I Tried To Be Her Loyal Sword

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“El, it’s been a while.”

I flashed a casual smile, and seeing his gentle silver eyes, the turmoil in my heart eased instantly.

El was dressed in a white mask and white robe. It seemed he was trying to conceal his identity, but with his pure white appearance and the undeniable divine aura, it was futile to hide.

‘Is it… like a light descending from above?’

I marveled once again at El’s appearance. The magic that blurred his features was quite strong, but it didn’t work on me. His snow-white skin, water-like hair, and silver eyes were as clear as day to me.

I had been silently gazing at El for a while when he tucked his hair behind his ear and smiled shyly, looking even more innocent than a green apple. His lips slowly slid across his tongue, and the way his eyes downcast made him seem like a delicate lily.

“It’s kind of nerve-wracking to be looked at like that, Shushu. I get all flustered.”

El grasped my hand and placed it against his cheek. His skin was so pale that it felt warm to the touch.

Seeing his cheeks tinged with a peach hue caught me off guard. I felt a warmth rising within me as well.

“Ahem! El, have you been well?”

I cleared my throat, trying to change the subject. With my lack of immunity to such an atmosphere, all I could muster was an awkward greeting. For a moment, I despaired at my pitiful improvisational skills, but El smiled softly and matched my awkwardness.

“Of course! I was waiting for this meeting. I was holding on while thinking about seeing you again.”

A tail that wasn’t actually there seemed to wag behind El in approval. After spending such a long time observing him, I had come to understand some of his ambiguous intent; he wanted me to praise him.

‘Like a little puppy.’

I carefully tucked his long hair back, and instantly, El’s face lit up.

“I came to give you something today, but it would be a shame to part ways right after, wouldn’t it?”

El released his arm that was wrapped around my waist and extended his hand forward. I hesitated for a moment at the sight of his delicate hand, lacking in awareness that I had grown used to leaning against him.

Only a flickering streetlight illuminated the dimly lit street. El extended his hand gracefully, almost as if asking me to dance at a ball, not fitting for such a dirty alley.

“Would you please spend this night with me? Even aimlessly wandering the streets like this would be enjoyable with you.”

I recalled the debut dance I had once shared with El and couldn’t stop the smile that spread across my face. The answer was clear.

“Gladly.”

Just like then, now, and in the future, I would take El’s hand.

The streets of the capital were bustling with life, vibrant with the energy of the upcoming Swordsmanship Tournament. Although the crowd wasn’t as heavy as last year’s hellish mass of people, it certainly was not small.

“It’s been a while since I walked these streets like this. Ever since becoming a Pope, I’ve always had to ride in a carriage.”

El whispered softly as he leisurely glanced around. He looked so much freer walking the streets than when he was seated on a throne in his Pope’s robes, making my heart a little uneasy.

“Isn’t living as the Pope stifling?”

El was once a commoner, not even noble. It was now dawning on me that the position of Pope might not be as enjoyable for him, someone who once lived without etiquette and rules.

“Perhaps a bit. I can’t just visit you whenever I want, and I can’t kiss your feet in front of everyone. I could, but being associated with the Pope would complicate things for you.”

After a moment of thought, El nodded seriously. I almost pointed out that his idea of freedom was entirely related to me, but thought better of it.

El turned to look at me.

“But it’s okay. Because you are a breath of fresh air for me. I won’t complain about the heavy responsibilities I bear.”

There was a maturity evident in El’s habitually curved eyes. The boy who had always seemed older than his age still bore the weight of his responsibilities.

“If you ever feel stifled at night, just call for me anytime. I’ll come secretly to be with you.”

“Hmm.”

El’s eyes sparkled. He tilted his head and smiled playfully. Yet, despite the light-heartedness, there was a strange gleam in his silver eyes.

“What will you do if you visit me at night? Will you keep me company in my bed?”

‘Does El want to have a pajama party?’

I looked into his descending gaze. The implication of whether he wanted to sleep together seemed to suggest he might need a cuddly pillow.

Imagining El sleeping with a giant teddy bear, I let out a suppressed chuckle.

“If necessary, I can be a cuddle pillow for you. But I was actually thinking of sneaking out of the temple with you for a short night walk. Escaping is something I’m pretty good at.”

“…Cuddle pillow? No, I mean… Sure. That sounds nice.”

El, with narrowed brows, seemed about to retort but instead sighed and positively agreed, as if he had reached a sort of enlightenment. He wore an expression of having much to say but chose to hold it back.

“So if the moon is bright and making you feel lonely, or if the stars are pretty and you want to see them, you’ll accept my company, right?”

El whispered as he took slow steps, his gaze fixed on me rather than ahead. I found joy in his beautifully unfounded reasons and nodded eagerly.

“I’ll come whether the moon is bright or not, or whether the stars are pretty or not. El and I don’t need reasons to see each other.”

