Published at 21st of February 2023 08:57:52 AM

When was it?

That her mind went somewhere else.

He had been following the beautiful woman as if embracing her light, yet he did not know when the stream of her emotions flowed in that direction.

This was a rather cruel moment for Kyle.

Ironically, her rosy cheeks, dancing under the halo, looked livelier and happier than ever.

Like an asteroid surely shining in the distant sky.

Forever, like a star that would never reach his hand.

Annette

He did his best.

Twice in this life, he had a love he would never have again.

But he knew now that he wasn't the one she wanted her last dance with.

His heart throbbed, but the love he had was not broken.

His heart tightened fondly, but he wasn't sad enough to cry.

At least, she was happy.

Kyle eventually turned around and left the banquet hall before the waltz was over.

Just like that, this hot eve was coming to an end.

We kissed for a long time on the balcony in the moonlight.

Sislin, ignoring the fact that the banquet was still taking place in the hall, secretly led me to the empty balcony.

Come closer.

My heart throbbed as if I was doing something bad, but the kiss was sweeter than ever.

Many times I felt suffocated and like a crisis came, but Sislin did not let me go.

Sisl

Gradually, my face turned red all over and I couldn't take it any longer, but it was only when I stretched out into his arms, breathing hard, that his lips moved toward my cheek.

I eventually burst into a small laugh when the kisses continued on the cheeks, on the lower eyelids, and on the bridge of the nose; they were very ticklish.

It was only now that I felt how passionate the love was in each kiss.

I whispered softly.

My face will be worn out, Sisl.

The wind blew through his fine hair.

The weather was cool and my dress was thin, but I wasn't cold at all in Sislin's arms.

It was warm and comfortable. But there were times when I was very embarrassed to be held in his arms.

As I suddenly remembered, I looked up, removing my face from his chest, and asked.

Remember? When you proposed to me. After being chased by pursuers, you rescued me from falling off a cliff, and suddenly asked me to marry you.

That moment was bewildering, but the warmth that somehow crept into my heart was still vivid.

I was crying, covered in dirt and grass, and he proposed to me, wiping away my tears.

Rather than the fact that I almost died, more than the fact that he saved my life, I remembered being shocked and dazed that this man proposed marriage in such a situation.

'I'm just thinking It will probably become a memory that will last a lifetime.'

He smiled lightly at my question and answered in his characteristic low voice.

Of course I will remember it for the rest of my life, Annette.

Perhaps Sislin will live with the same memories as me.

Stroking my back with a large hand to keep it from getting cold, he asked,

Back then, what did you think when you heard my proposal?

'Ugh, I can answer it without hesitation.'

I thought you were crazy!

He let out a low laugh. The cheeks that were diagonally above his sharp chin slightly rose in an attractive way.

I really liked this moment when his red eyes contained me.

What were you thinking? When you proposed to me.

I had been curious about that.

The thought that I won't be taken away?

Perhaps it had to do with the reason he tied his heart to my wrist.

I asked, citing what I thought was probably closest to Sislin's desire.

'You think you can't lose me, right?'

.

Sislin gazed down at Annette and wrapped a large hand around her small cheek.

Then he looked back on the times he lived.

It was in a dark cave that he found relief for the first time after living a difficult life, thrown out of the world alone.

In that peace that he met for the first time in his life,

The boy prayed to God.

Let me die.

'In this little peace, I dare ask you to take away this life.'

Please let me die.

Other than that, the little 11-year-old boy didn't know what to do with this miserable life.

There was no peace in the Forest, where he had escaped to after being treated like a dog or a pig at the slave trade, and like in this dark cave, the boy's life did not have even a single ray of light.

The only way to end this pain is to die.

Then one day he met her.

Hi?

A ray of brilliant light shone on his dark and miserable life.

She was a girl sent by God instead of death.

Later, you will become a better and higher person than anyone else.

.

I believe so.

The boy no longer begged for death.

The girl's words became the gospel that the boy would inscribe in his heart and live by.

You will be a good, high-ranking person.

.

More than anyone else.

Even if she left like a butterfly in his arms, he couldn't even hate or resent her.

In the eons of time in the Crevasse, where his whole body was torn to shreds and bones were broken, Sislin no longer prayed to God.

