SRSBO: Chapter 9

The sound of fireworks bursting in the sky mixed with crimson hues and the excited cheers of the people.

It was late in the afternoon when we arrived in the capital. People poured into the streets, shouting cheers for the heroes who had returned victorious from the war.

It was finally over. I could finally take down the Campbell family.

A bright smile naturally spread across my face in excitement.

When I first became Amelia Campbell, I had no connections, no money, no honor, and nothing at all. But now I had everything.

At my rare bright smile, my fellow mage Kassen grumbled, wondering what trouble I was about to cause, while the beastman Heiden, happy to see me smile after such a long time, rubbed his forehead against my shoulder.

The spirit mage Vivian blinked blankly, and Crown Prince Raymond followed suit, letting out a chuckle. It was a scene I had grown accustomed to over the past few years.

People laughed and chatted all night, while the dazzling lights, plentiful food, and fragrant drinks created an atmosphere of excitement in the streets.

As I sat by the window, gazing at the night sky painted with colorful fireworks, a soft voice came from behind.

“Amel.”

The owner of the voice was one of the main characters of this festival, the Crown Prince of the Empire, ‘Raymond Marville Hermann’.

He entered silently and casually sat down on the sofa.

When his blue eyes, filled with a strange heat that I couldn’t tell was greed or something else, turned toward me, I instinctively furrowed my brows.

“If you’re thinking of saying something about marriage again, I’ll throw you out.”

For the past one year, Raymond had been proposing marriage to me whenever he had the chance. Every time he suggested we have a wedding after this war ends, I would respond by telling him not to have such a death wish.

In the first place, was my ability really that desirable? It’s true that it was an ability worth coveting, but honestly, don’t they know I’d work like an ox if they just gave me a generous welfare package and salary without the need for marriage?

Anyway, there’s no place that paid as well as the Royal Palace, so I guessed he must feel the need to put an end to this political engagement in order to feel at ease.

“With that?”

Raymond looked at the glass in my hand and let out a meaningless laugh.

As I quietly watched his smile, something I had wanted to ask him after the war ended came to mind.

“Ray… Your Highness the Crown Prince.”

I paused at the name that had naturally slipped off my mouth. Having been accustomed to it over the years, I swallowed it back at the last moment.

It was not long after the war started that I abandoned using the honorific.

At the time, Raymond was exceptionally irritating, which played a part in it. In a frustrating situation where I had been sold to the battlefield after struggling to survive, I figured that since I was going to die anyway, I might as well say everything on my mind and let go of my frustration.

Perhaps because of his twisted personality, Raymond found my behaviour interesting. Since the Crown Prince, who was the person involved, did not impose restrictions, no one around me could say anything to me.

But now that the war was over, it was time for the system that I left at home a long time ago to return.

Soon, I would acquire a new title. With peace finally arriving, there was nothing left to do but try everything I could in this world. For that, adapting to social life was essential.

Raymond frowned slightly, feeling unfamiliar with the honorific title instead of his usual name.

“Just call me as you used to. You can call me whatever you want.”

“Oh, really? Then can I call you a son of a bitch?”

“Amel, now that we’re back, I’m thinking of strengthening the punishment for blasphemy. What do you think?”

“Kassen said that the higher the position, the more likely they would be two-faced.”

At my nonchalant response, a low laugh echoed once again.

He’s been laughing a lot lately. When we first met, he only put on a fake expression of composure with his smooth face, but it seemed the war had a positive effect on his brain after all.

After finally stopping his laughter, Raymond asked,

“What are you going to do for the time being?”

“Don’t worry. I won’t go somewhere far, I’ll work for you.”

“Of course. It’s natural for you to be by my side.”

The war is over, so why is that natural?

On the battlefield, unless something else happened, I was mostly by Raymond’s side.

I was a skilled healer who could save most lives as long as there was still a thread left, and he was the Commander-in-Chief.

Raymond, who had responded with an unbelievable brazenness, crossed his legs leisurely with a smile on his face.

Based on my past experiences, I judged that arguing further would only hurt my own mouth, so instead of offering a rebuttal, I answered his previous question.

“For now, I’ll just take revenge. I’ll have to swallow up the Count’s family.”

“Do you want me to help?”

“No need. Don’t get involved. That’s my responsibility.”

“Okay, if you need any help, just let me know.”

The conversation ended with those words.

‘But why is he asking what I’m going to do for the time being?’

Since he knew my situation better than anyone else, he shouldn’t be uncertain about what I was about to do. It was strange for him to ask something so predictable.

I stared at him openly, wondering if he had something else to say to me, but he showed no sign of speaking up first.

