Chapter 128 – My First and Last
2024.03.07
Fate.
Servet repeated the word after saying it aloud, slowly chewing on the meaning.
Was it fate that an ordinary magician like Grita had accidentally summoned him?
Was it fate that Najabut had descended?
That Grita’s daughter had appeared before him at just the right time—was that, too, fate?
“You’ve endured a lot all this time.”
Ionlydidwhatthecontractrequired.I only did what the contract required.
At Servet’s words of praise, Raustonio politely bowed his head.
Servet, who had been gazing up at the lightless night sky, turned to look at the gray wolf.
“Don’t leave Cordelia’s side for now. Najabut’s ultimate target will be her.”
Understood.Understood.
Leonard’s insides were burning black.
Ever since Anton had collapsed and lost consciousness at Maximilian’s hands, Leonard hadn’t been able to properly close his eyes—not even once.
A sharp, needling pain stabbed at his heart again and again, without warning.
More than two full days had passed without proper sleep or meals.
Gasil and Belluce had grown deeply worried, pleading with him to rest—begging, even.
But the gnawing anxiety and dread never left him, so he couldn’t bring himself to lie down.
If he let himself sleep, and Cordelia’s breathing stopped while he wasn’t watching…
He knew he would never forgive himself.
“Please…”
Even their final hope—the demon summoning—had ended in failure.
After Cordelia had been pulled into the summoning circle in his place, he tried again.
But not a single demon answered his call.
Leonard had no choice but to carry the collapsed Cordelia back to the castle in his arms.
Now, all he could do…
…was hold her unconscious hand and pray.
“Please, wake up…”
He was terrified that she might never open her eyes again.
He stayed up the entire night with bloodshot eyes, too scared to blink.
Pathetic. Foolish.
Lately, Leonard had been feeling his own helplessness more painfully than ever before.
All his life, he had never known lack or limitation.
He’d sensed mana early.
He was born with extraordinary talent, rose swiftly to the peak as a magician, and stood at the pinnacle of power as the head of the white clan, Atillay.
But after meeting Cordelia, his world had been turned upside down.
“Cordelia… Cordelia…”
He whispered her name again and again, like an incantation.
At first, she had been nothing but a nuisance—annoying, bothersome.
Even when he accepted her as his disciple, it had been a passing whim.
He hadn’t expected anything from her, hadn’t felt anything for her.
So when… when had Cordelia become an irreplaceable presence in his life?
No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t pinpoint the reason or the moment.
Now, just imagining a future without her at his side made it hard to breathe.
“…Mm.”
It was the faintest of moans—barely audible.
But to Leonard, it sounded like a crash of thunder.
He instantly leaned in to scrutinize her face.
Her eyelids trembled.
“Are you waking up?”
“S-… sir?”
At last, focus returned to those beloved green eyes.
Leonard bent down and gently stroked her cheek.
“Yeah. It’s me.”
“Why… why are you here?”
“Do you remember jumping into the summoning ritual? You collapsed right after. I brought you here.”
She must still be half-asleep.
Cordelia looked around with a dazed expression, muttering incoherently even after spotting Leonard.
“Ah, the pillar… Servet… asked me…”
“Huh? What was that? Servet?”
“Asked me to… urgh…”
She mouthed words, clearly trying to explain, but no sound came out.
Leonard rubbed her back in concern.
She tried several times to speak, but each time ended in failure.
“Never mind… it’s nothing.”
It was as if Servet had placed some kind of magic on her.
Whenever she tried to speak of him, her throat locked up and no voice emerged.
“By the way, sir… Have you been by my side this whole time? Did you even sleep?”
“I’m fine.”
He said it like it was nothing, but the whites of his eyes were bloodshot—streaked red with burst veins.
Cordelia slowly pushed herself upright.
“Fine? You look exhausted.”
When she reached up to touch his face, Leonard obediently closed his eyes.
As her fingers brushed over his temple, a strange feeling stirred within her.
She remembered the kiss they’d shared before the summoning ritual, and her cheeks flushed red.
When she’d first met Leonard, she never would have imagined she’d one day look at him with such tenderness.
“Why are you smiling?”
She must have been smiling unconsciously at the memory.
Leonard had opened his eyes again.
“I was just… thinking about when we first met.”
“When we first met?”
“You don’t remember? You threw a fireball at me out of nowhere, tried to kill me.”
“Did I?”
“What? Don’t play dumb. You said I was a spy Maximilian planted, remember? You even said, ‘So he had influence here too.’”
“I don’t recall.”
Of course, Leonard remembered everything clearly—but he kept his gaze on the ceiling, pretending ignorance.
Cordelia burst out laughing.
Leonard watched her laughing face quietly… and then said, in an oddly light tone:
“Cordelia.”
