DSFL | Chapter 85

~Chapter 85~

“Did you come to save me, just like you promised?”

Ricardo asked in a teasing tone.

“Wow…”

Penny stared at him, eyes sparkling like she was mesmerized.

See? I knew this would happen.

When Ricardo turned his head—probably feeling her gaze—Penny gulped and quickly shouted,

“I’m Penny! I’m her most beloved little sister!”

“For someone so beloved, I’ve never seen you before.”

I shrugged like it was nothing. Ricardo looked suspicious but took his eyes off her anyway.

“By the way, were you the one who told me about the mana stone?”

“Yes.”

He looked surprised, like he hadn’t expected me to admit it so easily.

“Well then, let me ask you something in return. Why did you participate in the auction?”

Instead of answering directly, Ricardo pulled out a necklace from his pocket.

“Don’t tell me you were there just to buy this necklace?”

“I don’t lie.”

“You did buy it, so I guess technically that’s true…”

He chuckled and handed the necklace to me. I blinked in confusion at the unexpected gesture. Ricardo pushed it toward me again as if to say, Just take it already.

“Why are you giving this to me?”

“I told you—there’s someone I want to impress.”

“…”

“If you don’t like it, just throw it away.”

Unbelievable. I stared at him silently, but he looked like he had no idea what he had done wrong. I eventually accepted the necklace, and only then did Ricardo smile faintly.

“If it’s too much, just think of it as payment for the dress.”

That reminded me of the dress he once offered to buy for me in Dians.

“This is way too much, though.”

“You said I was stubborn, didn’t you? Then you should’ve expected something like this.”

Edwin, who had been silently watching us, suddenly spoke.

“Are you two… dating?”

“……!”

“What?! No! It’s not like that!”

I quickly waved my hands, flustered. Meanwhile, Ricardo froze completely.

A moment later, he barely managed to speak.

“…What did you say?”

“I asked if you two are dating.”

“Say it again.”

“I said, are you two lovers?!”

As Edwin repeated it more clearly, his patience snapped. Ricardo’s mouth twitched.

When I glared at him for enjoying this too much, he quickly cleared his throat and patted Edwin’s head.

“I like you.”

…Peril is going to kick himself over this later.

Seeing the chance to grow closer to Ricardo, Penny shouted excitedly,

“Oh! So you’re my brother-in-law!”

Ricardo blushed and nodded slightly.

“Why are you agreeing to that?! It’s not true!”

“My sister’s just shy!”

“No! That’s not it at all!”

I shouted in frustration, and Ricardo finally burst into laughter.

With a pounding headache, I held my forehead. Ricardo, still smiling, turned to me again.

“Well, I did have a purpose at the auction.”

“…What was it?”

“I was trying to find a gift that would suit you.”

“….”

“Sorry.”

He quickly apologized and changed the subject.

“I’ve been watching a certain priest.”

He rubbed the back of his neck as he continued.

“He used to be a knight, but he’s injured and not in great shape. Lately, though, he’s been acting strangely.”

Injured?

“Do you mean… Brandon?”

Ricardo paused.

“You know him?”

“Yes. He came to my mansion recently.”

Even though his thoughts were totally different from Ailins’s, he said the exact same words.

Told me to do nothing.

Meanwhile, Penny and Edwin stood nearby, watching us silently. I led Ricardo a little farther away to talk more privately.

“Is something wrong with him?”

“Right before I left for Orphen, I received a blessing from him. But when I returned to Carpea, His Grace told me something.”

He hesitated.

“He said he sensed traces of a curse spell on me.”

“…!”

“It’s not magic from the Tower—the spell isn’t from the Empire. And the only mage who’s been close to me is you.”

“A-Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. Besides, I don’t think I was the one he wanted to curse.”

My eyes trembled as I stared at Ricardo.

“I suspect… he was targeting the Master of the Tower.”

I let out a short breath.

“Do you think this was Orphen’s doing too?”

“I’m keeping that possibility open. They could’ve been behind the terrorist attacks as well.”

