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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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“I have nothing else to do, so I might as well keep you company.”
“That’s… an interesting way to put it.”
“I’m not going any further. Unless… you were expecting something?”
Rin grinned mischievously. I chuckled, not pushing her away.
“You don’t have to take me anywhere. Just stay here with me.”
“Okay.”
It was a simple request, yet her words felt heavy. Her hand, warm against my back, trembled slightly.
“Daniel, are you really okay?”
“With what?”
She rested her head on my lap, but I averted my gaze.
She made a soft, questioning sound, but continued,
“After stopping my calamity, and Ares’s… you’ll still stay with us, right?”
“…”
My throat tightened.
I tried to deflect the question.
“I can’t stay forever. We all have our own lives after graduation.”
“Right.”
She sat up, her hand gently cupping my neck. The warmth of her touch almost made me spill my secrets.
“I’ll always be with you. You’re more important to me than the world.”
“I know.”
“…You know?”
It sounded like something out of a romance novel, an empty platitude.
But knowing she’d destroyed the world to save me, and this world…
Her words held immense weight.
“Whatever you think, whatever you choose… I’ll always be with you.”
“That’s… a lot of pressure.”
She chuckled and rested her chin on my shoulder.
“So don’t try to run away or anything. I might develop some unhealthy attachments.”
“Just don’t develop unhealthy attachments.”
“Hee hee, no can do.”
We talked about the past, like we had in that hotel room in Bethel. Sharing bittersweet memories, once serious, now sources of laughter.
After a while, we felt hungry. Rin said the maids would bring dinner soon.
The door burst open.
It wasn’t a maid. It was Eris, flustered, sweating, and clearly in shock.
“D-Daniel?”
I stood up abruptly.
The moment I’d been dreading had arrived sooner than expected.
Eris, clutching her staff, stammered,
“Something’s… wrong, Daniel. We were training, and then… I woke up, and you were gone, and the staff said three days had passed…”
“Yes, three days. I stopped your time.”
It had been exactly three days.
She hadn’t been released by me. The Yggdrasil staff had broken the time stop.
“Why… why would you do that?”
Rin stood up, looking at me with concern. I avoided their gazes.
“Let’s begin. We’re ready.”
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The palace sprang into action.
My declaration ended the anxious waiting.
The activity spread beyond the palace, to the elves, beast-kin, dwarves, and dragon-kin.
“Prioritize the towers. Make sure they’re functioning.”
“Already done.”
“Where’s Shakarim? I need to see him.”
“He’s probably resting in the mountains. Should I have Bertia prepare a carriage?”
“No, I’ll run. He doesn’t like company.”
Despite yesterday’s incident, Elise was efficient, focused on the task at hand.
“Let’s start tonight. He’s the Sun God, so it’ll be easier at night.”
“Understood.”
“I’ll go see Shakarim.”
I grabbed my coat and left. The cold air stung my face.
It was almost time.
It would be over soon.
“Hey, we need to talk.”
May, wearing a brown coat, stood outside, hands in her pockets.
“May.”
“You have a few minutes.”
She patted the spot beside her. She’d lost weight, her skin was rough, and dark circles shadowed her eyes.
“Where have you been?”
As I stepped outside, a snowflake landed on my nose.
It was snowing.
‘It snowed on Rin’s last day in the second iteration.’
The snow felt like a confirmation, a sign that today was the day.
“I thought you disappeared whenever you spent time with us.”
“…”
“So I hid. I thought you’d stay away if you didn’t see me.”
It sounded childish, clingy, but she was serious, desperate.
A faint, self-deprecating smile touched her lips.
“I was stupid. Worrying about my turn, while you…”
“May, don’t worry. When this is over…”
“Over?”
I hesitated. I couldn’t speak clearly about what came after.
“We… we can go somewhere fun.”
“…Idiot.”
She punched me lightly in the chest.
It didn’t hurt physically, but it resonated deep within me.
Tears welled up in her eyes.
“I told you, you’re a terrible liar.”
She frowned, trying to hide her tears, but they spilled down her cheeks.
“The others aren’t oblivious. You know that.”
Another soft punch, another pang of guilt.
“They’ve all grown stronger.”
She meant they could handle it, but May took it differently.
“You idiot, who helped them grow? Who changed their lives?”
She stepped closer, the snow crunching beneath her feet. Her voice trembled.
“You. You, Daniel McLean. Do you know why they pretend not to know? Because they can’t imagine it. Even thinking about a world without you is too painful.”
Like it was for me.
She clutched my chest, resting her forehead against it. I couldn’t see her face, but her tears soaked my boots.
“So please, tell me. Tell me you’re not going anywhere. Tell me you’ll stay. Tell me the truth.”
“May…”
“Just say it! Please! I’m begging you…”
I couldn’t speak.
I looked down at her, the urge to abandon everything almost overwhelming.
I wanted to act on impulse.
It wasn’t just with May.
With Eve at the library.
With Hayun in the training grounds.
With Sen in the city.
With Elise at dinner.
With Rin in her room.
I wanted to run away with them, but I always resisted.
“I’m sorry.”
And I resisted again.
May looked up, her face a mess of tears and frozen snowflakes. Her eyes were red, filled with fear and despair.
“Why?! Why are you saying that?! Just tell me you won’t go! That you’ll stay! Just say it! You can do it!”
She punched my chest again and again.
Pleas, resentment, and a hint of blame.
“You… you shouldn’t have made me love you! Why?! Why did you do this to me?! You should have left me alone! A stupid girl, a spoiled brat who only knew how to bully others!”
“…”
“You shouldn’t have made me love you!”
She wrapped her arms around me, her body trembling with fear, not cold.
“Don’t go. Please don’t go. I’ll stop you, no matter what. So please, Daniel, please…”
Her voice was lost in the wind.
Her embrace, so warm and desperate, made it impossible to leave.
I wanted to reciprocate her love, but…
It would only cause her more pain.
But… it was the end.
Couldn’t I be selfish, just this once?
I gently stroked her hair. She flinched, then looked up at me.
I kissed her softly.
“Ah…”
Just a brief touch.
She gasped, wanting more.
But this was my limit. Anything more would become a curse, a painful memory.
But this time, she stood on her tiptoes and kissed me back.
Her brown eyes, wet with tears, fluttered closed.
We savored the moment.
A moment too sweet to last.
I pulled away and whispered in her ear,
“May this become a happy memory.”
She clung to me tighter, saying she wouldn’t let me go, but…
I stopped time.
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😭😭😭