Snow fell all night.
The world outside their window had turned a dazzling white.
The fireplace in the bedroom burned all night, but Riv felt no warmth.
“Ah.”
As her body disappeared, her sense of touch also disappeared.
‘It’s sad.’
Riv looked down at the sleeping Lionel next to her.
The man who had tormented her all night fell into a deep sleep and had not woken up.
He would wake up a little later since she cast some sleeping magic on him at dawn.
“Sleep a little longer.”
Riv returned to the Duchess’ room through the connecting door.
Without calling in her maids, Riv washed herself and trimmed her hair.
Then she put on a mourning dress that she had prepared beforehand.
‘I knew this would happen so I made this dress.’
Still, she never expected she would have to wear the black dress she made in Mont Del.
Wearing the high collared, long sleeved black dress, Riv found peace of mind.
She looked down at her hands.
She could see them becoming transparent in the early dawn light.
Unlike the white snow that was piling up outside the window, her hands were melting away.
‘This…’
Both of her hands had completely disappeared, and the invisibility was progressing to her wrists.
As the transparency gradually spread, her arms would soon disappear.
And as soon as her arms were gone, her whole body would be devoured.
‘Time’s up.’
She had prepared for her imminent end, but she couldn’t put it off any longer.
She put on makeup and carefully selected a pair of black silk gloves.
Putting gloves on her hands wasn’t as easy as it used to be, as they were already transparent.
‘It’s okay because I won’t feel anything after they’re gone.’
Riv decided not to think about what would happen after she disappeared.
She went downstairs after she finished dressing up. Claudel and the other maids who saw her widened their eyes.
“Ma-Madame, what are you wearing?”
“Please bear with it today, Claudel.”
The maids’ expressions were more serious these days because Riv’s behavior was strange.
The same was true for Claudel.
“Master hates mourning.”
“Because of his parents?”
“That’s right. They died a few years ago.”
“Just bear with it for today, Claudel.”
Riv also disliked mourning clothes, but she had no choice but to do so today.
She had never wanted to wear something like this in her life.
But today was her last day.
Mourning had begun.
The employees of the Sentoren household moved efficiently so the Duke and Duchess could eat as soon as possible.
The Ducal couple shared a bedroom last night, and were scheduled to have breakfast together.
It was no different than usual.
However, the atmosphere today was subtly different.
Seeing the Duchess coming down from her bedroom, the old butler tilted his head.
“Madame Riv?”
The Duchess wore a black shawl over her black velvet dress.
Her hair was neatly pinned up and she was wearing more makeup than usual, but her face looked deathly pale.
“Madame, are you okay?”
“Where’s Lionel?”
“The Duke is waiting in the dining hall.”
Nodding her head, Riv entered the dining room.
The maids were shocked by the black dress she was wearing, but tried very hard not to show it.
Lionel was sitting at the head of the table when he spotted Riv.
He frowned at her black, high-necked dress.
“Why are you wearing mourning clothes today?”
“…”
“Do you want to be called Madame Katana again?”
“It’s not like that.”
Just like Madame Katana, a symbol of misfortune, Riv was wearing a black dress as she did before.
The only difference was that she wore a huge old dress at that time, but now, Riv’s slender and curvy body was emphasized.
She took off her black shawl and laid it over the back of her chair.
Lionel frowned more as he carefully examined the clothes Riv was wearing.
“I hate mourning. Change your clothes and come back.”
“Now is not the time to change.”
Riv ignored Lionel’s words and sat next to him like a doll.
Lionel sighed and gestured.
“Then I’ll let it slide today.”
The servants served their food. Riv ate a light salad and bread as usual.
Lionel cut his meat.
Except for the sound of utensils and plates clinking, the dining room was very quiet.
The usual sweet atmosphere was nowhere to be found.
The servants cautiously exited the dining hall.
Riv stared at Lionel as she ate her meal.
Lionel opened his mouth.
“Wife, if you have something to say, say it.”
Riv put down her fork and asked him.
“Lionel, can you tell me you love me?”
“What?”
In response to her sudden question, Lionel swept back his long platinum blonde hair.
The scar on his face looked more vivid due to his embarrassment.
“Why are you asking such a question, Riv?”
“I was just curious.”
