“How did this happen?”

In Phileal’s arms lay the body of Saint Lilith. As Anais opened her eyes, the Saint’s hair returned to its golden color. She lay limp like someone who had lost consciousness.

“It seems that time has stopped on this side for now.”

“Did you cast a spell or something?”

“No, it’s because there’s no soul.”

Phileal replied dryly. He found it strange that Lilith, whom he was holding, felt worthless. It was merely the soul that had departed elsewhere.

Lilith’s body was still the perfect offering that the God of Death desired most. Even though it could be the greatest insult to the Goddess who presided over lifer, he now felt that Lilith’s body, powerless and limp, was heavy and useless.

Moreover, he used to be afraid that Lilith’s hair would return to its original color, but he no longer felt the fear of his heart pounding every time she stopped breathing. It was no longer frightening that her body held no breath, when he realized that Anais had returned to her original body.

“You’re talking nonsense again.”

“Wife.”

“Ugh…”

Anais felt pain in her body this time. It felt as if her entire body had been beaten with a stick, just like when she was forcibly awakened before.

“Heal my wife’s body.”

“…Yes.”

Raviel answered and placed two fingers on Anais who was lying on the bed. Then he sent his power to begin healing her.

“Is the recovery complete?”

“Ugh…”

High Priest Raviel, who felt like his energy was being sucked away, became dizzy and collapsed. Phileal, still holding Lilith’s body, pulled the restraint from High Priest Raviel’s neck.

“Get out.”

“Yes.”

Phileal felt strange. He also felt uncomfortable with Kylian treating Anais as an intruder.

However, he left obediently. While leaving, he glanced at Anais to check if she was really okay and then closed the door behind him.

After the door closed with a soft sound, the room fell into silence. Anais couldn’t figure out what had happened. Unlike last time when she seemed to have the strength to move, she couldn’t even move now, and her voice wouldn’t come out.

“Wife, are you awake? How is your body?”

He checked Anais’s eyes. Then he was momentarily confused. Lilith’s hair had returned to the color he remembered, and when she fainted, Anais woke up. He became anxious as Anais looked at him as if she had decided something.

“Wife, what happened in front of my eyes… No.”

Kylian hoped that what he was understanding turned out to be not true so he wouldn’t think about it.

“Anais.”

Raising her arm was painful for Anais. It hurt as if she was lifting a broken arm. She endured it and touched Kylian’s face with her hand. He looked at her closely.

“Are you really okay?”

He was worried. He wanted to stay closer because he was anxious. He couldn’t admit it in his head, but his body had already accepted that it was Anais he had been searching for. He just didn’t want to admit it in his head because of fear. So he wanted to get closer. He felt that he needed to touch everything to make his anxiety go away.

“Wife.”

Anais nodded.

She pushed his chest away. Despite the pain she felt from his face being so close, she also felt embarrassed.

“Wife, did you happen to mention what we did yesterday…. to someone?”

Anais raised her head.

Her ears turned red as she looked down unconsciously. Then, when she looked at Kylian again, she noticed that he too was blushing as if he felt embarrassed.

“Why are you trying to get up?”

Kylian realized that his face was also heating up so the conversation topic had to be changed. He didn’t want to believe it even though she hadn’t said anything.

In the past, Anais tried to tie him up with Lilith, saying they were destined or something.

Perhaps that feeling had resurfaced once again.

At first, he had tried to use it to make Anais realize his feelings. Now, she must be aware of his feelings towards her, so he couldn’t understand why she was acting this way.

“Wife?”

Anais struggled through the pain as she got up from the bed.

When Kylian saw Anais get up from the bed, he supported her. With his help, she was able to walk slowly.

“Wife, please tell me. If you point with your finger, I’ll understand.”

He said with concern. Anais was sweating as if she was exhausted, and her hair was sticking to her cheeks. Her lips were while, and her face was pale.

Kylian began to worry that something might be wrong with the purification.

He didn’t know what to do because her condition didn’t seem good. She had received healing to the point where the High Priest of Life had fainted, so why…

“Wife.”

When she stopped walking, she tried to look into his eyes. But Anais was looking around as if she was searching for something in the room.

