Chapter 524: Calling it Love

「Agathos…what are you talking about? 」

Leu’s voice was devoid of emotion. She was gazing at the jewel after coming back to the light. She had been with her until now, but she had never seen Agathos like that before.

Her crimson hair shone so brightly, and her eyes filled with nobility. Agathos was perfect from her limbs to her fingertips. Not a single flaw existed. The very embodiment of beauty was right there.

But Agathos spoke as if in the darkness. Even though she was right beside Leu, her presence somehow felt faint. It was as if she were truly about to disappear.

「What a look you have on your face, you know? Come on, hurry up. With your short, tiny human lifespan, do you think you have the luxury of looking back on? You need to be moving forward. Dwelling on the past is a privilege reserved for us elders. Do you get it? 」

Agathos’ attempt to change the subject was obvious. Even Leu, unaccustomed to conversation, sensed it.

It was likely that only Agathos could get out of this place. And yet, of all things, she was choosing to stay.

A chill ran down Leu’s spine. It couldn’t be. What was that? That couldn’t possibly be possible.

「Agathos…No. No. If you stay here, then I’ll stay too. I’m not going! 」

Leu couldn’t tell if it was a cry or a plea. She knew it wouldn’t solve anything, but she couldn’t help but squeeze it out.

After all, Agathos’ perfect self shouldn’t be made to take the place of someone so useless as her. The emotion seeping out of Leu’s every word made Agathos lower her eyes for a moment.

In contrast to Leu’s urgent expression, Agathos was as calm as still snow.

Agathos spoke, adjusting each word in her voice as if to convince Leu.

「No. I’m letting you live. This is just my selfish wish, and I won’t tolerate any resistance. Besides, Leu, this was bound to happen eventually. Two souls in one body is just a deception, and it won’t last forever. Sooner or later, one of us had to end. If anything, we’ve been dragging this for too long. 」

「Then, I’ll disappear for you to live. That’s my purpose, to help someone like you…」

Leu, Agathos choked on her words. It felt like she’d spoken forcefully, deliberately to prevent her from saying more.

In silence, their eyes locked. Normally, Leu would back down in a situation like this, but today there was no sign of that. It was as if she wasn’t going to let go, no matter what Agathos said.

Agathos knew she was stubborn, but not this much. Agathos sighed as she spoke. But for some reason, a faint smile crossed her face.

「When we first met, you made a wish, right? That you wanted to at least die peacefully in your sleep. 」

But that’s not true, Agathos said, pulsating her lips. She continued, stroking Leu’s cheek as she clung to her.

「You’re mistaken…wanting to die doesn’t mean you’ll be happy. You need to live to feel that emotion, to feel happiness forever and ever. 」

「Agathos…」

Leu couldn’t stop the tears from spilling from her eyes. The reason wasn’t clear. Was it because she sensed that the supreme jewel was about to be lost forever, or was she captivated by her words?

But there was one thing she felt: she didn’t want to be separated from Agathos.

「That may be true. But I want you to be happy too…The days I spent with you were always, always fun. Agathos, please…please…」

「Leu, listen. 」

Leu instinctively closed her lips at Agathos’ words. She had a hunch that if she didn’t hear that voice now, she’d never hear it again.

Listening to the sound of her heart and blood pounding, Leu waited for Agathos’ lips to move. The tension nearly made his head spin even though it was just a simple matter.

「I shall repeat these words. If I, Bar Agathos, am the owner of your body. I need to tell you this with the utmost selfishness. Your body is mine. Whether I take it or give it back to you is up to me. Live, Leu. This is what I want. 」

Agathos smiled at Leu, as if to show her off. Her eyes were bright, her cheeks were pale, and above all, her smile was beautiful and cheerful.

Leu knew something had been poured into her. Something hot, very hot. But she understood what it was in an instant. Her eyes opened wide.

「Listen carefully, from now on…」

This was Agathos’ Original Text. Agathos herself, the very existence of a disaster, flowed into Leu.

And a being who lost her Original Text had to disappear.

There was so much Leu wanted to say, so much she wanted to scream, but she said nothing. Tears welled in her eyes, desperately trying not to miss Agathos’ voice.

Agathos spoke with her mouth wide open.

「Live, live, live! Show how happy you can be in this world that it has continued to bring you misery! You must become happy! 」

With that, Agathos pushed Leu away. She heard Leu’s screams but pretended not to hear them.

Agathos knew that if she had heard them, she would definitely hesitate. It seemed pointless, though, considering the last thing she saw was the child’s crying face.

In the darkness, as everyone slept, Agathos laughed at herself.

What she had done was completely unlike her. For a Supreme Jewel, who lives only for itself, to not only surrender her body to someone, but also hand over her Original Text.

If her former self were to see this, she would’ve raised her eyes and cursed, saying that this was unthinkable for a Supreme Jewel.

But there was no other way; if she didn’t do this, that body would no longer last. Her body, constantly housing two souls, had worn down to the point where it could only survive as a magical devilish being. It was the only way to keep Leu alive. Besides, there was a part of her that would live on within Leu. Perhaps she would be able to watch over her for a little while.

Agathos let out a deep sigh as her soul and ego faded away.

It would be a lie to say she had no regrets. If asked if she wanted to set foot on the earth on her own two feet once more, she would undoubtedly nod. That was surely all the Supreme Jewel wanted.

But Agathos thought.

She had come to know beauty other than her own. Leu’s life was short, but her beauty continued to shine.

So she couldn’t help but acknowledge and respect that beauty. This was Agathos’ selfishness.

…This must be what was called love.

Agathos loved her, respected her, and before she knew it, she wanted Leu to live longer than her. Agathos entrusted everything to Leu while telling herself that living for someone else was pointless.

The jewel that had learned love wished to be lost for that very reason. This was her ultimate selfishness.

How weak it was to know what it meant to love someone. Agathos couldn’t help but smile.

Would Leu hate her, or curse her?

This was the worst way to part ways. And she forced Leu to become a magical devilish being. Surely she didn’t like it.

But it was fine. Agathos was only acting out of her own love. In the end, that was all.

「…But I don’t think my death is much better than yours, Vrilligant. You die after being robbed, and I die for my love. 」

Agathos spoke with a girlish laugh. She could see her own body disappearing before her eyes.

She was now lost to the world. The realization welled up within her, and she laughed even more.

「Now, let’s set off, with regrets still lingering, Vrilligant. The age of myth is over. Our time is over. The world says their time is next. Don’t you think it’s ugly to drag on in such a place? 」

The world was always arrogant, continuing to do things as it pleased. It didn’t care if something was lost as a result.

But for now, it would be fine to be a little grateful. Agathos’ lips rippled as she let out a final smile.

「Goodbye, Leu. You are more beautiful than me, more beautiful than the world. Today, I have come to know that fact, and it has become a very wonderful day. 」

The magical devilish being, having learned to love, said giving Leu a goodbye kiss, and spoke no more. The Supreme Jewel maintained its radiance until the very end.

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