The world seemed to spin before my eyes.
The confusion from the last question was one thing, but the state of my body after directly absorbing Nox’s mana was an even bigger problem.
‘Just how much did my percentage jump all at once…?’
Leaning against Kyle, I struggled to catch my breath. My chest felt tight, as if something was blocking it completely. Was this not a breach of contract? That bastard had no conscience.
“I can sense mana.”
Kyle’s voice was sharp, and Nox responded in a tone that carried a hint of guilt.
“That’s right. I fed him a potion made by dissolving my mana. I wanted to see just how different the kid’s power was from mine. As the Grand Duke already knows, when unrefined foreign mana flows into a body…”
“It repels it.”
“Exactly. This was an experiment to see how strong that rejection would be. Whether the power was truly identical, whether they simply shared the same root, or if it was just a similarity in their fundamental nature.”
“But…”
“He absorbs it far too easily. As if he’s just filling an empty vessel.”
“Enough commentary. The solution?”
“You either have to suppress it with completely different magic or extract it.”
“…Ugh. Whatever it is, just hurry…”
The pain wasn’t fading easily, and I glared at the two of them. Was this really the time to be having a strategy meeting? Hurry up and fix it already!
While Nox was lost in thought, Kyle pulled me into his embrace, placing his hand on my back and channeling his mana into me. A heat that felt almost scorching surged into my chilled body.
“Don’t hold it in.”
Kyle whispered as he pressed a kiss to my forehead.
Even in the midst of my suffering, I felt reassured. I clenched my teeth, and my fingers dug into my lips. His touch was firm yet gentle.
The suffocating pain gradually melted away. The sensation that I was about to pass out any second began to ease.
[External force collides and neutralizes the interference.]
[Current Deviation Interference: 61%]
[Current Deviation Interference: 55%]
[Current Deviation Interference: 47%]
The abnormally high interference rate finally started to decrease again. It would be a lie to say I didn’t feel any regret, but pushing my luck could very well kill me.
‘This is more than enough. I guess firsthand experience really is faster than just reading books and gathering stories, huh?’
Still, going from living an ordinary life to coughing up blood like this… it made me feel like I had some kind of fatal disease.
As I wiped my lips with the handkerchief Kyle had given me, he brushed his fingers over the corner of my eye, looking worried.
“Your eyes have settled a bit.”
“Huh?”
“They had a bluish tint earlier.”
It must have been the influence of the mana—just like Kyle’s red eyes or Nox’s blue ones.
“I’m fine now.”
My breathing was steady, and the unsettling pounding in my chest had disappeared. Kyle nodded as if he understood, then smoothly drew his sword from his waist and gave it a light swing.
With a sharp swoosh, a gust of wind swept past me.
In the blink of an eye, he had released a sword slash.
A thin line of blood appeared on Nox’s cheek, a droplet trickling down to his chin before falling to the ground. The cut had been so swift that the blood only surfaced after a brief delay.
“You’re letting me off with just this?”
“If you pull any more stunts like that, the next strike will be at your neck.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
Despite being suddenly attacked, Nox didn’t defend himself. He didn’t even show the slightest hint of displeasure. He simply lifted one corner of his mouth slightly and responded with a quiet, I see.
“Well then, what’s your answer to the question?”
An awkward silence settled between us. And then—I froze completely.
At first, I hadn’t thought much of it—or more accurately, I had been far too preoccupied with my own condition—but even Kyle must have sensed something was off because he grabbed my arm.
His searing warmth suddenly felt overwhelming. I couldn’t even lift my head. All I could do was wish I could shrink down to the size of a hamster and disappear.
I never expected to be able to hide it. But even so, I couldn’t bring myself to say it. Not like this.
“Are you exercising your right to remain silent?”
At Nox’s question, I spat out my response through clenched teeth.
“…Let’s call it a fair silence.”
“Useful, isn’t it?”
“Just drop it.”
Kyle’s hand, still gripping my arm, was trembling slightly.
The truth was, I had already answered. There was no way Kyle didn’t understand. But still, an explanation was necessary. I didn’t want to gloss over something like this.
“I’ll explain.”
The words barely squeezed past my lips, and Kyle fell silent. I had no idea what he was thinking. Even if he understood, it would be difficult for him to truly grasp it.
“Please, let me explain it myself.”
“Oh dear. So the Grand Duke didn’t know at all? This must be quite the shock.”
Nox chimed in thoughtlessly.
“Didn’t have the right opportunity? Or was it a matter of courage?”
“…Shut up.”
I gritted my teeth.
“Give me a moment to speak with His Highness alone.”
Nox leaned back against a shelf, crossing his arms as he looked down at the two of us. There wasn’t even the slightest hint of turmoil in him.
Even in the face of the question—whether this world was nothing more than a fabrication—Nox hadn’t wavered in the slightest. If anything, he seemed relieved, as if his curiosity had finally been satisfied.
Since he didn’t seem intent on stopping us, I grabbed Kyle’s arm and led him out of the laboratory.
I didn’t have the courage to face him, so I just held onto his hand and kept my back turned the entire time. Thankfully, Kyle simply followed my lead, matching his steps with mine.
