☆、(7 Fresh Coins) The Sigh of the Rose (2) (Alternate Universe, OOC Side Story - Warning!)
In the final scene, the man who was once a boy slowly closed his cloudy eyes, his withered hands still tightly clutching the ring.
As if pushed hard by a pair of hands, the knight suddenly returned to reality and found Calvin's beautiful face too close. He was startled and pushed him away with all his might.
"Th-what are those?" Adam stared at the elf, convinced that the other was behind it. Although it seemed to happen in an instant, it felt like witnessing a person's entire life. Combining this with his knowledge of historical records and legends, it wasn't hard to conclude that it was the life of Emperor Kozmo, and specifically, his life entangled with the elf Calvin. But so what? Kozmo was long dead, yet the elf still retained the appearance of a young boy, wantonly toying with those who came to find him and try to fulfill their wishes in this Miracle Forest.
Calvin paused for a moment, then his eyes lit up: "You remembered?"
His expression was so agitated that Adam couldn't help but take a step back: "I deeply regret what happened between you and Emperor Cozmo, but that doesn't mean I am Cozmo himself—he has been dead for many years, a fact known to all."
“Regret?” Calvin’s face gradually darkened, and his voice turned cold. “Adam, you have no right to say such things here.”
"I've already said, please don't confuse me with Kozmo!" Adam finally snapped. He gripped the hilt of his sword with both hands, the tip pointing downwards, and pointed it diagonally at the elf before him. "If you have no intention of fulfilling your oath, then I have no choice but to offend you."
He knew in his heart that compared to the other party, his status as a holy knight was insignificant. All his skills might be child's play to the elves, but he had to abide by the code of chivalry and complete the mission entrusted to him by the emperor, even at the cost of his life.
"Heh..." The elf sneered as he suddenly attacked, "Do you know... what the so-called 'ring of oaths' really means?"
Adam shuddered at the chilling smile on his lips, several images flashing through his mind. Years ago, the elf who gave the ring to Kozmo had whispered the meaning of the "Oath Ring" in the same icy voice. It represented not only the powerful force to grant wishes, but also "binding" and "compromise." Once Kozmo used the Oath Ring, it meant he had abandoned his principles and chosen to retreat with the elf. No matter how close they were, he was still a human, a great revolutionary with the noble ideal of bringing happiness to his fellow human beings, while the elf was a child of nature, and the Miracle Forest was his home. Their differences were irreconcilable; unless one side completely abandoned their world, it could only end in tragedy.
The freedom granted to Calvin, the elf, by the Goddess of Nature was limited. His true duty was certainly not to govern a nation with a human, nor was it for the peace and happiness of its people. When he prayed to the goddess to leave the Miracle Forest, the oracle clearly instructed him that he must return to the forest within ten years to maintain the elemental balance of the entire forest. People were unaware that the Miracle Forest, besides possessing abundant resources and numerous magical beasts, was also the source of life for this continent. Without the protection of the children of nature—the elves—this continent would soon collapse and sink. Therefore, after ten years of turbulent revolutionary endeavors, Calvin had to return to the forest to fulfill his duty as the guardian of this generation.
Ten years is enough time for their feelings to evolve from the initial flutter of attraction to an unbreakable bond. Cozmo's decision was simply a normal choice made by a normal man facing such a problem, but to Calvin, it was an indifference and betrayal of their love.
Adam's expression changed abruptly. He quickly looked down at the ring, trying to pull it off his finger, but found he couldn't. He slowly raised his head, his eyes fixed on the other man, and said in a deep voice, "The agreement to stay after having your wish granted is supposed to apply only to Kozmo, right? If someone else comes to you with this ring, how do you plan to treat them? Or is it that, apart from Kozmo, no one else can get the chance to have their wish granted from you?"
Calvin reached out and deflected the tip of Adam's sword, slowly approaching him. His fingers lightly brushed against the ring; a flash of red light, and Adam's vision suddenly blurred. Then, he involuntarily closed his eyes. Damn it…everything has been wrong since he arrived here. Why was he so easily deceived?
Author's Note:
The extra chapters are still ongoing XDDDD
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