Ch.404Chapter 404 – Before Heading to the Snowy Field (4)

After my conversation with Noah ended, I returned to my room at the lodging.

‘That was quite a strange conversation.’

That was my impression of our unexpected discussion about the throne.

‘Why did he talk to me about that?’

I wondered what Noah was thinking when he offered me a seat I had no intention of taking. Whatever his purpose, I sensed he was testing me.

‘It wasn’t like I had anything to hide anyway.’

Since I didn’t sense any malice from Noah regardless of his intentions, I answered honestly. Still, caught up in the atmosphere, I ended up revealing more of my true feelings than intended and said many embarrassing things.

To be honest, I still felt a bit ashamed.

But there were no lies in what I said.

For a long time, these were thoughts I had kept deep in my heart.

I want to live peacefully with the people I care about.

I want to give everything to those who stay by my side.

For precious people, I would pay any price.

And as my thoughts reached that point, one idea surfaced in my mind.

‘Perhaps it’s time to get serious about this.’

Was it because I had voiced the desire I’d been keeping in my heart?

Thoughts that usually hit a wall in my mind were now creeping up.

A matter that required serious decision and confirmation of the other person’s feelings. Something some call life’s grave, but also evidence of happiness.

It required courage to take a big step forward.

And, perhaps.

‘…I feel like they would all follow me.’

I had a feeling that they would nod and come along with me. That they would promise to stay with me until the end.

And with that thought came another that always blocked my thinking.

‘…If all my desperate struggles to survive were to be in vain…’

What I was contemplating could become shackles for the other person. It could potentially become a major blemish in their lives.

I shouldn’t irresponsibly embark on such a thing.

Above all, I didn’t want to leave such an enormous debt to my precious people, especially not from me.

‘This is difficult.’

In the end, my thoughts stopped, and I found myself shaking my head. No matter what, I didn’t want to become shackles in their lives.

Just as I was wrapping up my thoughts and about to stop thinking about it—

*Knock knock*

Suddenly, I heard someone knocking on the door.

“Kay, may I come in?”

It was Eve’s voice.

Wondering what was going on, I immediately opened the door and was a bit surprised.

“Oh…”

Had she somehow detected what I was thinking?

Eve, Sarah, and Chris entered the room.

“Why are the three of you here?”

“We were worried you might not be feeling well.”

Sarah said with a smile.

“Since Ms. Beatrice said she would examine you tomorrow, we came to do whatever we could tonight.”

“Time is precious, right?” Sarah said with a smile. So that’s why Sarah and Chris came together.

“And Eve?”

“I’m here as an observer.”

Eve said with a smile. She was also carrying something that looked like a basket.

“Am I interrupting your rest?”

“No, it’s fine.”

I smiled at Eve and let the three of them into the room.

And shortly after.

Following Chris’s instructions, I lay down on the bed, and Sarah and Chris began examining my body with tools and holy magic.

“…How is it?”

Sarah and Chris examined my body in silence.

Then, Sarah sighed deeply and said to me.

“I think you should rest for at least three days.”

“Really?”

“First thing tomorrow morning, I’ll ask Ms. Beatrice to correct your mana flow, and then we’ll need to readjust your physical condition with the tools in the carriage.”

“And we need to treat you with holy magic right away today.”

Was it that bad?

Looking at Sarah’s serious expression, I said:

“I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

“For causing you trouble.”

When I said this to Sarah, she smiled bitterly and replied:

“…It’s better than finding out tomorrow without saying anything.”

Sarah said that if she had discovered it tomorrow, my condition might have deteriorated more than expected.

“I’ll do what I can right now. So you’ll be fine tonight.”

“Okay.”

After I responded to Sarah, she and Chris began treating my body with holy magic and medicine.

While I was watching them with an apologetic face, Eve quietly spoke to me.

“By the way, what were you thinking about alone?”

“Huh?”

“You had a thoughtful expression.”

Eve looked down at me from a position where she wouldn’t disturb Sarah and Chris.

“If you have concerns, would you share them honestly?”

“That’s…”

“It’s okay. Honestly, we’ve seen everything there is to see with each other, haven’t we?”

Sarah and Chris’s faces turned red.

Mine probably did too.

I couldn’t really argue with that.

What should I do?

“Though I can somewhat guess what Kay’s concerns might be.”

“Eve.”

“We’ve been together for years. We already have an idea.”

Eve quietly said that sharing would make me feel lighter.

After thinking for a moment, I spoke quietly.

“I was seriously considering taking a step forward in life.”

“That’s…”

At my words, Eve cleared her throat slightly.

I thought I had been quite vague, but she caught on immediately.

Soon Eve spoke quietly.

“…Is that possibly…”

“Yes, what you’re thinking. That.”

I don’t have mind-reading abilities, but I’ve spent enough time with Eve.

Just as Eve can read my thoughts, I can understand her inner feelings to some extent.

Soon Eve and I looked at each other.

Eve quietly formed a certain word with her lips.

And when I nodded, Eve, along with Sarah and Chris, looked at me with slightly surprised eyes, and somehow as if they had been waiting for this.

“…Kay.”

“Let me ask a question first, just in case.”

I looked at Eve.

“If I were to ask you to follow me for a lifetime, what would you—”

“I would follow you, of course.”

I thought she might think about it more, but Eve answered readily.

