Chapter 85
What does this mean…?
“Is it… telling me to prepare my heart?”
The previous grand duke’s grief-stricken voice continued.
“But, Stella. Earlier, you clearly said that when you tried to heal him with holy power, the grand duke woke up, didn’t you?”
Lucas’s flustered voice was also heard.
“That’s true, but… no matter how much I pour my holy power into His Grace, I feel his life force draining away like pouring water into a bottomless jar. And even that life force right now….”
Unable to hold back at Stella’s continuing words, I flung the door open. I saw the three of them startled.
“What… what does that mean?”
At my trembling voice, everyone fell silent. I strode toward them and asked once more.
“What do you mean by that? Pouring water into a bottomless jar. His Grace woke up earlier and even spoke.”
Stella, flustered by my sudden appearance, changed her words.
“…No, Sir Merien. It’s nothing, so….”
“Just now, just now, the saintess said it. That even if you pour holy power, his life force is draining away.”
“…….”
Stella couldn’t say anything.
Only the ticking sound of a second hand could be heard from somewhere. Stella slowly stood from her seat and bowed her head to me.
“…I will do my best.”
Ah.
That single sentence from the saintess sounded so merciless.
At her appearance of doing her best but unable to guarantee the outcome, tears welled up in my eyes. I felt Bled wrapping around my neck. Soon, tears began to fall drop by drop.
When I faced the demon king, the image of Stella continuously infusing holy power into Kaiden came to mind. I had already thought it strange, but Stella had felt it back then.
That Kaiden’s life force wasn’t being filled.
The previous grand duke stood up, briefly hugged me, and left the room. There was moisture in his eyes too. The previous grand duke must also be crumbling inside at the dire news of his only grandson.
Lucas and Stella quietly gave me space as I shed endless tears. It felt like consideration for a final farewell, tearing my heart even more.
With blurred vision, I approached Kaiden’s bedside and collapsed. I took his hand that was outside the blanket. My heart sank at the temperature that was more cold than warm.
“Your Grace…. You said you were strong….”
I called him in a sobbing voice, but there was no answer.
His face was still pale white, with dark circles under his eyes. His lips were bluish, and no trace of vitality remained.
“Get up soon… and spar together…, eat delicious things…, go out and have fun….”
My throat choked, and I couldn’t continue speaking. I just shed endless tears while looking at Kaiden’s unresponsive face.
I remembered the first time Kaiden spoke to me. In a snowy field with white snowflakes flying, his vivid image declaring me a sword master.
“Merien. I, Kaiden, grandson of Grand Duke Baltstein, recognize you as a sword master and command you to exert yourself for the Gratier Empire.”
His black hair and cloak contrasting with his white skin looked dignified and cool. His appearance galloping on a black horse seemed like a prince to my young eyes, and I had secretly admired him.
And not long after, he inherited the grand duke title. I remember Kaiden wearing splendid clothes, kneeling on one knee before the previous grand duke, and receiving the family heirloom blue sword.
The pristinely decorated Valtstein castle and the beautiful snowy backdrop. The congratulations from countless people and the solemn succession ceremony. It was the birth of a new king of the north who would rule the north for decades to come.
After that, I called him, whom I had addressed as “Lord Kaiden,” “Your Grace.”
I remember the awkwardness when I first called him by his title. “Your Grace” felt like a declaration that he was someone incomparably high, beyond my imagination.
The only point where I could approach him was solely the sword.
Sword masters, those who reached the realm of the sword. The only two such existences in the Gratier Empire.
Neither he nor I had ever said it openly, but we must have thought it.
We are not lonely because of each other.
The only enjoyable opponent to cross swords with was each other. The only opponent with whom we could spar for hours in a trance was each other. The only worthy rival was each other.
We are the only two in the world.
I’m glad we have each other. I’m glad we are both strong.
So I had never once imagined him not being in this world.
And yet….
“Your Grace…. Kaiden….”
Tears poured out so much that I couldn’t see properly.
“I’m so scared….”
What will I do if Kaiden is gone, how will I live.
“I ended up… loving you this much.”
I remembered what the woman who took care of me in the slums said.
“Do you know what the saddest thing in the world is?”
“Being hungry?”
“No. It’s when you can’t even say a final goodbye to the person you love. That sadness can make a person wither away and die.”
If Kaiden dies, I’ll wither away too. Yes, if living isn’t really living, that might be better.
I was thinking that when it happened.
“He’ll die soon.”
I was startled by the demon king who suddenly appeared. At the same time, anger surged.
I wanted to shout at the root cause of all this. That Kaiden is dying because of you. That the one who should die is you.
But I couldn’t. There were still many people left in the world, and the demon king was far too strong. I couldn’t go through that destruction again. The living must live.
Without even wiping my tears, I gritted my teeth and said.
“Get out.”
“Still, it’s fascinating. If he were an ordinary human, he would have died long ago, yet he’s still alive.”
At his manner of speaking as if looking at a cow or chicken, the last thread of reason snapped.
“I said get out right now!”
“To think the daughter I barely found after over twenty years is this cold-hearted. And right after finding her, I even gain a son-in-law. It’s not a situation I particularly like.”
I wanted to scream that I don’t need a biological father like you, but I couldn’t. If I could, I wanted to kill him and go to hell.
“Do you want to save him?”
What?
My mind, which had been pouring all sorts of curses and insults inwardly, froze in an instant. Not understanding, I slowly looked up at him.
“I asked if you want to save him.”
“…What does that mean.”
“Exactly what I said.”
Do I want to save him? Of course. How could you even say that!
“What, what method is there?”
I hurriedly stood up and looked at him with desperate eyes. Yes, he is the demon king and a god. He must have some way to say such a thing.
He stared at me blankly and then slowly opened his mouth.
“A method.”
The demon king raised his hand. A dark crimson energy rose from his palm and soon formed a small vortex. The vortex gradually condensed and turned into a small bead. An energy that clearly felt extraordinary was emanating from it.
I asked in a tense voice.
“…What is that.”
“A very small part of my origin.”
“Origin…?”
“Yes.”
Unable to understand his actions, I just looked at him with wary eyes. The demon king explained in a calm voice while looking at me.
“Your mate is now at the point where the candle of life is about to go out.”
“…….”
“The holy power given by Nyx’s follower is just another fire. Attaching a spark to a completely burned wick is useless. Only by replacing it with a new wick will the fire catch.”
My mouth slowly opened.
“That means….”
“I will replace the wick.”
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