CHAPTER 503: IF STORY - THE INITIAL DRAFT (11)

0% “...You’re late, Frey.”

As the sun, which had illuminated the world all day, set and the shy moon emerged,

“Well, I suppose you’re late every day now.”

Clana, resting her chin on her hand while lying on her desk, puffed out her cheeks and muttered.

“Why does he do these things?”

Over the past few months, the relationship between Clana and Frey had developed at an incredibly rapid pace.

“I could never even imagine doing something like that.”

Since the day he was first caught, Frey had attempted numerous times to erase her memories.

Memory-erasing potions, perception-blocking spells, Kania’s black magic, even the Archmage’s artifact and the Stone of Domination.

He had used every possible method, but Clana’s memories remained firmly intact.

“The diary... it changed.”

“What?”

About a month after his repeated failures, Frey slumped down beside her with an exhausted expression and muttered.

“The pages, which showed no sign of changing before, finally...”

“...?”

“...I give up. I’ll stop trying to erase your memories, Princess.”

From that day on, Frey stopped trying to erase her memories and instead... became her loyal dog.

“Do you see this, Princess?”

“This is...?”

“It’s the contract that binds both of us. Of course, at this point, only my obligations remain.”

It wasn’t a metaphor.

“And what exactly is this obligation?”

“It’s simple. My soul has already been offered to you.”

“What!?”

Frey had, in a literal magical sense, become Clana’s possession.

“You can now order me to do anything. If I refuse, I will die.”

“...”

“And if you die, I will die too. A pet without a master is bound to perish.”

Clana’s eyes trembled as she stared at the devoted and obedient pet that had suddenly appeared in her life.

“Why do you treat someone like me so well?”

“...”

“Why me? You had plenty of alternatives. Someone like Rifael, or even the Sunset family’s branch members...”

“They could never replace you.”

The words Frey uttered while looking straight into her eyes—

“I serve only you.”

They were the words she had longed to hear all her life.

“...I wonder if he’ll be back by dawn.”

Perhaps that was why, despite Frey’s insistence, waiting up all night for him had become part of Clana’s routine.

“I practiced a lot by myself. Read some books, too...”

Of course, her reasons weren’t entirely pure.

“Little Princess, it’s time for bed now.”

“That’s right! If you don’t sleep, you won’t grow taller!”

“...Hmm.”

If these maids, who still treated her like an innocent young lady, ever found out what really happened under the pretense of “commands” every night—

“I’m not a kid anymore.”

“Yes, yes, of course...”

“...Now that I think about it, you do seem a bit more mature, somehow?”

They would probably stand there with stunned, slack-jawed expressions.

“...Next time, I should bite down on purpose.”

Still, she was far from experienced, so as soon as the lights went out, she mumbled sleepily and crawled into bed.

“...Oh.”

Just as she was about to fall asleep, something caught her eye.

“That’s...”

A familiar object gleamed under the moonlight on Frey’s desk.

“...His diary.”

The diary Frey had secretly read whenever no one was around for the past few months.

“...”

In that brief moment, countless thoughts flashed through Clana’s mind.

Would it be okay to read it?

Would she regret it?

Would she lose the only ally and the person she loved if she did?

- Step, step...

Even as she swallowed nervously at those ominous thoughts, her feet carried her toward Frey’s desk.

I want to know the truth.

Though she had learned many things about Frey, there were still things she didn’t know.

That diary—the one he always looked at when he was alone, the one she hadn’t even known existed.

If she read it—

If she could get closer to understanding his purpose—

Maybe, just maybe, she could help him in some way.

- Rustle...

Lost in thought, Clana’s fingers brushed against the cover of the diary.

“...”

And then, a brief silence followed.

“...Huh?”

For the first time, as she saw the diary up close, Clana realized it looked strangely familiar and muttered absentmindedly.

“This is... Serena’s diary?”

Indeed.

The diary on Frey’s desk was exactly the same as Serena’s diary.

“...What’s going on?”

The only difference was that the cover was old and worn.

“I-I should check the contents...”

Looking down at the diary with a dazed expression, Clana slowly flipped it open—

- Flutter, flutter...!

“Kyaa!?”

Only for the pages to suddenly flip wildly on their own.

“W-What...”

The pages continued to turn at high speed, until they reached the very end—then stopped on their own.

