Emilone’s Temptation Labyrinth – Chapter 127

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A sweet scent poured from Alois’ entire body. A sweet scent meant to catch the Saintess’ attention.

And it made her look at him.

“What can I do…to make her someone meant for me?”

But that alone wasn’t enough.

He wanted her to crave him more, to need him more.

“What can I do…”

His heart was racing. In a good way, of course.

It had been a long time since he felt it beat like this.

He hadn’t even felt this tense when he was trapped in a maze due to the crown prince’s tricks.

“I never thought I’d feel like this.”

He thought she was a butterfly. That was how dazzling she was. Not only was she blessed by the divine, but her beauty alone was worthy of worship.

She had that much value.

“What can I do…”

He muttered the same words again.

The Saintess looked perfect with the light pouring down behind her. That look in her eyes, one that told him to be at ease, yet didn’t hide her anger burned vividly before his eyes.

“Your Highness, what shall we do?”

His attendant spoke up as Alois was mumbling to himself.

He was a servant that came with Alois from the Kingdom of Eseah. Naturally, he was no ordinary servant.

“Should we use what just happened as a pretext to request an audience at the temple?”

“No, leave that for later.”

“Understood.”

Like most of the people who followed Alois, this servant was the same.

A former slave, someone with nowhere else to go and a person who existed only for him.

“Can you find out for me where the Saintess just went?”

Alois swallowed dryly and straightened his clothes.

His fingertips tingled.

The thought of meeting her again filled him with anticipation.

If he could get the Saintess in his hands…there would be nothing left to fear.

After all, God was becoming his ally.

“If it’s that, I’m already aware. I heard she’s headed to the underground prison—”

“The underground prison?”

“She’s meeting with the perpetrator.”

The ‘perpetrator’ the attendant was talking about was one of the drunk, ‘ill-disposed’ nobles that Tereven had sent Alois’ way.

Naturally, that noble lived up to expectations and tried to assault the person in front of him. Which was Alois.

“…Is that so…In that case, let’s head to the underground prison as well.”

“Yes, Your Highness. I’ll summon Lord Tereven back then.”

The attendant quickly replied after mulling it over for a second. Because in order for Alois to get to the underground prison ‘without anyone knowing’, Tereven was necessary.

“I’ll leave it to you.”

Alois knew he had to get her attention. But simply being a beautiful yet ‘incompetent’ foreign prince wasn’t enough.

Alois stood quietly next to the array of desserts on the table. It was the perfect place to interact with Tereven because most nobles did not visit the dessert table.

“My King, I didn’t expect you to call me again?”

Tereven approached, picking up a wine glass as he brushed past Alos.

“They say the Saintess went down to the underground prison.”

“Really?”

“We’re going to head down there too.”

Tereven chuckled and turned around like he was amused by the news.

“Alright then. Head through the third door over there. I’ll go speak with His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince and be back.”

“I’ll count on that.”

After those words, Tereven gave a small nod, and Alois nodded back as if he was surprised.

To anyone watching, it would look like nothing more than a chance meeting.

Alois placed the chocolate in his hands back onto the plate. The dark chocolate had melted, leaving traces on his fingers.

He poked his tongue out, licking off the remaining drudge and exited through the third door.

And that day, Alois changed his goal.

Instead of making the Saintess his person, he decided to become hers.

He decided to go under her umbrella, completely protected by her and used by her, as much as she desired.

And it didn’t take long for him to realize that he had made the right choice.

As his recollection of his first meeting with her came to an end, Alois rose to his feet.

“Black hair doesn’t suit you.”

His strongest ally and the one most beloved by God.

“Please, wake up soon.”

His companion.

There was no way someone so loved by the divine would be that easily fallen by a dark magician’s spell.

She would definitely wake up. That was his faith.

“Until then, I’ll stay by your side.”

Since she was going to wake up soon, he didn’t have any intention of getting worried.

* * *

I wonder how many people end up trapped in a dream like this.

In a dream of their own making.

“Don’t you hate the nobles? Why are you trying to go back to where they are?”

“I don’t hate all of them. There are many good people among them.”

At my words, the figure talking to me looked vexed.

“But what about that etiquette you hate so much…?! You don’t need to learn in anymore.”

“What exactly are you trying to say?”

But I was just as angry.

If it had something to say, I wanted it to just say it clearly.

What kind of answer did it want from me? What was it hoping to hear?

