In the depths of somewhere far where darkness reigns, Erebus opens his eyes to a mirror image of himself walking towards him. It is the sliver of consciousness that he has stored long ago in the black mana stone he traded with a human.
His other self still has an aura of the long-gone youth emitting from the temporary body. He watches his past self walking up the stairs to his throne.
Expecting how his past self would wish to beat him to a pulp, he stands from his throne to welcome the fists. However, his past self only looks at him with pity with a frown of a constipated look. His past self is righteous, beaming in hope and optimism, so he would have expected to receive punches for his downfall after his past self gains his long life memories.
"She is truly dead, right?" His past self, with a heartbroken tone, asks his present self.
"Yeah… I wish to have at least the remains that she left behind in that world."
His past self tightens his fists, "I don't agree that you should destroy that world; the other incomplete world will devour everything of this one if you do so."
"That is the fate of those incomplete worlds… Which one to choose no longer means anything! Just one can remain…"
"But you are going against fate, present self! The world you want to destroy is a supreme one instead of letting the nether world perish like how fate has written!"
"You have seen my memories, yet you still believe in fate! Or maybe should I say that you got attached to those mortals that you have met?"
"You are me. What are those words of hypocrisy?"
"I have long forgotten about them, but for you, it's still fresh in your mind. They are nothing for beings like us."
"Present self, how long more are you going to go to that world again and again? Her remains have never shown up! Her powers are not even fit for you now! You have fallen to such depths; you no longer are even slightly part of what she was! Her powers could only clash with yours and destroy you!"
"I just want to know… I just want to know what she felt before leaving everything behind; maybe then, I could handle her departure... Even if that means I die under her powers."
Erebus's past self starts to dissolve into mist since the essence for maintaining the sliver of consciousness has depleted.
"We have truly gone mad."
When the sliver of consciousness is finally gone, Erebus looks at the empty space with a tear running down his face, "Is love any different than insanity?"
---
[Why is it so loud??]
Kyrie opens his eyes and sits up while rubbing his eyes.
Although half asleep, a sudden strong embrace shocks him awake. The marchioness and the marquis hug him tightly.
Marchioness cups Kyrie's cheeks, "Son… You have scared your mother silly! Your father has been looking everywhere to find you a good medic, and you wouldn't wake up no matter who came!"
"Sorry for making you worry again."
For two months, they have been sitting on an emotional roller coaster, ranging from self-blame for letting Kyrie leave the nest so early in life to blaming the goddess that made their son pass through such dangerous trials. Even though they know that Kyrie has decided this himself, Kyrie is still their son. No matter how old Kyrie gets, for the couple, Kyrie is still their baby. Seeing Kyrie come back home with injuries and in a comatose state breaks their hearts. They wish to shelter him for the rest of his life, but at the same time, they know their son has spread his wings.
"We know you have a lot of responsibilities, son. Not everyone can handle such a role. Your mother wants you to be more careful!"
"Son… Just remember to come back to us…" The marquis tousles Kyrie's hair, "It does not matter when, or for whatever reason, remember that this is your home."
"Thank you, mother, father," Kyrie smiles while feeling gratitude but also guilt.
He watches Imogen and Laurel standing close, Laurel grinning widely while Imogen with her usual deadpan face. Kyrie remembers them, but his memories are still fuzzy. Nothing in his memories is connecting as if everything has been separated. He still can't remember a single complete memory, as if in between, something is missing.
He watches Ian by the bedside, smiling, and he starts to flush, remembering his shameful thoughts from the previous night.
[The prince knows that I have lost memories, but how does he know? Did someone tell him?]
Kyrie jolts when he suddenly receives a hit from the marchioness.
[Wait.. what?]
Marchioness's sudden change of mood takes Kyrie off guard.
"Mother…"
Chills run all over Kyrie's body from his mother's fierce eyes. The marchioness starts to hit Kyrie multiple times, making Kyrie feel indignant about the treatment.
"Mom! I get it! I will come back safely next time!"
When Kyrie wants help from his father, he shudders when he looks at his father, giving him a deadly glare.
[I only gave a casual stare at the prince… Why are they reacting like this? I am still a patient!!!]
"Kyrie… You deserve a beating. How can you forget about my son in law? How can you do that?"
[Wait… What son in law?]
Kyrie quickly turns his head towards Ian and slowly turns back at his parents.
"I was really sold for marriage?"
The marquis and marchioness get taken by surprise by Kyrie that they even freeze on the spot. Their face gives out a clear message: 'Our son is a scum. We have raised our son wrong.' This scum of a son is the one who bent the other person.
"No?" Kyrie pinches his eyebrows, confused.
The room freezes a few degrees as everyone, except Imogen and Ian, looks at Kyrie with contempt.
Imogen's shoulder shakes as she tries to hold her laugh at Kyrie's reaction. She puts her hand on the wall and leans to it to keep herself from collapsing from laughter.
The marquis and marchioness, in unison, head toward Ian. The marquis pats Ian's shoulder while the marchioness wants to apologize, but her words are stuck in her throat. Her son has wronged her son in law so much that words cannot express her apologies for her irresponsible son.
"He will remember back bit by bit. The breakfast must be ready soon," Ian smiles weakly while trying to change the topic.
After struggling for a few seconds to express themselves, since the marquis and marchioness have yet to change from their sleepwear, they take Ian's suggestion and return to their bedrooms to get ready for breakfast. They give Kyrie another glare before they leave the room.
Once the marquis and the marchioness leaves, Imogen loses it, laughing so hard that tears attempt to spill.
"Cockroach… You are definitely the best!"
[This crazy bitch! How can she laugh when the atmosphere is so tense?!?!]
However, Imogen gets her ear pulled by Laurel out of the room, and her deadpan face returns.
Once Ian and Kyrie are left alone, Kyrie shyly glances at Ian from the corner of his eyes, and their eyes meet.
Kyrie quickly turns his gaze like he is definitely not staring. He looks down as he sweats from the awkward atmosphere. Internally, Kyrie is currently screaming and running in circles, trying to find a way to remove the awkwardness he feels between them.
He watches a shadow cast on him, and he nervously swallows his saliva.
[How did I call him before? Prince? Your majesty? Ian? Mr. Ethern? Hubby? Honey? What?]
"Kyrie?"
Kyrie lifts his head, and suddenly he feels like he has entered a kdrama.
Shalala lala la la~
The sunlight shines around Ian like a holy aura, and even he feels a spring breeze passing by.
Some of Ian's strands of hair fall to his forehead, giving a forbidden lure. Making it more dramatic, Kyrie feels like Ian's piercing deep blue eyes can take his virginity.
He lets out a nervous chuckle. He cannot believe that he is experiencing this… He needs to know if he actually transmigrated into those novels of an arranged marriage with the tyrannical CEO!
He might be going insane. Did he hit his head so hard that it not only caused him to lose his memories but also severe brain damage? His mind is playing games with him! What is next? Flower petals flying inside the room?
[Unacceptable! Take out the special effects!!!]