To the Love Born in the Lowest Place

‘Yes, I should be grateful just to have come this far.’

She, who had been in Abgrund, should feel gratitude simply for gaining a foothold in the noble world.

As Emmett said, perhaps Liv was meant to remain in Abgrund. Because she could never truly intermingle with others.

So she should be thankful to live in this bright, beautiful world, and not dare seek more. She should accept the insults from people, not seek their affection. She shouldn’t dare hope for love from the one she loves. Even if Emmett despised her, she should be satisfied with merely being able to see him. Organizing her thoughts that way, strangely, Liv felt a sense of relief.

Beloved child.

We will always love you.

Even the gods’ love, which had always felt burdensome, now seemed welcome.

Since she realized she could never truly be among humans, the only ones who truly cared for her were the gods themselves.

Even after Emmett rejected her, Liv followed him with a bright smile. Though she pursued him one-sidedly, she was content to simply love Emmett, even if he didn’t return her love. For love was meant to be that way, as the gods had taught her.

And when Emmett faced a life-threatening crisis, Liv realized she had to take action. She would have to utilize the most precious thing she could offer.

Her very life itself.

-Your Grace, everything will be alright… Although you’ll have to suffer a bit, it’s okay… If you go back, you won’t die.

Though she would face divine punishment, he would live. Thus, Liv slit her own throat.

* * *

In the cursed land of Abgrund untouched by any divine power, the kneeling Emmett raised his head.

“Miss Liv…”

Liv had likely arrived safely near the temple and met the Hamelsvoort couple. If adopted into that noble family, she would enter high society…

And eventually, he too would meet her again.

“Then…”

Recalling his past words and actions brought Emmett such anguish that he squeezed his eyes shut. No divine voices reached him, only silence reigning in Abgrund. The time alone in Abgrund was utterly torturous. Yet Emmett endured, and endured further, reminding himself of the suffering Liv had endured here.

For one month.

Half a year.

How long had it been? He lost all sense of time.

Our power has gathered.

The god’s voice that had once cast him into this place finally reached him again.

Overjoyed by that long-awaited voice, Emmett raised his head. More than escaping this dreadful place, he felt elated at the prospect of seeing Liv once more.

We shall return you to your original timeline.

“Yes, and there…”

Emmett hesitated briefly before continuing:

“I will cherish the child who receives the gods’ love above all else.”

As you ought.

As he awaited his return to the original world, another voice rang out:

Since we exerted more than our power to release our beloved child, a price is required.

“What must I do?”

Once more, we will impose divine punishment upon you. Nothing major. A triviality.

“I accept it.”

Ever since choosing for Liv to be released in his stead, Emmett’s heart had never wavered. He had to atone to her. No, even if he had committed no transgression, he would have given anything for the woman he loved. He simply awaited the impending punishment.

From now on, you will be unable to speak the words you most need.

Emmett tried to discern the meaning, but it seemed he could only understand the precise nature of this punishment by directly experiencing it.

Now we will return you to your original world.

With those words, his body dissolved into particles before coalescing and being drawn somewhere else.

Emmett briefly opened his eyes, only to squeeze them shut again, unable to process the sight before him – a glimpse of this world’s fundamental principles off-limits to human comprehension.

When he opened his eyes again:

“Ah.”

He had returned to the Lartman Duchy manor, the day before the ball on April 17th.

After realizing he was back, the first place Emmett headed was the Hamelsvoort County.

“To the Hamelsvoort manor.”

“Pardon? Yes, understood.”

Though it had been quite some time since he last visited, the coachman seemed puzzled yet didn’t question the request, immediately driving the carriage there. Inside, Emmett felt constant unease.

‘After committing such sins, how dare I face Liv again? Having spoken those final words to her, do I even have the right to see her?’

Yet the moment he saw Liv again:

“Ah…”

That pristinely white hair seeming purer than anything. Those round, crimson eyes brimming with curiosity. That cute visage contrasted by a plump countenance.

She was exactly as Emmett remembered his Liv.

The Liv he had rescued, the Liv he had tormented.

“Liv.”

