Caught off guard by the unexpected hug—but his warmth, his broad chest, felt so good I just leaned into it.
“I’ve already learned what true love is.”
I blinked in surprise.
I’d been nuzzling my cheek against his chest, but his words made me look up.
Our eyes met.
He was smiling down at me.
That wasn’t just for Gaspar—it was a gift to me.
“Bati…”
At that moment, nothing else mattered.
Gaspar’s whining, crying—it all faded into the background.
The only thing I could hear were Bati’s words.
“I’ve already learned what true love is.”
He said it for the me who had feared I wouldn’t be able to awaken the holy sword even while dating him.
For the me who worried whether I could ever be his one true love.
And now, he’d said it plainly: I was his true love.
What I’d given him was nothing like the fake affection Gaspar offered.
He’d drawn a line between them.
By saying this, he was declaring that with me around, Gaspar could never shake him again.
The miserable bond that had clung to him for ten long years after leaving the temple—
He told me that because of me, he could finally let go.
That kindness shook me to my core.
My heart pounded.
I trembled from the overwhelming emotion.
Joy bubbled up, heat rising through me, and my eyes stung.
I didn’t want to cry during such a happy moment, so I shut my eyes tight.
“If a Hero says this is true love… then it must be true love.”
“Yeah.”
“There’s nothing to worry about anymore.”
“I think so too.”
A gentle voice…
The tears I had tried so hard to hold back finally overflow.
A large hand gently wipes the tears streaming down my cheeks.
That kindness only makes me cry even more.
Because I can feel the love.
Bati loves me.
The Hero Batista loves me.
Truly, with a sincere heart, he cherishes me as a person.
Through this love, my sins have been redeemed—and the world, too, shall be saved.
Because of love.
Because I love Bati.
And because he, who once loved the world but not humanity, learned to love people.
Because now he’s able to receive the love others pour onto him.
That’s why there’s no need to doubt the ending of this story.
It will be, without a doubt, a happy ending.
The Holy Sword fell from the sky on the day the divine prophecy came.
In the dead of night, wrapped in holy golden lightning, it plummeted to the earth.
The deafening roar of thunder echoed across the land, shaking the ground.
No one in Swindlin could sleep through such a commotion.
The impact was powerful enough to shake the whole land of Swindlin, yet the area around the sword remained untouched.
The earth hadn’t cracked—not even a scratch.
The sword simply stood there, shining in sacred gold.
It was undeniably a divine sword, sent from the heavens.
Blinded by its radiant aura, adventurers rushed in, entranced, trying to touch it.
But the Holy Sword remained lofty and aloof.
No matter who laid a hand on it, it didn’t budge.
As if saying, “Not even worth considering.”
Until the one true owner appeared.
“It’s here.”
I remembered what today was.
So I hadn’t even tried to sleep.
I couldn’t. Half out of anticipation, half out of anxiety.
Even though I believe that Bati loves me, I still couldn’t feel at ease.
“True love”—what a vague phrase, right?
I can be sure Bati loves me, but whether or not that love is true love…
That, I can’t be confident in!
Even on days when I feel happy just being with Bati, there are fleeting moments when a chill passes through my chest.
But at least that ends today.
The Holy Sword that Bati will draw will decide whether this is true love or not.
I want to find out right away and put my mind at ease—but at the same time, I’m scared.
What if, after all this, it isn’t true love?
My steps grow heavier.
I stare blankly at the sword glowing with divine light.
It’s so bright… yet it might go dark in an instant.
“Raul?”
Bati, walking ahead, calls my name.
His expression is as unreadable as ever—calm and composed.
I’ve always admired that about him.
He doesn’t seem the least bit worried.
I don’t want to make him worry unnecessarily.
“It’s nothing.”
I shake my head and follow him.
But with each step I take, my chest tightens.
My heartbeat grows louder, mixing with my footsteps.
Soon I can’t even tell them apart.
Even though we came out as soon as we heard about the sword, the place is already swarming with small-time adventurers.
Did they want to try drawing it?
Or are they just here to watch?
The area buzzes with noise.
Then everyone’s gaze turns toward us.
No—toward Bati, to be precise.
“Is it finally the birth of a Hero?”
“Glad I turned down that request!”
The voices around us echo with lines I remember clearly.
I’d heard them before.
It had been a long time ago, but the light from that day had been so unforgettable that it remained vivid in my mind.
When Bati came to draw the sword before he returned in time—those were the murmurs from the crowd.
Even though this is a different day, a different hour, I hear the exact same words.
A strange unease settles in.
It feels like everything is going to play out exactly the same as before.
Of course, anyone could say something like that—it might not even be the same people.
But still…
I get anxious.
Ugh, I should’ve worn an artifact or two…
Then maybe I wouldn’t be trembling like this.
Bati takes my hand.
“Why the face? This isn’t anything to be so worried about.”
Urgh…
“Is it that obvious?”
“It is.”
Bati knows me too well.
Just like how he’s always expressionless, I usually keep a smiling face.
Most people can’t tell what I’m really thinking.
But Bati sees right through me, even with the same expression.
That’s probably… because he loves me.
Just like I’ve been watching him, he’s been watching me, storing every detail in his heart.
The unease inside me quietly drains away.
I feel a bit more grounded.
“It’s not that I don’t believe you love me—it’s just, this ‘true love’ thing feels so vague, you know?”
“No.”
While I’m trying to make excuses, Bati’s large hand brushes over my eyes.
The rough calluses make me close my eyes reflexively.
Then—softly—a kiss lands on my eyelid.
W-What?!
Right now?! In this situation?!
