Chapter 51

After a while, I stopped crying and told Gerald, "Get out." But Gerald only said, "I'm sorry," and made no move to leave the spot.

"…I hate Gerald, I really hate him. I don't ever want to see his face again, and I will never forgive him."

Before I knew it, such words were spilling out of my mouth.

I think it was the first time in my life I had ever said I hated someone. Gerald's expression seemed hurt, but he eventually smiled with a troubled look.

"Of course. I'm doing something that deserves to be hated."

Still, he said that there was no going back now.

"…Norman and the others haven't returned to their original bodies, have they?"

"Yeah, that's right."

"Why? You said they would break."

I had thought that when the magical artifact, which was nearing its limit, was used again, it would break, and everyone would return to their original bodies.

I also felt doubt and anxiety that even after Mabel and I had switched bodies, nothing had changed.

Gerald continued, as if remembering something.

"I didn't hear all the details, but Mabel said she had reduced the burden on the magical artifact."

"Burden…?"

"Mabel had been conducting experiments using the magical artifact, right? Apparently, there were other places where people who had switched bodies were gathered."

I recalled that Tabatha had once said, "Do you think Mabel used and killed how many people for her experiments?"

I never imagined that there were such people besides us.

"Recently, an epidemic broke out there, and many people died. Mabel noticed that the magical artifact, which had been darkening with each use, regained some of its luster."

Such words filled me with a bad premonition.

"–You can't be serious."

"She killed all the people she had switched with, and as a result, the magical artifact regained some of its power, just as she had expected."

"Such…!"

The selfish and cruel act made my body shudder. How many lives had been lost for this body swap? My fingertips grew cold, and I felt suffocated.

This is absolutely unforgivable.

And the fact that he could talk about it so calmly made me realize that he was no longer the Gerald I knew.

"Still, it seems this will be the last time. The magical artifact is completely black and can barely maintain its shape."

If this were true, then the next body swap should return everyone to their original bodies.

However, now that Gerald has betrayed us, Mabel will be even more cautious. Finding the location of the magical artifact would be nearly impossible.

Still, I couldn't give up. The only thing I could do, stuck in this place, was to try to get some information from Gerald.

With this in mind, I clenched my hands tightly, suppressed my various emotions, and turned to face Gerald.

"…Will I still be here even after we get engaged?"

"Yeah. But I plan to get married soon. Then I'll bring Saidi to our new home."

Gerald said this as if it were the most natural thing in the world, his well-shaped lips forming a beautiful curve.

"A world where it's just me and Saidi, with no one else to interfere, seems like a dream."

The expression on Gerald's face, one of unparalleled happiness, gave me goosebumps. The feelings he had for me were definitely not love.

"Are you happy with this, Gerald?"

"Of course. My happiness is having Saidi by my side. As long as you're with me, I don't need anything else."

"……"

–I had always wondered. Had I done something to make him feel this way about me?

I had only lived there in that place, in that form, just like Eliza and everyone else. I had never treated Gerald any differently.

"When did you start liking me?"

"Eleven years ago, when I first met Saidi."

"Huh?"

I was sure that Gerald and I had met in that place seven years ago. He had arrived there three years after me and Eliza.

"I knew you before we met in that place."

"…No way."

I couldn't hide my surprise at this new information.

"I've always liked Saidi. But you always had Rufus Langridge by your side."

"……"

"That's why I was so happy to meet Saidi in a place where he wasn't there, even in that form."

Gerald continued, seeing my confusion.

"He didn't even realize you had switched bodies and hurt Saidi. But even so, you—"

But he stopped speaking mid-sentence.

"Sorry, I think I've talked too much. I'll leave now. Is there anything you want when I come next time?"

"Don't do anything more to Eliza and Norman."

"Of course, that's my intention."

Gerald said, "I'm sorry," and "I love you," and left the room. I didn't want to hear such words.

"…What should I do?"

Feeling suffocated, I got up from the bed and went to the window, which could not be opened. The sound of the chains scraping together made me feel even more disoriented.

From this side, I could see the outside, but from the outside, nothing inside could be seen.

As I stared blankly at the birds flying under the blue sky, thinking about how thorough everything was, a carriage with a familiar coat of arms stopped in front of the baron's residence. My heart began to race with anticipation.

"……"

And the person who got out of the carriage was none other than Rufus himself.