“Me becoming Duke Felicity?”

Cassius nodded.

“You say the life of an emperor doesn’t form in your mind, but Duke Felicity might be different.”

That was true.

From the moment she was born, Reibella had been raised and treated as the heir to Felicity.

“Whoever becomes emperor, the first task will be to clear Uriah Felicity’s false charges and restore his honor.”

Uriah Felicity, the subject of the false charges, had been dead for a long time. So his only blood relative, Reibella, would have to take his place.

“Haven’t you thought about that either?”

“I have thought about it.”

It was an issue she couldn’t help but think about. After all, it was about clearing Felicity’s false charges.

“But I didn’t think deeply about it. Because there’s always the possibility of something unexpected.”

The others were protagonists from a novel. It was impossible to know what kind of advantageous moves the world would make for them. She wanted to be cautious in everything, so she preferred to think about a rosy future only after everything had succeeded.

It was an issue she had deliberately buried.

“Then it would be good to start thinking about it now.”

“If I become Duke Felicity, I’ll have to live apart from you, Dad. Would that be okay?”

“There’s no need to worry about that. I can just hand things over to Royan.”

He smiled kindly and continued.

“Royan had me by his side from when he was 10 until he turned 20. Now I want to watch you grow.”

He meant not to hesitate making choices out of fear of losing family.

“Whatever you choose, I, Royan, and the Grand Duke will be by your side.”

“Thank you, Dad. I’ll think carefully and make a decision.”

Reibella smiled back at Cassius, who was looking at her contentedly, and turned her head toward her mother’s grave.

As she did so, she pondered Cassius’s words.

Now before her were numerous choices and an infinite future unfolding. She had the opportunity to walk through ‘her life’ with infinite possibilities, becoming the protagonist of ‘her world,’ not just playing a supporting role in someone else’s life.

Reibella began to carefully consider what colors and pictures to paint, like an artist with a blank canvas.

Somehow, she felt as if her mother was smiling at her.

‘My Rel, I’m so proud of you.’

Just as she had always encouraged and supported her young daughter in everything she did.

* * *

The next day, following the priests’ solemn procedures, Reibella loaded her mother’s coffin onto a carriage and moved to Reliccarve.

Since Reliccarve was less than a day’s distance from the capital, it took nearly four days to reach.

The territory she visited after a long time had changed somewhat from her memory. The crops that always grew abundantly seemed to have lost some vigor, and the forest somehow appeared to have lost its vitality.

Moreover, Felicity Castle, seen from a distance, had been abandoned for more than ten years after losing its owner and had become ruins. While the rest of the world was gradually finding its place, this place alone continued to bear the pain of losing its lord ten years ago.

Reibella arrived at the family cemetery located near the Spirit Forest and buried her mother alongside her father, who had arrived earlier.

Somehow, the residents of the territory had learned of this and came one after another to bless the day of their final rest.

Watching this scene, Reibella suddenly recalled the day she first visited her father’s grave.

Her father, who should have received such sincere condolences from everyone and met a noble end, had been buried alone in a land of death where even God did not bless, with a collapsed church.

But now, it finally felt like things were in their rightful place.

Reibella could finally realize that her long efforts had not been in vain.

So it was a sad but happy day.

* * *

“Leon, don’t grow your body, you’re startling the spirits.”

“Kyup.”

When Reibella released him from her arms, Leon eagerly darted out and began flying between the large trees.

Since regaining his original power, Leon had particularly enjoyed flying around.

“But why can’t Leon speak? Don’t all dragons speak?”

“Kyu! Kyukyup!”

As she tilted her head at this sudden question, Leon grumbled as if protesting. As if it wasn’t his fault. The beautiful spirits that had approached by now were also huffing together, and Reibella couldn’t help but laugh at how cute they looked.

“There are so many spirits.”

Spirits that had appeared in the blink of an eye were joyfully flying around her. It almost seemed like they were welcoming Reibella’s visit.

This place, filled with spirits, was the Spirit Forest. It was known as a forest that only those with Felicity blood and those permitted by Felicity could enter.

“It’s peaceful.”

Watching Leon playing happily with the spirits, Reibella recalled when she had visited this place in her father’s arms. Back then, it was just a forest with nothing special.

“Did you call me because you wanted to show me this?”

