Chapter 142 The End of the Ouroboros: How could a person forget the eyes of their lover...?

How could one forget the eyes of their beloved?

Even those eyes, which were always sad, compassionate, and brimming with tears, shone like stars at this moment.

She is Eleanor.

The mask only covered the lower half of her face; judging by those eyes alone, it was undoubtedly Eleanor, the beloved Angel, whom she would never forget.

But how could that be Eleanor?

She instinctively gripped the sword, but her heart hesitated.

She...didn't want to kill Eleanor, even if it wasn't Eleanor.

Amidst surging emotions, Andra stepped forward, his gaze sweeping over the newcomer against the sunlight.

The young man before her was tall and imposing, clad in full heavy armor, and wielding a longsword that gleamed with a snowy light.

Every step the young man took stirred up strange waves, as if a layer of radiance enveloped his shoulders, spreading out like an illusory wingspan.

If she encountered such an enemy on the battlefield, she would smile from the bottom of her heart, watching the soldiers part like the tide, leaving a vast stage for the two of them to dance with swords.

But things are different now.

How dare she impersonate Eleanor?!

Even if reason is clamoring, and countless myths and legends are being told in my ear.

Oh, the God of War has a Valhalla. Perhaps Eleanor, because of her wise nature, was taken to heaven by the gods and molded into the God of War's retinue?

Ha, how could that be!

The sickly, beautiful wife in her mind could not possibly be like this, could not possibly look at her with such calm eyes... and raise her sword.

"Andra".

She called out her name with a sigh: "Let go, this world... no longer exists."

"Eh—what do you mean?"

The queen's irises bore the bloodstains of her wailing, yet even in a fleeting frown, her defiance remained. She refused to acknowledge the manipulation of the gods, just as she refused to acknowledge the death of her beloved.

Sword against sword, neither retreated.

The sky also changed from light to dark.

Legend has it that a solar eclipse occurs because the sun is watching over the vast earth and the boundless sea.

He will close his eyes after grand sacrifices, fierce battlefields, and legendary battles of heroes.

Is it true? Or is it just some kind of fabricated romantic legend?

At this moment, no one cared; they were simply staring intently at each other, swinging their swords at one another—

"Haa—"

It was impossible to tell who was screaming; their hoarse and clear voices mingled together. Their armor and cloaks moved with their bodies as they prepared to thrust their swords into the enemy's chest.

Clang!

A heavy, indescribable heaviness surged through my wrist.

Andra had never felt such intense pressure before.

This is an enemy far more formidable than the others, possessing power equal to... perhaps even greater than hers.

Is she Eleanor?

Probably so - Eleanor was favored by the gods and blessed by the god of war.

"You are not my Eleanor!"

Andra parried the sword with all her might, her furious roar shaking the very air. Under the sweeping force of her rising aura, Eleanor was forced to take a half-step back to dissipate this unparalleled power.

Yes, I am not the Eleanor you expected.

"If I didn't look like this, would you still love me?"

"Yes, my little princess."

"What if I weren't a princess?"

"Yes, I will. I will also make you the most honorable princess."

Memories flashed through her mind, and she knew that these were not just sweet words between lovers; Andra was serious.

If she weren't beautiful, Andra might have taken longer to notice her.

If she weren't Princess Norlana, perhaps Andra would have waited until he had achieved great success before taking her hand.

This is not a perfect story of a princess and a prince, but it is the [true love] that Andra can be certain of.

But... such "true love" also comes with conditions.

Appearance, voice, temperament, smell, intelligence, upbringing, character, nature, shared experiences and memories... many factors make up a certain "person".

My dearest love, what elements must I possess to truly be the "Eleanor" you love?

Clang!

The swords clashed and then separated.

Ordinary duels would never involve such rapid swordplay; their strength seemed inexhaustible, as they unleashed streaks of light upon each other, replacing words and sobs with fierce strikes.

Andra trusted the sword in her hand as much as she trusted herself.

She spent decades honing her swordsmanship to an invincible level, and finally, on this day when she had lost everything, she met an opponent who could fully unleash this talent.

But she just happened to have Eleanor's face.

"Waaah..." Wang bit her lip, unwilling to shed a tear.

The young man in her eyes trembled slightly, and as he parried the next shot, he whispered, "...I—I remember everything. You are the one I love. My first love."

How could I not love you?

Eleanor's sad smile looked like she was crying.

When a soul from another world falls into this world like a feather, she suffers so much pain and loneliness after birth. Every day, she is plagued by headaches and fears that the things around her are illusions. She carefully endures the food, utensils, and... systems that she dislikes.

"You have protected me time and time again, and fulfilled so many of my wishes, big and small."

Those little acts of love have kept the flowers of our youth blooming for decades...

Tears welled in her eyes, and Eleanor bit her lip: I thought we would spend our lives together.

"!"

Andra's hand trembled, and he almost dropped it during the next round of sword fighting.

She managed to regain her composure and retorted sharply, "Then why—"

Why - what?

