Declaration (1)

* * *

The road to get there was two, but the road to return was one. Strangely enough, the number had decreased, but my feet felt heavier. My voice was just as heavy as a lump of iron, so I didn’t say a single word during the carriage ride. I’ve never been much of a talker to begin with, but when I become aware of being alone like this, I fall into a terrible silence.

“….”

I pull my hood down to block out the sunlight. I leaned against the wall with a gloomy face. I can see the world changing rapidly through the slightly open window. I take my eyes off the dizzying world and lower my head, and I can see a pile of things.

They were gifts. Around me, there were only gifts that Aileen had packed. The gifts, which were more than a bundle, were filled with Aileen’s sincerity and love. Feeling once again that she is too much of a daughter for me, I reach out my hand.

A golden apple brought from Yggdrasil. An amulet woven from hair. A handkerchief knitted stitch by stitch to prevent the use of magic. Soft hair and pieces of cloth flow through the gaps in my fingers. I smiled faintly at the feeling of my fingers gently brushing against them.

I wish I could see her every day. I close my eyes, remembering Aileen feeding me an apple with a warm face.

Installing a portal in Astra, or even linking my mind to become one with Aileen-I had so many convenient technologies, but I never used any of them properly. It’s because I don’t have the confidence to accelerate our meeting. I’m afraid of the discord that will erupt in that passing time.

Riding in a carriage is a kind of mental preparation. Time that I need, as I’m not yet accustomed to the world. How scared I was when I tried to meet Shuriel with Aileen, who was not yet born, in my womb.

In fact, I still feel a little like that now. Meetings after separation were always scary. I took a deep breath, calming my anxiously trembling breath, and opened my eyes.

The streets of Lushelliny. Well-paved stone floors. A passerby complaining about stepping on dog poop. Merchants selling flowers. The time that had passed had been urgent and dangerous, but the world I faced when I opened my eyes had not changed. No matter how many Demons I catch, the result will be the same. Because Demons are constantly being created.

‘Barpheaugos….’

Barpheaugos… Barpheaugos. The Demon of War. The Demon King’s right-hand man. The ruler of Pandemonium. The antithesis of God, who commands all Demons and summons the dead from the tomb of iron and flesh. It was a Demon I had heard about hundreds of times while doing work that was no different from that of an Agent. Now, he was closer to a Demon King than a Demon.

Wouldn’t I be able to catch him? It’s not like I haven’t thought about it once or twice. If Shuriel and the other Agents had your power. I even affirmed that I could find Life Vessel and kill him. But the Demon of War. Once that power is activated, all the land of the Empire becomes a battlefield.

Forced total war. Barpheaugos’ power grows stronger as the number of dead increases. I have to cut off his head before humanity is ruined. It was not just my fight. It was a time attack that advanced with the lives of innocent people and the courage of soldiers who risked death as collateral.

Suddenly, I understood the heart of the hero written in fairy tales. Barpheaugos must have also existed as a close aide to the Demon King, so the hero must have advanced by using the deaths of his own people as a stepping stone.

But. Do I have to find peace even by doing that? Everyone knows that Barpheaugos is an untouchable Great Demon. But… isn’t it thanks to his power to suppress war that we can live like this?

Of course, if I said something like this, I would be branded as a Demon worshiper and my head would be cut off. Still, it was a clear fact that political struggles and armed conflicts had become smaller in scale. I guess they know it but keep quiet.

Even so, the Barpheaugos subjugation theory was a topic that came up every year. They say that since we won once, we can win again. Of course, the soldiers have no say in the matter. The armchair discussions that trivialize the lives of those below always run parallel.

Shuriel.

He said that he didn’t like the nobles’ meetings. Ad nauseam. So much so that I was sick of hearing it. And he didn’t stop there, but directly killed Demons and showed his hatred to the world. He, who thought of the Agent’s work as ‘business’ more than anyone else, became serious about Demon hunting from some point on.

Did he really have to do that? I couldn’t help but think that. There was no grand mission to save the world. Since I promised to help him, I couldn’t back out, but the wish in my heart timidly wriggled and bowed its head.

The three of us.

Forever.

I want to create my own utopia where no one comes and decorate it with memories. Time is too short to love me like a flower for just one season.

Yes, it would be good to separate the space. If I learn it properly, it will take about a month at most. Since the base is solid, the application will be easy. If possible, I would like to use dimensional magic… but the theory is unstable and has not been verified. It looked impossible to me too.

If possible, I would like to go to Earth once. Nostalgia has long since flown away, but wouldn’t it prove that I’m not a crazy bitch with a mental illness?

Still. Still. Since I promised to change things. I had to do something for Aileen’s sake. I just had to pray that it wouldn’t become a monkey’s paw. I close my eyes again, wishing that the world that will change will be peaceful.

* *

Shuriel, whom I met again, was the same as ever. The only slight flaw and humor point was that his hair was dry and rough from being exhausted from work. He must have known that I would be anxious, so he managed his expression very well. So much so that I noticed it. Touched by his kindness, I didn’t tremble with anxiety like before.

Shuriel smiled bitterly as he looked at the gifts I had packed. Aileen’s gifts contained affection that could be felt even without looking at them. In fact, he didn’t seem very happy, but he showed only the most positive emotions in front of me.

I wasn’t disappointed. I know how troublesome child problems are for a noble who is a Count. Especially for someone who expected to be a lifelong bachelor. Terribly, Aileen knows that too. That’s why she didn’t stop me from leaving.

