The tears that Lara tried to hold back had fallen. A small stain was left on the white sand. With her head down, she wiped her face with the sleeve of her clothes. But no matter how hard she wiped it, her tears kept falling.
"Lara."
Demian who finally made her cry, let out a heavy sigh.
"I want you to forget everything, but you can't, right?"
"Demian…"
"Do as you please. It's okay to love him and it doesn't matter if you miss him."
Lara shook her head. She could not say anything because she was crying, but she denied it with her whole body. However, in Demian's eyes, even that gesture seemed like Lara was confused after belatedly realizing her feelings.
"For God's sake."
It was more than just a coincidence that he looked into her feelings, which even the owner ignored. Perhaps anyone would have thought so. The Demian Rhode Drake in Lara's dream could have always escaped her grasp, but he still hovered around her to the end.
The same went for Lara. she could have forgotten everything and made a fresh start, but she did not.
A relationship where they were looking at each other, but they could not get close to each other, unable to confide their feelings. They were in love with each other.
"At first, I thought you were suffering from nightmares, so I thought I should open your eyes to reality… But now I could only hope that it really was a dream."
"Do you…believe me?"
"Yeah.
He believed her. He had no choice but to believe her. Demian had decided to think that this woman had either experienced some miracle or was under a terrible curse.
"Finding me and kissing me… That must be what you wanted to do to him too."
"Demian."
"Stop crying."
Demian was angry, but he could not get angry. It provoked him, but somehow, maybe this was also his common point with the other guy.
"I don't know what to do when you cry."
He reached out his hand. When his rough hand popped out in front of her, Lara grabbed it with her two hands. His hand, which was cold until just now, felt warm. Even such an insignificant change in temperature made her feel sad. Lara once again distorted her face as if she was crying.
Demian looked at her and opened his mouth.
"You…"
But he could not bear to finish his sentence and just kept his mouth shut with a stiff face. He could not figure out what to say to soothe a woman who was struggling with her whole body to swallow her tears, a woman who could not even see properly from the tears falling from her eyes.
Demian chose silence. He could neither say that he wanted to approach her despite there being no path in front of him, nor could he say that the Demian in Lara's dream, too, could not leave her because he loved her madly.
A crying woman was against the law. But all the laws in the world were useless to this woman's tears.
The wind by the riverside scattered Lara's hair. Demian approached Lara and put his cheek on top of her soft head. His chest touched her face, quickly becoming wet.
"I'm sorry."
Lara whispered. Demian decided not to ask what she was sorry for. He could tell without even asking. For now, he just wanted this woman's crying to end just a little bit faster.
"Don't cry."
He certainly told her not to cry, but there were even bigger drops of tears from Lara's eyes.
Demian's world kept getting wet. Lara's tears were absolute. His world was terribly dry, getting cracked and broken every day, but now, Lara had filled it with tears.
Demian thought.
What can I do to stop this woman from crying?
Should I say I would do everything for her?
Should I rip Sidhar Hautean to death?
Or should I become the Demian Rhode Drake in her dream?
Should I get whatever she want?
The hero of the battlefield, the undefeated warrior. Those who held swords gave him nicknames as they liked every time they encountered him. They said in unison that there would be no one in the world who could beat Demian.
But Demian realized it. He could fight even if the demon lord descended, but this woman's tears made him a captive on his knees.
"Don't cry."
Because I feel so helpless when you cry.
13. Broken Heart
After sitting by the river and wedding tears all at once, Lara looked at the Tender River, which flowed indifferently. Demian picked up two pebbles that were a little smaller than an egg, wiped them on his clothes, and put them into her hand. It was cold and smooth. Lara put the stones around her eyes that were heated after crying.
"How does it feel to be heartbroken?"
"I'm not in the mood for a joke."
"Don't you want to go back to the past? I think he'd be happy to accept your confession."
"Don't say it so easily. Just because it's none of your business…"
Lara, who stopped in the middle of her sentence, burst out laughing. Now even she was treating the past Demian and the present Demian differently. Lara took a short, deep breath and calmed her agitated chest.
"Demian."
"Yeah."
"Do you know? Soon, you will catch the demons and their worshippers."
"When?"
"Someday, your comrades will crown you a king—the king of the outlaws. The land is now unclaimed, but later you and your comrades will occupy that land and call it lawless…"
"Wait, what?"
"Just listen and let it flow. Because the future is changing. It won't be until years later that you will be called the demon slayer or the last Barbarian."
She was relieved to tell him everything. Lara was determined to confess everything to him.
"When you were fighting for me in Hautean… I mean, before you left. No demon appeared in this country. You killed all the black sorcerers."
"Me?"
"Because Demian Rhode Drake was someone who would do anything for the fake saintess."
Demian closed his mouth. Lara, who was sitting on the sand, looked straight at him and said.
"I was also a fake."
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
When her lady, who went for a short walk, came back with swollen eyes and a pale face, Konny glared at Demian.
"What is this? What's wrong with milady's face? Huh?"
No matter how she asked, neither of them gave their answer. Konny quickly kicked Demian to his room. Then, she brought a sweet dessert and put it in Lara's hand.
"It's a bit weird to have this when summer has already passed… But please try this. It's a dessert made with ground ice."
"It's delicious."
"Right? When I said I liked cold desserts, Valentine made me an ice grinder."
"I see."
"He's just slow-witted, but he's kind. He's also skillful with his hands. I wish he could also be nice to you soon."
That was not going to happen. Lara saved Valentine's life, but the wound he was holding was not easy to heal.
"There are things in this world that only Konny can do. One of them is taking care of Valentine."
"What are you talking about? If that's the case, then there must be things that only you can do, milady. I mean, there must be a lot!"
Is that so?
Come to think of it now, not just Lara, but any other woman would have meant nothing to Prince Sidhar. He just needed a stupid, obedient woman.
The same went for her reversion. At first, she thought that the great existence had done this miracle because he felt sorry for her. But no matter how hard she thought about it, there seemed to be another reason. Suddenly she was given healing powers and there was a revelation about the appearance of the saintess.
Was it the demon's trick? Or is it a divine punishment? No matter how hard she tried and struggled, will she still end up with the same ending as her past?
She thought she had changed a lot of things so far, but maybe she was wrong. The people who were deceived by the fake saintess, the appearance of the black sorcerer, the demon worshippers, and Demian who would not leave her side. What did not change still did not change.
When she scooped the dessert that was given by Konny and put it in her mouth, the cold ice melted away. It was a taste that brought her to her senses.
'Something that only I can do…'
"…Konny."
"Yes, milady."
"Can you call the carriage? I have somewhere to go."
"Where are you going at this hour?"
"The Temple of Glory."
She needed to see God.
The priests said the temple was the house of God. If I go and force him to come out, I will for sure get to meet him.
'Whatever happens, happens.'
Lara decided not to avoid it anymore.