Why did it turn out this way, or why did I have to die?

Andra looked palely at her lover, who had also stopped fighting, not far away.

She knows the answer.

Because the original Eleanor could not escape, she chose to die.

And now, Eleanor, who has been granted power by the gods, finally has the power to choose her path, whether to stay, to escape, or—to eliminate the possibility she despises.

Rustle, rustle.

Andra heard the sound of rushing water.

Accompanied by soft laughter and sighs in the void, she realized something from the flickering images: yes, she would do that.

She would cause the river of blood to surge, and she would rush to her beloved at any cost, even if it meant sinking to the bottom of the river forever.

"Are you still going to draw your sword against your lover?"

"......"

Andra took a deep breath amidst the flames where nothingness and reality intertwined.

She knows the gods are watching, but she will not change her choice, no matter what, no matter how many times!

How can a person not have fear?

Farmers fear frost and torrential rains during the autumn harvest.

Merchants feared capsized ships and bandits blocking their way.

......

She loves war and adventure, and can laugh out loud in the face of natural disasters and giant beasts, but... but!

Andra raised her sword again, determined to cut down her enemies and to bring back the "real Eleanor."

They have so much time left. She wants to travel across mountains and seas with her beloved, and watch the sunrise and sunset together.

She wants to raise a child with her beloved in a beautiful place, watching the child grow up day by day, resembling both her and her...

"I love you."

Andra couldn't stop her tears either; how could she not love you?

Without decades of companionship or more than a decade of passionate love, the flame of love ignited at their first meeting has never been extinguished.

The fragrance of flowers, the sweetness of candy, the feel of silk... every time I think of you, countless beautiful things come to mind.

"You seem to really enjoy making oaths, don't you?"

The girl in her memory helplessly pinched her cheek, while she silently thought to herself, "I only do this to you."

I will only keep my word with you.

I want to exchange those promises and protections time and time again for the promise of "eternity".

So don't leave me, Eleanor, never.

Andra raised his sword high.

Whoosh—

The wind blew up the red ribbons, and the silk fabrics fluttered in the air, swirling in circles.

"Come on~ This is my first time making a flower wreath, it's not very good."

"!"

Andra held her breath. Through her blurry, tear-filled eyes, she no longer saw a powerful enemy, but a shy young girl.

The young lovers held up a wreath of flowers in their hands, the blossoms scattering in the wind, and the smiling girl twirled, lifting her skirt.

The little princess turned around, picked up the kite, and ran forward.

"Watch out, Your Highness!" She couldn't help but chase after her, reaching out to grab the girl's wrist, but only managed to catch a kite string.

The kite flew away in the wind, and the little princess turned around in the night.

Her small body appeared even smaller in front of the towering king, and her cheeks had a sickly redness.

"Does your head still hurt?" Andra knelt down on one knee with concern. As she moved, the king's body shrank until it was level with the princess standing on the steps.

The girl shook her head without speaking, and bit her lip as she offered a small golden flower from behind her.

"..." The boy smiled and reached out his hand, and the soft flower fell into his palm.

The sword fell to the ground and into the burning flames.

Plop.

Eleanor shoved the sword into Andra's chest, her face streaked with tears, and could only hurry—faster still.

The sensation of the blade piercing flesh and heart is unforgettable.

But what she saw in the end was the relieved and happy smile on her lover's face.

So the sun closed its eyes.

......

The bloodstains on the golden petals faded silently, and Eleanor suddenly opened her eyes on the battlefield.

here it is...

For a moment, she thought she had been sent back to another past life, but the cavalry surrounding her like waves that surged and then parted, and the fully armed masked youth opposite her brought back her memories in an instant.

At the same time as before, even the solar eclipse continued.

However... the young man opposite him visibly swayed.

"Hey..."

Eleanor seemed to sense something and met the other's gaze from afar.

They quickened their pace in unison, urging their horses to gallop towards each other.

The surging air was still scorching hot, but it had lost much of the bloody smell of a life-or-death battle.

The knights also felt their blood boil suddenly, and instinctively slowed down, letting the two leaders charge forward.

clang!

Clang!

Their swords clashed simultaneously, and a helmet crashed to the ground with a thud.

The moment of the eclipse eclipse obscured smiles and embraces.

As the sun shone brightly once more upon the earth, the anxious knights all widened their eyes in surprise.

Everyone knew what those long, golden-red hair and handsome face represented; those who recognized them immediately stepped back several meters.

"Let's go back."

"Let's go home."

......

Her Majesty the Great Andra returned to her loyal court, and her people began to discuss with great enthusiasm the prosperity that would be expected on the day of her coronation.

Only Alisa was at home smashing vases and wailing, "I knew those two crazy women were teaming up to mess with me! What did they do?!"

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Author's Note: While writing, I kept thinking about the song "Thank You for Dears." [rainbow emoji] Finally—the cause and effect were severed by my own hands, but a new tomorrow has begun.