Chapter 19 – Soulmates and Conflict
Frederick looked at Xavier in shock.
His expression turned from confusion to disbelief.
"Wait… what did you say…?"
"Xavier… who are you?"
Xavier didn't hesitate.
"You're blind."
"When Merin saw me…"
"He recognized me immediately."
Frederick froze.
"…Merin?"
Then realization hit him.
"Wait… Merin… you mean Igna?"
Ignes nodded calmly.
"Yes."
"That's my name."
He added quietly,
"But don't use it outside this temple."
"You might bring trouble to this world."
He paused.
"I can protect this place."
"But… I prefer peace."
The room fell silent.
Then Xavier spoke again—
Cold.
Direct.
"Then kill them all."
"Why let them live?"
"If you had killed them…"
"You wouldn't need to be this careful."
Frederick frowned.
"Are you his friend… or his enemy?"
"The way you two act…"
"It's like you care…"
"And hate each other at the same time."
Ignes laughed softly.
"No."
"Did you forget?"
"The Sword God said I'm to marry him."
He looked at Xavier.
"So why are you asking if he's my friend or enemy?"
"It's obvious."
"He's my soulmate."
William immediately reacted.
"…Is that so?"
"Then why did you say you didn't want to marry Igna?"
He turned to Xavier.
"That's why you went to the border, right?"
"To fight demons and avoid the marriage?"
Ignes sighed.
"Will… you're thinking too seriously."
He leaned back slightly.
"Have you never seen Dad and Mom argue?"
"Sometimes Mom even goes back to her parents' house."
He continued casually,
"It's the same for us."
"In our last world, we argued too."
"We were young."
"We didn't have our memories."
"So all three things combined…"
"We ended up hurting each other for no reason."
He shrugged.
"And when the god sent the oracle about our marriage…"
"We both reacted."
"I stayed in the lab."
"He went to the battlefield."
"That's all."
Alexander sighed.
"Igna… did you really have to bring us into this example?"
"Couldn't you just say you're having a couple quarrel?"
Ignes looked at him innocently.
"Dad… Will is single."
"He wouldn't understand."
"The best example is you and Mom."
The Dukes couldn't help it—
They laughed.
Ignes had a strange charm.
Even serious moments became lighter around him.
Alexander sighed again.
"…Fine."
"Then what was the argument about?"
"Did you reconcile?"
Ignes looked at Xavier.
"…No."
"That's what we were arguing about just now."
Silence.
Then Xavier spoke.
His voice was calm—
But heavy.
"You'll understand."
"When you fight all his enemies…"
"From A to Z…"
"All the time…"
He looked directly at them.
"And he doesn't kill a single one."
A pause.
"Do you know how many that is?"
"Billions."
"Trillions."
Xavier's eyes darkened slightly.
"And even after all that…"
"I still not even a fraction of the enemy he has."