The Arrow of Destiny Cuts Through the Night

#2 

It was a force so strong that it was hard to breathe. 

Kain Starchis was not embracing the Jersian holding him; instead, he had his arms down and was looking in another direction. After a moment, Kain spoke to the Jersian who was holding him in a calm voice.

“…Jersian, what connected us was not just a few letters. I believed in the flow of fate that connected the Galia tree, no, us.” 

Kain Starchis shifted his gaze to the distant black smoke rising. It was once the place where the Galia tree stood. “Now it has all burned away—ugh!” “Stop it.” 

The grip on his shoulder felt like it was going to break. …It hurt quite a bit. 

Kain’s brow furrowed. If it were the usual Jersian, he would have panicked and loosened his grip upon seeing Kain’s face. 

But Jersian did not do that; instead, he tightened his hold even more. “If you’re going to say that kind of thing, you might as well not say anything at all. I don’t want to hear it.” The sharpness of his voice burst out, contrary to his intentions. 

After feeling a pain like a stab to the heart from Kain’s calm voice, which said he would leave as soon as the mark disappeared, Jersian could not maintain his composure. Jersian Del Claude spoke, chewing on each syllable. 

“When you suddenly appeared and stirred my fate… now you want to leave me at your whim?” A metallic taste filled his mouth from the intense chewing. Then, as if making a vow, he declared to Kain Starchis, 

“What? And you say you’ll wait until I adapt…?” Hah, it seemed like he had heard something ridiculous, and Jersian smirked. “That’s.” “There’s no way I could adapt to you leaving. 

Don’t you still know that?

 Living without you… to adapt? Does that even make sense? Kain Starchis, it’s absolutely impossible.” 

“…Jersian.” The moment Kain, who was in his arms, opened his mouth, Jersian lifted his head. 

Their noses and cheeks were so close that Jersian’s eyes stared intently at Kain. “You can never leave my side. Even if you die, you die next to me.” 

“…” 

Kain Starchis tightly shut his mouth. He could feel Jersian’s sincerity in the voice that reached his ears. The strong arms holding Kain felt firm, as if they would not let go. 

Though it wouldn’t show on his face, Kain Starchis’s heart was not at peace either. He chewed on his thoughts, desperately trying to hide his complicated feelings. 

The presence of his partner, which had filled Kain until just a moment ago, had completely vanished. It felt as if he had returned to himself before receiving the revelation of the Galia tree. 

A feeling of having lost something important. For Kain, the destined partner was a piece that filled his empty heart. With just the disappearance of one mark, Kain was left all alone in this vast world. 

He understood Jersian’s desperate heart well. But now that the bond of their fate had been severed, no one knew how long Jersian’s heart would last. Kain Starchis thought as he faced Jersian’s red eyes, which were staring at him intensely. 

“…” 

Looking at Kain, who was staring down and not responding, Jersian let out a short, exhausted laugh. “You must think I’m just throwing a tantrum for a moment… that’s what you’re thinking, right?” 

His guess was quite accurate. No matter how Jersian responded, Kain intended to leave him. Surely, at first, it would be difficult and hard to accept. But after a little time, Jersian would surely meet someone else and fall in love. …I’m not so sure about myself. 

For elves, a destined partner is only one in a lifetime. That’s why Kain had given all his heart to Jersian. But now, that was no longer possible. 

The fact that elves have no destined partner meant just that. Kain still spoke to the Jersian who was holding him tightly. 

“Didn’t you think the mark would disappear? It was you, Jersian, who broke our eternity, not me. You shouldn’t have lied to me. I would have fought with my life to prevent the Galia tree from burning. 

To protect fate, and our relationship. But you didn’t do that.” “I couldn’t let you sacrifice your life just to protect a tree.” Even thinking about it again, it was madness. 

Jersian said, his eyes shining fiercely. No matter how well Kain Starchis could shoot arrows, he could not win against thousands of seasoned soldiers and mages who had gone through long wars. 

It was only natural. Jersian could not let Kain go to such a place alone, and it was a decision that was far too reasonable to protect his beloved. “I couldn’t let it happen!” Losing the mark was a hundred times better than Kain dying. 

Of course, whether that choice was truly the best in hindsight, he did not know. With a jerk, Kain’s head was forcibly turned. Jersian’s large hand, which had been holding him from behind, gripped under Kain’s chin. “Why? 

Why do you want to leave me…?” Kain asked, forcing himself to meet Jersian’s gaze. “You said there’s nothing eternal in this world… and that it was our fate, you said that.” 

There was a hint of sadness in Jersian’s red eyes. 

Kain felt a pang of regret as he caught a glimpse of that sadness in Jersian. 

“You told me that. That you would be by my side forever. Was that not sincere?” 

Jersian’s hand, gripping his chin tightly, trembled slightly. After a moment of silence, Kain slowly raised his hand. 

“…It was sincere.”

 Then, he gently wrapped his hand around Jersian’s hand, which was now larger than that of any adult man. “Jersian, I have never lied to you. Not once. You know that.” “…Kain.”

 As soon as Jersian heard Kain’s words, a flicker of emotion danced in his red eyes. He grasped Kain’s palm, which was softly enveloping his hand. 

Then, slowly relaxing his previously stiff face, he murmured, “What can I do for you?” 

He seemed to have given up on stubbornly insisting and was now trying to plead. Jersian buried his face in Kain’s hair and asked again, “I’m sorry. What can I do so you won’t leave?” 

Jersian’s rough breathing tickled Kain’s body. 

No matter how impossible the task, Jersian had always devised a way to overcome it. But in this situation, his sharp mind was of no use. 

He could no longer save the World Tree that had already burned away, nor could he redraw the marks engraved on their bodies. In fact, all Jersian could do was plead with his destined partner. 

For Jersian, who had been the youngest son of the most powerful family in the empire, this realization was incredibly humiliating. 

All the jewels, money, honor, and connections he had were worth less than a single tree. His voice was muffled by Kain’s fabric, and because of that, it felt as if he was embracing his chaotic emotions with his whole body. 

Kain looked down at the back of Jersian’s head and tightly shut his lips.

 “I need you.” “…” “I really do. Don’t say you’ll leave me. Please.” 

Jersian’s voice had become soft and infinitely weak. This was becoming more troublesome. 

Is he really crying? 

When was the last time I saw Jersian’s tears since he became an adult? Kain swallowed a short sigh as he felt the moisture slightly on his shoulder. 

Then, as if he had no choice, he furrowed his brows and said, “…For now, I’ll stay by your side.” 

There was no choice but to concede. When Kain said he wouldn’t leave right away, Jersian nodded with a sorrowful look and asked if they should return to the mansion.

 Looking at the distant place where the World Tree had burned away, Kain reluctantly nodded. 

As soon as he gave his permission, Jersian’s subordinates began preparing to return to the Gerold mansion. 

Jersian Del Claude, who was giving orders to the attendants, looked perfectly fine, as if he had never shed a tear. Thank goodness. 

Seeing Jersian’s demeanor much improved compared to before, Kain felt a sense of relief. This was Jersian’s first farewell. 

Although it might take him a little time to accept the sudden separation, Kain felt reassured that he would not forever be unable to understand it. 

However, Kain ultimately did not notice.

 At a moment when he was out of sight, he did not see Jersian’s red eyes, which seemed to sink calmly into other thoughts.