gentle and affectionate

Chapter 38.

I can't imagine how Heigang would react if he knew the fact that the me he left behind so desperately—the me who still hates him now, actually won't live long.

In fact, people's memory is very unreliable, but it may take a while to really completely forget, and this time is already a luxury for me.As for the two choices of whether to bring these memories to the grave when I am deeply impressed, or to pass a meaningless time, I have obviously lost the right to choose, and someone forced me to choose the latter.

The original plan to die like that was completely destroyed by him, and I was forced to stay again.So, during this meaningless time, I had no choice but to continue my status as a monster, relying on this person's life to survive.

"Sakura and Mokona slept together."

After sending Xiaoying to bed, when I closed the door lightly and came out, the man was still standing in the living room with a tall and straight profile.

"Want something to drink?"

It has been understood for a long time that although Hei Gang's life is very regular, but at this time just after nightfall, it is not possible to go to bed immediately, but Sakura is extremely tired, and the boy probably returned to the room.I turned my back to him and asked casually, and sure enough, I heard his expected answer.

"liquor."

There's really nothing you can do about this guy.

Night, wine, me and him.So when I went to get the wine, I couldn't help thinking that it was the same way. On the night when we came back from the battlefield, he and I wiped the knife and prepared the wine. We sat on the balcony facing the courtyard to enjoy the scenery, and we sat for most of the night.

It's just that now, I'm going to prepare the wine for one person, and he's not rubbing the blue ice that he loves so much. The dark blue long knife that has killed countless enemies is now unsheathed in this quiet room , cut off his own wrist.

"You drink it too."

This guy.

Blood trickled down his wrist.Knowing that he couldn't lose blood for no reason at this time, he kept saying "I'll be happy if I don't drink it", and let the blood flow, just like the life-saving spring that day.

And I, just like that day, walked over and held his hand, sipping from the wound.

Vampires can endure hunger for a long time, which means that the cycle of ingesting food is also prolonged. The exception a month ago left me on the verge of death. The blood supplement also restored my body and senses to normal, but After careful calculation, I haven't seen him again for half a month, and I can still cope with my daily life, but the consumption of the recent chess games is really not something my body can easily bear.

The blood ran across the throat, causing the body to tremble with excitement. I held his wrist to suck the blood, and said to him from a very close distance:

"Did you notice?"

"Ah," he responded in a low voice, "we're being watched."

"The next opponent in the 'chess match'," I guessed without emotion, "or..."

"During the previous trip, the guy who has been watching us?"

He said what was on my mind.

This unspoken tacit understanding has saved my life and his life countless times, but now it is unbearably annoying.I looked gloomy, but I had no other choice, because I could only say this to him—only to this man I hated so much.

How sad.

Having sucked enough blood, I moved my flexible joints and licked the remaining blood on the wound. The vampire's saliva quickly coagulated the shallow wound, and it seemed to be healing.I sneered in my heart, Hei Gang wasn't the only one who turned me into what I am today.

"Whoever it is," I thought of the man behind the scenes, "I won't let anyone get hurt again."

I put down Heigan's hand, turned around and walked towards the room.

If I die, it will be over. Now that I survived, don't even think about touching these people again.

Because even if it is a redemption, I will do my best to protect them with the few remaining lives.

The next day, the rematch battlefield.

I looked at the vines that suddenly grew around the chessboard and sneered. This rematch really increased the excitement as the host said. On the chessboard—that is, around the battlefield, the thorny vines are like natural walls, connecting the space of the battle with the Four weeks of isolation.Sakura couldn't help being a little worried, and there was a look of uneasiness in her bi-color eyes, but there seemed to be something else, I looked away lightly, and only heard the young man's assurance that she would feel at ease.

Waiting for the opening, we were controlled by the chains, and we looked a little embarrassed, but the ninja beside us stood proudly as if nothing had happened. At this time, when he noticed my gaze, he looked at me sideways, and the corner of his mouth curled up. Crazy smile.I raised my eyebrows, and then couldn't help but curl the corners of my lips.

"If you touch it, it will hurt."

So, with my sigh and the boy's promise to the girl, the game slowly kicked off.

After all, the rematch had to be more formal. In addition to the fact that the level of the opponent had risen a lot, the rules were also much more detailed, such as the prohibition of long-range attack weapons.So I had to give up the sickle controlled by the long chain and choose a steel whip. The tactics of using soft to overcome steel can be regarded as adapting to the fighting habits all the time.Heigan changed into a long knife, but Xiaolang didn't change, still using short stabs with both hands.

