“Rachel, are you alright?”

Ryan’s voice accompanied the knock at the door.

Rachel, who had been staring at the necklace that once contained Creon’s seal with unsteady eyes, slowly lifted her head to look at the door. When no answer came, Ryan knocked again.

“I sensed magical energy coming from here, so I came to check. Are you really alright?”

She opened her mouth to respond but couldn’t bring herself to speak.

“I apologize, Rachel. Please excuse my intrusion, but I’m coming in.”

After this brief announcement, Ryan opened the door silently. Only then could he see Rachel inside her bedroom. Moonlight streaming through the window illuminated her figure.

“Rachel…?”

Ryan called her name instinctively but froze when he noticed the tears in her eyes. The moonlight glimmered along the trails her tears had made, confirming this wasn’t merely his imagination.

“What happened?” he asked in a low voice.

Rachel nodded slowly. Ryan’s gaze eventually fell upon the two necklaces in her hands. Knowing what these necklaces were, he quickly surmised what had happened. He approached her with careful steps to avoid startling her, then quietly sat on the bed. Throughout, his eyes remained fixed on hers.

“That necklace—is it the Tears of Licorice?”

When Ryan asked, Rachel gave a small nod.

“So the contract has ended.”

“Yes.”

Her weak voice made Ryan’s heart ache. Though he couldn’t fully understand what Creon meant to her, he could tell her sense of loss was profound. She must be crying because she couldn’t contain that feeling of loss.

Ryan stared at her, unsure how to comfort her. Then, carefully, he extended both arms and embraced her. Noting how she fell into his arms with an almost awkward limpness, Ryan offered the words he had long wanted to say to her.

“You’ve been through so much. I truly hope you achieved what you wanted through that contract.”

These might not have been comforting words for Rachel. But Ryan had always wanted to say this to her—someone who had repeatedly fought battles that no one acknowledged.

Perhaps his words triggered something. Rachel buried her face in Ryan’s shoulder and, unlike her usual strong and indifferent demeanor, began to sob quietly. Ryan’s words were the most precious comfort she could have received.

For a long while, Ryan silently patted her back gently, allowing her to release her pent-up emotions and eventually find her way beyond them. As the night deepened and silence settled, only Rachel’s soft sobs filled the bedroom.

* * *

Rachel finally composed herself just before dawn. Despite the considerable time that had passed, Ryan had willingly offered his shoulder and continued to gently pat her back.

When Rachel pulled away, he took out a handkerchief and handed it to her. Though she accepted it, she couldn’t bring herself to look up. Since she began reversing time, it had been ages since she had displayed such raw emotion.

Her head ached and her mind felt foggy, likely from dehydration, but gratitude and embarrassment toward Ryan overwhelmed her physical discomfort, making it difficult to speak.

“Thank you, Ryan,” she said in a small voice.

Ryan examined her condition with concerned eyes. “Are you feeling better now?”

“Yes.” Rachel forced a smile and nodded.

“I know it’s impolite to ask, but was it because of Creon?”

Rachel smiled faintly at Ryan’s cautious manner. “Yes. Since contracting with Creon, I’ve been relying on him heavily while repeatedly going back in time.”

“I see. I’m glad you had someone to depend on during what must have been a long and lonely journey. Still, I hope you won’t grieve too much. If I understand correctly, the Tears of Licorice is a magical jewel that grants wishes to demons, isn’t it?”

“That’s right.”

“Then Creon must have fulfilled his most cherished wish through the Tears of Licorice, just like you did. While it’s truly unfortunate that you had to part with Creon, isn’t it a joyous thing when a friend achieves their long-held desire?”

Ryan was right. Creon had suffered inside the sealing stone for over a thousand years, watching countless contractors come and go. Nothing could have made him happier than gaining freedom from what had essentially been a prison.

Though Creon’s demonic nature meant he couldn’t stay by Rachel’s side, a true friend should share in his joy.

“You’re right.”

Nevertheless, she couldn’t help the emptiness and sense of loss that filled her heart. But Rachel had to acknowledge that it was time to let Creon go.

“Thank you for staying with me all night. It was a great comfort.”

Rachel spoke sincerely to Ryan. Without his consolation, she might not have emerged from her sorrow so easily.

“Not at all. I’m glad I could be of help.”

After responding, Ryan slowly rose to his feet. Rachel’s gaze naturally followed him.

“Now that I’ve confirmed you’re alright, I’ll go call a maid.”

“Oh, yes.”

Rachel belatedly realized her disheveled appearance—her messy hair and tear-stained face. She felt unusually embarrassed thinking about how Ryan had seen her eyes, which must have been not only red but also swollen from crying.

“I’m sorry. You must have been startled in the middle of the night.”

“Not at all. I’m actually happy that you showed your emotions honestly to me. It means I can be someone you rely on, though perhaps not as much as the Time Demon Creon. I’ll be leaving now, but please take at least today to rest.”

After finishing his words, Ryan bowed to Rachel and left the bedroom with steady steps. Rachel followed him with her eyes.

Before long, there was a knock at the door through which Ryan had departed.

“My lady, it’s Catrin. Are you awake?”

“Yes. Come in.”

Upon Rachel’s permission, Catrin entered. She had brought a basin of water, suggesting Ryan had briefed her on what had happened in the bedroom.

Instead of asking questions, Catrin immediately prepared everything for Rachel to wash up. Rachel habitually placed her hands in the basin Catrin had prepared, then scooped up some water to lightly wash her face.

The cool water felt refreshing against her heated face. The coldness cleared her head, which had felt heavy and foggy after crying so much. After finishing her wash, Rachel looked up, and Catrin handed her a towel.

After drying herself, Rachel took a deep breath in and slowly exhaled. Whether from crying or from the end of her contract with Creon, she somehow felt her emotions more clearly than before. It was markedly different from the previous hazy fog that had dulled her feelings.

When Rachel tried to get up, Catrin followed her with worried eyes. “My lady, couldn’t you rest a bit more today? After yesterday’s events and not sleeping until dawn…”

Catrin was right. Rachel had been pushing herself continuously since yesterday. But she feared that if she didn’t keep moving, she would be trapped again in depressing and anxious thoughts.

“I’m fine. Besides, it’s time for breakfast. I’m not going out today anyway.”

“…Yes.”

Catrin reluctantly agreed to Rachel’s words. Though Rachel would have liked to rest for a day doing nothing, she knew her parents would worry if she stayed in bed, so she couldn’t remain idle.

She wasn’t physically ill. Though yesterday’s events had been taxing, she had already recovered from that. While she felt somewhat drained from crying all night, using recovery magic had made her feel considerably better. She would likely be fine until nightfall.

After changing her clothes, Rachel descended the familiar stairs and arrived at the dining room located in the northern part of the mansion. As the door opened, she finally faced the people who had been waiting for her with concern.

All eyes turned to her—Count and Countess Pluret, as well as her younger sister Erika. Rachel gave them a faint smile and, for the first time in a long while, greeted them with a morning salutation.

“Good morning.”