However, once I had relieved the excitement of the reunion-for example, physically-I had to move busily again. The Third Prince’s birthday was approaching. Especially since I, who would be participating as his partner, was dragged around by the maids under the pretext of dressing up.

Having experienced it once before, I didn’t show any dislike and quietly closed my eyes. When I open my eyes again, they will decorate me according to the trend. After all, I’ll remove the cumbersome decorations on the way.

The chaotic coordination started and ended after a full two hours. But despite their tireless efforts, the dress didn’t change much. Only the arms and cleavage that were exposed when it was moved to the banquet hall were covered.

The most changed thing was my hair. Hair decorated diagonally with pure white petals that contrasted with the black dress. The simple twin tails were transformed into something gorgeous with a lot of unknown techniques added. It’s trendy these days to put small petals around the chest or ears.

But there was one unusual thing in the ‘current trend’.

“Now, open your mouth.”

“My mouth…?”

Open my mouth? Are they going to put on lipstick? But my lips have a perfect color on their own, so it’s better to leave them as they are. Still, I have to do as they say. I don’t have the confidence to deal with the maids who will cling to me and chatter if I refuse. I close my eyes again and open my mouth.

“Ah… Haup…?”

A small bead touches my tongue. As soon as it entered my mouth, I reflexively rolled my tongue. It was sweet. Soon, a fragrant scent permeated. When I opened my eyes with a bewildered face, the maid said with a beaming face.

“Ah, it’s a breath-freshening candy! Lemon scent is popular, but peach scent is also popular, so would you like to try that too?”

“Then, peach scent.”

Whether it’s lemon or peach. It didn’t melt easily no matter how much I rolled it. It seemed okay to eat it, but it was a candy that focused on the residue of the scent rather than eating it. It is said that if you suck on it for about thirty minutes, it will last for five hours. The scent is not too strong and is just right, so it’s popular among women.

“Before you leave, we recommend that you don’t eat or eat very little. Because the smell can be erased.”

“Thank you for the advice. I’ll keep that in mind.”

I wasn’t going to eat anyway, so it didn’t matter.

After receiving a couple of candies, I got up from my seat and went straight to Shuriel. There was no particular purpose. I was just looking for him because I felt empty when there was no one next to me.

A meeting that has now become a daily routine. I roll the candy, realizing once again how much I have changed. Peach-scented candy. My body is already a perfect female, so I can change my body according to the male’s demands, but sometimes these artificial scents are not bad.

• Knock knock.

“Shuriel. Are you there?”

My pronunciation was slurred because I was rolling the candy. Shuriel, who heard this ridiculous voice, quickly opened the door.

• Bang!

The door opens and a messy office comes into view. And in the middle of it, a tall man is standing there.

“Why are you looking for me?”

It was Shuriel.

“Does there need to be a reason to look for you?”

He’s still a blunt man. Asking me the reason why I came right away. Doesn’t he even see the dress I carefully coordinated? I rolled the candy with a sulky expression. Clatter, clatter. It makes a hard noise as it hits my teeth.

“…What are you eating?”

Shuriel is puzzled because I keep talking with a slurred pronunciation. Because I’ve never talked while eating something. It smells a little sweet, but I closed my mouth quickly, so it was hard to tell what the smell was.

“It’s nothing.”

I answered, deliberately erasing the smell. The slurred pronunciation was a bonus.

“Ha.”

He senses the magic I used to erase the smell. Shuriel made a very arrogant expression when I blatantly showed that I was sulking. Yes. That’s the expression. A beastly expression that looks like he’s about to pounce on me. I tried to hide my excited feelings and turned my head.

“Shuriel.”

I say without looking at him.

“Are you curious?”

“Are you talking about the candy in your mouth?”

“Yes. Candy. You’re quick to notice. But Shuriel.”

I had a fun idea. I said as I walked forward lightly.

“This candy is popular among young ladies. It matches the scent to the exact scent you want without having to hide it with perfume.”

“So?”

“…Can’t you fix the habit of answering in short sentences? I want to hear more diverse answers. Anyway.”

I walk right up to him. I tried to raise my short legs by standing on tiptoe. Even so, there was a head difference, but I didn’t care and said.

“This…”

I stop rolling the candy and gently wrap it with my tongue.

“…Aren’t you curious what it smells like?”

And I hold it out.

“…….”

A transparent candy in the middle of my tongue glistens with saliva. But even though I opened my mouth, there was no smell. It was a clear provocation. Shuriel looked at me pitifully for playing such a seductive prank as soon as I finished coordinating my dress.

But the tip of his foot. Shuriel’s toe moved. As if the expression of despising me was just an expression, he naturally reached out his hand and wrapped it around my waist. At that moment, my body floated. He tightens his grip on my waist using his forearms. I saw his face getting closer in the rising view.

“Chuheup….”

Thump. Our faces collide. But the shock didn’t last long. A thick tongue entered between our touching lips. Like a remote village, I, whose walls were easily breached, had no choice but to be ruthlessly violated.

My saliva is taken away, and even the scent and taste contained within it are taken away. He hugs me so tightly that my spine is crushed, and he steals it. The violence that lasted for dozens of seconds ended when I couldn’t come to my senses and drooped down.

“Hua, heu….”

My face is red from shortness of breath. I, who landed on the floor, couldn’t find my center of gravity and fluttered around dizzily.

• Thump.

The one who caught me as I collapsed was Shuriel. He said with a mocking expression.

“It tastes like peach.”