Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the grand halls of Duke’s mansion. Caelus returned home, weary from a day of affairs in the palace, he went straight to the mansion to see Hestia and discuss what had happened in the palace. To his dismay, the warmth he anticipated was replaced by an eerie silence, and the realization struck him like a bitter wind – Hestia was nowhere to be found.

"Hess?"

Caelus's voice resonated through the empty corridors, but only silence answered his call. He felt weird since Hestia always informs him whenever she leaves and even informs him about all small and irrelevant things. Then he went to ask the people in the mansion.

“Where is Hess?”

Uros found himself stuttering at the question thrown by his lord.

“M-My lord…”

“What?”

He asks but now, he felt even more unsettling at how his butler behaved and how he stutters his mouth when he was asking a question.

“Earlier after you head to the palace, madam told me that you have forgotten the document and went out to follow you to the Lion palace, then the madam never came back until now…”

“…”

“We already sent people to find her, my lord. Perhaps, madam went out to see Countess Erinnis”

Even the butler was unsure with his thoughts.

Panic ran through him and without a moment's hesitation, he made his way to the palace to seek the help of the Crown Prince, Helios.

“Cael?!”

Startled, Helios greeted Cael.

“Cael, what brings you here?”

A stern expression masked Caelus's worry as he informed Helios about Hestia's sudden disappearance. Surprisingly, Helios, typically indifferent, agreed to aid Caelus in the search for their missing companion.

Together, they go across the city streets, leaving no stone unturned in their quest to find Hestia. The desperation in Caelus's eyes mirrored the concern etched on Helios's face as they tirelessly pursued any clue that might lead them to her.

Word of Hestia's disappearance reached the ears of Diana, the Crown Princess, who couldn't conceal the sly smile that played on her lips. Inwardly, she hoped for Hestia never to return, perceiving her absence as an opportunity to eliminate a perceived threat.

As she stood by the window, her thoughts betrayed the sweetness of her smile.

“Finally, Hestia is out of the picture. Maybe this will pave the way for my undisturbed union with Caelus.”

“It’s her fault from the very start, if she’s not here, my old life will come back.”

Her eyes glittered with a mix of satisfaction and anticipation, oblivious to the storm that brewed outside the palace walls.

Diana's jealousy intensified as she imagined Caelus and Helios working together to find Hestia. She gritted her teeth, and an unspoken rage simmered beneath the surface as she pondered the bond between the two men and the missing woman.

Back at the mansion, the loyal butler Uros and head maid Clarice observed Caelus's growing exhaustion with mounting concern. Approaching him, they exchanged worried glances before gently urging him to rest.

"Master Caelus, you need to rest," Clarice insisted a gentle reminder to her lord not to exhaust himself, while Uros nodded in agreement. "Madam would not want to see you fall ill. You must take care of yourself to find her."

Initially resistant, Caelus relented under their persistent persuasion and lay down to rest. As he closed his eyes, a fitful slumber engulfed him, and he found himself in a dream that held the key to Hestia's mysterious disappearance.

In this dream, Caelus witnessed fragments of Hestia's life before her possession, glimpses of her life, and her initial experiences within the novel's narrative. The scenes unfolded like chapters of a story, unraveling the mystery of Hestia's existence.

“Wh-What is this?”

He seems confused about what is going on but who won’t? Seeing towering skyscrapers stretched towards the heavens, their sleek glass facades reflecting the vibrant bustle of modern city life. The streets teemed with a carriage-like but without a horse, their metallic gleam a stark contrast to the ancient cobblestones of Rofan world.

Then,

“Hess?”

He was transported to a small space similar to their bedroom and there he saw a lady looking like the person he really wanted to find.

“Hess.”

He once again called for her name but neither turn nor voice he had received. He observes the surroundings of the said lady, and he saw a miniature looking at him on the bed, but it was a pillow. Then,

‘Oh my dear favorite, I really wished for your happiness’

Cael turned to the origin of the voice and found Hess talking to herself while holding a strange device that seemed to defy the bounds of his understanding. The object was small and sleek, with a smooth surface that gleamed under the dim light of the torches.

Upon awakening, Caelus's determination surged. He called upon the mansion guards, declaring, "I may know where to find Hess. Follow me."

As Caelus led the way, guards in tow, his eyes reflected a mix of worry and newfound determination. The search for Hestia took an unexpected turn as Caelus's dream provided fresh insights into the mystery surrounding her disappearance.

Within the mansion walls, as Caelus lay resting, his mind wandered through a maze of thoughts and worries.

"Hess, where are you?"

He whispered to the empty room, his fingers absently tracing the edge of the bed.

"I can't bear the thought of losing you."

Uros and Clarice exchanged glances outside Caelus's door, their concern deepening as they overheard his murmurs. Clarice gently said, "He's truly devoted to the madam, isn't he, Uros?" Uros nodded in agreement.

