The World Has Become Kinder to Her

Theodore ascended to the second floor with light, almost teasing steps, leaving behind a sighing Lotus as she watched him subtly provoke Frederick and Kenneth. As much as those two likely hated it, she had no choice but to follow Theodore.  

If they had been lovers, she might have apologized for causing any misunderstandings. But just as she had no clear relationship with Theodore now, her connection with the others was equally ambiguous, muddled by the two intertwined lives she had lived—her first and second.  

“…I’ll just put him to sleep and then head back,” she muttered, her mind resolute. Her top priority was to make sure Theodore got some rest. As brilliant as he was, he would collapse if he didn’t take care of himself.  

Lotus navigated the house easily, heading to Theodore’s bedroom without hesitation. She had been there many times in the past, back when she was his contract lover, so she knew the layout of the annex well. Even the furniture arrangement in his bedroom was the same as before.  

She had originally planned to scold him for provoking Frederick and Kenneth unnecessarily. But seeing Theodore sitting on the edge of the bed, looking utterly exhausted, reminded her of a withering tree, and she swallowed her words.  

“So, Lotus, how do you plan to put me to sleep?” Theodore asked, his tired violet eyes now gleaming with a mix of playfulness and curiosity. His tone hinted at mischief, but his exhaustion was clear.  

Lotus sighed deeply before replying. “I thought I’d read to you. If you don’t like it, then I guess there’s nothing more I can do.”  

Reading aloud was a known remedy for insomnia, and she knew if he refused even as a joke, she’d just leave. Theodore, understanding her personality well, had no intention of rejecting whatever care she was willing to offer him, be it out of sympathy or something deeper.  

“No, I find it intriguing. I’ve stocked a few books that you might like as well,” he teased.  

“…No romance novels. I’m not reading those,” Lotus shot back, her tone firm.  

“You were quite enthusiastic about recommending them to me in the past. Has your taste changed?”  

“I’ll allow regular novels and poetry collections, nothing else,” she retorted.  

“Limiting your reading is hardly a commendable habit,” Theodore said, echoing words she had once spoken to him, a mischievous smile playing on his lips.  

Seeing her in his bedroom again felt strangely new. Suppressing the budding emotions that sprang up like fresh spring shoots, Theodore pulled a chair beside the bed.  

“Whether I sleep or not, I’ll stay still. Let’s talk, about something simple,” he suggested.  

“Relax your shoulders and close your eyes,” Lotus instructed, and Theodore obediently complied. The moment his eyes shut, he felt the tension in his head ease, his headache dulling somewhat.  

“Your insomnia’s gotten worse. What will you do about it?” she asked, concern lacing her voice.  

“I manage fine with sleeping pills when I need to catch up on rest,” he replied casually.  

“Is that really okay for you?”  

“…No, not really,” he admitted, after a moment of hesitation.  

Lotus wanted to ask what had worsened his insomnia, but she couldn’t bring herself to voice the question. The possibility that *she* might be the reason weighed on her, and if that were the case, she wouldn’t know how to respond, much like when Kenneth or Frederick had confessed their feelings to her.  

Sensing her hesitation, Theodore spoke again.  

“When you remember everything you’ve seen and heard, memories pile up over time. When your thoughts keep circling back on themselves, it’s no wonder sleep becomes elusive, don’t you think?”  

For all his cold rationality, Theodore was also sensitive and meticulous. That’s why he enjoyed literature, music, and the sounds of nature—and why he was able to summon spirits. If he were purely logical, perhaps he wouldn’t be as burdened by it all.  

“…Maybe I should study sleep-related magic this time around,” Lotus said quietly, hoping to help him in some way.  

Despite his advanced skill in magic, Theodore couldn’t cast suggestion or sleep-related spells on himself, as his unconscious mind would resist them. Still, it was a safer option than relying on potent sleeping pills.  

“I wouldn’t want to be caught in anyone else’s magic or spells, but if it’s you, Lotus… I suppose I’d allow it from time to time,” he said softly.  

