Without hesitation, Siara headed toward where Dianel was. However, it wasn’t just one or two people who walked with a suspicious gait.
“…Why are there so many people like this?”
Unlike the usual quiet atmosphere of North Palace, today there were a lot of people around the palace. They were all officials in uniforms or knights, and occasionally nobles could be seen as well.
They walked quickly, seemingly busy, and consistently held envelopes or documents in their arms.
Some of them had gloomy expressions as if they were about to die, while others hummed a tune.
‘It’s a very contrasting atmosphere.’
Fortunately, judging by the atmosphere, it didn’t seem like anything significant had happened. Siara, who calmly observed them, spoke softly to Hierian.
“Hierian, I’m going to meet Dianel, so could you find my family members? Tell them I have something to discuss, and if they’re scattered, gather them together. They must be worried since I left without saying anything last time.”
“I want to go with you, Siara…”
“Please, I’m asking you. It would be great if you could also ask what happened while I was asleep.”
Hierian nodded helplessly.
“If you insist so much, I can’t refuse.”
“Thank you, Hierian.”
Siara absentmindedly stroked Hierian’s head. The previous Hierian was so small that he had to bend his knees, but now he was taller than Siara. However, in Siara’s eyes, he still looked like a child.
A mischievous smile appeared on Hierian’s lips, which seemed somewhat disappointed. He playfully blinked his eyes and grabbed Siara’s wrist as she was about to withdraw her hand.
“Just with words? I’m not a child anymore.”
“Do you want something more?”
“Other than stroking my head… give me a kiss.”
Hierian lightly tapped his cheek with Siara’s hand. When Siara made a bewildered face, he acted nonchalantly.
“You said it was good that I won against the Demon King, right? Besides, a kiss on the cheek is also a sign of affection.”
“That’s true, but…”
“Or is it because you don’t want to?”
Hierian frowned as if he were upset. Looking at him, who slouched to his shoulders, Siara couldn’t help but feel sorry and smiled helplessly.
“It seems like you’ve become even more childish as you grew up.”
“If you see me as a child, well… here.”
Hierian bent his knees and positioned himself at Siara’s eye level. With his intentions clear, Siara gently kissed his cheek.
As her lips touched his cheek and she looked into Hierian’s eyes, Siara realized that he remained motionless for a while. He stared blankly like a statue and then suddenly blushed, moving away from her.
“Th-then I’ll go! Dianel is in the office, I just checked.”
Hierian stumbled over his words several times before vanishing in a flash of violet mist. Even as he disappeared, his hand was still directed towards the cheek where Siara’s lips had touched.
Observing his reddened ear, Siara laughed.
“Well, is it that pleasant?”
As her actions were so obvious, there was no doubt that it would raise suspicions about the true meaning of affection.
Anyway, there were other things to do now. Siara was about to turn back towards the office.
The corridor, where a few people were passing by, inexplicably fell into silence. An eerie silence settled in the surroundings as if the sunlight that had been seeping through the open curtains had mysteriously darkened.
From the shadows, Dianel emerged without a sound. He was enveloped in a black cloak, and the atmosphere had inexplicably changed.
Siara unknowingly stared at him for a while. Just like anyone else, there was a strange charm that captivated her gaze when it came to the current Dianel.
In the meantime, Dianel stood in front of Siara and politely lowered his head. His courteous and straightforward greeting made Siara’s heart race unknowingly.
Swallowing nervously, Siara spoke up.
“…It’s been a while, Dianel. You look healthy.”
“Thanks to you for waking me up.”
It was meant as a word of gratitude towards Siara, but she felt embarrassed because she didn’t think she deserved to hear those words.
There was a momentary silence between them. Siara took advantage of the pause to quietly get lost in her thoughts.
‘Why is the atmosphere so different? Could it be because of the Demon King?’
She had felt overwhelming pressure from Dianel before. It was when she speculated that the Demon King had taken control of Dianel’s body. However, while she felt an inexplicable unease back then, it wasn’t the same now.
Dianel seemed burdensome and difficult compared to before, but she didn’t dislike him.
‘It feels like he has absorbed the power of the Demon King…’
Although she had no chance of defeating him before, she now sensed a dangerous aura that made her feel like he could truly conquer the world.
Lost in her thoughts, Siara suddenly felt a tingling sensation and looked up. In that instant, their gazes met. He smiled slightly with a strange smile on his lips.