Meanwhile, in the dream world that intertwined with Caelus's restless sleep, he found himself on a precipice, gazing into the unknown. Hestia's image flickered, merging with the scenes of her past. "Hess," he called out, his voice echoing through the dream realm. "I need to find you, bring you back to where you belong."

The dream faded, leaving Caelus with a sense of purpose. As he led the guards through the city streets, he couldn't shake the feeling that Hestia's true self held the answers to her disappearance. The night unfolded, filled with whispered conversations, worried glances, and the relentless pursuit of a missing soul.

Chapter Text

Cael left the mansion in haste, his heart pounding with a mix of fear and determination. The path to the cabin where he had met his demise in his previous life seemed both familiar and haunting. As he arrived, the memories of that fateful day flooded back, but he pushed them aside, focused on the urgency of the present.

Upon entering the cabin, Cael's eyes darted to the bed, where Hestia lay unconscious. Panic surged within him, and he rushed to her side, calling her name. "Hess!?" His voice trembled with a mixture of relief and worry, but Hestia remained unresponsive.

Fear gnawed at Cael's heart as he urgently called for a doctor. When the physician arrived and examined Hestia, Cael waited anxiously for the verdict. The doctor's words finally came, "My Lord, the duchess is fine. She was just having a fever and needed rest."

Cael's shoulders sagged with a mixture of relief and concern. Scooping Hestia gently in his arms, he headed for the waiting carriage. "Let's go back. Hess, just hang in there. I'll take you ‘home’," he murmured, his inner thoughts echoing with worry and a newfound determination to keep her safe.

As the carriage made its way back to the mansion, Cael held Hestia close, whispering reassurances and promises that she may not hear but were meant to soothe his own fears.

When Hestia finally woke up, her eyes fluttered open to a familiar ceiling. Confusion crossed her face as she turned to see Caelus at her side. "C-Cael?! H-How?" she stammered, her voice filled with disbelief.

Caelus couldn't contain his emotions any longer. He hugged her tightly, his voice choked with unspoken words. "Why? Why leave me?" he asked, the pain evident in his voice. "Please don't leave me, Hess, please." Tears welled up in his eyes as he held her, refusing to let go.

The days passed, and Cael remained devoted to Hestia's side. The mansion buzzed with activity as servants prepared a room for them to share, fulfilling Cael's silent order to have them stay together. Hestia, still weakened from her bout of fever, found herself conflicted by the sudden changes.

"But..." she started to protest, uncertain of the implications of sharing a room with Caelus.

"Please," Caelus interrupted softly, his eyes reflecting a vulnerability rarely seen. "I can't bear the thought of losing you again, Hess. Please stay with me."

Hestia met his gaze, seeing a depth of emotion she hadn't fully realized before. She relented, realizing that Caelus was driven not just by possessiveness, but by a genuine fear of losing her.

As they settled into the shared space, Caelus continued to hover over Hestia, his concern evident in every gesture. "You won't leave my sight," he vowed, his hand gently caressing her cheek. "I won't allow it."

Hestia, caught between the warmth of his affection and the mysteries of her past life, felt a mixture of gratitude and confusion. "Cael, I... I don't understand everything, but I want to be with you," she admitted, her eyes reflecting sincerity.

Caelus smiled, a rare and genuine expression that softened his features. "That's all I need to hear, Hess."

Days turned into nights, and Cael's protective nature intensified. He found comfort in simply being near Hestia, convinced that her presence alone could ward off the haunting memories of his past life.

One evening, Caelus decided to take a moment away from the mansion. He wandered the expansive gardens, his mind wrestling with the ghosts of the past. "Hess, I can't let anything harm you. Not again," he whispered to the wind, as if sharing his innermost thoughts with the universe.

In the quiet of the garden, Caelus's thoughts echoed with the painful memories of his previous life. "I died once, and it changed everything," he mused, a haunted expression on his face. "I won't let history repeat itself. Not when I have a chance to rewrite our story."

Meanwhile, Hestia, left alone in their shared room, traced the patterns on the luxurious bedspread. Her thoughts swirled with a mix of confusion and gratitude. "Cael cares for me so deeply. But what happened before? What is the truth behind this novel and my existence here?"

The next day, Helios arrived as Hyperion, bringing with him the weight of unspoken tensions. Caelus, mindful of Hestia's emotional state, approached Helios cautiously. "Heli, we need some time away. I've decided to take a break from state affairs and go to Attica with Hess."

Helios, perceptive as ever, observed the determination in Caelus's eyes. "I understand, Cael. Take the time you both need. I'll handle things here."

As Caelus prepared for their journey to Attica, his mind raced with thoughts of protecting Hestia from the shadows of their intertwined pasts. "I won't let anyone or anything jeopardize our newfound chance at happiness," he vowed, his eyes reflecting a steely resolve. Together, they embarked on a journey, leaving behind the mansion and the echoes of their pasts, ready to confront the uncertainties of the future.