- Shaaaa...

Before Clana could even recover from her shock, the soft moonlight filtering through the window illuminated the diary’s open pages.

“...!”

And at that moment, she froze in place, her face turning deathly pale.

“T-The letters... They’re appearing on their own...?”

On the once-empty pages, rough handwriting was rapidly being written out before her very eyes.

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“Hey, are you okay? You can move again now, right?”

“...”

As I absentmindedly chewed on the bread the boy handed me, he smiled and spoke.

“Even if you can’t move, you need to get up now.”

“...Why?”

“It looks like the pursuit from the mainland came faster than expected.”

Saying so, he stood up and whispered with sharp eyes.

“A moment ago, the mana surrounding the island suddenly shifted.”

“...What?”

“They tried to conceal it as much as possible, but only an Archmage can create such a large-scale fluctuation. And not just one or two—there must be at least three.”

Hearing that, my body lost all strength.

“No way... They’ve already started teleporting? But how...?”

“Our empire has a genius on its side.”

If what he said was true, there was no escape from this island.

The Teleportation Magic Circle usually takes several days to activate.

But once it’s cast, the activation time is only a few hours.

Now that the spell had already begun, I had mere hours left.

Not nearly enough time to find a way off this island.

“...What are you doing? Come on, follow me.”

“...?”

Just as I was about to give up and lower my head, the boy grabbed my hand and pulled me up.

“Hold your sword properly. Even now, a sniper unit is probably aiming for you.”

“...Ugh?”

And before I knew it, he started leading me somewhere.

“You... what are you planning...?”

Dragging my exhausted body behind him, I gritted my teeth as I saw where we had arrived.

“...Ta-da.”

“What the hell is this?”

The place he had taken me to was none other than a cliff.

.

.

.

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“Stop right there!!”

“Don’t move!!”

As I stared blankly at the sheer drop below, soldiers suddenly appeared from all directions.

“You’re surrounded!! There’s no escape!!”

“Surrender peacefully!!”

As I stared at the sharp spears and swords pointed at me, a burning heat boiled inside my chest.

“I asked you—what the hell is this?”

“What do you think? This is your escape route.”

The uncontrollable fury within me turned toward the boy who had so casually led me here.

“...You tricked me.”

“Ugh.”

Of course, the only thing I could do was drive my blade into the heart of this deceitful bastard.

“Did you know? If I twist this blade just one centimeter deeper, you’ll die.”

“Ugh...”

But that was enough.

At least, in the end, I could take revenge on the one who had played me for a fool.

“Just so you know.”

As I twisted the ice dagger as far as I could, the boy groaned in pain.

“You’re the perfect company to take with me before I die.”

I was done being used. Being deceived.

- Crack...!

I just wanted peace.

“W-Wait...”

As I shoved the blade into his heart, that was the only thing I was thinking.

- Shaaak...

“...!?”

Until I suddenly felt a warmth spreading through my hands.

“You should really... listen until the end.”

Before I could even understand what had happened, my body lurched backward.

“...My escape route.”

Before I realized it, I was falling off the cliff.

“—is through the sky.”

In what seemed to be my final moment, I saw it clearly.

- Crackle...

The dark red gemstone glowing in his hand.

The legendary artifact of Domination rumored to be the source of all demonic power, including that of half-demons.

The Stone of Domination.

- Shwaaa...

The moment I realized what was flowing into me through his touch, everything changed.

“Wh-What...!”

“But... we sealed away her demonic powers...!”

It took me less than a second to unfurl the wings I had always been forced to hide and unleash my sealed demonic strength.

“”...””

Floating in midair, I stared blankly at the boy, who had now collapsed on the ground, clutching his chest.

“You... saved me?”

“...Cough, cough.”

“Is this... real?”

With that action alone, everything became clear.

This boy had willingly brought me all the way here... with my dagger still embedded in his heart—

to save me.

- Whooosh...

The wind was strong.

The height was sufficient.

If I rode this wind, even with the small portion of my demonic power that had returned thanks to the Stone of Domination, I could make it back to my homeland.

And yet—

Why.

Why did he—

“...Ah.”

Still dazed, staring at the boy, the truth hit me.

“Hero...”

The Stone of Domination—the very artifact that had defeated me in this war.

For him to be wielding it, there was only one explanation.

