Chapter 84: CH 83

Chapter 83

Translator: Yonnee

RP: Haebaragi_syk

—

Two days before the incident at the imperial library—

“I’m going crazy.”

As Ethan swept both hands over his face, Benedict laughed mirthfully as if he was endlessly entertained.

“Humans don’t go crazy just like that though. Don’t worry.”

“…Do you not know that it’s just a saying?”

No, Benedict’s probably aware. He’s only pointing this out to tease Ethan even more.

Ethan furtively gave Benedict a sidelong scowl, but the older man merely clapped his hands together as if Ethan was truly amazing in his eyes.

“Enoch, we need to give an award to Reina. It’s an achievement in itself to turn Ethan into an adolescent boy experiencing his first love.”

With his cheeks going red, Ethan flinched. Benedict honed in on that immediately like a beast who had found its prey.

“I know for a fact that the marriageable age has gotten older these days compared to back then, but goodness. For you to have your first love only now? It’s truly phenomenal, Ethan.”

Increasingly feeling awkward because of Enoch and Benedict’s teasing, Ethan roughly answered.

“…For two beings born with a different level of intelligence and are supposed to be uninterested, you both look particularly merry.”

“We’re usually like that though, not just particularly.”

Benedict flicked a finger and subsequently the room became a little brighter. He looked to be pleased by the light’s brightness, and so he reclined on his seat lazily and spoke up again.

“But really, you’re not a stranger. How can I not be interested when you’re this embarrassed?”

“It’s going to be difficult to find another more delightful scene than this for the next 300 years,” Enoch added.

“……”

Ethan kept his mouth shut. He was already regretting that these two beings were the only ones he could express his feelings to.

“Hmm.”

With a sulky pout on his lips, Benedict fixed his posture and asked Enoch with a rather serious voice.

“Let’s stop joking around. Shouldn’t we help him?”

“This has nothing to do with me.”

Furrowing his brows for no reason, Benedict tried his damnedest to force back the laughter that was about to pop out. Then, he asked Ethan.

“So Ethan, what do you want?”

If Ethan knew that, would he have come here like this?

“I… I don’t know.”

Whenever he was standing in front of her, he was afraid of his uncontrollable expressions and emotions. So, in turn, he was afraid of facing her.

However, on the other hand, he was also so dreadfully worried about her safety and well-being. Just as a bee could get twisted due to the sensory overload of ever-flowing sweetness, he was so worried that some shameless people might get twisted and try to take her for themselves.

And the bigger problem was that these symptoms became more common whenever she was right in front of his eyes.

“You’ve fallen quite thoroughly, haven’t you.”

Enoch took a sip of his tea and said this. It was as if he could read all the unsaid thoughts in Ethan’s mind.

“In that case, just do whatever you want to do.”

He felt a sudden surge of anger.

Are you kidding me?

He instantly glared at the man who gave such a non-advice.

What did he mean, do whatever he wanted to do? Wasn’t he here, grudgingly baring his feelings with a tearful face, because he didn’t know which direction his heart wanted to go?

Feeling as if his anger would come to a boiling point, he clenched his hands into fists.

At this, dragonfolk #2, who was not as helpful as dragonfolk #1, laughed.

“Enoch. This human here has just begun to start crawling, how could you say that he should run as much as he wants?”

Still though, Ethan thought that grand-duke-dragonfolk #2 was a little better than emperor-dragonfolk #1.

Listening to what Grand Duke Benedict said, Emperor Enoch set down his teacup and tilted his head sharply to the side, seemingly perplexed.

“But humans live such short lives. You can’t just crawl around for the entirety of that short time.”

It was one of the things that Enoch always said.

“Humans live short lives…?”

When the words finally registered in his head, Ethan gasped.

Humans live short lives.

“Yes… That’s right.”

Humans live such short lives in vain.

His entire body began to freeze up. At the same time, a shudder ran from the top of his head down to the tips of his toes.

“Yes… Much too short…”

As he was already suffering from the woes of having his first love belatedly, he soon became a statue as he merely stared at the other two men. He even forgot to breathe.

“What’s wrong with him?”

When Benedict asked with his eyes fixed on the muttering Ethan, Enoch replied casually.

“He must have realized it.”

“All of a sudden?”

“Human beings can’t figure it out after just a day or two.”

“That’s true.”

Despite Benedict and Enoch’s joking banter, Ethan was still completely shocked. He muttered the same words over and over again.

“That’s right… Humans live… really short lives.”

“What’s he saying now?”

“The thing I said earlier.”

“What thing?”

“Have you really not been listening? I said that humans live short lives.”

“Oh. He must’ve really realized it then.”

Ethan looked at dragonfolk #1 and #2 with utter disbelief in his eyes.

Unlike that of the dragonfolk, the lifespan of humans were just a little blip in time. Therefore, unlike Ethan himself who had a strong trace of God in his existence, Reina would live only less than 100 years.

No, to be more precise, only sixty or seventy years…

And after sixty or seventy years, what then…?

Ethan covered his mouth with one hand and bent over his torso.

After sixty or seventy years… he would have to live all alone without Reina…?

“Oh, he looks agonized.”

“I know.”

Just the thought of Reina not being here was more shocking than he could have ever expected.

“Without her…”

He would have to continue living while listening to all the wanton echoes of the human beings he was so sick and tired of.

His face automatically distorted the moment he reached this conclusion.

“Look at how much his face is crumpled now.”

“Yes, he’s become a little more human.”

Reina, who had come to brighten up his life like a ray of light, would be no more.

In the end, to him, a world without her would be no different from the chaos that ran rampant in the universe before the god Chadarr had come to existence.

“Really, should I give an award to Reina Chantra?”

“What would be the name of the award?”

“Hmm… How about this—an award in recognition for her contribution in awakening this premature baby?”

“That sounds interesting, too.”

Everything suddenly became clear for Ethan.

The buzzing sound he had become so accustomed to now, even if he didn’t want to hear it, was something he was so sick and tired of already. However, he just kept thinking that once his life was over, this too would be over.

But now, he could finally breathe. Now, he could hear the pleasant singing of the birds in full, which had once been buried by the dizzying chatter plaguing his mind.

For the first time—ever since she entered his life—he was able to look at the world around him. Just as a child would feel when they first touched cold water, Ethan could finally feel the world.

So, Reina was the beginning of his life.

And yet, such a haven would disappear.

“Damn it…”

He had only sixty or seventy years to be with her.

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