HRB 121

If Eddie were to return to the ‘original world’ like this, Ketron would lose.

Conversely, if Eddie were to return to Ketron’s side, Tarajiel would lose. Tarajiel had euphemistically phrased it as humanity’s chances of victory increasing, but Eddie wasn’t a fool.

The fate of the world rested on me.

To think my existence was of that magnitude, Eddie knew better than anyone what he meant to Ketron. Eddie’s expression instantly became complicated.

Before his eyes shimmered a wavering portal. A scene far too familiar, the world he had lived in for over thirty years, the world where Lee Jeong-hoon’s family was alive. No matter how accustomed he had become to living as Eddie, the innkeeper of the Reneva Empire, it was a place he had always longed for deep in his heart.

“……”

He stood before the portal, but Eddie couldn’t pass through it immediately.

Again and again, Ketron kept flashing in his mind.

No, it wasn’t just a fleeting thought; honestly, he wanted to turn back and go to Ketron’s side right away.

He only felt that this was not the way.

He had a vague feeling that he would definitely regret this moment, though he didn’t know if he’d have the chance after passing through the portal.

Thinking selfishly, the desire to simply stand by Ketron’s side was far greater than the victory of humanity or the Demon King.

He wanted to be held in his big cat’s arms soon. There were so many things he wanted to say: I was scared, I missed you, I’m sorry, I was wrong…

But like this, to leave Ketron and return to the original world?

Because his family was there? Because it was the right thing to do?

Eddie took a deep breath. The sight of his Mother’s back, visible beyond the portal, was not without its pain. It wasn’t that he didn’t miss his family. Time had passed, but it didn’t mean the pain had subsided.

It was simply that Ketron had become too precious.

They said raising a son was pointless, and he had thought he would never experience that, but he ended up feeling like he had become a son who was pointless to raise after all.

“Haa.”

Eddie sighed. As he turned his body, Tarajiel, who had been watching him quietly from behind, twitched an eyebrow.

“What is it, I told you to go. Or do you have something to say to me?”

At that, Eddie shook his head.

Of course, Eddie had thought that if he had the time and leisure, he would have liked to have a longer, more in-depth conversation with this man. Surprisingly, talking with him was quite enjoyable.

If the situation were different, if their positions were different, perhaps they could have become good friends.

“That’s because it’s you.”

“You damn capybara-like human.”

If they had been Lee Jeong-hoon’s friends in the past, they would have said something like this upon hearing Eddie’s thoughts right now.

…He missed those friends too, of course.

He couldn’t go.

No, he wouldn’t go.

Tarajiel’s eyebrow twitched. He seemed to have sensed the decision Eddie had made.

“Don’t tell me you—”

“It might be an unpalatable decision for you.”

Eddie interrupted him and opened his mouth.

“But that place is no longer just a ‘world in a story’ for me.”

It wasn’t that the world had become precious, but the people he had left behind there had become too precious.

“I suppose I love that child more than I thought.”

Some might think that losing something significant for a mere fleeting emotion was foolish, but Eddie had at least one thing he believed in.

Ketron, who didn’t love Eddie, would never come, not in a lifetime.

He would love me no matter what.

…And I, too.

Thinking of how he had never dared to say the words ‘I love you’ for fear of interfering with the story, he missed Ketron even more.

He wanted to tell him he loved him.

Facing the gaze that silently stared at him, Eddie took a deep breath and opened his mouth.

“I don’t think I need to go back.”

Of course, it was true that the world had become precious, and it was true that he wanted to spend his life with Ketron, but that wasn’t the only reason Eddie had turned his back on the world he originally belonged to.

Tarajiel had told him, ‘Forget everything and live peacefully.’

He had said it as if it were natural.

He hadn’t thought much of it at the time, but upon reflection, it was a very significant statement.

“Tarajiel, is it possible… that there’s no chance of me returning with my memories intact?”

Tarajiel’s lips snapped shut, and he offered no reply.

Eddie bit his lip at the confirmation of his suspicions.

“No matter what I do, I’m destined to lose my memories, aren’t I?”

