Chapter 76
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 76
Chapter Title: Stay Behind Me
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Meanwhile, at that moment.
Dilia dreamed a dream.
It wasn't a particularly good one.
What appeared in the dream was a memory from her childhood.
A memory from her youth, when moments of happiness could be counted on one hand.
"You have the makings of a grand mage."
"Everyone has their hopes pinned on you."
"You alone are the hope of Arpen."
Born as one who received the love of mana and reaching this point, she had borne the expectations of both her family and the royal house.
At the same time, she had been subjected to strict standards.
The Arpen Duchy was a small nation without a single master mage or grand mage. Dilia was that country's one and only hope, its future.
And so, as time passed.
The mounting expectations turned into a burden.
It weighed down on her shoulders, squeezing her chest until she could barely breathe, day after day in suffocating agony.
It was then that she found a sanctuary.
'Rudine.'
The ninth princess of the Arpen Duchy.
And Dilia's half-sister.
Nowhere in the royal palace was as comfortable and cozy as by that child's side, who always greeted her with a smile.
'But...'
The sweet times didn't last long.
Rudine, while learning magic from Deplin—Dilia's teacher at the time—suddenly suffered a mana rampage accident.
She barely survived with her life, but Rudine became an invalid overnight.
The rampage's aftermath cost her both eyes, her voice, and the use of her legs.
And right after hearing of the accident.
Dilia begged her father for the first time in her life. She'd do anything he asked, so please find a way to restore Rudine.
But the response was cold.
"No spare effort for repairing defective goods."
A reply saying it was pointless to waste time and effort on the impossible. And from that day on, Rudine was confined to a tower north of the royal castle.
For one reason alone.
Word had spread that Dilia visited her sister every day. It was interfering with her magic training.
The day her sole sanctuary vanished.
From then on, Dilia spoke far less.
It was only natural.
She had lost the one person she could open her heart to. Gradually, she expressed fewer emotions, until she ended up with the emotionless face she wore now.
Time passed like that.
The winter before she turned seventeen. Dilia left the duchy for Arsen Academy.
But she felt no particular excitement.
It would be no different from the duchy, after all.
Soon, on the day of the entrance exam.
When she first visited the academy, Dilia drew countless gazes. Most were the same as those she'd received back home.
'The only difference is...'
The addition of jealousy and envy.
Otherwise, all identical. So she thought to herself that it would be three boring years.
But she was wrong.
During the aptitude test, Dilia met a type of person she'd never encountered before.
'Ullan.'
The first time she saw him.
The emotion Dilia felt was 'astonishment.'
He roamed the academy grounds bare-chested, even insisting his brute strength was magic.
And that wasn't all.
Ullan's gaze was different from the others.
Eyes filled with some vague longing and subtle nostalgia. Once she noticed it, her astonishment turned to curiosity.
'A fascinating person.'
The one who saved her when she was in danger, saying they were fated to be together in the future.
So curiosity suddenly bloomed.
What intent lay behind those words? Was her guess correct? After several verifications, her guess became conviction.
'He has feelings for me.'
The moment she realized it.
Dilia's heart stirred just a little.
It was the first time. No one had ever shown such interest in her or openly expressed their affection like Ullan.
One who received mana’s love. But apart from mana, one who received no other love.
He was the first to let her feel what it was like to be loved by someone.
The moment she thought of him.
'I want to see Ullan.'
Dilia willed herself awake from the dream.
And after persistent effort, she felt the pitch-black world gradually brighten.
Along with her sharpening vision.
A strange ceiling came into view. Likely a hospital room. As she blinked once, a sudden clamor erupted.
"N-No, you can't do it like that!"
"Handle it more gently!"
Voices presumed to be nurses and a doctor.
Four or five people anxiously watched someone's actions.
And at that instant.
"Like this?"
The voice she'd longed to hear rang out.
Ullan's voice. That meant he was here too. Dilia's eyes sparkled at the realization.
Crack!
Something shattered.
The doctor's scream followed immediately.
"No, don't break it!"
"I grabbed it gently."
"Then why did it break?!"
"Must've been old."
Ullan replied indifferently.
Only then did the scene beyond enter her view. Examination equipment utterly wrecked and rolling on the floor, doctors and nurses with despairing faces.
She instantly grasped the situation.
Ullan must have demolished the gear during his checkup. It felt so like him that a soft chuckle escaped her.
Familiar footsteps approached.
She turned her head, and there was Ullan, already at her side. Meeting her eyes, he immediately asked after her.
"Awake at last?"
"...Yeah."
"How's your body?"
"Fine. Just... a bit... low on strength."
Her voice sounded half-dead.
A fierce thirst hit next.
But she endured. Freshly awake, she had something vital to tell Ullan.
"Thank you, Ullan."
For coming to save me.
For letting us meet again. Dilia was truly grateful.
Meanwhile, Ullan waved it off.
As if it were nothing.
"Just what anyone would do."
"Why is it obvious?"
"You're fated to be with me in the future."
The words from their first meeting.
Dilia burst into laughter.
After moistening her throat with water, she leaned back on the soft pillow and murmured.
"Hey. I had a dream."
"What kind?"
"Just... an old one."
With that quiet mumble.
Dilia began recounting the past memories from her dream in bits and pieces.
No particular reason.
She just felt like sharing.
How much time passed?
After a not-short while.
The long tale ended.
"...That's what happened... when I was little."
Everything, from learning magic from Deplin to her half-sister Rudine.
After finishing it all.
She felt refreshed. Words she'd never shared with anyone.