“Yes?”
“Should we die together?”
“………”
“It’s scary going alone.”
Cordelia stared at him, speechless.
It didn’t sound like a joke.
It didn’t sound like comfort.
That made it all the more frightening—because it made her wonder: If I die… will he really follow me?
She had no idea what to say.
In the end, she stammered out a question.
“Wh-… what are you talking about?”
“I thought about it. Honestly, I’ve already done everything. I’ve stood at the top as a magician, I’ve lived as the head of Atillay. There’s no family left who’d grieve if I died.”
“Don’t… don’t say stupid things. Why would you die?”
“Well… I am a little sad I never got to marry.”
His face looked far too serene—like someone talking about dinner plans, not death.
Cordelia felt her breath catch in her throat.
This wasn’t some impulsive whim.
She knew better than anyone that he wasn’t that kind of person.
If he’d waited for her to wake up just to say this… how much pain must he have been holding in?
Cordelia reached out and grabbed the hem of his robe.
She yanked him toward her with all her strength.
He let himself be pulled in, without resistance.
“I’m not going to die.”
“……Okay.”
“Really. And I think the Elector Embly might’ve secretly given me the antidote.”
“What?”
“It’s the tenth day today, and I’m way too fine for someone who’s supposed to be dying.”
Leonard lifted his head at her words and scanned her from head to toe.
She couldn’t tell him what Servet had said, but she had plenty of other ways to chase away his gloom.
“Look at me. Do I look sick to you?”
“Well… no, but…”
“And I had a dream. In it, Elector Embly stood up and gave me the antidote.”
“Right… right…”
He clearly didn’t believe her.
Leonard answered absent-mindedly, like he thought she was just refusing to face reality before death.
He gave a faint, bitter smile.
“Also, I have a favor to ask.”
“What is it? Tell me.”
“Propose to me again.”
“………”
“You never properly proposed the first time. So I want the second one to be done right.”
At her bold request, Leonard covered his face with one hand.
She had finally gathered the courage to bring it up—but when he said nothing, she pressed him.
“Why aren’t you saying anything? You’re not seriously thinking of just ending it there, are you?”
“It’s not that. I just… I mean…”
“You even prepared the wedding in secret, and picked out baby names, didn’t you?”
“…Yeah.”
“I hope the baby looks just like you.”
Maybe the hair too, she thought.
Cordelia pictured a little platinum-haired child who looked just like Leonard, and grinned to herself.
Leonard looked at her with a strange expression.
“Master!”
Just then, someone burst through the door without warning.
Entering a bedchamber without announcing oneself was a huge breach of etiquette, and Leonard’s face instantly turned cold.
Of course, the one who’d committed the worst breach of manners in the whole castle was none other than Belluce.
“Belluce, you…”
Belluce rushed over to Leonard and whispered something urgently in his ear.
Leonard shot to his feet.
“Is that true?”
“Yes! But his consciousness still hasn’t fully returned…”
Belluce glanced at Cordelia and trailed off.
From the look in his eyes, she guessed exactly what had happened: Anton must have woken up.
But since he wasn’t fully lucid yet, they didn’t want to give her false hope.
Cordelia knew the whole situation, but pretended ignorance and just blinked.
“What is it? Did something happen?”
“No, nothing. I’ll just step out for a moment. Wait here.”
“Okay. See you soon.”
She smiled brightly as she sent the two men off.
Her head was now full of nothing but rosy dreams of a pink-hued wedding with Leonard.
Two kids might be the perfect number… Would Father show up to cling to me if he hears about the wedding?
Just then, there was a polite knock at the door.
When she called for the person to come in, an unexpected visitor appeared.
“Rani!”
Cordelia brightened at the sight of her and quickly rose from the bed.
But Rani hurried to her side and gently urged her to stay lying down.
“Please, stay in bed. I heard you’re still not well.”
Though Cordelia hadn’t spoken to her directly about her condition, Rani must have heard bits and pieces.
Her expression was clouded with concern.
“I’m fine. Thank you for coming, Rani.”
“To think the Elector would do something like that… Was it for Lady Rosalyn?”
“Mm-hm. Have you seen Miss Embly?”
“I was just on my way back from checking. Judging by her condition, it must have been over a month.”
Rani let out a short sigh.
She had been acquainted with Embly for over ten years, but had never imagined he would make such a dangerous choice.
“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t resent him… But a part of me is jealous, too. That Lady Embly has a father like that.”
“My lady…”
“You know what my father’s like. Actually—no. I guess I can’t even call him ‘Father’ anymore.”
“What do you mean? Don’t tell me… the Elector Vasquez is doubting your parentage?”
“How did you know about that?”
“A few days ago… the Atillay Elector came to see me.”
Rani’s face darkened even further.
