I Want To Die One Day Before You - Chapter 120
Rufus clasped Sarubia’s hand. Sarubia smiled brightly as she brought his hand to her lips.
“I love you.”
With that confession, Sarubia kissed Rufus’s hand.
A tingling sensation where her lips touched made his body shiver, and his tear-streaked face flushed with warmth.
“……Once more.”
Swallowing hard, Rufus murmured in a faint voice.
“Once more… say it just one more time.”
With a twinkling smile, Sarubia pressed Rufus’s hand against her cheek.
“Rufus.”
Sarubia’s golden eyes focused intently on him.
“I deeply love you.”
At those words.
Suddenly, the thought occurred to him.
He wished to die right then.
To fold up all the complicated issues, to sink into blissful oblivion in Sarubia’s arms, to close his eyes in her embrace… He just wanted to end it all.
He wanted to stop living.
Be it the despicable royals, the loathsome demons, the squad members he wanted to protect until the end, the Inferna Barony he had to take care of, or even the eventual death of his grandmother…
He wanted to forget everything and embrace this moment of happiness, to end it all.
Though he didn’t know what awaited after death, he wanted to escape from this tangled, broken reality.
Recklessly, he allowed himself such irresponsible thoughts.
But when he opened his eyes again and saw the tear stains on Sarubia’s eyes—
“Sarubia.”
“Yes, Rufus.”
“Let’s… live as long as we possibly can.”
The thought of dying dissipated like morning fog.
He wanted to live. No matter how treacherous and thorny the path, he wanted to walk it for her.
If he could be with her.
If he could travel with her.
If he could welcome each day with her.
If he could watch the same landscapes every evening with her.
“Stay with me… for a very, very long time.”
Rufus drew Sarubia’s hand toward him.
“Later… when we’ve grown a bit older, let’s get married…”
I want to see you in a pure white dress.
“It might sound silly to talk about this now, but if you’re okay with it… I want to try being a father…”
What would a child who looks like you be like?
How would you live as a mother?
How would I love you as the father of your children?
“To live a simple life, generously giving love to someone…”
Rufus stuttered as he continued.
“I really… I’m confident I can live earnestly.”
I’m confident I can live in a way that you’ll never regret choosing me.
“And in the far future, when our children have grown up… when everyone we know has left us, and it’s just the two of us left at the end…”
Rufus’s voice cracked.
“Holding your hand… embracing you with all the strength I have left… promising to be together again if reborn, and looking at the most beautiful you until the last moment… That’s how… that’s how I want to die happily…”
I don’t wish for much.
I just want to spend a day with my beloved.
I want to spend the four seasons with my beloved.
I want to celebrate countless birthdays with my beloved.
I simply want to be a part of the life of the person I love.
“Is it alright for me… for me to be so greedy?”
“Of course,”
Sarubia whispered gently.
“You deserve to be even greedier.”
The two looked at each other for a long while without saying a word. Even without words, they could read each other’s hearts.
I’m grateful.
Grateful that I could look forward to the future being drawn out.
Grateful that I could walk the path forward together.
Grateful that there was more time to spend together.
“Sarubia.”
Lying with his head in Sarubia’s lap, Rufus reached out and caressed her face.
“Thank you… for being here.”
A gentle breeze played with Sarubia’s hair. Beyond her fluttering hair, her smile shone like the sun.
***
From a distance, two figures watched Rufus and Sarubia.
“How romantic,”
The witch Odr said, standing on her broomstick, clapping her hands.
“Iruel, look at that. Those two are in love.”
“……”
Iruel, sitting behind his mother, squinted his eyes. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing.
Rufus, the infamous Rufus, was shedding tears.
‘Is he crazy?’
He almost blurted out those words.
It wasn’t the first time Iruel had seen Rufus cry. Last time, Rufus had suddenly started sobbing uncontrollably calling out Sarubia’s name.
But this time was different. Rufus was crying right in front of his lover.
“Ugh, there lies a full-grown man, shamelessly crying his eyes out. That’s a disgrace to mankind.”
As Iruel clicked his tongue, the witch Odr glanced at him.
“What are you talking about, Iruel? Do you know how precious a man who can shed tears is?”
“I don’t know. I’m confident I wouldn’t shed a single tear even when my father dies.”
“Iruel.”
“Alright. If mother wants, I’ll pretend to dab a tear at my eye.”
Iruel yawned and stretched, but his gaze never left Rufus and Sarubia.
