The lips that met mine were cold. It felt as if I was hit by the morning dew.
"!"
Contrary to his rough hands, his twining tongue moved gently.
Surprised, my breath hitched and my heart raced like it was going to explode, but I soon came to my senses and grabbed Dietrich’s shoulders.
“What are you doing right now?”
No matter how angry he was, he didn’t forget his neat personality so when I pushed him, he was pushed back.
“Sorry.”
“Were you just holding back from a little lip contact with me? Why didn’t you just do it before?”
Dietrich’s face distorted at my sharp words.
“That’s nothing. That’s nothing compared to kidnapping the Duke of Euclid.”
He was neither Veronica nor Yuric, so I knew that this kind of behavior wasn’t light for him.
Nevertheless, my blood ran cold.
I glanced down at Hermann sprawled on the floor as I tried to calm down my body trembling with excitement.
“.......Don’t you see me trying to end the rose war ‘properly’?”
My words unusually contained repressed feelings.
I thought of the southern armies who would join hands with the imperial family in order to save their hero. The honor of the North which I tried so hard to raise would be crushed to the ground in an instant.
Dietrich nodded his head and pulled out a handkerchief to wipe his hand that was stained with Hermann’s blood. He let out a short laugh as cold as mine.
“That’s right.”
“What did you say?”
“I said I don’t see it. I don’t. You were the only one who cared about it from the start.”
Dietrich gritted his teeth low as if he wouldn’t play along with me anymore.
I stared at his cool face and let out a wry laugh.
“Are you saying Lagrange is no longer your business after the rose war?”
“I don’t have a reason to care about it. Anyway, when it ends, aren’t you going back to Euclid?”
I knew why Dietrich came out so twisted. So I became angrier.
“The South, who lost their head, won’t be able to move so recklessly now.”
“But it will be just for a while.”
“That’s enough.”
Enough?
I raised the corner of my lips at his assertion.
“What the hell is enough? Enough time for you to die?”
He didn’t seem to paint any future plans for himself.
“Explain.”
I raised my head and looked up at his calm face.
“Tell me what the hell you’re thinking for you to try and end the war in this way.”
As I breathed heavily, chewing on every word, he placed his clean hand on my feverish forehead.
“Because I don’t need the answer you’re looking for from Hermann Euclid.”
"............"
“I had certainly told you that I’m fine, Anissa.”
“Fine?”
I could no longer control my emotions and burst into laughter.
Dietrich nodded as he looked at me wandering around the room and laughing like a madman.
“That’s right.”
“You’re going to die soon anyway so it’s fine? I didn’t even know you’re supposed to use the word fine that way.”
I’ll have to bring a dictionary and learn the words again.
“Have you really gone crazy?”
As if he was surprised by my words, it was the first time he’d shown a bewildered face since he entered my room.
“Anissa.”
“Why are you surprised? Did you think you could deceive me until the end?”
“I don’t know how you found out, but I’m fine.”
“Stop saying you’re okay because I’ll really want to rip off your mouth.”
I grabbed his collar with those terrifying words out of my mouth. The head that was bent low due to my strength was exceptionally pale today.
“I’m the one who knows the condition of my body best. There wasn’t something that can be done from the beginning.”
He spoke in a calm tone.
And yet those cruel words pierced my ears like a blade.
“That’s impossible.”
Dietrich's eyes, which were close enough to feel his breath, were as deep as the dawn sky, so I couldn't tell what was inside.
“That’s, impossible.”
He slowly opened his mouth.
“Anissa, I understand your anger but I’m satisfied with my life.”
"............"
“Because I’ve come this far without sacrificing what’s most precious to me.”
Dietrich’s face looked so serene when he said that, making me stunned. The fever on my head showed no signs of abating.
I was so angry that tears welled up.
I really didn’t want to cry but I was really extremely angry.
“Don’t cry.”
Funny how it was Dietrich who was more flustered about my tears.
He wrapped his big hands around my cheeks.
“Please don’t cry.”
“Then what about me?”
“..............”
“What am I supposed to do when you’re gone? What should I do?”