“I hope you’re not expecting me to stay here. I already said I don’t want that. I’m going to keep moving forward. So why are you refusing to let go?”

Even after I said that, the figure continued to grumble.

It was only after I finally gathered myself together and steadied my breath that the figure opened its mouth.

“If you truly mean that, then hold me. If you really mean what you’re saying…”

Their throat bobbed up and down, as if it was nervous.

I watched it, feeling jittery, not sure of what it was going to say.

“If what you say is true, you’ll leave this dream…If not, you’ll live forever in this broken world.”

Was it serious? Or was it just saying? Maybe it was trying to scare me…?

Dozens of possibilities ran through my mind.

I looked around at this distorted world, a place where I couldn’t even tell if I stood on the sky or the ground.

The moment I hesitated, I felt like I had already fallen into their scheme.

As proof of that, there was a big smile on its face.

Even so, this figure was still my weak inner self. In the end, it was me fighting against myself.

It didn’t really matter whether I could win or not. I stretched out my hand.

“…I’ve made my choice, so I won’t regret it.”

Because I absolutely refused to live trapped in this dream.

I didn’t run away from it anymore.

Almost as if daring it to catch me, I reached out to it.

And the figure with Alois’s face came into my grasp.

Its hand touched mine.

Feeling the warm sensation, I looked up and saw the world start to blur.

Like a mirage, the warmth in my hand gradually faded away.

“…You win.”

“…”

“Or rather, I’ve never actually won against you in the first place. No matter how weak I tried to become, you always stayed strong.”

My body slackened.

As my mind grew hazy and I fell into a trance.

* * *

I opened my eyes.

The first thing I saw was a translucent curtain. And a sweet scent tickling the tip of my nose.

The soft lighting wasn’t blinding.

My arms and legs refused to move.

As I wiggled my body, I felt the soft texture of a blanket.

I wiggled my fingers and tried to push my body up.

‘It was only one day in the dream…’

But my body definitely didn’t feel like it had slept for just one day.

But I wasn’t surprised. It would’ve been weirder if time passed the same in the dream and in reality.

‘I must be lucky.’

If I had just stayed at home in that dream, I probably would’ve never realized how to get out of it.

‘…To think catching your weak inner self is the way to escape the dream.’

It wasn’t that strange to be fair. This was dark magic after all.

Dark magic uses the darkest parts of a person.

For me, that dark part must’ve been my weak inner self.

From what I knew of dark magic’s workings, the dream itself was created by my weakness.

‘I need to tell Alois what happened in the dream.’

The bedroom didn’t feel unfamiliar at all.

I turned my jerky head and saw a clean room, without a single clutter.

It was unmistakably Alois’s room.

I turned my head to the other side.

After lying down for a while, I felt like I could move.

I figured it was thanks to my Saintly recovery ability and just as I was about to muster strength into my libs, the door opened soundlessly.

The moment I saw the man who walked in through the slightly open door, I chuckled.

“How long was I asleep?”

Alois’ eyes widened in surprised, but it was only for a moment. He shrugged and walked towards me.

“A month. You woke up earlier than I thought.”

“A month? That’s a relief. I was worried it might’ve been years.”

Alois came closer and helped me sit up.

A month wasn’t too long so there shouldn’t be any major changes.

Relieved, I moved my stiff joints.

Alois opened his mouth.

“I’m s—.”

“…”

“If you’re about to apologize, don’t.”

“…”

“I’m awake, aren’t I?”

One month might not be too long but it was enough to make my people anxious.

I sighed and leaned lightly against Alois.

“Instead of that, can’t you say ‘good job’ or something?”

I never wanted to enter that dream again. Fighting with another version of myself? Never again.

I tilted my head back and met Alois’s eyes.

I’ve heard the words ‘Good job’ so many times already. But I was tired so I wanted to hear something that would comfort me.

Alois twirled a strand of my hair around his finger.

“I knew it. Pink hair really does suit you.”

“…?”

“Thank you for your hard work. And…welcome back, Lady Emilone.”

Only then did it feel like a heavy burden had been lifted from my chest.

“I’m back.”

Feeling just a little lighter, I let my shoulders relax and replied.

 

 

Ruby’s Corner:
*Just 2 more chapters until the end of the main story! Then there are 11 side-stories and we’re done~!

**Side note, this novel is officially complete on Patreon’s highest tier. Don’t subscribe to that tier anymore unless you are reading [Honey, I’m Going on Strike].

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