Chapter 191………………………………………..
The goddess Miela promised Terrence that she would definitely deliver his message to Edel.
“Didn’t you say Edel would come to recognize herself as a completely different person? Then who exactly will she think she is? Won’t that cause serious confusion about her identity?”
“Goodness, you worry too much. Don’t worry. I’ll plant some suitable false memories.”
“False memories?”
“Since they’re fake, she won’t be able to recall most of them even if she tries. Unless there’s some kind of trigger, she probably won’t even attempt to remember them.”
“So if there is a trigger, she might remember?”
“Well, yes. Created beings don’t always behave exactly according to a god’s will. With strong determination and the right coincidence, even a sealed memory could break free.”
“….”
“Well then, it’s finally time to turn back time. There’s a little time left, so say your goodbyes to this world if you’d like. Goodbye, Terrence. In the world on the other side, you probably won’t hear my voice ever again.”
With those words, the goddess’s voice disappeared.
An unbelievable silence settled over the small shrine.
Terrence quietly left the shrine and walked toward Edel’s grave in the backyard.
He collapsed beside it and gently brushed the gravestone with one hand.
“Edel… did I make the right choice? I’m afraid I’ve only placed a heavy burden on you.”
Of course, no answer returned.
“No… you’ll be able to do anything. I’ll help make that happen from your side. So come and find me…”
His voice trembled slightly, and his vision blurred.
Only then did I realize tears had gathered at the corners of Terrence’s eyes.
“If it’s that woman’s memories, I’ll probably appear in them too. As some ridiculous villain, no doubt. Well… maybe it’s not entirely false. Even so, come find me. No matter how evil they portray me, come to me.”
Tears fell one by one onto the name Edel carved into the gravestone.
Even as the world began to distort, his calm voice continued.
“I swear it. If you do that, I will definitely love you. I won’t deny my feelings like I did in this life. Even if I don’t remember.”
I will definitely love you.
* * *
Slowly, I opened my eyes.
The sky, now dark with night, greeted me.
It felt like I had just woken from a very long dream.
Looking around, the situation seemed calm for now.
The demonic energy that Riena had unleashed was still present, but it was no longer expanding wildly like before.
“Master, you’re awake?”
Lucy spoke.
“Lucy… how long was I unconscious?”
“I’m not sure. I also lost consciousness after being swallowed by that sphere. But judging by the fact that the parrot and the king of demons are still fighting monsters down there, it doesn’t seem to have been very long.”
“…You saw it too? Those memories.”
“Not intentionally, but yes. If that makes you uncomfortable, I apologize.”
“It’s okay. You didn’t spy on them on purpose.”
Feeling the awkward atmosphere, I quickly changed the subject.
“So… how does Riena look?”
“I can’t tell well from beyond that thick demonic energy. It’s surrounding you as if protecting you.”
“Really? Then we should hurry and find her and finish this—”
“More importantly, isn’t there someone more important to you?”
At Lucy’s words, I froze halfway through standing.
The person Lucy meant could only be Terrence.
The man lying beside me.
His eyes were still closed, as if he hadn’t woken yet.
“I… don’t know.”
I truly didn’t know how to react.
The information I had received through the resonance of souls was overwhelming and shocking.
Especially the memories I saw of Terrence at the end.
Through them, I finally learned the truth I had been so curious about.
I was the real Edel.
The woman Terrence loved in both his first and second lives was me.
He loved me enough to turn back time and even give up the goddess’s blessing.
And the book I had believed to be a novel all this time—
was actually Riena’s memories, and a gift Terrence from the second life had left for me.
Just thinking about it made my chest tighten.
His love felt too great, too overwhelming for me to even know how to accept it.
That was why, the moment I regained consciousness, I first confirmed that he was safe and then deliberately tried to focus on other things.
Otherwise, I would have completely broken down.
Hot tears flowed down my cheeks.
Who was I for him to go that far?
For the sake of a mere maid, he became the apostle of an evil god, burned the imperial palace, and in the end even rejected the chance to start a new life free from headaches.
What a fool.
If Edel had died by drinking poison on her own, he could have mourned a little, then moved on and lived happily.
