Ch.333Chapter 333 Epilogue – The Final Duel (1)

The price for letting words I wanted to say in a better atmosphere slip out uncontrollably was sharing both heat and sweetness on my lips, making my mind go blank.

When I kissed your forehead as you looked up at me with a surprised expression filled with expectation and joy after hearing my confession of love, I filled my lips with both heat and sweetness.

And as you struggled in surprise, I held you firmly while being completely lost in the moment.

At first, I supported your body when you lost balance from the shock.

But as time passed, you seemed to be deliberately struggling as if testing how long I could endure.

The more you struggled, the more firmly I supported you.

Despite the repeated pattern of you struggling and me supporting you, I never got to see your face after I kissed your forehead.

But I could sense it. Imagining what expression you might be making while struggling in my arms made the corners of my mouth lift involuntarily.

…Though not just my mouth, but various parts of my face were twitching enough to need urgent repairs, I won’t elaborate on that.

Come to think of it, I’m really fortunate. Fortunate that Shizu just buried her face in my chest.

If she had looked up and seen my face, she would have been full of mischief, ready to tease me, so I’m truly grateful she didn’t.

How much time passed as I supported you while you struggled?

Your somewhat deliberate struggling that had me completely distracted gradually slowed down.

*Breathe* *Breathe*

Before I knew it, a stillness arrived where I could hear only your steady breathing rather than having to withstand your struggling.

It was a signal that you, who had been struggling so vigorously, had succumbed to fatigue from everything that happened today and gently fallen asleep.

Even when you transferred your full weight onto me, it didn’t feel heavy at all.

Now that you stopped struggling and peacefully slept in my arms, your body felt so light that I thought even a feather supporting a bird in flight would be heavier.

You might ask if supporting someone who’s asleep or unconscious is harder than supporting someone who’s struggling?

If I say it’s light, then it’s light. Just accept it.

*Breathe* *Breathe*

…Anyway. While listening to your breathing that signaled the end of that storm-like chaotic moment,

“Hup.”

With a light grunt, I began preparing to make the sleeping Shizu more comfortable.

Though I grandly called it “preparing,” it wasn’t anything elaborate.

All I did was take off my uniform coat to make a place for you to lie down, and then gently lay you there.

Carefully, extra carefully, with hands more delicate than handling fragile porcelain, I placed your sleeping form on the makeshift bed I created with my coat.

*Breathe* *Breathe*

The moment your body touched the ground, your already steady breathing became even softer.

You were always a heavy sleeper who wouldn’t notice if someone carried you away, but today, after everything that happened, you had truly fallen into a deep slumber.

I gently raised my head to carefully examine your sleeping expression.

How should I describe your peaceful sleeping face, with only happiness remaining, free from any worry or concern?

…An angel?

“…Hah.”

As soon as I faced your sleeping expression, I dispelled the unnecessary thoughts complicating my mind with a single sigh.

Then I caressed my lips with one hand—the same lips that had touched your forehead in an expression of affection.

Even after a considerable amount of time had passed, I could tell my lips were still captivated by the warmth and osmanthus fragrance transferred from your forehead.

Since only Shizu and I perceived the normal flow of time in this otherwise slow-moving temporal stream, I couldn’t tell if the lingering bodily scent was lasting longer than usual.

One thing was certain, though—I was happy that traces you left on my body remained for me to perceive.

Whenever I’ve been bound to something before, it was always accompanied by unpleasant memories.

*Breathe* *Breathe*

But being bound to you, sleeping snugly in my arms,

And to this sensation you transferred to my lips—I think I could remain bound to these forever.

[You’ve grown quite sentimental now that things have ended safely.]

Hmm, should I include Fafnir’s teasing voice too?

[I must decline.]

‘You’re already declining even though I’m just thinking to myself? By the way, can you hear thoughts that weren’t intended as conversation?’

[Of course I can hear them. It’s not strange to feel relieved in the current situation, but you’ve let your guard down so much that I can hear all your thoughts right now.]

…Which means.

You’ve read ALL my thoughts about being bound to you and everything that followed, right?

[Precisely.]

…I suddenly feel sleepy.

[Trying to sleep because things got awkward?]

Kuhehe

Fafnir quipped at me while chuckling.

It was clearly a teasing laugh, but strangely enough, hearing it didn’t make me feel bad at all.

Normally when he teased me, I would counter appropriately to maintain balance.

And he would respond with even more mischievous remarks, gradually escalating things.

But today, strangely, I didn’t feel upset or irritated by any of his teasing words.

Well, even normally it wasn’t that I truly felt bad—it was more that a strange competitive spirit emerged, feeling that staying quiet after being teased would be like losing.

Anyway, why wasn’t there any emotional response urging me to snap back out of pride when hearing his teasing?

The situation was no different from usual, yet strangely, both my reason and instinct seemed to be in harmony, advising me not to react to such light teasing.

Hmm, I think I understand, but then again maybe not.

[I have something to say, Inseok.]

As I was trying to reach some conclusion, Fafnir’s voice resonated in my head with a calm tone, as if he had never been laughing.

His manner of speaking was still quite casual as usual.

After living with him for about three years, I had become quite familiar with how his demeanor changed dramatically between when he was joking and when he had something important to say.

But the atmosphere Fafnir conveyed as he lowered his voice to tell me something was overwhelmingly intense, even among all I had experienced before.

It made Desire, who had turned this palace to ruins and roared madly while pressuring me just a few hours ago, seem almost laughable in comparison.

‘Please go ahead.’

That’s why I pushed aside all the complicated thoughts that had been swirling in my head until just moments ago and responded calmly to his call.

Right after my regression, when everything was uncertain and I only had a vague sense of mission, feeling afraid of the future I had to walk toward.

Fafnir had given me proper strength and courage to face the unreasonable beings I would encounter.

So trivial concerns could wait until later.

‘Please speak. You’re not one to keep things bottled up.’

Thus, I indicated with a light but respectful tone that I was ready to listen to whatever he had to say.

Normally, Fafnir would have gotten straight to the point after such a response.

[Hmm…]

But for some reason, unlike usual, he let out a light sigh and seemed to be contemplating deeply. This hesitant appearance of his was one of the rarest sights I’d seen since knowing him.

[Hmmmm…]

The sighing sound echoing in my head grew longer.

That sigh conveyed a primitive concern, as if he was wondering whether he should even tell me this.

…What could he possibly want to tell me that required so much deliberation?

Three years is both long and short, depending on how you look at it.

But it was more than enough time to learn what kind of being Fafnir was, living in my head and striking up conversations whenever he felt like it.

He is a legendary being who left countless records in ancient times that would be considered mythical among us humans.

Possessing such immense power that traditions of him burning down entire countries with a single roar and breath of fire are still passed down.

And after an epic battle worthy of being called a saga with a warrior who drew his sword to punish him, he eventually fell.

His name is synonymous with brutality and ferocity to those who read and know history.

But to me, that name feels somewhat different.

A symbol of courage and strength who, from the unrecorded side of history, joined forces with the warrior who defeated him to show the will of living beings to those twisted divine power holders who tried to treat this world as their possession…

A great being who constantly trains day and night, striving not to go astray like before…

[Let’s spar.]

And also, this grateful being who constantly drives me to train day and night, leading me to this momentous day…

‘…What did you say?’

[I said, let’s spar.]

…I take back what I just said.

He is grateful, but so grateful that it makes my teeth grind slightly.