This Time, To The Believed Path
Abandoned Faith

When Leana opened her eyes, she found herself in a dark room. The only visible light was coming from behind the window behind him. He could hear the sound of rain covering the room.

With the little awareness he had, his eyes swam to notice the ornaments in the room. It looks like he's in his room at Alphiella.

He did not remember much of what happened before he woke up here, but the pain on his side made him remember what happened in the large labyrinth.

After he saved Dean from the monster attack that suddenly appeared, he felt his body become heavy and slowly lose consciousness. After that he could not remember what happened next.

Leana lifted her body slowly, enduring the pain that was becoming more and more real for her.

As he thought about taking out a glass of water, a familiar voice came from behind him.

"Leanna."

His breath stopped immediately. Body freezes.

She slowly turned her body and found her husband sitting on the sofa next to his bed.

As the light illuminated from behind her, she could not see her husband's face covered by the dense shadow.

A pair of jade eyes stared at him as if trying to open his mind.

Leana just stared silently at Forde, not spitting out a single word as she began to realize her current situation.

He didn't know why he could be in this situation.

Not getting an answer from his wife, Forde got up and sat on the bed facing him. Even at a close point, Leana still could not see her face.

The rain was the only thing that filled the room besides their sound. The silence between them made Leana almost forget how to breathe.

"How are you doing?"

Leana jerks. He hesitantly answered.

"I'm. I'm fine." Leana gave a pause. "How did you get here? Do you have any needs at Alphiella?"

Leana hoped that Forde was unaware of the tremors in her voice.

"I came back from a mission of conquest and found my wife not home, so I came to pick you up."

Leana turned her eyes. He did not dare to look directly at Forde's eyes.

"Is that so…?"

"Yes." Yeah."

She failed in trying to dilute the atmosphere once she heard the answer from her husband. He immediately felt guilty as if he had done the wrong thing and had been caught by it.

She clasped her sleeping dress tightly.

Leana began to feel awkward about the topic of their conversation that she could not find.

In the silence of the room, Forde's voice was heard again.

"My wife, Leana…"

Leana turned her eyes back to Forde.

"Isn't there anything important you have to say to me?"

GLEGAR

Simultaneously with the end of those words, a lightning bolt struck from behind the window behind Forde.

The resulting light causes Leana's body to freeze.

An old incident seethed in his head as he looked at the scene before him.

His brain they re-occurred the day they divorced.

A calm look without emotion. His cold words were like chains under the rain.

Even though he knew it was just a memory, that day was a day that could not be forgotten.

He did not even realize that he himself was afraid of the day of the storm.

Leana again tried to open her mouth but for the umpteenth time, lightning struck.

"Yeah!!"

Leana tries to escape to the back but she does not realize that she is already on the side of the mattress. When he regained consciousness, his body had already fallen backwards.

He closed his eyes to welcome the impending blow but what he felt was something that pulled his body forward until he fell into something that enveloped his body.

She slowly opened her eyes and realized that her body was in her arms.

His body froze again. His hands floated in the air without being able to tell what to touch. The pain in his body was not felt.

After successfully calming down, Leana confirmed the position facing her husband. He did not dare to look at Forde's face.

"Leanna…"

As Leana gasped at his words, Forde's eyes were increasingly radiating pain.

He wanted to see his wife's face no matter what. Even though that face showed fear to him.

Forde grabbed Leana's earrings and stroked her. The other hand clasped Leana's hand as if warming her up.

"Leana, I've heard everything from Adde."

Forde can feel the vibrations in Leana's hands.

"It looks like you're secretly building up strength and helping me out huh…"

He stroked Leana's hand with his thumb.

"And it seems you have a plan big enough to endanger yourself…"

Forde tightened his grip as his wife's hand grew colder. In his heart he kept hoping that the warmth in his body could be given to him.

Seconds by second passed, Leana still did not open her mouth.

His heart was getting sicker looking at his wife's figure like this.

"Am I the one you can't trust?"

"Ti.. Dak!"

Aah, how happy he was when Forde finally met the purple ravine in his dream.

No one would understand how happy he could be even if he only looked at him for a moment.

When Leana looked down again, she touched her cheek and stroked it gently.

"Leana, I want to be a part of your power."

Weak and gentle words came out of Forde's mouth.

"I want to help you."

The longer, the more dense the sound became so that Leana could not stop to listen to him.

"I won't force you, but…"

Leana became a little worried as Forde took her breath in quickly, sounding like pain.

He wanted to check his situation, but he was too afraid to face it.

"Leanna."

The thumb stroking his cheek was so comfortable that he gradually lost his fear and anxiety.

"I want to hear everything from your mouth, Leana."

She knew that Forde was persuading her, but she could not stop thinking that her husband was cheating.

