Chapter 97
But in his eyes, Catherine seemed quite down. Suddenly, Chezare brought over a massive winged beast and took her flying—with a comment about cheering her up.
I'm fine, though.
Thanks to his not-quite-considerate consideration, she got to enjoy teatime in the open sky. Sipping milk tea while basking in the autumn breeze wasn't half bad. The milk tea Chezare had recreated with magic was exquisite in every way, crafted by an imperial milk tea specialist who'd devoted thirty years to perfecting nothing else.
During the flight, she returned to the castle escorted by a flock of bird-like monsters that had drawn near. The knights all wore the same dumbfounded expressions.
"Can grand archmages tame monsters from Abyssland too?"
"His reputation from childhood stories holds true. It's nothing short of awe-inspiring."
It was possible because he was a Great Demon, not just a grand archmage. Catherine quietly played dumb.
They arrived at the main hall on the first floor of Panya Castle. Chezare slowly removed his gloves as he turned.
"Now that we've taken a look around Abyssland after so long…"
Taken a look around? She waited demurely for him to finish, but instead, Chezare gave her a look that urged her on, as if asking what she was waiting for. His eyes held clear expectations.
Ah.
"Shall I show you the rear garden this time?"
At Catherine's suggestion, Chezare nodded as if he'd been waiting for it.
"That sounds good. Unfortunately, we'll have to postpone the knights' visit a bit longer."
With that, he casually slipped his half-removed glove back on. She hoped he wouldn't end up canceling the knights' visit altogether.
Their footsteps naturally led them to the rear garden. Truth be told, calling Panya Castle's rear garden a "garden" felt a bit embarrassing. It was maintained only minimally to uphold the dignity of a marquess's residence, more a rest area than a proper garden. It was the Panya Marchioness's decision that flowerbeds were unnecessary in a fortress where knights were dying every day.
"Truth be told, I was really shocked."
Those words slipped out after some deliberation. Chezare's impassive gaze, fixed on the yellow chrysanthemums, turned to her.
"About what?"
"Obviously, my true identity. You're saying I'm the successor to Lilith."
Chezare shrugged.
"Do you think I'm any different? But looking back, there were plenty of hints. Not many beings carry an Apocalypse Fragment, are born with a Transfer Root, and can traverse the Abyss."
"Do you think I should inherit Lilith's power?"
Chezare raised one eyebrow, his expression saying he'd never expected such a question.
"From what Lilith told you back then, as I recall—she said even if you abandoned the Void's inheritance, she'd love you forever. The choice is entirely yours."
"What if I refuse Lilith's power?"
"The strongest demon naturally born from chaos would inherit it. It might take some time, but what can be done? If the rightful successor is gone."
"So another successor would still emerge."
"It would get quite noisy. Demons are a race that pursues power by nature. Opportunities to reach the pinnacle don't come often."
Did that mean war would break out? Catherine wondered.
"And you'd live as an ordinary Nephilim. With me."
With Chezare. She thought that might just be the happiest ending possible. Catherine was content with the present. It felt like no other time in her life could match this peaceful happiness. Just knowing Chezare was by her side brought near-perfect peace and reassurance. She was slowly realizing what a bond deeper than blood truly meant. With him, she was certain she'd be happy in the next life, and the one after that.
But all this assumed their contract endured.
"What if I do inherit Lilith's power?"
"You're asking the obvious. You'd become Lilith herself. The new Void Dominator, neither human nor Nephilim."
"What about our contract?"
Chezare's lips pressed shut. His cobalt eyes slid away from hers at an angle. His gaze into the void carried a hint of emptiness.
"Demons cannot form contracts with demons. So the souls we've shared would return to their original owners. Back to the beginning, as if nothing had happened."
His tone was matter-of-fact, but it didn't sound that way to Catherine at all. Back to the beginning? Said so easily?
"Does a bond deeper than blood break that easily?"
Even she was startled by how blatantly sarcastic she sounded, but Chezare remained calm in his response.
"Archdemons maintain the universe's balance. At the center of chaos lies Yggdrasil, with its seven roots extending underground…"
"I'm not asking for a lecture on that, Chezare. I'm asking if our bond would truly mean nothing once the contract ends."
"Catherine. 'We' would be each other's natural predator. In this world, only 'we' can kill 'us'."
She didn't want to include herself in his notion of 'we'.
"Do you think predators can hold affection for each other?"
Chezare drew close, whispering softly as if soothing a child.
"We merely keep an unspoken line between us. Like humans forming nations and not crossing borders."
A bitterness he couldn't hide seeped into his gaze as he looked down at her.
"If you became Lilith… we'd be that way too. It's an inevitable instinct we can't defy, not something easily changed."
Catherine, now bristling, furrowed her brow deeply.
