Chapter 48: From Eshel to Emilia (The End)

“Master… why did Duvel…”

As Roden left Rosel’s office and headed to the first floor, he murmured in a gloomy tone.

He felt like he was starting to understand.

The Duvel he had once called a “rotten puddle” with those sorrowful eyes.

The Duvel who had once been his idol, a symbol of hope for those who trained their bodies, now seemed to leave behind a disturbing aftertaste.

Now, he understood why Duvel left in such a way.

“…He realized he had been tainted by the red limewater…”

“The puddle has been stained by the red limewater…”

“Yeah…”

Like Roden, Gelion was also deeply disheartened. Duvel, who at times felt like a son, a companion, and a knight, was one of the precious people to Gelion as well.

Of course, there were moments of regret.

Like when Duvel’s honor and bravery, the very qualities he showed when protecting Lady Ronsha, seemed to have faded.

But despite that, Gelion never gave him harsh advice. It was simply the reality of being human, the reality of life.

To live is to do something, after all.

Redemption, penance, everything was a part of that.

So, Duvel’s death was also a shock to Gelion.

“Ha… Duvel… So, was that the message he left behind?”

Just as Roden understood Duvel’s death as the “rotten puddle,” Gelion understood Duvel’s last words, “In a time when the era devours beliefs, it doesn’t matter whether there is sin or not.”

And then, Gelion remembered the request Duvel had made.

His last request to take good care of Emilia.

“Did Duvel know something about the hero’s treason…?”

Emilia’s care, and whether sin mattered or not, seemed to imply that the hero’s treason was not as clear as it appeared.

“I don’t know… Duvel, why did you leave behind such words?”

The dead do not speak.

Though Duvel, now dead, left behind words full of meaning, Gelion had no idea what they truly meant.

But now, he seemed to understand what he needed to do.

He needed to listen to the story of Eshel.

Then, he might be able to roughly grasp what Duvel’s words meant and why Duvel chose such an end.

And now that Duvel’s request to take good care of Emilia had become his final will, Gelion knew he had to fulfill it with as much care as Duvel had shown.

So, as he sank into these thoughts, he reached the first floor.

Roden drew the sword he carried at his waist.

The sharp, gleaming blade reflected the light.

“…Master, may I keep this sword?”

“That sword? The one Duvel gave me, the heirloom sword of King Hurion, you mean?”

“Yes… Since Duvel assassinated His Majesty, the King…”

In other words, it had become the sword of a traitor.

Because of that, Roden was cautious.

He worried that just holding this sword might interfere with the family’s revolution.

Gelion patted Roden’s head.

“That sword was made by King Hurion before Duvel ever had it. So, is there really a problem?”

“Ah… Yes.”

“Don’t worry. Duvel must have had a reason for leaving it to you as a keepsake.”

“Yes… Thank you.”

“Alright, now go ahead and get ready to greet the comrades you haven’t seen in a while.”

With that, the two reached the end of the first-floor hallway.

As they entered the large kitchen, all the servants who had been moving busily turned their attention to Roden.

For a moment, there was silence.

It was as though they had seen a ghost, blinking and staring at each other.

When Roden awkwardly smiled and waved his hand, they all rushed toward him, making a loud commotion.

They burst into bright laughter.

During the three days when Brikal was around, Roden had been rumored to be on the verge of death.

“R-Roden! What happened? Are you okay?!”

“I saw your head get cracked open! What? You’ve already recovered?!”

“Hey, Roden! Are you alive?!”

“Ah~! Roden~! What’s going on~!”

So, for a while, Roden had to endure the overwhelming joy and commotion as the servants praised the master’s sacrifice and grace.

Once again, the servants rejoiced at how generous and decisive the Duke of Rosel was.

After all, the image of the master striking Roden’s head had been a shocking memory for the servants.

But with Roden’s healthy appearance, that shock and confusion were instantly resolved.

“Truly, our master is an amazing person~!”

Swaying gently, Emilia, even though Zicel was watching, fluttered the hem of her dress and gazed at her reflection in the mirror with unfamiliar eyes.

“My hair is so beautiful. Thank you, Zicel.”

In her dress, with her hair neatly done, she looked like a completely different person.

Especially after fixing her messy, tangled hair and tying it back in a delicate braid, her ears were now prominently visible.

The hairstyle exuded femininity.

“It’s nothing. Your beauty is such a masterpiece that it doesn’t need any extra work.”

“You are beautiful too, Zicel.” Heh…

“…Ah, no, it’s not like that.”

Zicel, who hadn’t heard the word “beautiful” for so long, blushed faintly from Emilia’s compliment.