“You don’t feel tired at all right now?”  

“Just a mild headache,” he admitted.  

“What were you thinking about?”  

“Ariadne’s *‘Will,’* a poem,” he replied.  

Ariadne was a princess abandoned by her royal family. Her mother had been a mere maid in the palace, promoted to a low-ranking concubine after a single night with the emperor. With no backing and no love from the emperor, few recognized Ariadne as a true princess. Her mother had been poisoned by a rival, and Ariadne had lived out her days in misery.  

At twelve, a miracle occurred. Ariadne awakened her magical talent and left behind the emperor and the imperial family, seeking refuge in the Mage’s Tower. As a mage, she lived a life of freedom, helping those in need. In her lifetime, Ariadne became a renowned mage and poet.

Lotus softly recited the poem *”Will,”* her voice gentle but steady as she spoke the lines that had once strengthened her own resolve.

*”Before dawn, the night is darkest,  

Before blooming, the pain is greatest.  

Though starlight is swallowed by the dark,  

The dawn will come,  

And the petals, beaten by wind and rain,  

Leave their legacy for the future.”*

The lines of the poem seemed to resonate with their current situation. Facing Gaap, the demon, and other transcendent beings was no simple task. It required not only immense willpower but a readiness to sacrifice everything.  

*“The stars do not know the dawn,  

The petals do not know their future,  

But the darkness awaits the light of dawn,  

And the wind cannot push away the future.  

Even if the whole world is a trap and a foe,  

If my resolve is as vast as mountains and seas,  

Then the broken traps and enemies  

Shall fill the mountains and the seas.  

The mountains shall support the sky of dawn,  

And the waves of the sea shall sing blessings.  

In the darkness, my will shines as a light,  

And my song opens the doors to the future.”*

As she recited the last lines, Lotus felt a pang of guilt. Though she had been the unlucky target of fate, Theodore, Frederick, and Kenneth had all chosen to join this difficult and painful fight because of her.  

Her voice grew quieter as the weight of that realization settled in. When the poem ended, Theodore spoke.

“It’s a good poem.”  

“…I’m sorry,” Lotus murmured.  

“I don’t know why you’re apologizing, but it’s unnecessary. We all made our choices of our own will. In my case, I started this fight half out of pride. My ego was bruised that you disappeared from my sight and that there was something I couldn’t figure out.”  

“You tend to brush off the important things but fixate on the most trivial,” Lotus replied with a small smile.  

“Indeed. But, as they say, if your personality changes, it’s a sign that you’re about to die,” Theodore quipped, causing Lotus to chuckle softly.

Still keeping his eyes closed, Theodore made a request.  

“If you remember it, could you recite *‘Comfort’* by Lifen?”  

Lifen’s *”Comfort”* was one of Lotus’s favorite poems. She took a breath and began.

*”Parched lips sealed tightly shut,  

Tepid droplets tracing down my cheeks,  

Despair clinging to my fevered breath.  

In a place that is neither day nor night,  

When I wander lost in a maze of emotions,  

A voice, like a dream, whispers to me:  

It’s okay.  

Even if you, incomplete, are here,  

It is I who see you as you are.  

It’s okay.  

Even if you, despised, are here,  

It is I who have waited for you all this time.  

It’s okay.  

Even if the darkness blinds your eyes,  

Even if despair stops your ears,  

I will keep reaching out to you,  

I will keep letting my voice reach you,  

As long as you continue to breathe.  

The place that is neither day nor night,  

And the maze—  

You can leave them behind whenever you wish.  

The chance is given to you,  

You who have survived.  

It’s okay.”*

It’s okay  

It’s okay  

On your tightly sealed lips  

With the tears quietly streaming down  

In the breath that reveals despair  

I’ll fill my passion,  

My comfort,  

And my love, and kiss you.”

