by Geli Cake
'Like a hospital with a monopoly on healthcare…'
So, until recently, they had been procuring blood through some connection at the temple, but since the vampires were using that as a means to find them, they had quickly found another method.
I recalled the blood donation buses from my previous life and asked a question. I had heard that my classmates donated blood for gift certificates.
If they offered something in return, people would line up. Why were they having such a hard time getting blood? Couldn't they just pay people to donate?
Odin frowned at my question and replied,
"Selling blood between individuals is illegal."
I see… I didn't know that. I guess diverting it from the temple wasn't illegal?
Odin fled the city as if he were running away. I felt a little sorry for him, thinking that I might have played a part in his hasty departure.
'Oh, an additional reward.'
Odin's request wasn't a separate quest but was added as an additional script to the main quest.
Anyway, I had to find Haylan in this city, even though I had no idea where he was. I checked the outskirts of the city just in case, but I was told there hadn't been any recent newcomers, and there were no vacant houses.
'Could Odin have misheard and meant somewhere near Asileth?'
Keeping that possibility in mind, I bought scones from the station and was walking back when I blinked at the status window that popped up as soon as I entered the alley.
[You feel a gaze watching you from somewhere.]
I had been dismissing it as a glitch, but the system couldn't malfunction. So there was definitely someone watching me.
I discreetly glanced around, but I couldn't see anyone staring at me. I bowed to the merchants in greeting and walked to the front door.
[You feel a gaze watching you from somewhere.]
"...."
I carefully observed my surroundings as I walked. If it wasn't at the same level as me…
'Above?'
As soon as that thought crossed my mind, I tilted my head back to look up at the sky, and…
"...?"
At that moment, I heard the distinct sound of a window closing shut. It happened so fast that I couldn't pinpoint the location.
'He's close.'
It was highly likely to be Haylan or one of the people from his household. If not… it had to be them. The main quest always pointed towards them. It was a kind of guidepost.
Heh. As I was seriously stroking my chin, proud of my incredible deduction skills, someone kicked me. The door behind me was open.
"You're in the way. Move."
"Yes, sir."
He told me to stop blocking the door and go inside. I stopped my internal monologue and obediently returned to my room.
─── ⋆⋅☼⋅⋆ ───
"Hmm…"
What time is it now?
I woke up for no reason and blinked sleepily before sitting up.
I must have fallen asleep while reading. There was a pile of books beside me.
'Who spread that rumor?'
The rumor that I had followed Haylan to Jenette to study magic and got kicked out was widespread. Everyone I knew offered their condolences.
Sister Mei had gotten me a magic book, saying I could study here just fine. Even the temple, after a long absence of visits, urged me to learn divine magic. Anyway, it was nice that I could get new magic books for free.
[You feel a gaze watching you from somewhere.]
"...."
I calmly picked up a book from my bed. I was alone in my room. The door was firmly shut, and it was time for most people to be asleep. For me to feel a gaze at this hour…
I turned my head sharply toward the window, and I saw the curtains across the street being drawn shut. Before the curtains covered the window, I saw a white silhouette.
My mind snapped awake. I jumped out of bed, threw open the window, and yelled,
"Haylan!"
I knew he was in this city, but I hadn't realized he was this close.
'Why did you follow me here?'
It was a little past midnight. It was rude to barge into someone's house at this hour and wake people up.
'I can't wait until morning.'
Haylan would definitely disappear again before then. If I was the talkative type, Haylan was the overthinking type.
I knew now. I couldn't give him time to think.
"…You!"
As I climbed onto the windowsill, the window of the building across the street opened. Haylan looked at me, his eyes wavering.
'He didn't sleep?'
He looked a little haggard. But his good looks made him appear even more ethereal, which was annoying. That jerk…
"That's dangerous!"
"I know."
"Aren't you coming down?"
You're the one who should move.
I grabbed the window frame, pulled myself up, and jumped. For a moment, I was suspended in mid-air. The cold night air filled my lungs.
Even though it was an alley, it wasn't that narrow. It was wide enough for five or six people to stand shoulder to shoulder. I regretted my reckless jump a little too late.
"...!"
Thud.
I would have fallen straight down if it weren't for the hand that grabbed mine just as I was about to miss the landing. I gripped his hand tightly, afraid I might slip. Haylan frowned, his eyebrows furrowed as he hold my hand.
"Do you even think?!"
I guess not, compared to you.
I had always thought of myself as an overthinker, but seeing him, I realized there was someone even worse than me, that all my thoughts were just noise.
"Why did you come here?"
"…I wasn't planning to see you!"
"Even after watching me all day?"
I tested him, recalling the status window that had been popping up all day, and Haylan's lips pressed together in a troubled expression. It seemed he had been watching me.
"Pull me up quickly. My arm hurts."
Haylan finally seemed to snap out of it and pulled me up. I tumbled into his room, almost sprawling on the floor. We rolled around, entangled with each other.
[Main Quest, Hide-and-Seek, completed.]
"Haylan."
"...."
I called out the name of the man beneath me. He looked like he was about to cry just from hearing his name.
"Are you still mad at me?"
"…I was never mad."
"Are you going to run away again?"
I was the one who was kicked out. But the reason I couldn't bring myself to go back to that house was because Haylan, who had sent me away, looked even more hurt than I did. He had run away from me by pushing me away.
He distanced himself from me on his own accord, then came back to me like this. He said he hated me, then confessed he liked me…
What was he, a cat? I wasn't Haylan, so I couldn't understand his feelings. Would I have understood him a little better if I had learned telepathy?
"I'm afraid you'll die because of me."
"Even though I can't die?"
"Even though you can't die."
Haylan was trembling.
Even if he wasn't the closest person to me, Haylan was the only person in this world who knew my secret. If Haylan was half-human, I was half-present in this world. We were different people with different personalities, but we were very much alike.
"I'm afraid of ghosts. The ghost I saw in that house was the scariest thing I've ever seen."
He looked at me, as if asking, "Why are you suddenly bringing that up now?" I continued without hesitation.
"But I don't think about it now."
"...."
"Because I'm not in that house anymore."
I was still afraid of ghosts, monsters, psychopaths, and chainsaw-wielding murderers. But I couldn't let that fear hinder my daily life.
"That's that, and this is this."
It was impossible to eliminate fear. How could I erase the fear that was deeply ingrained in my bones? Everyone carried their own pain and trauma, big or small.
"Do you want some candy? Someone gave it to me earlier."
But we had to keep living. Even if we couldn't overcome the pain, we shouldn't let it invade our daily lives.
We had to cover it up with pleasant weather, happy memories, and delicious desserts.
"…You're such a fool."
[Haylan thinks you're an optimistic person.]
Whatever you think, I am. What's wrong with being simple?
[Haylan's affection increased by 1.]
[Haylan thinks you're someone who keeps moving forward.]
"Don't you even hate me? Don't you have any pride?"
"I don't hate people who like me."
"…I still like you."
"That's why I can't hate you, Haylan."
[Main progress has exceeded 50%.]
With this, I had completely deviated from the original storyline. This was no longer
"…Is it okay if I keep liking you?"
"Well, I can't control your feelings, can I?"
"Is it okay if I stay by your side?"
"That's also… up to you."
"So you don't dislike me?"
"Well…"
Haylan's complexion finally returned to normal. He stared at me and bit his lip.
"Not disliking me means you like me."
I didn't correct him. Because that was also true, in a way. I liked Haylan a little. Even though I knew what his "efforts" meant, I didn't feel the slightest urge to stop him.
So I simply replied, "So?"