Chapter 175 - North Korean rabbit

Chapter 175

My mouth was parched with tension. Even so, I had no presence of mind to recall that I was thirsty.

All my senses felt fixed on Arpad's mouth.

I was staring, transfixed, only at those lips—formed of sleek, pretty lines, a shimmering pink even without any gloss.

Arpad called my name and then said something absurd.

"Your gaze is so passionate, it's a bit embarrassing…."

"…What?"

As I gaped at him in disbelief, Arpad lunged.

In an instant, our lips met.

"Mmph!"

We stayed locked together for a long time, not parting.

Arpad, who always tested the limits of my lung capacity, set a new record today.

It was no joke; he only let go when I felt a faint dizziness.

Afterwards, I got the chance to scold him for his absurd answer and action.

"No! A person makes a difficult confession, and this is what you do!"

At that, Arpad tilted his head cutely.

"Huh? Wasn't this what you wanted, staring so intently? You had the expression of someone starving for a kiss, as if you'd devour me on the spot."

"What are you talking about, really!"

I thumped his chest—he was still holding my waist.

As always, only my hand hurt.

It seemed if he teased me a little more, I would truly get angry.

"I wasn't joking!"

"I know. I didn't take it as a joke."

"Then what?"

As I tilted my head, he gazed at me for a moment with a calm smile playing on his lips.

This time too, an unexpected remark popped out first, throwing me into confusion again.

"I'm sorry."

"Huh? For what?"

Arpad bowed his head, gently took my hand, and pulled it towards him.

Then, pressing his lips lightly to the back of my hand, he spoke.

"About when we first met. Ah, as far as I remember. I feel I was truly in the wrong then."

Only then did I understand why Arpad was apologizing.

He was talking about that time I went to the catacombs to request a marriage of abduction.

'But didn't we reach an agreement quite smoothly then? Was there something worth saying like that… Ah!'

It dawned on me anew. The atmosphere had been quite hostile then.

Arpad pressed between his brows and let out a small sigh.

"I pointed a sword at your neck as soon as we met, and grabbed you by the collar too."

Right. That's what happened.

In truth, it was less than a year ago. Perhaps because of the frequent incidents since then, it felt as distant as a past life.

I hadn't completely forgotten… but it seems I too was wearing rather thick rose-colored glasses.

For some reason, the impression of that event in my mind had transformed into something romantic and smooth.

"You were trying to save me, rushing over as soon as you got up…!"

That… doesn't seem right?

Didn't he threaten me as soon as we met?

Saying he'd expose all my secrets if I didn't do as he said.

Could it be that Arpad, no less than I, has a strong romantic distortion in his memory of our first meeting?

"…!"

I soon realized.

There was no way Arpad truly remembered it so distortedly.

He was just joking for my sake.

Knowing I was too tense and anxious.

"I understand why you couldn't say it sooner. It's because I made a bad first impression. How could you easily say such things to a madman who points a sword at you right away?"

"No, there's no need to say it like that…."

As I spoke, I blurted out the question I had been pondering.

"You're not angry? You really believe me?"

Arpad's expression, which had been wearing a playful smile, stiffened.

And after a brief silence, he answered.

"You're asking that again?"

"Huh?"

What does he mean?

Arpad stretched out both hands, cupped my cheeks, and whispered.

"You asked the same thing when you told me you were my bride."

"…Ah!"

Come to think of it, I had.

Back then too, Arpad hadn't gotten angry.

"I'm a little hurt."

"Because I told you so late?"

Arpad slowly shook his head.

"That you worried I might get angry if you confessed the truth. Then, and now. That you suspected I might not believe what you say?"

"……."

For a moment, I had to struggle to suppress the surge of emotion.

I felt I might cry if I wasn't careful.

With great effort, I managed to smile.

"No, I told you because I thought you would believe me."

"That's a relief."

"And I also knew you wouldn't get angry."

"It seems my efforts weren't entirely in vain."

"Even though I knew, I wanted to hear you say 'no' with your own voice. Is that selfish?"

"No."

Arpad kissed my forehead.

"I'm so glad."

This time, I pulled Arpad close and showered him with kisses.

And whispered.

"Hold me."

Passionate hands groped upwards, skillfully undoing the sash.

I was once again submerged in rapture.

Still holding within me the one thing I couldn't finally tell him.

Two days later, as often happened lately, we unintentionally started the morning quite late.

Ani approached with a cautious expression and delivered news.

"Your Highness, they say the criminal in the outer palace has escaped."

There was only one criminal in the outer palace.

Evangeline, who had been receiving treatment.

I wasn't surprised at all.

Ani asked, a little worried.

"Is it alright to let her go? We don't know what she might do."

"It's fine, leave her be."

I smiled faintly.

'So, she ultimately chose her own grave.'

Then, dismissing Ani, I sat alone, opened the <Book of Fate>, and held it.

* * *

"Hah, haah!"

