Chapter 74

I was so shocked that I was stunned.

My uncle, who had searched for every possible way to save Theo, must have also looked into the useless magic.

Just like how Cheshire had asked Oscar in the original story.

"Life? If life is needed, then... if Theo comes back to life, Uncle, you... you would die?"

"That's how it would be."

I was stunned, and then I grabbed Uncle's collar in shock.

"Then! That can't be!"

"Ahaha."

Even knowing the conditions for resurrection, Uncle seemed to have thought of saving Theo that way if there was no other way.

Even at the cost of his own life.

'What can I do about this touching love for a child?'

Uncle hugged me tightly, seeing my shocked expression.

"I'm going crazy. But now it's okay. You've made Theo better."

"But... even so. The fact that Uncle thought about it, it's just too strange. Theo wouldn't have been happy at all if Uncle had passed away..."

"But that's how parents feel."

Indeed, parents are great. I felt a lump in my throat and hugged Uncle's neck.

'Even though it wasn't shown, in the original, Uncle, with his personality, must have gone to the magic tower and caused a commotion after Theo died. Since Oscar didn't tell him the magic formula, he couldn't save him...'

Thinking about this, I said,

"Probably, if my brother-in-law was in the same situation as me, he wouldn't have hesitated. What can't he do for such an angelic daughter?"

I was stunned by Uncle's words.

Dad...?

At that moment, I recalled the words of Dad, who had made my heart sink many times.

"When I thought the princess was dead, I only survived to take revenge."

"I might have planned to die after the revenge was over."

"Dad can't live without the princess."

"Dad can do anything for our princess."

I was curious.

How Dad, who loved me so much, ended up after the original story.

I hoped he didn't really follow me in death.

'I'm curious. What I don't know...'

After the original story.

What happened to this world after I died.

* * *

Oscar, who returned to the magic tower, was recalling the lost time.

After Lylis died.

The empire became peaceful.

The complete annihilation of Primera.

Now, no more ability users would be born, and the class system would become meaningless.

People were happy.

Except for one person.

Enoch Rubinstein, the creator of the peaceful empire.

"Why did you fight for your daughter?"

His face was as pale as a corpse.

The man had gone mad, and Oscar could understand his heart.

His daughter, whom he thought was dead, was alive and had suffered in captivity for her entire life...

No one could remain sane.

"I raised her. In your place."

"..."

"The emperor took away your daughter's self. It was easier to brainwash her. She was a fool after being locked in the tower."

The emperor spared his own life and used Enoch's daughter freely.

She aged in place of the emperor.

"The first thing the emperor ordered her to do was to place a constraint of obedience on me. Her lifespan was shortened by about thirty years."

There were reasons why the magic tower didn't help Enoch and Oscar couldn't tell him his daughter's secret.

"I secretly taught her many things. It wasn't easy since she had no self."

"..."

"The one thing she never forgot, even when she couldn't remember her own name, was something she said to me every day."

Oscar knew Enoch would collapse and said,

"Dad will come to get you."

Finally, the man's expression twisted.

"To me, she was as precious as to you. She had no one but me."

Oscar's expression was not much different. His eyes were red, and his smile was tragic.

"But I could do nothing for her as long as the emperor was alive."

There was a law of power in Primera.

The older generation could control the younger generation's Primera, but not the other way around.

So, from the moment the emperor discovered her, the girl's fate was sealed as a puppet.

"Why did you let her be taken so easily? You are partly to blame for her lifelong suffering."

"..."

"Tell me, her name."

Oscar had given the girl, who couldn't remember her own name, dozens, hundreds of names.

But she never responded.

So, he was curious.

"...Lylis."

Lylis.

A name he learned only after her death.

"Save her."

"What?"

"My daughter..."

Enoch's eyes had no life.

The eyes of a man who had already decided to die.

The moment he saw it,

Even though he knew he shouldn't, a terrifying desire rose in Oscar's heart.

"Do you want to bring her back? Primera, again?"

"Yes."

"Didn't you work so hard... to create the country you desired? You saved the suffering people. Now everyone is happy because of you."