When Reibella asked the butterfly sitting on her shoulder, it fluttered its wings lightly with a proud demeanor.

It seemed to be saying, “What do you think? Isn’t it pretty?”

“It is pretty. I’d like to show Calyx too.”

When Reibella muttered softly, the butterflies’ movements became busy. They somehow seemed to be whispering to each other.

Then suddenly, a strong wind blew. A beautiful light scattered and disappeared in an instant.

And in the place where the light vanished……

“……Calyx?”

Calyx appeared.

Surprised by the unexpected situation, Reibella called his name with a voice that seemed to say “could it be,” and Calyx, who had been frowning slightly as if displeased, turned his head to look for Reibella.

The moment Reibella was reflected in his jewel-like beautiful red eyes, his charming tear mole stood out beautifully.

“Rel?”

He approached and stood in front of Reibella. When Reibella brought her hand to his cheek, Calyx buried his cheek in her hand, as he always did.

“Calyx? How……”

Ah.

Reibella, belatedly realizing the situation, gave a hollow laugh.

“They told me not to speak carelessly in front of spirits.”

Reibella, muttering quietly, said to Calyx with an embarrassed smile.

“I’m sorry, Calyx. It’s because of me. I said I wanted to show you this scenery. So I think the spirits brought you here.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, just like when I said I wanted to see a dragon and we met Leon.”

Recalling that time, Reibella giggled. Calyx’s eyes curved beautifully as he looked at her.

“Calyx, look over there.”

Reibella took his hand and pointed in one direction. His gaze followed the direction of her finger.

“Isn’t it pretty? I wanted to see it together.”

Numerous spirits were frolicking among the beautifully tended trees. And Leon was flying among them, mingling together.

Every time a breeze scattered, beautiful light flowed like waves, and a pleasant melody like clear bell sounds rang out.

It was a scene that seemed not of this world.

“Since meeting you, whenever I see something good, I always think of you.”

When she ate something delicious, she thought of Calyx; when something joyful happened, she wanted to chatter to Calyx about it. When she saw a beautiful scenery, she wanted to see it with him, wanted to go with him.

She wanted to share everything with him.

“Calyx, did you find what I hid in the palace?”

“Yes, I found it.”

After Reibella left, Calyx was able to immediately discover the message she had hidden. Just like before, she had slipped a note between books on a bookshelf in one corner of the room.

“Are you prepared?”

At Reibella’s question, Calyx slowly nodded.

“But I’m not going to do it now.”

He asked, looking into Reibella’s eyes.

“You’ve made up your mind, right?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll wait. Until you’re ready.”

The message Reibella had left in the note was “I love you, will you propose to me again?”

She also knew that when Calyx had previously confessed, “Become my emperor,” it was literally just that meaning, not a true proposal.

So Calyx was planning to properly propose to her again.

However, it had been postponed because Reibella had finally begun to contemplate her own future.

She had spent her entire life running forward, but it had all been for survival.

Seeing her thinking about her own future, albeit unfamiliar with it, he couldn’t bring himself to constrain her future with marriage.

So although his desire to be with her was great, he decided to put it on hold for now.

“As long as you love me, I can wait forever.”

At Calyx’s sweetly whispered words, Reibella blushed slightly and replied.

“There will never be anyone in this world who pleases me more than you. You’re the best.”

“……I should give the best gift to my fiancée who says such pretty words.”

Calyx declared with a charming smile.

“As emperor, I will return everything to you, Rel.”

“You don’t hate becoming emperor?”

“I hate seeing you bow your head to another man even more.”

Displaying intense possessiveness, he stole Reibella’s lips in an instant. Then, slowly pulling his lips away, he whispered.

“Congratulations, Rel. Everything in the empire has become yours.”

Long ago, Calyx had wished.

To gift the empire at Reibella’s feet. That wish had just now come true.

Looking at him with his satisfied expression, Reibella whispered.

“Then all that’s left is to go see the ocean together?”

“Do you want to go?”

“Yes.”

No sooner had the words ended than brilliant colors began to envelop the two. Glowing butterflies gorgeously embroidered the dark sky.

And when the light disappeared, Leon, the spirits, and the two people whispering their love had all vanished.

— I Became A Wretched Extra In A Healing Story, The End