While Emmett went to get the payment from Belfort, I went back to Albert’s side.
And as soon as I saw him, I was filled with guilt. I knew about Emmett’s death, but I could not persuade him.
I knew I could stop it, yet I turned away and pretended not to see.
The restless Albert became calm when he saw me. He tilted his head to the side.
“Where’s Master?”
“He’ll be here in a minute.”
Albert grimaced.
“But I told you to look after Master.”
He sighed as he said this, but I just laughed awkwardly.
“I did my job though. To my surprise, the Tower Lord accepted everything that Emmett said. Anyway, you don’t have to worry about any retaliation going Emmett’s way.”
I soothed his worries with facts so that Albert would no longer be concerned about Emmett.
“Their conversation ended well. The Tower Lord will pay the money. There was nothing for you to worry about after all.”
But even after I said all this, Albert continued to examine me.
“…Hmm.”
With him narrowing his eyes at me like that, I got a little nervous. Albert slowly asked.
“But why is your expression so dark?”
“……”
“There’s no way nothing happened.”
Albert looked like there were so many things he wanted to ask about.
How the negotiation went, how Emmett threatened Belfort to prepare the payment. Why wouldn’t he be worried about the tower lord’s retaliation?
But I didn’t know how much I should tell him. I was lost in thought.
After listening to what Emmett had to say, I kept thinking about the ordeal.
Other than me, Albert had only Emmett in his life, so could Emmett really be left alone to die? Was it truly reasonable to let him die?
Emmett said that I shouldn’t stop his death.
If I were to change the established facts of the future, not only me, but even Blanc would be in peril.
I wished to live to see another day and meet Albert again. If I just needed to overcome the pain and guilt I was feeling now, I would.
However, couldn’t I just change things up a little?
So that Albert would be able to take Emmett’s death just a bit easier?
First of all, I needed to ask for Emmett’s opinion on this before proceeding with a plan. Blanc’s life was at stake as well, so I couldn’t do this alone.
If I wouldn’t be able to change the hardships Albert must go through, I was determined to at least reduce the pain he would feel.
I caught a glimpse of Albert, who was looking straight into my eyes. He spoke frankly.
“I trust you, so I won’t ask anything more.”
It was unexpected.
Albert tightened his grip as he held my hand, then repeated what he said firmly.
“I trust you.”
It was as if his warmth was being transmitted to me through our hands.
The young Albert, who had become so observant, could read people’s true thoughts and feelings all too well.
Just like how he would be in the future, he knew what exactly I wanted to hear.
I was trying to console him here, but instead, I was the one who got comforted.
How could my gaze not gravitate towards him like this? How could I not love him?
I bit my lower lip to push down on the surge of emotions within me. Crouching down, I pulled Albert—who was much smaller than I was—into my embrace.
Then, with a rather trembling voice, I murmured.
“I really like you, Albert.”
“W-What…”
“I like you because you’re you. Thank you for being born into this world.”
I was so grateful that he was such a thoughtful young man.
The extent of my feelings couldn’t be condensed with just the word ‘like’. However, I couldn’t say ‘I love you’.
Albert, who needed to hear my confession, was waiting for me in the future.
Once I see him again, I will never stop telling him that I love him. Thinking back on just how lacking I was compared to Albert when it comes to expressing my feelings to him, I couldn’t help but regret it.
I was with him now, but what we knew about each other was so different.
Though Albert was still frozen in my arms, flustered by the fastball I had just pitched, he raised one hand and patted me on the back.
“Did something happen?”
“It’s just, I don’t think I ever said it to you before.”
“…I asked you what happened. Don’t just say weird things.”
“I went through something a bit difficult.”
Gently pulling away, Albert looked puzzled by what I said. He thought it over for a moment, then he asked while looking very doubtful.
“Did Master scold you?”
“No, it’s not that…”
I had always been honest with him. I didn’t want to hide anything from him just because he was a child right now.
But instinctively, I knew I couldn’t tell him that I was going through an ordeal right now.
Emmett was a transcendental sage who knew everything, so he was an exception. I couldn’t ask anyone else for help.
Still, that didn’t mean I should keep Albert completely in the dark.
“I’m afraid that my actions might hurt you.”
“…Your actions?”
Albert spoke in a bewildered tone, as though he couldn’t believe it.
“You saved my life, so how could you hurt me?”
Yet again, his words were comforting me.
While fiddling with my hand, he raised his head and met my eyes. He blinked uneasily and murmured.
“It’s the life you saved. Don’t be scared all by yourself.”
“……”
“I don’t want you to be sad.”
Albert had already poured so much affection to me.
I was so glad that the time we spent together seemed like it would leave him with a happy memory, but it was bittersweet. It filled me with sorrow to see just how starved he was for warmth.
Even now, he was making sure that I felt fine and was trying to take care of me.
I held up a pinky and hooked it with his. And, I said determinedly.
“Then, promise me one thing.”
