Isabella clearly heard what Theo had said.
However, she was confused.
Her eyes widened, and before she knew it, her mouth had dropped open.
She had expected it to be something unusual when he said he had a serious request, but...
'...To live together with her!'
What the hell was that about!?
It was so sudden it could have made her spit out water if she had been drinking any.
'I knew he was unpredictable, but to this extent...'
Isabella's eyes fluttered.
Regardless of her confusion, Theo remained as calm as ever.
Theo spoke up.
"I don't mean to live together forever. Just for a while. About a couple of months?"
He added, as if he had just thought of it.
"Ah, of course, since you dislike crowded places, I'll look for a quiet location. Mountains or sea. Which do you prefer?"
"It's not about the duration or location...! What matters is that you're suggesting we live together!"
Theo nodded calmly.
"That's right."
"But why all of a sudden do you want to live together?"
"Ah."
Only then did Theo realize why Isabella was so flustered.
'I didn't explain why we need to live together.'
It's better to be straightforward and get to the point when asking someone for something...
That was his long-standing habit in conversations.
Theo spoke again.
"Ah, my apologies. I didn't explain the reason. The truth is, I'm going to be in a lot of danger."
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64ce79d606107d003c23ea27", id: "pf-5140-1"})Theo told Isabella about everything that had happened.
Starting with joining the investigation team, fighting with the Practioners, making an ally out of Fyat, subduing the berserk Practioners and bringing them into the academy, to developing a resistance to imitation panaceas...
He explained in as much detail as possible to make the situation clear to Isabella.
But,
"How does that relate to us living together!"
Isabella was still visibly flustered.
"There are plenty of people who can use healing spells or magic in the healer's guild!"
Theo replied without hesitation.
"Among the people I know, you are the most skilled in healing magic."
Theo continued.
"And you have been of great help to me, more than anyone else. I will definitely repay you someday. Please help me."
Theo's gaze was very serious. He stared at Isabella with his burning red eyes.
Upon feeling Theo's gaze, Isabella's face turned red.
In her confusion, she blurted out some irritated words.
"We've just exchanged what we wanted from each other. That's all there is to it, moving forward."
"You wouldn't use the Eleventh Commandment of Renimid just for that. I felt your trust in me."
The cost of using Renimid's Eleventh Commandment is the caster losing half of their accumulated divine energy, along with falling into a comatose state for several days.
After Isabella cast that spell for Theo, she indeed lost half her divine energy and lay in bed as if dead for several days.
Isabella somewhat understood Theo's point. Rather than entrusting his body to an unproven healer, he preferred her.
What was currently blocking her was her conservative mindset that had built up over a long time.
'The idea of an unmarried man and woman living together! That's absurd...!'
No matter how much she liked Theo and wanted to walk his path with him... it wasn't easy.
Moreover, no matter how careful they were, rumors of them living together would likely spread. And baseless rumors travel faster than the wind.
Regardless of the reasons, others would surely focus solely on the fact that they were living together...!
Theo silently gazed at Isabella.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64cc9e79c7059f003e4ad4b0", id: "pf-5109-1"})She couldn't meet his eyes and looked down, her face, ears, and neck turning red.
Theo felt the need to appeal more strongly.
'If it's not Isabella, it won't work.'
Who else but she would sacrifice her own body to heal him?
No one else came to mind.
'First, I need to make her look me in the eyes.'
Isabella hadn't clearly refused his request, but she hadn't accepted it either.
The longer she pondered alone, the more likely she was to refuse. He felt it instinctively.
'I need to press on now.'
Theo stood up.
He grasped Isabella's shoulders, who was still looking down.
"!!"
Isabella started and looked up.
Their eyes met.
As soon as their eyes met, Isabella tried to look away again.
Theo murmured.
"No one else is needed."
Isabella's lowering head paused.
Theo lowered his body to meet her eye level and looked into her wildly shifting eyes, saying,
"All I need is you, Isabella."
After leaving the student council room, I headed to [The Hilté].
"Haah."
I let out a short breath.
It was hard work, but in the end, I managed to get Isabella's permission.
'Did I really succeed?'
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "663633fa8ebf7442f0652b33", id: "pf-8817-1"})─...Ah, uh, ah... Ah, okay, just go! I'll contact you later!
Her voice was a bit sharp, but since she agreed, that means it's settled.
She said she would contact me later, so I should ask her then about how to restore the Practitioners to their original state.
Since we'll be living together for a while, there will be plenty of time to talk with her.
Anyway, I need to start looking for a house for Isabella and me to stay in for the time being.
Ultimately, individuals or groups related to [Turning White], including [Leading Mind], will find out where I am regardless.
It might be more effective to set up our base first and prepare for their arrival.
Of course, it's best to avoid detection for as long as possible, so I plan to steer clear of areas under the Waldeurk family's control.
Creak.
After arriving at [The Hilté], I opened the door and entered.
My steps led not to the ground floor but downwards, to the basement where the researchers from [Ford Company] were staying.
I walked over to Fyat.
"Feeling nervous about the surgery?"
"...Theo Lyn Waldeurk. I didn't know you were the type to make jokes."
"Of course. Did you see me as some kind of Demon or Angel, Fyat?"
Fyat smirked and responded.
"...Hmm. To be honest, I'm a bit nervous."
"That's unusual. You didn't even flinch when you lost your leg."
"It's not the fear of something going wrong that's making me tremble. It's just..."
Fyat stopped mid-sentence.
I asked, "Just?"
"The thought of being able to walk the path of martial arts again is making my whole body shake."
"That's good news. There's a high chance you'll be better than before. I've fought someone who had the same surgery you're about to have. He was a formidable opponent..."
"...Moreover."
Fyat interrupted me to continue.
"...The thought of being your woman also makes my body shake. ...Hmm, to be honest, it's quite embarrassing. To think there would come a day when I'd be fighting alongside a man of your caliber."
"?"
