“I’ll be going now.”


    With a curt nod, the boy turned and walked away.


    Allen stood there, frozen in place, his golden eyes fixed on the retreating figure of the black-haired boy.


    A chilly breeze blew between them.


    As the sky began to lighten with the approaching dawn, Allen remained rooted to the spot.


    ‘…Why?’


    The question formed in his mind but died in his throat before he could utter it.


    He couldn’t understand.


    He had been lying there, a complete mess, expecting Raiden to at least give him a good kick.


    But Raiden hadn’t.


    -What do you think you’re doing?


    Instead, he had sighed, as if exasperated by Allen’s pathetic display, and helped him up. Sear?h the Novёl?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He might have grabbed him roughly by the collar, but it hadn’t been a violent gesture.


    He had steadied Allen gently, waiting patiently until his trembling legs could support his weight.


    -You look like a mess.


    He had even brushed the dirt off Allen’s coat.


    It was an unexpected act of kindness.


    And one that Allen didn’t deserve.


    He bit his lip, his dull golden eyes staring at the empty street where Raiden had disappeared.


    “…”


    He bit down harder, a familiar pain spreading through his lip.


    A wave of dizziness washed over him, bringing with it a rush of conflicting emotions.


    Honestly, he couldn’t make sense of it.


    If Raiden had punched him, he wouldn’t have said a word.


    If he had drawn his sword and attacked, Allen would have stood there and taken it.


    Raiden had every right to hurt him.


    Just as Allen had hurt him.


    He had driven Raiden, who had been backed into a corner, to the brink of despair.


    He deserved to be punished, to be subjected to Raiden’s hatred.


    -Get a grip.


    But…


    Why?


    -If you want to protect something, you can’t afford to fall apart… If you just stand there in a daze, you might end up losing even more.


    Raiden hadn’t lashed out at him, hadn’t spat words of hatred.


    He hadn’t sought revenge.


    Instead, he had helped him up.


    He had spoken words of encouragement, albeit in a gruff, almost indifferent tone.


    It might have sounded casual, but Allen could sense something else beneath the surface.


    A hint of warmth in his voice.


    A touch of affection, as if he were speaking to a dear friend.


    Raiden might have been trying to appear aloof, but the mask didn’t suit him.


    It only made him seem more out of place.


    “Why… Why are you being so kind to me…?”


    Raiden had always tried to be friendly.


    He had always been there to help whenever something happened, and even though he hadn’t always shown it, Allen knew that deep down, Raiden had wanted to be friends.


    He hadn’t noticed it before, blinded by his own misplaced suspicion.


    But now he knew.


    He had seen it with his own eyes, had glimpsed into the depths of Raiden’s heart.


    Raiden had never hated him, not even once.


    To Raiden, Allen had been an object of admiration.


    He had seen him as the shining hero from the fairy tales he had read as a child.


    His heart had been pure, untainted.


    And that realization only made Allen feel even more guilty.


    “Why… Why do you look at me like that…?”


    There had been a time when Allen had been filled with arrogance.


    When he had first learned that he was destined to save the world, that he was the hero of this generation, he had been overcome with a sense of self-importance.


    As if he were somehow special.


    But reality had been harsh.


    Danger and chaos had erupted all around him, and he had been powerless to stop it.


    He had even lost his closest friend.


    That was when he had finally realized.


    That he was nothing but a fool.


    That he wasn’t a hero, just a child playing at heroism.


    “Why… Why are you encouraging me…?”


    This wasn’t how it was supposed to be.


    When he had first been chosen, this wasn’t the future he had envisioned.


    He had wanted to protect the weak.


    He had wanted to uphold justice.


    He had wanted to bask in the warmth of the world he had saved.


    But the reality was a far cry from his ideals.


    The reflection he saw in the mirror was that of the very kind of person he despised.


    “I don’t understand…”


    His muttered words dissolved into the morning air.


    The hero, the chosen one.


    He stood alone beneath the starry sky, his heart heavy with doubt and despair.