Chapter 10

Oh my, Alice. Did you play a prank with the lady while on your way here? You’ve been such a tomboy since you were a kid······.”

“What are you talking about?! No, I’m not!”

Alice’s hysteric voice made me slightly laugh. I wiped the corners of my eyes with my sleeves and raised my head.

I smiled brightly as I faced each of the people who are looking at me worriedly.

No, I tried to. But my lips trembled and my smile shook.

The image of Calix when I last saw him at the train station was stuck in my head like a thorn. That’s why I couldn’t laugh properly.

His pleading voice still lingers in my ears, and a feeling of pity and regret continues to grow in my heart.

However, there was no turning back now.

Calix, I know you’ll be looking for me for a while, but as time goes by····· I’m sure you’ll eventually forget me.

Because Sia will be there beside you now.

And my disappearance was the best decision that I can make for all of us.

Trying to shake off the pain that was squeezing my heart, I smiled casually pretending to be fine.

“Thank you so much for accepting me. I will be in your care from now on.”

The edge of the world, a small town on the coast of the Jura Peninsula.

I descended here like a seagull tired of its long flight and rested.

It was the beginning of our long secluded life.

*         *         *         *         *         *         *

Calix suddenly came to his senses.

For an instant, it seemed that his consciousness had blurred. And he felt like his lips grazed over something······.

‘Was it just my imagination?’

He frowned and then grabbed the woman’s shoulder in his arms.

“······What are you doing?”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I suddenly felt dizzy·····.”

He feels like a bug was crawling all over his body at the moment and that he needs to hold on to something in order to stand still. Despite this, Calix struggled to politely push the woman away.

I can’t believe this woman suddenly jumped at me and hugged me. What the hell is going on······.

He strode ahead without hiding his displeasure, but the woman soon followed.

Regardless, he just looked ahead and walked inadvertently, then he suddenly smelled something acrid and frowned.

‘What is it?’

Are they burning waste nearby? But I couldn’t see any smoke or anything.

“Are you feeling all right? Your complexion doesn’t look good······.”

As the woman sneaked up to his side and tried put her hand on his shoulder, he stepped backward, avoiding the woman’s touch and replied grumpily.

“I’m okay. It’s just that there’s this pungent smell all of a sudden.”

“Come to think of it, I think I smelled something like that, too·····.”

The voice of the woman who calmly agreed with what he said somehow sounded strange.

In some ways, it felt quite suspicious. However, he thought it’s just because of his personal displeasure of the woman, that’s why Calix didn’t dwell on the thought too much.

“Did you know, somewhere in the world there is a place where the earth and sky connects.”

Then, the woman said, pointing to the sky.

Calix, who had been frowning, smiled unknowingly.

It wasn’t because of this woman, the Divine Lady who appeared after a hundred years.

But because he remembered his most beloved person, who told a story similar to what the woman had just said.

Laure.

– Imagine a lake full of salt. During the day, it reflects the azure blue sky, and at night, it is filled with stars and it sparkles dazzlingly.

“Where I lived, they call it a salt desert or a salt lake. Is there something like that here, too?”

Calix has not been listening to the divine lady. He’s thought was with Laure.

With her sparkling green eyes, she said that it was her dream to see the salt lake at least once in this lifetime. Like a child with a cheerful and lovely voice.

-Calix’s eyes are as blue as the sky. So I always thought that it was very pretty. I’m talking about it now, but…

He couldn’t erase the smile that’s on his lips. It was always the case when he thinks of her.

‘I can’t wait to see you. Laure.’

Stay where you are. I’ll be there soon.

A rare gentleness surfaced over the face of the man who thought of his lovely fiancée.

And the divine lady, who was watching him coldly, had a very sinister glint in her dark eyes.

*         *         *         *         *         *         *

“Why are we the ones who are supposed to do this train inspection? It’s not even related to us. Don’t you think so, Your Grace?”

Calix lightly ignored his knight’s grumbling beside him.

He couldn’t wait to finish this bothersome task and go see Laure. It drives him crazy when he doesn’t see her even for just a day, and he’s sick of her avoiding him these last few weeks.

‘If only that god-damn divine lady had not appeared.’

If it weren’t for that divine lady, I wouldn’t have been this busy. Then I must have been beside Laure by now.

Then the afterimage of the divine lady came to Calix’s mind. He frowned with displeasure. It seemed that she kept on talking about nonsense things just to get my attention.

‘I’m sure I’ve told you very clearly. I have a fiancée. Did you even understand me?’

I didn’t know what her intention was, but I don’t intend to just let it slide. Calix pressed his temple with his fingertips. Then the knight whined beside him.

“Can’t we just withdraw, your grace? It doesn’t look like there’s really any danger.”

“All right. Then the next time······.”

Calix was about to give his orders to his knights when······.

“Laure!”

He heard a name that he shouldn’t be hearing in this place.

Calix turned his head in the direction where the sound came from. And spotted her. The only person in the world he’s so eager to see, his one and only fiancée······.

‘Why is she here?’

That question came first thing to his mind. A simple inquiry that hasn’t developed yet into suspicion. Not long after, she turned around and their eyes met.

“Laure?”

Calix saw Laure stiffen. Her eyes gradually tinged with muddledness. Something was not right. Calix felt anxious.

‘Don’t tell me·······’

Doubts spread like paint.

No way, is she trying to run away?

No, it can’t be. Why is she······.

-I can’t marry you. I’ll say it again, Calix. Please, let’s get····· annulled.

His suspicions evolved into certainty in no time. Calix believes in his intuition. Realization flashed through him like lightning. Laure is······.

Trying to run away from me.

Now, on that train that’s just about to leave.

I could hear something breaking inside my head.

