Never Saved You

Chapter 77

Translator: Yonnee

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Alei was troubled by the fact that this man occupied a place in Ophelia’s past. But in every respect there was, it was even more painful for Alei because he couldn’t deny that Ian was a much better match for Ophelia than he was.

This was all he could do to retaliate.

Taking advantage of Ophelia’s request, Alei acted upon his personal vendetta.

The spell surrounding Ian tightened around him. Breathing heavily because of the pressure pushing down on his lungs, Ian stared at Alei as though he was going to kill him right then and there, but this look in his eyes was nothing more than a rat’s threat.

Still, there was no guarantee that Ian’s ribs would be fine if Alei would go ahead and tighten the spell a little more.

Alei released the spell. The chains that he wielded at will quickly loosened from around Ian, dissipating as they returned to their previous state as naturally flowing mana in the air.

After being set free, Ian stumbled and coughed loudly.

“Cough, cough!”

“I’m sure you understand what I’m saying now. I do hope you won’t try to do anything in front of me from now on.”

Alei was about to turn around and head towards the direction of the castle. But Ian, who coughed a few times more, exhaled and spoke up

“Ha, Alejandro, do you even have any reason to be here?”

“…I don’t understand what you mean.”

“As you said, you’re such a great man, but why are you here in this countryside fief while staying next to an imperial princess who has nothing to her name?”

The words were obviously to incite him—mere words that could be brushed off as empty words of provocation.

“You act as if you’re not afraid of anything, but then what are you doing now—you won’t come forward, yet neither will you leave.”

But Ian’s words were so cutting. As if he knew what Alei was thinking.

If Alei hadn’t already known that there was no such thing as a spell to read minds, then he would have questioned whether his mind was being read right now.

Even so, Alei knew that it was impossible.

It’s evident why Ian was able to grasp Alei’s inner thoughts so well like this.

“The only thing you can do is hang around her—you’re the same.”

Ian was in the same position as Alei.

And so, Ian’s striking words were also him taking a stab at himself.

“…Don’t even insinuate that we’re on the same boat.”

Why couldn’t Alei let it slide?

“It’s an insult for you to even think that you and I are the same. You—”

“So I’m a scoundrel, isn’t that what you think? That is an insult to me as well.”

Ian reached out suddenly and grabbed Alei’s collar. There was a smile on his lips, but there was an indescribable wrath burning behind his silver eyes. Unlike the curved lips, his vicious eyes glared ferociously at Alei as though he’d kill the mage right there.

“Alejandro Diarmuid, you and I are the same. Do you think I don’t know just who it is that you’re so distracted by?”

“It has nothing to do with you.”

“Sure. Why, did Ophelia tell you that she loves you? Is it because that love is so sweet that you can’t seem to see anything else?”

Alei tried to refute it, but he closed his lips when he remembered Ophelia’s request not to clear up the misunderstanding.

Meanwhile, Ian laughed in vain. He then let go of Alei’s collar.

“Right. I guess it’s like that. Ophelia is that kind of woman.”

While getting closer to the other person and pretending to give up everything though she wouldn’t actually give anything, she was someone who would always be beyond one’s reach.

“I guarantee you, you will utter the same words I’ve said. We’re all nothing but sinners to her.”

Perhaps Ian wanted Alei to get hurt by what he’s saying, but unfortunately for him, Alei was quite immune to these attacks.

Ha. Letting out a light scoff, Alei opened his lips and spoke in a cynical tone.

“So what is it that you want to happen?”

“…What?”

“It’s still none of your business whether or not I’ve sinned against Ophelia. Or are you so slow-witted that you can’t understand this much?”

Alei’s voice remained calm, but it was his expression that had changed more ferociously than ever before.

“Even if I indeed had sinned against her, it’s a matter between me and Ophelia.”

“Can you afford to be so relaxed when you’ll surely regret it later?”

“Then if I listen to your words, would that be a guarantee that I won’t come to regret it?”

Ian’s angle at provoking Alei was wrong. Because, in the first place, ever since he met Ophelia, he had never once parted with the idea of feeling regret.

