Chapter 99: When everything is over – 2

“…Vivian, let’s do it.”

Vivian, with her body heat rising, couldn’t fully grasp how difficult it must have been for Kailo every time he made this suggestion.

It was an unexpected proposal, but nothing could be more enticing.

A child.

A child of her and Kailo.

Vivian instinctively knew she could love that child without even seeing its face.

She had lost her parents and brother and yearned for family so much.

How long had she waited for someone to join her in the circle of family?

And now, the opportunity and method lay right before her eyes.

All she had to do was let go for a moment.

Then everything she desired would be within her grasp.

All she needed to do was drop her sharp facade and be honest.

Would she gain only a child today?

Kailo approached her.

“…Answer me, Vivian.”

Somewhere between desire and desperation, Kailo kept proposing.

Come to think of it, there was no reason left to hesitate about Kailo.

He wasn’t an enemy.

He was simply a foolishly kind knight who had protected her.

It would be foolish not to love him.

Women were eager to get Kailo’s attention, and yet here he was, suggesting that they create a child together.

Hidden behind his sweet promise of protecting her for life was the earnestness of his proposal.

But in that moment, Vivian recalled a conversation she had with Elena a few days ago.

It was a conversation she had pondered over again and again.

“…It’s been a while, Master.”

Vivian said, looking at Elena, who sat comfortably by the window.

It had indeed been a long time.

It felt like months had flown by unnoticed.

“My journey was grueling. Killing Count Corrode wasn’t exactly a simple task.”

At her master’s words, Vivian turned her head.

“Couldn’t you have killed him with sorcery from the comfort of home?”

“No matter how strong sorcery is, it’s not omnipotent. You know that, right? The target must be within a certain range of the caster for the spell to work, no matter how powerful the magic.”

Elena spoke as if it was obvious, but her admission of limitations made Vivian nod silently.

Elena was always like that—painting sorcery as the most powerful force in the world, only to later reveal its flaws and impossibilities.

As one grows older, they gradually come to understand that nothing in this world is perfect.

“…Vivian, you have a spell cast on you, don’t you?”

Elena suddenly said, looking at Vivian.

Vivian nodded.

She already knew.

“I cast it myself.”

“Oh, I see.”

Vivian’s left hand no longer functioned as it once did.

It lacked strength, and despite what she told Kailo, she couldn’t even feel it properly.

The healers couldn’t figure out the reason for it, but that was natural.

It wasn’t an injury.

Kailo had injured his hand severely while fighting one of the eight knights.

With her magic and the healers’ efforts, he recovered, but it was impossible for his body to show no scars.

His hand, in particular, bore the worst of it.

Vivian had learned this through the pain she shared with him every night.

He couldn’t use his hand properly, so Vivian kept casting a spell that took his pain onto herself.

It wasn’t because he was a knight who needed both hands.

It was simply because she couldn’t bear to see him in pain.

Taking the pain herself was easier.

So she didn’t undo the spell and kept casting it over and over.

“Does this spell also break if the distance becomes too great?”

Vivian asked Elena out of curiosity.

Elena nodded.

“All spells break with distance. Even if they last for a short time, it’s never permanent.”

Elena then shifted the mood.

“By the way, Vivian, you must be 18 by now. Aren’t you holding a banquet like last time?”

“…After what happened with Count Corrode, who has the time for that?”

“That’s a pity. But I guess that’s not what matters. Next year is more important, isn’t it? You’ll officially be an adult soon.”

Elena smiled a complex smile, both congratulatory and worried, and Vivian felt unease grow in her chest.

The witch’s offering.

The time to pay the price was drawing near.

Vivian knew that well enough.

The witch’s power had undoubtedly been a great help.

Spells that detected poison in food were useful, though perhaps less so with Kailo around.

The spell to detect lies had been invaluable in discerning enemies from allies and solidifying her position within the castle.

Her ability to eavesdrop through enchanted objects and even the elimination of Count Corrode—though not entirely her doing—were all thanks to this power.

It wasn’t just the strength of the magic that helped her.

The sense of security that came with it had been just as significant.

Thanks to it, she could confidently implement bold policies.

Now, she had to prepare to pay the price.

To offer something and gain even greater power.

But what would she have to sacrifice?

Unlike her childhood decision to become a witch, she now had many things she cherished.

She finally understood why people say you need to grow up to realize what’s truly precious.

“…Master.”

“Yes?”

“…What will I have to sacrifice?”

Overwhelmed by fear, Vivian asked.

The moment the question left her lips, her heart pounded, and she was too scared to move, even to hear the answer.

From the moment she learned that the Alan family had little to do with her family’s deaths, someone had become incredibly precious to her.

“I wouldn’t know, Vivian. How could I possibly know what’s most precious to you?”