Her breath was ragged. But Evangeline fled with all her might.

After somewhat recovering her body, she had been watching for any opportunity.

And she succeeded in escaping during a moment of lax surveillance by the palace attendants.

It was possible partly because the location was the outer palace, close to outside the imperial palace, and because the surroundings were exceptionally chaotic with preparations for the upcoming New Year's festival and coronation.

Evangeline, breath catching in her throat, smiled confidently.

'I won't end like this! Stupid Hilia! I'll make you regret not killing me!'

During her treatment, she had diligently laid all her plans.

'All I need to do is somehow steal that book back.'

Moreover, she had regained memories too.

Evangeline recalled the memory of writing sentences in the <Book of Fate>.

'I succeeded back then!'

With that, she had reclaimed her position.

The thrill of that time came to mind.

The memory of pulling Hilia down several times and seizing the protagonist's position.

"And because of you, I lost everything and became a regressor who traveled back through time three times."

A regressor.

To know everything with such an ability, hide it, and win.

'It's cheating! How unfair!'

It was cowardly and shameless.

Then Hilia's words came back to her.

"You think I'm cowardly?"

"Then what about you?"

Hilia's words pricked her faint conscience, but it didn't matter.

To shake off even a speck of unease, she shook her head and ran.

As if fleeing Hilia's reproach.

With each step, as if shedding a layer of memory about her own miserable downfall.

I am…….

I am……!

I am……?

Her rapidly running steps gradually stopped.

Shuffling along, Evangeline raised her head. Her vacant eyes were filled with terror.

'I am… what? What was I thinking about?'

Nothing came to mind. Just a moment ago, she had been thinking of nothing else, hadn't she?

Soon, Evangeline could realize.

This wasn't all. Memories were disappearing as if melting away. One by one, slipping away like grains of sand.

The memories after the possession, one by one.

The past memories that returned when Hilia resonated with the <Book of Fate>, too.

She realized belatedly.

Right now, she was losing.

Having everything taken away.

Her 'self'.

A terrible fear eroded her soul.

"Aaah!"

Evangeline turned and ran back towards the place she had fled from.

Towards there.

Where Hilia was.

Where the <Book of Fate> was.

Where the true master of fate, the protagonist, was.

She hadn't particularly liked herself as 'Evangeline'.

Even in her new life, she wasn't the dazzling protagonist. She hadn't obtained what she most desired.

So when she heard that 'Yushina' was the master of fate, she was overjoyed.

She thought that herself as Yushina was also the real one.

But… now that the memories and self as Evangeline began to disappear, she realized.

If the life of 'Yushina' was the land, the life of 'Evangeline' was the building constructed upon it.

Ultimately, in this world, everything she had done, gained, and lost was as Evangeline.

Only now did she understand that losing that was the same as losing everything.

Even regret slipped through her grasp. That was so painful.

'Please……!'

Tears overflowed.

"Help me!"

She ran desperately. The sprint soon turned into a walk.

Dragging her feet with gradually slowing steps, she finally thought.

'What was I trying to do?'

She looked around blankly.

The scene was utterly unfamiliar.

'Something… I was so sad and scared, and there was something I absolutely had to ask for…….'

Even thinking until her head hurt, nothing came to mind.

No, the more she thought, the more it felt like things were disappearing.

Before that… where is this?

Who am I……?

'Yushina' was left alone, dropped into a terribly unfamiliar world.

* * *

Rewriting fate using the <Book of Fate> and the power of regression granted to me and Arpad by the dragon Artanus had something in common.

Literally, the power to overturn fate.

It came with a price.

Even for the rightful master of the power.

Artanus said he had lost almost all his power as the price for the power of regression.

And Arpad, the rightful successor who received the power of regression from Artanus, also paid the price after transferring the power to me.

All memories until then, and even his connection with me.

The moment I resonated with the <Book of Fate>, I could learn much information.

Even if the rightful master of the power changed fate, a price was needed.

But Evangeline, who wasn't even the rightful master, used the <Book of Fate> to twist the fate of me, herself, and the entire world.

Afterwards, when I obtained the <Book of Fate>, all that was erased.

Could it be that the price… the side effects, held nothing for Evangeline?

Of course, she had to suffer repercussions several times stronger compared to the rightful master.

The <Book of Fate> was showing it to me.

「The price for attempting to change fate is great. For fate, with fate. The unqualified who fail lose their own fate.」

「This loss accelerates the further one is from the <Book of Fate> and its master.」

「The woman has lost all fate as 'Evangeline'.」

「All that remains is 'Yushina', who fell into a world not her own.」

「She has become a lost child in another world.」

Evangeline lost most of herself. Only fragments remained.

I had no intention of saving such an Evangeline.

Saving her would likely require a tremendous price.

Right now, I have no energy to spare, even just to find a way to think of and save and protect a single person.

I closed the book just like that.

Romance, Fantasy,