Chaotic images spun through his mind. He felt outraged. He never imagined she would run away. You wanted to get away from me that much?

Why?

Why, how come it came to this?

He was determined to give her everything that he has. He totally believed that she was his person, he never doubted it even once. He believed that she could not be taken away, and that he would be in his life forever.

But, why.

The world he had built up so far seemed to crumble down in just a blink of an eye.

Calix glared at Laure as if he was devouring her. Frightened, she retreated back.

It was not something difficult. He has confidence in himself. I’m going to catch her permanently, hold her tight, and tie her to my side. To prevent her from running away forever. I will completely bind her, and she will only be painted with my own color.

It didn’t take long for me to realize that I was just being arrogant.

“Alice! Run! Now!”

The sound of the horn announcing the departure of the train rung out loudly. Next to her was Alice Winterwood, the physician of the Marquis of Ecree.

That woman······. That woman was a wizard.

I was distracted by anger. When I realized that fact belatedly, my anxiety soared.

Calix ran frantically. Laure’s hat came off while running, and her beautiful pink hair fluttered. He ran desperately and stretched his arm.

Five steps.

Five steps ahead, she looked back at him.

Calix climbed onto the train and saw her eyes looking down at him. Her beautiful emerald eyes were filled with resignation and guilt.

The moment he saw the emotions swirling in her eyes, Calix realized. She’s going to leave him. She’s throwing him away. The fact that she didn’t even ask him for any consent, didn’t even explain, and the fact that she’d just decided to throw him out of her life at her own will.

Fever rose all over his body. It seemed that lava, not blood, was flowing in his veins.

“Laure!”

“Alice! Close the door!”

Bam! At the same time as the door closed, Calix slammed hard against the door and stumbled for a moment.

He lifted his head again and looked at her with anger, betrayal, and despair. Beyond the windowpane of the tightly closed door, Laure had a pale face.

Calix knocked on the door like a mad person. If I could just stretch my arms just a little more, I will be able to reach her, I will be able to embrace her, I can’t believe I can’t reach out to her just because of this freaking door······.

“Laure! Laure! Why, blasted why!”

He shouted as loud as he can. This reality was absolutely unbearable and unbelievable to accept. He can’t believe she betrayed him. He can’t believe she’s throwing him away and is leaving him. It seemed like a lie. He wished for this to be a terrible nightmare.

I tried to give you everything. You’re the only one I have. You are the sun shining in the east every morning, you are the stars that brighten up my night, and you were the sky that embraces my every little thing. Laure, you are my world.

“Sorry, I’m sorry······. I’m very sorry, Calix.”

My heart felt like it was breaking into tiny million pieces.

Laure, please.

Please······.

He looked at her mournfully as if he was holding on to his last string of sanity. Then he firmly closed his eyes. Like he doesn’t want to accept the fact that he won’t be able to see her anymore.

He could feel his throat burn. Calix gritted his teeth to keep himself from trembling. The sense of betrayal shook him to the core, and indignation rose.

The fact that she had abandoned him came so painfully that it felt like it will bring him death at any moment. It seemed as if salt was sprinkled over the peeled skin.

However.

However, I won’t let go. Even if I have to die.

No, even in death.

Towards her whose turning away, he said.

“Laure. Did you think that I’ll leave you alone?”

Then she paused and looked at him. Anxiety and fear appeared on her face.

“You······.”

Laure, who had been silent for some time, finally opened her mouth.

“You······ How did you know?”

Calix was suddenly perplexed by the unexpected words. What’s Laure talking about? Without knowing anything about it, she cried out in resentment.

“Don’t act like you’re going to hold on to me! You’re going to abandon me anyway!”

What the······.

Calix felt dumbfounded.

What do you mean I’m abandoning you?

He couldn’t understand. It’s her who betrayed him, so why is she saying that words to him now with a wounded expression?

Calix looked at Laure confusedly. Her eyelids trembled, and tears, which had been forming drops around her eyes, fell. He opened his mouth and cried out, begging.

“Laure, what are you talking about? Come on, open this damn door. Get out of there, now!”

Laure shook her head. Stubbornly refusing. He thought that he might get crazy if this keeps going on.

“Let’s end it here.”

“What·····.”

“This will be the last time. The two of us, let’s break up here.”

“What are you saying······!”

“Just think of me as someone who doesn’t exist in your world. Don’t look for me. You······.”

She paused, crying. The short time it took her mouth to open again felt like an eternity to him. And the words finally spoken were······.

“You should be happy with her.”

Before he could even ask her what that meant, she turned around. She went away without even looking back.

Calix stared dazedly at Laure’s disappearing back. It felt as if sand were slipping out of his grasp.

“Your Grace! That’s dangerous! Hurry and get down. Please!”

One of his knights hugged him and pulled him off the door of the train. As soon as he fell from the door, the train began to run fast.

But Calix could not think of anything else.

– You should be happy with her.

What the hell does that mean?

What does she mean ‘her’? Don’t tell me she thinks I’m having an affair? Who inserted that bullshit into Laure’s mind?

He seemed to have picked up a messy piece of a puzzle. However, Calix realized one thing. The fact that Laure seemed to misunderstand him.

To leave him because of such a ridiculous misunderstanding.

‘Why didn’t she believe in me?’

I’ve been sincere to her over and over again. All the time. I’ve told her countless times that I love her, and when we finally spent the night together, I······.

I thought I was the happiest man in the world.

‘Why, why the freaking hell.’

Laure.

Calix swept his face with one hand. Feeling terribly hopeless, he thought only of her. Laure, why don’t you believe me?

He kept asking himself questions that will never be answered.

Mae’s Notes:

We have a witch! I’m not sure, too, but damn! That Sia-bitch is doing something to our Calix! ????