Chapter 1177 – #280_Reasons To Return (2)
#1171
1.
Though she came from a public background, Dorothy was given a splendid office, befitting her recognition for past achievements and her appointment as the head of the Hessed Academy, complete with its symbol.
A classic wooden table, a carpet adorning the floor, a vintage sofa, and a fireplace standing proudly in one corner of the room.
It was quite a spacious area, but it was densely filled with various props and furniture, creating a space that, frankly, didn’t quite match Dorothy’s taste—a typical Gehenna-style interior.
If she had to put it into words, Dorothy’s taste leaned towards minimalism.
A simple monotone base with only the bare minimum of furniture arranged neatly.
But what could she do?
The stern Gehenna civil law rejected modernism interiors.
“Still, I really, really like it.”
Despite the space clashing with her preferences, Dorothy loved this office.
It gave her a sense of reality that Siwoo had prepared this space for her within Gehenna.
Just sitting in this unfamiliar space and feeling slightly awkward made Dorothy realize how much her life had changed.
That she was someone needed by another.
That she could direct the love that swelled her heart at the mere thought of it, entirely towards one man.
That she had friends by her side with whom she could share trust, confide in, and receive advice from.
It was an extravagant happiness she couldn’t have imagined just a few years ago, when she was merely breathing out of habit, with no reason to live.
“…I’m worried.”
Dorothy lay on the table, staring intently at the four picture frames placed askew.
One was a solo photo of Siwoo taken by a Gehenna photographer.
Another was a photo of Ruel, wearing a crown and the Nuckelavee Dynasty uniform (made by Ruel).
Another was a photo of Siwoo and Dorothy together.
The last one was a photo of all the lovers gathered together, spending a cozy holiday.
Dorothy calmly examined each photo, her fingertips gently stroking Siwoo’s picture.
War was about to break out.
Dorothy’s affiliation was with the fire brigade, the support unit on the battlefield, just like Siwoo.
She would likely be frequently deployed to the most dangerous battlefields.
Like Linne, Dorothy had already defined her role within it.
Her role was to be Siwoo’s shield, to protect him even if it meant losing her own life.
She knew.
She knew what reckless things Siwoo had done for Dorothy when she had lost her life last time.
Still, if one of them had to die in the chaotic battlefield, it would be really, really sad for him, but…
She thought it should be Dorothy herself.
Of course, she had no intention of wasting the new life Siwoo had given her.
Dorothy was doing her best to ensure they all survived.
Even at this moment, she was performing a ritual to strengthen the ‘symbol’ of her nun’s habit.
-Knock knock
“Come in~”
“Hello.”
The ones who entered politely after the knock were the twin apprentice witches of the Geminai family.
Odile and Odette, who had quickly become best friends with the quirky and cute Princess Ruel, were here.
“Oh my~ What brings these cute little ladies here?”
“That’s rude. We’re proper ladies too.”
“Oops, I always forget~ Come on in.”
Dorothy, who was personally very grateful to them, greeted them warmly.
At the same time, she was slightly puzzled.
Although they were connected by the bond of being Siwoo’s lovers, honestly, it was hard to say that everyone was close with everyone else.
There were differences in the years they had lived, their environments, and the time they had spent together.
They would surely get closer over time, but until now, the twins had been slightly wary of Dorothy, hadn’t they?
They had never visited Dorothy’s office alone, unless Ruel was with them.
“We have something to tell you.”
“It’s an important matter.”
“Really? What is it?”
Odile and Odette glanced at each other, then cleared their throats and spoke.
“It’s a grand plan for the assistant.”
2.
Let’s rewind a little to the day before.
The day the notice of the Hexennacht all-out war arrived.
This is a story from the Hessed Academy’s Wave Department and the head of the department’s office, which was assigned to Ruel.
Odile and Odette were apprentice witches of the Geminai Count’s family.
In the future, as time passed, they would inherit their marks and become witches of the 22nd rank, the constellation Gemini, but for now, they were apprentice witches who needed love and care.
That in itself wasn’t a big problem.
All witches had been apprentice witches at some point.
However, due to an unfortunate situation, Odile and Odette had recently been unable to suppress their lament.
“Sigh.”
“Why are you sighing like that? You’ll scare away your good fortune.”
Ruel, who had rolled up her sleeves to avoid getting ink on them and was exuding the beauty of an intellectual queen, asked calmly.