Emilia stared at her reflection in the mirror.

Her transformation was complete. Her life as a s*ave had ended. She couldn’t believe it, even though she was seeing it with her own eyes.

Was it a dream?

• Pinch.

“Ow…” Grr…!

“Emilia? Why are you suddenly pinching your cheek?”

“Ah… I just wanted to check if this is a dream. In our world, when we can’t tell whether something is a dream or reality, we pinch our cheeks.”

“Heh, that’s an interesting method. Does it hurt?”

Emilia nodded while gently massaging her sore cheek. It hurt a lot. The pain, something she hadn’t felt in a long time, made her realize that this was, indeed, reality.

“Yes, it hurts. A lot.”

“I’m glad. It’s not a dream, then.”

• Knock, knock, knock.

At that moment, a knock echoed, and Emilia suddenly stiffened her lower back and straightened her body.

It was the master.

Seeing herself in this state, she felt both nervous and embarrassed.

Her body froze as she tried to show herself to her master.

‘What if he’s disappointed?’

The eyes of men and women are different.

Objectively, she thought she was beautiful, but to her master, her face might be common.

That thought made Emilia nervous. She could feel moisture forming on her palm.

This was her first meeting as a woman, not as the s*ave Eshel.

“If you’re embarrassed, you can turn around. I’ll open the door.”

“Ah, th-thank you…!”

At Zicel’s suggestion, Emilia quickly turned her body.

Why was she trembling so much?

Could it be that she had truly fallen in love with her master?

She had thought she felt affection for him, but today’s racing heartbeat felt different from before.

Was it because she was no longer a s*ave but a woman?

Yes, that must be it.

Today, she realized that even Emilia, who wasn’t a hero, was just an ordinary woman who liked dresses, which was why her heart was racing.

• Creak.

A moment later, the door opened, and with that sound, Emilia’s delicate shoulders flinched.

Thump, thump.

Her heart pounded so hard it seemed like it might burst as her master’s footsteps entered the room.

“Emilia says she’s embarrassed. Let her have some time, master.”

Zicel moved aside and spoke politely.

Rosel, who had entered holding something in his hand, gazed at Emilia’s back with a contented smile.

They say that heavenly beauties have an air about them even from behind, don’t they?

Even though her dress was plain, it was transformed into a luxurious one made by a skilled artisan.

Seeing Emilia’s back like this made Rosel’s heart race as well.

He couldn’t wait.

He wondered if the Emilia from that day had returned.

Zicel read the look in his eyes and respectfully bowed.

“Then I will take my leave.”

“Ah, thank you, Zicel.”

Zicel left the room, and in the small room, the sound of two breaths growing heavy could be heard in the silence.

On the surface, it might have seemed like a s*ave was about to prove her worth to her master, but on the inside, it was a woman showing her true self to a man.

Rosel was also clearly nervous.

He was excited to see Emilia’s first appearance as a woman, not as the s*ave Eshel, but he didn’t rush her.

His heart was pounding so much it felt like it might hurt, but he silently waited for her, wanting to give her the time she needed.

“Master… please don’t expect too much.”

After about a minute of silent struggle, Emilia opened her mouth first.

“…Even just your back is enough to send me into ecstasy. How could I not be excited?”

Rosel honestly expressed his feelings.

He couldn’t help it.

He already knew her beauty was breathtaking, so how could he not be excited?

Of course, he wasn’t only looking forward to her beauty.

He was also looking forward to seeing the Emilia from that day again—the one who was fresh, pure, and full of life.

He had lived his life with that one goal in mind.

He had been preparing for this moment, longing for only that.

Now, that life was about to shine, and Rosel couldn’t help but feel eager.

“Ah… then, how should I turn around? I might disappoint you…”

“Don’t worry. I won’t be disappointed.”

“But… but…”

“There’s no reason for me to be disappointed. Emilia’s true self is more than enough. It doesn’t matter if she’s not beautiful.”

However, this was a critical matter for Emilia, who was in the process of fully becoming a woman, and she couldn’t easily turn around.

Though she had already become a woman, she still couldn’t shake off the terrible habits of being a s*ave.

Deep down, she saw her current appearance as having a certain ‘value.’

It felt like she was being auctioned as a s*ave again.

Though it wasn’t as terrible or degrading as back then, a sense of fear rose within her.

Thankfully, Emilia bit her lip and, with a somewhat resolute gaze, let out a deep breath.

Then, she turned around, hoping her master would like it, knowing that this new life had come from him, and she vowed to do whatever he desired.

“…H-here I am…”

Facing Rosel, Emilia especially worried if he might look at her in a more sensual way because of the fitted vest that emphasized her chest.