“Don’t drag me into your regrets.”

I’ll take care of my own transgressions.

After saying this, Alei left that place. He wouldn’t be able to hold back anymore, regardless of whether Ian’s provocation would hit the mark or not.

Perhaps this was what Ian was after.

Ian’s own innermost thoughts were plain to see. It was obvious in the words he chose to speak and with the way he chose to use them to incite Alei.

While insisting that they were the same and creating a sense of kinship, it would eventually lead to the fear of abandonment—that they both would be abandoned.

As he would rouse the fear of not making the same mistakes as Ian did, he wanted Alei to be frantic, to hurry and ask the other man for advice.

About half of his intention succeeded.

Alei grew anxious, and his mind was swimming in the fear that Ian had intended to impart.

Even so, Alei was not as stupid as Ian was thinking. And neither was he a coward.

He found the right solution that he didn’t think he’d get from Ian.

And also the person he should be looking for.

He was in a hurry to go up the stairs. Alei climbed the steps as if he was escaping the rising tide.

Directly contradicting his determination to keep his distance from her, Alei needed to see Ophelia at once. He couldn’t stand the anxiety. He needed to hold her hand right this second—even the hem of her dress would be enough.

And what would come after would be an unsightly plea.

What on earth did I do in the past.

What have I done that, every time I see you, I feel so wretched and repentant.

Why can’t I stand to see you be with someone else. Why is it that every time I see you, I feel as though I’d become the white sand on the coast being drowned by the waves.

During one night, as the sky was as dark as a crow’s feathers, Alei spoke up first.

“There’s something I’d like to ask, Ophelia.”

Ophelia was usually the one who spoke first between them and took the lead in their conversations, so this was a rare instance.

Ophelia, too, blinked in wonder as if she felt this, then she nodded.

“Is it again about the things you think I’m still hiding from you?”

“If that’s what I’m going to ask, then I’m afraid I won’t let you leave this room for three days.”

At Alei’s response, Ophelia chuckled. This enough was proof that there were still many things she hadn’t told him.

“Don’t be so hard on me. I’ve told you almost everything.”

“That’s what I’m about to say. Rather, it’s something else that I want to ask.”

Alei hesitated for a moment before he finally spoke again.

“Why do you want to go to the magic tower?”

“Now isn’t that a strange question. Hadn’t we already discussed it enough?”

She wouldn’t need to be on the run and go to some other country on the continent, and since no one knew its location, so if she were to remove her grandiose title of ‘imperial princess,’ the magic tower was the perfect place she could escape to.

“Have I not explained enough?”

“It’s not like that. Of course I understand the reasons why you’ve chosen the magic tower, but it’s just… I’m curious if there’s no other option for you.”

Sometimes, he couldn’t understand.

Why did Ophelia need to leave the continent and go to the magic tower where she had no connection to and didn’t even know much about?

The reasons she had given before weren’t enough to answer this.

For instance, Ophelia could have justified it like this:

—You’re the lord of the magic tower who had gotten exiled. Once I help you regain your memories, so it’s like winning the lottery. Please use your authority just once for me.

The lord of the magic tower was a position of greater influence than one could expect.

Every place in the continent had such a demand for the powerful mages of the magic tower.

That’s why Ophelia could use Alei to gain power within the continent itself and even in this country. She wouldn’t need to leave and go to the tower.

Besides that, she didn’t seem to be in the kind of situation akin to standing at the edge of the cliff.

If what she needed was a marriage of convenience, then Ian could step in for that, and if it was a matter that could be solved with magic, then Alei could do as much as he could.

Besides, with the fastest carrier birds in the world at her disposal, she could use this as an advantage with regard to cross-country communication.

If Ophelia so wished, she could be as powerful as she wanted in this land already.

But this wasn’t what she did.

Even with all these overflowing possibilities and forces, she chose to leave them all behind.

How come?

As she heard the question, Ophelia seemed to ponder for a moment. Then, she answered.

“Alei, I wish to be free.”