Chapter 156

 

As my blood poured out and stained him black, he gradually began to find his color again.

Beneath the red hue, his pale skin was visible. I sang while vomiting blood.

I widened the wound in my pierced chest even more. Why does my wound heal with the song? Why? Why?

Why isn’t your wound healing?

“Stop, stop! Stop, Ariadeline!”

Luciano ran towards me. He forced my hands, which were widening the wound, to stop. He took the sword from my hands.

I did not stop singing. Even as my throat felt like it was splitting and tearing, I continued.

The pain in my chest lessened. The wound in my chest, pierced by the sword, gradually healed with the sound of the song.

I traced the wound on Carlothian’s chest.

Still, his wound had not healed at all.

I was breathless. I gasped harshly. I couldn’t accept the situation. The blood that had spilled soaked him completely.

My blood, which seeped into his wound, turned his black blood red again.

Crack.

I heard something splitting.

Crash!

I turned my head towards the window. A crack was visible in the red sky. Ah, the dome was breaking.

His body, stained with evil, was being purified.

But in the end, his breath did not return.

☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓

“There are no personnel available right now.”

Luciano said.

The situation was not easily resolved. It was because everyone working in the palace had vanished without a trace.

The remaining guards and knights began to step in to manage the crisis.

However, there was one place that remained untouched.

“Ariadeline.”

“Ariadeline…”

I rejected all attempts to take Carlothian’s corpse away. Some were flustered, while others looked at me with pity.

But at that moment, I needed neither hands nor glances from anyone.

I did not let go of Carlothian’s body. Despite Luciano and Dorothea showing signs of discomfort at my stubbornness, they respected me and politely sent Carlothian’s body and me back to the mansion.

“Ariadeline, please open the door.”

I moved his body into my room and personally cleaned him with my own hands.

Every time I saw the wound in his chest from the sword, tears fell. Even though I hurriedly wiped it away, thinking I shouldn’t touch the wound, the tears continued to fall uncontrollably.

“Ariadeline.”

It had only been two days since we arrived at the mansion. I had eaten nothing and drunk nothing.

The maids seemed eager to get me to eat or drink something, lingering at the door with food in hand.

But I could not bring myself to swallow anything.

I looked at Carlothian, lying on the bed. Ah, was this how Carlothian felt when he laid my corpse down?

I gently stroked his cheek. With most of the blood drained, his pale face revealed all its blue veins.

My fingertips were cold. I moved my lips a few times and finally called out his name.

“…Carlothian.”

Even when I called him, there was no response. I knew. I wouldn’t say that he wasn’t dead. His breath had ceased.

He is dead.

I knew that fact painfully well. I pressed my ear directly to his chest to confirm his stopped heart. I kissed his lips, which no longer exhaled.

Tears seeped between our lips, tasting salty. I raised my head and let the tears flow. Ah, he is gone, yet I do not want to let go.

From the moment I first saw you, I fell helplessly in love with you.

I thought meeting you was fate. Even if you didn’t feel the same way about me, my love for you was destined.

Thus, I accepted your harshness. Even if time could be reversed, I would ultimately become Ariadeline, who loves you.

Such an Ariadeline had never imagined a life without you. Yes, that’s right. Carlothian.

I lay beside him and spent another night awake. My eyes did not close, and sleep did not come.

I simply held my breath, watching you as if you were sleeping, and stroked and caressed you repeatedly.

“Madam Ariadeline, I’m coming in…!”

Early in the morning, the maids, unable to bear it any longer, pushed into the room. I didn’t even have the energy to scold them.

They covered their mouths upon seeing me lying next to Carlothian’s corpse. I didn’t care how disheveled I looked.

“Madam Ariadeline, please.”

“Those who are alive must live.”

Those who are alive must live.

What a funny statement that is.

I, who have lost him, am not alive. Even though I breathe, it doesn’t feel like it. It was hard to breathe mechanically.

The maids drew the curtains.

“Close the curtains….”

“Snap out of it!”

“…….”

I rolled my eyes to the side. He shouted with a contorted face, unsure if he was feeling pity or frustration.

“Duke Carlothian is dead!”

“…….”

“Your husband is now dead.”

He spoke as if his throat was choked. I wanted to respond that I knew. I knew very well. But then.

“Ah.”

As soon as I opened my lips, tears burst forth. I covered my face with both hands and shouted through my sobs.

“I know….”

I cried out, ugly and choked.

“I know it well. I know.”

The words stubbornly spilled out.

“I know that he is dead…!”

I spoke as if I were spitting out blood. Erwin’s foolish face was obscured by the tears flowing down.

“He is no longer in this world…”

I lifted my head.

“Still, can’t you give me some time…?”

At my trembling voice, Erwin fell silent for a moment as if he had forgotten what to say. He bit his lip and soon left the bedroom, shouting.

“Get it sorted by tomorrow. We can’t delay the funeral any longer.”

Squeak. Thud.

As the bedroom door closed, I realized that while I was standing still, the world was flowing by.

I didn’t want to go outside because I wanted to remain on Carlothian’s timeline.

I thought once more.

Ah, I want to be forever preserved in the same timeline as you.

If I cannot breathe with you and live loving you, then I want to stay forever in that world where you have stopped.

I lifted my head and looked at the ceiling. The grand chandelier in Carlothian’s room was large and seemed sturdy.

Ah. I let out a short breath.

Yes, let’s do that. Let’s live forever in the same time as you. I made that vow.

I approached the terrace and tore the curtains.

With a whoosh, the curtains ripped, and I twisted them up.

Doing this reminded me of when I was Ahn Hye-in.

Ah, back then I was lost for a long time, but now I could roll up the curtains well.

I pulled a chair over and tied the curtains in a circle to the chandelier.

I saw my reflection in the mirror. For the first time in a long while, life sparkled in my eyes.

I climbed onto the chair.

And then I slipped the loop around my neck.

I don’t want tomorrow to come.

I smiled brightly at Carlothian. At this moment, I could finally smile.

“I’ll see you soon.”

I whispered while looking at his pale face.

“My love.”

I kicked the chair out from under my feet.