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.bbb8f93d55b6459c

“You look really silly.”b9ec698e35b37de6

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“…Is it true?”d9a93873a69856b8

“Yeah. Don’t I look really sick? I was unconscious all day and woke up late this afternoon.”a8e3781c1c17f704

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Damian opened and fa2546a634 closed his lips 38d9c5d155 several times without 87cd2c0f73 saying anything. Though our relationship started 22a3734c4b as a transaction, no 268227b162 one could deny that 7a7732c2c0 Damian and I were 0db4ea466b friends now.c6650f3081b1b6b7

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.066035c330df1f6e

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“…Why did you make a deal with me? You said you were planning to leave. Was there a reason?”a4d7b167eee79349

“You’re asking that now?”400268aa912f42fe

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“To be honest, I didn’t believe you.”18b9a56bc9cc3cad

He was 51b4a56af8 half-doubting, but b379c4d5f8 it seemed ce9d836570 he thought d7fb09c38d I was d815fb0347 completely crazy.573281c441d5a054

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“Then why did you ask about the original story?”0d3f7931753e57b3

“I was just curious about how concrete a world created by human imagination could be.”11bbcbb5a3e496d5

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“…Are you a psycho?”ece7f9e67f978f5e

He didn’t believe me at all. Feeling a bit upset, I snapped back, and Damian hesitated before cautiously asking.7fe856cbe8fa9524

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“…Is your mouth that foul in the original story too?”530f166f3a0385ad

“Do you want to die?”7b303d31a649d49e

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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.66c89b0ad33905bb

“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.”097700e1b900b145

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“What do you mean by escape?”45b6294fd578ec70

“Literally, I want to die alone where no one knows.”9a56c1029515eeca

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“Why?”de1c0101581a8296

“How could you understand this big brother’s deep intentions?”5b81b387baa088f0

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“I’m the big brother.”06da7bad00f44493

Damian, who had 2fb5f279bb furrowed his brow d287e2f81c for a moment, 0ebde1f279 sighed deeply and 318a03bc7a looked at me a5b5a237d2 quietly.e506e06b96868d4c

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“That might hurt them.”7e03993cc1eb415a

“There’s no way to avoid hurting someone with death.”77481213e41c68aa

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“But your family and that Calix kid will keep looking for you.”cf13e0e821c13481

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.4391fb7e9faa8a71

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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.”9ca6b1ff79258af6

“…I don’t know.”daf2703943d4e0ee

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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.”fb76643d67449f70

“But that’s not a choice for you.”dd3ddb7917408092

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I paused for a bbb49b7f95 moment and then smiled 44b71304d6 softly. Given that I c07a60a2c8 was dying, it 5e95e12738 might seem like 046d54dfc8 staying here and dc5c7baa56 being pampered would 57e979cf0b be better, but 7ffffffb92 it was actually 0a4af6d7c4 a choice that 51f5830048 prioritized me above b837c76fb0 all else.9fad9becfb27be26

“Of course it is. It’s entirely for me.”f0e69de80e927e17

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“Why?”2e30f65fdfba5e50

“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.”21aa2e9300c6c616

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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.8e9771497c416588

“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.”ee8cac1fc5d21b4b

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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.0983244dbb8b0079

Damian furrowed his brow, eea3469861 seemingly not understanding my fb6b36e73e feelings, and then added c8f1901188 in a small voice.db3b418581062ab8

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“I don’t mind sensitive people. You being cranky might even be a little cute….”ec8d0425773d789e

What is he suddenly 7e46d960f7 talking about? As I 6416c313e2 wondered how bb822b8b8a to react b226018516 to finding 97928d9afa another person 69a64f123b with strange 594e9ddbb0 tastes after b50b4d2204 Hemel, Damian 78d0dd942b continued.2b426c1059e085eb

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“So, can I visit sometimes? After you escape.”99f02b56291a7c0c

Surprised by his unexpected 07376d1877 words, I burst into 1889b40167 laughter.b4adc8824d3dfead

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“Sure. I’d like that.”0c794ccc1c750dbc

It seemed I wouldn’t be as lonely as I thought before I died, which was a relief.dd14aacce17950a7

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☀︎ • ☀︎ 703fb66d1e • ☀︎d0fbbfbba4b112cf

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.7f2880ee2bd13146

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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.c0f2c6afd501b85f

Calix seemed to have noticed my health wasn’t normal. Instead of urging me to go out like before, he said:d6e5d1edb8a42a51

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“I’m just going to look around the garden.”ad81f5fee1eadf03

“But it’s cold….”612c7995c4e83878

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“You’re the only one who’d call early autumn cold.”574bbc48711ae6f4

“Jayden, you’re not well.”6cb5cc8a47d2a87e

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“If you don’t move, I’ll kick you.”5e775fb8cc31dd85

“…How about kicking me and then resting in your room?”bef251b590df8569

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“Are you crazy?”ff6409a4df6111fc

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.00cabce650f09c42

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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.386cb56010cbb42e

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.d4869e8724bbc5dc

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“Jayden, you’re not really sick, are you…?”de768f9a05236c24

Calix cautiously asked, dd714981c8 watching me closely a762e3ffcd as I seemed be1428019b more tired after 5cb9a29fce a short walk. Of course, I had 2c3d6d0aa0 only one answer.5404ab2040b65889

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“Of course, I’m sick here and there. You know that.”6b6f3225393d5a17

“Not that kind of sick. Your uncle keeps bringing holy relics….”ceb3117ea9b53bef

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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.edd7b9e3694e31de

“How did you know these were holy relics?”6d95341ad39cc6e1

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“I could feel the energy.”0500225f970a0ac6

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.ba37787a83f33325

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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….d2c9540aea5e1078

“Since I’m often sick, my father brings holy relics. I’ve tried elixirs and herbs, but they didn’t help much.”7798732db9cdf60b

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“Then you’re okay, right?”374c24e57eabc4fe

“I’m not okay. How can I be okay when I’m sick?”d9c10b443046cfbe

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“Not that kind of okay—”2ea475cc2e9c3df5

As I skillfully dodged his questions, suddenly, my ears felt submerged, and Calix’s voice became distant until all sound stopped.ab175631aa7fb0b8

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‘Jayden?’7d8974a7d3c134ef

Judging by his mouth, it seemed like he was calling me, but I couldn’t be sure since I couldn’t hear anything.6e4a2a5e98d53f53

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Frozen for a while, I slowly exhaled the breath I’d held.27cfb37800e49fa5

“…Calix, I’m sorry, but can I rest? I’m feeling dizzy.”7605924056f8a30c

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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.62f96ce847fce9bd

After hesitating, Calix left 99f1722ec7 the room, and I 0ebda55080 sat there for a 7bc68dc826 long time, waiting for 61ee243db2 my hearing to return. Something pounded 8d583e0798 in my 96ba41fa04 chest like 21c24e9b73 a drum, 250330f9d9 but hearing b76bf24f10 nothing was ebeb609066 a strange 68b1a395e8 sensation.45c737c977ba01a3

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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.24fafae98fad09e4

‘…This is a bit troubling.’9d2ee2b253d072d1

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Even though a7e6fcb33c the hearing fc2d4ff2b9 loss was 067adc28de temporary and 53356cc04e I felt 96d687f5d0 no other b0423ddcc5 symptoms afterward, 0f155b0109 I stayed ebbab7880f up all 3d1042cfab night.b514e9e275932632