TLVGAJ 44

~Chapter 44~

“…”

Even at my question, Albert stayed silent for a while, looking like he had a lot to say.

After some time, Albert let out a deep sigh.

Unlike his usual image, it was a sigh full of trouble and pain.

“After you told me about your illness last time, I’ve been thinking. Thinking about how I should treat you.”

“…”

“But Irene… No matter how much I think about it… I can’t do it.”

“What?”

“If what you said is true, I can’t just sit still and watch you die.”

I stared blankly. I didn’t expect to hear something like that from him.

He reached out and grabbed the sleeve of my clothes with his graceful hand.

“Let’s stop traveling, Irene.”

“…”

“Let’s quit traveling and look for a way to save you, even now. I’ll help you no matter what.”

“…”

I couldn’t find words to reply, just looked at him quietly.

His determination was so strong. Just like when I had read how he faced danger for Emily.

Albert’s grip on my sleeve tightened.

“I… will never let you go like this.”

His silver eyes shone with both sadness and fierce resolve.

“Your room service has arrived.”

There was a knock, and the cabin door opened. A staff member came in, pushing a large table.

The room service I had ordered to eat with Fabian had arrived.

“If you need anything else, please let us know. Enjoy your meal.”

The staff set the table full of delicious smells, along with a single flower to brighten the table, then politely left.

As expected, the Ramiere Express’s room service exceeded expectations.

Gourmet dishes freshly prepared by a skilled chef, and even small details to make you feel good.

I had ordered before with Harry and Finn, and this time the quality didn’t disappoint either.

But…

I was only picking at the food.

Considering how loudly my stomach had growled earlier, I wasn’t eating much.

Fabian glanced at me, probably finding my behavior strange.

Sigh… I had no appetite.

I set my fork down and looked at Fabian.

There was something I wanted to ask him.

“Fabian, could I ask you something?”

“…Go ahead.”

“This illness I have… this side effect… Is there really no way to survive it?”

I thought back to my earlier conversation with Albert.

[Let’s stop traveling, Irene.]

[…]

[Let’s quit traveling and find a way to save you, even now. I’ll help you no matter what.]

Honestly, it was the first time I had seen Albert looking that weak.

It seemed his feelings for me were greater than I thought.

‘…In the novel too, Albert was the one who helped Emily the most.’

In the original story, whenever Emily was in danger, Albert stood by her firmly.

Like a true male lead, he risked everything to help her.

Even though he seemed cold on the outside, he was actually a warm person.

As royalty, he could have been distant, but to his people, Albert was kind and devoted.

‘And now, Albert is showing that devotion to me…’

Something was definitely wrong here. Very wrong.

Still, since he had made the offer, I found myself wondering—

I just wanted to know. Was I really destined only to die?

“Assuming there’s no limit to money or time… Is there any way to cure this side effe—”

“There isn’t.”

Before I could finish, his cold voice cut me off.

I inhaled sharply. My heart sank.

Fabian set down the spoon he’d been using for soup and continued.

“What you’re going through is exactly a side effect. You were born with so much magic that your body can’t handle it.”

“…”

“If you had accepted your magic and trained from a young age, things might have been different. That’s why I asked why you never registered with the Association. Even so, you still might have had side effects… but anyway.”

“…”

“There’s no way now. It’s too late to accept your magic.”

Fabian crossed his arms and spoke in a bitter voice.

“If time could be turned back, that might be different… But no matter how great a mage is, time can’t be reversed.”

I stared at him, feeling like I had been hit.

Then I let out a small laugh. He tilted his head, as if to ask why I was laughing.

“It’s nothing. It’s just… this is the first time I’ve spoken about it so honestly with someone.”

His words were cold, but somehow, they were comforting.

Fabian didn’t look at me with shock like the other male leads did.

Instead, he judged the situation calmly and stayed rational.

Right now, there was nothing more useless to me than false hope.

Hearing Fabian’s honest words actually made me feel calmer.

“Thank you, for being straightforward. Now I won’t hold on to pointless hope.”

“…I’m glad you understand.”

It felt like my appetite was returning. I smiled slightly.

“Shall we eat? The Ramiere Express’s room service is really delicious.”

Now the dishes caught my eye.

As I cut into the appetizing lobster, I thought again of Albert’s voice.

[I… will never let you go like this.]

No, Albert. You will have to let me go.

I will never escape this terminal fate.

And you can’t escape fate either.

What you don’t know… is that this is inside a novel.

You’re meant to be with the heroine, Emily — not me.

In the end, we will have to let our fate follow the novel’s flow.

So…

Don’t give me false hope anymore, Albert.

Thinking that, I bit into the sweet lobster meat.

To keep traveling in our next destination, I needed to fill my stomach.

After that day, I kept traveling with Fabian.

Montrean, Harman, Ribonstar, Saint, and finally the midway stop, the Kingdom of Turk…

Every country the Ramiere Express visited had its own charm, proving it was truly a sightseeing train.

One of the most memorable experiences was visiting Liden for a desert tour.

Riding a camel across the vast desert was truly something.

Walking endlessly across sand with no end in sight.

At night, watching the stars spill across the sky.

Fabian was always there beside me.

Looking at the countless stars, I suddenly thought they were like Fabian.

Quietly guarding my side, shining in place like the stars.

And somehow, like the vast universe… looking a little lonely.

Since that day, I’d faced several more magic outbursts, but each time, Fabian helped me calm them.

Over time, I learned how to suppress my magic on my own, without Fabian.

Meanwhile, Albert sometimes came to persuade me to stop traveling and look for a cure.

But I ignored him completely and kept traveling.

Time passed quickly.

The month-long trip was finally coming to an end.

And before me, at last, appeared the final destination.