Aran was a tourist city renowned for its beautiful canals, was celebrated in the capital as a clean city, free from heresy. But could a high-ranking devil transform into a human in a place like that?
Julius pondered this question, stroking his chin. Suddenly, he raised his eyes and glared at his wife.
“Why Aran?”
“…What’s the problem? Is it a crime to try to help you as much as I can?” Cecile avoided Julius’s suspicious gaze before reluctantly confessing her plan.
“…Aran is a city known for sightseeing and is also a popular honeymoon destination.”
“There’s more to it than that.”
“Ugh… The devil living there is… like me.”
“Like you?”
“A devil that has completely merged with their human host, becoming a perfect human. I just wanted you to see something positive.”
As Cecile spoke, she nervously wiggled her fingers and edged closer to Julius. Before long, she had glued herself lightly with it arm.
“You view everything negatively. Of course, given what you’ve seen so far, I can understand why. But my goal is to live happily with my husband and my precious daughter, Leira. I want people to look at us and think, ‘I can live like that.’”
“Couple? Are you saying the devil living there has a partner?”
“Yes. I sent a familiar to investigate, and I had a brief conversation with the devil living there. She said their bet was already over.”
“Unlike you, her husband conceded defeat after just one day.” Cecile suddenly wrapped her arms around Julius’s neck and whispered softly in his ear.
“Ah, Julius! Have you seen my husband? Oh my!”
Rosa, who had just stepped out of the shop across the street and called for Julius, froze when she saw the couple embracing in such an intimate position in broad daylight. She dropped the clothes she had been holding.
Cecile, caught up in seducing her husband, hadn’t anticipated such public embarrassment. Her face turned a deep shade of red as she buried herself against Julius’s chest, unable to lift her head.
“…Get off me. What on earth are you doing?”
“Can’t you just… pick me up like this and carry me away?”
“….”
That day, in the village of Kente, Julius was seen walking through the streets carrying his wife in his arms. The sight of the strong husband inspired a fitness trend among the local youth, who started training diligently to strengthen their muscles.
***
“…Do you find this amusing?”
“What do you mean? Please don’t interrupt me, Ms. Renelle.”
Renelle, a genius swordsman often treated like a neighborhood madwoman, to the point it was almost embarrassing to call her the second strongest in the village, had been wandering in search of a sparring partner. Then she stumbled upon a black-haired girl drawing on the ground.
When she glanced down at the drawing, she saw a depiction of a man and a woman holding hands and smiling brightly.
“What is this? Why are you drawing such an unpleasant picture?”
“…This is Brother Julius and his wife.”
The purpose of the drawing was unclear. Why was she crouched in the street, drawing such a picture? Renelle racked her brain for answers but came up with nothing.
“Is this… some kind of curse?”
“Of course not. I just drew it.”
Thalia stood up, casually brushing her foot over the drawing to erase it, and attempted to walk away from Renelle.
“Hah, last time you daydreamed about having an affair, didn’t you?”
“…I never thought about anything like that. A priest wouldn’t do such a thing.”
“Uncle Manto said you’re into that kind of stuff.”
“One day, I’ll k!ll that man.”
Thalia clenched her fists and headed toward the bookstore.
Manto, who was busy reading in his own shop, suddenly felt an inexplicable chill run down his spine.
“Well, enough about that,” Renelle said. “Julius is causing a fuss with his wife right now. Why don’t you give up and train with me instead?”
“Such vulgarity! You need a cleansing ritual at our church immediately, Ms. Renelle!”
Thalia grabbed Renelle by the shoulder and started shaking her. The pair struggled for a while before collapsing to the ground in exhaustion.
“Thalia, my dear student.”
“Yes, Ms. Renelle?”
“Don’t you know? Julius never saw you as a woman to begin with.”
“…I’m not stupid. I know he thinks of me as a little sister.”
“Then let it go. Bury those feelings deep in your heart.”
When Thalia didn’t respond, Renelle turned his head to look at her.
The girl, her silky black hair framing her face, stared distantly at the sky.
“It doesn’t matter to me if I’m second,” she murmured.
“…Second? What do you mean?”
Thalia exhaled deeply, her breath condensing in the cool air before dissipating. After a brief pause, she spoke again.
“Love is unique to each person. For some, it grows; for others, it fades. But for me, even if it’s unreturned, this feeling is enough. I just want to be part of my brother’s life—as his family, as his little sister, as someone he cares about deeply.”
“…That’s so sad.”
Renelle reached out and gently stroked her face.
Thalia shook her head, smiling faintly.
“No, it’s not sad. This is my love. Even if it’s unreciprocated, it’s mine to cherish. But my brother’s love? It’s different. He’s happiest when his wife is by his side. Without her, he wouldn’t last.”
“…How do you know that?”
Thalia placed a hand over her chest, her voice soft as she answered, “I’ve watched him my entire life. I can tell.”
In that moment, the girl looked like an angel, her serene beauty magnified by her unshakable resolve.
Renelle could do nothing but embrace her, holding her close.
Above them, the overcast sky cleared, revealing a vibrant, brilliant blue.
That autumn day, under a bright sky, a girl carried a love that would never be returned. Yet, in her eyes, the heavens shone beautifully.
Get More Chapters on Patreon: From now on, FSM Level 2 will become the CN WN Bundle. The price will remain the same which is $10. Also, the price for the KR WN Bundle will also be decreased to $10 to match this bundle.
With this I have gotten rid of the level system. The reason I am doing this, is because I plan to add more chapters to the $5 Patron tiers. Currently the readers get 2 advance chapters when they become a $5 Patron, but I want to increase the chapters they get to at least 5 chapters and more. So the current updated tier system will work like this:
The Individual Tiers ($5) will give you access to 5 chapters or more.
The Bundle Tiers ($10) will give you access to all the chapters of CN or KR webnovels.
The Supreme Patron ($30) will give you access to all the webnovel chapters on Goblinslate.