Unable to meet his gaze, Emilia kept fidgeting with her hands.

“Is it… okay?”

“Hah…”

Rosel let out a long sigh.

It was a sigh that sounded like a lament. At the same time, Emilia’s face turned pale.

Was she lacking in value?

Did the dress not suit her?

Or was the way she tied her hair strange?

In the blink of an eye, all sorts of thoughts passed through her mind.

She still couldn’t have confidence as a proper woman, because her wounds hadn’t fully healed.

Thus, upon hearing her master’s sigh for the first time, Emilia had to bite the inside of her lower lip, something she hadn’t done in a long time.

It was a habit she had picked up in the dungeon.

Was he disappointed with her, after all?

However, that habit couldn’t continue gently.

Rosel, the Duke, wasn’t the kind of person to let Emilia’s sad habit pass unnoticed.

Clap. Clap. Clap.

Suddenly, the sound of applause echoed in the room, and surprised, Emilia looked up at Rosel with her emerald eyes, now filled with moisture.

“Master… Master!?”

And Emilia was shocked.

Rosel was crying.

No, more precisely, he was swallowing his tears, but he couldn’t hide the tears that flowed from his eyes.

Despite the bright smile on his face, he was clapping while tears were streaming down.

Clap… clap… clap…

“Master…”

She thought she understood.

What those tears full of joy meant.

With a sincerity stronger than a thousand words, Rosel’s tearful smile approached Emilia, and she felt overwhelmed as well.

And she had to feel relieved.

At least, these were not tears shed because she didn’t meet his expectations.

“Emilia…”

Both of them called each other affectionately.

Rosel looked into Emilia’s tear-filled eyes.

The eyes that had once lost all vitality were now glowing with a brilliant emerald light.

Her cheeks, once hollow, were now filled with new life, and her once dry, brittle blonde hair had been beautifully styled by Zicel, now shining with vitality.

She didn’t even notice the dress.

Her face, like the Emilia from that day, blossomed like a flower, and it was so moving.

How much had Rosel worked to bring back that smile and vitality? How guilty and sorry had he felt for not being able to save her sooner, even though he knew the future?

Of course, this wouldn’t erase the guilt from those days, nor would it make up for his wrongs toward her, but just the fact that Emilia was coming back was enough to overwhelm him with tears.

“Master…”

Had Emilia also received that same feeling?

She, too, began to cry, but she grabbed the handkerchief on the bedside drawer and approached Rosel, gently wiping the tears from his eyes.

“Why are you crying, Master? You’ve startled me…”

Rosel wiped away the tears from Emilia’s eyes with his thumb and caressed her cheek.

“…You’re starting to be yourself, Emilia.”

“It’s all thanks to you, Master.”

“How silly of me to cry like this.”

Emilia smiled and shook her head before falling into Rosel’s embrace.

And now, to comfort her master, she gently stroked his broad back and spoke.

“No, Master. It’s a happy thing to know that someone is shedding tears for me. Thank you.”

“There is no tear too precious to shed for you, so stop crying yourself.”

“But… but, how can I not cry when you’re crying, Master…”

Rosel and Emilia wiped away the hot tears flowing down each other’s cheeks.

And so, they held each other until their tears stopped, tenderly wiping them away.

Zicel, who had overheard the scene from outside the door, was choked up, and had to clear his throat, his steps quieting as he moved away.

“I have something for you, Emilia. No, something I’m giving back to you.”

After wiping his tears, Rosel clapped his hands and picked up the wooden box he had placed on the table.

“It’s yours.”

“What is this?”

“It’s yours.”

It was a thin and wide box, and it was difficult for Emilia to guess what might be inside.

The high-quality wooden box looked precious, and considering everything she had lost upon coming to the castle, she was puzzled as to what could be inside. She tilted her head and opened the lid.

And then…

Her eyes widened in astonishment.

“Th-this is…?”

“Sir Dubel…”

“Ah… M-master…”

He said to give this to you when the time came. It seems today is that day, so I’ve brought it back to you.”

Inside the thin wooden box was none other than the attire of “Hero Emilia” that she had worn on her return journey.

The clothes worn for her grand return ceremony were inside the box.

Emilia pulled the clothes out and gazed at them with misty eyes.

“Sir Dubel had saved this from the trash heap.”

“Ah…?”

In the end, Emilia sat down on the floor, clutching the clothes to her chest.

The memories in the journal, the memories of the clothes, and even the brief moment of freedom.

Though he had defeated her, Sir Dubel had left behind so much.

And because of what he left behind, Eshel was gradually regaining Emilia’s memories.