The sword hit Elliot, who was approaching from behind, but even he didn’t go down easily. That was when Paul drew his bowstring.

Arrows flew towards me, piercing the ground around me.

The arrows, crafted with divine energy, formed a protective barrier around me, causing Elliot to retreat with a fro. Although Enzo was immobilized next to me, he stared at his hand, holding the sword with a surprised expression.

My gaze immediately shifted to his hand.

The hand gripping the sword handle familiarly was undoubtedly Lucian’s. After quickly realizing the reason for Enzo’s stiffness, I absorbed his magic more intensively.

His previously relaxed face evaporated in an instant.

As his black magic flowed out even more, the other hand that was not gripping the sword trembled, and suddenly, he tightly grasped my wrist.

Looking down at that hand, my eyes felt hot.

It was indescribable but different. It was unmistakably different from when Enzo held me. Although it seemed like a strong grip, my wrist didn’t hurt at all. That was always the case with Lucian.

Even when it appeared as if he forcibly pulled me, he never harmed me. Rather, if he got hurt, it was because of me. He never intentionally caused me harm. Even now, with one hand firmly holding me, the hand holding the sword remained vigilant against Elliot.

No, it was more accurate to say that it was guarding against any threat to me.

Although he hadn’t fully regained his senses, his body moved like someone born to protect me. That was why it was impossible not to fall for him.

How could I not love him?

“Luci…”

Enzo, hearing my murmur, frowned and muttered.

“Don’t call that name.”

“Luci, please…”

“With that look! Don’t call another man’s name with that divine power!”

Enzo pleaded with his restrained movements like a person tightly tied up. The boiling voice that erupted was Lucian’s, yet now it sounded like someone else.

“I finally met you. Only now…”

“I’m not the Saint, you know.”

“No. The necklace is proof. Selena. You just don’t remember. Your lover should be only me.”

The voice spoken through gritted teeth sounded desperate. However, I gazed into his eyes, absorbing his magic more deeply. Then, his vast magical knowledge began to pile up in my mind.

“No…”

With a weakening voice and contrasting movements, Lucian, with his eyes fixed on me, suddenly swung his sword at the approaching Elliot. It seemed like a light movement, but the sound of air being cut resonated harshly.

“Girl, what the hell are you doing!”

The bizarre confrontation between me and Enzo must have seemed strange to him. Something dark and dense flowed intensely from Elliot. It vigorously shook Paul’s barrier around me.

“Master!”

“Master!”

Oscar and Damian’s voices echoed, and like before, the ground began to undulate like waves.

The barrier was still functioning properly, but it seemed like a final struggle. I only moved my gaze and confirmed the two beings lying on the altar.

The bodies of the Saint and Enzo.

Earlier, I couldn’t see it properly, but Enzo definitely shared some resemblance with Lucian, particularly in their outward appearance. Of course, the saint also resembled me. No, it’s probably me who resembles the saint.

After all, I was born as her descendant. Even if I considered myself the saint’s soul, I couldn’t match it in my mind.

Perhaps Enzo noticed where my gaze was directed, and he turned his head to look at the altar. At that moment, his gaze shook significantly. His eyes were shaking as much as the ground we were standing on now as if recalling something forgotten.

Enzo shifted his focus from the altar to look at me.

His eyes dug into mine as if searching for something, then lowered to gaze at the necklace hanging around my neck. Eventually, he raised his head again, his face filled with a puzzled expression, looking at me before shifting his gaze back to the altar.

As he scrutinized the bodies on the altar more intensely than when he examined me, he let out a short laugh and closed his eyes.

In the bizarre dissonance of having Enzo’s mind and Lucian’s body, I watched his reaction. Despite the thought that I needed to bring Lucian back, there was sadness in seeing the relationship between him and the saint.

Was it because I was the soul that once inhabited that body?

Seeing Lucian’s wet lashes quivering in distress, I couldn’t bear the sight, as if Lucian himself was suffering.

I gently raised both hands and cupped his face.

