TIEH | Chapter 12

Damian’s eyes widened at my words. It had been a while since I’d seen him so surprised, as he, like Calix, hadn’t been shocked by anything I said for some time. I couldn’t help but laugh at his dumbfounded expression.4af0899227670ac1

“You look really silly.”5e59c764fa5e237b

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“…Is it true?”0df56e4992b16298

“Yeah. Don’t I look really sick? I was unconscious all day and woke up late this afternoon.”8f7a484285588759

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Damian opened and closed 534416d16c his lips several times 6e50c5c564 without saying anything. Though our relationship 3cfb52e23e started as a 1f577c7f82 transaction, no one 26dbfa1eb8 could deny that 6c7c2ce93c Damian and I e84b0c62d6 were friends now.85523f0e58d46b2c

In the original story, he was depicted as so eccentric that I thought he’d be curious about my death, but it seemed even Damian couldn’t be entirely indifferent to a friend’s death. I felt a bit guilty for underestimating him.20a2ffe85b69a2a5

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“…Why did you make a deal with me? You said you were planning to leave. Was there a reason?”3ba4e8c1dcc9bd42

“You’re asking that now?”d0af29cfdfbff327

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“To be honest, I didn’t believe you.”fc01401c0bc47393

He was 969438512c half-doubting, but 5925c44757 it seemed 6edf607286 he thought 0e568406e6 I was ff538ccb07 completely crazy.fb5cdf564d388137

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“Then why did you ask about the original story?”a4cedbc1eec6b74f

“I was just curious about how concrete a world created by human imagination could be.”314d2053a293425e

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“…Are you a psycho?”45dc8ff91ae5fe9c

He didn’t believe me at all. Feeling a bit upset, I snapped back, and Damian hesitated before cautiously asking.bf201528874f6c3e

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“…Is your mouth that foul in the original story too?”38f591d985e7f027

“Do you want to die?”af051750a0d0c740

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He’s more of a psycho himself…. Ignoring his mumbled words, I explained the conditions mentioned in the contract in more detail.6fb21810e7253938

“The male lead in the original story is my friend. After I die, he suffers a lot from trauma, and I don’t want to see that, so I plan to escape with your help before I die.”2d54a7d8f4a4a1bd

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“What do you mean by escape?”dd11d287848dbca9

“Literally, I want to die alone where no one knows.”0b4e397f21528010

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“Why?”84e18959e4cdcdef

“How could you understand this big brother’s deep intentions?”0d47ef0c5753b0f8

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“I’m the big brother.”ae174d7c7e563a11

Damian, who had furrowed 26a4ab5499 his brow for a 7eee2317df moment, sighed deeply and 1472c17888 looked at me quietly.339c71d1f6a0a635

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“That might hurt them.”b5473b3daf2d0cef

“There’s no way to avoid hurting someone with death.”021891a3a3aa926a

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“But your family and that Calix kid will keep looking for you.”f4c77ed43771af6d

I hadn’t ignored that thought. If my parents, who searched the entire continent for unheard-of things to save their son, wouldn’t easily give up on me.80dfe1993aec9e82

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“Still, it’s better than dying in front of them after being sick all the time, right? They might even believe I’m still alive somewhere. They could think I’m living well and just not coming back because I like it there.”02bbef6ea017f21d

“…I don’t know.”16c511da44c8a9f8

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“Honestly, I don’t know either. It’s my first time having a family. It might be the wrong choice, but what can I do? This seems like the best option to me.”8782366501df8909

“But that’s not a choice for you.”27127e0e799bd8b3

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I paused for a c85258b875 moment and then smiled 4b763aa55f softly. Given that I da9eb5a1bb was dying, it 040846983b might seem like 7cedb68151 staying here and 8b20788df8 being pampered would 0cb6ff1b3b be better, but 985dd8f7f6 it was actually 94335fbf61 a choice that 21c7cee46f prioritized me above 5adcd20ae1 all else.dbf9dcbd7d7592b5

“Of course it is. It’s entirely for me.”3a9577eed5ba7f32

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“Why?”8092e1ad58fdbfe8

“I like it here. The life of a noble is comfortable, but beyond that, I like everyone here. They’re things I’ve never had in my past life.”01917b1fbe20a838

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Because I’d never had them, I knew how precious and valuable they were. That’s why I wanted to cherish and handle them carefully.f00fe5356b6fdeef

“I don’t want to show them me dying. I don’t want to be irritable because I’m in pain. I want to be remembered only with good memories.”ef4612c5e183cf54

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I wanted to remain as ‘Jayden Liddell,‘ a good son, brother, and friend, rather than someone who became sharp and irritable as they wasted away.6310695a713d78f4

Damian furrowed his brow, aa5fe79a9e seemingly not understanding my 1a2a2b595b feelings, and then added 6f78d7d217 in a small voice.579be5e6387d13b3

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“I don’t mind sensitive people. You being cranky might even be a little cute….”0c8104d6bf716b95

What is he suddenly 9239a7796a talking about? As I e0c92891a4 wondered how 2ec7cadf79 to react e25b5d51e3 to finding cd9119fefe another person ff931aa97e with strange f7a9c418b6 tastes after 8208474ed7 Hemel, Damian c0ec518a25 continued.5645e9f5c75a7ec5

