I Just Wanted to Avoid Death - Chapter 75
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Yeshion stared at Eldis, dumbfounded.
He’d noticed the man had been paying more attention to him lately, but he hadn’t expected kindness on this level.
“Thank you…”
“Think nothing of it. I’m only doing this because I hope you won’t run away again. You always looked like you were plotting your escape during temple lectures.”
At Eldis’s remark, Yeshion’s mouth fell open.
He couldn’t say a word, only sat there making a dumb face until Eldis added,
“Ah, was that supposed to be a secret?”
“…Yes.”
“Oh dear, my apologies. It was just so obvious I couldn’t help myself.”
At that, Yeshion clamped his mouth shut.
If he had tried to bolt from the temple the moment he got out, he probably would’ve been caught by the collar and dragged back. A chill ran down his spine at the realization.
‘Good thing I changed my mind…’
Yeshion bit down on his lip, and Eldis continued.
“And you don’t need to thank me for being here either. Since I’m the one who kept you at the temple, it’s my duty to protect you.”
“……”
“I’d like this place to be safe for you. I… need you here.”
Eldis’s voice softened to a murmur as his eyes drifted away from Yeshion. He always spoke while looking him in the eye—except now.
It felt less like he was speaking to Yeshion and more like he was making a quiet vow to himself.
The mood grew strangely heavy, and Yeshion looked around, trying to steer them back to lighter ground.
“Uhm… then what happened to Edward afterward?”
“Oh, after that assault attempt, the Duke dragged Edward back. That was four years ago now.”
As soon as Eldis finished, Yeshion let out a soft, “Ah.” No wonder Eldis kept going on about his poor judgment.
If something like that had happened, there was no excuse. Still, part of him wanted to push back. It wasn’t his judgment that was the problem—it was the original “Yeshion’s.”
So, trying to think quickly, he spoke up.
“Well… maybe he’s improved since then? Maybe that’s why the Duke sent him to oversee the purification project?”
“…Good heavens.”
“……”
Eldis just stared at him as if asking, Are you serious?
“When the Duke heard temple priests would be involved, I’m sure Edward insisted on overseeing the site just to get any scrap of news about you. And now that he’s seen you again, he’s proving he hasn’t changed a bit.”
He didn’t hold back. From the way his face twisted up, Eldis truly loathed Edward.
‘I should’ve just kept my mouth shut.’
Now it felt like he’d earned himself a lecture for nothing.
Yeshion pursed his lips for a scolding he didn’t need to hear, as Eldis let out a heavy sigh and went on.
“I should’ve been more careful of Edward, regardless of his behavior. I’m sorry.”
“Huh? W-What for?”
“For not checking who’d be overseeing the purification work. I didn’t expect him to be sent out here. Much less that you’d run into each other.”
Yeshion quickly waved his hands.
Edward being here had been mentioned once in the novel—even if it was just a single line.
That meant he should’ve been the one keeping an eye out—not Eldis, who knew nothing.
There wasn’t anything he could’ve done anyway.
“I don’t think you need to apologize, Your Eminence. If anything, this is my karma.”
The price of being reincarnated into a villain.
He swallowed the last part of that thought, eyes going slightly unfocused. Eldis shook his head.
“Even so, I wanted to be mindful. If I can care about even the smallest things, maybe you’ll grow to hate the temple a little less.”
That line suddenly brought something back to him.
The day they returned to the temple after almost dying in the imperial palace. Eldis had said he wanted to make the temple a place Yeshion wouldn’t hate.
Back then, he couldn’t accept it—he’d let it in one ear and out the other.
But Eldis… had meant it. He’d remembered it, even when Yeshion hadn’t.
“Th-Thank you. I, uh… Ahem. Anyway, I don’t dislike the temple as much as I used to.”
“Really?”
“Of course. I never lie about the things I dislike.”
