Someone’s Memories (2)

One day, when their relationship had not yet changed.

“Lia… Is it for real?”

Callisis’s trembling voice echoed in the silence. His gaze, as always, was fixed on one person only: the girl who had always been by his side and had now become a woman. Callisis stared at her with disbelieving eyes. His gaze towards her was filled with tenderness, but hers wasn’t. No, she wasn’t even looking at him in the first place.

She seemed indifferent to everything, leaning against the windowsill, gazing outside as if contemplating something. Eventually, her well-groomed golden hair lightly fluttered due to the gentle breeze. She briefly closed her eyes, seemingly enjoying the breeze. Slowly, she opened her eyes. Her crimson irises, hidden beneath her eyelids, became clearly visible as her gaze finally shifted towards Callisis.

In her eyes that once held tender emotions from the past, there was now a different kind of determination.

As Callisis began to feel a strange sense of alienation from it, her red lips parted.

“Yes, it’s true. I’ve already conveyed it through Father as well. I didn’t expect you to come here like this.”

Her calmly delivered cruel verdict left Callisis feeling like he was being struck in the face. He shook his head in denial, his face filled with a sense of loss.

“…No, it wasn’t you who said that.”

He denied it. But on the other hand, he knew. She wouldn’t utter things she hadn’t decided upon.

A faint smile appeared on her lips. Kilianerisa, who had been observing his reaction, burst into a soft laughter. Then, she spoke firmly.

“No, I told Father myself.”

“No, that can’t be! You wouldn’t… You couldn’t have done that.”

Tell me it’s not true, please. Kilianerisa’s face froze for a moment at the soft murmur filled with desperation. Her eyes, which had a tense look as if suppressing something, briefly flickered across his face. However, when Callisis’s gaze, which momentarily shifted elsewhere, returned to her, that tense look vanished as if it had been washed away.

One corner of her mouth curved upward while silently observing him.

“Don’t make it more painful. It’s already over.”

Her words, coldly delivering the farewell as if cutting him with a knife, mercilessly struck his heart like a dagger. He stared blankly at her with dark, clouded eyes, his face contorting. How… how could someone be so cruel?

“Stop…”

A faint whimper, almost like a faint cry, intermittently flowed. Callisis couldn’t even bear to look at her anymore. If he continued to look at her, it felt like his heart would ache to the point of death. The final rejection was imprinted on him like a stigma, leaving him completely devoid of any enthusiasm.

“It’s you who should stop. You already know it’s irreversible.”

Was there ever a time when those lovely lips, which had whispered love just a few days ago, felt this cruel? Despite the harsh words that trampled all the feelings he had for her, his heart could not let go of the futile hope.

“You said you loved me.”

Her lips, which carried a hint of mockery, closed for a moment. A somber silence followed. But as if to say, when had she ever hesitated, her voice emerged again, filled with resolute determination.

“Yes, I did love you. But I knew that such immature feelings couldn’t bring happiness.”

“…What?”

Callisis asked in a bewildered voice. In response, Kilianerisa chuckled as if mocking him.

“You can’t give me anything. More precisely… you can’t elevate me to the highest position. You’re not the Emperor.”

At that moment, as if a heavy boulder had settled in his chest, his heart sank. Callisis could only gaze at Kilianerisa, unable to speak. There was nothing to say because her words were true. He had nothing to offer that she didn’t already possess, and he couldn’t elevate her to the highest position she desired.

But, but…

You know that too, don’t you? Callisis wanted to retort like that. However, in the face of the sudden betrayal of his lover, shock and anger left him speechless.

He was suddenly overwhelmed with both anger and fear.

How much he had dreamed of a future with her. If she was happy, he was happy, and just being by her side brought him joy. So, all he ever thought about was how to make her even happier. He had already imagined countless scenarios in his mind…

He couldn’t even imagine a life without her.

Why are you leaving me alone and trying to go away by yourself?

Callisis clenched his fists tightly, unsure of how to deal with the rising emotions. It was anger, but it was also a sense of injustice. What could you call these emotions that resembled both sadness and a desperate cry for help?

Callisis lowered his head. He couldn’t imagine a life without her. She had already become a part of his life. Callisis, who had been staring at the floor for so long, raised his head to face her to try and convince her.

However, the moment their eyes met, he felt his determination crumble. How could he dare say anything to her when she looked at him with a resolution stronger than his own? He chuckled bitterly.

Yes, there’s no longer me in you anymore. No matter what sincere words I use to persuade you, you won’t listen.

He loved her stubbornness and even her childlike selfishness. So, why did he find it so unbearable now, yet couldn’t bring himself to hate her? It was truly pathetic. Even though he could have at least uttered a word of resentment or a plea, he ultimately couldn’t bring himself to do it.

No, in truth, he didn’t want to. He didn’t want to spit out resentment and make her sad, and he was afraid that his pleas might burden her. He didn’t want to be a bad person in her memories. So, he ended up doing nothing.

He was angry with her but didn’t want to make her uncomfortable. He was a coward when it came to her. The coward turned away from her, unable to say anything, and the unspoken emotions within his trembling fists quietly subsided. As a result, he didn’t know what her expression was like.

The silent coward muttered with a sense of resignation, “Yes, you’re right. I have nothing to offer you.”