Needless to say, the first one to rush out must be Heigan.Originally, even if he fought three against one, it wouldn't be very dangerous, but the three of them were armed with long sticks, and the attack distance was far better than that of long knives, so I followed Heigang to cover the blind spot; the little wolf was under the cover of the two of us Hiding his figure, jumping out of the attack unexpectedly, caught the opponent by surprise at the beginning.

It should be said that the opening was very good, but who would have expected that sparks would suddenly appear in a game that was clearly agreed to only use cold weapons.

Originally, the length of the long stick was already a bit illegal, not to mention that there is a firearm mechanism at the top? !The little wolf who rushed to the front was forced to back quickly by the three people on the opposite side. He didn't want to back too fast, so he bumped into the surrounding thorns, fell forward due to the reaction force, and passed out in an instant. Hei Gang and I The situation immediately became more dangerous.

As I said just now, under normal circumstances, it would be fine for Heigang to fight alone against three people, but now there are barbs on all sides, and the opponent uses long-range firearms, but I can't use magic. It can be said that it is quite unfavorable, and Hei Gang and I both looked dignified.

"Step aside!"

We wanted to go to the other side to check on the situation of the little wolf, but the opponent didn't give it a chance, and the organizer didn't move when seeing this violation.I looked at the already seething crowd and sneered in my heart. The city's "tourism" industry has really flourished.

Killing must be what arouses the deepest animal nature in people's hearts.

Heigan and I moved out of the way twice, trying to avoid the attack of the sparks from the long stick. Unexpectedly, the flame was just the beginning, and the main action was yet to come.A black dot actually flew out from the tip of the long stick that shot out Mars, so we both backed away quickly, but the thing was able to change direction. insect.

Looking at it can make people feel ominous.Heigang and I jumped to the two sides, and Heigang split the worm in two with a swing of Heigang's long knife, but it was a step too late, the worm had already cut his arm, and the broken worm flew across the air An arc, half of which rushed straight at me, I thought I was out of danger, so I was caught off guard, and the sharp robot bug left a small gash on the side of my neck.

"Is the purpose to hurt us?"

As soon as the words fell, I couldn't stand anymore.

Only by supporting the body upright with a steel whip can we barely hold on to the fall.The wound, which was almost painless, caused numbness and tremors throughout the body, and the same was true for Heigan.While being patient, I looked back at Sakura on the chess player's table. The girl who had never hesitated in half a year was frowning at this moment, and there was a mystery in her eyes that people couldn't see clearly.

My heart skipped a beat.

"Although part of it is because of this bug-like thing, but," I paused, "Kosakura is... confused..."

The day when I decided to participate in the chess game came to my mind, and the purpose of winning the championship has never been forgotten.I tried my best to keep my body and thinking normal, but no matter what, it was difficult to deal with the opponent's attack. The girl's clenched hands trembled a little, and the confusion in her eyes was mixed with other emotions, too thick to dissolve. open.

Chess player confusion restricts the movement of chess pieces.

All three chess pieces lose their combat power.

The girl almost stood up.

Failure is imminent.

"Wait a moment--!"

The boy covered in blood slowly got up from the ground, most of his sleeves were burned off, his strong arms were covered with scars, but his facial features were as stubborn and determined as before.

Yes, as before.

This boy with the same appearance is the same as the companion who traveled together. Once he decides to guard, he will never retreat. The two people are too similar. I don't know who is the source.He and her looked at each other from a distance, and his firm eyes conveyed his heart to her heart.

I couldn't bear to look at the surprised face of the girl again.

The girl was no longer confused, and the boy with the same name as Little Wolf turned to meet the enemy.The three opponents saw him get up and attack one after another. The little wolf used his short thorns to resist the attack of the three long sticks, and jumped up with the help of his body. , the little wolf dodged sideways and was not injured, but the blood from the scratch on the head flowed into the eyes due to the change in the angle of the body.

At this time, blocked vision will become a big problem. Hei Gang and I are both sweating, but we can't help until the time limit for anesthesia expires.The opponent showed a smug smile when he saw this, and the situation on the field became one-sided again, but when everyone was worried about the boy, he calmly closed his eyes, as if the sparks rushing towards him did not exist .

Close your eyes, dodge, side block, defend, counterattack, sense the breath from the opponent, and knock down the three besieging people with one move.

Turning and landing, the movement is smooth and free, just like a teacher taught that student.

"That's what I taught the kid..."

Heigan said in a low voice, a crack finally appeared on the resolute look of a ninja, and I couldn't help bowing my head.

