Overpowered Reincarnation Perks! - Chapter 14.3
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Today, there was no need to sneak in like a thief through the window. Callion opened the door and guided me to the room where he had been staying.
The large window was still half-open. It was nice that we didn’t need to turn on the lights as the moonlight came in, making it not too dark.
“It seems you didn’t use the bed at all. It still looks new.”
“So the you that I saw that day wasn’t a dream either.”
You mean when you pushed me away, suffering because you thought I, who had died, appeared in your dream.
I nodded with an embarrassed feeling, and Callion knelt down on the spot.
“Huh? Callion?”
“Forgive me, Ju-in. To think that I pointed my sword at you…”
“Ah, no. That was just a reflex, wasn’t it? It was my fault for sneaking in.”
“I said words of resentment towards you. How dare I…”
Callion bit his lower lip hard. Fearing he might draw blood if left like that, I quickly sat down in front of him and tried to comfort him.
“It’s okay. You had reason to. I’m the one who’s sorry. After all the trouble you went through to save me…”
“I should have run away with you.”
“What?”
“I should have taken you and left the village immediately. Knowing I couldn’t defeat the monsters, I shouldn’t have recklessly confronted them, but should have prioritized you, who was most important.”
“Callion.”
“When I heard that day that you had gone out to tend to the injured, I thought you must care a lot about the villagers. So…”
I remember him frowning and glaring out the window on the day of the monster attack.
At that time, Callion was contemplating.
Whether to escape safely with just me or to fight against the monsters to save as many villagers as possible.
I thought he rushed out with his sword to protect others as a monster hunter. But what moved him wasn’t a sense of duty or moral obligation to save people.
Because it seemed I had grown attached to that village.
Because it seemed I liked those villagers.
Fearing I would be sad if the village was devastated and people died.
He fought against the monsters, prepared to die, for my sake. Even knowing he couldn’t win alone.
“It was because of me, then.”
“No. I made the wrong judgment. Without even asking you, I presumed on my own…”
“You protected those villagers for my sake, didn’t you? Thank you.”
I placed my hand on Callion’s shoulder. Though it was just a light touch, his body trembled.
“If you had escaped with just me… I think a more painful outcome would have been waiting.”
I was supposed to die that day anyway. If Callion had escaped with me, I would have despaired watching the villagers die, and Callion would have had to witness my death right before his eyes.
“Callion made the right choice. It was the best choice for me too. It’s just that I… I’m a bad person to you, and I hurt you.”
“No. I failed to understand you and judged on my own.”
“I’m sorry. For leaving you alone.”
Callion, who had been shaking his head with his eyes tightly shut, suddenly looked up in surprise.
A beautiful face looking at me with eyes full of tears. Though he no longer spoke words of rejection or denial, strangely, my heart ached even more.
“I’m sorry for making you lonely.”
Plop. A transparent teardrop fell onto the back of my hand.
“I’m sorry for causing you pain.”
Drip. Tears falling from his eyes left dark wet marks on the floor.
“I’m alive and I’ve come back to you. The nightmare is over now.”
How much must he have suffered, dreaming of me, who had died, visiting him every night? I can’t even imagine how he felt, pushing me away, saying he didn’t want to see me, that he’d rather forget.
“Ju-in…”
“It’s okay now. You can relax.”
I caressed his tear-stained cheeks and kissed his forehead.
Callion silently shed tears with his lips tightly closed. Hot tears wet my palm and fell to the floor.
“Ugh, hic… Ju-in.”
“I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you right away. I was living in this castle hiding my identity, so I couldn’t act carelessly.”
Let’s not mention that I kept my distance because I was hurt by Callion pushing me away. I don’t want to burden Callion with more guilt when I’m the one who did wrong.
“I really thought I was dying then too. But when I woke up, I was here and very confused. As an outsider, I was accused of being an intruder, but Arvan saved me. There were people who had seen me in the square, so I wore magic stone glasses to hide my face…”
And then, while living in hiding like that, I met Callion again.
“I wanted to talk to you from the first day we met, but I never got the chance.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Callion doesn’t need to apologize. Let’s just say the situation was bad for both of us.”
“Ju-in. Are you alright now?”
Hmm. Things are about to get even less alright.
‘For now, I don’t even know how we’ll get out of this castle.’
Logically, there should be a temporary ceasefire and negotiations to prevent a greater disaster like a monster attack, but since they’re such rotten people, there’s a possibility they might launch an attack outside common sense.
“Hmm. More or less?”
I can’t make Callion more anxious, so let’s just gloss over it for now.
“Then please leave with me.”
“…What?”
As Callion wiped away his tears and faced me, a system window popped up.
Current waiting members: (1/1)
[Callion] has invited you to a 2-person party.
Do you accept the party invitation?
If accepted, your ally [Arvan] will automatically leave the party.
Oh. The party window is different from usual.
The remaining waiting members should clearly be 2, but it shows 1/1 instead of 1/2.
‘A 2-person party?’
If I accept Callion’s party invitation, Arvan will automatically leave the party.
‘I thought it was impossible to disband a party before death, but I guess this is how it happens.’
I looked at the party invitation window for a moment, then shook my head.
“Callion. I still have things to do in this village.”
“….”
Tears welled up in his eyes again. Oh no. He must have misunderstood that I didn’t want to go with him.
“I don’t mean I don’t want to go with you, it’s just the current situation in the castle…”
Ding.
Interrupting my words, another unfamiliar popup appeared.
[Hidden Quest Condition Found!]
If you leave the current party, you can check the hidden quest.
Hidden quest? The one that said my soul would disappear if I didn’t complete both?
They said it would appear with a certain probability, but I had almost forgotten about it since there had been no news, and to think it would appear here.
‘It says I can check it if I leave the party…’
If I form a party with Callion and leave Arvan’s party, the hidden quest will appear. What should I do? I pondered for a moment.
“Ju-in. I don’t want to part from you.”
“That’s the same for me.”
“I can’t promise you a comfortable life like in the castle or village. But I will definitely keep you safe from monsters. Even if it’s a life without settling down, if we’re together…”
Callion couldn’t bring himself to touch me, and with both hands on the floor, he brought his face close. They say handsome things look better up close, but this distance is burdensome when we’re not even kissing. It’s even more difficult to refuse because of Callion’s clear eyes.
“Won’t you leave with me?”
Unable to refuse while looking into his eyes, I turned my head and answered weakly.
“I’m sorry.”
“….”
I could feel Callion’s disappointment just from his breath. A prickling sense of guilt, like needles stabbing my heart, settled deep in my chest.
But it couldn’t be helped.
