Chapter 297.2: Cactus (4)

Due to the mission's failure, Deculein was locked in his office while General Bell seized full authority and advanced tyrannically, slaughtering eleven tribes and beheading thousands of Scarletborn in just one week.

“... I mean, why did you advance in such a hurry?” Ria asked. “Where did Count Yukline go—the one who used to analyze even the tiniest details so thoroughly?”

"That is none of your concern," Deculein replied.

Between Deculein and Ria was a small barrier, and if Deculein stepped outside it, an alarm would immediately sound, followed by a prompt summary judgment resulting in execution.

“But still.”

"Is that a cuff?" Deculein inquired, pointing at the object in Ria's hand.

“Yes, Her Majesty said that this is for you, Count Yukline.”

"Indeed. Hand it over."

Ria placed the cuff inside the mana barrier.

Click—!

Deculein put on the cuffs himself, his face strangely calm.

"... Are you really going to be alright, Professor?" Ria asked.

"It is merely a process, after all," Deculein replied, nodding.

“A process?”

Was even being imprisoned like this all part of his plan, then?

Ria thought.

"Is Her Majesty well?" Deculein inquired.

"Sorry?

Oh

, yes. I think she's fine."

“That is a relief.”

“

Umm...

then, I’ll be going now,” Ria replied, bowing before leaving Deculein’s office and rushing toward someone waiting for her.

***

“... Is that so?” Sophien said.

In Sophien's presence, Ria precisely described Deculein's actions as Sophien sighed and looked up at the ceiling.

“And Count Yukline asked me if Your Majesty was well,” Ria replied.

Hearing Ria’s words, Sophien lowered her eyes once more.

Did Deculein's worry melt her heart?

Ria thought.

Ria then hurriedly added, “Count Yukline must have thought that Your Majesty’s heart was not at ease either—”

“It is needless to say—I already know.”

“... Yes, Your Majesty.”

Ria carefully watched Sophien's expression, the air between them as fragile as a thin sheet of ice.

I have no idea what happened to the expedition that day.

“But why, then... Count Yukline...”

Ria paused as Sophien silently looked down at her.

"Are you asking why I imprisoned the Count?" Sophien replied.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“I do not know,” Sophien said, shaking her head and resting her chin on her hand. “The Professor abandoned the desert, claiming it was an advance without benefit.”

“

... Oh.

”

“I am well aware,” Sophien continued, a sneer playing on her lips—as if scoffing at herself rather than Deculein. “Annihilating the desert, massacring the Scarletborn—none of it changes anything. It brings no benefit to the Empire. It is of no help to me.”

Sophien herself had to admit that she loathed the Scarletborn—an emotion whose origin was unknown and unknowable, yet surged like an unbearable tide, pounding her mind and setting her heart ablaze. She knew the expedition to the Desert would bring no benefit to her or the Empire and was aware that it was a pointless endeavor without any clear justification.

"However, hearing of it still enraged me."

“Enraged... Your Majesty?”

“Indeed, I could not endure it.”

There was no justification or principle behind the Scarletborn massacre, and Sophien knew this all too well.

𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

“I genuinely wanted to kill Deculein,” Sophien said, raking her fingers through her hair in frustration. “Perhaps I just fooled myself into thinking Deculein was a kindred spirit.”

Sophien might have seen Deculein as a kindred spirit, believing that he, like herself, loathed the Scarletborn and despised the desert.

“And perhaps that’s why some part of me mistook disappointment for betrayal.”

“... Then maybe it’s not too late to—”

“No,” Sophien interrupted, shaking her head. “Deculein stays where he is until the expedition to the desert is over.”

Sophien's tone was resolute, cutting off Ria's words without the slightest room for interjection.

“Is there a reason...?” Ria asked, voice barely above a whisper.

“That’s a secret,” Sophien replied with a faint smile tugging at her lips.

***

“... Her Majesty said the reason you’re still locked up is a secret. But at least she doesn’t completely hate you. That’s kind of a relief,” Ria said, leaning against the office wall as she looked at Deculein.

“How many visits does that make now?” Deculein inquired, not bothering to mask the fatigue in his voice.

Even when I try to help, he’s like this,

Ria thought.

“I’m only helping because you helped me first,” Ria said, narrowing her eyes slightly.

“That is unnecessary.”

Rustle—

Rustle—

The sound of Deculein turning a page filled the air, and for no particular reason, the peaceful scene drew Ria’s eyes to the window where a full moon hung high in the dark night sky.

“Count Yukline.”

Deculein offered no reply.

“So, you must have really loved your former fiancée,” Ria continued, throwing a light blow as Deculein read without looking up.

The sound of Deculein turning the page suddenly stopped.