“It’s not necessarily so…”

“So you didn’t want to send me to Ketron’s side, but if I lost my memories completely, I would have no reason to return to my original world, so you didn’t mention that.”

Tarajiel pressed his lips together tightly. Eddie continued without hesitation.

“So you had to make me want to return to my original world, and you tried to avoid mentioning the probability of reincarnating with my memories.”

The sense of déjà vu he had felt earlier. He spoke of the various benefits Eddie could gain by returning to his original world, but he made an effort to avoid mentioning the probability of regaining his memories.

Even if it was just a probability, it would have been the most appealing thing to Eddie.

The reason he avoided Eddie’s gaze when talking about memories, and why he tried so hard not to mention it…

It was because, as he said, he felt uncomfortable lying to Eddie, who had treated him so well despite being an ‘benefactor.’

Crucially, the words ‘forget everything and live peacefully’ perfectly implied that there was no chance of Eddie crossing over to his original world with his memories intact.

“Am I wrong?”

All expression vanished from Tarajiel’s face.

Though he hadn’t noticed it before due to his perpetually smiling face, his expression without a smile revealed a sharp intensity that made him difficult to approach.

To think I’ve had such long conversations with this person, no, this Demon race. Eddie flinched, a sense of dread creeping up his spine, as Tarajiel let out a deep sigh.

“You really are not easy, you know.”

It was practically an admission.

He sighed as if the earth were collapsing, and ran a hand through the back of his head. Eddie felt awkward, like he was being scolded by a superior. He felt like a disobedient child.

In Tarajiel’s position, it probably wasn’t much different.

But as Eddie, he couldn’t help it.

For Eddie, the world on the other side, where Ketron was, was more important than his original world, where he would be reborn without memories.

More precisely, Ketron’s existence was too precious.

He was almost grateful that by choosing the original world, he would be reborn without memories, which removed any choice and thus lessened his guilt.

After burying his face in his large hands for a moment, he lifted his head after some time had passed.

“Or.”

Then he brought up a sudden topic.

“Come to me.”

For a while, Eddie couldn’t comprehend what he meant and could only blink. What was he saying?

“……Yes?”

“If you’re going to return to that world anyway, my side isn’t bad either. This side will soon dominate the world.”

In other words, he was suggesting Eddie choose the world on the other side, but choose him instead of Ketron.

It was such an absurd suggestion that Eddie burst out laughing.

“That’s a funny joke.”

“……”

Tarajiel’s expression contorted more miserably than Eddie had ever seen. But it was fleeting, and he quickly changed his expression.

“If you go back, humanity’s chances of victory increase. Did you not consider that I might just kill you instead of letting you go there?”

“You won’t.”

At that moment, Eddie’s eyes shone with unparalleled purity.

“That’s why you gave me a choice. Because you will keep your word.”

If he had only sought his own benefit, there would have been no choice for Eddie, and he would have eliminated Eddie’s existence the moment the story ended. That would have been beneficial to him.

But he kept his word. He truly saved Eddie, his benefactor, and gave him a choice.

Well, he did mix in a little lie at the end, but once caught, he admitted it easily.

“Even if I gave you everything in the world?”

Tarajiel proposed once more. Eddie tilted his head.

Everything in the world? He had never heard such a preposterous thing. It was like something a villain would offer in a superhero comic to capture the protagonist, who eventually falls for him.

Of course, Eddie wasn’t the protagonist, and nothing was more absurd than Tarajiel falling for Eddie.

“If I go to you, Ketron will collapse? Is that what you want?”

If not, there was no reason for him to offer Eddie everything in the world and call him to his side, so this must be it. At least, that’s what Eddie thought.

But Tarajiel neither confirmed nor denied.

He just stared at Eddie with an inscrutable expression.

“No matter what happens, I will return to Ket’s side.”

Tarajiel replied after a long pause.

“Yes, I suppose so.”

He let out a short sigh, as if he himself had said something absurd.

“Is your decision final?”

“Yes.”

“You won’t regret it?”

It took him a moment to answer that question. But Eddie nodded.

“Yes.”