"Did I... ever tell you... the reason?"
"What reason?"
"Why I want... to become... a grand mage."
He knew that reason.
He'd heard it in his previous life.
But not in this one, so Ullan shook his head. Dilia drew a soft breath and opened her mouth.
"I want... to become... a grand mage... to restore... my sister's body... to normal."
As expected, the same.
The reason he'd heard before.
But in the end, Dilia of the past life never achieved her goal. Her sister passed sooner than anticipated.
'But even after...'
Dilia never gave up, continuing her research.
After a long time.
Just before the Abyss Gate opened on this land, she finally succeeded in creating a treatment for mana rampage symptoms.
The moment she saw a mage, crippled by rampage, regain their power, Dilia collapsed and sobbed.
'That was the first time.'
The doll-like, expressionless Dilia pouring out emotion like that—it was the first and last. It stuck in his memory.
As he silently recalled the past.
Dilia suddenly spoke up.
"Don't you think... it's weird?"
"Weird how?"
"My reason... for becoming... a grand mage."
The first time she told her father.
He'd said this: Don't make up strange excuses—become a grand mage for the duchy alone. That was her duty, her purpose.
Not just her father.
Mother, siblings—all said the same. So Dilia had wondered if her reason was strange all this time.
'But...'
Ullan's reaction differed.
No hint of seeing her as odd after the whole story.
And the reply came soon.
"Not weird at all."
"R-Really?"
"Yeah. It's for a precious family member. What's weird about a goal like that?"
Ullan answered without hesitation.
As if stating plain fact. As Dilia's eyes widened.
"Your reason isn't weird. The weird ones are Deplin and the Arpen king."
"...Huh?"
Dilia blinked.
Moments later, she said awkwardly.
"Um, Ullan?"
"Yeah?"
"The Arpen king... is my dad?"
"Yeah. Your dad's weird."
Not a shred of doubt.
Dilia blanked for a second, then burst out laughing. Who in the world badmouths a king to a princess's face?
Yet strangely, it didn't feel bad.
Refreshing, even exhilarating.
After laughing heartily.
She wiped the tears from her eyes. Then stared straight at Ullan.
'For some reason...'
Being with Ullan makes me laugh more.
More precisely, honest with my feelings. Tension eases, even comfort settles in. Like that first exam day in the cave.
'What is it?'
A feeling that it's okay to be my true self.
Not Arpen's princess, just Arsen Academy first-year Dilia.
'With Ullan, maybe...'
He'd accept me as I am.
Realizing that.
Dilia's eyes widened hugely. Like someone grasping something late.
'Ah, I see.'
The first time she saw Ullan.
She felt astonishment. Then curiosity, then interest.
And now—
She finally understood her feelings.
'I like Ullan too...'
She swallowed the rest.
Dilia's ears flushed pink.
Her golden eyes deepened. Amid her pounding heart.
"Dilia?"
Ullan drew closer.
With a worried tone.
"Your face is red. Fever?"
"...Wasn't. But might get one."
"Huh?"
"Ullan."
Then Dilia called his name.
With a serious face.
"I have... something... to say."
"What?"
Dilia clenched her fist tight.
Still serious, her voice trembled faintly.
"Can I... stay... by your side?"
"Hm? Aren't you right now?"
"Not... that meaning."
You idiot.
A tiny whine escaped.
She looked at him again.
"Anytime... anywhere."
Not just now, but far in the future too.
No matter what happens.
"Can I... stay... by your side?"
That should convey it.
Having said her piece, Dilia waited tensely for his answer. But then, Ullan shook his head.
"Sorry, that's a bit tricky."
"...What?"
Her mind blanked.
Heart sinking.
She hadn't expected rejection. But soon, he continued.
"You're important."
"I-Important?"
"Yeah. The most precious."
He nodded firmly.
Then pointed to his back.
"So not beside—behind me."
"...!"
"So I can protect you anytime."
Like in the past life.
Ullan grinned.
Right after his reply, Dilia looked dazed. But only briefly—her face flushed hot.
Precious above all, protect you.
Words she never imagined left her flustered.
Reflexively, she pulled the blanket over her head.
Ullan stood immediately at her action.
"Sleep if you're tired."
"...Wait."
Then Dilia grabbed his wrist.
Small, pale hand. Moments later, she peeked out from under the blanket.
"Then... let me rephrase."
Still rosy-cheeked.
Dilia looked up.
"From now on... can we... keep... being together?"
"Of course, anytime."
This time, instant affirmation.
Ullan gripped her hand on his wrist. Large, firm hand. Feeling the warmth beyond, Dilia smiled faintly.
"Then... take care of me... from now on."
With a starry, gentle smile.
Relief finally washed over her.
Just then.
"Ullan!"
A distant call for him.
The doctor and nurses from before.
"Back to the exam room."
"This equipment won't break."
"Let's do a proper check!"
Sturdier gear, apparently.
Ullan turned at once.
"Then I'll be off."
"Yeah. See you... tomorrow."
Dilia waved.
She hated letting him go, but it was fine.
They'd meet tomorrow. Swallowing her reluctance, she saw him off.
Sometime later.
Crunch! Crack!
Exam equipment breaking, and the doctor's scream again.
Dilia giggled.
"Already... miss you."
She murmured wistfully.
Then startled herself. At the unintended sincerity. Clearing her throat awkwardly, she turned to the window.
Stars adorning the pitch-black night sky.
Her favorite sight, but tonight she wished night would end early, morning come soon.
For tomorrow to arrive quickly.
With that small wish.
Dilia beamed.