Then Eve turned to look at Sarah and Chris.

“What about you two?”

“I would definitely follow you.”

“Well, I’m a god now, so I can follow you for a lifetime as much as…”

Chris’s face turned red from embarrassment.

I was slightly—no, very happy.

But there was still a problem.

“The issue is still lifespan.”

I quietly said, looking at the three of them.

“It would be nice if I could fix my condition… but if I can’t, I’d become an irresponsible person who did something terrible to you and left.”

“…So that’s what you’ve been deeply concerned about.”

Eve thought for a moment and then spoke quietly.

“…I suppose that’s why Kay has been showing a somewhat passive attitude.”

“Yes.”

I quietly replied to Eve.

“I think I’ve had this in mind for a long time. I still think about simply going home, but if possible, I’d like to go together, and…”

I voiced the fantasies I had been harboring.

They might have been childish delusions.

But the three looked at me with warm eyes and began adding their own fantasies to mine.

As the pleasant conversation continued along with the treatment.

I quietly looked at Eve and said.

“That’s what I was worried about. …Because I have a lifespan issue. I might end up leaving you with a terrible burden.”

I looked at Sarah beside me, and then at Chris, and said.

“No matter how irresponsible I am, I can’t do that.”

“Kay.”

As if she had expected me to say this.

Eve smiled without hesitation and said.

“The fact that you’re worried about this means you intend to take responsibility for us until the end if you can, right?”

“Why do you think that?”

“Because if you didn’t intend to take responsibility, you wouldn’t have such thoughts in the first place.”

Eve said with a smile.

“But what if I suddenly die…”

“Then don’t die.”

Eve said firmly.

“That’s why I, Sarah, and Christina are treating you and traveling with you.”

“Eve.”

“You don’t need to worry about not being able to take responsibility.”

Eve spoke quietly.

“Just think that you must take responsibility. By living long. By surviving.”

“…”

“In a way, it was a problem you didn’t need to worry about.”

Eve said with a smile.

“And we all know. That Kay is not an irresponsible person.”

“Really?”

“Of course. Is someone who worries, ‘What if I can’t take responsibility?’ an irresponsible person?”

Eve smiled and said.

“It’s the same as before. You think about it because you want to take responsibility. In a way, you’ve been worrying about a problem you didn’t need to worry about.”

Eve took my hand reassuringly and said.

“And even if Kay ends up in a situation where you can’t take responsibility, I, and Sarah and Christina, won’t resent you.”

“Why?”

“Because…”

Eve thought for a moment, then spoke quietly.

“Because we love you.”

Eve said with a smile.

“So we can firmly say that we won’t regret anything we’ve done with you.”

“I see.”

I bowed my head to Eve, who was trying to reassure me, and said.

“Truly, you all are too good for me.”

“Oh my. It could be the other way around—you might be too good for us.”

Eve said with a smile.

“Anyway, please don’t carry your worries alone, Kay.”

“Eve.”

“Share them with us. There’s a lot to think about right now… but we can always listen to your concerns and offer solutions or comfort.”

Eve smiled and said.

“That’s why I decided to be with you in the first place.”

I quietly nodded at Eve’s words.

I felt like I couldn’t look directly at her face, and for a while, silence hung in the room.

It was simply that we were too embarrassed to speak for a moment.

Finally opening my mouth, I asked.

“Is the examination over now?”

“The basic part is. Next is…”

As Sarah was about to say something, Eve placed a hand on her shoulder.

Soon the three women began communicating with just their eyes.

After a moment, Eve quietly said.

“Kay.”

“Yes?”

“This building has surprisingly good soundproofing, doesn’t it?”

Eve smiled and grabbed my right arm.

“I’m concerned about Sia with her good hearing, but with tools and holy magic, no sound from this room will be heard in other rooms.”

“No, that’s—”

I was about to ask if they were really going to use alchemical tools and holy magic for such a purpose.

I would have asked if Chris hadn’t grabbed my left arm and Sarah hadn’t placed her hand on my shoulder right after.

“Um?”

“I’m sorry, Kay.”

“Well, despite how it looks, we discussed this thoroughly and made a decision…!”

Those were the words of Chris and Sarah, who looked somewhat embarrassed.

Despite saying that, they showed no intention of letting go, which reminded me of the saying that actions speak louder than words.

I looked at Eve, thinking she was the only one who could stop the two, but.

“They say that restoring the body to its original state is treatment, but stabilizing the mind is also a form of treatment.”

Eve said with a confident expression while applying pressure to my arm.

I couldn’t ask who told her such a thing.

She was smiling seductively, having clearly decided how to spend tonight.

“Therefore, what we’re about to do is strictly treatment. Right?”

“That’s sophistry…”

My body was pulled along.

Even I couldn’t forcibly push away three people, especially with Sarah using her strength.

Before I knew it, I was laid down on the bed.

Looking up, I saw the three women looking down at me.

“Since you’ve been worrying a lot because of us, it’s only right that we treat you properly. Don’t you agree?”

“Um…”

I looked at Eve with a troubled expression.

Eve smiled and said.

“If you count the spots on the ceiling, it will all be over.”

“Wait. Calm down.”

“I’m sorry, but it’s already too late.”

Predators eyeing their prey were looking down at me.

I was the prey.

“Now, let’s begin the hot treatment.”

The three approached me.

The ceiling was spotless.