PMEVBO 109
Blood trickled down from under my nose, which I had wiped once with my hand. Overwhelmed by the unpleasant sensation, I even forgot to push away Atsula’s hand, which was holding my jaw.
Just then, Aquila stepped forward and moved Atsula’s hand away for me. He then took a handkerchief from his brother’s pocket and pressed it against my nose.
“Tilt your head back and pinch your nostrils.”
Before I knew it, I was pinching my nostrils just as he’d told me. Meanwhile, Aquila pushed his brother out of the room.
“Brother, go out and fetch a doctor.”
I was speechless.
Is it reasonable to ask the Archbishop to fetch a doctor just because a priest got a nosebleed…?
But that wasn’t the only thing that left me speechless. The flustered Archbishop actually walked out of the room to call for a doctor.
…What’s wrong with that bastard? Why is he acting like that?
I was staring in disbelief at the spot where Atsula had left when Aquila sat down next to me.
“What’s your name?”
“……Je-in.”
It was a name I’d already used; there was no reason to hold back now, so I answered just as I had with Atsula. But I got an unexpected reaction.
“I understand. I’ll call you Je-in when other people are around.”
Huh?
My eyes widened in surprise as I looked at Aquila. He chuckled softly.
“So it really is you, Lucariel.”
“You… how did you know it was me?”
“Because your scent is the same.”
“…Scent?”
“Yes, I can smell something like herbs on you.”
The scent of herbs.
Come to think of it, I think I smelled herbs right after my body switched too…
When my body first aligned, my mind had gone completely blank. I had no idea how to process the fact that Lucariel’s real body was the same as mine from when I was Kang Je-in. But the moment I caught that scent, I immediately regained my senses.
My body has changed, and even the hickies are gone… so why is the scent still here?
The scent that had transferred from Iser had always been long-lasting. But for it to linger even after my body changed… perhaps because it took after its owner, its persistence was remarkable. I couldn’t help but smile. Thanks to the handkerchief covering my mouth, I managed to keep my smile hidden.
“Isn’t it a bit far-fetched to be so certain based on just a scent?”
“You’re right.”
Aquila chuckled softly as he continued speaking.
“But other than you, what other priest would dare act so insolently toward an archbishop? Especially toward Archbishop Abet, who’s famous for his foul temper.”
Yeah, well, I admit my performance this time lacked sincerity. But I did feel a bit wronged.
“……I even used polite language.”
In my previous life as Lucariel, I never bothered with polite speech. Regardless of age or rank, I spoke informally to everyone as equals. But even now, as a descendant of the Land of Eastern Etiquette (Korea), I didn’t think that was a big deal. And why would I?
I even talked back to a Pope over a thousand years old, who on earth am I supposed to use honorifics with…?
That would just mess up the hierarchy.
……Of course, if someone said that speaking informally to the Pope was wrong to begin with, I wouldn’t have had anything to say.
Aquila, who had been looking at me as if I were ridiculous, suddenly grinned.
“Since I’ve answered your question, would you mind leaving now?”
Aquila repeated the exact words I had said to his brother. Moreover, that tone, as if everything was annoying and bothersome, was exactly like mine. He chuckled, and then said,
“Is using polite language enough? You’re not polite in any other way.”
“Oh, you’re right……”
I rubbed the back of my neck and averted my gaze.
Silence fell. Aquila’s soft voice broke the brief stillness.
“Lucariel, what is going? …No, wait, are you alright? Why are you bleeding from your nose?”
Given that the guy he’d just parted ways with had reappeared in a different body, you’d think that would be what he’d be more curious about… But Aquila’s voice was filled with nothing but genuine concern.
…He was always like this.
I’d felt it when dealing with Atsula too, but the more we talked, the more fragments of my past related to him came back to me. I suppose this was what it meant for sealed memories to be unlocked.
I was glad to see him even when I didn’t remember, but now that I do, I was even happier.
Suddenly, the scent of herbs wafted through the air. When I removed the handkerchief, the nosebleed had already stopped. I immediately checked my status screen.
HP: 10/100
HP: 11/100
HP: 12/100
It was slower than when Iser healed me, but I was definitely recovering.