I changed Lagrange because I didn’t want Dietrich to become the villain he didn’t want to be.
I kept Charlotte away because I didn’t want her to become his only hope for salvation.
‘Was that really just the reason?’
No.
It wasn’t.
I believed I could save Dietrich instead of her.
I wanted to save him instead. I didn’t want him to be taken away.
I didn’t want to lose Dietrich to her.
“.....What should I really do?”
I realized too late as I poured out endless questions that Dietrich couldn’t answer.
The person who needed Dietrich the most in this world was neither Hermann, the main protagonist, nor the female protagonist, who was his destiny.
It wasn’t them.
It was me.
I needed Dietrich.
He was the only flagpole and calling given to me in this strange world as if I was thrown into a vast sea.
I was the only one who knew his ending and I ended up being the one to bring him to ruin.
I quickly left the room, shaking off Dietrich who restlessly watched me cry.
────── 〔✿〕──────
Having moved Hermann into my bedroom, I nursed him to the utmost in spite of Lancel’s reluctance. It was just like when Dietrich got hurt when he was young.
‘There’s not much time.’
I didn’t know when the southern army would be ready and turn to the North.
Dietrich, who was not in sight, could single-handedly overpower them, but that day may truly be his last day.
“Please wake up.”
I prayed earnestly while waiting for Hermann, whom I was not particularly on friendly terms with, to open his eyes.
The morning came, the afternoon sun came down, and the dark night descended again.
Then, the dawn broke.
I held on to Hermann’s hand as he slept like a corpse.
“Please open your eyes.”
"............."
“There’s no way the main character can be beaten this easily. It’s not like there’s a hole in your stomach.”
I didn’t know what Dietrich did, but Hermann looked unharmed.
Hermann’s heavy eyelids twitched as I continued to whisper atrocious words. I jumped up when he opened his blue eyes, slowly finding the light.
“Hermann?”
“.......Princess?”
“Have you finally woken up?”
“What happened? Where on earth is this…Don’t tell me I was brought to Lagrange?”
I couldn’t wait for Hermann to raise his upper body so I grabbed his shoulders first.”
“Tell me about Vassago’s contractor.”
"............."
“Who is it? You told me as long as I come back to Euclid, you’ll tell me.”
“But this isn’t Euclid.”
“I’ll go. If you tell me now, I’ll go right away. If you tell me to die, then I’ll die there.”
His face stiffened at my resolute words. He touched his pale cheek and looked around.
“This place seems to be the castle of the Grand Duke of Lagrange.”
“That’s right. This is Lagrange. If you’ve come to your senses then answer me.”
“Princess, no one wants you to die.”
“But you wish for Dietrich’s death.”
"..............."
“You, you wish for Dietrich to die.”
If Euclid knew about the demons so well, then there was no way he wouldn’t know about Dietrich’s life span.
Was that why they dragged things for so long?
I stared at Hermann and chewed my lips in panic. I thought I had cried enough but my tears were welling up again.
“I will beg.”
"..............."
“If you want the demon to be tied up to the North again, that’s fine. I shouldn’t have done that.”
The children of the North, who would be born in pain again and suffer, were not my business.
“I’ll get rid of all the purification trees, too.”
I began to cling to the righteous protagonist with a selfish and weak heart.
“Anissa.”
“So please tell me. Who was Vassago’s contractor? How did they terminate the contract?”
".............."
“What can I do so Dietrich can live, please tell me……”
Hermann was the main character who was able to overcome adversity.
He overcome being on the brink of death several times, punished Dietrich, and brought peace to the world.
So maybe he knew how villains could also overcome crises.
I shook Hermann’s feeble body even as I thought it was a vain hope.
“....It was Charlotte’s mother.”
Hermann reached out and politely wiped my tears. He continued talking with a slight frown on his pretty face.
“Vassago’s contractor. It was her father who paid the price for the contract, but the real contractor was her mother.”
He looked straight into my eyes which were widening in surprise.
“That is Vallandia’s secret and prophecy as well as the reason why Charlotte became the saint.”
