By Zephyria 
I felt strangely excited. It felt like the inside of my throat was itchy. Just seeing it made me wonder if I had come to heaven; making this luxurious coffin my real grave wouldn’t be such a bad choice.
In the first place, the reason I decided to get back on this endless cycle was to somehow break free from the cycle and jump off, wasn’t it? To somehow bring my steps, which couldn’t even die, to a certain death and end, wasn’t it?
You’re trembling, pitifully.
Are you afraid of the pain? If that’s the case, don’t worry.
If you just make up your mind, yes, if you just allow it…
I can snatch your breath away in an instant and run away.
Hahaha, hahahaha, hahahaha.
The Spirit’s voice, which had only sounded cheerful and youthful, gradually became tinged with madness. The stinging laughter scratched at my ears, urging me on all over.
As if possessed by that laughter, I blankly thought. Yes, maybe… the Spirit was right. Rather than trying to continue living so wretchedly, when the opportunity to stop came, it might be better to definitely throw off the cycle and gain freedom.
‘Oh my, our young master. How old are you, and you’re still such a crybaby.’
At that time, some voices vividly came back to life in my head.
‘You know, young master, I, I feel strangely uneasy whenever I see you. My heart gets impatient, and I’m worried that you’ll disappear somewhere…’
It wasn’t the voice of the Crown Prince, who had promised me the proper position of Crown Princess, nor the voice of Carlisle, who had suggested that I stay and work in the North, nor even the confession of Andrew, who had poured out his love as if surrendering.
‘I sometimes have the audacity to think such things. How wonderful it would be if our beautiful and kind young master had been born as my son.’
‘Wow, wow. If that were the case, would young master be my brother? Right?’
‘You brat. Who do you think wants to make the young master their son for your sake?’
‘Ah, if he’s Mom’s son, he’s also my brother! Right?’
‘Anyway, if you can’t even say it properly…’
The protagonists of the vivid voices that had instantly broken my obsession with only death were Mrs. Seymour and Nicole. They were the last sanctuary left to me, who couldn’t even trust the System anymore, and… in a way, my only remaining family.
“…No, not here. Not yet, not yet.”
I gritted my teeth and answered. I stood up with force from inside the coffin, where I was still sitting with my butt on the ground. No matter how dazzling a seat made of jewels might be, if it was nothing more or less than a grave, it wasn’t a place for me to lie down yet.
…Tch. I thought this guy was easy to handle because he was just swayed by God, but he has quite a strong mentality?
I wanted to be happy. The reason I wanted to die was because it seemed like there was no way to be happy while alive. I would rather die than live unloved and unhappy. Actually, actually… from a long time ago… I wanted to be loved. Without worrying about my head being cut off at any moment, without any worries or concerns, without fiercely watching every move. I just wanted to be happily happy.
I was determined to do my best to collide with it until it broke, even if it broke. That was the right thing to do. For the sake of Mrs. Seymour and Nicole, my beloved family, who were still worried about me and waiting for me at this very moment, I had to stand up with strength.
It wasn’t the time to be frustrated and crying because I had been deceived by the System. Strictly speaking, he had deceived my consciousness and artificially suppressed my suspicions, but at least he had never even said that he wasn’t a god, so when you think about it, it wasn’t that big of a deal.
“There’s something I want to ask you.”
What is it?
“The contract… you said we made one with the System. Can you tell me what the contents are?”
I don’t want to.
The Spirit blinked its big, innocent-looking eyes and said teasingly.
Why would I? I told you things because I felt sorry for you, but if I had to choose, I’m basically on God’s side.
There’s still a lot I need to leech off of him.
And in my opinion…
Flutter, flutter. Every time the Spirit flapped its wings in the air, sparkling powder scattered like a dream. Receiving the light emitted by the Spirit, the still unrealistically luxurious coffin shone brilliantly. Even in the small cave where only the Spirit and I were, the Spirit lowered its voice and spoke carefully, as if we were talking about some kind of secret.
Just giving you this much information makes me feel like I’m going to have to face his wrath.
The mischievous Spirit’s eyes sparkled with as many colors as a diamond. As it said, it was obviously more advantageous to be on the side of the ‘administrator’ of the world, the ‘God,’ than on the side of a mere human. Perhaps the statement that it would have to face wrath just for giving this much information wasn’t an exaggeration either. Which meant.
“Don’t go around in circles and just say what you want.”