The future that Edel—no, I—had imagined while dying in pain…
was a future where he was happy.
A future where he successfully seized the throne, was freed from his headaches, and ruled the country wisely.
“Fool… fool… fool…”
A few days ago, I had said that since I cried so much in front of him, and since I had never seen Terrence cry, I wanted to see it at least once.
But I never wanted to see it like this.
From now on, I never wanted to see him cry or suffer again.
“…I’m sorry.”
At that moment, a hoarse voice reached my ears.
“I’m not entirely sure what happened… but it seems I made you cry again.”
Terrence had opened his eyes and was looking up at me.
The moment I saw his eyes, I understood.
Just like Lucy and me, he had also seen all those memories through the resonance of souls.
“Why are you apologizing, Terrence…?”
My voice came out trembling.
There were so many things I wanted to say.
I wanted to ask him why he did it.
I wanted to scold him for making such a decision.
I wanted to apologize for making him live another painful life plagued by headaches because of me.
I even felt guilty for only going to find him after two years of marriage with Liandro.
But when I saw the worried look on his face, no words came out.
As I continued crying silently, Terrence slowly raised his upper body.
“Edel, I’m really sorry. I acted selfishly—”
Before he could finish, I pulled him into an embrace.
“I love you, Terrence.”
Right now, that was the only thing we needed to say.
Terrence immediately wrapped his arms around my back and replied.
“I love you too.”
After enjoying the brief embrace, we stood up.
We didn’t need long conversations to understand each other.
If possible, we wanted to hide somewhere alone and talk all night.
But unfortunately, the situation didn’t allow it.
Although she had temporarily quieted due to being caught in the resonance of souls like us, Riena was still a threat to this world.
I narrowed my eyes toward the wall of demonic energy where she stood.
The one chosen by the god—who was both evil god and goddess in this life—as the being destined to destroy the world.
Soon, the demonic energy that had gathered in one place slowly dispersed.
Riena’s figure appeared.
“Were those the memories I just saw… yours?”
“Yes.”
Terrence stepped closer beside me as I answered.
Lucy climbed back onto my shoulder.
The strength of both of them reached me.
Riena let out a hollow laugh.
“Unbelievable. The goddess Miela and the evil god were the same being all along? So I’ve just been played by a god this whole time?”
“….”
“I’m jealous, Edel. You even have someone who loves you enough to turn back time. Meanwhile, someone lost everything they built, the people they loved, and even their life because of that love.”
She seemed to be referring to when she died at Terrence’s hands in the second timeline.
“I’m not trying to justify Terrence’s actions. But if you hate him because of that, then let go of your hatred for the world even now, Riena.”
“What?”
“If you saw his memories too, you should know. As long as there’s even the slightest wish in your heart for the world to be destroyed, monster waves will continue to occur.”
“…So what?”
“Every living being in this world will experience the same pain you went through in the second timeline.”
“So what?”
Riena sneered, her expression twisting.
“Let go of resentment? Easy for you to say. You were loved your whole life.”
“It’s true that in all three of my lives I’ve received more love than I deserve. But that doesn’t mean you were never loved. I cherished you as a friend too, and the people of House Cassius—”
“Shut up! Stop spouting nonsense!”
The concentration of demonic energy in the air surged rapidly.
“I don’t care if it’s the evil god or whoever! Take my entire lifespan except for one day!”
It seemed she was willing to trade her own future just to deny me.
“Acting so righteous while lecturing me! I can’t understand it—I just can’t understand you!”
What exactly was it about me that she couldn’t understand?
After the final resonance of souls, Edel’s memories had gradually begun returning to me.
Among them were memories of being friends with Riena.
I was disappointed and hurt by her betrayal.
But at the same time, I wanted to understand her.
Yet we had come too far.
It seemed I would never understand my former friend.
It was time to say goodbye.
“Edel.”
Facing the vicious storm of demonic energy, Terrence and I looked at each other and tightly held hands.
Strangely, I felt no fear or worry.
Because as long as I was with him, I was certain I would never lose.
Soon, divine power spread from within my body.
It was a power that could overcome any trial—
just like our love.