"What Coyote learned, he also learned, because he lived the same life as Coyote...through that eye."

The announcement of victory from one side did not soothe the brows of the companions.The joy of victory that should have been there was not shown at all. Amidst the noisy shouts of the audience who had nothing to do with him, he looked back at her, but she had to look away.

Because he is so much like that person.

But he is not him.

"I know……"

When I went to see Sakura that night, she spread herself out on the bed, clutching the pillow with both hands, covering her sad face.I was sitting by the bed, and there was a conversation between the two outside the door, I don't know what they were talking about.

"That person is not a little wolf," she said, "even if it was created based on that person, it is just like what I have seen in various worlds before. Not the original one, but..."

There was a cry in the voice, which was very clear in the silence and the whispers of the men.

"I still can't do it."

"Not only the appearance, but also the voice, movement, and those frank eyes," she gripped the pillow tightly, her knuckles turning white, "those same places, similar places, every time I see them, I feel helpless." Bear……"

Outside the door, Mo Ke Na played faintly, and the scene of snatching wine with someone seems to be the same as before, but it is a pity that reason tells us that everything is different, and everything is no longer what it used to be.

Can not go back.

"Why...the person in front of me is not the little wolf..."

The girl's sobs were still uncontrollable. I knew it would be futile to say anything, but I still called the girl's name in a low voice, wanting to rely on myself, who is no longer even a human being, to come. comfort her.

Even though I made up my mind to protect them, I couldn't even relieve her grief. This is my biggest failure.

I pressed her hand lightly, but was embarrassed to find that my hand no longer had the heat of a human being, so I wanted to use magic to warm up this icy body temperature, but before the magic was activated in my body, the silence in my mind instantly made me I couldn't even hear the conversation between the two people outside the house, I only heard a voice calling my name——

— Fay

- Fay...

—The king woke up.

— Fay, did you hear that?

The voice of my mother who I imagined and missed countless days and nights, the voice of Ji who has been with me for a hundred years, sounds so terrifying at this moment that it makes people tremble.Wang's smile appeared in front of his eyes, as if it was still yesterday, but unexpectedly...it has been so long.

Two years is not too long, not too short, just enough time for me to forget the fact that I should have died long ago.

……

"Mr Fay..."

"what's up?"

I finally realized that this was in Sakura's room, I raised my head and put on a smile, but she still noticed that she had already sat up from the bed.

"Is something wrong?"

"It's ok……"

Sakura didn't believe it, she reached out and tapped the corner of my mouth subconsciously, I was stunned.

"If you don't want to say it, you don't have to; but when you don't want to laugh...don't laugh."

So my acting skills are already so bad.

The news from Ji is still echoing in my mind, the girl in front of me is full of worry, even I can't tell what I'm feeling... It's just that after I put the corners of my mouth down, maybe I won't be able to bring up anything.

I smiled again and took her hand.

"Since this is the case, then I hope Sakura will do the same in front of me."

Since my affairs are already doomed, it is useless to think too much, it is better to just focus on the present.I lightly stated the real purpose of my coming to find her today, and saw her surprised face as expected.

"After I came to this country and Sakura announced that she would participate in the chess tournament, I have been very worried about your situation, Sakura."

She lowered her head and stopped looking at me.

"You are determined not to be confused anymore. During the previous journey to find the little wolf, no matter what pain you encountered, you showed no confusion in front of us," and even blocked people's slander for that young man, "But, After coming to this country, you are almost always locked in the room, and you deliberately hide from the 'little wolf'."

"..."

"So in today's match," I looked at her, "in my opinion, you were acting confusing on purpose, in order to make us think..."

"You're confused about your own determination and being with us, so I told that ninja too, 'Sakura is confused'," I smiled at her like before, "I'm meddling Is it?"

She didn't speak, kept her head down, and I didn't rush her, just patiently waiting for her to answer.

Because when she raised her head again, her eyes were so calm that there was no wave.

"No... since when did you know?"

Firm and calm, no more confusion.

Everything is as I expected, but I don't know whether I should be happy or not.

"Since you talked about the prize money of the chess game with the witch of the dimension in front of everyone," I paused, "In order to revive the country that Xiaolang passed by, so I wanted to give something... When Sakura was talking, I There was a feeling that something was wrong, if it was Sakura from before saying that she wanted to do something for that country, I would just think 'this looks like something Sakura would do'."

"But, are you different now?" I said calmly, "In order not to cause more tragedies, instead of spending time earning bonuses, it is better to chase the little wolf."

