I Will Not Fall For the Villain’s Flirtations - Chapter 4 Part 6

I might really die like this.

The moment I realized that, my pent-up sadness burst out.

“Eugh.”

If I were to describe myself, ever since as a child, I wasn’t particularly prone to being sentimental or shedding tears. At most, my tears would merely flow somewhat, drying up quickly like dew. I can’t even remember the last time I shed tears like chicken droppings. Of course, that excludes the ridiculous tears I shed when I got drunk the night before I went to the temple.

But today, it felt like I could produce a flowing stream of water from my eyes.

“Waaah!”

Am I really going to die like this? Really?

Even in my previous life, I died without accomplishing anything. I was only in my twenties.

I didn’t expect much. I just wanted to live properly, even if it was a modest life.

I never had the chance to experience the life of a protagonist, nor could I even wish for it. It was a prize I wasn’t allowed to have, and it was far beyond my reach even in my second life.

But still, such a miserable end?

Why? Is it because I got close to the main character, Peidos Carmel, without understanding my place in the plot? Or is it because I couldn’t fulfill the role of Duna Valorem from the original story?

Or maybe, simply because I’m an unimportant supporting character?

Why do I have to die so meaninglessly?

“I haven’t even kissed a hot guy yet.”

Suddenly, the face of an incredibly handsome villain came to mind, but he was an exception because he was someone who would end my life, not just my face.

Of course, if I were to properly assess what I would regret the most, this wouldn’t even make it onto the list. I just felt like saying such a stupid thing, hoping it would make me feel slightly better.

Even though I failed.

“This is really too much to say…”

The truly sad thing was that even while I was crying, I found it difficult to catch my breath. I was already feeling so exhausted that I thought I would collapse from just a little bit of crying.

With the sobbing, my blood pressure rose, and along with that, a throbbing headache filled my blurry consciousness. In the midst of this hazy state, I suddenly saw a familiar pile of light.

“I told you not to get hurt, but you never listen.”

“…….”

“Who told you to get hurt like this? Hm?”

I vaguely remembered a gentle yet mischievous voice.

The warmth that touched my forehead was the last thing I felt as I slowly crossed the boundary into dreams. After that, I fell into a deep sleep, as if I had fainted.

* * *

When I opened my eyes, what I saw was the morning light pouring in from outside.

And…

“……”

I saw a beautifully shining silver hair. It was like a fairy’s thread, glistening in the sunlight that filtered through the window.

I reached my hand out towards what spread softly on top of the bed. When I actually touched it, it was as soft as cotton.

The dream felt so vivid.

“Oh, I must have dozed off.”

“……”

It wasn’t until the owner of the hair spoke that I realized this wasn’t a dream.

“Ah, I’m sorry!”

I panicked at the fact that I had been touching someone’s hair while they were asleep, like a pervert. Whether it was because he was not fully awake yet or because he was naturally open-minded, Peidos didn’t say anything special.

“But, why are you here?”

I stuttered slightly in my surprise. He was sitting on a chair by the bedside as if he had been taking care of me all night.

“Because you weren’t feeling well.”

“……”

“Just in case something happens.”

Considering the unfinished purification work and the fact that we were attacked, he had already exceeded his original role by coming with me all the way to the capital.

No matter how much I have set a date for my death, such incidents would still occur frequently in enemy territory, where surprise attacks are common. I wondered if it was appropriate to waste a busy person’s time like this.

Whether he knew or not about my thoughts, he still had a face full of guilt. He didn’t even properly meet my eyes.

“I’m sorry.”

“…Uh? Why are you apologizing?”

“It’s because of me.”

He grabbed my hand and leaned his forehead against it, sighing deeply.

“I shouldn’t have received your holy power.”

“……”

“It was a selfish desire. It wasn’t really necessary.”

He inhaled deeply again, confessing.

“My greed got the better of me.”

“……Commander.”

In the end, unable to endure any longer, I called out to him.

“If it wasn’t for you, I would have fallen to my death right away.”

“……”

“It’s fortunate that I was able to show you my appreciation before I die.”

Funnily enough, it was true. If I were to die like this, my greatest accomplishment would be sharing my holy power with the male lead when he was injured.

It was a small thing, almost insignificant, but that was Duna Valorem’s whole life in the first place. I had to find solace in the fact that I was so insignificant.

“You’re not going to die. I’ve been searching for a magician all night, and am still doing so, so I’ll find him soon.”

“Yes… Thank you.”

After hearing my reply, he slowly took the hand he was holding and brought it to his lips. I froze in place, startled by the unexpected smoothness that touched the back of my hand.

It was hard to call it a kiss, and it lasted for a long time to consider it a mere touch. But whatever it was, it was powerful enough to throw my mind into chaos.

