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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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Whether souls truly existed, whether it was really her soul that had returned… it didn’t matter anymore. I couldn’t tell the difference. And if I couldn’t tell, then there was no point in questioning it.
If I believed it was real, then it was real.
“I have a question.”
“What is it?”
“What’s… the afterlife like?”
“That’s a secret. Go see for yourself.”
“…”
“Ah! I’m not telling you to die!”
“I know…”
I touched the ring. It was time to let her go. I had already said my goodbyes countless times. I had to do it now. If I waited any longer, I would never be able to let her go.
“Han Ah-reum, it’s—”
“Wait, oppa. Could you come closer?”
“No. It’s time to say goodbye. You have to go…”
“Just once. I want to touch your face one last time.”
“…”
Damn it.
She was making this so difficult. I pushed myself away from the table and walked towards her. I knelt before her, our eyes meeting.
“Aren’t you curious?”
“About what?”
“How I recognized you.”
“…”
Now that she mentioned it, I was curious. I was inhabiting Schlus’s body.
How had she recognized me?
“How did you recognize me?”
“You look like him. You look a lot like him…”
Her small hand touched my cheek, gently caressing it. Her hand moved to the back of my neck, and she pulled me closer.
“Han Ah-reum.”
“One last time… just one last time…”
“No. I promised. No touching.”
“So… you don’t want to?”
Her face crumpled.
One last time… I let her pull me closer. Our lips were about to meet when—
“Ugh?”
I pressed my finger against her forehead, stopping her.
“I loved you. I’ll try to keep my promise.”
“Oppa, wait—”
Her eyes fluttered closed, and she slumped forward. I caught her and gently placed her back on the chair.
It was a sleep spell that directly interfered with her nervous system. The academies taught basic defenses against such magic, but she wouldn’t know them.
It had worked perfectly.
I stared at her peaceful face, my heart aching.
“Goodbye.”
I had prepared myself for this a long time ago. I was grateful for the chance to see her again. I raised my left hand, bringing the ring close to my lips.
“Return Han Ah-reum to—”
“Wait!”
“…”
The door burst open, and Erica rushed in.
What was she doing?
“Erica, I’m in the middle of something. Get out.”
“No! You promised no physical contact! You just broke that promise!”
“What…?”
Was she talking about me touching her forehead?
That was ridiculous. If I had kissed her, she would have been screaming at me.
“Tch. It’s over now, anyway.”
“That’s why I’m telling you not to finish!”
“Why?”
“I don’t think we need to force them apart. There might be another way. We can try to find—”
“Erica, do you even understand what you’re saying?”
“Hic…!”
Infuriated, I walked towards her. Find another way?
That was absurd.
“Were you listening from the other side of the door, feeling sorry for me? Did you want us to stay together longer? I don’t need your pity.”
“But… still…”
“The dead have their place. Would you drag everyone back from the underworld just because you feel sorry for them?”
“If I could, I would! I can’t, so I don’t! But Han Ah-reum… she can still stay! We can find a way! If there’s a chance to bring her back, why not try?”
“It’s defying the natural order. There’s no such way.”
“Have you tried? Have you even tried?! How can you be so sure? Are you a god?”
“…”
In this world, I was something close to a god. I decided not to say that. Erica was unbelievably stubborn.
I had finally steeled my resolve, and she was making me waver.
“It’s not our decision to make. Julia is the one suffering. Are you going to ignore your sister’s pain just because you pity me?”
“But… that’s…”
“I’m fine.”
“What?”
I turned around at the familiar voice. Julia was awake, smiling faintly.
Her smile was different from Han Ah-reum’s. It was weaker, more fragile.
“I’m fine. I was just starting to get to know Ms. Ah-reum.”
“You can communicate with each other?”
“Barely. We exchange notes. That’s how we communicate. So, we still have a lot to talk about. I don’t want to say goodbye… but I suppose it would be a burden to you, wouldn’t it? I know you’ve made a difficult decision…”
She was more mature than Erica, perhaps because of her longer lifespan.
“It’s your decision, Schlus. But if you ask me, I want to stay with Han Ah-reum.”
“Julia…”
Both Julia and Han Ah-reum wanted to stay.
What about Madam Lichtenburg?
“…”
I turned around to find Madam Lichtenburg watching us with a disapproving frown. Our eyes met, and she sighed, turning away.
It was a sign of consent.
Julia, Erica, and Madam Lichtenburg… they had all left the decision to me.
‘Stay calm.’
I couldn’t let my emotions cloud my judgment. I had said that defying the natural order was wrong. The dead should return to their place.
I had already made up my mind. I swallowed and brought the ring to my lips.
“Ugh… damn it…”
I couldn’t say the words. I had said my goodbyes, steeled my resolve… but seeing her again, even if it was awkward, I couldn’t let her go.
My desire to see her again had consumed me.
“Fine… I’ll try. I’ll try to find a way.”
“R-Really? Are you sure, Schlus?”
“No, I’m not. But… the thought of seeing her again… it’s reassuring.”
“Ah…”
“I’ll be going now. I’ve imposed upon your hospitality. I boasted that I could cure your sister, but I’ve failed.”
“No. It was our wish…”
“Schlus.”
I turned back at Julia’s voice.
“Come visit me whenever you miss her. I have plenty of time. Come whenever you’re free.”
“Thank you…”
I had to leave before I changed my mind and forced Julia to sleep again. I was disgusted by my own weakness. I hurried out of the greenhouse.
The cold air hit me like a slap in the face. I wanted to stay in that warm, sunlit space forever.
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“Are you sure about this, Julia?”
“Yes. It was my decision. I think Schlus is the one who made the difficult decision.”
“I see… if you say so…”
Erica stroked Julia’s hand, feeling relieved. She had been worried and scared whenever Julia acted strangely, but now, knowing the truth, she was okay.
She knew that the person Schlus missed was inside Julia. And she knew that Julia didn’t dislike that person. Perhaps it was a good thing.
Perhaps it would give Julia, who was mostly confined to the house, a friend.
“Goodnight, Julia.”
“Goodnight, sister.”
Erica kissed Julia on the forehead and left the room. Julia waved until the door closed.
Once she was alone, she reached for the table beside her bed, rummaging through the drawers until she found a piece of paper and a pencil.
She lay down on the bed and began to write a note for the person who would be controlling her body when she woke up.
“Done.”
She smiled and put the paper and pencil back in the drawer. She placed the folded note under her pillow and closed her eyes.
The note read,
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[Your Text Here]
Hmm… How did she figure that out? They communicate by exchanging notes right? So that suggests that when one is awake, the other isn’t…
Does this mean that it was Julia that was talking with him the whole time? If that’s true, she’s a real god tier actor…
Yeah, I don’t know how she figured it out. The last chapter’s convo I’m like 99% sure was Ah-reum because I find it hard to see how Julia would’ve known Ah-reum’s last conversation with MC. Julia could’ve been acting as Ah-reum – even the fantasy/romance bit maybe – if it wasn’t for the impossibility of thix knowledge tidbit, i think.