Oh my. You’re quick-witted as well as mentally strong?
The Spirit also has something it wants from me… something I don’t know what. Definitely.
Let’s make a contract.
If you promise to grant what I want, I’ll tell you anything you’re curious about.
Just as this is his last chance, this is also my last chance.
“Okay.”
As I took a deep breath, the damp moss smell of the cave seemed to permeate my whole body. And then. The moment I nodded and reached out my hand towards the blue Spirit, which was still emitting a bewitching light.
Kugugugung!
W, w, what is this!
Why is the sacred ground collapsing!
Is it the administrator?
No, he hasn’t been granted the right to damage this place!
From the other side of the cave, from the deep, black hole that looked like an endless abyss to me, a huge roar began to be heard, as if something was breaking and collapsing. Cracks appeared in the cave. The Spirit’s appearance gradually faded. The Spirit, whose presence was becoming faint, tried to reach out to me somehow, squeezing out its last bit of strength.
Don’t forget! Be sure to remember, to call me again…!
Awooooo.
But even before the Spirit could finish speaking. From somewhere, the faint sound of a beast’s mournful cry was heard.
“Young master, are you there? Young master! Young master!”
“Here! There are traces of young master Noah here!”
Along with the sound of the stone walls completely collapsing, the light of the world poured down on my whole body. It was just the warm and soft sunlight of summer, neither bewitching nor mesmerizing.
“Young master!”
“Noah!”
“Everyone…”
People’s voices, close to screams, poured out in handfuls towards me, who was frozen in an awkward posture, having only managed to stand up without understanding the situation. The first one to run to me and hug me was, as expected, Nicole.
“Sob, really, why don’t you listen to me, huh? What’s with horseback riding on such a hot day, sob, I told you from the beginning, sob sob…”
“No, th, thank you for worrying about me. Thank you, but…”
Nicole burst into tears as if he had met someone who had died and come back to life. It had only been at most half a day since the very moment I started being swept away by the rapids, but I knew he was worried, but wasn’t this too much of a reaction? Had I been unconscious for a long time?
“Where are you hurt? Are you injured? Are you hungry? Seriously, I thought I’d never see you again, Young Master, sob, sniffle…”
“Wait, Nicole. Calm down. Calm down, and step back a little…”
“Waaaaah, no, I can’t step back, never!”
Nicole stubbornly grabbed my sleeve and shouted shrilly. What’s wrong with him? I was hurriedly looking around for help when…
“…He’s safe, so that’s enough.”
“…Young Master.”
“Ah, thank you, God, thank you…!”
Andrew, looking far from okay, gritted his teeth and held back tears, saying he was safe, and Kyle, unable to say anything, was kneeling in place, sobbing. Even Frederick, who usually didn’t believe in God so fervently, was murmuring gratefully, calling out to God. A tingle went down my spine. Half a day wasn’t enough. The time I spent in the cave must have been at least a full day. Comparing the reactions to when Allen went missing overnight, it was clear.
I cautiously asked Nicole, feeling like I was testing a stone bridge before crossing.
“Hey, Nicole… I’ve lost my sense of time… How long has it been since I was rescued? A day? Two days?”
“Goodness, Young Master! What are you saying! You were found after a whole week!”
A, a, a week…? My head spun. I’m going to kill that Spirit…!
“Sniff, sniff… Oh, right… There’s something I need to tell you…”
“Yeah? What is it now?”
“The situation has changed a bit while you were gone, Young Master.”
“Okay. Tell me everything.”
A week had passed in the blink of an eye, so what more shocking news could there be? I patted Nicole’s back and muttered nonchalantly.
“Well, sniff, the not-so-important thing is, sniff, Allen and Grand Duke Graham broke up, sniff.”
“What? That’s not a big deal?”
“Yes, because… Grand Duke Graham, who unilaterally broke up with Allen…”
“…Proposed to Young Master.”
“……?”
At Nicole’s clear words, I momentarily lost my words and blinked, then unconsciously turned my gaze back. Andrew, whom I stared at, was still trying to hold back tears, his eyes bloodshot, but he nodded.
“Proposed? Who?”
“Sniff, Grand Duke Graham.”
“To Young Master? To me?”
“Sniff, sniff. Yes. To Noah Hamilton, the third son of Count Hamilton.”
What the hell is this nonsense? Forget everything else, I just wanted to faint and be done with it, really.