My heart, which found its role faster than my brain, started racing like crazy. Amidst the rising heat flowing through my veins, he let go of my hand, which he had pressed tightly on his lips, and gazed at me calmly.

“I apologize once again.”

“……”

“It may not be enough to compensate with anything, but in order to make up for it, I’ll do my best, so hold on a little longer.”

… Was that an apology?

I laughed lightly, feeling the steam dissipating slightly.

“There’s no need to blame yourself. I should be the one apologizing because you got hurt because of me.”

Saying that, I subtly withdrew the hand that he had been holding since earlier. There was a slight resistance, but as if it were a mistake, his hand slipped away smoothly.

As I retrieved my hand, I used my other hand to cover the spot where his lips had touched, pretending not to notice.

“Are you sure you don’t want to go back to Luticia?”

“Everyone is regrouping because of the attack. After protecting the capital, they will return to the Ohars region.”

“I see.”

“And I contacted your family in Liche. They must have left by now. You should be able to meet them by the end of today.”

“Ah…”

They must all be very worried.

Thinking of my father, who would cry until tears filled the ocean, I felt uneasy already.

When I unconsciously brought my nails to my mouth to bite them, I suddenly realized one thing that I had forgotten.

“…Huh?”

The way I moved just now was so natural and effortless, how did that happen?

Puzzled, I shook my arm to check. Since earlier, my limbs had been moving very well for some reason.

“What…?”

While at it, I shook my leg as well. The blanket, which was partially draped over me, fell to the side due to the vigorous shaking of my body.

No way, what on earth…?

“Duna? Why…?”

“Peidos, am I… am dead?”

“…What?”

“No, right? So how can I move so well?”

I didn’t sense any of the poison gradually stiffening my body or the magic that restrained me. Absentmindedly, I looked down at my palm and gazed at Peidos once again.

He was looking at me with a puzzled expression, glancing back and forth at my hands.

“Is the condition of my body different from yesterday?”

“Yes, today I feel completely fine…”

“Pardon me.”

Before I could finish my sentence, he grabbed my arm and pulled up my sleeve. Where there used to be wounds inflicted by the Wolven, fresh skin had grown.

No, I’m not sure if it’s fresh skin or if there were never any wounds to begin with, as the scars themselves seemed to have vanished entirely.

“What…?”

“……”

Even I was taken aback and opened my mouth wide, looking at the place where the wounds used to be. It was undoubtedly in such a severe condition that I couldn’t bear to look at it myself.

“What the…”

“I’ll get Oscar.”

Peidos left those words behind and hastily went outside. Even afterward, I kept staring at my clean arm in sheer confusion.

What could have happened? Could it be that being attacked by Wolven was all just a dream? No, that can’t be true.

Before I could gather my thoughts, the door opened with a creak, and Peidos entered along with the healing attendant I saw yesterday. He quickly examined my arm, just like Peidos did, and then sat down on the chair, amazed.

“What…”

Judging by his dumbfounded expression, it seemed he was oblivious to what was going on.

Focused, the healing priest, Oscar, tilted his head, and examined me further. After closing his eyes for the fourth time and examining the state of magical energy in my body, he took a long breath and furrowed his brow.

“The poison has been healed. The magic power has been purified as well. I have absolutely no idea what happened…”

“……”

None of them knew the answer. As the silence continued to prevail, Oscar mumbled faintly.

“Is it a miracle?”

Is that the conclusion?

But for now, there was no other way to explain it differently. How else could this be described, something that could appear in the scriptures?

Peidos’s face was also unusually pale. From his perspective, it would be even harder to believe since he stayed by my side from at least dawn.

“You don’t have any records of…… natural healing?”

“How is that possible? It would be more acceptable to say that someone from the Magic Tower came last night and treated you.”

Oscar’s metaphor was an attempt to indicate the absurdity of the statement, but ironically, I could find a reason in those words.

“…Keene?”

Peidos turned to me as I softly mumbled the words.

“Ah… it’s nothing.”

I tried to dismiss it with an awkward smile but the thoughts continued in my mind.

I heard that it is definitely possible to get help from someone skilled enough from the Magic Tower. They were among the very few.

Keene was my only connection to the Magic Tower. It seemed more plausible that Keene had saved me rather than some whimsical miracle.

Yesterday, it wasn’t a dream after all.

It felt like I had heard his voice while I was asleep, but he had actually come and gone.

But why did he save me? Wasn’t it him who sent the demons our way?

As usual, my head was spinning from his incomprehensible actions.

“I must inform His Holiness. Such an unprecedented event should be widely known!”

“Haha, that’s right…”

Oscar’s fervent argument drove a wedge into my gut. I replied without sincerity, concealing my anguish, and stared at my clean arm for a long time.