21.4 The Prince and the Fairy
“What’s wrong, my Lord?”
“Today, I met with Diarashe to tell her the truth and also to apologize, but it seems that she already knew everything—did you tell her?”
“Ara, obviously? There’s a proper way to deliver a confession, but if I left the task to you, you’d probably start with an apology. If anything, that child’s way of thinking and method of sorting things out are similar to us—so I thought I should explain it to her first.”
The King of the Night Kingdom, who became the fiancé of Diarashe, only laughed at him—”You’re spared from paying the price, so don’t worry.”
His evaluation would only start now. From then, the human named Jillreid would thus be weighed.
His skill as the future lord of Fashitar would be evaluated by the non-humans who ruled the land, that would ultimately determine his own fate.
“But when I was conversing with Diarashe, his stare, it was as if he wanted to bite me…”
“If it’s concerning their spouse, spirits and demons are very jealous. I won’t forgive you if you dance with another female.”
“I’m sorry about last time. I thought because it was merely a little girl, you wouldn’t mind.”
“Even if it’s a little girl, another female is another female! Not to mention, that child is in love with you! If you do that again next time, I will tear apart any woman who dares try to get between us?”
“…At least scold me before you resort to that.”
What he learned after having a fairy as a spouse was that in exchange for their excessive love, they wouldn’t forgive any betrayals.
It wasn’t so long after Jillreid realized his love for Fid, but he had become very reluctant to interact with other women.
At times, her radical behavior could be confusing, but there was a fact that their races were different to begin with.
They talked a lot about things they didn’t understand, and he also tried to not make Fid sad.
What is that person thinking as of now?
Even though he told Fid that Ricardo was no longer his older brother, that didn’t mean he despised him.
Jillreid himself knew after he saw the smile of Ricardo—the older brother he once knew was no longer there. There was also the fact that after he became the Lord of Fashitar, the Spirit of Death demanded him to cut off any relations he had with his former family—which he did.
Therefore, in the truest sense, Ricardo was no longer Jillreid’s older brother.
There might be more suitable words he could use—Jillreid was reminded of the profile of Ricardo when he went to visit the city.
After that night, Ricardo left the royal palace.
He had also abandoned his engagement with Marietta. He told her that he didn’t plan to have a family in the future.
He said he didn’t need anyone, but Jillreid was a little relieved at the fact that some servants and escort knights followed Ricardo.
Ricardo’s path of atonement would never be easy.
However, no matter how much he was insulted by his former servants, or how he was even beaten by some upset residents, Ricardo seemed to be relieved somewhere in the confirmation he finally obtained—those outsiders, they truly existed.
When Gilasfi was purged during that stormy day, it seemed that part of Ricardo’s heart had died.
Jillreid sometime thought like that.
Ever since that stormy day, Jillreid’s older brother had turned into a living doll. Dead inside, but forced to stay alive.
Jillreid was surprised when he heard that Ricardo had been attempting to poison Diarashe.
To Ricardo, who finally revealed his emotions at the final ball of Fashitar, Jillreid sometimes wanted to ask him the truth.
However, Jillreid didn’t intent to break his magical contract. After he decided to cut them off, he never met him personally.
It was impossible to confirm whether or not Ricardo truly intended to poison Diarashe—it could have been the intention of others.
Did Ricardo perceived Dia as the daughter of his beloved uncle, or was it her whom he loved all along? Only Ricardo knew the answer.
Nevertheless, Ricardo, who was now accountable to those whom were once his people, might continue to be saved by what he used to believe, no matter how cursed or hated he was.
When he looked at such a Ricardo, Jillreid’s chest constricted.
Rereading the last words of his older brother, it took him forever to finally grasp his older brother’s suffering and pain.
While clutching his throbbing chest, Jillreid wished—
—For his older brother, who once was there, who longed for the non-humans, who cherished the Duke of Gilasfi, to rest in peace.
As strange as it was, it was similar to the mourning of the dead.
Someday, on the Day of the Dead, after he received a good track record as the Lord of Fashitar and finally earned the forgiveness of the outsiders, he shall have a good talk with Ricardo.
Such dream was the selfish and greedy secret of a human being called Jillreid.
***T/N: *wipes sweat* I accidentally posted this by mistake… well how do you like it, Marietta!!! In the end Ricardo attained some sort of happy ending, huh…
Hrmm. When it seems like the Ricardo that Jillreid mourns died a long time ago, it’s hard to feel sorry for the current him. He did a lot of bad things and justified them by the fact that he wasn’t stopped from doing them. If anything, the degree of interference from outsiders now almost seems like what he was wishing for from the beginning. I do, however, feel sorry for Jillreid. I wonder if this last sentence was before he realized that now is the most peaceful time for the souls of those in the kingdom (besides those who were forgiven). Once they die, there will never be rest again. Fragmented as they are, they can’t go to the afterlife and I didn’t get the impression their souls will be able to return for the day of the dead. All that awaits them are the dues owed by their ancestor for the rest of their existence. Which is sad when you consider, not only is it an inherited debt, it’s grown and landed on their heads because more recent ancestors decided it was kinder to not talk about it.
I don’t think Ricardo got a happy ending. I mean he is being insulted by servants and beaten up by people. Would hardly call that a happy one. Also it is so stupid that you wanted the outsiders to stop you from purging. I mean u call them outsiders, why would they help? Also u r already living n alive coz of those outsiders kindness, now u even want them to solve YOUR messy affairs? How irresponsible can u be?
Sounds like Ricardo was someone with a death wish from the minute he realized the state of the kingdom…he wasn’t trying to solve the problems, he was trying to die
I guess the weight off his chest is gone but thats crazy.
Or rather, i think he has become basically unhinged
Where is the thot? She didn’t even went with Ricardo to his road to late redemption? Where is their supposedly power of love? I wanna see how her pride gets wiped on the floor.