Chapter 300
Chapter 300
“Master, I… Ha, really…”
Unable to say anything more, Dalia stood up and rushed into Kaichen’s arms. Her arms wrapped around his neck so tightly that it felt like he couldn’t breathe.
She rushed so fiercely that he almost fell backward, but he held her steady.
Dalia sniffled and nestled her cheek against his shoulder, her actions reminiscent of a cat. Kaichen wrapped his arms around her waist and gently stroked her back.
She breathed out. Whether from relief or not, she didn’t know. She spoke with a tightly choked voice.
“I really like you.”
“I know.”
“You might not have known. I… Ah, really… I like you so much.”
“I know you do.”
“Master, you don’t know. This is so… Ha, it’s so da!mn good.”
“What?”
“I don’t know how to express it. It’s so good that it makes me curse…”
Watching her grumble, Kaichen couldn’t help but laugh.
When he found her in the place, he rushed to save her. Her condition was indescribably bad. Even the word ‘terrible’ falls short of describing it.
While wiping off her blood-soaked body, he soon realized that about half of that blood was hers.
Kaichen wanted to find those she mentioned, the ones she spared for information, and tear them apart.
Her condition was so terrible that it would have been difficult for an ordinary person to fully recover. Even when Hamal used recovery magic, she winced and fell asleep several times.
Kaichen was terrified. It was as painful as when he saw Dalia entering the time magic in the north. Unable to do anything but to watch her struggle.
Even though he wasn’t incapable of using magic, it was difficult to accept the fact that there was nothing he could do when his loved one was hurt.
He felt anger at his helplessness, and the sadness outweighed the pain.
Yet, after about two weeks of unconsciousness, Dalia woke up with a broad smile, confessing the secret she had been keeping and saying she was so happy that it could kill her.
She was his lover.
Something heavy and full filled Kaichen’s chest. He now understood when Dalia said it was hard to express her feelings. ”I like you” felt inadequate.
What should be said in such moments? How should this feeling be conveyed? What words can express this overwhelming emotion that makes swearing seem the only way to convey it?
Kaichen blurted out the words that crossed his mind without hesitating or contemplating.
“I love you, Dalia.”
“…Huh?”
“I love you.”
“Ah, ugh…”
Dalia, who had been groaning softly, buried her head in Kaichen’s shoulder and embraced him even tighter. He thought he couldn’t hug her more, but he hugged her tightly as if unwilling to create even the smallest gap.
Kaichen continued to hold her, caressing her head, wiping away tears, and providing the strength she desired.
“I love you so much that I wouldn’t mind giving my all.”
Though his chest was pounding, somehow, he felt good.
Having spoken words that conveyed more than just happiness, Kaichen now thought that whatever happened would be okay.
Being there to ease her anxiety, whispering love to ensure she doesn’t feel lacking—a life like that sounded appealing.
Just as Dalia had described living together in the Willow house with a cat.
“… Me too. I love you. Truly.”
Wondering if there were cases where people said they loved someone insincerely, Kaichen briefly recalled the past. He had never told anyone, including Dalia, he loved or liked them.
Suddenly, thoughts of Dalia’s past life came to mind.
‘Beside me… she must have met someone else.’
A choked-up feeling overwhelmed him. Once again, he suddenly knew why she had smiled with such ease and composure the first night they spent together.
Da!mn it. He was overthinking.
Kaichen forced his stiff body to relax for a moment and roughly grasped Dalia’s backside. He locked their lips in a kiss.
Kissing her after a long time felt bittersweet. He couldn’t help but sink deeper into it.
—
“Ugh!”
A groan that couldn’t be suppressed escaped, and the sight of cold sweat dripping down was pitiful to behold.
Exchetra couldn’t help but frown at the sight of Asta, who couldn’t utter a word properly. She had wanted an explanation for why his trusted subordinate, whom he had sent to release Dalia, had returned in such a state.
Despite the busy physicians and magic users proficient in recovery magic working diligently to treat him, the recovery was unusually slow.
He had been subjected to magic far more potent than any healing spell.
One leg and one arm—both bore wounds that looked as if sharp spears had pierced them, but it was undoubtedly damaged by magic.
“Are we still far from a solution?”
“S-Sorry. I’m doing my best, but… for some reason, this…”
No proper answer could be given. It indicated an abnormal phenomenon.
Exchetra looked at Asta, who was grimacing in pain. She was annoyed. This world was not short of unexplainable occurrences. Until now, she had gained strength and benefits by delving into such matters, but the narrative would change if it led to harm in this manner.