I thought it was a relationship where we didn’t need to create celestial excuses. For El, just saying I wanted to see him was enough.

As we walked, El suddenly stopped. His grip on my hand tightened. I turned my head to look at him.

“Isn’t that so?”

El blinked slowly and chuckled softly. His eyes were wide, his gaze shimmering with a hint of red, and the corners of his lips faintly trembled.

“…That can’t be. Of course not.”

Perhaps it was because we stood under the bright moonlight, but El seemed like he would vanish at any second.

According to El, we were just strolling aimlessly with no destination in mind, yet we were sufficiently delighted. After wandering the streets for a while, suddenly noticing the empty alleyway darkening overhead, I felt a tinge of regret.

“Looks like it’s time for us to part ways.”

“Already?”

El’s expression drooped. His silver eyes sparkled with a glistening sorrow, like melted silver ready to spill over any moment.

“…We’ll see each other again very soon. You can’t miss me at the Swordsmanship Tournament.”

Seeing El’s expression softened me momentarily, but I steeled my resolve. I wasn’t sure if I could withstand being lured by El, else I might end up wandering these streets all night.

“Still, it’s always a pity to say goodbye to you.”

El whispered in a voice as pure as morning dew resting on lilies. He pulled out a small case from his pocket. Inside the open case was a ring, and his eye crinkled in delight.

“I came to give you this today. You remember the promise we made, right?”

“Yes, I remember, but this…”

I was momentarily speechless as I looked down at the ring.

An immense divinity radiated from it.

The clear, bluish transparent setting was adorned with precise golden engravings. I recognized at a glance that it was no ordinary ring.

“This… isn’t this holy sacrilege…?”

What El handed me was a ring reserved only for the Pope.

“Who would dare to object when I’m offering it? I’m the only one who hears the voice of God, so whatever I do is by His will.”

El casually took my right hand in his grip. He spoke terrifying words yet appeared unfazed.

“See? Pretty, right?”

As he carefully slipped the ring onto my pinky finger, El stepped back with a look of satisfaction. It seemed to fit perfectly, unlike the sword and aria that made my left hand look cluttered.

El fiddled with the ring on my pinky, smiling softly.

“It means ‘don’t forget our promise.’ If you break that promise, you remember what happens, right? You’ll have to swallow a hundred needles.”

At that, I recalled both of us when we were younger.

‘Annie is looking for you again.’

‘Hmph… I’ll really come visit next week. Today, I’m a little tired.’

‘You know that’s what you said last week, right?’

‘…Things came up then. I swear! If I say that again next week, I’ll swallow a hundred needles!’

‘Pretty gruesome. Is that the penalty for breaking your promises?’

‘It is. Lying is like spitting thorns out of your mouth. So instead of spitting thorns, I return it by swallowing needles.’

Having failed to keep promises for various reasons, I had informed the younger El of some rather gruesome penalties. Still, whenever I spoke of such penalties, I made sure to keep my word.

“I don’t want you to be hurt, so I’ll definitely keep my promise.”

El said gently as he ruffled my hair. The implication was clear: he expected me to keep it, and he had no intention of letting the matter of punishment go. It seemed a bit intimidating, but I had only made promises I was sure I could keep, so I nodded willingly.

“I remember the promise of never turning my back on you. I’ll definitely keep it.”

I affirmed as I fiddled with the newly adorned ring. His darker sides were my obligations to bear, too. His flaws and evils as well.

“…Is that so?”

El muttered softly, gazing at me closely.

His voice quieter than usual, as if it belonged to someone living in the heavens, stood in stark contrast to the grounding quality of his tone. Leaning in closer to my face, he got near.

“Then you can’t turn away now. Can you do that?”

El didn’t smile. He showed me a serene yet emotionless expression, unlike his usual playful manner.

His sunken silver eyes had a sinking quality to them. I felt my heart, which usually drifted like in zero gravity, suddenly weighed down by gravity’s pull, and I ended up nodding unintentionally.

“You just said, Shushu. We don’t need this reason.”

His voice, dreamy as if had taken a sip of red wine, murmured as he held my chin firmly, and my lips parted without my consent.

The atmosphere was gently stimulating, as if a fine powder had been sprinkled around us. Perhaps it was the strangeness and awkwardness of the situation that made something tickle inside, and I instinctively shrank back.

El gazed at my lips with a steady intensity. It was a blatant look that couldn’t be mistaken for anything else. Feeling my face heat up, my gaze wandered until it inadvertently landed on his lips.

The scent of lilies grew overwhelming as he got closer.

Taking a deep breath as if to capture my essence, El’s eyes sparkled softly. The longing flooding through his gaze couldn’t be concealed. At the same time, he looked a bit sad for some reason.

“So, let them say this was done without reason.”

With that rumbling voice, El tilted his head slightly.

And just like that, our lips met.