72: Stupid
Despite its heavy appearance, the door to the throne room slid opened quite easily.
I wasn’t happy when I found out it was a spell casted by His Majesty Sveinn.
“Oh, you really came, my Nora.”
Who’s yours?
I wanted to say that, but I held it in.
When the time came, there’d be a signal from outside. When I asked about the signal, I was told, “Leave it to me.” I just had to buy time until then.
“Unlike a certain someone, I’m a woman who doesn’t lie.”
“I’m really sorry about that time…”
The man called Sveinn hung his head.
I asked him a question that had been unanswered for years.
“Why did you pin the blame on me?”
“I was jealous of your talent.”
Such a simple answer.
I smiled wryly at how pointless it all was.
King Sveinn lowered his gaze and said, “You really haven’t changed at all. Nora Noz is a peerless genius. I might have be the crown prince, but I was no match for you in terms of magic. At one point, there were even talks that you might take over the throne—”
“Is that why—”
“—I grew afraid of you.”
Then, he projected a nostalgic scene onto the surface of his hand.
This technique was undoubtedly the miraculous sorcery.
The time we first met.
When my cake was stolen from me at the party.
The days we spent researching together in a dingy room at the association.
It was all so nostalgic… memories that were long gone.
You too… you remembered so well.
“I grew afraid of you—the talented you who always walked in front of me. So, I ran away to a woman who was simply cute… and then I became afraid of your retaliation. That’s why I sealed you away. I tried to create a world that would never have you, but… even if I killed you, what if you were reborn again? What if the glory I had worked so hard to build was trampled over in an instant?”
I wouldn’t do that.
Even eight hundred years ago, I never once made fun of you.
It was just because I was a genius. No one would stand beside me.
It seemed that such pride… was hurting you.
“The thought of it scared me, so I decided to seal you away.”
What I saw in the projection was something I had never seen before.
King Shuell sealed away the Incorrigible Villainess and restored the country that had been ruined by the miasma little by little.
He established a new magical conductor system called spells and became a hero praised by the people.
Even though his face and appearance had changed, he continued to sit on the throne, always working for his people.
I wondered what it must’ve felt like to rule for 800 years.
Those were days of solely dedicated to others, not allowing anyone to stand beside him.
It was a very dignified sight, but… it also looked very painful.
“—But I soon realized my mistake. At first, everyone worshiped me, and it felt wonderful. When I renamed the various techniques you were developing into sorceries and announced them, everyone praised me for my wisdom. In spite of that, I didn’t feel like I had defeated you. After all, I couldn’t surpass anything you left behind.”
In the projection, he put his efforts into national politics and the country truly became peaceful.
After that, once he had lived for several hundred years and was finally a moment of rest…
“I was overcome with regret. Who do you think I was always chasing after?”
I didn’t answer that question.
Because the answer was obvious even without answering.
“From then on, I spent my days looking solely for you… Nora. And now, eight hundred years later, I’ve finally met you.”
The man named Sveinn rose from the throne.
Then, he slowly walked down the red carpet and gently embraced me by my shoulders.
“After eight hundred years, I’ve finally realized what I truly wanted. I’m truly sorry about what I did back then. Please, will you start over with me?”
To that, I didn’t say anything in response.
I just smiled slightly as he brazenly drew in closer.
“I love you, Nora.”
A familiar face, and yet a face I didn’t recognize.
The moment our lips were about touch.
“Stupid.”
Bang.
The rumbling of a drum reverberated up my chest.
Glancing out the large window, I saw some mishappen fireworks in the sky.
These fireworks were barely even flowers, more like remnant of lights.
In this reality, I felt sad for my friend who was trying to grasp the future she wanted with her own hands.
I wouldn’t waste the signal. When I stomped my foot, thorns of magical power began to gather from all over the royal castle. Of course, the person I was going to entangle was His Majesty, the King, Sveinn Von Nouwen.
“What is this, Nora Noz?”
My traitorous fiancé’s hands and feet were bound by thorns while he was hung in the air.
As I reformed the gathering magical power, I spoke to the 800-year-old king with a straight face.
“Don’t think an old woman will love you forever.”
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