Irene Decided to Die - Chapter 177
It didn’t take long for Irene’s thoughts to change. Burt’s behavior became too bold, making it clear he truly believed everything was a dream. At this rate, they would end up kissing.
In the end, it was Irene who raised the white flag first.
“Wait, wait!”
“Why?”
“Isn’t this too indecent, no matter how you look at it?”
“Indecent?”
“Yes!”
“But it’s just a dream, isn’t it?”
Burt responded calmly.
“No, it’s not a dream.”
Irene finally blurted out the truth.
“No, I’m sure it is a dream.”
“Why do you think that?”
“Because I don’t believe you’d be this easily in my arms otherwise.”
He wasn’t wrong. Normally, Irene would’ve been too embarrassed and would’ve tried to escape.
“Let’s just calm down. I’ll explain everything.”
Irene began recounting the events that had led them to this point. Even as she spoke, Burt didn’t take his hands off her. That didn’t change even after she finished.
“Did you not understand?”
“No, I understand. We’re both in a dangerous situation.”
“Then why aren’t you letting go?”
“Because I like it.”
“Is that so?”
“I told you before, I like you, Irene. I can’t miss an opportunity like this.”
Burt’s usual calm demeanor had shifted into a playful tone. Yet, even that side of him didn’t seem off-putting. Irene started to wonder if perhaps there was something wrong with her for not minding.
“Well…”
Irene took a deep breath. With Burt still weak, she knew she needed to take the lead.
“Yes?”
“Can you stand up?”
“Of course.”
Burt propped himself up with his hands, lifting his upper body. But shortly after, he lost his balance and collapsed again.
“My head is spinning.”
“It must be from the blood loss.”
Irene clenched her teeth. Though she had healed his wounds, there was no immediate way to replenish the blood he had lost.
“It seems like you should rest longer. I’ll check the area.”
As she attempted to stand, Burt quickly stopped her.
“That’s too dangerous.”
“I’ll be careful. I won’t get caught.”
“You’re not good with physical tasks. It would be better if I go.”
“Didn’t you just say you’re dizzy?”
“It’s not that bad.”
Burt stood up again. This time, he seemed more stable, not staggering as before. However, Irene wasn’t about to let him go outside.
“You’re still pale.”
“I’m fine.”
“Your body is still cold.”
“Even that’s fine.”
His continued insistence made Irene’s frustration boil over.
“What do you mean it’s fine!”
She pressed her hands firmly against Burt’s chest. The fact that he was still shirtless didn’t bother her now.
“Lie down, lie down!”
Despite her efforts, Burt didn’t budge. He needed to lie down and rest, so why was he being so stubborn?
‘I know. It’s because of me.’
The answer was clear.
‘But still…’
She just wanted Burt to be safe.
“If I lie down with you, I won’t leave. I promise.”
Irene coaxed him into lying down again, and finally, with a soft sigh, she lay beside him. Only then did he quietly begin to rest.
Unlike before, he didn’t try to touch her, and at first, Irene felt relieved. But as time passed, she grew anxious.
Only then did she remember the scars covering her body.
‘They must look awful.’
Since divine power didn’t work on a Saint, Irene’s body was marred with scars. The thought of him seeing those scars made her instinctively curl up. She didn’t want Burt to see how disfigured her body was. Slowly, she pulled her discarded clothes over her body to cover herself.
Burt, meanwhile, quietly suppressed his disappointment.
‘I should have kept believing it was a dream.’
If I had kept thinking it was a dream, I could’ve stayed close to the one I love for a bit longer. The thought left Burt with a lingering sense of regret, but the moment he realized it wasn’t a dream, the manners ingrained in him over the years emerged, and he could no longer embrace Irene carelessly.
‘It was nice, though.’
Irene’s back, scarred and uneven from the brutal torture she endured, was something that might make others grimace at the sight. But to Burt, it didn’t matter at all. In fact, every time he saw those scars, it only pained him more. If only he had known things would turn out this way, he would have intervened more.
Back then, he trusted the rationality of the other kings too much. He believed that no matter how much they favored Ramiel, they wouldn’t dare harm another Saint candidate.
‘How foolish.’