The lips that met mine were cold. It felt as if I was hit by the morning dew.
"!"
Contrary to his rough hands, his twining tongue moved gently.
Surprised, my breath hitched and my heart raced like it was going to explode, but I soon came to my senses and grabbed Dietrich’s shoulders.
“What are you doing right now?”
No matter how angry he was, he didn’t forget his neat personality so when I pushed him, he was pushed back.
“Sorry.”
“Were you just holding back from a little lip contact with me? Why didn’t you just do it before?”
Dietrich’s face distorted at my sharp words.
“That’s nothing. That’s nothing compared to kidnapping the Duke of Euclid.”
He was neither Veronica nor Yuric, so I knew that this kind of behavior wasn’t light for him.
Nevertheless, my blood ran cold.
I glanced down at Hermann sprawled on the floor as I tried to calm down my body trembling with excitement.
“.......Don’t you see me trying to end the rose war ‘properly’?”
My words unusually contained repressed feelings.
I thought of the southern armies who would join hands with the imperial family in order to save their hero. The honor of the North which I tried so hard to raise would be crushed to the ground in an instant.
Dietrich nodded his head and pulled out a handkerchief to wipe his hand that was stained with Hermann’s blood. He let out a short laugh as cold as mine.
“That’s right.”
“What did you say?”
“I said I don’t see it. I don’t. You were the only one who cared about it from the start.”
Dietrich gritted his teeth low as if he wouldn’t play along with me anymore.
I stared at his cool face and let out a wry laugh.
“Are you saying Lagrange is no longer your business after the rose war?”
“I don’t have a reason to care about it. Anyway, when it ends, aren’t you going back to Euclid?”
I knew why Dietrich came out so twisted. So I became angrier.
“The South, who lost their head, won’t be able to move so recklessly now.”
“But it will be just for a while.”
“That’s enough.”
Enough?
I raised the corner of my lips at his assertion.
“What the hell is enough? Enough time for you to die?”
He didn’t seem to paint any future plans for himself.
“Explain.”
I raised my head and looked up at his calm face.
“Tell me what the hell you’re thinking for you to try and end the war in this way.”
As I breathed heavily, chewing on every word, he placed his clean hand on my feverish forehead.
“Because I don’t need the answer you’re looking for from Hermann Euclid.”
"............"
“I had certainly told you that I’m fine, Anissa.”
“Fine?”
I could no longer control my emotions and burst into laughter.
Dietrich nodded as he looked at me wandering around the room and laughing like a madman.
“That’s right.”
“You’re going to die soon anyway so it’s fine? I didn’t even know you’re supposed to use the word fine that way.”
I’ll have to bring a dictionary and learn the words again.
“Have you really gone crazy?”
As if he was surprised by my words, it was the first time he’d shown a bewildered face since he entered my room.
“Anissa.”
“Why are you surprised? Did you think you could deceive me until the end?”
“I don’t know how you found out, but I’m fine.”
“Stop saying you’re okay because I’ll really want to rip off your mouth.”
I grabbed his collar with those terrifying words out of my mouth. The head that was bent low due to my strength was exceptionally pale today.
“I’m the one who knows the condition of my body best. There wasn’t something that can be done from the beginning.”
He spoke in a calm tone.
And yet those cruel words pierced my ears like a blade.
“That’s impossible.”
Dietrich's eyes, which were close enough to feel his breath, were as deep as the dawn sky, so I couldn't tell what was inside.
“That’s, impossible.”
He slowly opened his mouth.
“Anissa, I understand your anger but I’m satisfied with my life.”
"............"
“Because I’ve come this far without sacrificing what’s most precious to me.”
Dietrich’s face looked so serene when he said that, making me stunned. The fever on my head showed no signs of abating.
I was so angry that tears welled up.
I really didn’t want to cry but I was really extremely angry.
“Don’t cry.”
Funny how it was Dietrich who was more flustered about my tears.
He wrapped his big hands around my cheeks.
“Please don’t cry.”
“Then what about me?”
“..............”
“What am I supposed to do when you’re gone? What should I do?”
