Chapter 99

At first.

I was surprised.

Next.

I was flustered.

Finally.

I shouted.

"Lie."

Rue leaned back against the cold wall and wore a sly expression.

"A reasonable reaction. You must have been shocked by how great it was."

"What do you mean? There's no way a god could be as frivolous and perverted as you!"

"Aha-ha."

There was no one in the world who could emit such a dry and indifferent laugh except for Rue.

The moment I heard that laugh, the stiffness in my neck melted away. At the same time, Rue's appearance, which had felt so fake, began to become clearer.

'...Rue.'

Rue. Not Viscount Selenie, but Rue.

The process of coming to Calpe flashed through my mind like a slideshow.

The hardship of persuading the headmaster.

The hardship of sleeping in a cramped position at the airport.

The hardship of being ignored by the manure marquis.

The hardship of rushing into the burning Calpe!

Unable to contain my boiling anger, I shook Rue's collar (but due to the height difference, it was more like his chest) vigorously.

"You perverted bastard! What did you do right to show up now? After making me suffer so much!"

As if he had a conscience the size of a mouse's droppings, he didn't push my hand away and let himself be shaken obediently.

"Yeah, I might be... a bit of a pervert. I've been feeling it quite acutely lately. Since about 14 years ago."

His subtle gaze seemed to say, "Because of you."

At those words, I recalled the gallery filled with my presence. Rue's shameless face and my face in every photo overlapped.

"Mr. Rue."

Why did you watch over me?

What were you thinking while watching over me?

Words that didn't quite come out of my lips tumbled out.

"Mr. Rue... are you a demigod who has crossed the four walls?"

As my strength left my hands, the fabric of his clothes slipped out of my grip.

Rue, who had been looking down at me, whispered in response.

"It's been a while. But I'm still half human. I haven't become a perfect god yet."

Is that so? Yeah, you have to be this level to be called a demigod.

'To think I called someone like Mephisto a demigod.'

When I first saw that demon, I thought there could be no greater peak.

But even he was just barely reaching Rue's level.

Demigod.

One who has crossed the fourth wall of mind-body integration. One who has reached the pinnacle of what a human can achieve.

A god who has become a mage.

A pillar of Logue.

And my... benefactor.

[Stop deluding yourself.]

My head felt heavy.

I know. I know I'm hoping for something from Rue. I'm hoping that I might be a little special to him.

Of course, it could just be my own delusion.

But what if it is? I'll just feel a bit embarrassed. After all, it's a thought I'll keep to myself.

Still, I was afraid.

Afraid that it might just be a delusion.

'Pathetic.'

Thanks to Rue, I've realized one thing.

I become extremely passive when it comes to unfamiliar emotions I haven't experienced.

I'm a coward.

I'm a fool.

I'm a timid liar.

I... like Rue.

That's why I'm afraid of not being special to him.

"What's the problem?"

A white finger lifted my chin.

His eyes, which seemed to be smiling, came close to mine, making my spine shiver.

"You should look at me when we're talking."

His soft skin under his nails gently brushed my chin.

"Tell me what's wrong."

"...You're the problem."

As if to emphasize, Rue blinked his long lashes.

At that moment, the dam of my restrained heart burst.

"You're the biggest problem. Why did you call me? Why did you make me come all the way to this distant Calpe? What do you want from me?"

"..."

"Is it to keep your promise to me? Did you watch over me for 14 years and come to the Weatherwax mansion just to keep that promise?"

"..."

"If that's the case..."

"If that's the case?"

A cold, frosty voice pierced my ear.

"If that's the case, what are you going to do?"

What?

What are you going to do if that's the case? Are you asking me what I'm going to do?

I was choked up.

Someone mustered up the courage to finally say it, and you can only use such a tone?

"What am I supposed to do? I should say thank you! For not forgetting a promise that's 14 years old... Ah."

I couldn't breathe.

I couldn't breathe as Rue pulled me into a tight embrace.

