Saving You, Villain - Chapter 104 (End of Main Story)

Camian couldn’t stand by and watch Liv remain blind. He would even be willing to give up his own eyes if it meant restoring her ability to see color. However, her blindness, caused by the excessive magic he had poured into summoning the soul’s bond, was beyond the help of human medicine. Even the divine power of the temple couldn’t dispel Camian’s magic.

The only person who could possibly provide a way to heal Liv’s eyes was his father, Liner, who had dedicated nearly a thousand years to researching magical plants.

Liner, sensing the murderous aura from his son that made his spine tingle, nevertheless stood tall.

“Kneel before me right now and bow your head. Then I’ll tell you how to remove the veil over your master’s eyes.”

Camian didn’t hesitate. He immediately knelt and bowed his head before Liner. Liner was both astonished and disgusted by Camian’s attitude. What was so special about this woman that he would go this far?

Clicking his tongue in mockery, Liner pulled a pouch from his robes and dangled it in front of Camian. Seeing the glint in Camian’s eyes, he quickly took a step back.

“This is a rare magical herb grown on the banks of the Nelpender River, the boundary between life and death, where everything returns to nothingness and begins again. Only two roots grow every thousand years. I spent centuries getting my hands on it…”

As Liner saw the heat in Camian’s red eyes slowly cool, he swallowed the rest of his bragging.

“…Impatient as ever, huh? Listen carefully. You must divide this root into exactly ten parts and feed them to your master at the coolest time of day. Only then will her sight return.”

“I understand. Now, give it to me.”

“Hold on. I said I’d tell you how to heal her, not that I’d give you the herb.”

“Then I’ll just kill you and take it.”

“Hah! Just like my son. Always so predictable. I expected this, so I’ve taken precautions. If anything happens to my body, this magical herb will instantly vanish.”

Camian’s anger was cold and still. Without any outward sign of agitation, he stared at Liner with chilling calm.

“What do you want?”

“Good. I like that you’re quick to understand.”

Liner rubbed his chin as he looked Camian up and down, evaluating him.

“I want your power the most, but the heavens have already claimed it. If I can’t exploit you while you’re alive, then I’ll take your soul after your death.”

“Do as you please.”

At Camian’s willing response, Liner’s eyes widened in surprise. My son is truly insane. If Camian’s soul fell into Liner’s hands, Camian would never reincarnate. He would lose his sense of self and wander in eternal darkness. Meanwhile, Liner would gain power comparable to Camian’s.

“Tsk. What a miserable life you lead. First, you’re bound to a human who drains your magic and vitality, forced to serve the gods every day. And now, you’ll even give up your soul after death? Pathetic.”

Camian, born with unprecedented power, could have ruled the demon realm and the entire mortal world. Yet here he was, no better than a slave.

But Liner felt no fatherly affection toward Camian. Watching his son self-destruct, he could only laugh mockingly inside. Before Camian could change his mind, Liner hurriedly drew up a blood contract.

Camian exchanged his soul for the pouch of herbs. Despite his grim fate, a bright smile graced his face, in stark contrast to his tragic circumstances.

There’s a problem. A problem so big, the old me would have laughed it off as a trivial concern, but now I’m at my wit’s end.

“Liv, didn’t you just have breakfast?”

“This is dessert.”

“For dessert, that seems like quite a lot.”

I rubbed my eyes with the back of my hand. As my blurry vision cleared, the towering stack of pancakes in front of me looked delicious. Maybe it is a bit too much? I rubbed my belly, then scratched my forehead. I stared at the pancakes seriously, unable to bring myself to dig in. That’s when Debra smacked Jax on the back without hesitation.

“Liv wants to eat. Why are you making her feel self-conscious?”

“No, I didn’t mean it like that…”

Jax spread his hands in protest, but under Debra’s sharp gaze, he quickly slumped and said, “I guess I shouldn’t have said anything. Eat as much as you want.”

Over the past year, my appetite had increased dramatically, as if making up for the two years I spent in a coma without proper meals. Debra and Jax must feel like they’ve brought a whole elephant into the house. Thanks to all the food, my body, once skin and bones, had filled out nicely, even starting to gleam with health.

