*** Arte's POV ***

I blinked, not understanding what he meant.

"Prophet? What's that?"

"It means a special being who knows and tells the future."

"You know the future?! Then, can you tell me one thing?"

"Please ask, Mademoiselle."

I gulped and clenched my fists in front of my chest. "W-when will Oppa marry me?"

"Hmm…" His eyes shine white for a moment. Then, he smiled and gave me the answer. "Never."

I widened my eyes and trembled at the answer.

"Eh? What?"

"Raon Eva will never marry you."

"Hieeeng…"

My heart ached as I glanced at Oppa tearfully. Was Oppa angry at me after all?

'No. This won't do. I have to do better and make Oppa marry me for real! Because everything is fair in war and love!"

It was the moment I clenched my fists, fully determined to win Oppa's heart by all means.

"Instead," the prophet said, "you will marry me."

"Hohee?!" My mind blanked for a moment. "L-lies! There is no way I would marry you!"

"Haha, you may say that, but fate said otherwise, Mademoiselle." He smiled.

"I don't like it. No!"

"Fear not, Mademoiselle. For you won't be the only one I married. I guarantee you, you won't be lonely."

"That's not the problem…" I sulked.

"Besides you, there are at least three more fair maidens who are going to marry me." He ignored me and counted his fingers. "There is a very voluptuous lady with white hair and gentle blue eyes, a very charismatic blond-haired red eyes swordswoman, and a very lovely sheltered girl with brown hair and brown eyes. Ah~ to win the hearts of the most beautiful maidens in the world, truly, what a sinful man I am."

The prophet looked at the moon and stretched his arms wide.

"Hieeeng, why am I included? Even though I said no."

"Haha, but it's true, Mademoiselle."

"Lies… I don't believe you."

"I understand. Everyone disbelieves at first. But such is the workings of fate. Life can change as suddenly as flipping a coin."

I slumped my shoulders and sniffed. It was bad enough to know Oppa wouldn't marry me, but for me to marry someone else?

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'No…'

What have I done in the future? Why would the future me look at another man besides Oppa?

'I don't like it.'

I clenched my fists. Future me must be a dummy. So I should be better than my future self.

'Just you wait. When Oppa wakes up, I will do this and that and… and this.'

It was the moment my fighting spirit was lit. The prophet coughed.

"Forgive my rudeness, Mademoiselle. I got so absorbed for a moment." He smiled. "May you step aside so I can get rid of the corpse first? It is not proper for a beauty such as you to have ugliness in the background."

"Un…"

I stepped aside as he asked and he walked to Grandpa's body. Then, he fixed his glasses and his eyes shined brown.

"A being who already died dared to defy fate? This won't do. Not at all. I shall guide fate to the right path."

His eyes shined blue this time. He flicked his finger and then, a blue flame swallowed Grandpa's body.

The flame engulfed the grasses too. However, it didn't burn them at all.

Was it a flame that only burned humans? I was curious about this so I stepped closer to the flame.

'Not hot? Why?'

I tilted my head. I even put in one hand to find out the answer and still didn't get burned.

It's a flame that only burned Grandpa's body. The flame kept burning until it reduced Grandpa to a nothingness that didn't even leave dust.

"You're brave." He smiled at my antics. "Didn't the child of light tell you not to touch strange things?"

"Child of light?"

"Raon Eva."

"Oppa's parents are light?!"

He laughed at this. "It's a metaphor, Mademoiselle. Didn't you see the shining dome and light attack just now?"

"I saw. Why?"

"That was Raon Eva's doing."

"Eh?"

"If you watch this scene of destruction closely, there could be no one else but him."

I looked around the place. The ground caved in in an immense crater, centered on where Oppa slept as if something heavy had hit that place. The ground was also split open in a straight line and charred black to the far edge, only for the line to stop abruptly.

I didn't think much of it when I focused on saving Oppa. However, now that the danger had passed, I began to feel curious about it.

"Oppa did this?" I tilted my head. “Really?”

“Really."

"Wow! Oppa is amazing!"

"Haha, right? I came here to find out why it was so difficult to deal with him. But if he was this strong, no wonder I kept failing." He chuckled. "Ah~ to think there was someone besides me who could change fate. It makes my heart flutter with delight. Haha, this must be what they call rivals." He grinned. "I hope he entertains me more. I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of future he'll make."

He stood up and walked away.

"Where are you going?"

"I am a busy man, you see. So I had to go before he woke up and dragged me into a fight. And now that I have greeted you, too, Mademoiselle, I no longer have a reason to stay."

"Huh?! So Oppa wasn't cursed? Oppa will wake up, right?"

"Yes." His eyes shined white. "He will wake up in about an hour."

It was then.

"I'm awake, though?"

"…!"

Something flashed and a clanging sound was heard.

"You… how?"

"Why are you surprised? This is not the first time your prophecy is wrong, is it?"

Clang!

The prophet got pushed back and allowed me to see the other person better.

"Oppa!"

Oppa smiled refreshingly and said.

"Sorry to worry you, Arte. Can you come here for a second?"

"Eh?"

I widened my eyes and trembled at his words. Did Oppa forgive me? Did he just seduce me and say he wanted to always be together with me?

"Yesh!"

To give what I wanted without me having to ask… as I thought, Oppa is the best!

"Hehe."

I ran to Oppa and hugged him tightly. That was the moment I began my happy future with Oppa.