Chapter 300 : I Ran Through the Rain

Tina looked at me with wide eyes.

I looked directly into her sky-blue eyes and said again.

"Kid, don't go."

Tina blinked and then said.

"Who are you?"

I mumbled something.

"A passing traveler."

Tina tilted her head.

"Why would a passing traveler suddenly fall from the sky?"

"Is that important right now?"

"Uh... isn't it important?"

"It's not that important. Just let it go."

"Okay."

Without any fear, Tina came closer, peeking her head here and there, and then looked up at me blankly.

"Why can't I go?"

"Because."

Wooooong...!!

The necklace was crying out so loudly that it was about to swallow my words.

Snap!

I tore it off and threw it into a corner of the alley.

Tina watched and then asked.

"Isn't that important?"

"Not as important as you."

I replied curtly and then continued what I was saying.

"Because that traitor—no, Yuri is planning to sell you to those fanatics."

"What? Fanatics?"

"Yes. If you follow Yuri, those strange guys wearing strange masks made of animal bones will hang you on an inverted cross. And they'll put a large bowl under it and collect every last drop of your blood. So..."

I took a deep breath and then said.

"You'll die if you go."

Tina's eyes widened.

Her fidgeting hands had stopped.

"...Really?"

"Yes."

That's it.

I said it.

I did it.

Now there's no turning back.

"Hooooo..."

A long breath escaped my lips.

As the tension eased, other things slowly began to come to mind.

From Big Sister and Miho, who would be guarding the magic circle that I would not return to, to the other mercenary members who had sent me off thinking I was just going on a normal mission, and to the various people I had met through many events.

"Haha..."

A self-deprecating laugh escaped my lips.

What would happen now?

It was certain that I would never be able to return to my original timeline.

She said that if I twisted the timeline, I would be trapped here forever.

Then would this world be separated from the world I was in?

Since I can't go back... then will the world I was in be destroyed as Big Sister said?

That's a bit... no, I'm very sorry about that.

Then what about this world?

Since I had overturned the event that would have originally happened, the little Ashuban of this world would not be the twisted Ashuban of the future.

Then how would he live?

I thought it would be quite interesting to watch that.

Just then.

Tina's voice pierced my ear like a sharp arrow.

"I'm going."

"...What?"

I came to my senses.

I quickly raised my head and looked at Tina.

"What did you just say?"

"I said I'm going to Yuri."

It took a considerable amount of time to understand Tina's words.

Just then, the rain began to fall.

"Kid, didn't you hear what I said? Yuri is betraying you! That traitor bastard is going to sell you! You'll die if you go!"

"..."

"Yes, it's hard to believe what a complete stranger says. Damn it, where do I even start explaining this? So-"

"I believe you."

I lost what I was about to say and just gaped.

"...You believe me?"

"Yes."

"Then why."

"Why am I going to Yuri?"

"Yes."

"If I don't go, Yuri will be in big trouble."

"What?"

What kind of bullshit was this?

At my questioning gaze, Tina explained clearly.

In the meantime, the rain began to fall harder.

"He said he would bring me to those people, but if I don't show up. Those people will think Yuri tricked them, right?"

"...That's right?"

"If they think they were tricked, they'll be angry, right?"

"That's right?"

"Then those people will take it out on Yuri. Am I right?"

"You're right. But, no, that's..."

Pitter-patter!

Heavy rain began to pour.

"Damn it."

I nervously ran my hand through my wet hair, and then took off my outer coat and put it over Tina's head.

"I'm fine."

"I'm not fine. Just wear it."

I pushed away Tina's small hand, which was trying to return the outer coat.

I knelt on one knee and put the outer coat over her head, and then tied the two sleeves under her neck to secure it.

"Keung..."

Tina tried to untie the knot a few times and failed.

Because I had tied it tightly.

I knelt on one knee and let out a deep sigh.

I met Tina's eyes and then grabbed her shoulders.

"Tina. Listen to me carefully."

"Yes."

"You, you'll die if you go now. And anyway, I'm going to beat that bastard Yuri to death, so you don't have to worry about him. Got it?"

"..."

Tina looked at me blankly without answering.

I was frustrated and shouted.

"Don't go! Stay here!"

"..."

But Tina just stared at me without any reply.

What was she thinking with that little head?

Swoosh—

Only the sound of the rain echoed in the deserted alley.

"Answer me."

"..."

"Say something."

I was thinking of just kidnapping her.

Just then, Tina, who had been staring at me with eyes that seemed to contain a broken sky, moved her lips.

"...Ashuban?"

Stop.

My thoughts stopped.

My body stopped working.

As if she had gained confidence from that, Tina said again.

"Ashuban, right?"

I stared blankly at Tina's sky-blue eyes.

The thoughts that had been complicatedly filling my head were all dyed sky-blue.

"How..."

Tina smiled brightly.

"I can tell just by looking."

And then she held out her small hand.

"Hand."

"..."

I placed my hand on Tina's small palm.

Tina fiddled with my hand, which was twice the size of hers, and said.

"Ashuban."

"...Yes."

"I'll believe you."

"Then..."

"Before that, let me ask you one thing. You have to answer honestly, okay?"

"Yes."

"If I don't go to Yuri, you'll be in big trouble, right?"

I couldn't answer and just gaped.

As if she had read my questioning gaze, Tina smiled and answered.

"I'm right, aren't I? I have a good intuition."

"..."

"So I'm going. For you, Ashuban."

No.

Don't go.

But the words wouldn't come out of my mouth.

"You came all this way to see me? I'm a little, happy."

Hehe, Tina, who had smiled brightly, brought my hand, which she had been fiddling with, to her face.

I could feel the warmth.