Did I scare him into ripping his papers?

Ria thought.

Scratching the back of her neck, Ria added, “People always say the same thing when they look at me. That Count Yukline teaches me because I remind you of your former fiancée who passed away. Because I look like her—”

“That’s not true.”

“Really? I’m not so sure. Feels like it might be,” Ria replied.

At that moment, Deculein struck a heavy blow to Ria's heart.

“... Yuara.”

At that moment, Ria’s heart felt as if it were bursting with a thunderous pulse, as if she had given a little and received an infinite blow in return.

“She did not die,” Deculein added.

“... Sorry?” Ria muttered, like the breath had only just returned to her.

“She’s still alive,” Deculein said.

What is he talking about? Yoo Ah-Ra’s alive? Does he know I’m Yoo Ah-Ra—

“She left me because she feared me.”

Some time ago, Sylvia told Deculein that Yuara’s soul was still alive somewhere, breathing, and that she had merely feigned death to leave him.

“She must have hated me enough to pretend she was dead.”

Ria remained silent.

“Therefore, there’s no need for you to worry, as I do not see Yuara in someone like you,” Deculein concluded.

Ria inwardly accepted his point.

That’s what Deculein believes, that Yoo Ah-Ra didn’t die but just left him. I guess I can understand why he thinks that way,

Ria thought.

“No, I don’t think that’s true,” Ria replied, closing her eyes for a moment and shaking her head.

“What would someone like you know?” Deculein replied, his lips curling into a twist.

“I heard that even our personalities match.”

“... Did that come from Delic?” Deculein said, his temple lines tightening like drawn wire.

“I don’t remember who said it... But if I were her..."

Ria fell into a brief contemplation.

The reason I broke up with Kim Woo-Jin—no, the reason I didn’t hold on when he asked me to break up with him was...

“If I were her...”

Woo-Jin had no parents and was left at an orphanage the day he was born. The only family he knew was a younger sibling from the same orphanage—someone closer to him by more than blood. But that child left the world too soon... way too soon.

“Because I couldn’t do anything to help you.”

That’s why I wanted to be Woo-Jin’s family—to bring him a smile, to raise children with him, watch them fall in love, and one day hold our grandchildren together—all so his heart could feel warm again. Like the kind of happy family anyone only ever sees in fairy tales. A happiness that ends with and they lived happily ever after...

“Because you wouldn’t be happy with me.”

But I didn’t know—not until it was already too late—that I couldn’t give him children and with me, Woo-Jin would never have a family of his own...

“Maybe... that is the reason she left?”

That is why I didn't hold him back. Maybe I couldn’t or chose not to.

“If it were me, that’s probably what I’d do given my personality. Or maybe not.

Ahem

,” Ria concluded, lightening her tone and clearing her throat to brush the mood away.

Deculein remained silent, seemingly lost in thought for a moment, before turning the page again.

“That would make sense, given her personality,” Deculein replied.

Ria found Deculein’s words brought her a certain heartache, even though he was not Kim Woo-Jin.

“However, that would not have been the reason,” Deculein added.

“Sorry? What do you mean?” Ria asked, the question tumbling out without thought.

“Your words.”

Tap—

Deculein closed the book he was reading, speaking in a voice that held a hint of warmth.

"That I would not have been happy with her.”

At that moment, Ria's fist clenched, and a sensation as if her throat were being crushed overwhelmed her.

“I would’ve been happier than I would’ve been,” Deculein concluded.

“... Yes,” Ria replied.

Relieved that Deculein could not see her face, Ria barely managed to utter a word to him and turned away.

“Then I will take my leave!”

With Deculein remaining silent, Ria climbed the stairs again to report the recent words to Sophien.

Pat, pat, pat, pat—

“... Kim Woo-Jin.”

As Ria rushed up the stairs, she mumbled a name under her breath.

Kim Woo-Jin—not Deculein, but Kim Woo-Jin, whom I miss so much right now...

With that thought, Ria looked toward the Imperial Palace's doors.

“Kim Woo-Jin.”

Knock, knock—

“I’m sorry,” Ria muttered, breathing out the words as she knocked on the Imperial Palace’s doors.

Creeeeeak—

Then, through the slowly opening door of the inner chamber of the Empress, the impeccably perfect Sophien came into view, seated and watching Ria.

“Who is Kim Woo-Jin?” Sophien asked with the offhand swagger of a queen adopting the tongue of a street thug.

“

... Eh?

”

***

... It was a memory from long ago—or rather, it was the closest thing to a beginning this story has.

"

Hehe.

You didn't notice when you were modeling the character? He looks similar to you," Ah-Ra said.

The day I walked over to Woo-Jin while he worked late, just to tell him Deculein was his model—like I needed a reason to talk...

