Even If I'm Reborn as a Cute Dragon Girl, I Will Still Make a Harem-Chapter 74Book 6: : Sorry

The darkness faded as though nothing had happened, and light returned to the world once again.

But for those powerful enough to witness it, it had been nothing short of a nightmare.

That sudden darkness—unfathomable, indescribable, unrecordable—had swallowed the world with arrogant ease. It was as if some bored higher being had simply placed a pitch-black cover over a colony of ants, and no matter how frantically the ants scurried or tried to comprehend it, they could never hope to understand a creation so far beyond them.

Fortunately, the darkness had faded quickly. Had it lingered, it might well have been proclaimed the death knell of the apocalypse by both the Luminous Theocracy and the Shadow Theocracy.

The brief blackout caused no disasters beyond an unusual spike in stubbed toes and bruised foreheads at street healers.

And so, the world carried on.

Life continued on as usual.

Lilith sat alone on a black crystal pedestal she casually created above the ocean. She hugged her knees and rested her chin on them as she quietly watched the setting sun.

The world itself seemed to pause, slipping into slumber beneath her tranquil gaze.

Her beauty, even in silence, was overwhelming.

“Lilith!”

An anxious cry shattered the calm just as the first starlight pierced the horizon.

Ciel stepped out of the void and swept the girl into his arms, as if clutching something precious she feared to lose.

“Are you alright? I was so worried…”

“Ciel…” Beneath Lilith’s long lashes, a flicker of doubt passed through her azure eyes. “Aren’t you afraid of me?”

“What are you talking about? How could I ever be afraid of you?”

Ciel Hesse held her tighter, as though terrified she might disappear again.

“But… that time…”

Lilith felt the faint tremble in her embrace, followed by muffled sobs.

“I’m sorry, Lilith… I’m so sorry. I didn’t want to fear you back then, but my body… I’m sorry, Lilith…”

Lilith gently stroked her head, whispering softly, “You don’t have to apologize. If anything, I’m the one who should apologize.”

“No, Lilith, you’re innocent. You didn’t know—”

“The ignorant isn’t guilty… that’s just a lie we tell children, no?” She cut Ciel off gently, sliding an arm around her shoulders and gazing at her—at the girl who still carried so much self-loathing despite having done nothing wrong.

Unable to help herself, she reached up and wiped away her tears.

“I’m sorry for forgetting so much…

For failing to remember anything…

For failing you…

For letting you suffer so deeply…

For trapping you in my cycle of reincarnation…

For not being able to give you the answers you wanted until now.

I’m really sorry.”

“Lilith, you…”

Sensing something, Ciel struggled fiercely. A flash of black light crossed Lilith’s eyes and suddenly, Ciel’s overwhelming divine power froze, locked in place and unusable.

“So… from here on, forget about me. Live your own life,” Lilith said solemnly.

“No!” Ciel’s eyes reddened as she shouted, voice cracking. “From the moment you saved me, my life has been yours, Lilith! You don’t get to decide for me!”

Lilith gave her a helpless smile. “And that makes me look shameless.”

“As scummy as it sounds… there are other girls I’ve met. They’re all good girls. I think you should be able to find them easily enough if you investigate.”

Lilith paused, a faint scarlet blush rising to her cheeks. “So… could you tell them that too for me? I’d really appreciate it.”

“No! Absolutely not! Tell them that yourself, you b̲a̲s̲t̲a̲r̲d̲!” Ciel gritted her teeth, her calm, practiced demeanor shattered in an instant.

She bared her teeth at Lilith like a furious, cornered animal.

“Coward! Scum! How could you say something like that, after what they’ve done for you and what I’ve done for you!”

“Do you have no conscience, Lilith? Even a stone would have melted by now, but your heart’s harder than stone! They don’t deserve someone like you… I shouldn’t have even—”

Lilith stood there, silent. She had no words to fight back with, no reassurance to offer. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Ciel continued berating her. She vented every bit of rage and grief she had carried, until the stars blanketed the sky and the world sank into darkness.

A cold sea breeze swept past, tossing Lilith’s blonde hair and hiding the sadness in her eyes.

Ciel Hesse’s anger slowly faded, and her voice softened into desperate pleas.

“Lilith… please…”

“I’m sorry,” Lilith said softly, lowering her gaze. “I truly am. But this is what’s best for all of you. I can’t drag you into something I have to face alone anymore.”

“I told you… you don’t get to…”

“You’re right. I don’t.”

But Lilith knew what she was facing, or about to face, was like a torrential river, its depths hiding vast, unseen shadows.

To call oneself the enemy of the entire world sounded cool. In her previous life, back when she still suffered from her eighth-grader syndrome, she had said things like that countless times.

But standing here now, truly opposed to the great will of the world, she felt nothing but powerlessness and insignificance.

Even as the Dragon Eater, a name feared across the Great World, her strength brought nothing but destruction and hatred. Time had already proven that she could protect no one.

Lilith smiled faintly as she said, “Consider this… another one of my selfish whims.”

Then, ignoring Ciel’s horrified expression, she raised her hand and gently stroke her forehead.

“Lilith… you…”

Ciel’s body slumped as she fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.

Lilith looked at her quietly for a moment, then planted a soft kiss on her forehead.

“I’m sorry. I really am as selfish and cowardly as ever.”

Initially, Lilith had planned to use the power of the Dragon Eater to erase their memories directly. It would have been foolproof.

But in the end, she couldn’t bring herself to do it… because being forgotten by someone important was far more painful than forgetting someone important.

She could hardly imagine how many people like Ciel had endured that pain in the long, endless cycle that was her life.

“And yet… I’m too much of a coward to endure that same pain myself. Lilith, you’re such a despicable person.”

She smiled bitterly to herself.

Before the first rays of dawn appeared, she held Ciel in her arms and took a single step.

It crossed endless space and brought them to a beautifully decorated bedroom.

Princess Luna, who had just risen from bed, looked at the girl who had suddenly appeared and gasped.

“Master Lilith? Why are you here…? And where have you been all this time? You left without even a word!”

“Something came up.” Lilith shook her head, wearing a faint, bitter smile. She said nothing more as she laid Ciel onto the bed.

“I leave your ancestor to you.”

Sensing something deeply wrong, Luna’s eyes filled with unease. “What about you then? Where are you going?”

“Me?”

Lilith paused, then gave Luna an apologetic smile before turning away. Black flames engulfed her as she vanished, her voice echoing in the air.

“I’m going… to the truth.”