unedited

Arsene promised Cade that Lyla would die.

And Arsene really meant to keep that promise before leaving Abella’s side.

Thanks to that, Arsene had to cross the threshold of the wretched imperial castle once more to meet Lyla, who resided in the concubinage of the imperial palace .

He had no intention of returning to the imperial capital anyway.

He had no regrets at all, even if by Lyla’s murder he would be branded as a murderer. Arsene slowly walked through the Imperial Garden.

The rustling of the grass stepped on his feet somehow makes him feel sentimental…….

‘Did I have this kind of feeling too?’

Did he go crazy with the shock the other day?

Arsene’s strong self, which had not collapsed in front of his parents’ tears, may have easily collapsed in the face of Abella’s death.

‘I was such an easy person.’

It’s not even funny.

Despair and frustration that satisfies hunger, and a sense of emptiness after that. A sense of emptiness, as if his heart was empty, took hold of him before he could feel the satisfaction of having filled his hunger. It was more of a feeling than hunger.

He felt as if his heart was cut out and he was cut out of the world.

Arsene laughed the whole time and slowed down. Still, thinking it’s the last time, he thought he was feeling a little more relaxed.

Arsene naturally pulled out the cigar.

He walked through the garden and saw sharp glances at him that was trying to smoke, but Arsene didn’t care. He was leaving anyway, okay?

With such a light heart, he spit smoke into the air, sprinkled ashes on the floor and trampled it.

He wished that the imperial palace would be destroyed by the time he left. He can’t say he doesn’t feel that way.

After all, he doesn’t have the slightest bit of affection for this empire.

“Here you are, Duke.”

The servant who had been glaring at him distastefully the whole time stopped.

Arsene smiled softly and threw the cigar he was biting on the floor. Then he stomped his shoe to put out the smoke, and passed by the rude attendant. Thinking it was just as unlucky as the master of the imperial castle.

Lyla’s palace was pretty deep, perhaps to prevent her from coming into contact with others.

Arsene raised his head.

He also remembers Lyla.

‘Finally…… I have you, Arsene.’

His memory did not come back from the beginning. Was it the alcohol and drugs he drank just before going back to the past?

Arsene grinned.

Lyla certainly had a resemblance to Arsene. She longs for what she can’t have and is content to get her hands on it and destroy it.

And when she eventually loses it, she shows the stupidity of letting go.

Lyla will follow Arsene to the end.

Just like in the future that has now become his past life.

This time he nearly lost Abella, before he remembered the events of his previous life. The sense of loss and emptiness he felt when he really lost Abella.

Arsene reached the threshold of the concubinage.

Arsene may not be the only one who has memories of his past life like this. Most likely, most of the characters who took a different path from their previous lives had a high possibility of having memories. And one of them will be Lyla.

It has been a long time since they met.

“Lyla.”

Arsene looked at Lyla and smiled softly.

He looked at her pale face, and he guessed that she would be running a cute thought in her little head.

Arsene went to the fireplace and fumbled the flames. Then he naturally pulled out a match and lit the cigar.

“Arsene, no……. Duke.”

“Call me Arsene, Lyla. It’s nice to meet you like this, so be comfortable.”

Arsene said in a light singing tone.

Lyla rolled her eyes.

If he can see what she’s thinking, it means that Lyla has suffered enough for Arsene too.

“Why do you roll her head like that? You can just ask. It will be the last time, but I will answer anything you want.”

Lyla bit her lips tightly.

“…… You look like you know what I’m going to ask.”

“Then do you know what I am here to do?”

“You said that you would listen to everything I say, so will you grant my wish?”

Arsene turned his back from the fireplace to see Lyla. It seemed unsettling that he couldn’t let his hand stand still as he stood around the seat.