Marius "Dimly Lit"/Rewards

Story Summary

This story takes place in an Alternate Universe (AU) or possible past life. Its events do not affect the main timeline.

In ancient Khamit, the MC, a royal maid, attends the young Pharaoh, Marius, as she urges him to get ready for his birthday banquet. As he asks whether she's looking forward to the banquet, she grows uneasy, thinking of the stark contrast between the people's starvation and the lavish lifestyle at the palace. She reminds herself that she's here as a member of the resistance army, infiltrating so she can memorize the palace layout for a coup, and she claims to be excited while Marius dismisses it as extravagant and excessive. Marius' greedy uncle, the Regent, takes an interest in the MC, but Marius distracts him with compliments and an offer to help himself to any of his presents that he likes. As Marius leads the MC to the banquet, she thinks of a young man who saved her from snake venom two years prior -- although they look similar, they behave very differently, and she can't be sure whether they're the same person.

At the banquet, a serving girl feeds the Regent wine from her mouth, and Marius suggests the MC do the same for him. With no choice to obey, she starts to oblige, but he pranks her at the last moment. The Regent has a tantrum about the quality of the wine, and a nearby official begs him to think of the fact that most of his people don't have enough to eat, let alone good grapes to make sweet wine. As the Regent is about to call the guard against the official, Marius interrupts, claiming he doesn't think the official is important enough to ruin the happy mood. The MC observes that Marius is actually sharp and protective of those in his service, pitying that the Regent uses him as a figurehead and makes it so the nation will only change through upheaval.

As Marius grows bored and slightly drunk, the MC tries to test whether he was the one who saved her two years ago by telling him a modified version of the story, but he dismisses it as a poor story since it doesn't even have an ending. Late that night, when the banquet has finally come to an end, she slips out to deliver her intelligence to the resistance army. As she's trying to decide whether to also inform the army that Marius is actually a good person who's been made a powerless puppet, he catches her in the act. He praises her acting, admits he's the one who saved her two years ago, and asks to cooperate with the resistance army against the Regent, who will likely have Marius killed like his older brothers.

Three days later, the MC receives her answer: the resistance leader will cooperate with Marius, but intends to betray him at the end. The MC is ordered to dispose of him if she sees any abnormalities with him. She reports the cooperation to Marius, and he doubts the army agreed so easily. She asks whether he really wants to be exiled, since he still has a luxurious life as a puppet, and he confesses to frequent nightmares due to the stress of the deadly power struggles with his family and the falling dynasty. The MC begins to form a plan to save him. A month later, during the Regent's coronation as planned, the resistance marches on the temple. The Regent nearly escapes, so the MC takes drastic action and attacks him directly without support. The Regent gets the upper hand, but he's stabbed from behind.

The Regent dies at Marius' hand; Marius sends the guards to meet the coming army and sends the priests away for their protection, then tells the MC to attack him as he knows she's supposed to, pulling her close and making her draw her knife on him. She admits that the resistance leaders never planned to let him leave, but she also tells him that she doesn't plan to follow their orders. After explaining her reasons for continuing to help him, the MC takes Marius' sword and wounds herself, saying that she'll claim Marius escaped after injuring her. As she passes out, Marius refuses, fearing the consequences for her if she lets him go. When she awakens, she's in a bed. The resistance leader thanks her for being the key to their victory. She apologizes for letting the Pharaoh get away, and the leader takes her to a sarcophagus; the high priests claim it contains Marius, who took his own life by letting a cobra bite him. With great sadness, the MC confirms it's him.

Six months later, the resistance rules successfully, and Khaimit has nearly healed from the fallen dynasty. The MC leaves the capital to visit a distant city of the arts near an oasis, which she remembers Marius wanted to see. She wishes he could be there to see it, then believes she spots him in a crowd. She pursues, and when he finds her, she weeps heavily while he comforts her, explaining that he'd faked his death using medication and the bites of a non-venomous snake before the priests smuggled his "corpse" out of the city. Marius confesses that she's the only one who's ever truly understood him, and that he hasn't been able to stop thinking of how special she is to him in the last half year. Reluctantly, she admits she feels the same way and agrees to see the world with him.

Illustrations

Eternal SlumberThe youth before you will reply to you no longer.

ShushThe young Pharaoh tells you that as long as you don't run away, he won't report you.

After Story

After Story script

Marius: Why did you ask me to come home so suddenly?

Intimate Interaction

Point 1

You: (Our house is so much smaller than the royal palace, so I thought Marius might not be able to adjust to it.)

You: (I didn't expect that not only was he not fussy at all, he also made the house look so beautiful with his own hands.)

(if repeated)

You: (The decorations in the house are all set up by Marius himself.)

Point 2

You: Though it was a long time ago, I still remember what you looked like when you wore a crown.

Marius: It looks like it left a deep impression on you...

Marius: I can't blame you. Every time you put it on me, you face contorted as if you were facing your greatest enemy.

You: That's because it's a pain to put it on you...

(if repeated)

You: (Even without the crown, Marius still looks aristocratic.)

Point 3

You: That bracelet on your wrist... Is it the one I gave you before?

Marius: Yeah, I had it adjusted to a more suitable size. I went out just now to pick up this bracelet.

Marius: The bracelet comes in a pair, right? Do you still have the other one?

You: Of course! I took care to put it in my carry-on luggage.

Marius: Then you should also take it out and wear it. It's a symbol of our relationship.

You: Okay...

(if repeated)

Marius: To me, this pair of bracelets is a symbol of our relationship.

Come and try them...

You: Marius, come and try the wine I specially prepared for you!

Marius: Wine? Wine's pretty expensive right now, isn't it... Why did you buy wine all of a sudden?

You: Isn't today our first anniversary? You gave me a gift two days ago, so this is a gift in return.

Marius: Since this is your return gift, can I make a small request?

You: Certainly, what is it?

Marius: I want... you to feed me the wine, just like what you did at my birthday party last year.

You: (Last year's birthday party... Does that mean... mouth-to-mouth!?)

You: H—How could I do that!?

Marius: That's not fair, just now you said yes so readily... So you were lying to me.

You: But... Mouth-to-mouth... That's a bit too intimate, isn't it? I didn't expect something like this...

Marius: Huh? Actually... I was talking about using cups...

Marius: But if you thought of a better way, then we can give that a try as well.

You: Marius! You tricked me again!

Marius: Don't get mad, I was just teasing you. That being said, I do have a wish that needs your help to come true.

You: What's the wish... Please don't make fun of me anymore.

Marius: I wish that I could spend every day with you from now on.

You: W-What?

Marius: Although I used to be a Pharaoh that was seemingly revered by everyone, no one truly cared about me...

Marius: It's different now. As long as you're here, life seems to be full of endless possibilities and my days are never tedious.

You: Why do you always say such embarrassing things...

Marius: So... will you help grant this wish for me?

You: Alright, from now on, I will always be by your side.

Story Locations

Khaimit
The Pharaoh's Quarters

Khaimit
The Wilderness

Khaimit
Palace

Khaimit
Palace

Khaimit
Outside the Palace

Khaimit
The Pharaoh's Quarters

Khaimit
Temple

Khaimit
Temple

Khaimit
Town

Story Characters

Marius von Hagen

???

Marius von Hagen

Regent

Official

Priest

Guard

Leader