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Wed, Dec
The next morning, I woke up in my dorm room instead of the courtyard.
“Michael!”
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I bolted upright, panicked, and in my rush, I accidentally knocked something off the edge of the bed.
It was a letter.
“My dearest Betty,
Forgive me for calling you my wife. I know we were never truly married, but in my heart, I always wished you were mine.
In my hometown, there’s a tradition: before a man marries, he carves a jade pendant for
his bride.
I know I don’t have much time left, and I don’t want to burden you. But still, I couldn’t stop myself–l carved that pendant for you anyway.
Let’s just say I married you in my heart. You won’t hold it against me, will you?
By the time you read this, I’ll already be gone
I wanted so badly for you to be the last person I saw before I left.
But I couldn’t do that to you. I couldn’t bear to make you cry.
Betty, don’t be sad. Don’t grieve for me. And, most importantly, stop doubting yourself.
You’re a wonderful person, Betty. I love you. I’ve always loved you.
Someday, you’ll meet someone who loves you just as much as I do.
Goodbye, Betty. Take care of yourself.”
By the time I finished reading, my tears had soaked through the paper.
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Clutching the jade pendant close to my chest, I broke down completely, crying until it felt like I was falling apart.
But deep down, I knew the truth.
No one would ever love me the way Michael did. No one would ever cross entire worlds. just to be with me.
Desperate, I ran out of the dorm and headed straight for the courtyard.
I ran as fast as I could, my heart pounding in my chest, clinging to the faint hope that I
wasn’t too late.
But when I got there, all I found was an empty field.
The courtyard was gone. Every trace of Michael–every memory, every fragment of his existence–was disappearing, piece by piece.
Sarah and the others, who had gone, were alive again.
But they didn’t remember anything. Not Sword World, not Michael, not even me.
It was as if the game had never existed at all. Even the forums were empty–there wasn’t a single mention of it anywhere.
The only thing that proved Michael had ever been real was the jade pendant hanging around my neck.
People still called me weird. They still said I was strange and a loner,
But I didn’t care anymore.
Whenever someone insulted me, I stood up for myself without hesitation.
“At least I have the courage to love something with all my heart. Do you?”
Over time, I found people who understood me. People who shared my passions and my dreams.
But even then, I never stopped missing Michael.
One night, completely out of the blue, my phone buzzed with a message.
“The moon is beautiful tonight. Want to take a look?”
My heart stopped.
I didn’t know why, but I found myself walking to the balcony.
And then I saw him.
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A figure stood there, his back to me, bathed in soft moonlight.
I froze. My entire body trembled, unable to move. I was terrified.
What if it was just an illusion? What if my mind was playing cruel tricks on me?
But then, he moved.
He turned around, and when our eyes met, he smiled.
That smile–it was soft, familiar, and so heartbreakingly real.
“Long time no see, Betty,” he said.
Epilogue
Michael’s return was far from simple. He didn’t like to talk about it much, brushing off the details as if they didn’t matter.
The only explanation he gave me was this:
“So, it all came down to the account I gave you?” I asked one day, curious.
He nodded, gently twirling a strand of my hair between his fingers, “Exactly.”
“The mystery men’s tran was in the wording,” he explained. “He told us an account could
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“The mystery men’s trap was in the wording,” he explained. “He told us an account could solve the problem, but he never said it had to be willingly given by the owner.
“Buying, stealing, or forcing it wouldn’t work. It had to come freely, from the heart.”
He leaned down and kissed my forehead, his voice warm and teasing. “Our Betty is so clever–figuring out the mystery men’s trick without even realizing it.”
I blushed, my cheeks burning.
Ever since Michael came back, he’d been showering me with compliments over the smallest things.
Even the most mundane actions didn’t escape his praise.
“Wow, you’re so amazing, baby! You went to the bathroom all by yourself!
I groaned, burying my face in my hands. “Michael, stop!”
But then, a question tugged at my heart.
“And Coco? What about the others?” I asked quietly, curled up in his arms.
Michael stroked my hair gently. “They’re doing fine. They can’t come to the real world, but if you ever want to see them, I can help you connect with them.””
I nodded, comforted by the thought. “Okay.”
Michael’s
gaze softened as he looked at me. His eyes filled with so much warmth it made my chest ache.
“Betty,” he murmured, “do you think we’ll be happy? Together, for the rest of our lives?”
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I reached out and took his hand, squeezing it tightly.
“Of course,” I said, smiling. “We’ll be happy foreve
