CHAPTER 71: SELIA’S HIDDEN MOTIVE

"You see, I could tell that you needed something from me from the very moment we met."

Seeing how Selia couldn’t break free from whatever it was that stopped her from talking, I decided to take charge of this conversation.

Even though I couldn’t really tell what it was that made her hesitate so much, I knew that most of the time, snapping the plaster off the wound would result in much less pain than trying to slowly, slowly pull it off.

"Sure, there’s your inherent kindness and all sorts of other good qualities of your character that I’ve witnessed," I shook my head. "I know just how kind, charitable, helpful, and sympathetic to others you are. But that doesn’t change the fact, when you first appeared before my eyes, back in that jungle, back with that golden shine to your eyes and hair..."

I took a deep breath.

"Back then, you saw me as nothing but a potential threat, a source of possible danger. A baggage, an annoyance, a drag," I continued to list out all sorts of different ways in which I would describe myself if, back then, I was in Selia’s shoes.

"Still, with that charitability and kindness of yours, I could explain you bringing me out to the city. Heck, even helping me out through the first day at the unknown town!"

I pursed my lips and just stared at Selia for a good while. Still, I wasn’t able to make her turn her eyes and look back into my face.

’Is it embarrassing to talk about? Or maybe she’s feeling guilty about something?’

There were so many ways that could make Selia so reluctant to talk about this topic.

But now that it came up on the agenda, there was no possible way to just ignore it — simply because doing so would already serve as a sort of answer to my questions.

"Back then, I could tell there was some reason why you decided to grit your teeth and deal with all sorts of the problems that came up from having me in town. When we entered the city, I could understand where you were coming from, not wanting for me to die after all the efforts you put into keeping me alive. But after that?"

I shook my head again.

"There was absolutely no reason for you to stick around. And yet you did, as if merely not asking if you would do so was enough of a reason for you to remain by my side."

At this point, the explanation of my train of thought came to an end. And all that was left was to reveal what it made me discover.

"In other words, there’s something that I can do for you, something you need me for, and yet, refuse to share with me. And while I’m more than happy to help as long as it’s within my power..."

"Enough."

Selia cut my marathon of words with just one of hers, once again forcing nigh-perfect silence upon our room.

Then, with a precise stab at the piece of fruit she worked so hard on to deprive of as much support as she could, she forced the piece onto the fork’s spikes before elegantly lifting it up to her mouth while using her other hand to properly cover her mouth with it.

"It is true," Selia finally spoke, the determination brimming in her eyes. "But you don’t even know the full picture. The truth is, I didn’t stumble upon you in the death’s jungle. I was guided towards you instead."

I raised my eyebrows.

’Now we are talking... but what exactly does that mean?’

"I remember once saying that my ranks and my path show without system to it because I’ve already fulfilled all the missions it assigned to me. And while that wasn’t a lie..." Selia grew slightly uncomfortable. "It wasn’t exactly the full truth either."

Seeing how much she struggled to talk about this topic, I opted to take a sip of tea before adding a bite of the cake rather than pressuring her to keep on going.

Time.

Time was what she needed to sort her thoughts, figure out what and how to say, and then gather the courage to actually say it.

And so, I waited with patience, only for the girl to soon reward me for it.

"Actually..."

I shook my head before replicating what Selia did before and raising my hand to stop her.

"I will say it again, just in case you didn’t take it seriously. I’ve initiated this talk because I’ve noticed the change. And while I’m aware that you required my presence to some sort of an end," I then leaned my head over my right shoulder before giving Selia a lovely, calm, and relaxed smile.

"The point that you saved me still stands. Heck, you did save me on several occasions, likely more than you yourself are aware of!" I argued with passion.

Bringing me out of the jungle was one thing. Showing herself around town with me by the side to stop anyone from messing with me was another thing.

But connecting me with local craftsmen? Helping me out with the charcoal experiment? Even helping me somehow unlock the potential hidden in my destroyed system — those all were the times when Selia saved me.

Not to mention the least visible but likely the most important one — how just having her by my side, as someone to talk with, someone to joke with, someone to accompany me as I started to slowly discover this new and foreign world...

That could very well be the biggest helping hand she extended my way, even if Selia herself never really thought of it much, even if it was all because of some sort of agenda she had all along.

"You’ve saved me so many times, I could spend my entire life trying to repay you, never to really do," I openly admitted while shaking my head a bit. "Which is why I’m not going to pressure you to explain what’s going on if you are not ready to do so yet. I just wanted this topic to be raised so that you know I’m not clueless about this change."

With a shrug of my shoulders, I reached out for the cup of the brew before taking the last, big sip I could find inside.

"In all honesty, what I wanted to know is whether you came to trust me as much as I hoped, or not."

That was the gist of the matter.

Even if Selia demanded my life, did I have any right to deny her request? Without her help I would’ve long turned into a pile of hollowed-out, broken bones, surrounded by scraps of trash and meat that not even the jungle’s predators would bother wasting their time on.

Hearing all of that, however, only put a look of an even bigger anguish on Selia’s face. Yet, before I could even rise up from the table and ask if she was alright, or proclaim how sorry I was for somehow burdening her with an even greater emotional weight...

"It seems that you are my chosen one," Selia blurted out while hiding her face in her hands. "And from the moment I internally admitted it, our bond will only ever continue to grow stronger and at an ever-accelerating rate."

My eyebrows shot up.

To say I was taken aback by the sudden reveal...?

"Wait, a chosen one, as in..."

"No, not a hero-kind," Selia laughed, proving that just like I could read her emotions, she could read mine. "The other thing you thought, that’s the thing..." she then added, turning her face off to the side and looking away while she rested her chin down on her hand.

Before, she properly hid her face. But now that she looked away?

I could see in full view just how insanely red her cheeks became.

It took me a further few seconds to connect what she said to the two thoughts that passed through my head when she first mentioned that "chosen one" thingy.

First was, just as she spelled it out loud, a hero of some sort, designated by fate itself to achieve some glorious purpose.

The second one, however?

Now that I thought about it, it just refused to stop ringing in my ears, only ever causing Selia’s cheeks to grow redder while my thoughts grew all the more foggy and shocked.

’Husband.’