Chapter 170. The Rest of Our Lives

After returning from a rare outing, I was spending some quiet time.

My heart felt unsettled as I stared blankly at the night sky.

“I was the only one who didn’t know.”

I wonder when Johann started liking me?

According to Marc, it had been at least 3 years. He added that he couldn’t forget the sight of Johann holding a knife to his neck.

What was it he said?

That it was the look of a man burning with jealousy.

“Hmm.”

I blinked my eyes a few times, cupping my cheeks with both hands.

Somehow, I didn’t feel bad. No, I felt good.

To think that Johann had held me in his heart for so long.

Thinking about how that amazing emperor must have been struggling alone, unable to speak, made me feel he was cute and made me want to laugh.

It was then that I heard a knock.

“Seraphina, are you asleep?”

It was Johann’s voice.

Maybe because I was just thinking about him.

I felt elated.

“I’m not. Come in.”

A smile naturally spread across my face.

Soon the door opened and Johann appeared. The moonlight flowing through the window gently settled on his silver hair. His gorgeous appearance seemed to shine even more.

“What brings you here at this late hour?”

Johann smiled slightly at my question. And instead of answering, he slowly approached my side.

We stood side by side by the window, looking up at the night sky.

“I heard you went out today?”

“Ah, yes. I guess you heard from Joseph and Arnaud.”

Johann nodded once in affirmation. Then he gently put strength in his eyes.

“I heard you met other men?”

“Don’t say it like that. I met friends and family.”

“Those d*mn friends, family…”

Johann narrowed his brows as if displeased.

“Why are there so many men around you? I’m so anxious I can’t live out my days.”

“What are you saying?”

I giggled.

He doesn’t seem to know how much I like him. There’s absolutely nothing to be anxious about.

“Think about it. I’m the woman who was willing to give up her life for you.”

“Don’t ever do that again.”

“Who told you to be so weak against a breath attack?”

“What? Weak? That’s the first time I’ve ever heard such a thing.”

Johann let out a deflated laugh as if he had heard something ridiculous.

Who in the world could call a hero weak?

It seemed like there probably wasn’t anyone else in the world besides me.

By the way, I wonder if it’s not me who can’t live out my days.

“I might have lost some of my lifespan.”

“…What do you mean by that?”

Johann’s voice, which had been holding a slight smile until now, sank low.

I took my gaze off the night sky and turned my head. Johann was already looking at me. Something like fear and anxiety seemed to appear in his blue eyes.

“When I first started working as a purifier. I didn’t have a wand then, but I told you that His Grace Denhague and the knights of the North experienced healing, right? After that, it might have activated a few more times while I was unconscious without me knowing.”

“…You mean what the Guardian of the North mentioned?”

“Yes.”

Johann already knew about this.

When we went to subjugate the bone dragon, Claude first properly opened his mouth about my healing ability.

At the time, he was trying to say that my purifying light was somehow different from other purifiers, but when I put the puzzle pieces together afterward, it wasn’t very good news for me.

After having a confrontation with Cardiff, I explained to Johann that I had figured out the function of the wand. That is, about the wand’s function of protecting the lifespan of divine purifiers.

Johann’s expression sank terrifyingly low.

He swallowed hard with a complicated face, then swept his face with one hand. Then, as if he felt something suspicious, he asked me.

“Did you say this Cardiff person told you this? Or is it information you learned from another dream?”

“Well. Actually, about that dream…”

I hesitated for a moment.

I had wondered hundreds of times if I should tell this.

Every time, the words wouldn’t come out…

Even though I knew it would sound strange, somehow I felt like I could tell Johann. I remembered how he always listened to me seriously.

If there was one person in the world who would believe me and not laugh after hearing this story, it would be Johann.

Is it because we’re about to get married?

Or has the night cast a spell?

“It’s not completely a dream.”

I don’t know what happened to my mind. I started to speak about the secret that only I and Yoon Ji-ah knew.

