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Join the ServerThe day after Ran Ilay visited the mansion, I went to the Imperial Library.
Why did the contract I had made with the devil in my past life still remain?
If it could be terminated, what was the method?
I had many questions, but information on dark magic was as hard to obtain as it was considered a capital offense in the Empire.
So, to make up for it, I came here to research ordinary magic instead of dark magic.
Since they were both magic despite having different origins, I thought I might be able to find some kind of clue.
Sitting down at an empty seat and piling up the books I had gathered on the desk, the stack rose slightly higher than my sitting height.
Having come prepared to lock myself in the library until sunset, I strengthened my resolve and opened the book at the very top.
‘Magic has a total of six attributes, and each person can only receive the blessing of one type of magic.’
‘If one is born without mana or fails to receive the blessing of magic, they become a non-mage who cannot use magic.’
After reading a few books that explained the basics of magic, I reached for the next book, which turned out to be about light magic.
The mention of light magic made me think of Mikeron Leilight for no reason.
‘Why is he suddenly coming to mind?’
Shaking my head, I turned to the first page.
Light magic.
As the magic that contributed the most to victory during the war with the devils, the Leilight family—who were chosen by the God of Light and fought by borrowing his power temporarily—was recognized as meritorious contributors to the war and still boasted a towering prestige today.
The devils, defeated in the war against the Empire, were afflicted by a curse cast by the combined strength of the God of Light and the light mages, making it impossible for them to set foot in the human realm with their physical bodies.
As long as light did not lose its power, the devils were forever barred from running rampant in the human realm.
Even though it was an event that had actually occurred in the distant past, it felt like I was reading a tale from legend.
While focusing all my attention on each and every word as if reading a novel, I felt a quiet voice near my ear without having sensed any presence.
“What are you doing here?”
Startled, I almost raised my voice unconsciously, but recalling that this was a library, I squeezed my vocal cords tight.
Consequently, only a sound like escaping air came out.
“I apologize. I didn’t think you would be so startled.”
“Wh-What on earth…”
Just as I was rubbing my goosebump-ridden arms and preparing to complain in a small voice, I saw Mikeron’s apologetic face.
‘Why is Mikeron here?’
Seeing his face, my bewilderment only doubled.
While I stammered, completely forgetting that I should be angry, he briefly scanned the book I was reading.
“It is about my family. Do you have something you are curious about?”
“Would you mind not reading over my shoulder?”
I quickly closed the book I was reading.
I never expected to run into the obnoxious bastard carrying that very family name while reading a section that mentioned the Leilight family.
‘What on earth did he think of me seeing me read such a thing?’
I felt as if my embarrassment was riding right on the edge of its limit.
“I didn’t know you had an interest in my family, Count. How fascinating.”
At that single remark, I finally snapped.
I hurriedly gathered the books piled like a tower and stood up from my seat.
“Are you leaving already? If you’d like, you are more than welcome to ask me directly.”
“No need. So please just leave me be and do not follow me.”
Despite my telling him not to follow, Mikeron trailed closely behind me.
I walked as fast as I could, but it was useless.
Quickly pulling up beside me, he took most of the tower-like stack of books from my hands.
Thanks to him, the weight was drastically reduced, making me feel light enough to fly, but I couldn’t be pleased.
Rather, I only felt complicated.
“Stop meddling.”
“I thought you would tell me to ignore you, but my prediction was wrong. It seems there are still many things I do not know about you, Count.”
“No, in the first place, why…”
I stopped mid-stride.
At that, Mikeron’s steps also halted.
“Why are you so desperate to help me?”
“Because you weigh on my mind?”
“Because seeing me reminds you of a certain person?”
“Well, yes.”
He smiled softly at me.
But I couldn’t bring myself to smile.
If the only reason Mikeron cared about me was that, then to him, I was…
Recalling the moment the Mikeron in my dream had sneered, I bit my lower lip and stared straight ahead as I walked.
He continued to follow behind me as I resumed walking.
***
I placed the books I was holding into the return bin and stepped outside the library.
Though I had come prepared to do nothing but read until sunset, the outside was still bright and radiant.
This was entirely because of Mikeron Leilight.
‘Why on earth, again, of all times, is he here?’
“Why are you here, Duke?”
I asked in a blunt tone, but a playful reply returned.
“I came because I had some brief business, but on my way out, I spotted you, Count, and ended up striking up a conversation.”
“Then are you saying today’s encounter was also a coincidence?”
“They say that if coincidences repeat, it is fate. Perhaps we are destined to be.”
The moment Mikeron mentioned destiny, it felt as though several boulders had rolled into the depths of my heart, thudding violently.
Mikeron’s destined partner was the lovely Mariel, not me.
His foolish joke irritated me for no reason.
“Don’t speak nonsense.”
“No one knows whether it makes sense or not. After all, we still do not know each other very well yet.”
No, it was definitely nonsense.
Because if we were truly destined, we should have been connected long ago.
But far from destiny…
I couldn’t stop a sneer from leaking out.
‘Would he be able to say the same thing if he heard how I died before the regression?’
“I have no desire to know anything about you, Duke, so please stay out of my business as well. And do not smile in front of me either.”
Whenever Mikeron showed concern for me, an unnecessary irritation flared up, and seeing him smile made my chest feel strangely broken.
This emotion, like a tiny whirlpool quietly swirling, was both unpleasant and oddly suffocating, making it difficult to clearly define.
“There are too many things I am forbidden from doing. You are truly a difficult person to understand, Count.”
“…”
“Just when I think you are giving me a chance, you push me away; and just when I think the distance between us has closed, you draw away again.”
“But wouldn’t it be stranger if we actually grew close?”