The poem had ended, but Theodore remained silent, his eyes closed and his breathing steady. Lotus gazed at his sleeping face for a moment, then quietly pulled a light blanket from the corner of the bed and draped it over him.  

“Don’t let the fragments of your memories weigh you down. Sleep well,” she whispered softly. Standing on tiptoes, she silently left the room, careful not to disturb him.  

***

Meanwhile, Frederick had been staring blankly up at the second floor where Theodore and Lotus had disappeared. He snapped out of his daze.  

“Hey, Sal—no, I mean, Salia!”  

「Did you just call me a pest, you mage?」  

“No, no, no!” Frederick quickly backpedaled, feeling the sharp stares of both Kenneth and Salia boring into him.  

「What are you plotting now?」 Salia asked, her tone skeptical and her lips curling into a smirk.  

“It’s not a plot exactly… but couldn’t you use your water mirror to take a peek at them?” Frederick suggested, a sly grin on his face.  

「You want me to spy on them?」 Salia’s voice dripped with sarcasm as she eyed him with amusement. 「Why should I? You can do it with your magic, can’t you?」  

Frederick silently cursed the irritating spirit but summoned every ounce of patience he’d built up over the last year and a half.  

“Salia, as the great Spirit King of Water, even if you were caught, Theodore and Lotus wouldn’t be too mad, right? I’d get in serious trouble if it were me,” he explained, feigning an air of helplessness.  

Kenneth blinked in surprise, noticing how much Frederick had “evolved”—he was now capable of flattering someone when needed.  

「Well, I *am* great. Every drop of water in this world obeys my will, after all,」 Salia mused proudly.  

“It’s just a tiny bit of your power, right? Surely not too much trouble?” Frederick coaxed.  

「Hmmm, fine. But praise me more first.」  

“Great Salia, you’re… the best?” Frederick muttered, his face contorting in discomfort. Salia burst into laughter at his awkward attempt at flattery.  

「You’re surprisingly cute, mage. After all, water is friends with earth and wind, though fire is a bit… incompatible.」  

With a wave of her hand, a large water mirror appeared in front of Frederick and Kenneth, larger than a crystal ball but clear enough to show a scene from inside Theodore’s bedroom.  

There they saw Theodore lying on the bed, and Lotus sitting beside him, talking quietly. Usually, when a man and woman were alone in such a setting, the conversation would become more intimate. Yet, Theodore’s demeanor had softened compared to his earlier banter in the reception room.  

The teasing remarks he’d made downstairs were clearly meant to provoke Frederick and Kenneth, but now he was calm, even gentle. It became clear that Theodore had been using his words like a swordsman wields a blade—sharp and precise, meant to manipulate his opponents.  

“That bastard really has a nasty personality,” Frederick muttered, and Kenneth nodded in agreement. Though the two men briefly glanced at Theodore, their gazes quickly fixed on Lotus.  

Salia, however, focused her attention on Theodore.  

*He shows his most vulnerable side to that woman without a second thought,* she mused. It was remarkable, seeing him completely relaxed, asleep after listening to Lotus read poetry, a state she’d never witnessed him in, not even in front of his comrades like Frederick and Kenneth. No matter how tired he was, he’d never let his guard down like this around them.  

“You should’ve gone back to rest earlier,” Kenneth suggested.  

“There’s no way I’d leave Lotihere. I’ll take her back with my magic,” Frederick said quickly.  

“We need to make sure Lotus is escorted properly,” Kenneth added.  

“Sorry to keep you both waiting,” Lotus said as she descended the stairs, oblivious to their earlier spying.  

By the time she reached them, both men acted as if nothing had happened, their expressions completely innocent.  

“Take care of Theodore for us, Salia,” Lotus said kindly.  

「You’re a sweet one. Be well. Until next time.」  

After everyone had left, Salia entered Theodore’s bedroom, gazing down at the peacefully sleeping man. She whispered softly as if speaking to herself.  

「Now I’m sure what’s most important to you.」