“Hey, Lian.”
“…What?”
My voice has turned miserably shaky and hoarse, but I can’t care less about that anymore.
My body has long already stopped listening to my commands. Nothing new at this point.
“Even if you’re a liar like you say you are, I know you’re a very nice person and that you really hate hurting other people in any way. That’s why for you to resort to lying, it must be so that no one else but you will get hurt. Right? You’re the type to place all the burden on your shoulders after all.”
What’s he saying? He’s overestimating me too much.
Inside, I’m just an average—no, a below-average, miserable adult who’s too timid and cowardly. I often overthink things to the point that I end up doing completely nothing.
“That’s… not true. I—”
“Lian. You don’t have to force yourself to say it if you can’t. If… you still think that it’s necessary to lie to me after some consideration… then you can keep lying.”
“Wha…”
I look up at Alfred.
So even if I lie…
“That’s okay with you?”
No way. How can he agree to such a thing?
For him to let such a selfish thing on my part slide seems unbelievable.
However, Alfred nods with a smile. “It’s fine. But Lian, please tell me just one thing.”
“One thing…?”
“Yes. Just this one thing. You once told me you’ll give me a reward, right?”
“A reward?”
Have I ever said something like that? I sift through my memories. Then, I find one that seems to fit the bill.
Is he talking about our last fight in the swordsmanship competition?
Now that I think about it, I do remember panicking and blurting something like that at the last moment in a desperate attempt to motivate him. Because at that time, he was so determined to throw the match so that he could go home early.
I said that if he won against me, I would give him one thing. Anything that he wants.
So he’s planning to claim it now?
Until today, not once has he ever mentioned or said anything about it. So I presumed that he doesn’t care about it anymore.
“I kept hesitating about what I should use it for. There are too many options. And so, I continuously delayed cashing it in until today… But now, I’m glad that I did that. Lian, since you promised, then I have something that I want. Just one thing.”
Something that he wants?
“What is it?”
“I want a truthful answer to my question. Not with a lie but with the truth.”
YOU ARE READING
Nurturing the Hero to Avoid Death
Romance"Please, I implore you to save the world." This is what a goddess in white says to me in a pure-white space. Such is the standard line that suggests the game is about to begin. Please say this stirring line to boys and girls with sparkling eyes! It...
