been hard to say that Yulia laid bare her soul in front of Mia,
but at least aside from me, it is clear Mia would be the most comfortable to talk to.
Since she said it in front of Mia, most of it must be genuine.
‘So she didn’t hate me after all.’
I had assumed she would loathe me.
Having used her goodwill and betrayed her in the last moments before the regression.
But Yulia still hopes to draw a future together with me.
“Let’s go. There’s nothing more to see.”
“······Okay.”
Now, having confirmed Yulia’s true feelings,
I hardened my resolve even more.
When I leave, I must make a proper conclusion.
I can’t just run away irresponsibly and vanish.
In the end, I would have to face Yulia properly.
I need to tell her about my fate.
I must say a proper goodbye.
Then I can leave.
That’s the least I owe her, the least of my responsibilities.
It’s a way to at least clear some of the debts I’ve accumulated as a regressor.
‘How ironic.’
In the end, I find myself in a position where I can never convey my true feelings to the women I’ve loved.
So far, I’ve made plenty of false confessions to win their hearts.
At the very end, however, I find myself unable to express my heartfelt affection.
I can’t say I love her again.
Because then, the game would end, and this last round would be over.
Isn’t this just…
ironic?
