Chapter 34: 15.54

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No way.

He can’t possibly know anything. After all, Lian doesn’t have the ability to read the stars.

But I’m not a hundred percent sure either.

Did he just casually say ‘two years’? Or did he say it because he knows something will happen then?

If I ask him, I’ll know the answer. Yet, I can’t bring myself to.

Regardless, I’m sure he’ll just run away if I ask.

Or even worse, disappear from my side forever.

I can feel it in my gut.

Waves of regret crash into my form. I should have taken that woman in Fothel Village more seriously.

Wanting to hear her star reading again, I scoured the streets of Fothel Village for a hint of her, albeit to no success.

The sense of gloom has yet to leave me. I neither have answers to my problems nor a clue as to what to do next.

However, if you actually are the star orbiting around me, then…

You may have come from another world, sent by the goddess, or whatever.

But I know this in my heart: I won’t let what that star-gazing woman said become reality.

I absolutely won’t let you burn out. I won’t lose sight of you.

I feel reluctant to part with him, but I have to pull back soon.

If I receive any more magic power than this, Lian may collapse again.

After pulling back, I bury my face in the crook of his shoulders. I hug him tight. Lian stiffens in surprise.

As if he is asking why I suddenly canceled the ’Magic Force Transfer’.

“…A-Al…fred?”

“…Do you believe in star readings?” I can ask him this at least, right?

I can feel Lian trembling in my arms.

His breaths come out loud and jagged. Harsh.

“Star readings…”

“…In Fothel Village, I met someone who said that she can read the stars… She told me many things about the future.”

“I-I see…”

“She… didn’t exactly have any good things to say, though.”

Just things about eternal loneliness, and everything burnt to a crisp.

In fact, most of the words that came out of her mouth were utter nonsense.

Lian grabs my shirt with trembling hands.

A few deep breaths later, he throws his still trembling arms around me.

“It will be alright, Alfred. That… may just be one possible path. Your future isn’t fixed. If you want to change it, you can definitely do it with your own power,” says Lian. But he seems to be reassuring himself rather than me.

“…Change it?”

“That’s right. Change it.”

“That’s…”

“I’m sure it’s possible. Like I said, nothing is fixed.”

“…Is that so?”

“Yeah! What’s with you today? You’re not acting like yourself. Why are you worrying about the words of random passerby?”

“Random passerby, huh?”

“Yep. Words from such a person aren’t likely to be true. There’s also no evidence to verify them. So don’t take them to heart.”

Is that so?

That woman’s words are certainly vague, containing metaphors I can’t understand for my life.

Yet Lian said I can change my future.

I can change it however I want. With my own power.

He’s right.

Because the woman was so vague with her words, there’s no way to determine if they held truth.

As Lian has said, it’s only one possible future. There are many other paths to choose from.

I just have to be careful not to end up with the worst one.

“I can just… change it…”

“Yes, yes. I’m sure anyone can do it. Including me and you. Isn’t that right?”

Faced with these encouragements, I let go of my internal struggles and nod.

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“Right…”

“Such a dull response. Do you really believe me?”

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“Yes I do.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

Relieved, Lian quietly exhales.

Then, he loosens his grip on my shirt. “…Good. You should be okay now, right? Don’t ever forget what I said.”

He has reverted to his usual cockiness and I vigorously nod in reply.

That’s right.

I will change the future.

Even though I don’t quite have a plan on how, that I’m aware of my bad future and that I’ll get a better idea as time passes are already enough.

Enough to keep my future from entering nightmare territory.

And the fact that I’ve come to this conclusion is all because of Lian.

So I’m right, aren’t I? The little shooting star that strange woman mentioned was you all along.

You. The one who drags me to the surface as I’m sinking has always been you.

“…The light brightening my path…”

“What?”

“…No. It’s nothing.”

I smile at Lian, who looks back at me with a strange face. Then I proceed to hug him tight.

His gentle scent pervades my senses.

So calming. Like fresh grass in spring.

My favorite scent.

I don’t want to lose this warmth.

I pray so in my heart.

If what she said is true, then if he leaves me… I won’t have to worry about him burning out.

But I beg of you.

I will take care of you. Protect you. I will treat you well. So please, stay with me forever.

“…Ngh! It hurts, Alfred! Hey, are you deaf? I said it hurts. Your stupid strength pisses me off!”

As soon as he kicks at my legs, I come to my senses.

Only then did I register Lian’s flushed and angry face..

“Ah, I’m sorry.”

Lian slips out of my embrace and backs away once I relax my arms. He’s quick to escape as always, just like that silver cat I feed in my spare time. Bolts before I even get close.

I made a mistake. I was too absent-minded. I’m finally given consent to touch him, but now he is running away again.

“I-if you have that much strength, then I don’t need to give you more magic power!”

He grabs the bag with the charged stones on the desk. Darts for the door in the speed of light.

“I’ll pay you for these fifty-two pieces tomorrow! G-goodbye!”

Not giving me a chance to reply, Lian runs awa… no, leaves the room with flushed cheeks.

Listening to his hurried footsteps down the corridor, I heave a sigh.

If he allows me to go that far again we can continue what we did that night and possibly get further… Yeah right.

I’ve already messed up my chances.

That black-haired woman. Because of her catastrophic star readings and incomprehensible words, I got lost in my thoughts.

Has Lian realized that I’ve already assured myself?

After all, he has excellent perception..

…Whatever.

Let’s just make do with that for today.

I will gradually initiate more physical contact with him. Once he gets used to it, he won’t run away anymore.

Gradually.

Because if I spook him, he may run off to his original world. And once he’s there, I can’t chase after him.

My ears pick up his footsteps outside the church. I peer out the window and toward the gate.

There, I see Lian.

His soft silvery hair sways in the wind, and he skips as if running away.

I swear that I definitely won’t fail this time.

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Hi everyone, I hope you have a nice day! This is the last part for the gigantic 15.5, and then we will be back to our Lian’s POV~ This chapter really burns me and my editors out with the sheer length, but we managed to finish it, yatta!

I went on a translating rampage last Monday, so all of the 4 sponsored parts left in the queue will be released before August ends! I’ll release them the moment my editors finished with them, thank you for the patience~ ୧(๑•̀ㅁ•́๑)૭✧

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