“Sylfern…”

I laughed as Viola looked at me stunned at my power.

The darkness had long faded but I still feel that I could call upon my power, my black knights, at any given moment.

“I suppose I should tell you the truth. The reason why I must stay behind is to end this curse to put an end to my suffering.”

“Your suffering…?”

I smiled sadly.

“Indeed, I died a long time ago. I once travelled here so long ago… And I made a mistake I paid for with my life.”

“A mistake?”

“Yes, as a result, I ended up dying a brutal death. I’ve already accepted my death, I simply cannot bear to continue existing like this and wish to end my suffering as well as everyone else. Although, I won’t last very long myself.”

“What?”

“The only ones that can stay behind are those that hold strong feelings of regret. I did indeed have some regrets prior to my death, but my memories travelling around erased them. Even my death could not hinder that.”

She fell silent.

“Sylfern… Can I ask a question…?”

“Hm? Fine, ask what you wish. We will soon part after I finish my task of guiding you outside.”

I’m already dead anyways. I’ll simply fade away once this all ends.

“A long time ago… A young prince was falsely accused of a crime by an ambitious noble wanting to steal the crown of a kingdom… The young prince was exiled and things calmed down after that. After some time, the ambitious noble planned a conspiracy and attempted to claim the throne as his own but failed. He was executed after that and the truth finally came out after a thorough investigation regarding the case was carried out. The Royal Family then announced a large reward for the safe return of the prince… Yet, many years passed and he was never found. The knights searched everywhere. Yet, he was never found… Almost as if he vanished into thin air.”

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She narrated the story eloquently as if she knew it by heart.

This story… I know it too well.

“The Royal Family refused to accept such a thing, and continued to search. Eventually, they managed to convince the other kingdoms to search their own kingdoms but still, no trace of the prince was found. Yet, the search has yet to end, even though it’s been more than ten years and almost all consider him dead. That tragic prince… was named Sylfern Sylvain. The 2nd in line for the throne.”

“That’s an interesting story. But, what is your question?”

I was uninterested in this story.

I still kept smiling.

“That tragic prince… Is you, isn’t it?”

She asked me accusingly.

“Hahaha… Indeed, I am Prince Sylfern Sylvain. Second child of Queen Maia and King Onest.”

I answered honestly.

“Tell me… You already knew what happened then, right? You knew that your parents desperately wanted to find you. Why did you never return?”

She answered me with a strong light in her eyes.

I cannot turn back on this. I must answer truthfully.

“Why? It’s simply because I refused to return to that way of life. I was far too satisfied with my own.”

She fell silent at that.

“Didn’t I tell you before? That you must choose yourself. That’s simply what I did. I chose to live my life as it was as a traveler even after finding out that my parents were looking for me. The life of freedom I’ve lived relying on solely my own power was difficult but far more satisfying than my previous life. I had no wish to part with it, and I don’t regret my choice.”

I answered her with a strong tone.

“…I see…”

She answered back dazed.

I look at her eyes.

I smiled.

She already made her resolve.

She’s already made her choice.