I Want To Die One Day Before You - Chapter 26
Suddenly, Rufus reached into his pocket and pulled out a necklace.
It was smooth.
It made a tinkling sound as the gemstone pendant dangled.
“What is this?”
Rufus looked down at the necklace he had always been wearing around his neck as Sarubia slowly sat up.
It was a necklace with a ruby the size of a walnut. But it was quite different from the gemstones Sarubia had seen so far. It was much brighter and more radiant than the gems that filled Princess Sordid’s room.
“Oh, it’s fascinating. The light moves inside the gem. Where did you get this?”
Sarubia looked at the necklace with sparkling eyes.
Rufus felt pleased to see her showing interest.
“I had it made from the magic stone of the Demon King Audixus.”
“Oh, that’s quite an extraordinary source, more than what I was expecting.”
“I had it thoroughly cleaned. Don’t worry.”
“I never even thought about hygiene… But, are you giving this to me?”
Sarubia stared at Rufus.
“Yes.”
“However, if it’s the magic stone from the demon king, it’s undoubtedly extremely valuable.”
“It’s valuable, and that’s why I’m giving it to you.”
“No, what I meant is… I’m a commoner with no magic, so having something like this is useless.”
“Well, then think of it as a pretty stone. If you don’t keep it, it’s useless to me, so I’ll just throw it away.”
Rufus said gruffly. Sarubia sighed lightly, as if there was no other choice.
“Really, you’re not cute at all.”
They held hands and lay side by side on the bed.
The night grew darker. However, it still seems like they can’t easily fall asleep.
“Sarubia.”
“Yes, Rufus.”
“I’ve had something I’ve wanted to ask for a long time.”
“What is it?”
“What exactly does it mean that you prophesy death?”
Looking at Sarubia lying beside him, Rufus asked in a quiet voice.
“…”
Sarubia smiled faintly and looked at Rufus.
What could she be thinking?
Rufus gazed at the woman lying next to him. Under the clothing that draped over her shoulder, the mark of a saint was vaguely visible.
A saintess who prophesies death.
Rufus didn’t know precisely what the ability to see death entailed, which is why he was so curious about Sarubia’s unique magic, which had predicted his grandmother’s death.
“I… when I look into someone’s eyes, I can glimpse their final moments.”
“Through their eyes.”
“Yes, it’s always their eyes… I have to look at both of their eyes.”
Sarubia slowly opened up.
“Prophesying death is essentially about seeing and feeling what happens at the moment of death. I can see how a person’s soul leaves their body in their final moments.”
“So you must know how my grandmother is going to die.”
“….Yes.”
How will she die? How will my grandmother take her last breath and close her eyes?
Rufus desperately wanted to ask these questions. But he hadn’t dared to ask again after being refused once before.
“Surely she won’t die in agony.”
Rufus muttered to himself.
“…”
Once again, there was no response. Sarubia chose not to respond because she knew her answer would torment Rufus.
“If you know about death, couldn’t you also learn how to prevent it? For instance, let’s say my grandmother is going to be killed by a wild beast while walking on a certain path. Couldn’t she avoid that path, and thus, she would survive?”
“Death is not that simple.”
Sarubia spoke in a low voice.
“What I see is one person’s future. All futures are predetermined. Knowing the future doesn’t mean you can change it.”
“Still… is it entirely impossible?”
In truth, Rufus had a vague idea of the answer.
Humans cannot interfere with destiny. Even a saint with exceptional unique magic cannot act against fate. Continuously questioning Sarubia in this manner was nothing more than trying to force an answer to the impossible.
Yet, he couldn’t help but persist, endlessly, tediously, unable to give up, holding onto the hope that there might be a tiny glimmer of hope.
“…Honestly, I’m not sure either.”
Sarubia closed her eyes.
“I just instinctively feel that I shouldn’t interfere with the future.”
“Instinctively?”