"Why say it so coldly?"
She clenched one fist threateningly and thumped his chest.
"Even empty words about us getting along like now wouldn't hurt. You're acting like we'd be throwing punches the moment I become Lilith."
Chezare chuckled, shoulders shaking, and enveloped her fist in his hand. Compared to his large palm, her fist was barely a handful. His warmth against her skin was comforting.
"I'm merely stating the facts as they are. Even if you suddenly felt intense hostility toward me one day…"
He pulled her clenched fist toward his chest.
"It would be a natural change as Lilith. Nothing wrong with it. That's what I wanted to convey. If I didn't care what became of you, I wouldn't say this."
Catherine wasn't a fool. She understood exactly what he meant. Becoming Lilith would end their relationship completely.
It wouldn't be like before, as total strangers… no, we might end up even more distant than that.
Hostility and wariness would instinctively take root between them and her, unintended but inevitable.
The loss would be far greater.
Yeah, no thanks. The job of Lilith held no appeal, no matter how she thought about it.
"Mars would have straightforwardly decided whether to inherit or not."
"And you'd do whatever you wanted regardless of advice. You're the same then as now, Catherine."
"I'm different. I won't let you roll in the rain like back then."
She'd watch him 365 days a year. Ensure he never pulled any reckless stunts again.
Chezare shook his head as if exasperated.
"Does that bother you so much?"
His words said one thing, but his eyes didn't look displeased. She'd meant to avoid the topic altogether, but his gaze urged an answer. With a helpless sigh, Chezare spoke.
"Yes. Over the past 600 years, similar things have happened a few times."
"How many?"
"I didn't keep count."
"That means a lot, right?"
Chezare averted his gaze again. Silence was affirmation, it seemed. He was utterly quiet, like a mute.
Of course, Catherine had no desire to scold him. She knew it was an unimaginably long time for her, who'd lived barely twenty-odd years. It was absurd for her to lecture him.
"If even one of those attempts had succeeded, we'd have parted after that meeting 600 years ago and never crossed paths again."
That didn't mean she could hide her lingering hurt.
Chezare bent toward the flowerbed, lightly tapping a chrysanthemum blooming like a bush.
"Catherine, you may not realize it, but… I've been desperately, no, desperately waiting for your existence. For 600 years."
If he wanted to embarrass her, he could at least look her in the eye. Fixing his gaze on the chrysanthemum, he continued.
"Even reflecting thousands of times, it's unbelievable. Me, waiting 600 years for a mere human. …Maybe I endured solely on the thought of giving you an earful upon reunion. And when I tired, I'd roll in the rain, just as you said."
"What are you talking about? Sneaking into my mansion and suddenly declaring you'd kill me?"
"Hm. Good memory."
"How could I forget?"
The despair from the mud he'd dragged in back then had been overwhelming. Catherine knelt and leaned toward the chrysanthemum he was staring at. If she didn't, he'd avoid her eyes forever.
"Why not hint at it sometime? That we actually met 600 years ago."
His blue eyes flicked toward her briefly.
"I could see exactly how you'd react. You'd treat me like a raving lunatic."
Then he turned away again. As if he hadn't seemed mad enough already.
Catherine shifted to match where his gaze lingered.
"It must have hurt when you realized I didn't remember."
Chezare answered without hesitation.
"No, not really. I could anticipate when 'that moment' would come. Reuniting was enough satisfaction."
His gaze, lingering in the air for a while, finally met hers. A nostalgic smile curved his lips, as if recalling old memories.
"Yes… that was enough. How about we get off the ground now? You're making me reveal my inner thoughts, after all."
Led by his hand, she stood. She'd only wanted to force eye contact since he kept dodging.
Who knew it'd be taken that way.
For Catherine, it wasn't a bad outcome. Shy avoidance, in one word.
"You fooled me completely. I thought we were total strangers."
Now she understood why he'd brazenly come and gone from her mansion. A familiar face to him alone!
"We spent only a few days together in the past. All I knew of you was your name and face. Calling it our first meeting isn't wrong."
Catherine pouted.
"That's technically true, but you treated me like a complete stranger."
"I tried my best. It was an effort I rarely make, so I put my heart into the deception."
His soft fingertips brushed her nose and vanished.
"Of course, I was uncertain at first too… but it's been enjoyable in many ways. At least while you're alive by my side, I won't show you any unsightly desperation."
Far from reassuring her, his words only deepened her melancholy.
Without me, you'd keep doing it.
Then she wanted to ensure neither ever harbored death-like thoughts while together. But could they?
"Can't I make your life a bit more fulfilling?"
Chezare slowly shook his head, face saying it was the most absurd thing he'd heard.
"More fulfilling here? Please, no more frightening talk."