He frowned.
“I like my wife.”
“But it’s not love?”
“Should I answer that now?”
“Yes.”
Riv nodded her head.
In fact, his answer was enough.
Even if Lionel loved Riv, he wasn’t the type to confess it easily.
Lionel’s sharp eyes bore into her.
“Riv, did you change your mind? Why are you wearing such drab clothes and suddenly talking about love?”
“…”
“Do you really want a divorce?”
Riv stared at her plate, unsure of what to say.
Her food had barely been touched.
Lionel sighed.
“Riv, if you’re not feeling well, take a break. If you have any plans, cancel them. Since it’s cold, you must not be feeling well.”
“I’m not sick. It’s not even cold.”
Saddened by his kindness, Riv replied helplessly.
Lionel also seemed upset.
“When I see you in such a terrible dress, I can only think you’ve had a change of heart. Don’t be stubborn.”
“I am not stubborn.”
Riv grabbed the hem of her dress. She was nervous.
There was little time left.
She didn’t know where to start or how to explain it.
“…Even if you don’t love me, you’re too good for me.”
He was a perfect man with a great bloodline, reliable build, handsome appearance, and an excellent brain.
“I am so glad I got to have you as my husband.”
Lionel clenched his jaw and furrowed his brow.
He scanned her face.
“Why are you acting like a nun after you attacked me like crazy last night? What the hell are those clothes?”
Although it was a modest dress with nothing exposed, Lionel was goggling her voluptuous breasts.
His eyes were sweeping her body with desire.
He wanted to push away the dishes and lay her over her table.
“When I think about it, last night was not enough. I’d better imprint it in you that you can have me anytime.”
Riv laughed at Lionel’s seductive voice.
She’d be lying if she said she wasn’t ar*used by him.
Lionel liked her body.
Riv also liked her relationship with him.
To be exact, she had been thoroughly tamed by him. He was her first and last man. Her passionate lover.
When their bodies were connected, their desire was hotter and more intense than lava.
But that was just until today.
“Lionel.”
Riv, who was about to call his name, realized that her throat was being choked.
Alas, the time for her to die was drawing near.
She couldn’t keep their conversation going for long.
She only had a few minutes left to face him.
Then she would no longer be able to maintain her form.
Riv spoke quickly.
“Lionel, it doesn’t matter much to you, but there’s something I didn’t tell you. I have strange powers, and I can see the future.”
“Oh. You must be having coincidental dreams.”
Riv shook her head.
“Lionel, I am a witch.”
“What?”
“In my previous life, Riv Katana died. I turned back time and changed my destiny to survive. Then, I got married to you.”
A look of bewilderment crossed Lionel’s face.
However, Riv didn’t lie.
In her original life, she didn’t marry Lionel.
She reversed time and changed her fate to escape death.
A life in which the magic ring of the Sentoren family was involved in changing Lionel’s fate.
So Riv became the wife of Lionel, but all of it was a lie.
A fake destiny. A fake life.
Riv felt so sorry for Lionel.
Their time together was an illusion.
When she disappeared, everything that existed alongside her would disappear, and no one would remember her.
“Lionel, I shouldn’t be here.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
On one hand, Riv felt sad, but on the other, she felt fortunate that when she disappeared, he would not remember her.
She didn’t want him to remember her miserable appearance, or her last words.
“Originally, at this time today, I died. So there’s no point in holding on any longer.”
“You’re too serious to be joking.”
Riv smiled at him bitterly.
“I love you, Lionel.”
It was a confession that she had held back. Selfish words that she could only say now.
Despite Riv’s confession, Lionel didn’t blink and just tapped the table with finger.
“I know you love me.”
“That’s good then.”
Riv laughed at Lionel’s answer.
Lionel’s face began to look blurry.
She was crying.
“Why are you crying?”
“I d-don’t have time to explain. R-Remember when I said I was a witch?”
Riv was crying so much that she couldn’t even see his face.
Riv’s words grew faster and faster.
“Did I mention that I turned back time? It takes a lot of magic to keep this reality alive. But my power is not infinite.”
Magic had its limits.
People died. Magic would run out someday.
Even the witches who used mystical powers did not live forever.
This was the end of Riv’s life.
***