(EP-218.1) #1

218 – Great Escape #1

I still vividly remembered the first time I met her in this world.

Her cold demeanor, as if not caring about anything. Her lifeless black eyes that were like the void, giving off chills.

She was a flower with thorns.

No… Much as I hated to admit it, I lacked the skill to accurately describe Aira at that time.

But one thing was certain: the moment I laid eyes on her, something that could only be described as lightning sparked within me.

It was a complex mix of emotions.

In hindsight, “affection” was fitting.

Whether it was a blessing or a curse, Aira’s beauty was akin to a meticulously crafted sculpture. Countless men had had their hearts smitten upon laying gaze.

However, to give one excuse, my interest in her was not solely due to her exceptional looks.

What drew my heart the most was her expression.

Expression. It was the manifestation of emotions from the heart, shown through my face.

Aira possessed a face similar to many children I had seen.

Younglings who lived with their eyes and ears closed, abandoned by their families and the world.

A sight I always saw when looking into the mirror…

Indeed. I saw myself in the young Queen Aira.

At that time, I was nothing more than a slave for entertainment.

She was the ruler of a nation. Though our situations and treatment were completely opposite, I felt as though I had known her for a long time.

Anyway, she and I became a pair.

Demon Monk Theo.

Tyrant Aira.

In fact, even thinking about it now, I believed we made quite a fitting duo.

Wouldn’t you think so too?

“Lady Aira. Open your eyes.”

“This….”

While being surrounded by butterflies, I could feel Aira muttering.

In the midst of all the noise, filled with luminescent butterflies and people’s chatter, her voice alone stood out distinctly in this chaotic world.

“This is….”

“You taught me this, Aira.”

“No, I didn’t do such a thing. I… I don’t know you.”

Aira’s face slowly contorted.

As if there was some pain somewhere. Then Lily, who had been blankly watching our conversation, seemed to come to her senses and grabbed Aira’s shoulder.

“Tarantera-nim-. Get a hold of yourself…!”

“Lily, your hair…. It’s pink…. This is….”

“Hey, Gospel-! What the hell did you do!? What were those butterflies!”

“Gospel….”

Aira seemed confused. I got down from the table and slowly walked over to the young Aira, who was holding her head.

“Aira, remember. This isn’t possible. You know it too well. Who you are and what you should be doing right now. You’re a queen. The Queen of July.”

“Me, the Queen…? But….”

It was then.

━Geugaak!

Someone’s waist was violently bent backward. He was a man with a beard and black hair.

As he collapsed to the ground, a short haired woman beside him spurted blood and crouched down while clutching her chest.

━Sa, save me…. I don’t want to die yet….

━Breath, breath….

One by one, the surrounding people collapsed in various ways. The scene was so vivid that it seemed cruelly real. Now, only Aira remained.

She was the last Tarantera left in this banquet hall.

Ah.

Then it finally clicked.

These were memories.

Memories vividly engraved in Aira’s eyes.

The thorns in her heart that turned the princess into a villain, standing atop the execution ground.

“No, no, no—”

Aira clutched her face and knelt on the ground.

At the same time, a rumbling began to shake the banquet hall. No, not just the banquet hall, but the entire dream world was clearly trembling.

The festival grounds, once vibrant with colorful lights, began to crumble like peeling paint. Perhaps due to the shock, the balloons tied to my arm popped, leaving only one intact.

“The Queen’s mind is breaking down…!”

Lily screamed urgently while looking at this scene.

“Queen, Queen! You need to snap out of it!”

But Aira remained silent with her face buried on the ground.

Whirrrrrr-.

The crumbling dream world was gradually closing in on us. If we just stood still, we might get engulfed in this collapse as well.

Lily, who had been shouting towards Aira, finally looked at me, biting her lip.

“Do something! The Queen can’t hear my voice!”

Even if she didn’t say it, I also felt that I had to do something. If we stayed like this, even the ground from which we stood on might disappear.

Ppak-.

“Ugh-!”

In the end, Lily collapsed to the ground after being hit in the head by a blunt object that fell from somewhere.

Thanks to that, I became even more impatient. I cleared my throat and calmly uttered the name I had called several times over.

“Aira.”

“….”

“Aira, look at me.”

“…….”

However, Aira just curled up, burying her face between her knees. Like an egg. Encased in a hard shell.

“It’s time to get up. There are people waiting for you.”

“…….”

My voice also seemed unable to reach Aira, as if there was an invisible glass wall blocking between her and me.

Words like “dreams are futile” or “you have to live through the pain” sprouted from my lips but ultimately disappeared.

No matter what I said, it would not reach the current Aira. So I stepped on the floating platforms in the dark void and approached the huddled Queen.

Then I raised her head.

“Look at me. You know who I am. You know who you are. You know this isn’t the time to be like this.”

“Who are you….”

Though devoid of any makeup, her face, tinged with tears, glowed red with vitality. Among them, I focused on her lips, shining the brightest crimson, and moved my body as if a button had been pressed.

Hwaa-.

The first thing I noticed was the scent of cherries. Aira’s lips had a strong cherry scent.

Just as I was starting to feel the softness and warmth I had imagined, someone gently pushed my shoulder.

Looking at her, there was no trace of the young, green girl.

Rather, the Queen Aira that I know was looking at me with narrow eyes.

“This teasing, you are Theo.”

“…….”

“But Theo isn’t this tall. Strange… It’s strange.”

After muttering to herself for a while, Aira looked around and then shook her head.

“I see, ah-. This is a dream. I get it now. So, that’s why the half-fairy Theo could become so tall…”

Edited by: faker