Chapter 242: Is This Destiny?

“Rest assured, we will always stand by your side.”

“If only… that were truly the case.”

Suddenly pulled into Field’s embrace, Liyakade felt a surge of warmth.

Her body couldn’t help but tremble slightly, and her voice wavered.

“These are just dreams. Once you wake up, just forget them. Besides, we are all still together now; how could we suddenly turn against each other?”

Field held Liyakade tightly while using her words to soothe her.

However, Liyakade shook her head in Field’s arms, continuing to voice her worries and grievances.

“That dream was incredibly real, almost as if it were happening in reality. In the dream, you said I had been deceiving you all along. You wouldn’t even listen to my explanations before attacking me.”

“Liyakade, no matter how real it felt, it was only a dream. It won’t become reality. Besides, in real life, you haven’t hidden anything from us at all, let alone deceived us.”

Field gently stroked the back of Liyakade’s head, hoping she could help the girl calm down.

But in truth, Liyakade actually was hiding something: she was hiding her identity as a transmigrator.

Even putting that aside, Liyakade harbored even deeper anxieties.

“But, Alice… it hurt so much…”

Liyakade’s simple words made Field’s heart skip a beat with fear.

Field quickly led Liyakade to a clean spot to sit down, prepared to listen to her story in detail.

“Liyakade, try to stabilize your emotions first. What exactly happened?”

At this point, Liyakade could no longer suppress her sob.

The Dream Realm had been so vivid; she could hold it in as long as she didn’t speak, but once she did, the feelings of injustice and regret from the dream surged forth like a tide.

“It hurt… Alice… she used her magic to attack me. I… it felt worse than all the injuries I’ve ever sustained combined. Why did it feel so real…?”

“Liyakade… just cry. You’ll feel much better once you let it out. Trust me, Alice would never attack you in reality; she loves you so much.”

Looking at Liyakade’s trembling form, Field felt a pang of heartache.

One had to remember that Liyakade was never a weak person; she had endured even when she was facing Yilina alone, surviving in the cracks.

She couldn’t possibly be fragile.

However, Liyakade’s words made Field’s heart race with alarm.

Liyakade’s past injuries included broken limbs and being run through; she had withstood all of that.

Yet, in the dream, under Alice’s attack, Liyakade felt it was more painful than all those previous wounds combined.

What kind of pain was that?

‘No wonder the prophecy says the Light Element Magic User is the natural nemesis of demons. Alice’s magic can actually cause such agony even to Liyakade, who is only half-demon.’

“Exactly… she loves me so much, but I… I actually… after she attacked me, I couldn’t stay calm at all!”

“You…?”

Hearing this, Field suddenly had a bad premonition.

She could sense that in the rest of the dream, Liyakade must have done something terrible.

“I attacked Alice. In that moment, she gave up her defense, and then… she just collapsed in my arms.”

Tears slid uncontrollably from Liyakade’s eyes.

Beside her, Field felt a palpable, genuine sorrow radiating from the girl.

Even though it was just a dream, Liyakade’s current grief was as if she had truly killed Alice once.

One couldn’t blame Liyakade for being oversensitive, because her dreams were fundamentally different from those of humans.

Whether it was meeting Korim or tonight’s dream of fighting Alice, Field, and Sistem, these experiences were no different from reality to Liyakade.

This was why Liyakade had appeared so panicked and lost when she first entered the Dream Realm.

“Even when she was in my arms, she was still apologizing to me…”

“No, Liyakade. No matter how real it felt, it was just a dream.”

Field’s tone was incredibly firm, yet a trace of tenderness bled through.

She couldn’t stand to see Liyakade so despondent.

“In reality, Alice has no reason to attack you, and you would never attack her. Do you not trust yourself? Or do you not trust Alice?”

“Of course I trust Alice… but… I’ve realized that I’m actually terrified of the Light Element now…”

That was it.

The reason Liyakade was so distressed—to the point of wanting to cry—wasn’t just because of that cruel dream during the day, but because of the real-world issues the dream had mirrored.

Whenever Alice released magic, Liyakade would be startled.

Even if Alice warned her beforehand like she did just now, Liyakade would feel waves of unease.

Even if the magic wasn’t directed at her, its mere presence felt like a massive boulder pressing on her chest, making it hard to breathe.