“A kiss as a sign of affection, please give it to me too.”
“…Huh?”
“I also want your lips to touch mine.”
“What?”
Siara was startled and stepped back. Dianel shrugged as if wondering why she was so surprised.
“Siara, love should not discriminate.”
“…Where is that coming from? And why are you so bold?”
“You kissed Hierian’s cheek, I saw it all.”
“So what?”
“I will repay you tenfold.”
“…”
“You said you were born to give me love.”
There was no wavering in his genuine gaze. It wasn’t an atmosphere of lies. Siara clenched and unclenched her fists, feeling a strange sensation all over her body. Her emotions were mixed.
Come to think of it, something like this had happened before. Dianel had clung to her and asked her to stroke him.
She had forgotten about it because so much had happened since then…
She never expected him to make this kind of request. Above all, his last words were completely new to her, so she confidently spoke up.
“I have never said such a thing.”
“You said it when you saved me… Are you forgetting?”
Dianel murmured as if he was disappointed.
“I released you, so is that the end? I decided to live again because of you… You’re cruel.”
Siara lowered her head. Suddenly, she remembered his lifeless appearance.
A powerless body that collapsed with a single blow. A pale face. The soul that was preparing to leave the physical body. And she told him to die.
Was that why? Even after being falsely accused of kidnapping the healers and confessing that he was the one who did it, he willingly took the blame.
Siara’s expression became gloomy. Then, Dianel hugged her and whispered in her ear.
“Don’t make that expression.”
“…What kind of expression is it?”
“I feel like you’re going to cry. Who made you cry? Anyone who makes tears fall from your eyes, I’ll gouge their eyes out.”
“…Gouge their eyes out.”
Taken aback by the strong choice of words, Siara stared at Dianel, who growled softly.
“I can do something worse than that.”
“Why?”
“Because I cherish you.”
“Why?”
“Because you gave everything to save me and will continue to keep me alive.”
Siara lowered her head. The consecutive words weighed heavily on her.
She had just woken up, with no memory before collapsing. She was only surprised to find that the healers were kidnapped and Dianel confessed to being the culprit.
Then she was devastated by the fact that he died. After that, she had no recollection. So she couldn’t even tell if what Dianel was saying now was true or false.
What was certain was that it didn’t feel unpleasant when he held her and told her how precious she was.
But was it okay like this? There were still unresolved matters piled up. And among them, there was one thing that needed to be addressed first. Siara, who had been silent for a while, blurted out the words that had been circling her mind.
“I’m sorry for telling you to die.”
“I don’t care.”
“…Why did you lie? The emblem the knights in the underground of North Palace had was fake. It was forged. You’re not the one who did those things.”
“At that time, I thought it was the best thing to do.”
“To think that falsely confessing and dying was the best option… How could you even think that way?”
“Because I thought you would be unhappy because of me.”
“So you wanted to die? To turn the blame around and leave me hating you?”
“…”
“I wouldn’t be happy if you died! Can’t you see that?”
Siara asked with resentment. Dianel looked at her with slightly surprised eyes.
Siara didn’t understand the concept of trying to solve problems through death. That was what set her apart from her previous saviors.
The savior who had all the memories had become calm and detached from such matters after experiencing countless deaths. But for Siara, this one life alone was everything to her. That’s why she could feel angry, upset, and frustrated like this.
‘When will another moment like this come?’
Casually clenching his fist, Dianel now vaguely understood the feelings of others.
He hoped Siara would be happy.
He wanted to fill her with happiness as she desired. Even if it was just once, he wanted to create a life that made her smile at just the thought of it.
For that to happen, he had to stay alive. Because if Dianel died like last time, Siara would be incredibly sad.
In a fleeting moment, a smile appeared on Dianel’s lips, filled with determination.
Siara blinked her large eyes and looked at him strangely as he suddenly smiled. But Dianel didn’t care and purposely exaggeratedly shrugged his shoulders.
“Still, you saved me, didn’t you? That’s what matters, isn’t it?”
“But did I really save you? I have no memories.”
Since it seemed like she had completely forgotten the relevant memories, Dianel lightly kissed Siara’s forehead and whispered.
“Yes, you did. Siara, you saved me. Thanks to you, I gained the strength to keep living.”
Dianel chuckled. Siara stared at him blankly for a moment, then quickly turned away. With a burning blush on her cheeks, she muttered.
“…Such a teasing remark.”
