The sensation of skin touching her cheek was so vivid.
✦ ✦ ✦
“...ra.”
✦ ✦ ✦
She reached out a trembling hand, overlapping it over the hand on her cheek.
✦ ✦ ✦
“Ve…”
✦ ✦ ✦
“Yes.”
✦ ✦ ✦
A response came back.
✦ ✦ ✦
“I’m here.”
✦ ✦ ✦
Thump!
✦ ✦ ✦
Renee’s heart pounded.
✦ ✦ ✦
Despite her blurred senses, clear tears suddenly spilled from her eyes. With newfound strength, she clenched her teeth tightly.
✦ ✦ ✦
That hand she had longed for caressed her cheek, and the voice she had wanted to hear again seeped into her ears.
✦ ✦ ✦
“...Let’s go back.”
✦ ✦ ✦
Only then could Renee cry like a child.
✦ ✦ ✦
She wept as she smiled.
✦ ✦ ✦
Tiny orbs of light swirled around her and faded away.
✦ ✦ ✦
All that remained in the dark, damp swamp was a girl with a peaceful expression, fast asleep.
✦ ✦ ✦
Vera walked alone on the black path in a world of pure white.
✦ ✦ ✦
In his arms was a pure white woman, woven together by clusters of light.
✦ ✦ ✦
The woman, without even the slightest scratch on her skin, slept with a content expression as if in her mother’s embrace.
✦ ✦ ✦
Step.
✦ ✦ ✦
Step.
✦ ✦ ✦
Vera, who had been walking silently, reached the end of the path.
✦ ✦ ✦
There was a massive black door.
✦ ✦ ✦
Stopping before the door, he momentarily glanced down at the woman in his arms.
✦ ✦ ✦
“...Let’s go back,” he spoke, holding her tight.
✦ ✦ ✦
A wind blew across the meadow.
✦ ✦ ✦
In the distance was a large watermill and a farmer leading his cow and plow, along with children playing in a village.
✦ ✦ ✦
‘Remeo.’
✦ ✦ ✦
Remeo of Horden.
✦ ✦ ✦
This seemed to be where he had returned to.
✦ ✦ ✦
At the top of a hill overlooking the village, Vera sat down and laid Renee’s head upon his thigh, gazing at her sleeping face.
✦ ✦ ✦
Buuzzzz—
✦ ✦ ✦
The Holy Sword cried out.
✦ ✦ ✦
Vera smiled and responded.
✦ ✦ ✦
“Yes, I’ve finally found her.”
✦ ✦ ✦
Reaching out his hand, he stroked her hair.
✦ ✦ ✦
His fingertips brushed past her smooth cheek.
✦ ✦ ✦
Her tangled hair coiled around his finger.
✦ ✦ ✦
“Finally...”
✦ ✦ ✦
Snow-white and precious, the only thing he had wished for had returned to him.
✦ ✦ ✦
Vera’s expression clouded over.
✦ ✦ ✦
The light illuminating his ashen eyes grew damp with moisture.
✦ ✦ ✦
“Now I can...”
✦ ✦ ✦
A breeze swept across again.
✦ ✦ ✦
Her snow-white strands fluttered in the wind, covering his view.
✦ ✦ ✦
And once more, the darkness that had seeped into his heart lightened.
✦ ✦ ✦
It was over.
✦ ✦ ✦
The boy who was born as a sacrifice, who had lived to satiate his greed, and the villain who had tried to fill the void inside them with those desires.
✦ ✦ ✦
At the end of this long journey, he could finally grasp what he had truly wished for all this time.
✦ ✦ ✦
Realizing this, Vera’s expression clouded.
✦ ✦ ✦
The face Renee would see first when she opened her eyes shouldn’t be one of tears.
✦ ✦ ✦
His body, which had always followed his will, refused to obey him this one time.
✦ ✦ ✦
His eyes grew hot and tears of happiness seeped out, carrying his warmth.
✦ ✦ ✦
It fell down below, landing on the snow-white cheek.
✦ ✦ ✦
Drip—
✦ ✦ ✦
“Mm…”
✦ ✦ ✦
A murmur escaped Renee’s lips.
✦ ✦ ✦
Feeling the wetness that fell on her cheek, Renee lifted her head sluggishly, still drowsy and blurry-eyed.
✦ ✦ ✦
After that, she blinked vacantly with her mouth wide open.
✦ ✦ ✦
“Huh...?”
✦ ✦ ✦
Is this a dream?
✦ ✦ ✦
Just what am I seeing right now?
✦ ✦ ✦
Green.
✦ ✦ ✦
Shade.
✦ ✦ ✦
And a man.
✦ ✦ ✦
That was what her blinking eyes took in.
✦ ✦ ✦
Beneath his black hair, ashen eyes gazed back at her.
✦ ✦ ✦
He had sharp, striking features.
✦ ✦ ✦
With an expressionless face, he seemed like someone who could be very scary.
✦ ✦ ✦
However, those features still made her heart race.
✦ ✦ ✦
Slide—
✦ ✦ ✦
Renee placed her hand on the man’s cheek in a daze.
✦ ✦ ✦
The texture was immensely familiar.
✦ ✦ ✦
Just as Renee’s slightly open lips were about to speak...
✦ ✦ ✦
“Are you awake?”
✦ ✦ ✦
He said brightly, smiling.
✦ ✦ ✦
Along with his smile were tears glistening in the sunlight.