……Huh?
What is it?
I looked at Cherish in bewilderment.
The grip was so tight that it was hard to believe the strength came from her frail body.
"I finally caught you. I found you. You."
"……Cherish?"
What is she saying?
The situation was strange. Instinct screamed. Something... was wrong.
At that moment, Cherish's surroundings glowed red.
This is... magic?
No, it was similar to magic, but a little different.
The red energy spread throughout the room.
Flutter.
A butterfly flew.
The red butterfly circled above our heads and began to fly around the room. Then, a translucent red membrane enveloped the entire room.
The butterfly was familiar.
The color was different, but I knew.
It was similar to the butterfly that guided me in the library.
But how did Cherish have it?
Stunned by the sudden situation, I regained my senses and shook off Cherish's hand.
Fortunately, Cherish's hand fell away.
No…….
'She let go.'
Rustle.
The sound of fabric rubbing against each other.
I looked up and saw Cherish, who had pulled back the blanket, getting out of bed.
She walked to me with bare white feet.
No, that doesn't make sense. Because.
'Cherish can't walk.'
That's why Cherish didn't die on the bed after Aen died.
But how.
Step, step.
Slowly, leisurely, she approached me.
I backed away and quickly turned the doorknob.
But.
Click, click.
The doorknob was definitely turning, but the door wouldn't budge.
"It won't open."
Cherish, who had approached within reach, stopped and said.
I stared at her with a hardened expression and asked.
"What are you?"
No.
"What do you want from me?"
Cherish.
'She already knew me.'
She clearly said, "I finally caught you."
That means she had been waiting for this day.
'Did Aen foresee this situation?'
Probably not. If he had known, he would have given me some kind of hint.
What the hell is going on?
But…….
'Why am I not that shocked?'
I was flustered, but more composed than I thought I would be.
I quickly guessed the reason.
'I had a hunch that Cherish was suspicious…….'
From the moment I heard Aen's story, a sense of unease had been lodged in my heart.
For example, how could she, who was the reincarnation of a great sage and knew the confidential information of Rodbel and the location of <Isla's Book of Medicine>, not know that Aen would die?
Also, Cherish in her previous life died with Aen. Didn't she know that either?
But the future Aen had spoken of for us was so dazzling that I tried to ignore it.
That's why Cherish's sudden change was disconcerting, but not shocking.
However... I was surprised that her goal was me.
What is Cherish's purpose?
I calmly waited for her answer.
Cherish stared at me for a moment, then suddenly smiled and said.
"Who knows……."
She trailed off, then stepped back and sat on the bed.
And she stared at me intently and muttered.
"So this is what you look like."
I swallowed hard and parted my lips.
"Did you deliberately……."
My throat was so tight that I couldn't speak properly.
I asked, spitting out the words.
"Did you deliberately send Aen to Rodbel?"
Cherish stared at me for a moment, then answered.
"That's right."
"<Isla's Book of Medicine> is……."
"It was bait. Otherwise, Aen wouldn't have gone to Rodbel."
"……Why?"
How much Aen struggled to get it.
What kind of end did Aen meet?
"You already know."
"……Because of me?"
"I'm glad you're not stupid. I would have been truly disappointed if you were."
Cherish's tone became colder and more monotonous.
Was this what Aen meant by 'prickly Cherish'?
Then…….
"The memory loss was?"
"A lie."
"Why?"
"Because it's the easiest."
The more I repeated the questions and answers, the more I felt like I was in a maze, yet also getting closer to something.
"Then the being sick is……."
"That's true."
Ah. That's a relief.
Not everything was a lie.
At least Aen's efforts to save Cherish weren't in vain…….
But if so, where did Cherish's lies begin?
Could it be…….
"Did you intend to meet Aen?"
At that, Cherish closed her mouth and then smiled quietly and answered.
"I was lucky. I was wondering how to approach you when that man appeared."
That man. She was referring to Aen.
"Aen Rixus was definitely qualified to become a knight of Rodbel, and more importantly, his personality wouldn't allow him to ignore you. I expected the two of you to inevitably become close. And like this, he brought you before me."
I squeezed my eyes shut.
Everything was Cherish's scheme.
Before figuring out her identity, an overwhelming emotion surged up.
Aen…….
"He was sincere."
"……."
"He truly loved you."
"……."
My heart became hot and cold repeatedly.
An emotion I couldn't name was seething.
I just felt so sorry for Aen. After all, Aen was used.
'For what?'
Cherish's gaze turned downward. She muttered.
"I had no choice. I couldn't meet you unless I went that far."
That was an expression of repeated frustration.
What?
What frustrated her so much?
And why did she want to meet me so badly?
"Are you curious?"
As if she read my mind, she asked.
Butterflies fluttered around her.
Perhaps that's why she didn't feel so unfamiliar today, even though I was seeing her for the first time.
I looked at Cherish. I answered quietly.
"I'm curious."
"I'll tell you. But once you know, you won't be able to go back to the way things were. Won't you regret it?"
It was as if she was testing me.
What is the answer to this test?
I don't care. I'm the one who gives the answer.
And the answer I came up with is.
"I won't regret it."
I need to know. What was Cherish's true purpose?
Why did Aen have to be sacrificed for it?
And why she says that once I know the truth, I won't be able to go back to the way things were, all of it.
"……Okay. That's what I wanted."
Cherish got up from her seat and held out her hand to me.
This time, she didn't grab me forcefully.
She waited for me to come and grab it.
A white, thin hand.
I went to her. And I grabbed it.
A cold temperature was transmitted to me.
At that moment.
Flash─
"……!!"
The butterfly fluttering above Cherish rushed at me.
It hit my head with a thud.
No, it permeated.
What the- the moment I thought.
The scenery around me changed.
This place is…….
"Waaaaaa!"
"Kill her!"
"That witch!!"
It was a plaza.
To be exact, a place where someone's guillotine was set up.
I looked around.
Crowds cheering at the sight of the gallows. I reached out to the man standing next to me, but it went right through.
Then, I heard a voice right next to me.
"It's no use. This is a memory. We can't have any influence."
I flinched and turned my head.
It was Cherish.
She was holding my hand and staring at the execution ground with a blank expression.
'Memory?'
Whose?
That's obvious.
"Kill that witch right now!!"
"A witch is coming out!"
"Uuuuu!"
Amidst the jeers of the crowd, the protagonist of the execution appeared.
Holding Cherish's hand, I pushed through the crowd and went forward.
A woman with shackles on her hands and feet walked out.
Pale skin, auburn hair, frail body woman…….
At that moment, a stone flew and hit the woman's head.
Blood flows from her broken forehead.
Then cheers erupted.
The woman's knees were roughly bent.
Her neck was fixed inside the frame of the guillotine. The blade rose even higher.
The woman seemed to have been tortured so badly that she didn't even have the strength to resist.
It was then.
"Uwaaaaa!"
The cheers of the people changed.
Someone came out from the inside.
"……! They are……."
I recognized them right away.
Those with brilliant white hair and beautiful purple eyes.
In this empire, only one family has that kind of appearance.
"Rodbel! Rodbel!"
"Punish that witch!"
The Duchy of Rodbel.
But it wasn't the face of Rodbel that I knew.
Someone shouted.
"Duke Citros Rodbel! Please punish that witch who dared to harm the Saintess!"
"Uwaaaaa!"
Wait.
I flinched at his words.
That's because…….
'Citros Rodbel is the name of the 2nd head of the family!'
The one who became the head of the family after the death of the first head, by the recommendation of the Council of Elders.
Why is the name of that Citros Rodbel here…….
But the amazing thing was that wasn't all.
'……Miracle?'
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