I Just Wanted to Avoid Death - Chapter 127
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As he listened quietly to Eldis, one line stuck in Yeshion’s mind—“someone begged to be taken to the temple.”
There was one event he could guess based on the timeline.
Blackmail.
In the original story, the version of ‘Yeshion’ without divine power was said to have blackmailed Eldis to gain entry to the temple.
Now he understood. Back then, the only thing that ‘Yeshion’ could have used to threaten Eldis… was the truth about his father’s murder. He must have said: Take me with you before I tell the temple everything.
‘I knew he was trash, but…’
That level of trash was just beyond redemption.
It must have been a time so painful Eldis couldn’t even put it into words, and yet, in that moment, someone had the audacity to demand he be taken to the temple.
“…I’m sorry.”
“Why are you apologizing?”
“Because I can guess… the kind of things I must have said back then.”
At Yeshion’s words, Eldis’s eyes widened.
But then, softening with a gentle smile, Eldis lightly tapped Yeshion’s bitten lip with a fingertip.
“You don’t have to apologize for things you didn’t do.”
At that, Yeshion’s whole body trembled.
He had only ever told Eldis that he’d returned several times, and yet, from the very beginning, Eldis had always acted like he knew that Yeshion wasn’t the real ‘Yeshion.’
“…Since when?”
“Since the moment you healed me.”
“H-How…?”
“I explained it during our last lesson, though it seems you’ve forgotten. Divine power doesn’t dwell in the body, but in the soul.”
Yeshion’s mouth dropped open at the explanation.
So that meant… he’d known nearly from the very beginning—and pretended not to?
Suddenly, all the things he’d said came flooding back to him. Asking why Eldis was being nice to someone he supposedly disliked… calling himself ‘just a Yeshion without even a surname’…
There were far too many moments to count—and now they all burned with embarrassment. His face flushed a deep red.
“You called yourself ‘a Yeshion without even a proper surname,’ didn’t you?”
“…!”
“Your surname is ‘Azelist.’ As far as I know, you were a noble once. A family that no longer exists now.”
Overwhelmed by shame, Yeshion hung his head low. His ears were flushed red, and he couldn’t lift his face. Eldis leaned in and whispered.
“Every time you pretended not to be, it was… very cute.”
In the end, Yeshion buried his face in both hands.
“Stop teasing him. His face is about to explode.”
Adelio, who had been holding Yeshion in his arms, gave his waist a firm squeeze. Eldis glanced sharply at him but eventually retreated without resistance.
As Yeshion fanned his burning face, Adelio spoke up.
“So, could someone explain to me what all that was about?”
“…Do I really have to explain it? You should’ve at least received basic divine training at the Imperial Palace.”
“Well, I clearly don’t know. So go ahead and explain.”
His tone was absurdly arrogant, but Eldis, as if used to such things, lowered his voice and began speaking.
That Yeshion wasn’t truly ‘Yeshion.’ That he knew exactly when he had come to possess Yeshion’s body.
“…It wasn’t my intention to deceive anyone.”
Yeshion cautiously glanced at Rosaline, Adelio, and Eldis as he spoke.
But all three of them nodded as if they understood.
“Well, stranger things happen in this world. Even now, this is a pretty strange case. Still, I like that you weren’t the one trying to kill me. Solves a few of my lingering concerns.”
Adelio brushed it off like it was no big deal.
“No one would believe it if someone said a person changed overnight. You made the wise choice.”
Eldis, if anything, praised him for it.
“……”
But Rosaline looked at Yeshion with a conflicted expression. Yeshion, watching Rosaline’s silent gaze, gently tapped Adelio’s arm.
When Adelio released him, Yeshion slipped off his lap and approached Rosaline. Crouching in front of him, he looked up quietly.
His face was filled with guilt. Seeing it, Rosaline bit his lip.
“…I’m sorry, Saintess.”
“……”
“I kept telling myself I should tell you… but I just couldn’t.”
“…Why?”
His pink eyes trembled ever so slightly.
What was Rosaline thinking now?
