Chapter 58: Warren’s Guilt

After waiting for what felt like an eternity, Viktor finally returned.

Qiu Nuoya was in his arms, wrapped tightly in Viktor’s robe.

Igor was with him as well.

There were also several women accompanying them.

Qiu Nuoya’s face was completely pale.

His thin, white legs were slightly visible beneath the robe, covered in painful looking bruises.

He appeared unconscious, his body completely limp.

Seeing him like that made Warren’s chest tighten.

"You’re the one involved in this incident, right?" one of the guild employees asked. "Could you come to the guild and tell us everything that happened in detail?"

Warren wanted to ask about Qiu Nuoya’s condition immediately, but the guild employee stopped him on the spot and took him back to the guild for questioning.

After Warren told them everything he knew, he was fortunately released fairly quickly.

Apparently, the Adventurers’ Guild had decided that a large scale investigation of the goblin activity in the grasslands would be carried out by adventurers starting that day.

Of course, someone inexperienced like Warren was not allowed to participate.

After leaving the guild, Warren immediately headed toward the simple lodging facility reserved for adventurers where Qiu Nuoya was said to be staying.

As expected from a place meant specifically for adventurers, the building was unusually quiet after so many adventurers had been called away.

It was so silent that it felt almost unsettling.

After asking the receptionist which room Qiu Nuoya was in, Warren stood in front of the door.

He could faintly hear voices coming from inside.

Then he thought he heard a familiar voice.

Without waiting for a response, Warren knocked on the door.

He opened it immediately.

The moment he saw Qiu Nuoya sitting safely inside, tears unexpectedly spilled from his eyes.

"Nuoya... You’re okay. You’re really okay. I was so scared... I thought you might die. I’m sorry, Nuoya. I was the one who forced you to come on that goblin extermination mission. You got hurt because of me. I’m really sorry. I’m so sorry."

Qiu Nuoya was sitting quietly on the bed.

There were visible bruises around both his wrists and ankles.

Seeing them made Warren’s chest ache.

How could he have allowed someone this small and fragile to be put in such danger?

"W-W-Wait, don’t cry," Qiu Nuoya said, flustered. "I’m fine. I’m alive, aren’t I? And my injuries aren’t even that serious..."

"They are serious injuries."

The person himself was still smiling as calmly as ever.

However, his guardian clearly did not share that relaxed attitude.

Viktor looked at Warren with a stern expression.

Warren understood.

He understood.

"I’m sorry. I really am sorry. I swear I will never let you get hurt like this again."

He meant every word.

"If something like this happens again, I don’t think my nerves will survive."

Since Qiu Nuoya still needed to rest, Warren was quickly forced out of the room.

When he returned home, he found that his parents had apparently been called to help investigate the grasslands.

The house was completely empty.

Being alone only made him sink deeper into despair.

Seriously...

He really was useless.

He had heard that Qiu Nuoya would be questioned at the Adventurers’ Guild tomorrow, so Warren decided that he would apologize properly there.

And after that...

He would protect Qiu Nuoya from now on.

But...

What if Qiu Nuoya told him that he never wanted to adventure with him again?

From the way Qiu Nuoya had acted earlier, it did not seem like he hated Warren.

Still, it was understandable if he did.

Warren had treated him badly all this time.

He had constantly acted hostile and said things he did not mean.

He felt depressed.

But...

If he sincerely apologized, surely Qiu Nuoya would forgive him.

Probably.

Although Warren was not completely confident.

Completely exhausted, Warren fell asleep without even eating dinner.

That night, he had an unbelievable dream.

"Warren, Warren, look at this. It really hurt."

In front of him, Qiu Nuoya held out his arm.

It was covered in bruises.

His arm was so thin and pale that it looked like it would break if someone touched it too roughly.

"This side too. It hurts badly. Look."

Qiu Nuoya was wearing his usual shorts.

On his exposed thighs, faint blue bruises were visible.

Against his pale skin, the marks stood out clearly, making them look even more painful.

"I’m sorry, Nuoya. I’m really sorry."

"Yeah. So, Warren, you have to take responsibility properly."

"Hm? Responsibility?"

"Because it hurts so much, can you pat me gently?"

Qiu Nuoya stepped closer.

"If Warren pats me, I think it will stop hurting. So... please?"

As he spoke, Qiu Nuoya lifted the edge of his shorts slightly, revealing more of his pale skin.

No.

No, no, no.

That was not okay.

That was definitely not okay.

"Come on, Warren. Pat me."

Qiu Nuoya moved even closer and looked up at him.

The expression on his face was unbearably cute.

What was this adorable creature?

Those eyelashes were so long...

Warren had always known that Qiu Nuoya had a beautiful face.

But he had never imagined being stared at with those large, watery eyes while Qiu Nuoya pleaded with him like this.

He panicked.

"N-Nuoya...?"

"Does Warren hate me?"

"N-No! That’s not it! I don’t hate you!"

"Then pat me here."

Qiu Nuoya guided Warren’s hand toward a dangerously intimate area near his thigh.

Was he doing this intentionally?

Or was he simply unaware?

Warren’s heart pounded violently.

He could not calm himself down.

"Warren..."

"W-Wait!!!"

Warren suddenly shot awake.

"What was that dream...?"

It was almost sunrise.

The morning light was painfully bright.

His heart was still pounding loudly and refusing to calm down.

Then, with hesitation, Warren looked down.

His face immediately turned pale.

He was aroused.

"No way... Seriously...?"

No.

This was just a moment of confusion.

There was no way he could think of Qiu Nuoya like that.

Qiu Nuoya was still a child.

Looking at him that way was impossible.

It was completely wrong.