Chapter 45
As soon as I gave the command, Raglia jumped up. Her bracelet split into three rings and flew straight toward the target.
In an instant, three red-scaled rings wrapped around Winter Orsheus’s neck and wrists.
“Oh, I see my old friend here.”
Winter frowned slightly when he saw Raglia—but that was all.
I calmly walked back and sat in my seat.
With the strange-feeling shackles on, Winter leaned back and stared at me. His eyes held a bit of curiosity, but he didn’t rush me.
He was very good at waiting. I swear, he could sit like that for ten years without saying a word.
I held my sweaty hands together tightly.
“Grand Duke… I want to apologize in advance.”
“I don’t know why, but I’ll gladly accept your apology. Please try to calm down.”
I took a deep breath to slow down my racing heart. Then I looked him straight in the eye and spoke slowly.
“You won’t be able to return to 15 years ago again.”
I will link your death with mine and stop time from repeating again and again.
“That means this life is your last chance to live as Winter Orsheus. So, you won’t be able to bring back the people of the North Empire you killed in this life.”
That means…
“You won’t be able to fix your past mistakes. And one day, you’ll be deeply hurt because of it.”
You’re too kind, and it’ll haunt you for the rest of your life.
But I’m not like you. Not even a little.
I used to be happiest just lying in bed and watching videos on my phone. I couldn’t—no, I wouldn’t—live like Winter Orsheus, sacrificing everything.
Trying to save every single person on the continent from a god’s attack?
Stabbing yourself over and over again to create a path no one else could follow, and doing it alone?
‘Honestly, that’s just crazy.’
If that’s what a hero is, then who would want to be a hero?
I was someone who looked after myself first and then helped others when I could.
‘This life is all I’ve got.’
I didn’t care about past or future lives. I would make this life my ending.
And to do that, I had to make sure Winter didn’t turn time back 15 years again.
I reached my hand out toward him with a serious face.
“If you ever feel hurt about all this, you can blame me. Say it was because I forced you to make the Nazareth Oath.”
The Nazareth Oath.
A very old spell that links two people’s lives.
If one of us dies, the other will die too. And we’ll return to the past together—but only to the time I last returned to, not him.
“Winter, even without all this, I would’ve made the oath if you had asked. I want this loop to end more than anyone.”
“I know,” I said, nodding. “Right now, you’re more tired than ever.”
I shrugged.
“But that’s normal. And you? You’ve never been normal in the first place.”
I wiggled my outstretched fingers.
“So this is a scary threat. If you don’t make the Nazareth Oath right now…”
“…Then?”
Winter raised an eyebrow. I hesitated. I hadn’t really planned the rest of the sentence.
I needed to say something harsh and awful to scare him.
“I-I’ll h-hit you!”
I said it so awkwardly my jaw trembled. What a terrible threat.
I felt like I’d definitely go to hell after this life.
“I see.”
Winter tilted his head slowly, pretending to be surprised.
He must’ve been disappointed in me—after all, I was threatening him just like Joseph did, using the same dirty tricks.
But he was a dragon. And I needed insurance.
He leaned back and asked calmly, “What will you hit me with?”
I looked down at my small hands. Not very scary.
I tried to think of a painful weapon.
“A-a whip! A black one!”
“And where did you get that whip?”
“From a store? I think it had stuff stuck on it too?”
“How hard will you hit me?”
“With all my strength! Every bit of it!”
“Hm, that might actually hurt…”
“And I can swing it forever! Without stopping!”
“Sounds painful indeed.”
“Exactly!”
Finally, Winter nodded, clearly convinced. He took my hand. Compared to him, mine was very small.
He slowly blinked and said,
“Then, because it’s so scary, I’ll do what you want.”
“Great choice!”
“Quite the threat. You really are Joseph Rohia’s sister.”
I shrugged and smiled.
‘But I don’t feel good about it…’
I felt like a villain. Once, I was just a cute girl who liked oranges and heated blankets.
“Do you know how the Nazareth Oath works?”
“I think we have to mix our blood.”
Before I even finished, Winter cut his palm. Blood dripped onto the table.
I froze.
Trying not to flinch, I held out my finger.
But Winter shook his head.
“No need.”
He tapped the table lightly.
“You know you have a cut on your leg, right?”
I lifted my skirt carefully—and yes, there was a long scratch.
This body always had a few cuts. I’ve been through dangerous places recently. It made sense.
I collected a drop of blood from the cut and asked,
“Will this work?”
“More than enough.”
He gently took my hand with his bleeding one and began chanting:
“[ତୁମେ କରିଥିବା ଅଭିଶାପ ମଧ୍ୟ ସ୍ୱାଗତଯୋଗ୍ୟ].”
The Nazareth Oath was one of the very first magic spells.
So it used an ancient language I couldn’t understand.
“…It’s done.”
“That’s it?”
I blinked.
No glowing lights? No magic circles? Nothing cool?
“Yes. It’s over.”
A bit dull, but I didn’t say anything. I didn’t want to seem childish.
I looked at my red-stained finger and then at Winter.
“So now I can’t go back to when I was born.”
His face gave nothing away.
Happy? Sad? Hard to tell.
I, on the other hand, was scared out of my mind, thinking I might go to hell after this.
I picked up the teacup with shaking hands. The familiar sweet orange flavor helped calm me down.
“For now…”
I clenched my trembling fingers.
Winter didn’t show any emotion, but he never looked away from me.
His deep blue eyes, like the ocean floor, felt endless.
So I stopped talking and smiled faintly.
“Congratulations.”
You’re one step closer to the peace you’ve always wanted.
For now, just… congratulations.
***
BANG!
The door crashed open with a puff of dust.
A cute face popped through.
“Young Lady!”
Oh no. Her face was even puffier than before.
As Lottie ran in and hugged me, I patted her back.
“You shouldn’t have played around with Alfred. You better reflect!”
“I really, really did—huh? How did you know?”
Instead of answering, I hid the sniffling Lottie behind me.
Soon, a fierce-looking woman stepped through the broken door with angry eyes.
I smiled and greeted her.
“Hi, Rena.”
