My Second Chance In Life In Another World

CHAPTER 51: LET ME PROTECT YOU

I remained silent until Crestia composed herself and stopped crying. When I noticed that she wasn't crying anymore, I was about to suggest we leave this place before Alad and Werk woke up, but she spoke first.

"I answered your question, now it's your turn to answer mine," she said with her usual attitude—the Crestia that I know.

I smiled upon seeing it, and when she noticed, her cheeks turned red. Perhaps she was embarrassed because I now know her true personality.

"Okay, go ahead, ask me anything, and I'll answer," I said to her.

When she heard that, she made a face that said, "How should I say it?" After a minute, she finally found the resolve to ask.

"Why?" she whispered, but loud enough for me to hear.

"Hmm?" I said, asking her what she meant by "why?"

"Why did you save me? There's no merit in saving me. You wouldn't get anything, and you still placed yourself in harm's way to save me. Tell me why?" She asked as if it had been bothering her since earlier.

I smiled at her and then answered her question.

"There are two reasons why I saved you," I said while still smiling.

"Two?" she asked.

"Yes, the first is just like I said to Alad earlier—I just can't ignore someone in need," I explained, stating the first reason.

"Huh? Then the second?" she asked, sounding incredulous.

"The second reason is that I don't want to have any regrets anymore," I said.

"Regret?" she asked again.

"Yeah, in my life, I have so many things I've regretted. In fact, I was also a victim of bullying in the past, and I regret not doing anything and just accepting whatever they did to me," I explained.

"You were also a victim of bullying, just like me?" She asked with a tone that made it seem like she had realized something.

"Yeah, I regret not doing anything in the past. That's why I saved you, because I know I'll regret it if I didn't," I explained again. After that, silence loomed over us, so it was the perfect time to suggest we leave before Alad and Werk woke up.

"I didn't do it with any ulterior motives, so don't worry about it. So why don't we go now before Alad and Werk wake up?" I suggested to her, and she answered with a nod.

We exited the back of the fourth-year students' building, leaving Alad and Werk behind in the cold.

While walking, her stomach growled loudly, even audible to me.

Oh! That's right, she haven't eaten anything since this morning because she's with Alad. I remember Chris saying that Crestia had some business to take care of, so they didn't eat breakfast together, I recalled.

"Do you want to go to the cafeteria?" I asked her.

"I... I don't have money," she answered, her face reddening with embarrassment.

"I'll pay for you. Just eat whatever you want," I said.

"No, I can't accept it. You've already done so much—" groooowl

I looked at her after hearing that, and her face became even redder.

"I'll accept it. Thank you very much," she said.

After deciding, the two of us started heading to the cafeteria.

While on the road, I remembered something I needed to tell her.

"Ah! About Alad, from now on, please let me know if he tries to do something to you. Also, please stay with Chris, Lana, or Lucia as much as possible, so Alad won't have a chance to reach out to you. He works in the shadows, so he won't do something that would expose himself," I said to her, then looked at her.

"Please don't involve yourself anymore in this. You're an outsider, and I can't bear it if something happens to you for trying to protect me," she said to me, stopping in her tracks.

"Even if you say that, I'm no longer an outsider in this after I beat Alad and Werk. I know that Alad would come after me too, so why not team up with me? Just like they said, two is better than one," I said to her.

"No, I'll only become a hindrance to you. I don't even have the power to protect myself. If we team up, I'll just be someone you need to protect!" she said, clearly against the idea of teaming up.

"Then let me protect you," I said.

"Huh? What are you saying?" she asked in a confused tone. She didn't expect what I just said.

"I said, let me protect you," I repeated, making it clearer for her to understand.

"Why? Why would you go to such lengths just to protect me? If you don't give a valid reason, I won't accept it," she asked me.

"There are two reasons again why I would do it. First, as I said before, I don't want to do anything I'll regret later on," I said, stating the first reason.

"And the second reason is that you're my childhood friend's friend, that's all," I said.

"Huh? Are you kidding me? You'll risk your life just to protect your childhood friend's friend?" she asked me, her tone strong.

"Yes, because I know she'll be sad if something happens to you," I said.

"Ah! If you're still not satisfied, then let me give you a third reason," I said.

"A third reason?" she asked.

"Yeah, the third reason is because I don't want to see you crying again," I said.

"Wha? What are you saying?" she said, her face starting to redden again.

"Huh? I said that I don't want to see you crying—" she stopped me before I finished my sentence.

"I heard it already, so don't say it again," she said, her face still blushing.

"Idiot," she whispered, but I still heard it.

Why am I being called an idiot in this situation?

"Then let me say it to you: for now, I'll ask for your help if Alad ever makes a move again. But remember this, I'll become stronger, much stronger than you. So when that time comes, I'll repay you. I'll be the one who helps you and saves you when you're in trouble. So until that time comes, I'll rely on you. Are you fine with that?" she asked.

"Yeah, looking forward to it, Crestia," I said, then smiled at her.

When she heard my answer, she turned her head away from me.

"Hmph, idiot," she said, then started walking faster, leaving me behind.

"You don't need to repay me or anything like that, though. You just don't know it, but you're the one who helped me conquer my trauma. So what I'm doing right now is just repaying you," I whispered to myself.

"Huh? Did you say something?" she asked me.

"No, I didn't. Wait, don't leave me behind," I said, then started to run to catch up to Crestia, who was walking much faster than before.