I Just Wanted to Avoid Death - Chapter 120
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“…Really?”
“Yes. But… I wish you wouldn’t choose a path that harms yourself.”
“……”
When Yeshion finished speaking and quietly stared at Rosaline, he slowly lifted his gaze from the floor. Meeting those eyes, Yeshion tilted his head slightly and asked softly.
“If I said I wanted to become stronger too, and wanted to train exactly as you described… would you approve of it?”
Rosaline fell silent at Yeshion’s question. After all, Yeshion had already been desperately ill once. He never wanted to see him suffer like that again.
When Rosaline’s eyebrows twisted painfully, Yeshion continued.
“I feel exactly the same.”
“…But, if I don’t do at least this much, I’m utterly useless.”
His self-esteem wasn’t just buried underground—it was digging even deeper.
Yeshion let out a deep sigh and suddenly reached out, firmly tugging on Rosaline’s cheek.
“Ow! Ow! That hurts…!”
“I’m pulling on purpose, so it should hurt. Who said something so ridiculous? That you’re useless.”
“……”
“Useless? How could you be useless? Do you really think Eldis or I would keep someone useless around us?”
Rosaline’s eyes widened in surprise. As he shook his head in denial, Yeshion sighed and continued speaking.
“I heard this somewhere, but everyone has their own role.”
“…Role?”
“Yes, role. If Archpriest Eldis’s role is healing people with his powerful divine power, and the Crown Prince’s role is using his authority to find people, then your role is moving others’ hearts more gently than anyone else can.”
At Yeshion’s words, Rosaline pointed at himself, confused.
“…Me?”
His expression was one of pure astonishment, as if hearing something entirely new—something he’d never even considered before. Yeshion nodded vigorously.
“Yes, you, Saintess. …Why do you think I stayed in the temple in the first place? It’s because you persuaded me.”
“I—I—I persuaded you?!”
“Yes, you did.”
Even with Yeshion’s firm affirmation, Rosaline’s expression remained dumbfounded. But Yeshion merely pouted slightly and recounted exactly why he’d stayed in the temple.
Rosaline already knew that if Yeshion left the temple, he would die much sooner than before.
That’s why he had been worrying endlessly. He thought he had to grow stronger somehow and, in the process, keep Yeshion safely inside the temple.
‘If he insisted on leaving, I was even prepared to borrow Eldis’s or the Crown Prince’s help to lock him up…’
Rosaline quietly looked at the man sitting beside him.
He had a face so beautiful that it naturally drew praise, and he had continuously encouraged him to strengthen his heart.
He’d comforted him when he cried, soothing his heart whenever it threatened to stray into darkness.
“Yeshion, I… have one more thing I want to say.”
“What is it?”
“Please, forgive me for just one thing.”
“…Forgive?”
What on earth was he suddenly asking forgiveness for?
He searched carefully through his memories to see if Rosaline had ever done something wrong, but there was nothing.
Yet Rosaline didn’t explain further what exactly he sought forgiveness for. He simply remained silent, eyes pleading only for that forgiveness.
Yeshion, who had been studying him quietly, crossed his arms and asked:
“If I say I forgive you, would it ease your worries a bit?”
“…Yeah, I think it would.”
“Alright, then. I don’t know what it is, but I forgive you.”
“What? You’re not even going to ask?”
Rosaline cautiously questioned him, clearly surprised he hadn’t demanded to know at least what exactly he was forgiving him for.
Yeshion, studying her expression, merely shrugged.
“You seemed unwilling to talk about it.”
“…Still, how can you just forgive someone like that, without any reason?”
“It’s because it’s you. If it was someone else, there’s no way.”
Yeshion stretched out a hand, gently pressing Rosaline’s forehead.
Clang!
At that very moment, Adelio, who had been silent inside the cell, began growling and moving restlessly.
Startled, Yeshion immediately jumped up and turned his gaze toward the cell. Rosaline, however, only bit his lip silently and forced himself to smile.
‘…I’m sorry, Yeshion.’
Rosaline clenched his fists tightly.
Even now, when he closed her eyes, he could vividly feel the despair that had once crawled over his entire body, sinking into his skin.
Back then, Rosaline had succumbed to that despair.
‘The life you saved… I recklessly threw it away.’
