Come and Cry at My Funeral - Chapter 257 - Reunion

Reunion

She had opened her eyes many times before, but it always felt unfamiliar, like being born again. Her body, frozen in time by magic, slowly loosened from the heart outward, sending sensations spreading through her veins like tiny white stars bursting open.

As sensation returned to her limbs, her whole body felt as heavy as water-soaked cotton.

“Mm…”

Freesia let out a soft groan, still unable to lift her eyelids. Thanks to the magic, her body hadn’t dried out like it would after a deep sleep, but the act of making sound for the first time in so long was painful.

Her vision hadn’t fully returned either, everything was still blurry. And with the glass coffin closed overhead, it was hard to see her surroundings clearly.

‘How long have I been asleep this time…?’

That was the trouble with sleeping like this. Even the return of consciousness was sluggish, and the sense of time went entirely awry. Judging by the sanctuary’s remaining magical energy, she had expected to wake up ‘in the spring’, but it was so dark all around her she began to wonder if it was still winter.

‘Ah, I must’ve awakened in the underground lake…’

Whatever the case, she had to push the lid off the glass coffin herself to rise safely. And after that, she would need the help of an attendant waiting nearby, otherwise, she simply didn’t have the strength to get up on her own.

“Ugh…”

She barely managed to push open the lid. But as always after waking, her body refused to obey.

Not only her sight, but her ears too still felt like they were underwater. Even though footsteps were rushing toward her, they all blurred together—indistinct.

But when someone lifted her upper body and held her, the warmth that touched her skin was vividly clear.

“…Ah.”

Freesia murmured in a daze. Was her cousin here, helping her up? But even through her still-blurry vision, she could tell—it wasn’t Riegel.

‘Then who…?’

Was there ever someone this tall stationed here? Someone clad in black armor like that…?

“Freesia.”

Her stupid thoughts shattered the instant she heard the man’s voice. Even being doused in ice water wouldn’t have sent chills like that down her spine.

“Haah…!”

A breath filled with shock and fear hit the roof of her mouth. That low voice crawled into her ears and trailed down her neck.

Even if she had truly died and been born again this time, it was a voice she could never forget.

More than anything, how could she forget those golden eyes, shining vividly even through her hazy vision?

It felt like staring into a cliff’s edge, just beneath her feet.

‘Impossible.’

Why is he here? Why…?

‘Why is Izar holding me?’

From the palm that wrapped around the top of her arm, a heat surged through her like a stab. The warmth of a human touch—after so long, shocked her to the core, resonating from crown to heel.

“Freesia.”

The man’s voice, coming while her memories just before falling asleep hadn’t yet returned, stirred up dread within her.

It wasn’t that Izar’s tone was sharp. Nor was it that he didn’t immediately berate her with cold fury.

She had wrecked the ducal estate… and left him while carrying their child. She had heard him beg her not to leave. She knew how much he longed for a child. And still—she had abandoned him.

So now, what kind of reaction could she expect from Izar, faced with the woman who had lied and disappeared?

The fear of what was to come overwhelmed her—Freesia thrashed desperately.

“Ah—uh, n-no…! Cough!”

“Freesia!”

Izar turned around hastily, lifting the convulsing, choking woman in his arms.

After Nova had screamed as if to summon everyone in the palace, those investigating the sanctuary and all the attendants had rushed to the underground lake.

〈Mama! Mama’s waking up!〉

No one could say what she had sensed to make her cry out like that, even Albireo, versed in magic, had been bewildered.

But Riegel didn’t hesitate.

〈Nova might be special… even as a baby, she had an uncanny sense for these things…〉

While they waited, Izar’s heart had pounded relentlessly.

He would finally see Freesia open her eyes. She would look at him with those light green eyes, breathe again before him.

But, just as he had failed to envision a future after learning Nova and Freesia’s whereabouts, he had made the same mistake again.

“Cough, no, no, I didn’t want this…!”

Her unchanged, beautiful green eyes turned to him—and immediately filled with terror.

She struggled with all her might, weak as she was, sobbing as she pushed at him.

“No! Who…!”

Freesia turned her head frantically, screaming as she tried to take in her surroundings. Now that her vision had cleared, familiar faces began to come into view, the knights stationed at the cliffside palace, Riegel, Mathilde…

Everyone was rushing toward her, pale-faced, shouting something, but after rising too quickly in her weakened state, she could no longer breathe.

“Ah…”

In an instant, her vision darkened again, and Freesia’s body went limp in Izar’s arms. Before the dazed Izar could say anything, a child’s piercing scream echoed through the underground.

“M-Mama!”