Elena stepped down from the window and approached Vivian.

She held her shoulders gently, crouching to whisper in her ear.

“But you must prepare. If you can’t offer anything, you’ll be in even greater trouble.”

“…What do you mean?”

“All the accumulated magic in your body will drain away. You’ll lose the witch’s power and become a target. The Las Order, as persistent as they are, will come after you.”

“…So what do I have to offer? What do witches usually sacrifice?”

Elena stroked Vivian’s red hair and gave examples.

“One witch gave up her eyes. People often don’t realize how much they cherish their sight—reading books, admiring paintings, observing people’s expressions, enjoying cute animals, or taking in beautiful scenery… and so on. All these joys vanish when you lose your eyes. It’s precious enough that some take their own lives after giving it up.”

“Some even offer their tongues. The ability to speak. They lose the ability to say what they want and spend their lives listening to the nonsense of others. They can’t express their own opinions or defend themselves. Speech is actually quite important.”

Vivian knew that these things would likely be precious to her as well, but she didn’t think it would be what she would end up offering.

“…Are there cases where someone sacrifices a person?”

“What?”

“…A cherished person… Are there cases like that?”

She tried to deny it and push the thought away, but she couldn’t help but consider the possibility.

Elena’s response eased Vivian’s concerns.

“It’s… possible, I suppose. But it’s rare. It’s not even clear if that person would be considered ‘yours,’ and besides, for women, there’s something else.”

“What?”

Elena’s hand touched Vivian’s lower abdomen.

She pressed down slightly.

“Here. Just like me.”

Elena explained that she had sacrificed her womb to gain the power of a witch.

Back then, Vivian had briefly thought about offering her own womb, but the matter had been deferred with the reassurance that it would be a decision made in adulthood.

And now, she understood.

She understood what it truly meant to sacrifice a womb.

“…Ah.”

Elena spoke lightly, as if trying to lighten the mood.

“…It’s a big price to pay, isn’t it?”

Vivian’s breath grew rough with fear.

“It’s not certain, but you’ll likely… lose this part of yourself.”

“The many children you could have had with a man you love, and…”

“The future heir of Rondor that you cherished and dreamed of…”

“You’ll have to give up on that. You’ll have to let go of the role your family has left for you.”

Vivian touched her abdomen.

…My child.

…My family.

Even the vague thought of a future without them made her hands tremble.

It seemed as though she held onto a faint hope deep in her heart.

So this is it.

Vivian unintentionally admitted it to herself.

…This must be the most precious thing.

“It’ll be okay, Vivian.”

Elena whispered.

“…You can always adopt a child. If you let go of the desire for it to be ‘your own,’ you can still live happily.”

For some reason, tears welled up in Vivian’s eyes.

Tears she couldn’t quite understand.

“…You’ve survived. You’ve made it to this moment. Just think about that.”

Vivian nodded.

Even in the midst of despair, there was still hope.

Somewhere in her heart, a small part of her felt relief.

The sacrifice would likely be her womb.

The children she would have had with the man she loved, and Rondor’s future.

All of that would be offered.

But one thing would remain.

And in that thought, she found a quiet sense of comfort.

…Kailo would remain.

That alone was a reality she could find solace in.

As long as Kailo was with her, she could overcome anything.

He had always been there for her.

As long as he stayed, she could endure.

So she would, no matter what sacrifices she had to make.

“Vivian, say something—”

“When it’s all over.”

Vivian whispered, her body burning with heat as she replayed her thoughts.

“…What?”

Kailo asked again, unable to believe what he’d heard.

But Vivian repeated herself.

“…When it’s all over.”

The offering had to be made.

It wouldn’t be long now.

She had to follow through with her plan to offer her womb and ensure Kailo wouldn’t be sacrificed.

“…When it’s all over, ask me again then.”

“…You mean it, right?”

Vivian kept evading the question.

“I-I’m not even an adult yet. I still have a year left…”

“What does that have to do with anything—”

“A-And besides. You said there’s a war coming. Do you really want to talk about this now? Do you know how long the war could last?”

Vivian swallowed hard and moved closer to Kailo.

She didn’t want to push him away, even if the situation seemed hopeless.

She couldn’t bear the thought of him drifting away, not when she already carried such a heavy guilt.

Now, clinging to him with a little playful affection, she tried to bridge the gap.

“We’re almost there, Kailo. Just one last enemy left. After that, we can do all the things we talked about… taking walks, having drinks together… even dancing. Right?”

“…And maybe even having children?”

But there could be no children.

That would only make the parting more painful.

Vivian never forgot, not for a moment, that she was a witch.

Yet she could no longer push Kailo away.

Her savior.

Her only treasure.

She had no reason to keep her distance from him anymore.

Even though there wouldn’t be children, she could still envision a future with him.