…So when I have Iser’s constitution, I also share his recovery ability.
That saved me…
I sighed in relief. Only then did blood begin to flow back into my hands, which had grown cold from tension. I wiped my hands roughly with the clean side of the handkerchief and said,
“It’s nothing. The nosebleed has already stopped.”
I knew what Aquila wanted to hear was a more detailed explanation. But it would be too much to grant his wish right now.
More importantly, there was no time. I had to take down the remaining monsters as quickly as possible, and return to the cell.
HP: 28/100
HP: 29/100
HP: 30/100
Although my body still felt heavy and my head spun, I wasn’t incapacitated. There were no ginseng monsters here, so I needed to hurry out of the rest area. If I lingered here and ended up getting examined by a doctor, I had no idea how much time that would waste.
Since I had somewhere urgent to go, I was about to ask him to make up a plausible excuse for his brother. But Aquila beat me to it.
“I’m sorry. I couldn’t be there for you.”
Why would he say something like that…?
At that moment, another related memory surfaced. A memory from ten years ago, the day of my ordination ceremony.
Even so, I still couldn’t understand what he meant.
“……Do you have a problem with your memory? Don’t you remember what I said that day?”
I spoke harshly without thinking.
‘Your hypocrisy is disgusting. So don’t talk to me. Before I kill you.’
After hearing such harsh words, is that all you have to say… that you’re sorry for not being there for me? Wouldn’t it be normal to not even look at me, let alone stay by my side?
I let out a hollow laugh and said,
“If anyone heard that, they’d think I clung to your pants legs and begged you to stay by my side.”
“Exactly. …If you hadn’t done it, I should’ve grabbed onto you myself.”
“…What?”
Aquila didn’t look away. I thought I caught a glimpse of his red eyes peeking out from behind his bangs.
“I thought you didn’t remember much from the past, but you remember what happened that day.”
“……”
“Did you really find me so disgusting because I was a hypocrite? Is that why you told me not to talk to you?”
Back then, I was out of my mind. Hallucinations, delusions of persecution… Tormented by those things, my mind would wander in and out of reality dozens of times a day. The violent outburst on the day of my ordination was also something I did because I mistakenly believed the other person was trying to harm me.
But when I hurled those harsh words at Aquila, I was in my right mind.
“Did you mean that?”
I didn’t answer. But Aquila gave a bitter smile and nodded.
“I knew from the start that you didn’t mean it.”
“……”
“But I was so busy tending to my own wounds that I couldn’t be there for you.”
I smirked and said,
“I said that to hurt you in the first place, so what?”
It was a remark I’d agonized over, trying to figure out how I could make even that kind-hearted guy lose his temper and seethe with rage.
I lowered my gaze to the floor, and paused for a moment. I licked my parched lips, and continued slowly.
“……Even I can tell I wasn’t in my right mind back then. But being around someone like that is exhausting.”
“Don’t tell me… you’re about to say that nonsense about doing it for my sake because I’d have a hard time?”
He looked like he was about to hit me if I said yes. I could have taken a few blows if he wanted… but the premise was wrong from the start. I didn’t do that because I was worried Aquila would have a hard time.
“I did it for myself, not for you.”
“…….”
“If you cut ties first, I’d get hurt… I was afraid of that, so I made my move first.”
I didn’t give a damn about any hurt Aquila might feel. I was thinking strictly of myself. I was just as selfish to the core then as I am now.
“I’ve never once thought you were being hypocritical. I just… thought you were nosy and too good-natured.”
“Are you picking a fight, or are you apologizing?”
Aquila laughed.
I knew I had to apologize properly, but the words “I’m sorry” just wouldn’t come out. It felt awkward and embarrassing… But I couldn’t just let it slide. I smiled and opened my mouth with difficulty.
“……I’m sorry for acting cowardly and selfish.”
“…….”
“You don’t need to apologize. You don’t need to feel hurt either. Because you didn’t do anything wrong,”
A heavy silence weighed down the room.
I clenched the handkerchief tightly and lifted my head. The moment I met Aquila’s gaze, I froze.
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