He wanted to immediately shower her with every embarrassing term of endearment, but could only utter her name, the name that had felt like his entire world when imprisoned in Abgrund.

From then on, Emmett conversed with Liv as if oblivious to the past. He wished to explain that he had just witnessed everything, apologize for his ignorant mistakes – yet such selfish actions felt unforgivable, so he held back.

“Did you also receive divine punishment, Your Grace?”

“Divine punishment? …Ah yes, there was that.”

Only after Hildegard’s words did Emmett realize anew what he had experienced – divine punishment. Entranced by Liv, he had forgotten the very nature of that incident. But regardless of what it entailed, it no longer mattered now that he had returned. Afterwards, Emmett strove to spend as much time with Liv as possible.

-I thought you might like some flowers.

-Let’s have a picnic together tomorrow. Somewhere close to the Hamelsvoort estate… The Dneuve River would be ideal, I think.

-You see, I can touch you now…

In the process, he subtly tried hinting that he was aware of the past. But each time, Liv would only regard him with an inscrutable expression.

And soon, a new obstacle appeared before Emmett:

“Hayden Shultze…”

The Emperor’s would-be assassin, Hayden Shultze.

He lurked about Liv with impure eyes, seeming to view her as a mere plaything for his amusement.

Emmett wanted to immediately drive him away from Liv’s side, yet lacked justification, for Liv appeared interested in Hayden. Whenever Emmett realized he couldn’t make such demands of Liv, he only tormented himself further by recalling his own sins…

“The last descendant of the Gracia line, one whose very existence threatened imperial authority – could it be…?”

Finally, upon learning the truth from Hayden, Emmett arrived at the full reality.

Liv had been imprisoned in Abgrund solely for ‘existing as a threat to imperial authority’. The former ‘last descendant of the Gracia lineage’ had been usurped by the current Emperor, precisely around the time of Liv’s birth.

“Damnit!”

Then Liv’s true identity became all too clear. Liv had been confined there by the Emperor for the sole reason of being the last Gracia descendant.

Resenting his former self who had defended the Emperor before Liv, Emmett felt he would kill that past self if he could.

He already knew of the previous Empress’ kidnapping and return. But now he deduced that during her time in Abgrund, she must have given birth to Liv. Out of fear for the Gracia heir loved by the gods, Liv was imprisoned in Abgrund – a space cut off from divine power. Yet the Emperor had overlooked the small hole allowing minimal access.

“Liv, I will atone for my sins without fail.”

Alone in the Lartman study with knees on the floor, Emmett made that vow.

“I will take revenge on the Emperor, and restore you to your rightful place…”

He wished to bestow upon Liv all that should have been hers. To elevate her above those who had scorned her. It was the only thing he could do for her…

-From now on, you shall be unable to speak the words you most need.

His punishment was an inability to voice his love to Liv.

* * *

“Oh my, Liv!”

Countess Hamelsvoort flung open Liv’s room door, her face filled with joy.

“A marriage proposal has arrived from the Duke Lartman!”

“I see.”

As Liv calmly nodded, the Countess couldn’t contain her delight, pulling Liv into an embrace.

“Well done, Liv! I knew this day would come!”

For a moment, Liv felt compelled to ask if the Countess had truly anticipated this, but decided against disrupting the hard-earned peace of the Hamelsvoort family.

“Ahem.”

Count Hamelsvoort, who had approached Liv’s room, cleared his throat to announce his presence.

“Would it be best to send a reply immediately, or wait a week?”

In the Holy Hilysid Empire, ‘proposals’ were treated as sacred affairs. After a man proposed, if no reply came, he would send flowers to the woman’s residence daily – increasing in number each passing day to demonstrate his sincerity.

“Dear, it would be better to wait about a week before replying, I think.”

Countess Hamelsvoort prattled excitedly, seeming eager to spread the news of Liv’s proposal throughout the neighborhood. Beaming at Liv, she asked:

“So the Duke must love you, doesn’t he?”

Those words caused a momentary shift in Liv’s expression, unable to feign nonchalance.

Countess Hamelsvoort seemed to notice the change but carried on in a tone feigning obliviousness:

“Well, no matter. All that’s needed is to bind a man through marriage.”

“…”