When she finally made up her mind to tell her husband, her body trembled so much that she could not hide.

But he did not want to hide any longer and he faced Forde with a straight look into his eyes.

With a trembling Leana opened her voice.

"I'll tell you."

***

Leana sighed as she finished telling the story. With a fearful expression he again lowered his head.

Now what's going to happen to him? Forde knows everything.

In fact, he told her about his second life as Riana, which he did not tell anyone.

The continued silence added to the sense of despair within him, he even really thought of ending it all. Take off whatever he is holding.

His heart ached at the thought of how Forde might have left him.

No. gabe. He had no right to ask Forde to stay. As he was the first to betray him.

"Leana, look at me."

Forde's hand guided her face to him but Leana put up a little resistance.

Doubtfully, their eyes met again and how hurt it was to see Forde's very clear expression before him.

He looks sick like the one who has been betrayed. Leana was finally unable to hold back her expression.

"Leanna…"

His fingers were still stroking Leana's cheeks like precious items. While Leana herself was increasingly afraid of the words to be thrown.

But what happened next was not in accordance with his expectations.

"Do you hate me?"

Leana widened her eyes. He immediately shook his head without being able to say a word.

His open mouth could not get out the words he wanted to say.

"Then... Do you like me?"

This time Leana was stunned.

Seeing how Forde's expression had improved slightly, his feelings grew weaker and melted.

"I'm…"

What would you like to tell Forde? How does he feel about himself?

He has to tell her.

"I was. At first I just wanted to atone for my sins. There are too many things I have hurt even though I have done nothing. From the beginning, silence was a mistake. Besides, I also want to repay Grandall for providing me with a place."

Leana took a breath.

"I think at least, even though our relationship isn't based on love, as long as we respect each other."

Leana remembered herself at the beginning of her third life. He was so funny at the time that he wanted to laugh. But a smile was too difficult to put on his face.

"I think, by helping you, pulling you out of that bad fate, I can finally return the favor to you."

With tears that wanted to spill from his eyes, he made a pitiful smile.

"But as time went on, I became anxious. All this time nothing really went my way. When things go right, I can't stop being paranoid."

Ahh, Leana was unable to hold back her feelings any longer. He wants to spill it.

"That's why even though I've gathered as many troops as I can to help you, my mind cannot calm down…"

His sight began to blur from tears. One by one they fell from their eyes.

"I want to save you. I want to make you live quietly and happily."

Leana used her hands to close her eyes. But her tears continued to flow nonstop.

"I think as long as you're okay, I'm not next to you nor is it a problem. Because I don't have a right to it…"

His voice began to sound clearly. Leana felt ashamed from crying like a child.

"I have betrayed you. I have failed you. I hurt your feelings…"

Slowly Leana raised her head.

"Although so.. I…"

With her teary eyes, tears drenching her cheeks, that chaotic expression, she faced towards Forde.

"Forde. I love you."

As tears descended from her petals, her gaze slowly became clear and Leana widened her eyes, stunned by the sight before her.

A tear came down from Forde's eyes that opened as wide as he was.

For a moment, Leana almost mistakenly saw that those tears were crystals made by her jade eyes.

A moment later, wrinkles formed between her husband's eyes.

Forde who was unable to contain her feelings immediately pulled Leana in his embrace. Capturing his head and body, hugging him tightly as if he had obtained something very precious.

Leana could hear a small sobbing from above her head.

"Well, Leana, my wife. Long before you can realize it."

Those sweet and sincere words shook Leana's heart, making her tears even lower.

"I always thought that you were forced to marry me. So I promise in me to fulfill your wish so that you can be happy."

Leana grabbed Forde's back and returned her embrace. She buried her head in her husband's chest, hearing his heartbeat.

"But hearing from your story, it seems like the actions I took didn't make you happy at all. I'm sorry, Leana. Really, I'm sorry."

Leana shook her head slowly. Forde smiled with the reply from his wife.

"Leana, if it wasn't for you moving first, maybe I'd have repeated the same mistake."

He brought his nose closer to Leana's head and kissed her slowly.

"And I'm so glad you chose me to live your life right now."

Forde took off her embrace from Leana and wiped away the tears on her sweet cheeks.

"That's why Leana…"

With the best smile she has made in her entire life, she makes vows and promises that no one can break.

"Because you have chosen me, I will never let you go again. Those of you who have chosen to be next to me should be responsible for that choice for the rest of your life, Leana."

Behind those pretty creepy words, Leana can only catch how funny her husband is.

She laughed and grabbed her husband by the neck, bringing the two closer until the distance between them disappeared.

"Yes. I promise to take responsibility for you, my husband."

Their lips met and the kiss they shared at the time was the sweetest of their lives.