It was as if she were caressing a candle that was about to go out in the pouring rain.

Tina closed her eyes and said.

"It's rough. And there are a lot of scars."

"..."

"But it's warm."

Tina, who had slowly opened her eyes, smiled at me, and then.

She reached out and patted my head.

"You've been through a lot."

Drip—

A single tear flowed from my eye.

No, this was a drop of rain.

Tina looked at me with a smile, and then wiped away my tears.

And she wrapped her arms around my neck.

"Don't cry. I'm fine."

I reached out with my trembling hands and hugged her back.

Her back was so small and frail that I could wrap it with one arm.

I closed my eyes and felt that small warmth.

I embraced the candle in the rain, which was flickering precariously as if it would go out at any moment.

Ah, I wish time would stop like this.

Swoosh—

The sound of the rain wrapped around the two of us.

But as always.

Time was not on my side.

Tina released her arms and looked at me for a moment, as if to take me in for the last time.

She caressed my face once, and then.

"I'm going."

She walked out of the alley.

I could only stare at her back, kneeling blankly in that spot.

I couldn't hold her back.

Because, from that small back that I had held, I could feel a trembling that could not be hidden.

If I hadn't held her, I might have thought this.

How could she walk away so calmly, knowing she was going to die?

But, no.

Because she was pretending to be calm for me until the very end.

Tina was that kind of person.

A fool who thought of others first, even when death was right in front of her.

I couldn't bring myself to ignore her resolve.

Swoosh—

As I was hit by the pouring rain, I knelt and bowed my head.

I just, stayed like that.

Just then.

Click-clack, click-clack—

After Tina had disappeared, the sound of shoes echoed in the street where only I and the sound of the rain remained.

For some reason, it was clearly audible even in the pouring rain.

Click-clack, click-clack—

It stopped in front of me.

When I slowly raised my head, a woman with fiery red hair was looking down at me.

She clicked her tongue.

"I knew this would happen."

My mouth fell half-open.

"...Big Sister?"

Scarlet slowly lowered her posture, and then grabbed my chin and turned it here and there, examining my face.

"Are you the time traveler?"

"Pardon?"

"I asked if you are the child of prophecy chosen by fate, various gods, and me."

I lowered my head.

Because I couldn't bring myself to meet her eyes.

"I think you chose wrong."

"Child, will you look at me for a moment?"

When I raised my head, my vision flashed.

SLAP—!!

My cheek burned.

It felt like it was on fire.

Scarlet grabbed my chin and turned it back to its original position, and then asked again.

"I'll ask again. Are you the child of prophecy?"

"...No."

SLAP!

This time, my head turned in the opposite direction.

"I'll ask again. Are you the child of prophecy?"

"I don't know."

SLAP!

SLAP!

SLAP!

I was slapped five times in a row.

For some reason, I laughed.

"...You're laughing?"

Scarlet's slender hand grabbed my collar and forcibly pulled me up.

If I hadn't been taller than her, it was a monstrous strength that would have left me dangling.

Where did this strength come from?

"Look at my eyes."

Scarlet's strange, heated green eyes stared into mine.

"This is strange. I couldn't have chosen such a foolish fellow."

Hehehe.

A laugh escaped my lips.

My mouth must have been busted, as blood pooled in my mouth.

I spat it out to the side and then said.

"I guess you made a mistake."

"A mistake?"

Scarlet's eyebrow rose to one side.

"No, I don't make mistakes."

I said defiantly.

"Why, you're human too, Big Sister. Everyone makes mistakes."

Scarlet looked at me quietly and then said.

"There are two errors in what you just said."

"And what are they?"

"First, not everyone makes mistakes just because they're human. That's just an excuse that losers use as a shield."

"Then?"

"Just as a plant's reproductive organ must be called a flower to be a flower. A mistake is only a mistake when that person calls it a mistake."

"...Pardon?"

"If you call it an opportunity, it becomes an opportunity. If you call it a turning point, it becomes a turning point."

I stared at Scarlet blankly.

What Big Sister said was sometimes difficult.

"And second. I am not human. Therefore, I do not make mistakes."

"...Pardon?"

"Let me put it another way. I have never made a mistake. And I never will. Just as I have not yet admitted that you are a mistake."

"...!"

Scarlet looked into my eyes.

"Is that child your mistake?"

"..."

"Answer me. Is that child your fault? A mistake, a sin?"

"...No."

Scarlet let go of my collar.

Soon, she looked around, and then picked up the necklace I had thrown away in a corner.

It had already lost its light and was not reacting.

"Child of Prophecy."

"Yes."

"Make a face that will reassure the future me."

"Pardon?"

"Smile."

I pulled the corners of my mouth to make a smile.

It moved naturally along the trajectory that my countless smiles had drawn.

In the end, a fierce smile formed on my lips.

"That's right."

Scarlet laughed.

She caressed my cheek and said.

"Yes... I think I know a little why I chose you."

Scarlet put the necklace she had picked up back around my neck.

The clasp that had broken when I had torn off the necklace was already connected.

When I caressed the gem that had lost its light, it began to shine as if it had gained a second life and cried out.

Woooong...!

Watching that, Scarlet laughed softly.

"If you knew what I gave up for you, what kind of face would you make?"

"What... Did you give up?"

"I'll have to leave that as a pleasure for the future me to enjoy. Life is long, and it's a series of boredom."

"...Pardon?"

"Go back and ask. You have something to do now, don't you?"

Scarlet stepped aside.

"Go. Your role is not over yet."

I looked at the dark, rainy alley once, and at Scarlet once, and then.

"I'll be back."

"Yes."

I ran through the rain.

Like that time.

(End of Chapter)