Chapter 182:
"......"
Before Sarah left, she looked at the sealing orb where Oliven's black magic was sealed. Thanks to this, she was able to return to Sarah Millen's body a total of three times with her memories intact. Although she was only able to stay for a very brief moment, in return she, had to spend a year in Park Hyeyeon's body. It was enough to leave a small hint for Ethan and her disciples. Now, only faint power remained in Oliven's sealing orb.
'Fortunately, it's enough to keep the memory alive.'
If she used this, she would probably be able to take all the past memories that she kept in Park Hyeyeon's body. It was not just a change of soul, but it would destroy this soul.
"My name is Park Hyeyeon. And another name is Sarah Millen."
Between her lips, taboos that should never be spoken flowed out. The chains of the oath began to tighten Park Hyeyeon's body.
"......!"
Sarah couldn't even scream in pain as her eyes went red and she felt something deep inside her being torn apart. The chains of the oath that had been slowly choking her breath soon seeped into her body. But she never stopped committing taboos.
"With one soul......, an existence that has gone back and forth between two lives."
Clap. The Executioner of the Oath has found a renegade who has broken a noble and sacred promise. An azure transparent gun was pointed in front of her eyes.
'I heard that if you break the magician's oath, you'll see a guillotine right in front of you...... Is it a gun here?'
Park Hyeyeon saw it and smiled faintly even while enduring the pain. Then she slowly closed her quivering eyes. Soon she was able to go see Ethan and Claude. Finally.
* * *
A very familiar sensation enveloped the body. Sarah opened her eyes with the feeling that her soul was being pulled up from the depths of the sea at once.
"Heok heok!"
Her lungs and chest tightened, and her heart beat strongly. It felt like her heart was beating fast and her blood was circulating rapidly, making her whole body stiff. Tears welled up in her eyes, blurring her vision in an instant. But Sarah quickly blinked and shed tears. She had someone she really wanted to see with these two eyes.
"......Duke-nim."
Ethan Ambrosia. The man was standing alone in the ruined room and Sarah's gaze met his. She slowly reached out to Ethan, whose eyes shook violently as if he could not believe it.
"I'm back."
Ethan, who was watching Sarah beckoning him to come with a friendly smile, staggered closer. Ethan's hand, carefully grasping the outstretched hand, was trembling. The warmth of Sarah's hand wrapped around his hand, which was cold like the East Sea. Ethan's lips parted slowly, and a soft moan escaped between them.
"Ah."
Slowly his body began to crumble.
"Ah ah......"
He knelt down in front of Sarah and buried his face in her warm palms. So Ethan collapsed in front of Sarah.
"Sarah, Sarah......"
"I missed you, Duke-nim. Really...... I thought I was going crazy because I wanted to see you."
She raised her upper body carefully. Then, she raised her hand that Ethan did not catch, cupped his cheek, and lifted his head with force.
"So show me your face."
"......!"
Ethan's face was distorted as he raised his head. Red-hot eyes and unrelenting trembling eyes. Transparent tears dripped down along the quivering eyelashes. Moist cheeks and quivering lips.
"I want to ask why your face is so haggard......"
He was too good-looking to do that. The sight of that handsome man with that face crying pitifully made Sarah's heart tighten at once.
"I can't even joke around like that."
Sarah laughed softly, wiping away Ethan's tears and stroking his cheek. In an instant, Ethan cried so much that her palms were all wet.
"Sarah, Sarah, Sarah......"
Ethan seemed to have completely lost his composure as he kept calling her name. The strong, firm, and beautiful Duke of Ambrosia collapsed just like that as if he had lost everything just in front of her.
"Don't cry. I'm back."
"Ah ah, Sarah......"
"Duke-nim brought me here, didn't he?"
When asked by Sarah, Ethan nodded with difficulty. Sarah lowered her hand and closed her eyes with her palm on Ethan's chest. She could feel the power of Ambrosia rising and thumping beneath his beating heart.
"Still calling me...... so earnestly and affectionately."
The power that had plagued Ethan all his life had changed. Ambrosia's power to want and crave her more than anyone else would firmly hold Sarah, who was now incomplete with the death of one soul. He would make sure she didn't fly away again, he wouldn't let her leave his side.
"Thank you, Duke-nim. For wanting me, for waiting for me to come back."
Tears welled up in Sarah's eyes, which she couldn't hold back.
"I was actually scared. In case Duke-nim doesn't actually want me that much, I'm afraid he won't need me......"
"Sarah."
This time, Ethan cupped Sarah's cheeks with both hands. He could feel the warmth of her hands, which were trembling. Ethan realized when he saw her close her eyes and shed tears. Sarah also struggled countless times to get back here. Sarah also shared the same fears and terrors.
"......I missed you, Sarah. There hasn't been a day that I haven't missed you."
Only then could he stammer and let out his longing for a long time.
"I wonder if you will ever come back......, I was afraid that I would lose you without being able to do anything by your side, who would never open your eyes like this."
"......Duke-nim."
Ethan's low voice contained desperate trembling. Like he still couldn't believe Sarah was back.
"That's happened to me, too. I felt the same way as Duke-nim."
Sarah opened her closed eyes and looked at Ethan's face. Ethan's expression, which desperately wanted her, and her expression in his eyes were the same.
"We feel the same way."
"......!"
"I think I'm ready to hear Duke-nim's answer to my confession now."
Saying that, Sarah smiled brightly with her tear-stained cheeks. Ethan's eyes shook violently as he looked at her. Then, he also smiled at Sarah and said,
"I love you, Sarah. For a very long time......, I've loved you."
"Duke-nim......"
"It's been quite a while since I had a crush on Sarah."
Sarah smiled softly at Ethan's words.
'Actually, it's been a while since I had a crush on Duke-nim.'
She got his confession back. Ethan remembered everything. Remembered and kept thinking about it. His time seemed to have stopped then. And so was Sarah.
"I told you I'd say I like you and then I'd say I love you. Do you remember?"
"I can't have forgotten."
"I love you."
Sarah didn't hesitate any longer. She had been waiting too long. She hadn't been happy with him for too long. That was why each hour was precious and valuable.
"Even in times Duke-nim can't remember, I loved you, Ethan Ambrosia."
"......!"
At Sarah's words, tears poured from Ethan's eyes once more. It was the first time. It was the first time he received and share someone's heart and was loved by someone. Sarah gave him a lot of new experiences. Now she even gave him the love he had been longing for all his life, no, he couldn't bear to get it. Ethan became full because of Sarah.
"......Sarah."
"Yes."
"Sarah."
"Yes."
When he called her name, a friendly answer came back. The fact squeezed Ethan's heart. She was back. She was really back. His heart was pounding, he was overwhelmed, and Sarah was so lovely that he couldn't help it. He couldn't stand it.
"Will you allow me to kiss you?"
Sarah opened her eyes wide in surprise and then smiled. Then she replied in a voice full of laughter.
"Please don't ask for permission."
"......!"
"Because I'm going to do the same."
Who kissed first? Soft lips touched and their breath intertwined. Sarah raised her arms and wrapped them around Ethan's neck, and Ethan leaned his upper body with one knee on the bed. Ethan's large hands were carefully wrapped around the back of Sarah's head.
"Haa......"
Sarah gasped for breath. But that, too, was swallowed by Ethan's impatient lips.