The tremor in his body gradually subsided. Yurina tightly gripped Reynard’s cheeks and met his gaze. However, his red eyes were full of concern, like those of an abandoned child. Suddenly, the red blood on his lips caught Yurina’s attention.

Did he bite his lips hard out of nervousness? Yurina wiped his lips, frowning at it as if she had taken a bitter pill.

“Ray, I was very afraid of dying.”

“I know. But everyone is afraid to die.”

“No, you don’t know. You never know how it feels when you die.”

Yurina firmly shook her head. Just as she couldn’t sympathize with his pain, and he couldn’t fully understand her fear.

“I needed someone who could protect me, whoever it was. So I was looking for that Karion. But I don’t need him anymore.”

Yurina tried her best to smile.

“You are here.”

Raynard’s eyes widened, and he bit his bloody lip again, barely holding back another sob. Yurina was frightened and tightly grabbed his cheek.

“Don’t do that. You have blood.”

He carefully opened his mouth and rubbed his lips with his thumb. Yurina looked at his bitten red lips and gathered mana at her fingertips. A bright light streamed from her fingertips, and his chapped lips became clean. At the same time, Yurina felt the last of her strength drain from her body.

Yurina took a deep breath, pretending to be as calm as possible.

‘I can’t even use this little magic properly.’

While she pretended to be calm and covered herself with self-irony, Raynard grabbed her hand, as if realizing her true state. Light seeped out from where they touched, and mana seeped out from the fingertips. The body that had lost strength quickly revived.

“It’s a small wound, but you don’t have to do it. You’re going to have a hard.”

There was a strange joy in the worried voice. He was delighted with her attempt to treat him.

“Yurina, can I ask you one thing?”

“Yes.”

“Are you sorry you brought me that day instead of him?”

This was the moment Yurina wanted to ask herself.

It is true that after meeting with Karion, everything was jumbled in her mind. It was instinctive fear. The shadow of death fell over her life again.

But, oddly enough, there was no regret that Reynard wasn’t the real Karion. Rather, seeing his pain, she felt sorry for him.

“No. I don’t regret.”

“Lie.”

“Is’t true. I’m glad I met you that day.”

Yurina ran through her memories of the last seven years with Reynard. Those memories that she might not have been able to get if it was Karion and not him.

The man who was recently in front of her is Karion.

But it didn’t matter anymore. The man with whom she still exchanged letters wasn’t Karion, but Reynard, in past Tom.

“Even if I could go back in time…”

‘Even if I can’t change my fate and die at the hands of Karion, like in the novel.’

“I will choose you, Ray.”

“Is it so.”

Reynard lifted the corners of his mouth with difficulty. His cheeks were still damp from tears, but he was smiling happily. It was a very strange sight.

As Yurina looked at his emaciated face and wiped the tears from his cheeks, he pressed his cheek against her palm.

“That’s enough.”

He closed his eyes and muttered indistinctly.

Just like on a snowy winter day seven years ago.

* * *

Even after that, Raynard didn’t think of letting Yurina out of his embrace, because he wasn’t relieved. Even when Yurina was in front of him, he was worried if she would just be a mirage that would disappear at any moment.

Yurina nevertheless freed herself, saying that her family could have lost her.

“That’s better.”

She wanted to heal his swollen red eyes as well, but she couldn’t bear to use magic because she was afraid that Reynard would hear what Yurina said.

As she was groping around his eyes with a sad heart, Reynard, as if he had noticed her feelings, pressed his eyes with the palm of his hand and took them off.

“Now is it okay?”

As if he hadn’t cried, his face cleared. Yurina nodded, and he held out her hand toward her.

“Let’s go. The Marquis will be worried.”

“Yes.”

Yurina returned to the banquet accompanied by Reynard, and stopped when she saw the one walking ahead.

Karion, who had found the two of them, hesitated for a moment, but then turned and walked towards them.

Raynard quickly hid Yurina behind his back.

“Is there a problem?”

Although he was respectful, there was clear hostility in his sharp voice.