A shimmer on the horizon (Sancest multiship) [Discontinued]

Chapter 24 - Regret

Reaper's PoV.:

Geno's room was in the top floor with the greatest balcony. To be honest, it looked more like a library than a normal room to me, I couldn't even spot a bed.

Only thousands of books, build up to stacks, creating alleys and laying even on the floor and covering it completely.

"Better float, I don't want dirt on them", Geno said while taking of his white, bloody slippers. So he didn't want dirt on them but his blood, dripping from his wound was okay? Yeah sure...

But I did as he wanted and my left eye glowed azure. I snorted, picked one of the books from the floor and turned to Geno: "Have you moved a whole library here?"

Geno only shrugged: "Only the books that interested me. Tibia honest, I only picked this house because of the private library here. They have even books I couldn't find in the even oldest archives. By the way, can you take the stack left from you? These are books for Sci, I think they could interest him. And next to the door is another one. Meanwhile I take care of my stuff."

I looked to the stack of books that was even bigger than me and wondered how Geno even managed to build it, or how it could even stand. Despite his huge temper, he was pretty small and reached only my chest.

Even though he was the second oldest in the crew, me being the oldest. But man, I guess your age doesn't count after these 253 years. Before the time loop, I've been 25 years old, five years older than Cross and Nightmare, and only one more than Geno.

I hesitated and turned around to the other, barley spotting him because of the books.

"Geno?"

"Yeah?"

"Can I ask ya a question?"

"Ya just did, but go on."

"How do you know how long it's been? Since the time loop started."

Geno's movements stopped for a moment but continued after that, I had the feeling that he avoided my gaze. "Geno?", I asked again.

"I counted", came the damped answer and I knew that he hid his face in his scarf.

"C-counted?!", I almost choked on this word and my eyes widened. "Y-you mean ever single day-"

"Aye."

"But... why?!", why would someone do that? Counting every single day, watching how the time stayed still and knowing that you could do nothing against it? Watching your own misery? We may have been in the same situation, but no one should be in this mental hell, that's why I let the time pass, without looking back, but Geno... why would he do something like that?!

"Because of TK."

Geno turned around and his gaze showed sadness, not any anger but pure sadness and it looked like he'd start crying again at any moment. But he held himself together and looked up to me.

"You know that his magic was always pretty low, right? Nightmare told me when he found me, that TK still looked like on our first meeting. His magic is so low that he'll stay a nine year old child for the rest of his life, because his body doesn't even have enough to grow", he gulped, "And just imagine how much it costs to keep this loop stable."

I moved forward as he turned his gaze away from me, fixing it on one of the book stacks.

"I-I counted, so that I'd know how long he persevered it. How long... he stayed alive in this state. To be honest I'm surprised that this loop is still active after... so much time. If he stops for even a second using his skill, than he'll never be able to use it again. He'd be just a pile of dust, Reaper. I-I can't stand that he did such a sacrifice for us, I... I..."