The Extra Saved the Terminally Ill Princess and Ran Away - Chapter 49

Chapter 49: Finn and Lili (1)

***

"…."

Lili's lips trembled, opening and closing soundlessly.

After a long pause, she finally spoke, a single word,

"Why…?"

Tears, both joyful and sorrowful, streamed down her face.

"Have you… Have you forgotten what I did to you? I…"

Tears traced paths down her cheeks, clinging to her chin before falling.

Plip. With every tear that landed on the ground, disappearing without a trace, she spoke, her words at odds with her emotions.

"I would have been dead a long time ago if it weren't for you…!"

Plip.

"And yet, I didn't appreciate your kindness… I collapsed from grief after losing Mother, I blamed you, I hated you!!!"

Plip.

"Now, I don't even know how to repay you…"

Plip.

"And yet, I'm happy that you love me… I'm so selfish…"

She averted her gaze, our intertwined fingers loosening as her hand slipped from mine.

I caught her wrist before she could fully pull away.

Or perhaps, I didn't want to let her go.

"…."

"…."

She looked at me, her eyes filled with tears, pleading silently.

Please, let me go.

Don't be kind to me anymore.

It's enough.

Why are you giving me not only kindness, but also love?

I looked at her, my smile fading slightly, but my gaze unwavering.

"Why? Doesn't it seem stranger to attach a reason to love?"

"B-But…"

Her voice trailed off under my intense gaze.

She seemed to be asking, How could such selfless love be without reason?

"Are you saying it's illogical for my love to be without reason?"

She nodded slowly, confirming my guess.

I chuckled, understanding her perspective, despite the awkwardness of having to explain my feelings to the one I loved.

She didn't know that I had watched her from outside her world.

That out of all the countless characters, she was the only one who captured my heart, drawing me into her world.

That my selfless love was simply a reflection of her own, the love she had shown me before our time was rewound.

So,

I caressed her wrist and spoke,

Hoping that my clumsy words, even if they couldn't fully answer her questions, would at least give her a glimpse of why she was so loved.

"It's a love born from the forbidden fruit, a yearning for something unattainable."

I fell in love with you, the fictional character.

"A foolish heart, nurtured by an unexpected journey."

I didn't intend to fall in love with you, but our shared journey deepened my affection.

"But if I had to give a reason…"

I raised my gaze, meeting her eyes.

Her expression was a mixture of joy, sorrow, confusion, gratitude, and love, a kaleidoscope of emotions.

I released her hand and reached out to touch her cheek.

Her shoulders tensed as she felt my hand approaching.

But she didn't pull away. She closed her eyes, her tear-stained cheek welcoming my touch.

"Perhaps… it was a glimpse of a dream, a memory I couldn't erase, that made me reach for the forbidden fruit."

…Just like now.

My whispered words probably made her recall our time together in the shack, using the original story as a reference.

She probably thought I was a foolish attendant, clinging to the bittersweet memories of a childish first love, a love that fueled my self-sacrifice.

Stubbornness, perhaps. A pure heart, maybe. Or perhaps, obsession.

She wouldn't understand that those moments, erased from this world's memory, were precious memories to me, and that her mere presence was a blessing, a kindness I could never repay.

Tears welled up in my eyes, tracing paths down my cheeks.

Remembering our time in the shack, a bittersweet memory filled with both happiness and regret, I said,

"So please… allow this unworthy attendant to dream."

Her eyes followed my tears.

She smiled faintly, her eyes widening at my confession.

"You're such a fool… Now I'll never be able to repay you…"

"There's no need. Your presence alone is enough."

Yes, I was still repaying the kindness you showed me. Please, don't give me any more reasons to be indebted to you. I wouldn't know how to repay you.

She nuzzled her cheek against my hand, her own hands covering mine, holding them against her cheek.

As if trying to absorb my warmth.

Our eyes met, hers filled with tears, mine with a soft smile. And then, without a word, our lips met, drawn together like magnets.

Her breath, warm and soft, caressed my lips.

And then, Lili and I kissed…

Creak-

"Berry, there's something I forgot to tell you… Oh my."

….

….

….

Grace, that bitch. I wanted to kill her.

Lili, who had been lost in a moment of tender intimacy, was now sitting on the chair, her face flushed, her breathing ragged, trying to cool her burning cheeks with her fingertips.

"I apologize for interrupting… Please, continue…"

Grace, ignoring the shattered atmosphere, turned to leave. I stopped her.

"Just tell me what you want."

You ruined the moment, you bitch.

My voice was sharp, my mood soured by the interruption of one of the most important moments of my life.

I was starting to think this girl, whom I had considered a valuable ally, was nothing but a walking lie detector, a constant source of interruptions.

Grace, sensing the tension between Lili and me, spoke hesitantly,

"Um… I have two things to tell you."

She explained that she had reported the incident to the Archbishop of the Divine Arts Department, after questioning Ian, Selina, Lili, Irene, and the instructors who were present.

"First, I told them that a large number of demons attacked Berry and Her Highness, but a knight wielding Solaris suddenly appeared, defeated the demons, and disappeared."

She relayed her fabricated report, her expression calm and serene.

Lili seemed to be aware of this lie.

But I couldn't understand why she would lie about such a thing, so I tilted my head, puzzled.

"…You're lying, aren't you?"

"Yes. It's a fabricated story."

"But why…?"

Grace, whom some people called the Saintess of Truth?

I trailed off, unable to find a reason for her to lie about this, unlike the Triang Village incident, where her bleeding-heart idealism had been at play.

She smiled serenely.

"Sincerity is important, of course. But I chose to abandon the truth, because the truth wasn't the right thing to do in this case."

"…What?"

She looked down at my chest and continued,

"It's a presumptuous decision, considering my inexperience, but I believe it was the right thing to do. And if any negative consequences arise from this decision… I'll accept responsibility."

For the first time, I felt a halo-like glow emanating from her.

My mouth hung open, my breath catching in my throat.

Was this how a master felt, watching their student grow?

I stared at her, speechless, amazed by her newfound flexibility.

She smiled at me and continued with her second announcement.

"And the second thing…"

"Y-Yeah… what is it?"

Grace looked at Lili and me, then said,

"First, Berry's use of an artifact has been confirmed, so his ranking has been adjusted to second place. Since the artifact didn't provide any combat advantages, it seems they were lenient."

"Well… that's…"

The tournament ranking didn't matter to me anymore. I had achieved my goal of becoming the runner-up, so I wasn't particularly disappointed.

But that wasn't the main point, Grace continued,

"However, many instructors, including those who witnessed the incident, Senior Irene, and several students, have requested a rematch of the final round, regardless of the ranking, because they want to see a proper conclusion to the match between Ian and Berry."

"What?"

"That's great…!"

Why bother…?!

I frowned, annoyed.

But Lili, to my surprise, clapped her hands in delight.

I turned to her, questioning her reaction with my eyes. She fidgeted, then glanced at me.

"I… I also want to see… how amazing you are when you fight seriously… Is that okay?"

I looked at Grace, a determined expression on my face.

"Tell them I'm ready, anytime."

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