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“So, can I visit sometimes? After you escape.”fcea76a6ab482142

Surprised by his unexpected 81c7a22307 words, I burst into 0819190b33 laughter.112fd2cf43712260

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“Sure. I’d like that.”e761b823d51e769a

It seemed I wouldn’t be as lonely as I thought before I died, which was a relief.60cf7b4ad0d579e8

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☀︎ • 38805a1ad2 ☀︎ • 58f7346938 ☀︎c89603099cb9bb0e

Another year passed. Though I turned 15, there wasn’t a significant change in my health. After collapsing with a nosebleed from eating various things, my parents stopped bringing anything with mana into my room. Instead, they brought healing potions or holy relics from priests whenever they could.82f17500be17a1aa

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Most were accessories I could wear all the time, so I looked like a well-off nouveau riche in the mirror, which wasn’t great for my mental health. But they neither harmed nor helped my condition.fe924cf51c511789

Calix seemed to have noticed my health wasn’t normal. Instead of urging me to go out like before, he said:a72efb5b2b037bf1

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“I’m just going to look around the garden.”30e8ab2f12437e36

“But it’s cold….”d2eccaae6756fa15

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“You’re the only one who’d call early autumn cold.”5f660df58aa72c1b

“Jayden, you’re not well.”287787694e50985a

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“If you don’t move, I’ll kick you.”6d0e7d552fc54d9d

“…How about kicking me and then resting in your room?”9cc50f96361dc875

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“Are you crazy?”7472d92846d1dba8

Because he was as overprotective as my parents, I had to argue for a long time just to take a simple walk. He’d hover around, stomping his feet, so I couldn’t stay out long.58e96553252ea9d7

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Even now, I barely went out and returned to my room in less than 30 minutes. Seeing Calix’s relieved face as soon as I entered, I sighed inwardly.fc13645a38ba3e33

Unlike Calix, who had grown taller than me, I was becoming more frail, like he had been before coming to the marquisate. Calix couldn’t help but worry. Besides, all the days he thought I was just sick were actually days I fainted with nosebleeds.d7ee626580e8567b

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“Jayden, you’re not really sick, are you…?”b1e9ec55f47ba3c5

Calix cautiously af7f5a4115 asked, watching ab30a93f85 me closely ae2a3c729c as I 7abdbb6075 seemed more 3c8749e083 tired after 5b6c774801 a short 851f3a875d walk. Of course, 61e4995c05 I had 8a6d62303b only one fdb96c76ae answer.e927f517dc313dd8

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“Of course, I’m sick here and there. You know that.”761d30ca6f5e90c3

“Not that kind of sick. Your uncle keeps bringing holy relics….”1a7fda45b151f1dd

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I was about to deny it but paused at the mention of holy relics. I hadn’t told Calix that what I wore were holy relics. He’d eventually learn about my illness, but I didn’t want to give him any reason to worry while it was still a secret.501f362b407230fb

“How did you know these were holy relics?”e9fdb10c243f6d08

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“I could feel the energy.”c81b0b4a6dcd335d

Mana used by wizards or aura wielders and divine power used by priests or holy knights are fundamentally different. Since divine power is granted by the gods, it can’t be the same as naturally occurring mana, so no one can use both.2b161609bca9612c

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While not using it is one thing, feeling it is another. The fact that Calix, only 15, could handle aura and sense divine power proved his extraordinary talent. As expected of the male lead….25c35c4b2f69c1c4

“Since I’m often sick, my father brings holy relics. I’ve tried elixirs and herbs, but they didn’t help much.”a887d48987902b6b

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“Then you’re okay, right?”9de8e8492c8cee21

“I’m not okay. How can I be okay when I’m sick?”9da6060f2eb1ea62

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“Not that kind of okay—”edddbbc922f569a9

As I skillfully dodged his questions, suddenly, my ears felt submerged, and Calix’s voice became distant until all sound stopped.bae810f689610808

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‘Jayden?’2870ae762bda0d13

Judging by his mouth, it seemed like he was calling me, but I couldn’t be sure since I couldn’t hear anything.2c2642e72715d961

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Frozen for a while, I slowly exhaled the breath I’d held.17f07aca500dce7d

“…Calix, I’m sorry, but can I rest? I’m feeling dizzy.”1b8088e5fe39d124

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Calix looked alarmed and kept talking, but I couldn’t understand a word. I forced a smile, feeling apologetic. I should’ve learned lip-reading in my past life.51047f8ef7e8bae4

After hesitating, Calix ff47af3dc2 left the room, f52b8998d0 and I sat 87e892c0c0 there for a 9bab72143c long time, waiting 5cbf325af8 for my hearing 66ae07e54e to return. Something pounded in my b85b6af8aa chest like a drum, ab1cc82269 but hearing nothing was 0bc50da045 a strange sensation.8634017d6532a3ff

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How much time passed like that? Eventually, my hearing slowly returned as if a clock was being rewound. But it wasn’t until late at night that my senses were fully restored.28a466dbd62b6639

‘…This is a bit troubling.’5d81e117c1cf7d2c

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Even though the ba96f1f0f0 hearing loss was b60d343ab7 temporary and I c914b1b356 felt no other c483bf91c7 symptoms afterward, I b87ff8c6b3 stayed up all 704061656a night.09a38ac3d4bd81b0