Chapter 37

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"I somehow felt that you've always avoided conflict. That's why you became a guild staff member, right?"

When I left the castle, Chris didn't say a word against it. It wasn't that she didn't care; she understood me.

"Then why did you protect Father and get stabbed?"

The conversation suddenly took a leap.

"Miss, are you saying that it's fine if your father is harmed?"

"That's right. Noah, if you wanted a normal life, you should have abandoned Father."

Alice raised an eyebrow, probing for the truth, but Chris readily agreed.

What is she thinking, saying that you should have abandoned your own father?

"I can't do that! If you were there, you would have done the same, right?"

"I am Father's daughter. Naturally, I would do that. But what about you?"

Chris said this as if pushing me away.

I am just a guild staff member. An orphan who was taken in out of kindness by Uncle. But didn't Chris say she considered me family?

"Noah, peace without sacrifice is just a fleeting dream."

Chris stood up and looked out the window. Her profile looked cold.

If I hadn't helped Uncle, I wouldn't have met the Rotus Empire. Even if my skills were known, if the princess and I hadn't met directly, the previous king might have made a different decision.

I clenched my fists and said,

"Do you mean to say that I should have sacrificed Uncle?"

"Then you could have remained just a guild staff member."

Humans tend to subconsciously prioritize themselves. But weighing the happiness of family against one's own, the peace gained in such a way is so bitter.

I can't bear to live like that.

I stood up and confronted Chris.

"I can't sacrifice Uncle. I don't want to live like that!"

"Is that your true feeling?"

"Yes."

I might not have raised my voice so loudly in a long time.

Even to Chris's question, I nodded firmly.

"I see. ...You're too soft, Noah."

Too soft, huh.

Indeed. I don't want to be involved, yet I selfishly say I don't want to make sacrifices. Even in my second life, I haven't grown mentally.

"But I want you to stay as you are."

Finally turning to face me, Chris smiled faintly.

"I finally feel like I've heard Noah's true feelings. I've never seen such a serious face before."

"Huh?"

I touched my face. Was I making such a scary face?

"Miss, were you testing Noah?"

"You make a bad first impression, adventurer. I just wanted to know what Noah was thinking. Whether you really consider us family, for example."

"Indeed, I saw something rare. You can make expressions other than smiling."

"Right. You've always been like that. Even when provoked, you just smile wryly. You were a bore to tease."

"Come to think of it, when you were treated unfairly by a foolish noble, Noah just smiled ambiguously."

That must have been when Malo and I were sparring with wooden swords. I think Alice is being too blunt about the "foolish noble."

"Even when you're troubled or sad, you just smile and furrow your brow. That's why you get used by others."

"You're skilled. No, maybe unskilled. I can understand why Miss is worried enough to come this far."

"Wow, you're a reasonable adventurer. What was your name again?"

"Alice, Miss."

"Alice, drop the 'Miss.' Call me Chris."

Hold on. Why are they getting along so well?

I was having a serious conversation with Chris. But after the talk about expressions, I was left behind.

The women seem to have become close in this short time, quite different from the beginning.

"Chris, explain it to me so I can understand."

I said this while sinking into the sofa.

"What? Even smart Noah has his limits?"

"Really. Like women's hearts, for example."

When Alice teased me, Chris joined in, and they both laughed.

Chris said she wanted to know if I considered her and the others family.

Indeed, we've never had such a conversation. I had assumed until today that Chris didn't consider me family.

But I was wrong.

The one who kept the relationship vague and distanced from the family bond was me.

When Alice said she was testing me, she meant that Chris deliberately said harsh things to make me speak my true feelings.

That much I understand.

But what does it mean to stay soft?

I don't understand the expressions or the women's hearts after that. I raised my hands in surrender and asked Chris and the others.

"That's what I said."

"The rest you have to figure out yourself."

The two of them, with their strong and beautiful qualities, said this in unison, like sisters.