The eyelids, which were stuck, trembled once again before slowly rising. Facing the gleaming golden eyes moistened by tears, I spoke sincerely.

“As you said, even if I am the saint’s soul, I don’t remember you. I sincerely apologize for that, but I don’t want to look back on the past anymore. I want to think about the future and be happy…”

“Forget the past, huh…”

He murmured with a wet voice and a distorted expression. The immense magic emanating from him still felt suffocating.

“…Ha, Lucian. This persistent fellow.”

“Enzo.”

I called him urgently, unable to hide my impatient feelings. Enzo then sighed deeply, closed his eyes, and lowered his head to lightly touch his forehead to mine.

“Hoo… Can I ask you one favor?”

All traces of his agitation disappeared, and he spoke in a calm voice.

“What is it?”

“Meet me in the next life, please.”

Despite his calm request, I couldn’t fulfill it. It was heartbreaking. As long as Lucian was with me in the next life, I couldn’t feel that way at all.

Seeing my lack of response, Enzo’s expression seemed uncomfortable, but he soon nodded lightly as if he understood.

“Right, you’re not Selena after all.”

His voice sounded as if it might disperse, and I immediately remembered the magic circle to complete the barrier.

“In my body, there’s a vast amount of magic stored, precisely in the magic circle carved in my heart.”

“Alright.”

I responded calmly to his final words.

“I understand that an elementalist is necessary, but I hope you won’t place anybody other than mine beside Selena’s body. Can you do that?”

“…Yes.”

“Hoo, finally lying next to her…”

I didn’t respond anymore. I didn’t know why my throat felt choked, but it was a completely different sentiment from when I faced Cassandra.

It was sad.

Even though I couldn’t remember him, it was sad.

Enzo didn’t look at me anymore. He only turned his tightly bound head to earnestly gaze at the saint’s body.

Then, he murmured softly.

“I told you, Selena. A wizard’s oath is infinite.”

At that moment, he seemed to smile faintly. His closed eyes trembled for a while but soon calmed down.

Holding my breath, I couldn’t tear my gaze away from it.

The eyes rolled slowly over the closed eyelids. Moving slowly from side to side, it eventually stopped.

Instead, the eyelashes began to move slowly up and down. Like the damp wings of a butterfly fluttering slowly, the black eyelashes began to rise slowly. Between them, the golden eyes gradually revealed themselves.

I stared intently and pursed my lips.

I wanted to call his name, but I couldn’t because I still didn’t know if Enzo was still there.

Soon, the wide golden eyes looked down at me. In the close distance where our breaths were entwined, he gazed at me for a while before letting go of my wrist. I glanced at his slowly rising hand and then looked at him again.

We stared at each other’s eyes tightly, like our breaths were entangled. Seeing the blatant affection and obsession, I felt a sense of joy.

Lucian had returned.

It was undeniably Lucian, not Enzo imitating him.

In the longing and joy, instead of saying anything, I moved my lips. The mouth curled. Before I knew it, he enveloped my face and slowly stroked my cheek with his thumb persistently, as if confirming whether it was real or not.

“…Ray.”

It was the same voice but unmistakably different from Enzo. Enzo, who had acted similarly to him, was now completely forgotten. Despite entwining our breaths, he moved his foot freely. Before I knew it, I was tightly held, suspended in his arms.

I also tightly gripped his arms and lifted my heels. In the distance, where our noses almost touched, he gazed at me intently.

“Ha, Ray…”

Swiftly, the sharp tip of his nose brushed against mine.

With each exhale, the golden magic surged, and the black magic that had flowed together was no longer visible.

Only pure golden magic filled the space between us.

Starting from the tip of our noses, our faces slowly descended. Our lips brushed against each other, and his voice brushed past.

“I missed you.”

“Huh, Lucian!”

With my arms around his neck, I couldn’t hold back and pressed my lips against his first. The time apart wasn’t long, but the overwhelming longing was unbearable. And with the hot flesh that immediately pressed against my lips, I felt relieved to sense him.

Finally, I got him back.

__