n

n

nDalia’s face turned white. Adrisha, on the other hand, was calm as she had guessed the Duchess’s decision from the first time she heard the explanation about the wall.

n“……Miss Adrisha, I would like to spend my last time with Dalia while my reason still allows it. Would you mind leaving us?”

nAdrisha’s hesitation can be seen on her face.

nIn the first place, Dalia came here to talk to the Duchess Blueport, and although the Duchess was still holding on to her reason, it was impossible to leave the transcendent in congestion and ordinary people alone.

nHowever, it was also true that her situation was unusual.

nDalia quickly grasped Adrisha’s hands tightly as she wrapped them in her own hands.

n“It’s alright. Trust me.”

nAfter much thought, Adrisha nodded.

nShe lingered to the last minute and eventually hugged Dalia tightly and said sorry.

n“See you later, Dalia.”

n

n

nAdrisha walked towards the wall of the white sphere. She will soon meet the Emperor and explain the situation. Maybe Hikan’s there with him.

n‘Will my brother be sad if I die here?’

nHe tried to catch Dalia at the end. It must have been dangerous for him too. He’ll probably feel sad a little.

nBut if Dalia dies, and later Hikan’s mind is pushed to the limit as the original, will he remember her?

nDalia frowned for no particular reason.

n“Dalia.”

nThen, the Duchess called Dalia in a peaceful voice.

n“Shall we sit down?”

nDuchess Blueport sat on the floor wearing a dress. Dalia sat right along. Perhaps it is hard for the Duchess to stand now.

n“Did you come here to find me?”

n“Yes.”

n“Why? It would have been dangerous.”

n“I miss you.”

nDuchess Blueport laughed out loud.

nWhat signal did she take the laughter as her muscles flinched for a moment and sank back. She could see how fierce the fighting that was going on inside her. (*t

/n: sorry not sure about the first sentence)

nIn a more sour voice than before, the Duchess Blueport said.

n“I don’t think I’ll have much time. “

n“……”

n“Dalia, I once said that transcendents are lonely and alone, right?”

nDalia nodded.

n“I used to think that when I lost my husband in the fire accident, I felt that I lost everything in the world. There’s no hope in life, so I thought that maybe I should just go wild and wipe it all out. Of course, it was before the mana blooming, so I couldn’t do that.”

n“……”

n“But I changed my mind after I met Dalia who was still a baby. Dalia is so lovely and cool that I thought she might become a hero and save the world later.”

nIt was the phrase that she saw in her diary.

nDalia was in tears.

n“Hikan is also fortunate to have Dalia, so he must be happy because of you, I’m sure he would think so. It’s a pity that I couldn’t see it.”

n“……I am not confident about that.”

nDalia spoke quietly.

nThe original work cannot be changed.

nThe corruption of the soul of the transcendent cannot be prevented.

nAlthough Hikan is good now, he will eventually go mad and become the final villain, and Adrisha whom he likes the most will suffer and be lonely no matter which of the three male protagonists she chooses.

nIn her previous life, she indirectly enjoyed this world in the name of games. But now that this world has become a reality, she wasn’t confident to deal with all of it.

nWhen she knew that there was no way to stop it, she just wanted to run away.

n‘But this is the result now.’

nTo lose Duchess Blueport before her own eyes.

nDalia was sad. She buried her head on her knee and slowly looked up at the Duchess Blueport.

n“To me, the Duchess was my mother. I’m so sad that I can’t see you anymore. Can I hug you?”

nDuchess Blueport silently opened her arms.

nShe was extremely reluctant to touch others because of her burn mark. So, even Dalia had never hugged her.

nIt would be the first and the last. In her original form, without gloves or mask.

nSomeone may be reluctant to look at it, but that wasn’t Dalia.

nShe grabbed and hugged the Duchess Blueport. She could feel the sensation of the scar. She felt like she was holding a dear family.

nThere will be salvation wherever you reach

nIf so, Dalia eagerly hoped that she could save the Duchess.

nDuchess Blueport’s hand quietly touched her back.

nTheir warm hug continued for a while. It was time for Dalia to leave.

nBut at that moment, something unbelievable happened.

nThe white space surrounding them began to gradually collapse from the ceiling.

nThe white ceiling changed to the ceiling of the ballroom, and gradually, the space itself changed into the panoramic view of the ballroom.

nThere was also the wall that the Duchess had destroyed. After that, Adrisha, the Emperor who was stiff in surprise…… and Dalia’s brother, Hikan.

nAt that moment, the body of the Duchess Blueport, which Dalia was hugging, fell helplessly.

nThe Emperor strode along with a wide stride to hold the fainted Duchess and lay her to the floor. Holding the Duchess’s arm and neck, he murmured in disbelief.

n“She just…..fainted. The flow of emotion is also too normal for her to be in a congested state.”

n“……Is this possible? How do you stop the transcendent congestion like this?”

nAdrisha muttered, as if she couldn’t believe it.

n“I don’t know. First of all, block all the outsiders. Until we solve this problem, it’s a secret between us.”