There was no longer any reason to stay apart.

“…When it’s all over.”

Kailo closed his eyes and nodded at Vivian’s unchanged answer.

“…I’ll ask you again then.”

***

Four months had passed since Kayla’s visit.

Preparations for the war against Robert Rondor were in full swing, and more evidence of his attempts on Vivian’s life continued to surface.

Her offer to have him face trial in this land had long been ignored.

So they prepared for war, and Robert, too, fortified himself for a siege.

But the atmosphere in the castle wasn’t as heavy as one might expect.

At least, not between Vivian and me.

In fact, the air between us felt lighter and softer than ever.

Vivian’s attitude toward me had subtly changed, which likely explained the shift.

It was hard to describe, but she seemed more approachable, even playful at times.

She had clearly been struggling before, but now it seemed like she had found her own way to overcome it.

Perhaps it was when Nestor revealed his true identity and Vivian realized that Robert was one of the two who had targeted her all along.

Or maybe it was just a fleeting emotional wave women experience now and then.

I wouldn’t know.

Whatever the reason, one thing was certain—Vivian had changed.

Especially after I rejected the royal proposal and Kayla’s offer to leave her side, her warmth toward me deepened.

The same was true for me.

Her words, telling me to propose having children once everything was over, became my driving force.

A child with Vivian.

…Wouldn’t that be adorable?

It’s funny to think about children before we’ve even been intimate, but what does it matter?

Even if I were to return home, I would still want to have a child.

In that case, it’s better to stay here and have kids with Vivian.

“Hey! What are you doing, Kailo?”

“Get down, you idiot!”

And so, in the softened mood with her, I even did something strange just to see Vivian smile.

I started climbing up Vivian’s castle on all fours.

I knew she’d laugh more if I entered through the window than if I just came in through the door.

“!”

“…Are you an idiot?”

As soon as I reached the window, Vivian, who had been quietly waiting, asked me.

But despite her harsh words, her lips were curled into a wide smile.

Why am I an idiot?

This is all just to see that smile.

“Here.”

I took out the flower I had tucked in my chest and handed it to Vivian.

She stared at the flower for a long moment before slowly accepting it.

For just a single flower, she couldn’t take her eyes off it.

The lord of Loctana, head of Rondor, the girl who rebuilt a fallen family, the nightmare of the House of Corrode, and soon-to-be executioner of Robert Rondor.

A name that would make others tremble in fear, but to me, she’s never been much more than the crybaby who sobbed at thirteen.

She was my companion who fought through the long darkness by my side.

“…So, we’re having kids together?”

I joked again with a laugh as I spoke to Vivian.

She let out a dry laugh and then, unable to hold back a giggle, replied.

“…How many times do I have to tell you to talk about this after it’s all over?”

She used her delicate fingers to wipe away the tears caught in her eyes.

Would anyone understand what I feel, looking at a woman who sheds tears over a single flower?

Even if the whole world calls me crazy, the reason I’d risk my life for this was clear.

And when the thought strikes that this feeling might be a curse, my vision goes dark.

To keep my sanity, I had to cling to even the slightest possibility that this wasn’t a curse.

“Is the war preparation going well?”

I asked her while hanging onto the windowsill.

Judging by her appearance, it seemed she was having a tough time preparing all the documents.

Vivian plopped her elbows on the table before her and rested her chin on her hands.

As she sighed, the familiar scent of flowers tickled my nose.

“It’s going well.”

“Let’s end this war quickly, Vivian. I can’t wait anymore.”

Vivian gave a faint smile.

She no longer reacted as harshly to my advances as she used to.

I don’t know what brought about the change in her heart, but the person who once outright refused was gone.

It seemed to start the moment I declared to the royal family that I would stay by her side.

Since she no longer pushed me away, I constantly conveyed what felt like marriage proposals, and Vivian received them with smiles.

It felt like we’d finally reached a time of peace in our relationship, something I couldn’t even remember us ever having before.

We had come such a long, difficult way to get here.

Because of the fact that our families were tied together by grudges.

But now, in the end, we only showed unfiltered emotions to each other.

Vivian, resting her chin on her hands, gazed at me with languid eyes.

A faint smile on her lips, her eyes filled with thick emotions, unreadable.

As I stared at her, lost in thought, I snapped back to reality and spoke.

“This is taking too long. I should get going. Stay strong.”

As I was about to leave, Vivian’s hand touched my cheek.

“…Love you.”

She muttered softly.

“What?”

I couldn’t hear her properly, so I asked again, but Vivian just shook her head.

“…It’s nothing.”

Then she lowered her head, lightly stealing a kiss from my lips, and turned away.

“See you later, Kailo.”

I savored the soft touch lingering on my lips and replied.

“Yeah, see you later.”