Chapter 8.6
“In that case, I’ll help catch the serial killer, too. It’s something I need to do anyway… but if it prevents His Highness from becoming devastated, and thus prevents him from destroying the world with Sernaus’s light, then I should definitely help.”
“Renard… thank you…”
“It’s nothing. It’s too much for you to handle alone. And they say even a sheet of paper is easier to carry when two people hold it. Besides, with your excellent leadership, we even liberated the Amarast royal family. …I’m looking forward to your next command.”
Pfft, Resena burst into laughter. Renard’s expression softened, and the siblings looked at each other with smiling faces.
“Sister. I believe in you. I know you can do well. You’ll probably get better as time goes on. I think I can understand why Crown Prince Eldis is interested in you. You’re different from how you were before.”
“Renard…”
“I’m counting on you in the future, too. And please take care of Crown Prince Eldis so that world destruction doesn’t come. He doesn’t show weakness to knights like us, but if he used Sernaus’s light without restraint, he must have been driven to an extreme crisis.”
“That’s right. He lost the person he loved, and all his subordinates and acquaintances he cherished. I can understand why he used Sernaus’s light to kill his lover’s murderer, who stood before him.”
“Yes. Thank you for understanding. Sister. Haha. By the way, if Crown Prince Eldis knew you spoke like this, I think he would fall for you once more.”
Resena slapped Renard’s back with a smiling face. Ouch. As Renard pretended to be hurt while rubbing his back, Resena glanced at him with a bright smile.
“If he falls for me one more time, my body won’t survive. Although His Highness treats me kindly… I already have someone else I’m drawn to.”
“Hmm… Even so, Sister, you don’t completely dislike Crown Prince Eldis, right? Looking at your face, I can tell he’s not entirely absent from your heart.”
Resena didn’t mind Renard’s perceptiveness. Well, her mother also knew her heart. But having not spent much time with either Eldis or Vernas, she couldn’t possibly say who would become her husband, not even if she died and came back to life.
“Anyway, I’ve only met His Highness the Crown Prince alone twice. And if you exclude the advice in the garden, it’s only once. So it’s still far from leaving a mark on my heart. Whether it’s Vernas or His Highness.”
“In the past, if His Highness had said he liked you, you would have jumped up and said you liked him too… Even though you’ve become more particular, I can understand why Crown Prince Eldis says he likes you…”
Resena brought her hands together and interlaced her fingers. Watching her do this, Renard continued.
“And anyway, isn’t it fortunate that he won’t have to witness the scene of Saint Lorona, whom he took as a lover, sacrificing herself? If you become His Highness’s lover, the end of the world might not happen.”
“That’s true, but… I could vaguely become a target for black mages and the serial killer as his lover. So in order to remain as his lover, or for His Highness’s sake, we must catch the leader of the black mages and the serial killer.”
Her words are getting strangely twisted. Resena continued.
“Of course, right now, I have no intention of becoming his lover. It’s just a hypothetical ‘if it happens.’ I just think I need to catch them for His Highness’s peace of mind. Crown Prince Eldis has been such a great help to the Crevasta Empire. Thinking about it, I believe he deserves some reward now.”
“Sister…”
At this somewhat patriotic statement, Renard just quietly looked at Resena. She looked down at her hands calmly and added.
“What? Don’t you think so? After putting in so much effort, it would be disappointing not to receive any reward from anyone. Of course, His Highness has received rewards from His Majesty the Emperor, but I think he needs emotional compensation in addition to the material things he’s received so far.”
“You’re more lenient towards His Highness than I thought.”
“Huh? Me?”
Yes. Renard nodded.
“You seem kind to Crown Prince Eldis. If it were me, I would be sick of someone who caused world destruction and made me regress several times. But you don’t show any such signs. Rather, you seem to be trying to understand His Highness.”
“…Is that so?”
“Yes.”
“But.”
Resena continued.
“It’s not like he wanted to cause world destruction. How could I just blame someone who lost all his precious people because of other malicious people?”
“….”
“As someone who knows exactly why he did what he did, I can’t just blame him. If he had no choice, all we need to do is help him escape from that situation. And Crown Prince Eldis would never use Sernaus’s light without a reason.”
“…You’re kind. My sister.”
Renard held Resena’s hand with a faint smile. Resena felt a heaviness in one side of her chest, and just waited quietly with her hand held.
“Perhaps the deity chose you because you thought that way.”
“Chose… me?”
“Yes.”
Renard spoke to Resena with an affectionate face.
“The main deity has already allowed His Highness the Crown Prince to use Sernaus’s light. But with that light, His Highness tried to destroy the world. To stop that, rather than trying to persuade someone who lost his lover, it would have been faster to find someone like you who doesn’t blame him and make them regress. More efficient too.”
“…Faster and efficient…”
“Yes. The main deity allowed His Highness the Crown Prince to use Sernaus’s light to protect the world, so he probably gave him that ability to eliminate black mages or serial killers that appear from time to time. But His Highness had a weakness. He had a personal grudge wanting to avenge his lover who sacrificed herself for him. But you prioritize preventing that grudge from forming in the first place rather than letting him achieve his revenge.”
“That’s right. Because even in extremely angering situations, Crown Prince Eldis could endure for several weeks. If it were me, I couldn’t endure like that. How could anyone endure when someone who was like family to them was murdered?”
Renard gazed quietly at his kind sister.
“That’s exactly why the deity chose you. Even though your feelings for Crown Prince Eldis might have disappeared after repeating the regression several times, you still saw him as a vulnerable human being. Since mercy and compassion are among the qualities the deity values highly, it’s only natural that you were chosen.”
“I see, is that so…”
“Yes. I’m certain. Since only the main deity Sernaus, has the power to turn back time, we can consider it confirmed that you’re under his protection. But I’m curious about something.”
“What is it?”
“If you could prevent the world’s destruction, what would you want to do first?”
Resena opened her eyes wide.
It was a question she hadn’t thought about.
Until now, she had watched Eldis fall into the abyss of destruction. Since the world was destroyed at the same time, her primary goal was simply to prevent world destruction.
But Renard’s question made her think. If she were to prevent world destruction, what would she want? In a future where Eldis doesn’t excessively use Sernaus’s light to find black mages or serial killers, what would she gain and desire?
“…I don’t know. I’ve been prioritizing preventing His Highness Eldis from destroying the world…”
T/n: I wonder why she doesn’t mention saving their mother. It would make this moment so much more emotional…and Renard is one of the best brothers I have ever seen <3
“I think it would be good to set a goal for when that time comes. Like going on a trip, or inheriting the Duke’s position and expanding the guild. If you decide on something like that, rather than feeling like you’re only working to prevent destruction, you’ll feel more like you’re doing it for yourself too.”
“…Hmm. That’s certainly true. Since it’s also for my sake… That’s a good idea.”
Resena agreed with Renard’s words. Renard, who was looking at his sister with a faint smile, seemed truly admirable. Renard had really made dedicated efforts for her. As family, he was truly a great support.
“It may not be the first thing, but I think I have one goal.”
“What is it?”
Resena playfully grinned and held up one finger.
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