“You’re...?”

“Shh...”

And at that moment, everything fell into place.

“...You should go. Now.”

“Fire!! Shoot her down!!”

“Damn it! We can’t let her escape!!”

The ancient prophecy that foretold the Hero would one day save the world.

The Hero who, at the final moment, did not strike me down.

“You know? You’re being deceived.”

“...?”

“It wasn’t the Empire that kidnapped your parents and siblings.”

During our brief moment of rest earlier—

“If you don’t shut that mouth of yours...”

“...The Demon King.”

“What did you just say?”

An ominous revelation, spoken as he handed me a piece of rye bread.

“The one who sought to destroy you and your kingdom wasn’t the Empire—it was the Demon King.”

Putting all the pieces together, there was only one conclusion.

You... truly are the hero?

The reckless fool before me, smiling and waving so nonchalantly, was the very Hero destined to protect the world.

“Ah...”

The realization hit me like a crashing wave, leaving my mind spinning.

“My god...”

The prophecy of an ancient kingdom, which I had never once forgotten since childhood, flashed vividly through my mind.

[When a great evil awakens...]

“If that prophecy is true...”

[The kingdom shall leave an unhealable wound upon its adversary.]

This war had been waged to prevent that prophecy from coming to pass.

To strike down the ‘Great Evil’ before it could bring ruin upon the world.

After a long campaign to sway public opinion, we had attacked the Empire.

And yet—

“...In the end, I made you into that adversary.”

The boy clutched his chest, panting heavily.

The Frozen Heart Curse.

It was widely known as a horrifying spell that gradually froze the victim’s heart.

But its true form was something else entirely.

A self-sacrificial protection spell.

A Grand Anti-Magic spell that could neutralize any demonic power—

Even if the opponent was the Demon King.

Even if they were the strongest demon in history.

With this magic, they could be defeated.

“...Kh.”

But only if one could endure the excruciating agony of having their own heart carved apart.

“...”

As the Archmages arrived, just moments away, I stood frozen, staring at the boy who was barely holding on through unimaginable pain.

“S-She’s gone!!”

“...Shit.”

And when I finally vanished from sight,

For some reason—

A few large, heavy droplets

—fell from the sky.

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- Creak...

A few hours after Aishi had disappeared.

“...Ah, Serena.”

Gasping for breath inside the interrogation room, Frey looked up as the iron door creaked open, revealing Serena.

“It’s been a while since I last saw your—”

“Shut up.”

Her voice was devoid of anger.

She was already past the point of frustration—just cold and empty.

That alone made Frey close his mouth immediately.

“...Well, anyway, I’m sorry about this. But it wasn’t on purp—”

- Grip...

Before he could finish, Serena reached across the table, grabbed him by the collar, and raised her right hand.

- Slap!

A crisp, resounding sound echoed through the room.

“W-What are you—?”

- Slap, slap, slap!

“Ugh...?”

She cut off his bewildered protest, delivering a relentless series of slaps, her voice chillingly quiet.

“I’m sorry, Frey, but do me a favor—stop breathing.”

“...What?”

And the next moment—

“...Khak!?”

Frey clutched his throat with both hands, gasping desperately for air.

“A wretch like you doesn’t deserve the luxury of breathing.”

“Ghhk—Hhhk...”

“Die. Die, die, die!! Just die already!!!”

Serena straddled him, pressing down with all her strength, her fingers digging into his throat.

Soldiers burst into the room, shouting as they tried to pry her off.

“Why won’t you die even after all this...? Haven’t you had enough...?”

“Ugh...”

“Please... just die already... I’m begging you...”

Tears welled in both their eyes, for entirely different reasons, their gazes meeting in the most painful way.

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.

.

Meanwhile, at that very moment—

—I shouldn’t have slapped him that day.

—I shouldn’t have done something as foolish as suddenly strangling him.

“This is...”

—I should have thought about why he was gasping for breath.

—Why he looked at me with those tears in his eyes.

—Why didn’t I just stop and think, even for a moment, with that so-called brilliant mind of mine?

As Clana read the words appearing in the diary before her, her vision trembled.

—No, even if I didn’t realize everything else...

—That one thing—telling him to die as soon as possible...

—That was something I should have never said...

Somewhere along the pages, tear stains had begun to seep into the stiff paper, silently soaking it through.