────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

Chapter 46

He then took Min-ha’s hand to his face as he was waiting for her answer with passionate eyes.

As if possessed, she uttered, stroking Seth’s face as though comforting him, who looked only at her with an earnest gaze.

“…You, in my eyes, have never been a lowly-born knight.”

“….”

“And, how can I love Rupert when I don’t even know who he is?”

“What do you mean, someone you don’t even know…?”

Seth’s expression, which had softened warmly at the next words, hardened in an instant. Seeing the look on her face that he did not know what the hell she was saying, Min-ha smiled bitterly.

She wanted to taste the happy feeling that their hearts were connected even a little more, though she could not since she decided not to lie anymore. Now, was the opportunity to confirm his heart, and to gather the courage to tell him everything.

With that thought, she slowly slipped her hand away from Seth’s face before gazing into his confused face and spoke slowly.

“What if… What if I’m not Minase Persen?”

“…What?”

“What if I’m not Minase Persen, but someone from another world?”

“What? Sorry, I’m not sure what you’re talking about right now… Another world?”

“Yes. If you’re from a world where there are knights, dukes, and emperors like this one, then where I was had transportation powered by machines instead of horses, and where everyone is equal before the law… Would you believe me?”

“…Ha.”

As he listened to her next words, Seth’s face went from being blank as if he was being vigilant before it seemed as though he had been struck by a blow, and then soon became more and more distorted.

It was as if he could not believe the words, although his gaze, staring at her face with her tenacious eyes, seemed to want to confirm that the woman in front of him was ‘Minase Persen.’

She seemed to understand Seth’s feelings. Of course, she does. After all, if she had been in the opposite situation, she would have done the same as well.

He gazed at Min-ha, who was smiling bitterly at him, with a confused look.

“…Are you joking with me?”

“No. There’s no way I would say this as a joke, especially at a moment like this, too.”

“I can’t believe it…”

“….”

“The person who is reflected in my eyes right now is you, Minase Persen. Though you’re telling me that you’re not Minase Persen…?”

“To be precise, I’m Minase Persen, but I’m also not Minase Persen.”

“Ha—What does that mean? Please explain it so I can understand. I… I just don’t understand what you’re saying.”

“Even though the person you see in your eyes is ‘Minase Persens’ body, the soul inside is not ‘Minase Persen,’ but me.”

“….”

“…’Kim Min-ha.’ That is my name, and the name of the person you’re looking at right now.”

“Ha…”

As if in disbelief, Seth turned to her and touched her face, shoulders, and exposed arms with his hands.

She could fully understand his confused mind. She did… Still, Min-ha could not lie that she was a little saddened by his appearance as she wanted to make sure herself.

Eventually, he said, looking at her with eyes that were still shaking in confusion.

“Then, are you saying that you used the cursed half-spirit magic?”

“…I don’t know. I don’t even know how I came to this world. When I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was you, who was throwing harsh words at me, and that’s how I became Minase Persen.”

“When you open your eyes, you’d already become Minase Persen?”

“Yes. Up until that point, I was just a student who lived an extremely normal life in another world. After living so well, I got involved in an accident, and when I opened my eyes, I was here… To be honest, I don’t even know what happened. Had I known this would happen, I would have gone back to the first day I was here.”

“If so, then why didn’t you tell me the truth on the first day? Why were you listening to my resentments when you weren’t Minase Persen…? Besides, you seemed to have some knowledge of the previous situation.”

“I heard from Ella about the things Minase Persen had done. And, the reason why I didn’t tell you the truth is… because I knew you would react like this.”

“What…?”

“Is that right? If I had said something like this to you at the time, would you have believed me? You must have been busy treating me as if I was crazy rather than asking kindly like you are now.”

“….”

“…And, to be honest, I’ve been doing my best. Isn’t that so…? If you fall into a world you don’t know and get kicked out, you might die before you even find a way back… Even if I was insulted, I thought that I would pretend to be Minase Persen and stay in the mansion to adapt to this world, and leave when the time comes… until then.”

“….”

“I’m sorry… I was pretty desperate at the time, too.”

Although it was heartbreaking to see Seth’s confused look, Min-ha was honest with his questions. She did not despise and betrayed him like Minase Persen did, but after all, he did deceive him, so he was right to criticize her in the first place.

That was why she apologized, though Seth shook his head as if there was no need to apologize for that.

However, he still spoke in a confused voice.

“Yes, it’s true like you said. At that time, I had nothing but bad feelings towards you. Even if you were to be honest, I probably thought you were crazy, or that you were trying to trick me.”

“I understand. You’re so confused now, but you in the past would’ve been even more confused.”

“…Then, why did you say this even though you knew it?”

“Because… I like you. Even though I like you, I kept lying to you and I thought that I couldn’t be next to you like this.”

“So, did you decide to tell me everything?”

“Yes. In fact, until recently, I was conscious of my heart trembling and pounding so much that my stomach churned when I kept seeing you, still… I was denying it. I wondered if I could just pretend I didn’t know anything by your side and be able to stay together like this.”

“….”

“Nonetheless, this is no different from what Minase Persen did to you. Besides, I didn’t want to deny my heart anymore… That’s because I’ve become too fond of you.”

“….”

“…I’m sorry. You’re confused, right?”

Min-ha uttered with a bitter smile at Seth’s dazed expression that she had never seen before.

However, he shook his head firmly and replied.

“No. What do you have to be sorry for if it’s as you said? You were just brought into this world unwillingly.”

“…But, that doesn’t change the fact that I deceived you. And, if I hadn’t liked you, I would have kept deceiving you still.”

“To be honest, I’m not sure yet how to believe what you said. In my eyes, you are Minase Persen… though you said you’re not.”

“I know, though it’s all true.”

“….”

At that, he still looked confused. Looking at his face, Min-ha pursed her lips and lowered her gaze.

Seth let out a long sigh with a face full of complicated emotions and then opened his mouth.

“Sorry… Please, hold on. Give me time to organize my thoughts.”

“…Okay.”

At his reply, Min-ha smiled bitterly and nodded her head.

Although she understood Seth’s reaction to the truth she had revealed, she felt a little heartbroken. Was she too optimistic to think that he would accept all situations naturally with a heart that loved her…?

Min-ha laughed at her selfish heart and got up. She thought it would be better to leave him alone for a while because she thought it would be difficult for her to confidently be next to him, who had a complicated heart after hearing all the truth.

However, at her action, Seth hurriedly stretched out his arm and grabbed her wrist.

“Don’t go. Stay by my side.”

“…Okay.”

His hand, which was holding her wrist, was quite strong.

Even though she was still confused, Seth’s appearance, who was confused but still holding onto her, made her heart tickle slightly. It must have been a difficult story for him to accept, but she was happy in her heart that he did not let go of her… so much so that Min-ha thought of herself as being selfish.

“….”

“….”

Sitting next to Seth as he wanted, she waited for him without a word.

She wished that he would come to a conclusion and speak to her again after much deliberation.

Seth and Min-ha sat side by side on the root of a tree by the lakeshore until the darkness that had enveloped the whole world lifted little by little as the moon in the sky moved in the opposite direction little by little.

Seth’s worries continued until the dark night passed and the blue dawn covered the world, while Min-ha was waiting for him to finish his thoughts.

It was almost as if he had been up all night, though she was not tired at all—only traces of deep concern that had settled on her face as she held his wrist tightly.

It was around the time when morning dew was forming on the leaves when Seth spoke to Min-ha, who was sitting next to him, as she gazed up at him from the wrist she was holding

────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────