SWMD 98

~Chapter 98~

“Yes, of course, you must hate him! All this misery started because of Rueiri!”

Eclipse laughed like a madman, breathing heavily.

Rueiri closed his eyes tightly as if ready to accept everything, but his heart ached. He never wanted to break the curse this way. He just wanted to love her freely and let her love him back.

He hadn’t wanted her to return with her memories. He planned to save Diana by using the Marquis, making her forget all the pain.

But it wasn’t him who ruined everything—it was Eclipse.

Rueiri didn’t regret it. Even if Diana and Aisel resented him, seeing Diana alive was enough to make him happy, even if it was selfish.

Rueiri stepped closer to Diana and called her name softly, just like before.

“Diana.”

Diana’s eyes trembled after hearing his voice.

She looked at Rueiri with teary eyes.

“…Rueiri, you… you brought us back… didn’t you?”

“…Yes.”

Even if she hated him for it, Rueiri was ready to accept it. He answered with a heavy voice.

“I’m sorry, Diana… no, sister…”

Rueiri lowered his head like a sinner.

“I thought maybe you and Aisel would want peace… but…”

His blue eyes slowly filled with tears.

“I wanted to save you. I couldn’t let you die so unfairly…!”

Rueiri’s face twisted in pain.

“I’m sorry for making things harder and hurting you…”

He knew he might never be forgiven, but still, he begged:

“…Please forgive me.”

Rueiri held Diana’s hand desperately.

“Please, sister…”

But Diana didn’t answer for a long time.

Eclipse started laughing as if this was the scene he had been waiting for. Rueiri’s hand slipped from Diana’s like a lonely leaf falling.

Maybe she really hated him.

But then, tears fell from Diana’s eyes. Eclipse’s smile twitched.

She spoke slowly:

“When I told you everything…”

She remembered her date with Rueiri when she had confessed everything from before the time reversal. Rueiri had told her, It must have been really hard for you.

Diana’s voice shook as she continued:

“You said it must have been hard for me to go through it alone.”

“…Yes, I did.”

Eclipse smiled, satisfied, but Diana’s next words wiped the smile from his face.

“How hard must it have been for you, Rueiri…!”

Diana ran into Rueiri’s arms, crying uncontrollably.

Now that Eclipse’s curse was broken, Diana could see everything—memories of Rueiri erased from her mind, and how he had suffered after her death.

She saw how much he loved her, how much he had mourned her death.

“How much pain did you go through alone…?”

Her heart ached painfully.

Even if his love would vanish from her memory, he still wanted to save her.

Diana had Aisel to share her pain with, but Rueiri had no one. He had fought so hard to protect a woman who couldn’t even remember him.

How could she ever resent a man like that?

Instead, she was grateful—grateful that he gave her another chance to love and be loved.

He wasn’t selfish. His pain and suffering were as great as hers and Aisel’s.

Diana wiped her tears and looked at Eclipse with sharp eyes.

“Did you think I would hate him…?”

Eclipse flinched at her unexpected reaction.

“What… what?”

“I…”

Diana’s eyes shone stronger than ever.

“I love him.”

Her voice shook with sobs, but it was firm. Rueiri’s pupils trembled.

“You’ll never get your way!”

Golden light began to pour from Diana’s body again.

Rueiri regained his focus and attacked Eclipse. Aisel joined in too.

Those who shared the same pain were stronger than anyone else.

“This… this can’t be happening…!”

Eclipse tried to fight back, but his power kept getting weaker.

“Die, Eclipse.”

Diana’s voice was cold. She, Rueiri, and Aisel combined all their magic.

“Ahhh!”

A sharp scream rang out as their magic surrounded Eclipse. Golden flames burned his body.

The three pushed him harder, pouring out all their strength.

“No…!”

Eclipse turned to black ashes in the golden flames.

With a faint sound, the three of them collapsed from exhaustion. They breathed heavily, hugging each other tightly, tears streaming down their faces.

The joy of breaking the curse and the pity they felt for Rueiri filled their hearts.

In the end, Eclipse himself had caused the curse to break.

He thought they would resent Rueiri for reversing time, but he was completely wrong.

Eclipse underestimated time—the time Diana and Rueiri had shared, which gave them the strength to trust each other.

He didn’t know that at the moment of death, Diana had wished to turn back time—to take revenge and protect her daughter.

Diana and Aisel hadn’t been completely happy after returning. Facing betrayal from people they trusted was deeply painful.

But Eclipse didn’t know how strong love could make a person.

“Thank you… for saving us. For saving me…”

Diana held Rueiri and Aisel in her arms, whispering over and over. Rueiri and Aisel felt like they had finally gotten their loved ones back.

Rueiri laid the sleeping Aisel on the bed. Diana gently stroked her hair and smiled at her peaceful breathing.

Then Diana left the room with Rueiri and went to her own. She was tired but had many things to say to him.

She handed him a healing potion she had made earlier.

Even a great mage’s power was limited, and Rueiri had used too much fighting the demon.

But Rueiri pushed the potion back to her.

“You drink first, sister.”

“Sister? You won’t call me by my name like before?”

Diana smiled playfully. Rueiri looked at her and said:

“…In this life, I wanted to do everything you asked me to.”

“Yes… I told you to call me sister before.”

Diana smiled, remembering the past.

“You also said my smile was beautiful…”

“…Yes.”

Rueiri smiled softly too.

“Now I remember everything.”

Diana slowly approached Rueiri sitting on the sofa.

“Rueiri.”

She remembered the small boy she first met, his red hair like rose petals, and how he had always cared for her.

And now… he loved her.

The Rueiri she loved.

“Now that the curse is broken, can I say it…?”

“What…?”

“I love you.”

Rueiri stood up in shock at Diana’s confession.

“I love you, Rueiri.”

Diana touched his cheek and repeated the words she had longed to say.

Rueiri looked as if he were dreaming.

She had known his feelings before, but hearing it like this felt unreal.

Diana wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head against his chest.

“Thank you for protecting me. No words can express my feelings.”

She continued softly:

“…I also—”

“You’ll never know how happy I am right now, sister.”

“I love you, I love you, sister…”

Rueiri cupped her flushed cheeks with his big hands and slowly leaned in for a kiss.

But Diana gently stopped his lips with her finger.

“Please wait a little longer.”

She caressed his cheek softly.

“When the day comes that I can stand proudly by your side… I’ll kiss you more deeply than anyone else.”

Rueiri looked into her eyes and quietly nodded.

After all, Diana was still legally tied to Calypso. She didn’t want to put the label of adultery on Rueiri, who was as precious as Aisel.

Soon, everything will be over.

Diana’s eyes shone brighter than ever as she embraced Rueiri again.