…At this rate, I’m going to eat us out of house and home.

Sighing deeply, I cut into the pancakes. Thankfully, our village had been blessed with bountiful harvests year after year. As I pictured our overflowing grain storage, I reassured myself, It’s fine. For now.

I stuffed my mouth full of pancakes just as the door opened. Camian, returning from the goat farm, took off his coat and walked over to me. I saw the sweat glistening on his thick neck. I picked up a piece of pancake with my fork and held it up to his face. Though Camian didn’t look particularly eager, he took the bite without complaint.

He slowly sipped some water as he quietly watched me eat.

“You’re going to get indigestion if you keep staring.”

“It’s not me staring that’ll cause it, it’s you not chewing properly. Chew ten times before you swallow.”

I shoved my face close to his and exaggerated my chewing, making a show of moving my jaw. Camian pushed my forehead back with his large hand.

“Sit up straight when you eat.”

“Oh, look, the teacher’s here now.”

Camian gave a small smile as he gently touched the corner of my eye. Ever since I regained my sight thanks to the bitter, foul-smelling herb he brought, he hadn’t been able to leave my eyes alone. He would kiss my eyelids while I slept or, like now, delicately brush them with his hand at random moments. It was as if he was afraid they might disappear again. His touch was like someone who, after placing a precious item in their pocket, constantly checks to make sure it hasn’t been lost or stolen.

After finishing the mountain of pancakes, I slumped over the table, holding my full belly. Camian cleared the empty plates and then pulled me up as I lay limp.

“Stand up straight. Let’s go for a walk to help you digest.”

“You just got back from being out. I’ll go by myself.”

Now that I shared Camian’s abundant vitality, I no longer fainted here and there like before. A short walk around the neighborhood was nothing.

“Do you not like walking with me?” he asked, his long fingers weaving between mine, his face expressionless.

“What? Why would you say that?”

“Even if you don’t, I’m not letting go.”

“Who said anything about letting go? Don’t let go.”

Satisfied with my response, Camian smiled contentedly. We strolled leisurely through the village, bathed in the soft spring sunlight. There was no destination; we just walked wherever our feet or our gaze led. Even if we got lost, I wasn’t afraid. As long as I could feel the warmth of his hand in mine, I knew I’d be fine, even if we ended up in some desolate desert.

When I awoke after two years in a coma, Debra burst into tears, calling it a “miracle.” And she wasn’t wrong—it was a miracle. It was a miracle that I, who had faced death so many times, had been revived over and over. It was a miracle that I survived those two years. And it was a miracle that the soul’s bond was completed after two years. The miracles didn’t end there—what else could you call it when Camian just happened to find a herb that could restore my sight?

A white butterfly fluttered down and landed lightly on Camian’s nose.

“Maybe it thinks you’re a flower,” I joked. Camian scrunched his nose, and the butterfly flew off. I plucked a yellow rapeseed flower from the roadside, and when I stood on my tiptoes, Camian bent down for me, though he didn’t know why. I tucked the flower behind his ear.

“Now I’m not sure who the real flower is,” I said with a chuckle. Camian let out a bemused sigh but didn’t remove the flower.

Looking up at him, I smiled brightly. The affection in his eyes was impossible to hide.

“If I’m reborn, I want to come back as a butterfly, so I can love you all over again.”

“Instead of worrying about the future, just love me plenty now.”

After a long, difficult journey, we had finally found each other again, as family, as lovers, as each other’s whole world.

We had endured so much pain just to walk hand in hand, admiring the spring flowers. But looking back now, none of that suffering felt painful anymore. It was all just part of the process of finding you. And knowing that, I think I could endure it all again, over and over. Because it’s you.

Well… our personalities are like oil and water, so I’m sure we’ll have our share of fights. But no matter what harsh words you might say to me, I know I won’t be able to stop loving you. Of course, I’ll never tell you that.

Just breathing the same air as you, sitting together at the same table, fills me with indescribable joy. Every moment of living this ordinary life with you feels like a miracle. And now, my true miracle has only just begun.

END MAIN STORY