Chapter 84
“That’s how it happened.”
“No, how could such a thing…”
A shadow is a reflection of someone. By nature, it can only imitate. The fragment guarding the imperial palace was, in essence, a shadow—one that monitored and suppressed the imperial family from their closest proximity.
But over time, that essence gradually took on the form of its subjects, and as it imitated them more and more, it eventually corrupted into something that closely resembled them. In the end, it gained a self of its own, entered Veronica’s body, and stole her soul.
That was Lutan’s explanation.
‘Then what happens to the original story I read?’
Roina felt a tinge of confusion. Too many things were changing from the future she knew. She was beginning to lose track of whether her presence in this world had come first or if the book had.
“How can we save her?”
Lutan gazed at her in silence. Roina was, as always, a kindhearted person. To think she would even consider embracing someone who had fallen so far—despite having no memories of her past.
“If it’s too late, I will remove her.”
“…What?”
“I’m saying this because, at the moment, there is no clear way. Her true body is sealed deep beneath the imperial palace, and there is no way to retrieve it.”
“That’s…”
“As long as we cannot reach the true body, there is little meaning in dealing with its reflection.”
Lutan spoke in a detached tone, but when he noticed Roina’s disappointment, he quickly placed a hand against her cheek.
“It’s all right. This is not your fault, Roina.”
“But Lutan, you’ve always treated my past self and my present self as if they were the same.”
Roina averted her gaze slightly as she spoke. It was something she had kept buried in her heart, yet the words had slipped out before she could stop them. Lutan fell silent for a moment.
“If there is any responsibility, it is mine. You were the one who chose me to manage those fragments.”
He doesn’t say that my past self and my current self are different… A dull ache throbbed in her chest, and Roina pressed a hand over her heart. Lutan lowered his head and stole a kiss from her lips.
It was an act befitting lovers, but she knew that all of this—all of his gestures—were directed at her past self, not her. That was what she told herself. Even so, she selfishly wanted to receive his affection. Even like this, she wanted to stay connected to him.
Because, in the end, she liked Lutan.
‘Perhaps… this is love.’
She wanted to be with him, no matter the form. Feeling a slight sadness creep into her heart, she wrapped her arms around his neck. Lutan instinctively lowered his lips to the nape of her neck and bit down gently. He, too, wanted to feel her—if only just a little more.
Without either of them knowing who moved first, they naturally melted into each other. Warm, soft tongues parted tender lips, stroking gently as if to console. The sensation of mucous membranes touching was tender yet intoxicating.
“Mm…” A sound escaped her lips before she realized it.
Lutan held her as if she were the most precious thing in the world. His embrace was so gentle, it nearly brought tears to her eyes.
“Lutan, are you still going to stop me from going outside?”
Roina spoke as their lips parted briefly. She had something to say before the Great Archmage claimed her lips once again.
“…How could I stop you? Just… allow me to protect you.”
Roina was now someone who could wield magic freely. She had reached a level worthy of being called another Great Archmage. She no longer needed Lutan’s power.
Even so, as if deliberately ignoring that truth, they continued to meet lips and spend the night together. They told themselves it was to ensure that any lingering miasma was completely gone, even though they both knew full well it was just an excuse.
And yet, they let themselves be deceived by it.
“I’m planning to retrieve the Primal Magic Fragment.”
Lutan let out a quiet sigh, as if he had been waiting for this moment. He had wished—selfishly so—that she would disregard the world and stay in this space with him forever. He knew the world needed her, but his heart longed otherwise.
He wanted to keep her to himself.
But Roina was too great a person for him to hold onto.
“Do as you wish, my Roina.”
With those words, Lutan once again stole a kiss from her lower lip. He was grateful that she always accepted his selfish desires so easily, and yet, he was also afraid—afraid that one day, she would leave him. She was someone who could leave at any moment, without looking back. And yet, she was also someone he could never let go of.
His love wouldn’t allow it.
All he could do was pray that she would not be hurt.
“Thank you.”
Roina gave him a bright smile.
She now understood how anxious he was, how much he worried for her safety. She knew that he had long since accepted the fact that he could not restrain her—so instead, he had been silently pleading with her all this time. Pleading for her to stay with him. Or, at the very least, to let him follow her.
And knowing his heart, she could not bring herself to cruelly push him away. Truthfully, she no longer wanted to.
‘Maybe… I just want to stay in this peaceful place forever.’
But she knew. She knew of a future where Lutan would die.
The original heroine had changed, and so had many other things, making her uncertain—
But even so, she had decided. She would act, to make sure that he would not die.
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