Instead, he made promises to the girl.

I'll go and meet you.

'Just as you saved my life, I can be something for you.'

'I will meet you again by becoming a higher and better person than anyone else.'

He was able to keep his promise only after he had gone through several times where death would have been better and his body could not even live without drugs.

It was not because of his own desire that he, who had lived such a life, proposed marriage to her.

To the question of what he was thinking when he proposed to her, Sislin finally answered.

I want to be part of your family.

.

What an orphan girl secretly dreamed of.

She lived among the warm people, but no one could give it to her.

Sislin knew what she really wanted was a family.

My arms, Annette

.

I want it to be as solid as your house.

'I want to be your family and home.'

'You, who was born lonely and weak in a wide world, and who was always working hard. You, who have never had a real home for yourself.'

No need to leave again, no need to run away

'I want to be your perfect home.'

.

Sislin hugged Annette tightly in his own arms.

'I will keep misfortunes out of your life without error.'

'Even if I have to take them all.'

Sislin.

Annette wrapped her arms around his tight ones and buried her head further into his arms.

It was warm and safe.

Her heart, which had lived in a frantic chase, was now at ease with him.

Sisl, we have to part for a while. Love is broken when an anonymous man and woman are together before midnight.

It's just a superstition, Annette.

I tend to believe in superstitions, Your Highness.

As I said that, I pushed Sislin, who didn't want to let go.

Please find me when the midnight fireworks start.

It was just a small prank between lovers, but I also wanted to make sure that there were no minor flaws on this perfect night.

Throughout the banquet hall, men and women were seen parting with each other, promising to reunite at midnight.

Everyone had an expression of disappointment on their faces, but each of them knew it would be even more exciting to meet again.

During this time, I wandered around the banquet hall looking for people I knew.

Everyone was smiling and chatting in the soft violin melody.

'Is Heinrich smiling too?'

Probably not.

Like a thorn that jumped out of nowhere and stabbed me, I kept thinking of those cold eyes.

'Let's calm down.'

I took a sip of champagne and briefly greeted the woman who recognized me despite the mask.

Then I waited quietly for midnight.

It would finally be midnight, one minute more.

The people checked their watches and all headed to the balcony.

Fireworks would be launched from the garden of the Imperial Palace.

'I should hurry up and go too.'

It was when everyone was heading to the balcony with excited faces.

I sensed a strange aura.

Heu, heu hik

A strange man was at a spot not far away. He was wearing a mask of a mole adorned with jewels, drooling under his mouth.

'Did he drink too much?'

It was when I felt uncomfortable and decided to avoid the person.

Hik!

The man's gaze was fixed on me.

At that moment, I realized.

It was not alcohol.

I could tell from those eyes.

'He's under a spell!'

Gerard!

He deliberately aimed at me when people's eyes were on something else.

Just then, the man rushed at me, his eyes turning white. The sharp dagger he was holding flashed.

!!!

In just one second, I made an instant judgment.

'Let's use Sordi's power!'

No one knew, but the power of Exordium has grown so much that it could protect me from such threats.

Besides, everyone's eyes were on the balcony, so if I finished him in oneshot, no one would witness my power.

Right when the light gathered in my hands

Swish!

All of a sudden, a man appeared, obscuring my view.

Brilliant silver hair that looked like it was made of moonlight.

Vivid purple eyes.

There was a magic ball in Heinrich's hand that could not be fired. It was clear that the body flew out first because the mind judged that it was more urgent than casting a spell.

Poo-wook!

Then came a chilling sound; the eyes of Heinrich widened as he hugged me, and his lips trembled.

My heart sank.

Heinrich's lips barely parted

And what flowed out was a painfully fading voice.

Sister

Dark red blood flowed from his rosy lips that were unable to finish his words.

The eyes I loved lost their light, and he collapsed completely.

Heinrich!!!

Ame:a few things to unpack

Tassie:IT'S OFFICIALLLLLLLL!!! THEY'RE TOGETHER!! *CUE HAPPY DANCE* I'M LITERALLY SO HAPPYYYYY!!! I literally knew something was gonna happen tho lol we can never have any nice things XD