The twins looked at Ruel with eyes that dripped with dissatisfaction and lingering regret.
A troublemaker and a nuisance. Ruel, a witch who had completed her succession but still frequented the Young Ladies Club, was a childhood friend of Odile and Odette.
However, recently, they had been seeing more of Ruel in her ‘I can do it’ mode than the usual Ruel.
This was because Ruel had secured a position as a corps commander in the Academy Allied Forces.
This wasn’t just a nominal position; Ruel was actually very knowledgeable about war history, even if she was a bit clueless about the ways of the world. Because of this, Metis Gremory, the librarian and chief of staff of the Allied Forces, often came to her for advice.
Ruel repeatedly surprised Count Gremory by presenting innovative strategies, tactics, and war scenarios, and the twins had witnessed this.
She was clearly the same friend they had been playing with until yesterday, but now she was showing the dignity of a proper witch and fulfilling her role.
The other lovers were also doing their best to help the assistant in their respective positions.
Compared to that?
“This is unfair!”
“That’s right! We want to help the assistant too!”
The twins were once again stuck in a corner of the mansion, twiddling their thumbs, because they were apprentice witches.
They were so jealous that it was unfair, as much as they loved the assistant.
Ruel’s shoulders puffed up.
“Huhu, it can’t be helped. I don’t particularly want to be active, but what can I do? Heaven has given me such great abilities.”
“Ugh! You’re so annoying!”
“Do you even know how we feel?”
The twins were not only depressed because of their powerlessness.
This war was a truly dangerous one.
Just looking at the atmosphere surrounding Gehenna, it was clear that there was an unprecedented tension.
The time the lovers spent together, those peaceful and harmonious days, might be the last, and they were filled with anxiety.
The fear that the arrogant Ruel in front of them might be the last they would see.
They couldn’t even express their frustration honestly because they were worried that if they showed their anxiety and fear, it might become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
“I don’t know. Nor do I need to know.”
But Ruel was firm.
“You’re such a!”
“You call yourself a friend, saying such nice things!”
Odile and Odette, already on the verge of tears, were provoked by Ruel’s blunt words.
But Ruel continued, unconcerned.
“In my immature days, I thought the world would bend to my will. I was the heir to the great Nuckelavee Dynasty, after all. But the world I encountered after leaving Akula did not move as I wished.”
“……”
“I am also afraid. Isn’t this a war that will determine the fate of the witch world? I might even lose my life. If Siwoo hadn’t appeared at the right time when I fought the Golden Witch, I wouldn’t be able to be here, chatting with you like this. I know that the world is a place full of treacherous waves.”
Only then did the twins realize that Ruel hadn’t started talking to tease them.
“I am afraid and anxious. If I could pass it on to someone else, I would, if I could run away, I would, if I could avoid it, I would.”
“Ruel…”
Ruel’s voice was resolute, but her fingertips were trembling slightly.
“Therefore, I am doing what I can in the position I have been given. To forget my fear, to overcome my weakness. To not run away from the responsibility given to me.”
“I, I’m sorry. We didn’t even know…”
“I’m actually really worried about you too. I’d rather fight together.”
“You can fight.”
Ruel smiled.
“The reason I have taken a key position in the war is because it is something I can do. So, shouldn’t you do what you can do?”
Ruel’s sincere advice resonated deeply in Odile and Odette’s hearts.
“Ruel, you were worried too.”
“I should have realized when that snob became calm.”
Odile and Odette hugged Ruel tightly from both sides.
The twins sniffled, patting Ruel, kissing her cheeks, and squeezing her tightly.
“Wha… What is this?! It’s embarrassing!”
“I’ve completely changed my mind about you. Queen.”
“You sometimes look really cool.”
Ruel’s face turned red, and she flustered, but she didn’t push the twins away.
“Ruel, I realized something thanks to you.”
“That’s right. So, you have to cooperate with us too?”
“Cooperate? What do you mean?”
“We’re going to do what we can do.”
“But we need your help.”
“Alright. What is it?”
Ruel nodded generously.
“It’s not that difficult.”
“We’re going to create a reason for the assistant to return safely from the battlefield.”
“……?”
Ruel, who had been tilting her head, was shocked when she heard the details.
“I refuse! I will not do such a thing!”
“What! You promised to help!”
“Don’t run away! Face it!”
The twins chased after Ruel, grabbing her skirt for a long time as she tried to run away.
Maybe…10P?