nAdrisha nodded and went to look outside.

nThere was no one else in the ballroom because of what happened.

nWhether that fact is true or not, Dalia was not entirely sure. But the congestion……seemed to be over for the Duchess Blueport.

n‘Wha, what is going on?’

nIn the original, the transcendent congestion did not stop this way. It ended with one person’s death without any other fatalities.

n‘The original has changed.’

nShe doesn’t know why the original was changed, but the fact that the Duchess Blueport did not die made her happy enough now.

n‘That’s a relief.’

nShe looked at the Duchess Blueport who had her eyes closed. The Duchess was asleep peacefully as if nothing happened.

n“Dalia!”

nHikan grabbed Dalia’s shoulder and turned her around. He was making an expression that she had never seen before.

n“Are you hurt…! Did you get hurt anywhere?”

nDalia shook her head. Hikan bit his lips.

n“How on earth-…. how…. why did you……”

nHis expression slowly distorted. As if he was in distress.

nDalia still felt dazed. She put her hand on his cheek because she felt like she should soothe him. Then Hikan’s expression became more distorted.

n“……I’m sorry. Were you worried?”

nHikan shut his mouth.

nHis eyes shook. As if he heard something that he could hardly admit.

nAs a result, there’s a slight pressure on his hand that was holding Dalia’s shoulder. Her eyebrows were wrinkled because of the pain.

n“Ouch…..”

nHikan immediately released his hand in surprise. He said something unbelievable.

n“…..I’m sorry.”

nGoodness, she can’t believe that she can hear Hikan say sorry in her lifetime. Dalia was so shocked that she forgot about the current situation.

n‘Maybe, as the Duchess said..…’

nAt that time, the Emperor who had fully understood the current state of the Duchess stood up.

nIt was unbelievable, but he looked quite happy at the first precedent of the fallen soul of the transcendent returned. He smiled and stopped Hikan.

n“Come on, Hikan. Miss Dalia is surprised. Stop and come here.”

nHe came in between Hikan and Dalia and bent his knees to meet her eye level.

n“I’m sorry, Miss Dalia. If you don’t mind, I’d like to hear an explanation of what happened in there. It will be impossible today, but can you come to the palace later?”

nDalia nodded. The Emperor smiled.

n“Alright, thank you.”

n“……”

n“When I first saw Miss Dalia, I thought that you were a delicate little girl, but it seems that I’m wrong. I apologize for that. Will you accept my apology?”

nIt was unusual for the Emperor to apologize. But he smiled casually and asked Dalia to shake his hand.

nRather, is it because he has the absolute power, that’s why he has the freedom to do anything?

nDalia hesitated for a moment and held his hand. The Emperor held Dalia’s hand tightly for a while. Then he raised his head and looked at Dalia with a confused expression.

n“What is——?”

nSimilar to the previous situation, Dalia only blinked her eyes.

nThe Emperor laughed and let Dalia’s hand go. This time, he put his hand on her shoulder and closed his eyes. As if trying to feel something from her.

nHe opened his eyes and shook his head.

n“I see. With direct physical contact like me……”

n“Yes?”

n“No, it’s nothing.”

nThe Emperor calmly took his hands off her shoulders.

n“Miss Dalia, do you still have no plans to get engaged?”

n“What?”

nDalia’s eyes widened at the words that were out of context. The Emperor’s suggestion of the engagement reminded her of the past when he had a fierce conflict with Hikan.

n‘By any chance, this time too?’

nDalia’s eyes shook violently. Then the Emperor quickly changed his attitude.

n“No, it’s nothing. Next time, I’ll see you next time.”

nHis voice sounded desperate for some reason. Dalia, who wanted to erase the topic of engagement as soon as possible, immediately nodded.

nThe Emperor smiled, turned around, put his hand under the Duchess Blueport’s knee and lifted her who was unconscious. Dalia ran to his side.

n“The Duchess… she’s okay now, aren’t she?”

n“I’m not totally sure, but it seems like that.”

n“That’s a relief……”

nOnly then did the tears that she had been holding back pour out.

nThe tip of her nose was dyed red, and the Emperor swept her bangs with a warm hand.

n“It’s all thanks to Miss Dalia.”

n“……”

n“Since the relationship between both of you is so strong, I believe that an unprecedented ‘miracle’ has happened.”

nA ‘miracle’.

n

n

nDalia recalled the phrase in her diary. Does the salvation really happen due to her prayer?

nShe hopes so. Really.

nFor the first time, the outcome of the original has changed. That alone was very meaningful.

nShe thought.

nPerhaps, wouldn’t she be able to contribute to other things that she thought wouldn’t change?

nMaybe it’s possible to stop Hikan from becoming the final villain?

nThe Emperor quickly left with Adrisha. Dalia was still wiping her tears in her seat.

nHikan approached her. Feeling like she needed the presence of another, Dalia hugged his waist.

nThen she buried her face in his arms and cried.

nHikan quietly put his hand on her back instead of shaking her off as usual. He didn’t say anything, but Dalia was comforted by the calm response that she had never felt before.

n