Leaving aside the matter regarding Mariel, imagining Mikeron and me being close felt as awkward as wearing shoes that didn’t fit.
And if you were to discover that I am a dark mage, you would surely…
My heart felt as if it were aching for no reason, so I pressed hard against my chest.
Smiling bitterly, I spoke.
“Do not waste your time on someone like me. Wouldn’t it be better to spend your time on someone meaningful instead?”
I deliberately beat around the bush, telling him he should treat Mariel well instead of doing this.
I didn’t want to feel this nameless emotion that surged whenever Mikeron was nice to me anymore.
“Please allow me to continue hating you, Duke.”
If I completely cast away even my final hatred toward him, I had no desire to know what emotion would remain in its place.
I was afraid of what kind of impact knowing it would have on me.
“Whether you are meaningful to me or not is for me to decide, not you, Count.”
“Do you truly need to evaluate it to know?”
“And asking me to allow you to hate me… what on earth does that mean? I cannot make heads or tails of it.”
Mikeron’s face distorted with complexity.
I did not resolve his confusion.
I had no obligation to do so, and furthermore, understanding my own feelings was difficult.
‘I don’t even understand myself, so what could I possibly explain to him?’
“In any case, do not act cordially toward me. After all, if it weren’t for Baron Mariel, we would be people who wouldn’t have exchanged a single word, wouldn’t we?”
“…”
“Just ignore someone like me. You are the Knight of Light admired by all, Duke.”
So, rejecting anything ominous was only proper.
As I quietly walked away, Mikeron did not follow me any further.
I managed my pounding heart, which raced for no reason, and dragged my heavy steps along.
***
The next day, as soon as it dawned, I headed back to the library.
Because of my sudden encounter with Mikeron yesterday, there were numerous books I had merely piled up without reading.
After stopping by the library to read the book on light magic I had left unfinished and going through several other magic-related texts, I still couldn’t find the information I desired.
Clutching my throbbing head, I lay slumped over the desk for a while before getting up from my seat.
Having focused solely on books all day, my brain felt packed with letters, and my thoughts refused to function properly.
I stepped outside the library to get some fresh air.
Contrary to my complicated state of mind, the weather was exceptionally wonderful today as well.
Feeling the warm wind on my skin and staring blankly at the sky as the sunset began to fall, perhaps because I was walking distractedly, I bumped forcefully into a person walking ahead of me.
“Kyaah!”
Though I was tall, I was on the thin side, so I was certainly as fragile as anyone, yet just how light was the person I bumped into to collapse so weakly onto the ground?
“I apologize. Are you alr—”
The moment I looked straight at the fallen person to check on them, the words flowing out of my mouth cut off abruptly.
Mariel was fallen right before me.
Recalling his expression from the festival made me feel suffocated, as if standing in the middle of a desert.
The heavy air felt as though it was crushing me.
Swallowing hard, I took a few steps back.
I couldn’t tell if my frantically pounding heart was racing out of anxiety, or because of my love for him.
Mariel clicked his tongue testily and got up on his own.
His green eyes were glowing menacingly.
“How truly impressive. I suppose if you stalk someone enough, you can even predict my behavioral patterns to know where I’ll go? Waiting right here for me.”
“You may find it hard to believe, but this is a misunderstanding. If you wish, Baron, I shall vanish from your sight this instant.”
Believing that confronting each other alone like this would be horrific from Mariel’s perspective, I intended to return immediately without wasting time.
However, Mariel stopped me.
“I heard about it from the Duke anyway. That you apologized and said you would never stalk me again, Count.”
When I had requested that he deliver the apology on my behalf, Mikeron was openly showing his distrust toward me.
And yet, it seemed he had properly conveyed the words I had asked him to.
“It seems the Duke conveyed it properly. Once again, I am truly sorry.”
As I bowed my head and offered my apology, a heavy silence fell.
I had never imagined I would be able to converse with Mariel in such a manner.
My heart trembled violently, and cold sweat broke out on my back.
“You’ve changed, Count.”
Contrary to my expectation that he would just ignore me and walk past, he uttered words whose meaning I couldn’t fathom.
Usually, saying someone had changed carried a positive connotation, but Mariel’s tone was slightly odd for it to be positive.
It was as if he was reprimanding me for changing.
“Because I have finally come to my senses.”
“I cannot accept that. Anyone else maybe, but you coming to your senses, Count? That’s impossible.”
“…Pardon?”
“Do not give up so easily. Hanging on pathetically until the very end… isn’t that what you do best, Count?”
Mariel smiled refreshingly.
His bright, cute smile was directed solely at me, yet it didn’t strike my heart as deeply as before.
‘Why isn’t an explosive emotion surging within me when the person I loved passionately is smiling right before my eyes?’
Just as I thought something was strange, Mikeron, smiling brightly amidst the bursting fireworks, came to mind.
‘I think my heart raced back then.’
Mulling over that moment, something warm suddenly surged inside my chest.
Something was definitely strange.
“Be honest, Count.”
He brushed past me, lightly gripping my shoulder.
“Wait a moment!”
Believing he had spoken like that because he couldn’t trust my words, I wanted to convey my sincerity once again, but Mariel did not look back at my call.
I awkwardly withdrew my fully outstretched arm.
‘Even if he cannot believe me now, he will understand my sincerity someday.’
Thinking in the most positive direction possible, I let out a heavy sigh.
In the past, I would have rejoiced over the fact that Mariel had given me an opening, racking my brain trying to figure out what would make him like me, but now I felt entirely indifferent.
During the transition of seasons from winter to spring, it felt as though something had also changed drastically inside me.
I should have welcomed that change, but it didn’t feel entirely pleasant.
I felt anxious and uneasy, as if emotions whose names I did not know had begun to tear my heart into a complete mess.
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