Chapter 428: A Painful Talk

Chapter 428: A Painful Talk

“Zafira,” Rael called out, steadying his breathing. “How much do you remember… aside from my name?”

After a brief moment of silence, Zafira replied, “I only remember your name, Rael. Anything beyond that, I can’t remember. It’s almost like something is blocking me from remembering.”

“Thought so.” Rael sighed, clutching his forehead. “Since you don’t know who I am… I’ll fill in the gaps in your memory.”

With those words, Rael began recounting all of their shared experiences. He didn’t hold anything back, and he even told her about the mole on her inner thigh and the one under her right breast.

Several minutes passed, and neither Zafira nor Melina said a word. They simply listened to him attentively, and after he was done explaining their shared experiences, it was about time he talked about himself.

After all, he had regained most of his memories during the Memory Record, so he could remember his childhood.

But he wasn’t going to recount the boring stuff, because his small inferiority complex resulted in him not having many friends growing up, and thus his childhood was fairly plain.

However, he would recount the story that he had only half-told to Zafira in the past.

“My sister’s name is Melissa, and she is a prodigy at pretty much everything. Ever since I was young, my parents compared her to me, and… as much as I hate to admit it, I had started to dislike my sister slightly,” Rael replied honestly.

“Because of that, I tried to surpass her in any way I could. Whether it was academics, sports, or even while cooking,” Rael added with a smile. “I was a much better cook than her, so it was a bit unfair. However, before we could make up, my sister, alongside my parents, went to a contest where the best in the world gathered.”

Of course, he was referring to the Olympics, since his sister was chosen. He was invited to go, but due to a falling-out with his parents, Rael didn’t go.

And because of that…

“My parents died on the way over to the contest, and my sister survived but was left in a coma for a very long time. Anyhow… I wasted my life away since then, got into a lot of trouble, and eventually, I ended up here with you, Zafira.”

He met Zafira’s trembling gaze.

“My life before I met you wasn’t special in the slightest… And I wish I could tell you more, but in fear of someone listening in on us, I’ll have to save that for later.”

I’m avoiding all talk about Sketa Online in case it’s some kind of trigger word for Solenne. It never hurts to be cautious, Rael thought, nodding to himself.

Even so, it seemed like his words had touched Zafira as a single tear streamed down her cheek.

She wiped it away and sat down right in front of the hologram which displayed Rael.

“I don’t remember most of the things you mentioned,” Zafira said, and with a faint blush, she placed a single hand over her lower abdomen. “B-But, everything you told me makes sense. Even my heart thinks so as well… and definitely my body.”

Zafira coughed once and removed her hand from her lower abdomen, slightly embarrassed.

“You should fully remember me in just a few months, Zafira,” Rael said softly. “By then, I hope I’ll be ready to face you in reality, and not through this kind of communication.”

Zafira’s brows twitched. “You’re speaking as if I won’t see you until then?”

“…”

Rael was at a loss for words, but just then, Melina pinched his waist with all her strength, causing him to jolt back to reality.

“I will try to talk with you like this every day if possible. If it isn’t, then at least once per week,” Rael said, lowering his gaze. “The place where I’m currently staying is a bit hard to enter under normal circumstances, and if I do leave, then I’m going to miss out on something very big.”

Hearing that, Zafira was about to retort, but Rael cut her off.

“I know you have something important you’re doing with that lazy goddess, so let’s meet when we’ve both finished what we had to, okay?” Rael added.

With that, he fell silent, giving Zafira a moment to speak.

She seemed reluctant, and with the gap in her memories, she felt awful. However, seeing him once a day or once a week was better than not seeing him at all.

Her memory might even come back quicker if they talked more, and lord knows Rael was going to cut time out of his sleep to speak with her.

Therefore…

“Okay,” Zafira replied plainly and stood up, dusting herself off.

Yet her gaze remained locked on the hologram.

“I’ll… I’ll see you soon then, Rael and I hope you’re safe wherever you are,” Zafira said softly, and right as she turned around, Rael spoke the words he had been dying to utter since the moment he picked up the sphere in his hands.

“I love you, Zafira.”

Zafira froze, swiftly turning around with widened eyes.

However, by then, the hologram had faded, and instead, there was a shattered sphere lying on the ground.

And not even a moment later, the shattered sphere turned to dust and blew away with the help of the wind.

Zafira stared at the ground with a trembling gaze, her fists clenched tightly, even managing to draw blood.

But she was not a child, and while she didn’t remember Rael fully, deep down in her heart, she knew that she could trust him.

Therefore, with a resolute look, she turned around and began heading toward a large mansion in the distance, ready to resume her training.

And as for Rael, he stared at the shattered sphere in his palms with an equally blank look.

“I feel like shit,” Rael said and leaned back, plopping down onto the ground.

Melina let out a sigh and stood up.

She approached him and extended her hand with a faint smile.

“Feeling shit is better than not feeling anything at all. At least now you got the hard part out of the way, so let’s go kill some monsters and finish the dungeon, shall we?”

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