We returned to our room. The suffocating silence clung to us, refusing to let go.
‘Don’t look back. No matter what, don’t look back.’
He was probably making an absolutely terrifying expression. Maybe he felt betrayed. Or maybe the shock was too much…
“Shu.”
I flinched and came to a stop when he called my name. His voice was so low, so quiet, that I couldn’t even read his emotions from it.
“Shu, look at me.”
“…I’m sorry.”
“Shu.”
“I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to keep it from you forever, I just— No, it’s such a ridiculous story… Ugh. I must sound insane, right? You probably think I’ve lost my mind. And honestly, I wouldn’t blame you if you did. I mean, that guy is always spouting nonsense, so it’d be easy to mistake this for another one of his—mmph.”
Kyle pressed his hand over my mouth, cutting off my panicked rambling.
Then, with his other arm, he wrapped around my waist and effortlessly lifted me, settling me onto his lap.
Our foreheads touched. His jet-black hair brushed lightly against my skin.
His hands were a little hot, trembling faintly. But his eyes—his eyes were steady.
“I’m fine.”
“…”
“First, calm down. Then, tell me. Slowly. One thing at a time. Understand?”
The cold, heavy feeling pooling in my chest eased, just a little. I nodded slowly.
Kyle gave a small smile and withdrew his hand.
“Good. That’s my Shu.”
Even in this moment, his gentle smile felt unbearably kind. And for some reason, it made me want to cry just a little.
***
For the entire time I fumbled through my explanation, struggling with my poor way with words, Kyle held back every question he wanted to ask—waiting, just waiting for me.
That this place was nothing more than a novel—The Heart of Winter.
And that he wasn’t even the protagonist, but merely a supporting character who met a disgraceful death midway through the story.
That his suffering and hardships had been nothing more than settings crafted to create the image of a pitiful, tragic figure.
These cold, ruthless truths slowly stacked themselves within Kyle.
“So it wasn’t foresight. You already knew the contents of the book, referenced the original story with the help of an ally, and monitored my condition while…”
“All I really did was check how much time you had left.”
I clamped my mouth shut and studied Kyle’s expression. For now, at least, he didn’t seem all that different from usual.
Every time I tensed up, he had held me close and reassured me that it was okay. But this—this wasn’t something that could be okay.
It was no different from completely invalidating someone’s life. No different from denying the trials and suffering that shaped them.
Of course, it would be hard to believe. And even if he did believe it, the shock would be immense.
But rather than take time to process his own emotions, Kyle simply checked my condition first, his face calm but deliberate.
“Are you alright?”
“…You think now’s the time to be worrying about me?”
“I always worry about you.”
“Well, yes, but… I feel fine now. Maybe because of the mana you infused into me earlier.”
I cupped his face with both hands, running my thumbs gently beneath his eyes. He wasn’t crying. He didn’t even look like he wanted to cry.
And for some reason, that just made me want to cry a little.
“What are you thinking about right now, Your Highness?”
“…Who knows.”
Kyle rested his face against my palm, his gaze lowering.
“If my world, my story, was nothing more than something born from someone’s fingertips…”
“…”
“Then maybe… maybe it means it wasn’t my fault. That my mother’s wretched death, the years I spent wandering this frozen land, the loneliness—it was never truly mine to bear.”
“…Your Highness.”
“I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t hollow. That I wasn’t shaken. But I’ll be fine. Even if my life was just some author’s creation, a string of words bound inside a book… I refuse to believe that what I feel for you right now is fake.”
“…”
“Shu, what about you?”
“Me?”
“Yes. Do you truly believe that I—that this land I built, the people who’ve crossed your path—are nothing more than fantasy? A fleeting illusion?”
I looked into his crimson eyes, flickering with something deep and unshaken.
Inside them, I saw the time we had spent together.
The moments we had laughed, kissed, and held hands. The times we exchanged meaningless jokes, or felt anxious and afraid in the face of hardship.
And not just that—
Belial, who was insufferable but had truly loved Sen.
Sen, sharp and capable, always firm in her convictions.
Lorenz, an absolute coward who deserved at least one solid punch.
Nox, the annoying bastard.
James, the fastidious knight commander.
And the knights of the Blake Order…
And—Kyle Jane Meinhardt.
Kyle Blake. My Grand Duke.
“To you, am I nothing more than a character in a story?”
My voice wavered, thick with emotion.
“How could you ever be?”
“…”
“There’s no story where Your Highness was meant to live in misery, only to die forgotten. I already changed that. No—even if I hadn’t, even if I failed to change a single thing—still…”
My vision blurred, and a teardrop slipped past my lashes, landing on his cheek.
Kyle cupped my face and smiled. As if he thought I was crying on his behalf.
“This time we’ve shared, my choices, and my love for you—none of it is a lie. This isn’t just some novel or game. This is my reality. And I choose to believe in it.”
“Reality…”
“Yes. Reality.”
Kyle spoke with unwavering certainty.
“So don’t worry—I’m okay.”
The most real, tangible warmth in the world wrapped around me, holding me tight.
Warm, and impossibly, impossibly kind.