'What is this?'

I can hear his heartbeat. Of course, my face is pressed against his chest.

Why did he hug me?

'Is he crazy?'

Is he hugging me just because he's a crazy mage?

All sorts of random thoughts came to mind. The unfamiliar and frightening tremor made me push Rue away forcefully.

"Don't hug me so casually!"

Damn it. What a useless mouth.

"Don't hug me so casually?"

He repeated my words with a clearly amused voice and obediently let go of me.

"Then, would it be okay if I hugged you with permission? Okay, Daisy. I want to hug you. So will you hold my hand?"

Then he extended his hand in front of me.

Hand.

I couldn't think of a reason to refuse.

Actually, I didn't want to refuse. But I didn't want to hold his hand obediently either. I didn't want to be swayed.

'Don't act like an idiot.'

Pull yourself together, Daisy. How many men do you know?

How many men have seen you naked?

How many women are pining for you?

Are you going to act so naively with a 150-year-old old man?

"Hurry up."

I don't know, but I grabbed it.

Because I wanted to.

Rue's lips curved into an attractive line as if he had been waiting for it.

I felt dirty, as if I had been toyed with.

No, actually, it wasn't dirty. How could holding your hand make me feel dirty...

"I never really expected anything from you."

A light force pulled my hand.

We walked.

We crossed the space where the mental magic trap had been set and passed through the long corridor we had vaguely seen in the darkness.

"Those days are over. I've lived for too long. After reaching the realm of a god, I've been more focused on maintaining balance rather than feeling or desiring anything."

"Balance?"

"Daisy, have you ever watched over someone's life for 14 years?"

Of course not.

"What do you think it would be like to stay by their side to keep a promise, to share their joys, sorrows, loves, and hates? Would it feel like watching a long play? Or would you feel like you've become part of their world?"

Rue was telling his own story.

I liked this topic. It was rare for Rue to tell old stories.

"Wouldn't it be different for each person?"

Honestly, I wasn't very curious about how it would be different. I just liked the feeling of walking and holding hands with Rue.

Maybe because of the height difference, I felt like a dog being walked...

"You're right, it's different. So how you felt doesn't matter. Actually, it's not important at all."

As we walked down the long path, Rue pulled back the white cloths that obstructed our view, one by one. One, two, three...

And when he pulled back the last cloth.

"After meeting you, my balance shifted."

We stood on Queen's Island.

Whoosh. The humid wind and rain soaked my hair and clothes instantly. The white waves crashing against the cliffs were fierce like a monster's mouth.

I looked down at the beach as the sun set, holding Rue's hand.

A girl emerging from the water and Rue watching her.

"You, wandering in tattered clothes on the burned island."

A strong whirlwind distorted my vision, and the world changed again.

The rain and wind were dry, and petals fell.

I saw two people at the edge of a cliff. Me standing in front of a stone tomb and my mage.

"You, dreaming of revenge and calling it fate after meeting me."

Now, the world flipped with the falling petals.

The distant horizon disappeared. We were now standing above a ruined city.

I saw myself limping and swinging a sword and Rue standing like a shadow among the fleeing citizens.

"You, fighting demons alone."

Even on the battlefield.

"You, becoming a sword demon obsessed with revenge while meeting people and finding stability."

Even on the demon's stronghold, Queen's Island.

"When I saw you swinging your sword at Mephisto, I had to deal with my own troubles for the first time in decades..."

Always, Rue was by my side.

Only Rue stayed by my side.

"Now that you've returned to me, I can't let you go again."

With a low murmur, we returned to Calpe.

I don't know if Rue showed me an illusion or sent me back in time to the past.

At this moment, we were alone.

"Yeah. You ultimately upset my balance."

A cool yet comforting warmth enveloped my shoulders.

"...That day."

As a calm breath touched my forehead.

"On that island, you shouldn't have caught my eye."

A hot blade pierced my abdomen.