Anais fidgeted several times before gesturing to Kylian. He pondered for a moment what her gesture, when she folded her palm, meant. It felt unusual yet cute to see her expressing herself through actions without words, so Kylian just watched her for a moment.

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

As Anais looked frustrated, Kylian made an effort to recall the clue she had shown.

“Are you talking about the locket necklace by any chance?”

Anais nodded. Then Kylian took off the one he was wearing and showed it to her. Originally, he had wanted to give her one of the two he had.

“I’ll give you this again.”

“Why?”

“It doesn’t suit this outfit, and I don’t want to wear it.”

However, at that time Anais declined the locket necklace he was about to give, so Kylian had to wear it himself. However, because she might change her mind someday, he always carried it with him.

“Were you looking for this?”

Anais nodded again, and he happily smiled as he tried to take it off his neck.

But then she shook her head.

“Isn’t this it?”

Then she tilted her head again. Then Anais extended two fingers and showed them to Kylian. Perplexed, he asked, “Are you saying both of them?”

She nodded in agreement. It made him happy that she affirmed this, and he was about to take off the one hanging on his neck and put it on hers.

But then she tilted her head again.

“Do you not want me to put it on for you?”

He was relieved when she expressed her disapproval.

“Or do you prefer I simply give it to you?”

Even with her positive response, he still felt at ease. If she had said she didn’t want him to touch her, he would have pretended to be fine with it, but it would have hurt.

Slowly, he lowered the two locket necklaces onto Anais’s palm. Anais let go of his hand, which was supporting her.

“Wife?”

Then Anais gestured as if she were covering her eyes with her other hand.

“Should I cover my eyes? Oh, I see.”

He replied, watching her reaction. She must have known he could still see even though his eyes were covered.

Kylian began to worry that Anais might be playing some sort of prank on him, and his heart started pounding again.

With his eyes covered, the chain made a rustling sound when she moved. Suddenly, Kylian felt a movement as if Anais were about to collapse.

He immediately went over to Anais and caught her. His makeshift blindfold had become crooked, so he used one eye to check on his wife properly.

“Oh, I’m sorry. Are you angry?”

Anais gestured as if she wanted him to turn around again, and he readjusted the blindfold. Then he turned around.

Kylian felt his heart tingle as he sensed Anais’s hand brushing against his back. The sound of the chain jingling was followed by her fingers poking him.

“Is it okay now to find it?”

Anais held the cravat in his face. Since she was barefoot, there was a significant height difference, making it difficult for her to reach the top of his head.

“Wife.”

She slipped, and the cravat she was covering his eyes with fell to the ground. Kylian thought she was trying to climb onto him and hugged her.

“Anais.”

He called her earnestly, and Anais tensed.

“Yesterday was our first kiss.”

Kylian blushed again.

“If I find the necklace, can I have a second kiss as a reward?”

Then Anais, taken aback, put her fingers to his lips and shook her head.

“Is it not allowed? Or do you mean I shouldn’t look for it?”

“Both… no.”

“I apologize.”

She mustered up the strength to speak, but it seemed to cause her intense pain as she fell asleep right then and there.

* * *

Kylian fell asleep, cradling Anais’s sleeping body. As he drifted into slumber, he felt a sense of relief, knowing that he would wake up to Anais’ warmth, the rhythmic beating of her heart, and the subtle movements of her eyes, all indicating that she was still alive.

Despite the discomfort caused by the pattern on her chest, Kylian found solace in Anais’ beauty, who was otherwise perfect in every way.

“Wife.”

Kylian hoped that when Anais opened her eyes, the first thing she would see would be him. Just as he found comfort in knowing she was alive every time she was in his sight, he hoped she felt the same way.

When her eyes returned, it seemed as though she felt the same way as him. Perhaps her personality was divided into times when she had memories and times when she didn’t.

Kylian pondered this thought with a slight furrowed brow.

Knock, knock.

“I warned you not to knock in the morning.”

Kylian never received any visitors in the morning. No one could force him until he left the bedroom himself.

“It’s me, Your Highness.”

The voice belonged to Lilith.

She had come early in the morning to find the locket necklace hidden here in front of his eyes.

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