While Emmett went to get the payment from Belfort, I went back to Albert’s side.
And as soon as I saw him, I was filled with guilt. I knew about Emmett’s death, but I could not persuade him.
I knew I could stop it, yet I turned away and pretended not to see.
The restless Albert became calm when he saw me. He tilted his head to the side.
“Where’s Master?”
“He’ll be here in a minute.”
Albert grimaced.
“But I told you to look after Master.”
He sighed as he said this, but I just laughed awkwardly.
“I did my job though. To my surprise, the Tower Lord accepted everything that Emmett said. Anyway, you don’t have to worry about any retaliation going Emmett’s way.”
I soothed his worries with facts so that Albert would no longer be concerned about Emmett.
“Their conversation ended well. The Tower Lord will pay the money. There was nothing for you to worry about after all.”
But even after I said all this, Albert continued to examine me.
“…Hmm.”
With him narrowing his eyes at me like that, I got a little nervous. Albert slowly asked.
“But why is your expression so dark?”
“……”
“There’s no way nothing happened.”
Albert looked like there were so many things he wanted to ask about.
How the negotiation went, how Emmett threatened Belfort to prepare the payment. Why wouldn’t he be worried about the tower lord’s retaliation?
But I didn’t know how much I should tell him. I was lost in thought.
After listening to what Emmett had to say, I kept thinking about the ordeal.
Other than me, Albert had only Emmett in his life, so could Emmett really be left alone to die? Was it truly reasonable to let him die?
Emmett said that I shouldn’t stop his death.
If I were to change the established facts of the future, not only me, but even Blanc would be in peril.
I wished to live to see another day and meet Albert again. If I just needed to overcome the pain and guilt I was feeling now, I would.
However, couldn’t I just change things up a little?
So that Albert would be able to take Emmett’s death just a bit easier?
First of all, I needed to ask for Emmett’s opinion on this before proceeding with a plan. Blanc’s life was at stake as well, so I couldn’t do this alone.
If I wouldn’t be able to change the hardships Albert must go through, I was determined to at least reduce the pain he would feel.
I caught a glimpse of Albert, who was looking straight into my eyes. He spoke frankly.
“I trust you, so I won’t ask anything more.”
It was unexpected.
Albert tightened his grip as he held my hand, then repeated what he said firmly.
“I trust you.”
It was as if his warmth was being transmitted to me through our hands.
The young Albert, who had become so observant, could read people’s true thoughts and feelings all too well.
Just like how he would be in the future, he knew what exactly I wanted to hear.
I was trying to console him here, but instead, I was the one who got comforted.
How could my gaze not gravitate towards him like this? How could I not love him?
I bit my lower lip to push down on the surge of emotions within me. Crouching down, I pulled Albert—who was much smaller than I was—into my embrace.
Then, with a rather trembling voice, I murmured.
“I really like you, Albert.”
“W-What…”
“I like you because you’re you. Thank you for being born into this world.”
I was so grateful that he was such a thoughtful young man.
The extent of my feelings couldn’t be condensed with just the word ‘like’. However, I couldn’t say ‘I love you’.
Albert, who needed to hear my confession, was waiting for me in the future.
Once I see him again, I will never stop telling him that I love him. Thinking back on just how lacking I was compared to Albert when it comes to expressing my feelings to him, I couldn’t help but regret it.
I was with him now, but what we knew about each other was so different.
Though Albert was still frozen in my arms, flustered by the fastball I had just pitched, he raised one hand and patted me on the back.
“Did something happen?”
“It’s just, I don’t think I ever said it to you before.”
“…I asked you what happened. Don’t just say weird things.”
“I went through something a bit difficult.”
Gently pulling away, Albert looked puzzled by what I said. He thought it over for a moment, then he asked while looking very doubtful.
“Did Master scold you?”
“No, it’s not that…”
I had always been honest with him. I didn’t want to hide anything from him just because he was a child right now.
But instinctively, I knew I couldn’t tell him that I was going through an ordeal right now.
Emmett was a transcendental sage who knew everything, so he was an exception. I couldn’t ask anyone else for help.
Still, that didn’t mean I should keep Albert completely in the dark.
“I’m afraid that my actions might hurt you.”
“…Your actions?”
Albert spoke in a bewildered tone, as though he couldn’t believe it.
“You saved my life, so how could you hurt me?”
Yet again, his words were comforting me.
While fiddling with my hand, he raised his head and met my eyes. He blinked uneasily and murmured.
“It’s the life you saved. Don’t be scared all by yourself.”
“……”
“I don’t want you to be sad.”
Albert had already poured so much affection to me.
I was so glad that the time we spent together seemed like it would leave him with a happy memory, but it was bittersweet. It filled me with sorrow to see just how starved he was for warmth.
Even now, he was making sure that I felt fine and was trying to take care of me.
I held up a pinky and hooked it with his. And, I said determinedly.
“Then, promise me one thing.”
