~Chapter 146~
‘With me?’
I opened my eyes wide and couldn’t say anything.
The words I had planned to say had already faded away long ago.
Kan was still holding onto my clothes, looking up like a puppy caught in the rain.
Dad didn’t stop him this time.
‘Ha, too handsome… as expected, my main character… no, wait…!’
My mouth opened and closed like a goldfish. He probably didn’t mean “I want to stay with you right now” in the literal sense.
Actually, I was already planning to take Kan with me.
‘But not to the Order.’
I had no intention of taking him to the Order.
He was the main character I had barely pulled out of the labyrinth.
Having spent thousands of times with him, if I closed my eyes, I could picture all his different deaths.
I absolutely, never, ever wanted to see that in reality.
Especially after watching that disgustingly vivid scene of “God’s Dining Table.”
‘I still want him to live a normal and happy life.’
That feeling hadn’t changed.
But I couldn’t just leave him behind either.
I had seen that future, the sight of him soaked in corruption, the terrible evil aura.
I had seen him as a fanatic.
‘So I decided to change the way.’
If I left the main character far away, I painfully realized that his life might turn out who-knows-how.
So instead, I planned to take him to a safe village near the Order and check in on him regularly.
‘I know better than anyone what I’ll go through as the Pope from now on.’
Being together was impossible.
Besides, Kan was already a little contaminated. Going to the Order wouldn’t be good for him either.
“…For now, let’s treat your wound first. That comes first.”
When I changed the subject, Kan pressed his lips together but shifted his position.
When Kan calmly lifted his pants leg to show the wound—
I had to use all my strength not to frown.
‘……Damn it.’
Of course I cursed. My main character’s leg was rotting.
‘Right, the setting was that wounds from God’s Dining Table start to rot.’
And didn’t Dad say his leg might as well be broken?
That meant the bone was damaged too.
It was a miracle he had been walking this whole time. Was that even physically possible?
‘Yes, it is.’
If you’re corrupted. I bit the inside of my mouth hard. Everyone shows corruption differently, but many people lose sensation.
But Kan’s corruption wasn’t that high yet. That meant he had been enduring unbearable pain this whole time.
‘So, whenever he got hurt, he endured that pain all along.’
I glared at Kan. Feeling my gaze, Kan grew restless.
‘First, I need to use purification.’
I silently knelt in front of him. Soon, the light of purification flowed from my hand, turning his blackened skin back to its original color.
Then I pulled out the Chalice.
The items from the treasure chest could be taken out whenever I wanted and stored away when not needed.
Just like an inventory in a game.
The chalice appeared in my hand as if it had been waiting. Inside, the red liquid shimmered.
The moment I decided to use it, a white light, different from purification, flowed out.
[Item ‘Chalice of Sacred Blood’ is activated!]
I poured the liquid without hesitation. The deep wound filled up, new flesh grew, and within ten seconds the wound disappeared completely.
“You might still feel phantom pain for a while.”
I spoke bluntly.
I was upset. My main character had endured all this pain alone.
‘And you call yourself a Named? Get rid of that rotten tag!’
My inner gamer self was grabbing my collar and shaking me.
“Don’t scratch or touch it even if it hurts. And don’t worry too much when walking or running. It’ll get better slowly.”
The problem with healing skills and items in this world was—
They didn’t take away phantom pain.
Just like a dark world, everything was made to mess with people’s minds.
“Um…!”
As I tried to stand, a hand caught mine.
I looked up. Kan was holding me with a slightly anxious face.
“…Are you angry?”
“……”
“I’m sorry. Please forgive me. I didn’t mean to. I just thought telling you wouldn’t help.”
No, don’t apologize. You don’t need to.
You idiot.
“…Do you know how much I worried about you?”
“Huh?”
“No, nothing. Forget it.”
Since I wasn’t going to change my decision, it was better to say it firmly even if it hurt.
“And we can’t go together.”
At those words, Kan pressed his lips tightly. He didn’t speak, but his eyes looked like they had countless things to say.
That’s when Dad moved.
“Someone is coming this way.”
“Huh? Who?”
“A priest.”
Dad stared at my hand with a complicated or displeased expression, then turned around.
“Stay here for a while. I’ll take care of it. Can you finish your conversation before I return?”
“Ah, yes…!”
Dad nodded, gave Kan one last dissatisfied look, and left.
Inside the barrier, only Kan and I were left.
I carefully tried to pull my hand away, but Kan lightly held it without hurting me.
‘If I really want to, I could pull away.’
But… what was this affection? I stared at our hands with mixed feelings.
“Nemesia.”
“Yeah.”
“By any chance, the kids who came with me… what will happen to them?”
He meant the children who had come out of the labyrinth with him.
“Don’t worry. Near the Order, there’s an orphanage run directly by the Order. I’ll take them there.”
Of course, Kan too.
“You can trust that place. It’s safe.”
I had thought Kan’s village was safe, but it wasn’t.
This time, I’d check carefully.
“Then… the kids will be safe.”
Kan smiled faintly. I didn’t miss that moment.
“Yeah, don’t worry.”
“Mm, I won’t.”
“And you too…”
Kan raised his hand. I unconsciously stopped talking.
“Sorry for interrupting, but… can I ask you for a favor?”
A favor? I blinked in confusion but nodded.
I had already said he couldn’t come with me, so it couldn’t be that.
Whatever the favor was, I thought I could do it.
But five seconds later, I regretted nodding.
“I want to go to the Order with you.”
“Kan, that’s…”
“I’m not being stubborn. I just… want to see that person.”
…What?
“The one who saved me and the children in the labyrinth, then walked alone through that cruel and cursed place. Even just once, I want to thank him directly.”
…That’s me.
But I couldn’t say it. I had already lied.
I rolled my eyes nervously.
I should say no again.
“And… if that person allows me, I want to protect him. Because he gave me my life back.”
At those words, something surged in my throat.
Even without me, he would have survived. But the deaths of those children would’ve haunted him forever.
I had changed that. That was me.
‘Am I… jealous of a fake version of myself right now?’
My neck felt hot. Definitely not rational.
I tried to calm down and prepare to persuade him again.
Then Kan softly, carefully took both my hands and whispered like a breath.
“The truth is… I want to protect you more.”
…What?
When I looked up, my eyes widened.
Kan’s face was blushing like autumn leaves.
I was left speechless, my mouth opening and closing like a fish.
‘W-w-what…!’
A cutscene I had never seen before!
My main character! The one who always smiled like a child, cried in despair, or died like a hero!
Now he was making this kind of expression!?
‘This is new—make a photocard, merch, video, official illustration—right now!’
My heart pounded wildly. Even if I got hit with a baseball bat, it wouldn’t sound like this.
Kan, with that shy and embarrassed face, lowered his eyes, then slowly raised them again.
“…Is it… not okay?”
As he spoke, his cheeks turned even redder, like autumn leaves spreading across pale skin.
Kan, clearly not used to this, couldn’t meet my eyes and stammered.
“I… don’t want to say goodbye.”
