The Spirit Said, 'You're Unworthy as My Master, Cancel the Contract!' So I’ll Give It to My Sister Who Wants It - Episode 1.27

(I feel like I’m being stared at… intensely…)

This was the grand library of the academy. Since Mistia and Skia had connected their hearts, there hadn’t been any particular developments, and their days passed as usual. Mistia sat in a chair, reading a book on magic, while Skia quietly watched over her. A peaceful time flowed by.

“Love, you see, resides in the gaze.”

Suddenly, Mistia recalled a familiar voice.

One night, long ago, her mother had been reading her a love story. When the story ended, Mistia had tugged at her mother’s dress, wanting to hear it again. Her mother, for some reason, had gently stroked her hair and said:

“When you fall in love, you naturally find yourself looking at that person. And before you know it, even when they’re not there, you’ll be watching them in your heart. Love, you see, resides in the gaze. One day, Mistia, you will meet someone like that too.”

Hmm, is that so?

Mistia hadn’t quite understood at the time. After all, if you kept looking at someone, you wouldn’t be able to properly read your book, and if you walked around lost in thought, you’d probably trip. Young Mistia had thought love sounded rather inconvenient.

But now that she thought about it, her mother and father often gazed at each other.

If love was something warm like that, maybe it wasn’t so bad after all.

Not something fierce like a summer storm, just something gentle.

As Mistia reminisced about the past, she softly closed the book in her hands. Truthfully, she hadn’t been able to focus on it at all—her mind kept drifting to Skia. She looked up and turned her gaze toward him.

—Their eyes met.

Skia’s gentle gaze softened, and Mistia’s heart skipped a beat.

(Had he… been looking at me this whole time…?)

“Are you done for today?”

“Y-yes!”

She stammered. Flustered, her face turned red, and Skia furrowed his brows in concern.

“You seem off. Are you feeling unwell? If so, I can use light magic—”

“No, I am perfectly healthy. Please don’t worry.”

“…I see. If you say so.”

A brief silence fell between them. Then, Skia stepped closer. The soft sunlight filtering through the frosted glass cast a glow on his sculpted features.

His long eyelashes shimmered golden in the light. His fair skin was smooth, without a single blemish. His face was symmetrical, every feature perfectly placed. He was breathtakingly beautiful.

(I can’t believe someone this stunning love me…)

“May I… touch you?”

His voice held a hint of nervousness, as well as a touch of hesitation. This beautiful man—her beloved—truly loved her. Mistia couldn’t find her voice, so she simply nodded.
Skia’s face lit up, blooming like a flower.

(So unfair… He’s beautiful, but also adorable…)

The gauntlets he usually wore vanished into golden particles.

His long fingers slowly reached out and touched Mistia’s cheek.

“This feels like a dream.”

He murmured; his cheeks lightly flushed. Mistia’s heart pounded loudly. Overcome with emotion, she unconsciously leaned into his palm.

Skia froze.

“…You’re unfair. Ah, this is too much. I might lose control.”

He pressed a third kiss upon her lips.

“To be able to touch you, to be gazed at by you, to be granted your love… How could I be this happy?”

His eyes, like molten sugar, overflowed with sweetness. Mistia averted her gaze, unable to handle his words. She felt the same way, but she could never say it out loud.

(My heart won’t survive this…)

Mistia was utterly frozen, yet internally, she was panicking. Skia suddenly chuckled. Mistia blinked at him in confusion.

“Your thoughts are starting to show on your face more.”

“Eh…? You could tell?”

Embarrassed, she covered her cheeks with her hands. Her reaction, so innocent and childlike, struck Skia’s heart once again.

(If I tell her she’s cute, she’ll probably just get even more flustered…)

Not wanting to trouble her, he swallowed his words. To him, Mistia was peace itself—a being completely untouched by the ugliness of the battlefield he had once known.

(I want to protect you forever. No matter what happens.)

He would never allow Mistia to be hurt. He could never let her be dragged into the cruel world he had once belonged to. That thought consumed him.

But if he continued to exist in this form, the truth would eventually come to light. It was only a matter of time before people discovered he was the Great Spirit of Light. Still, he wanted to cherish this peaceful time for just a little longer. A bittersweet feeling spread through his heart.

(How long… can I hold onto this happiness with you?)