The Sirens…

“If Brandon was your reason for attending the auction, then he might also be here.”

“Exactly. I didn’t expect him to go this far, though.”

Ricardo gave a bitter smile.

My gaze turned to Edwin.

Someone was deliberately trying to kill Peril.

Just like how the Empire once gave him eternal rest, they now wanted to trap him here.

Ironically, his desire for death was not what made him truly immortal; rather, it was his refusal to desire it.

For Peril, who didn’t have his future memories yet, the worst possible thing right now… was death.

‘The death Arkan showed me—it was Peril’s.’

Then Ricardo spoke again.

“Ask for my help. Like you used to.”

“…”

“I’ll gladly help you.”

He looked calm, smiling gently. Maybe that’s why—this time, instead of saying I’d handle it alone, a different answer came out.

“I want to change Ailins’s ending.”

“If that’s what you want, then I’ll do anything.”

Ricardo held out his pinky.

“But promise me one thing.”

“What is it?”

“That you won’t get hurt.”

Just then, leaves began to fall. As I instinctively looked up, I spotted a figure standing at the edge of the trees.

“….”

It was Ailins—pale and expressionless. When our eyes met, Ricardo clenched his fists. She stepped closer but didn’t say anything, only staring at me.

“…You came.”

I hesitated but finally spoke. Her dry lips stayed firmly shut.

Clatter.

“We took a little while, didn’t we?”

Right then, Charle’s voice rang out. The people who had gone to the mines followed behind, waving cheerfully.

Ailins quickly covered her face as they approached.

“Just like you asked—we got the magic stones!”

Charle pulled back a cloth, revealing a pile of shining mana stones.

“I wish we could’ve brought more, but it was dangerous to go deeper.”

“So now all that’s left is saving Lady Ailins? I hope she’ll be happy.”

People started talking about her.

“This time, we have to be the ones to help! After all she’s done for us.”

“Exactly!”

Next to Charle, Fin blinked and looked at Ailins. I was relieved to see she had recovered.

But just then, Fin ran up and grabbed Ailins’s sleeve.

Ailins flinched. Fin smiled and held out the flower ring on her finger.

“I-I don’t deserve this…”

“You saved us, Lady Ailins! You saved me, and my mom too!”

“….”

“All of us!”

With her small fingers, Fin slipped the ring onto Ailins’s pinky.

One by one, people began to recognize her. Ailins tried to hide again, but it was too late.

“Oh my gosh! It’s Lady Ailins!”

As the crowd moved toward her, I stepped back to give her space.

…Now she can’t run away.

Then I noticed Edwin, pale and panicked.

Before I could stop him, he started running.

“Ricardo! Take care of Ailins for me!”

I heard Ricardo’s voice behind me, but I was already chasing after Edwin.

“Edwin, wait!”

But he was overwhelmed by fear and ran faster.

Time blurred again. Day and night twisted wildly, but I kept my eyes open to stay on his trail.

Ailins had changed her fate through her will. So there was hope.

‘But Peril…’

His situation was different. This wasn’t something he could change on his own.

I fumbled to grab Arkan.

“I have one last question.”

[I’ve been waiting for this!]

“If I carry Peril’s fate for him, do I deserve to walk a new path?”

[You’re worrying too much. You more than deserve it~!]

Good enough.

As I rushed after him, we reached the hill Arkan had once shown me. I managed to grab Edwin and rolled down a side path with him.

“What are you doing…?!”

“Remember what I told you? That you owe me something?”

I caught my breath and continued.

“And even though I never said it… I owe you something too.”

Edwin panted, confused.

“If you die here, you’ll forget everything about me. I can’t accept that.”

“What are you even saying…?”

“I made a promise. That if you ever truly wanted to die… I’d be the one who cried hardest for you.”

“….”

“So come back with me. To the real world.”

His eyes shimmered with complicated emotion.

“Let’s meet there.”

I heard rustling in the distance.

Gritting my teeth, I hid Edwin in the bushes.