Chapter 70
“Did… I really come back?”
Lueri quickly looked around.
He recognized the room inside the Magic Tower—it was his own. Hanging on the wall was the star-shaped pendant, a symbol of a Grand Mage.
“What year is it now?”
He flipped through some documents. Judging by the pendant, this was after he became a Grand Mage—but he couldn’t tell exactly when.
Then he froze mid-search. The year didn’t matter.
What mattered most… was whether Diana was alive.
“Be grateful I returned everything to its proper state.”
Black flames sparked from the corner of the room. From the fire, Eclipse slowly stepped out, smirking.
“Eclipse…!”
Something about his sneer made Lueri uneasy.
“What do you mean by ‘proper state’?”
“That woman—she had lost her sight, remember?”
Right—Alicia and Catherine had stolen Diana’s vision.
She could’ve come back blind.
Lueri felt dizzy at the thought but sighed with relief.
“Thankful, aren’t you?”
“…Sure. Thanks a lot,” Lueri muttered sarcastically.
Yes, her sight being restored was a good thing—but the fact that Eclipse did it without asking made him uncomfortable.
Eclipse didn’t care. He casually pointed toward the door.
“Well? Go check if your little princess is really alive.”
“Diana…!”
There was no time for games.
Lueri grabbed his robe and teleported to the Grand Duke’s mansion, covering himself completely.
He needed to stay hidden—so he used invisibility magic.
Small flames from his hands turned into a thick, clear liquid that slowly coated his body. He vanished from sight and entered the mansion.
Inside, he spotted busy maids.
He followed one carrying a washbasin. Only a noble would get that kind of service—either the Duke, Duchess, or the lady.
He silently wished: Let it be Diana.
The maid opened a door.
It was Diana’s room.
As she cleaned, Diana began to stir in her sleep.
“…Mmm.”
“Duchess? You’re awake?”
She’s alive. She really came back.
The image of her cold, lifeless body overlapped with the woman now softly breathing.
Lueri’s heart swelled. Even if she didn’t remember him, even if he could never love her—just seeing her alive was enough.
He stepped closer. She was wearing a thin blindfold.
Eclipse said her sight was restored. When she removed the blindfold, he’d see those emerald eyes again.
But she seemed hesitant.
She must be confused by suddenly being able to see.
Lueri smiled softly with relief.
There was time. Now he just needed a careful plan to save her.
He turned to leave.
“What…?”
Diana’s voice suddenly sounded startled.
“What day is it today?”
“Huh? It’s the 1st of Imperial Year 22. You went to the temple yesterday and got hurt, remember?”
Lueri froze. Something clicked in his mind.
He immediately teleported back to the tower.
“Eclipse! Show yourself!”
Black flames flared as Eclipse stepped out, grinning like he expected this.
Lueri grabbed him by the collar.
“What did you do?!”
“What do you mean?”
Eclipse played dumb.
“What did you do to Diana?!”
“I never said I’d erase her memories,” he said smugly. “Did I?”
Lueri’s hand fell away. His eyes filled with despair.
“You should be grateful. Humans are so selfish.”
“…Shut up.”
If Diana didn’t remember anything, he could’ve approached her, warned her, and saved her and her daughter.
But if she remembered everything…
She remembered betrayal by her husband, her friend, her daughter. And her brutal death.
Now she was alive—with all that pain.
“I only helped her take revenge,” Eclipse said casually.
“What?”
“What a kind demon I am, giving her that chance. I hope she shows you a fantastic revenge.”
He spoke like he was in a play—enjoying every second.
“I won’t let things go your way.”
Lueri stormed out.
Diana didn’t remember him—so he decided to visit the Marquess of Pereshte, Diana’s father, to reveal everything.
But Eclipse’s voice echoed in his mind:
“Remember—you can’t tell anyone you’ve returned to the past. If you do, the person who hears it will die.”
“Damn it all!”
Lueri cursed.
He had underestimated the demon. This whole thing was a twisted drama—and Lueri was the lead actor in Eclipse’s show.
Was this the gods’ punishment for using a demon to turn back time?
He returned to the tower. Eclipse had vanished.
Lueri summoned every book about holy power, hoping to break the contract.
But even the tower’s archives had no solution.
He wanted to go to the temple—but relations between the tower and the temple were strained.
He’d have to find a way on his own.
He ordered lower mages to gather every book on sacred power.
Days passed as he desperately searched for a way to fight back against this cursed play.
Then one day—
“Sir Lueri, you’ve received a letter.”
“A letter?”
It was from the House of Pereshte.
“Pereshte…”
He opened it quickly.
They were offering money—asking for a reliable mage to teach magic to the Grand Duchess of Erenst.
Teach magic to Diana.
This was his chance—to stay close and protect her.
“What does it say?”
“They’re requesting a mage from us.”
“We should probably send a mid-level mage then. They do support our tower after all.”
“…I’ll go myself.”
“Huh?”
“Send them a reply. I’ll go.”
“Y-Yes, sir.”
The aide was shocked but nodded and left.
Lueri pulled back the curtains.
The forest of magic stretched out before him.
“This time… I’ll let you call me ‘big brother’ as much as you want. And I’ll smile for you—just like you liked.”
He closed his eyes. Diana’s face shimmered in the dark behind his lids.
“Diana…”
On the promised day, Lueri headed to the mansion.
It was a beautiful night with a sharp crescent moon.
Floating in the air, he looked down at Diana’s room.
She stepped out onto the terrace. The night breeze made her golden hair flutter.
Her honey-colored hair sparkled under the moonlight like gold.
She took a deep breath and smiled.
Lueri stared, completely entranced.
He had promised himself not to fall in love again.
But the moment she smiled, his heart collapsed.
How could anyone not love someone so beautiful?
He clenched his fist.
Don’t get greedy.
He shut his eyes, pushed down his emotions, then stepped out to reveal himself.
“Gasp…!”
Diana fell back in surprise.
She looked at him like he was a complete stranger.
It felt like his heart was being torn in half.
But he pushed down the pain and forced the smile she once loved.
Then he spoke, voice trembling:
“Didn’t expect my future disciple to be exactly my type of lady.”