“What?” Woo-Jin replied.

That day, Woo-Jin grabbed his hair with both hands—like I had just dropped a bombshell...

"But... I’ve only met the writer twice?"

"Must’ve seen you passing by the company. Anyway, look. Even the personality is similar."

"... The personality is similar? But his last words were ‘Damn you—’?"

"Similar though."

"

Tsk

, that’s why I dumped you."

My face stiffened for a second, and it did hurt, just a little. But he wasn’t wrong—I was the one who got dumped.

“But.”

Kim Woo-Jin gave a chuckle and pointed out the window, near the entrance to our company where a sleek foreign car shone under a streetlight.

“Is that guy less petty than me?”

How Woo-Jin behaved, his face, even the way he moved—it was all too calm, like nothing ever mattered to him anymore. Then, should I pretend it doesn’t matter to me as well? I offered a smile just like he did.

“... Yes, he’s a good person, in a different way.”

He is a good person in his own way, because no one has ever been better than you.

"Really? What a relief."

Woo-Jin says it’s a relief, but inside, something was clawing at me—just beneath the skin, like fingernails scraping across bone.

“Yeah... but, and... well... you know.

Umm...

”

I just stood there, my heart stumbling over itself, words tangled in my throat, and I didn’t know what to do with my hands... Should I speak? Should I let him go...? Should I try to hold onto him...? But all I did was fumble like someone waiting for the courage that never came...

"Ah-Ra. We first met three years ago, right? What were you going to say?"

... And then I heard Woo-Jin say those words. Woo-Jin and I had been together even before we started at the company, but office relationships were meant to remain a secret, so ours was still a covert workplace romance. I just didn’t want people talking, saying things like you were only there because of me... or having people label you a product of nepotism just because of me...

"... Right. What was I going to say..."

Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock.

Woo-Jin and I were in a brief silence, looking at each other while the ticking of the clock was amplified—loud enough to echo in my chest. In awkward moments like these, it’s always me who speaks first, because Woo-Jin could never bring himself to say it’s over.

"Well, Woo-Jin. I’m heading out."

Then Kim Woo-Jin smiled and responded to me.

"Alright. Take care."

"Yes. You too, take care, Woo-Jin."

Leaving Woo-Jin behind, I stepped outside the office, and just beyond the doors, someone was waiting for me.

“Have you talked to him?” the man asked.

The man who asked that was the team leader from our partner company. Through a few business meetings with him, it wasn’t long before people at our company began to talk—saying we had something going on...

“Yes, I have,” Ah-Ra replied, nodding as she reached up to remove the necklace. “And this, too—it’s just too much. I can’t accept something so expensive.”

“Fair enough,” the man said, accepting the accessory from Ah-Ra without a word—as if he already knew her answer. “... Kim Woo-Jin—he seems like a good person. He has a good reputation and knows what he’s doing.”

Kim Woo-Jin thinks I’m seeing this man, while the man believes I’m trying to get back with Woo-Jin.

“Thank you for the compliment.”

Although he said good things about Woo-Jin, I ended up taking them like they were mine.

“I guess I never stood a chance, and he’s one of the good ones. Can’t compete with that,” the man said, letting out a chuckle as he shook his head.

“... Woo-Jin? But he doesn’t have a Mercedes.”

“Does it matter?” the man replied, looking toward Kim Woo-Jin inside the office. “Those looks and that heart of his—that’s a Mercedes all its own.”

“... You think so?”

“Especially his looks.”

I mean, he has the kind of face that could have been the inspiration behind Deculein himself. It’s a good thing we work at a game development company where most of the employees are men. If this were an ordinary office, I’d be fending off admirers left and right—and losing sleep over it.

“I think his heart is more like a Mercedes.”

“Either way,” the man replied, placing the necklace inside his coat. “I’ll be going now. You said you still have things to finish, Miss Ah-Ra?”

“Yes,” Ah-Ra replied. “I need to check on a few things upstairs before I go.”

“Alright then. Take care, and if we see each other again sometime, let’s not make it awkward.”

“Of course.”

“

Haha—

”

With that smile, the man left, and Yoo Ah-Ra then peeked into his cubicle once more.

"At least you shouldn’t be petty like me."

Having watched Kim Woo-Jin mumble and act strangely, Yoo Ah-Ra was about to head back to her cubicle when, at that very moment...

Ruuuuuumble—!

A powerful lightning strike, as if shaking the entire world, enveloped the cubicle in a halo of light and plunged Yoo Ah-Ra’s vision into darkness. A delayed thunderclap rumbled in her ears, and everything after that faded from her memory.

... When Yoo Ah-Ra awoke, she found herself as Ria.