I Just Wanted to Avoid Death - Chapter 164
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Yeshion stood from his seat and pulled the book from under Adelio’s arm.
“Let’s go ask the Archpriest if this book’s content is actually true. It’s a temple book, so it’s probably been vetted, but still, just in case.”
“……Am I really your first kiss?”
Just as Yeshion was hurrying out of the library, Adelio, still rooted in place, asked.
Blink, blink.
Yeshion blinked like a fool, then slowly nodded.
“……Huh? Oh, yeah. You were my first. I’ve had romantic experiences before, but never that far with skinship.”
He’d had light kisses, but intertwining tongues and tasting breath like that was the first time.
Yeshion scratched his head awkwardly and turned away, but Adelio stepped in close. Then he bent down and pressed his lips to Yeshion’s.
“I…”
“…?”
“Every kiss I share with you… I think it might be my last.”
* * *
Even now, Yeshion’s face was flushed red as he cleared his throat in front of Eldis’s office. Thanks to Adelio, who had just confessed he wanted to love only him for the rest of his life, the heat wouldn’t leave his face.
“Your lips are a little swollen.”
“Well, whose fault is that?”
“Your lips should look like they want to be bitten. What can I say, they look so luscious and delicious.”
“…Your Highness, that sounded really perverted just now.”
At Yeshion’s remark, Adelio let out a laugh. He didn’t deny it, so he must’ve thought the same himself.
“Ahem.”
Yeshion cleared his throat again and knocked on the office door, trying to hide his slightly puffed lips.
The door swung open immediately.
Eldis, who had been wiping blood off his hands, quickly tucked the bloodied handkerchief into his sleeve when he saw Yeshion.
“…You’re not resting.”
There was much meaning behind the words.
But Yeshion just smiled as if to say it was fine and held up a book.
“Why are you holding that book?”
“There’s something I want to do.”
Yeshion then shared with Eldis the conversation he’d had with Adelio. Rosaline, who had just returned saying he had completed his task, also heard the whole story.
“Recovering your memories, huh…”
Eldis wore a worried expression.
After a long silence, he let out a deep sigh and continued.
“It is possible to use divine power to awaken the memories within your body. However, I can’t say there are no side effects.”
“……”
“If you see the memories of the real ‘Yeshion’ and become entangled in the emotions he felt, there’s a risk that your personality might change or be overtaken.”
But what Eldis worried about wasn’t just that.
He knew the Yeshion before him wouldn’t understand the choices of the real ‘Yeshion.’ At best, he’d call them foolish or frustrating.
So what Eldis truly feared was one thing.
“Even without the memories, if your body fears that person enough to remember him… then you might become even more afraid once you recover everything.”
A person feared so deeply the body remembered it without the mind.
If the body warned itself despite having no memories, there was no telling how overwhelming that fear might become once the memories returned.
And when fear floods the mind, people can no longer make rational decisions.
That was what Eldis feared.
That if Yeshion faced them alone again, he might reveal things he wished to keep hidden. That he would blame himself afterwards.
“It’s alright.”
“……”
“I’m not alone anymore.”
Yeshion looked at Eldis quietly, then turned to Adelio, who had been holding his hand tightly this whole time. Then, seeing Rosaline nearby smiling with his chin resting in his palm, he turned back to Eldis.
“If I ever make the wrong choice, you’ll be the one to keep me grounded.”
“……”
“If I’m trembling with fear, His Highness will take my hand.”
“……”
“And if I start overthinking things, the Saintess will scold me.”
So, he wasn’t afraid.
Even if he came to hold terrifying emotions he’d never known before while recovering those memories. Because he wasn’t alone anymore.
“…Understood. I’ll begin preparations for the ritual. Your Highness, I’ll need your help.”
“Me?”
“Yes. We’ll need an altar with high divine conductivity.”
As Eldis stood, bringing Adelio with him, Yeshion turned to Rosaline and said,
“There’s something I need to tell you too, Saintess.”
