Chapter 44: Ch 44: The Price Of Power
Upon heading toward the source of the cries, he arrived at the old man’s room.
There, Naida was in a mess, crying her heart out while embracing a shriveled-up corpse on the bed.
The corpse belonged to none other than Naida’s grandfather.
Raidan’s heart skipped a beat as the old man’s lifeless eyes locked onto him.
His figure was shrunken like a mummy.
The bad premonition in his heart grew even stronger. First Nia, then Naida’s grandfather...
Everything felt too wrong. Too abnormal.
Could it be that he was slowly getting cursed by karma for using the System more than necessary?
Was there an invisible limit which he refused to acknowledge until now?
He instantly demanded an answer from the System.
"System, tell me the truth. Is there a limit to this System you have not told me yet?"
The system replied, [ Host is advised to not be too emotional. Yes, like the universal truth, there is a price to power. If you assign quests too many times in a single instance, you will be in heavy Karmic Debt. But the System has a way to redirect it to someone you are close to. ]
’What!’ Inwardly, Raidan was angered beyond belief. ’Why did you not tell me this before? Why did you have to redirect the Karmic Debt to these poor people? They have done nothing wrong. Do you want me to die of guilt?’
His heart started to feel suffocated. The world around him seemed to be weighing down on him.
Unknowingly, his eyes turned red.
Naida turned around and saw him crying. She mistook it for grief.
She immediately crawled toward him, just like a zombie would.
"Hic, sob... Raidan, I do not know how he died. He should have been fine. But he left. Something must have killed him, sob!"
Raidan came to his senses at once.
Looking at the heartbroken Naida, something twisted inside him. He then crouched down, holding her like a fragile piece of glass.
"It is all my fault, Naida. If I had not come into your life, everything would have been alright. I should have never come into your life. I have been cursed."
Hearing his guilt-tinged, sorrowful words, she hurriedly wiped her tears away.
"What are you saying? Do not say it like that! It is not your fault!"
She thought he was just trying to bear all the guilt unnecessarily.
Raidan did not respond because he knew the truth. He had killed this peaceful family.
--
Afterward, the cremation process progressed naturally.
The gravekeepers put the body down inside a bronze coffin, then buried it in the western graveyard.
Naida shed tears until the very end. She did not leave even when it started raining.
The rainwater rolled down her temples, mixing with her fresh, hot tears.
The sun was still shining in the west, casting an unnatural phenomenon over the western district.
Raidan stood behind her without blinking, even when his eyelids felt heavy with rainwater.
Until now, he had taken everything from the System as a given. He had assigned quests without thinking about the consequences, and now he finally realized there is nothing free in this universe.
Later in the evening, Raidan finally pulled Naida from the graveyard, then brought her to the house.
In this whole process, not once she responded actively. She alollowed him to do anything he wishes.
She looked as if she had lost her soul.
After letting settle onto her bed, Raidan went outside, sitting on the veranda, thinking abiut his life’s choices.
He obviously couldn’t stay here any longer. Otherwise he might even lose her too.
Night passed.
Morning arrived with barking of dogs and hens.
Raidan found Naida inside her grandfather’s room, quietly checking his belongings, deciding which ones to donate to.
From the back, she still looked beautiful. But from up front, she looked as if aged by years in a single night.
Her usual liveliness disappeared. But as an adult, she was slowly trying to adapt. She believed she woukd be able to go back to her old self.
But just then.
"Naida, I will be leaving."
Naida turned around, looking in disbelief.
"What? Leaving? Where are you going?"
"Anywhere but here. I have stayed too long. I have my own path to walk, and it is far too dangerous for you to be anywhere near me."
Her lips trembled. Shakily, she went near him.
"No... you cannot mean that..You cannot leave me here. Not now. Please, Raidan!"
She reached out with her cold hands and tightly gripped the fabric of his tunic.
Raidan gently grabbed her wrists, trying to pry her hands away, but she held on with desperate strength.
"Don’t do this. You must let go, Naida. If I stay, I will only bring you more misery. I am a curse to those around me."
"I do not care!"
Naida screamed and threw her arms around his waist, burying her face into his chest
She started sobbing uncontrollably,
"My grandfather is gone. I have absolutely no one left in this world. I am all alone!"
Every sob was like a knife slicing his heart.
"How will I live if you leave? The Shrine guards will come back. They will demand the gold. I will lose the apothecary shop. I will lose everything! What about your marriage proposal? Was everything a lie? Please, I am begging you, do not abandon me!"
Feeling her desperation, Raidan clenched his fists.
She was right. Leaving her alone would be the most cruel treatment for her.
She needed someone’s support badly.
At last, he decided against leaving.
"Alright, I will not leave. But I should rent a house nearby. Otherwise, people will make bad rumors about you. It will not be good for your reputation."
At this, Naida shooked her head.
"No. I will not allow you to do that. You can marry me and stay with me. You said you wanted to build a family, right? I am willing to be that person for you."
Raidan swallowed hard. She was more than what he deserved.
"But your grandfather just died. Out of respect for his departure, we should at least wait one month and not be so hasty, Naida. I promise I will not leave you, and I will marry you."
Naida regained her rationality hearing that.
"Oh, you are right. But you will have to stay in my room. Is that a promise?"
She extended her pale, soft hands, her emerald green eyes looking for his assurance.
Raidan smiled and place his palm over hers.
"I promise."
A new Chapter for the duo was about to begin.
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