That I had actually lived in another world, under a different name. That in the book I read there, Seraphina was an extra and Aveline was the protagonist. That one day I woke up and opened my eyes in this body, and since then I occasionally had those strange dreams. That it seems like my soul switched with the original owner of this body.

I thought it was a story that could be summarized briefly, but as I went into details, it took longer than I expected.

It was because Johann listened so seriously.

Seeing his expression that seemed to accept this phenomenon more genuinely than I did, my past worries about being seen as strange felt foolish.

“Now I understand.”

After listening to the long story, he finally looked relieved as if a puzzle had been solved.

What does he understand?

As soon as I tilted my head in confusion, Johann continued.

“Originally, you didn’t exist in this world.”

“I did exist.”

“Just a shell.”

Johann’s blue eyes were tinged with a profound light as he said this. A hint of pleading was also flickering in them.

Seraphina was originally supposed to die in the Battle of Agulena. At the same time, the Seraphina who was supposed to die like that wasn’t me either.

Yoon Ji-ah and I are connected, but we’re clearly different people.

“It was a world without you, so forgive me.”

“I understand.”

I laughed softly.

Johann spoke firmly until the end.

“Anyway, in that prophecy-like book, I wouldn’t have been connected with anyone.”

“How do you know?”

“Well, until I met you, I was planning to live as a bachelor. And adopt an heir.”

“Does Ionia know?”

“Of course not.”

As he said this, Johann looked at me with deepened eyes. Worry and concern were rippling in them.

I said something out of unnecessary concern.

“Don’t do any strange research.”

Johann made a startled expression. As if asking how I knew.

Oh dear, oh dear.

I had a feeling, but it seems I was right.

He might end up dabbling in dark magic like Cardiff and his sister Cartina. It would be better not to start in the first place.

“But you said your lifespan has been reduced. At least we should restore what’s been lost…”

“Do you know how long my original lifespan was, and how much it’s been reduced?”

“Still…”

“No. Do you know how terribly Cardiff looks? His skin is all dark and murky, I’m still human, humaaan…”

“…Who are you imitating right now?”

“Cardiff, Cardiff. The root of all problems.”

“……”

My impression of Cardiff seemed to work, as Johann closed his mouth with a sour expression.

It seems the persuasion was effective. Ahem.

“I think my original lifespan was at least 120 years anyway. And if I eat a lot of delicious food and am happy, it might even increase.”

I smiled comfortably.

After all, we don’t know the future.

We can only live focusing on the present.

Nurturing the things that make me who I am, and protecting my precious people, so that each day feels like a gift.

“I see.”

Johann smiled profoundly.

Happiness was already hanging on his lips. And for some reason, a gentle trembling too.

“Seraphina.”

The voice calling my name was subtly different from usual.

A voice that seemed to give more meaning.

I looked at him with trembling eyes. Johann’s breath quivered finely, and then he knelt on one knee in front of me.

I opened my eyes wide at this unexpected sight.

“I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

It was a voice so sweet it was intoxicating.

I was choked up and couldn’t part my lips.

Johann gently took my left hand and slipped a ring onto my ring finger. Then he kissed the symbol of promise.

He raised his head and looked up at me with eyes like beautiful jewels.

“Will you marry me?”

“…Weren’t we going to do that anyway?”

Though dazed, my heart was pounding too much.

In the midst of my ringing ears, I barely opened my mouth. I knew that what came out wasn’t very romantic, but.

“I don’t want you to see it as a duty. It has to be you.”

Is he nervous?

This amazing man…

A gentle trembling was transmitted through the air.

My ears were pounding as if my heart had moved to my eardrums. My head went blank, and time seemed to have stopped.

“…Me too.”

My answering voice sounded strange.

It couldn’t be helped.

Tears came out and choked me up.

Only after hearing my answer did Johann’s face brighten.

He hugged me tightly. I hugged him back, filling my arms with him.

We stayed like that for a long time.

The stars in the night sky seemed to be twinkling and blessing us.