"Besides the bonus, do you have other reasons for wanting to stay in this country?"

I looked directly into her eyes, and her slightly changed expression confirmed my guess.

The performance of the past three months has been different, and what happened on the court today can prove once again: In fact, Sakura was not confused, otherwise, with the injury of that boy at that time, he could not have been ahead of me and Kuro who were only under anesthesia. Steel returned to normal.

So there is only one possibility, that is, the confusion was intentionally made by Sakura.

Let’s not talk about the importance of earning the prize money of the chess game versus chasing the little wolf, but when it comes to the price you need to pay to earn the prize money, it’s not like Sakura would do it for the three of us to work hard for no reason , but she did it without hesitation, which made people have doubts about her real purpose.

——She must have some other purpose. In order to cover up this purpose, she deliberately showed confusion about winning the chess game, avoiding the unnaturalness of being too determined.

I sighed in my heart, maybe that ninja will find out soon, maybe he has already found out, but he can't ask Sakura directly like me.

As for the real purpose, it is actually not difficult to guess. She put down the little wolf to participate in the chess game. Although her actions have changed, I think the ultimate purpose will not change. Maybe there is something important that needs to be relied on in this game. to get.

Sure enough, Sakura's answer was expected.

"...I want to get something."

"Is that...something that would make the two of you in the living room angry if you knew?"

"I will definitely be angry," she lowered her head, "but even so, I still want it."

Although his expression was gloomy, the determination in his eyes was stronger than ever.Her serious expression was not common in the past, and she looked strangely beautiful. The softest part of my heart was suddenly touched, and I suddenly felt that there must be her reasons for her concealment.

I think the worst possibility is that she wants to pay a price to find the little wolf, which may hurt herself. She must be afraid of dragging us down, so she doesn't let us know; I also subconsciously don't want her to do this. But facing her expression, he was speechless.

Because if I were from her point of view, if I could do anything to save the king, I would probably be as desperate as her.

What's more... I looked into her eyes, they were as clear as ever, but maybe they were still a little deeper.

At that time, I felt that if there was any danger, then I would do my best to protect her.

"Okay," I promised her, "then do everything as you say, because that's my wish too."

—Let that be my wish too, if you will.

I looked at the girl's face without a smile, thought of the lost boy, and sincerely hoped that she would get her wish.

It's just... I should have no chance to see it.

I took her cold hand and kissed it lightly, but I couldn't help but think of the companions who traveled together, the embarrassment I concealed when we met on the first day, the embarrassment caused by unfamiliarity at first, and the fights along the way, so I couldn't bear it. Can't help but think of that unexpectedly innocent ninja...

If that guy found out, Bao Buqi would push me to the ground and beat me up; but even if that was the case, it probably could only happen in a dream.

Maybe there was a moment when I didn't even want to let go of that hand.

Because, this may be the last time I will guard them.

……

In the semi-finals a few days later, there was no such violation as last time, so it must be expected that our side won smoothly.Sakura has something to hide from us, I guessed it, maybe the other two also guessed it, but I don't tell, they don't ask, maybe they all believe it, her concealment will not be to hurt us, believe her There must be some reason.

However, something unexpected happened, that is, Sakura was invited to have dinner with the organizer.

"And, only the chess player is invited."

Sakura pondered for a moment, and then she agreed. It is impossible for the three of us not to worry, but no one has the position to stop it.Even the man who came to invite her worriedly asked her if she understood that the invitation was for her to attend the appointment alone, and looked cramped like a big boy.

"I'm leaving."

"Be careful on the road." I smiled and sent her off.

So when the boy finally couldn't help holding her who was about to turn around, it was all in our expectation.The boy who was also called Little Wolf hesitated to speak, the girl looked at that familiar face, and a trace of regret flashed in her eyes... I think this might be too cruel for him, but after all, he can't replace the boy from before, Whether it's for her or for us.

We looked at the girl's back and disappeared from sight, and neither of us said anything. Until the man who has always been taciturn broke the silence, I felt like I was in a dream.

"If you don't want her to go, just say it straight. If you don't say anything, no one will know what you're thinking," he said to the boy, "since the other party wants to do what he wants Do it, then we can do what we want to do."

"But if we don't say it... we don't know anything, and we overestimate ourselves."

When he spoke, he didn't look at anyone, and his tone was so calm that there was no emotion at all, but the sound echoed in his ears, but it seemed to hit the bottom of his heart.

After he finished speaking, he turned and left, leaving me standing alone, I don't know how many daydreams I can have for a long time.