If he wanted to say something, he would say it, like a fool.

I was tired of arguing, so I turned my gaze out the window.

A brilliantly blooming firework spread out before my eyes. It seemed that mages had joined in the festival, as the lights, shaped like flowers, embroidered the night sky beautifully.

People’s laughter and the sound of firecrackers echoed around.

Boom!

Once again, a firework was shot into the darkness. At that moment, when it should have been dazzling, I strangely felt as though my vision had been dyed black.

I must be exhausted. The moment I thought that, a familiar ringing in my ears pierced through.

Beeeeeep-

In an instant, the strength left my legs, and my knees hit the hard floor with a thud.

“…Amel?”

“Ugh.”

Beep- beeep-

A strange mechanical sound. The distinctive noise of a subway train just arriving, along with the musty scent of the underground. A familiar scene flashed through my mind.

My breath grew shallow, and all the senses in my body became dulled. It was a feeling I couldn’t forget, no matter how hard I tried.

Overcome by an unbearable wave of nausea, I quickly pressed my trembling hand to my mouth to hold it back.

“Amelia!”

Drip, drop. Dark red blood began to seep through the fingers pressing against my mouth.

Raymond hugged my sagging body tightly.

“Delos, call a healer right now! Please, please, come to your senses, Amelia!”

Just before my vision flickered out, the last voice I heard was desperate and filled with sorrow.

* * *

“Haah.”

As soon as I opened my eyes, I turned my head and stared at my reflection in the glass window.

Instead of the silver hair I had become accustomed to for 7 years, what stared back at me was a woman with black hair.

I took a moment to catch my breath as I stared at the reflection, then turned my head back toward the ceiling and closed my eyes.

‘It’s okay. I’m back.’

And because of that, I couldn’t complete my revenge, and I ended up losing the new bonds I had formed. But I still thought it was okay.

It doesn’t mean that I didn’t value my friends.

It was simply that the realization of the hope that had kept me going for 7 years was more precious than they were.

And this place I finally returned to was, above all, the reality I had longed for more than anything, the world where my family was, the world I had always lived.

Of course, it wasn’t all joyful. The reality I returned to was far from easy.

I didn’t have a decent job, the house where I had lived in with my family was gone, and the younger sister who had been born in the meantime was entirely unfamiliar to me.

Even the world had changed into something straight out of a modern fantasy novel.

But it was okay. Adapting to a changed environment was something I was used to. I had managed to adjust even in a world where I didn’t know a single person and a language I was completely unfamiliar with. Surely I could handle something like this.

In the first place, my current father was the stepfather who came into my life when my Mom remarried while I was in elementary school.

It wasn’t the first time I had a new, unfamiliar family. Although I was cautious about how to treat my younger sister who was much younger than me, I didn’t feel any strong resistance.

Yes, everything was okay.

It was really okay.

“Here, Eujung. You used to like this.”

“Mom, I don’t like eggplants. I haven’t eaten it since I was little.”

“Really? But you used to like it so much. Maybe your tastebuds have changed.”

Things I hadn’t even thought of before started to feel not okay.

“Why did you buy so many cakes? Did you buy it for Yooha? Give it here. I’ll put it in the fridge so that Yooha can have it after eating.”

“…Huh? I bought it so we could all eat together, but she can have some too.”

“You’re eating cake? But you don’t like sweet things. Just a little while ago, you were complaining that just seeing whipped cream made you feel sick.”

One by one.

“Yooha says that you haven’t been playing with her lately and that she’s been feeling lonely. The kid’s been waiting for your call, yet you haven’t been calling home much. What’s going on with you lately?”

“I’m sorry. I’m just busy.”

“Even when you were busy before, you used to come home at least once a week to play with Yooha. No, I don’t think it’s just because you’re busy. You haven’t been smiling much lately either, you’re acting strange. Tell me, what’s going on? Did you have another fight with your boyfriend?”

Twice, thrice.

Every time I heard stories about myself that I had no idea about, it felt like the place where I belonged was disappearing.

It was the place I had longed for so much, yet a sense of unease would creep in at all times, as if the ground beneath my feet was giving way.

I knew the reason well. No one was a bad person, and they’ve all simply lived the time that was given to them.

However, understanding and accepting were separate things.

“Come to think of it, Mom, why didn’t you send me to college?”

“Why are you suddenly talking about that?”

“No, Mom, you have always wanted me to go to college. I know my grades…. suddenly dropped in high school, but I thought you’d find a way to send me to college no matter what. Whether that meant having me retake the year or applying to a lower-ranking college than the one I aimed for.”