I changed Lagrange because I didn’t want Dietrich to become the villain he didn’t want to be.
I kept Charlotte away because I didn’t want her to become his only hope for salvation.
‘Was that really just the reason?’
No.
It wasn’t.
I believed I could save Dietrich instead of her.
I wanted to save him instead. I didn’t want him to be taken away.
I didn’t want to lose Dietrich to her.
“.....What should I really do?”
I realized too late as I poured out endless questions that Dietrich couldn’t answer.
The person who needed Dietrich the most in this world was neither Hermann, the main protagonist, nor the female protagonist, who was his destiny.
It wasn’t them.
It was me.
I needed Dietrich.
He was the only flagpole and calling given to me in this strange world as if I was thrown into a vast sea.
I was the only one who knew his ending and I ended up being the one to bring him to ruin.
I quickly left the room, shaking off Dietrich who restlessly watched me cry.
────── 〔✿〕──────
Having moved Hermann into my bedroom, I nursed him to the utmost in spite of Lancel’s reluctance. It was just like when Dietrich got hurt when he was young.
‘There’s not much time.’
I didn’t know when the southern army would be ready and turn to the North.
Dietrich, who was not in sight, could single-handedly overpower them, but that day may truly be his last day.
“Please wake up.”
I prayed earnestly while waiting for Hermann, whom I was not particularly on friendly terms with, to open his eyes.
The morning came, the afternoon sun came down, and the dark night descended again.
Then, the dawn broke.
I held on to Hermann’s hand as he slept like a corpse.
“Please open your eyes.”
"............."
“There’s no way the main character can be beaten this easily. It’s not like there’s a hole in your stomach.”
I didn’t know what Dietrich did, but Hermann looked unharmed.
Hermann’s heavy eyelids twitched as I continued to whisper atrocious words. I jumped up when he opened his blue eyes, slowly finding the light.
“Hermann?”
“.......Princess?”
“Have you finally woken up?”
“What happened? Where on earth is this…Don’t tell me I was brought to Lagrange?”
I couldn’t wait for Hermann to raise his upper body so I grabbed his shoulders first.”
“Tell me about Vassago’s contractor.”
"............."
“Who is it? You told me as long as I come back to Euclid, you’ll tell me.”
“But this isn’t Euclid.”
“I’ll go. If you tell me now, I’ll go right away. If you tell me to die, then I’ll die there.”
His face stiffened at my resolute words. He touched his pale cheek and looked around.
“This place seems to be the castle of the Grand Duke of Lagrange.”
“That’s right. This is Lagrange. If you’ve come to your senses then answer me.”
“Princess, no one wants you to die.”
“But you wish for Dietrich’s death.”
"..............."
“You, you wish for Dietrich to die.”
If Euclid knew about the demons so well, then there was no way he wouldn’t know about Dietrich’s life span.
Was that why they dragged things for so long?
I stared at Hermann and chewed my lips in panic. I thought I had cried enough but my tears were welling up again.
“I will beg.”
"..............."
“If you want the demon to be tied up to the North again, that’s fine. I shouldn’t have done that.”
The children of the North, who would be born in pain again and suffer, were not my business.
“I’ll get rid of all the purification trees, too.”
I began to cling to the righteous protagonist with a selfish and weak heart.
“Anissa.”
“So please tell me. Who was Vassago’s contractor? How did they terminate the contract?”
".............."
“What can I do so Dietrich can live, please tell me……”
Hermann was the main character who was able to overcome adversity.
He overcome being on the brink of death several times, punished Dietrich, and brought peace to the world.
So maybe he knew how villains could also overcome crises.
I shook Hermann’s feeble body even as I thought it was a vain hope.
“....It was Charlotte’s mother.”
Hermann reached out and politely wiped my tears. He continued talking with a slight frown on his pretty face.
“Vassago’s contractor. It was her father who paid the price for the contract, but the real contractor was her mother.”
He looked straight into my eyes which were widening in surprise.
“That is Vallandia’s secret and prophecy as well as the reason why Charlotte became the saint.”