“Field… you don’t understand. Right now, even holding her hand makes me feel like I’m grasping a piece of glowing, hot iron. Clearly… she’s the person who loves me, the person I love… how did it turn out like this…?”

Field’s pupils shrank at these words, her heart aching.

She hadn’t expected that Liyakade’s condition had deteriorated to the point where even touching Alice caused discomfort.

Their situation was far more serious than she had imagined.

Field squeezed Liyakade’s hand tightly, trying to convey her own body heat and emotions to her.

“Has it already reached this point…? I never knew. Is it very painful, Liyakade?”

“It’s very painful… if Alice knew I was intentionally distancing myself from her because touching her makes me uncomfortable, she would be so heartbroken. I clearly wanted to hide this, but it’s having the opposite effect. I don’t know if she’s noticed yet…”

Listening to Liyakade’s conflicted and pained words, Field suddenly didn’t know what to say.

Liyakade had become irritable and confused because of the dream and these thoughts, so she hadn’t noticed the change in Alice at all.

Judging by Alice’s behavior, she had definitely noticed something was wrong long ago; she was just forcing herself to hold it together.

In that sense, Liyakade and Alice were the same.

Both were thinking of the other, not wanting the other to get hurt, yet it had resulted in this.

“Is it possible that our ending can’t be changed? The Light Element Magic User is born to be the nemesis of the Demon Race, so am I destined to be unable to stay with Alice?”

Liyakade’s sobbing subsided slightly as she murmured these things, sounding like a fatalist.

This was the ultimate horror the nightmare had shown Liyakade: that she and Alice were mutually exclusive existences, and their final end could only be a struggle to the death.

Just like how the three preset endings in the original game all featured Alice defeating Liyakade.

No matter how Liyakade was now, no matter how hard she worked, the part of her bloodline that belonged to the Demon Race would always recoil from being near Alice.

The final conclusion could only be their battle.

“No, it won’t be like that.”

Field stood up and hugged Liyakade tightly.

“There must be a way to solve this. When I get back, I’ll go to the Royal Library in the Palace to research it. You can also ask your Ancestor. Don’t just give up like this!”

“Mmm… I… but how do I explain it to Alice? I can’t get close to her anymore. If this continues, she’ll definitely feel that something is wrong, right?”

Liyakade felt uncertain about Field’s words.

She didn’t know if the problem between her and Alice could be solved, but if there was hope, she definitely had to try.

For now, the simplest solution Liyakade could think of was to keep it hidden from Alice.

“…Fine. Regarding Alice, I’ll find a way to communicate with her and keep it hidden for now.”

Hearing Liyakade’s somewhat melancholy statement, Field took it upon herself to handle the explanation to Alice.

However, while she called it an “explanation,” it was actually helping Liyakade hide the truth until they could solve the problem.

During this time, it would be best for Liyakade to have less contact with Alice, and it was even better to avoid any intimate gestures.

Field felt the burden on her shoulders grow heavier.

Had there been any progress with their problems after calling Liyakade out for this night talk?

Or rather, had the situation just become even more complicated?

“Liyakade, don’t overthink this anymore. If you don’t want to be too close to Alice, just come to my side. And don’t be so impulsive from now on; don’t expose your Demon Race powers in front of everyone again.”

“Mmm… I’ll control myself.”

Despite her many worries, Liyakade nodded, promising Field she wouldn’t be impulsive.

“Good girl.”

Field gently stroked Liyakade’s head, hugged her again, and gave the girl’s small face a squeeze.

Once Liyakade’s emotions had mostly stabilized, Field finally led her back to the camp.

Natalia was still awake on night watch.

Seeing the two return, Natalia greeted them.

In the dead of night, Natalia didn’t notice the change in Liyakade’s mood.

After a simple greeting, Field led Liyakade back inside the tent.

Inside, Alice was still fast asleep.

Field and Liyakade moved quietly, lying back down in their previous positions, hand in hand.

Having just had a good cry, Liyakade felt a large portion of the shadow in her heart dissipate.

Although the problem wasn’t solved, her mood was at least much better.

Just like that, Liyakade drifted peacefully into sleep.

This time, there were no serious or heavy dreams—perhaps there were no dreams at all.

Meanwhile, at the Kingdom Border, a girl with crimson hair and dark red eyes was slowly approaching from outside the city walls.