TL: Leila

Editor:?QianMin

Pr: Kay

Arde – Present

On the evening of the third day, Chizuru woke up for a brief moment.

“Luk..rov....?”

She looked around blankly with unfocused eyes as if she were still dreaming. For three days now, Lukrov had barely left Chizuru’s side, except for once when he went back to his room to shave, and of course, he was right next door when he did.

“Chizuru.”

Lukrov took Chizuru’s hand and bent over to look into his lover’s face.

The two looked at each other quietly and smiled softly at one another. The intimate atmosphere spread throughout the room, causing even the experienced maid Arde, who was trained to stay in the shadows, to feel nervous.

Lukrov’s hand tightened even more.

“I’m sorry .... Lukrov....”

Chizuru looked up at Lukrov as she whispered, her voice so weak it was barely audible.

“Even though.... even though I... made a promise,”

The stiff Lukrov questioned her in a low, raspy voice, “Why are you apologizing?”

Tears gradually accumulated at the corners of her eyes.

“I made a promise ... didn’t I ...? That I’ll never leave you ... That I’ll always be by your side ...”

Chizuru stopped speaking for a while as if she was having trouble breathing. Lukrov patiently waited for her to continue. Moments later, Chizuru began to speak again, slowly.

“And then .... I disappeared.”

“It’s not your fault, Chizuru. It’s not your fault.”

“But..”

“No buts. You don’t have to apologize. You’re here now. Right here, right beside me. Isn’t that right?”

Chizuru bit her lip tightly and gave a small nod.

“You’re a good girl. And .... you’re not going to leave me. Isn’t that right?”

Chizuru’s face crumpled, a tear spilled from her eye, and she gave a small nod again.

“Yeah.”

“That’s it then. That’s all I need to know. Don’t cry.”

But Lukrov’s voice was also trembling. He then repeated his reassurance.

“Don’t cry. It will affect your wounds.”

They hugged each other on the bed. It seemed like they were quietly confirming each other’s existence.

After a while, Chizuru began to doze off again from the fever and whispered to Lukrov in a faint voice before closing her eyes, “I .... lied to you.”

“Lied?

Lukrov fiddled with Chizuru’s hair between his fingertips.

“What did you lie about?”

“I said I was tired of you .... and that I would marry someone else .....”

Startled, Arde lifted her head from the sewing she was doing at that moment. She couldn’t see Lukrov’s face, but Chizuru was tilting her head anxiously.

“Lie. It was a lie .... I’m sorry. I told you I was tired of you.”

“Chizuru.”

“I don’t want to marry anyone else.”

“Chizuru.”

As Chizuru’s consciousness gradually clouded over, Lukrov patted her lightly on the cheek, calling her name over and over.

“I knew that all along, Chizuru. You’re a terrible liar. And there’s no way I’m going to marry another woman. Even at this very moment, all I can think about is how I want to hold you in my arms in your bridal gown as soon as possible.”

Still, Chizuru continued to converse with him in low, hushed tones that Arde couldn’t catch. However, she could see Lukrov shaking his head in denial.

“The only one I love is you, no matter what. You’re the only one I’ll ever love in life and death.”

Arde wondered to herself how many people live their entire lives dreaming and searching for this kind of love – a true love that only a handful of people could find.

No matter what the future held for them, they have found the one to whom they could offer such rare love. Beyond time and space.

And now, they were fighting for that love.

Even if death were to separate their bodies, their hearts and souls would always remain one, and they would never be apart forever.

Chizuru sank back into a long, deep sleep.

Lukrov didn’t let go of Chizuru, not even once until the morning came.

Then, time passed, and the morning of the fifth day arrived.

*****