“I love you, Leon.”

As Elysia responded, the face of the man who had been courting her brightened.

“I do. I love you too.”

How powerful one phrase could be.

Loving Leon.

For Elysia, it was crossing a forbidden line.

The unconscious attraction and emotions that remained as a rival, being aware that her life was at stake, the taboo she wanted to avoid and evade.

But when Leon held her hand, it felt like she could do anything, and she wanted to give him as much joy as he gave her.

“I love you.”

Once uttered, it was difficult to control the emotions that flowed out.

Elysia continued to pour out her feelings to him, shedding tears.

“I will be with you always.”

As she wiped away tears with her sleeve, she inexplicably burst into laughter.

Looking at Elysia’s smiling face, Leon, surprised, asked.

“Elysia. You’re laughing now…”

That’s when it happened.

A gentle breeze blew, and the sky darkened.

The air surrounding the two who had been happily envisioning their future suddenly shattered.

“Elysia!”

In an instant, the black flames that had flown devoured the flowers Leon had given her and wrapped around Elysia’s wrist.

“Leon. Ah!”

With frightened eyes, watching her arm, and the increasingly enveloping black flames, Elysia’s eyes, which had been full of happiness and hope until a moment ago, instantly lost their focus as the vibrant violet irises disappeared beneath her eyelids. The black flames grew rapidly as if they were going to swallow her.

“No!”

Leon hugged her with his entire body. It was an instinctive reaction.

The compulsion could not affect him, as he was the protagonist, an Oder. He had previously manipulated the flames that burned the ribbons in Elysia’s hair.

This should work. No, it has to.

As he embraced Elysia, the black flames that were burning her disappeared.

“…Elysia.”

No matter how much he called her, she didn’t wake up.

Late at night, there was a silent disturbance in the Klevent Duchy.

Having disguised himself as a priest and entered Harusha, Leon returned with the unconscious Elysia.

Despite the late hour and the urgency of the situation, Duchess Yutel rushed there.

With a pale face, Mariela shed tears as she looked at her daughter lying down.

“Ah, how… Sob. Elysia.”

On her fair and delicate skin, there were vivid traces where the black flames seemed to have burned into her flesh.

Burning her skin as if consuming her very existence?

Leon was furious.

He had tried to understand Elysia until now, and after seeing today’s prophecy in Harusha, he thought he understood her better than ever.

But he had not properly understood what pressed her to live like that.
The death foretold by the prophecy had the power to erase Elysia’s existence at any time, turning her destiny into a place where loving Leon was forbidden.

Even though she had feelings for me, she constantly distanced herself, burning with a passion that seemed to border on madness, claiming she could do anything for herself.

Therefore, I wanted to make sure of her feelings.

I hoped she would reciprocate the confession I could give her.

But. It was just a longing for a single confession from the one who gives their heart and love.

Elysia almost died.

Moreover, it happened right in front of me, consumed by flames.

Leon was engulfed in a terrible feeling, not knowing what to do.

“To think such a thing could happen.”

Lev, who examined the situation, sighed.

“Is Elysia still unconscious?”

In response to Lev’s words, Leon nodded.

“She hasn’t awakened at all.”

The moment Elysia’s image kept coming back to him.

Her beautiful eyes, shaken by emotions while confessing love, vividly losing focus and brightness as if submerged in profound terror.

The rosy cheeks that blushed with joy, the crimson lips that hesitated and didn’t know what to do while pouring out confessions, paled and became feeble.

All of this was because I liked her.

Elysia had undoubtedly tried to leave him. No, she left him behind.

He thought pretending not to know about the feelings he had was deceit.

Don’t you like me? Don’t you want to be by my side?

Elysia’s hesitations and stammering, like a child wobbling in front of a sweet candy.

If she just leaned toward me a little, I would cherish her forever.

Why is it so hard for her to allow me?

It was frustrating.

In the end, pouring out my emotions, I made her cross the line.

After that, Elysia almost died.

Seeing Elysia’s life force diminishing to the point that it was difficult to tell if she was breathing, Mariela, who had been panting and half-collapsed on the bed as if fainting, repeatedly cried when she stood up.

“Didn’t they say that Oder’s existence couldn’t be affected by the compulsion?”

At Lev’s words, the tearful Mariela nodded.

“Yes. So when His Grace tried to extinguish the fire with his body, it must have disappeared. Because we can’t burn Oder.”

“In that case, how about making Oder his companion?”

“Oder’s… Companion?”

When Mariela asked, looking puzzled as if hearing it for the first time, Lev glanced at her with curiosity.