"..."

"You know the fundamental problem is Primera. If Primera exists again, this country will rot again, no matter when."

A wall that cannot be crossed will form between ability users and non-ability users.

Non-ability users will become like ants that can be easily crushed by ability users.

Ability users will look down on non-ability users, and the disappeared class system will soon be revived.

"Even so?"

"Save her. Please..."

There was no self-sacrificing man for the greater good.

Only a selfish father who wanted to bring his daughter back without hesitation.

"Then I'll ask. For her...?"

But Oscar was also selfish.

"Can you die in her place?"

The answer that followed had no hesitation.

"Of course."

* * *

"Wahaha! Lylis, look at this! I can now channel mana from my gauntlet!"

The late evening courtyard.

Gem was excitedly swinging his fist.

Thanks to my top-level math tutoring and Cheshire's special training, Gem could now channel mana into his weapon.

"Ooh, ooh! Our Gem is doing great!"

I sat on the pergola, watching Cheshire and Gem train.

"Wow, but Cheshire, you're really amazing. We're both 6th level, but why are you so good?"

When Cheshire demonstrated a sword skill, Gem was amazed.

Cheshire was improving rapidly.

He could easily take down four or five monsters at once.

'Sure, he's getting stronger every day.'

I suddenly felt a bit melancholic watching Cheshire.

"What's wrong with your face?"

Cheshire, who had wiped the sweat from his chin and came to sit beside me, asked.

"Huh? My face? What's wrong with my face?"

"You look like you're about to cry."

Wow. I was trying to smile and act bright, but he could see through it.

He was indeed the protagonist.

"Hmm."

I met Cheshire's piercing gaze without avoiding it.

Cheshire.

The protagonist who will kill me.

'Can I survive?'

I suddenly wondered.

We need time to kill the emperor.

Time to create a just cause for Dad.

Time for Cheshire to become strong enough to kill the emperor.

'How long can I avoid the emperor's eyes?'

I can hide my identity for now, but...

The emperor will eventually notice something is wrong. The next Primera isn't showing up.

'Then I might be caught. If I'm caught, the original story will play out.'

It feels like a game with a time limit.

I need to consider the situation if my identity is revealed.

"Cheshire. Hey, can I ask you something?"

"What is it?"

I don't want to die, and I can't die.

If I die, what will Dad do...

I can't guarantee what Dad will think.

"Hey, if I... really, really if I..."

"Yeah."

"Turned into a completely terrifying demon."

I looked into Cheshire's eyes, tense.

He just stared at me, his expression unreadable.

"I start killing innocent people. But, you're the only one who can stop me."

"..."

"You have to kill me... then, what would you do?"

I was afraid to hear the answer, so I grabbed Cheshire's arm and added,

"Please, don't kill me! Don't kill me... absolutely, absolutely don't kill me. Can you find another way? Somehow, to..."

"Lylis."

I was already trembling.

Cheshire grabbed my hand and said,

"I'm sorry, but I'm not as good as you."

"Huh?"

I was stunned by his cold answer.

"Don't be afraid."

Cheshire, who had let go of my hand, held it again and sat beside me.

He started to speak.

"Uncle said, a human life can't be weighed. But when you have to choose between a hundred lives and one life, you should save the hundred, even if it's painful."

It was a lesson worthy of Dad.

"I answered that I understood. Uncle gave me food and a place to stay. But I couldn't understand. I'm not as good as you or Uncle."

"..."

"A person I know is more important than a hundred strangers I don't know. If that situation comes, I won't hesitate."

Cheshire looked at me.

"Lylis, you."

"..."

"Can you stay by my side?"

"..."

"Can you not abandon me?"

Cheshire's eyes were trembling.

He, who had always been abandoned, was trembling as he waited for my answer.

I wiped my damp eyes and nodded vigorously.

"Yes, I won't abandon you. I'll stick to you like glue."

"Good."

Cheshire smiled slightly.

"Me too."

"..."

"I won't let go first."

He showed me the hand he was holding.

"If you become a demon..."

His grip tightened.

"I'll fall into hell with you."