"I see..."
"You're troubled because you can't 'empathize' with your past self?"
After gradually learning the source of his troubles,
Before the bronze statue under the heavy winter snow, I quietly leaned against Agusheed's shoulder.
Protected in his arms, I listened bit by bit to my stoic husband's confessions.
Being unable to 'empathize,' or rather, being unable to understand others' feelings—
Agusheed's trouble seed perfectly normal to .
Because during our ten years of travel,
He had been troubled by this very reason one hundred and twenty-one tis.
Often he would beco extrely irritated because of it.
In fact, although Agusheed had never killed any humans or his fellow demons,
When he beca extrely frustrated, he would find places to vent his emotions.
—Usually powerful, mindless monsters.
Of course, dungeons and labyrinths would occasionally beco Agusheed's venting targets too.
In my mory, there were two occasions when Agusheed lost emotional control over this.
The first ti was in the 'Fallen Royal Tomb' where he nearly cut the 'Water Mirror Demon' to death.
The second ti was more serious—Agusheed almost shattered the entire 'Tower of a Thousand Mirrors' right in front of .
Therefore, in terms of frequency and danger level—
'Inability to empathize' ranked second on Agusheed's list of troubles.
Only surpassed by the number one: 'Why can't they understand the value of life?'—
Thinking of this, I had a rough idea of how to temporarily ease my husband's troubles.
"During our travels, you were always troubled by this..."
Saying this, I pretended to be cold in the snow and pressed closer to Agusheed.
As expected, he looked at with helpless eyes.
After feeling the slight chill from my body, Agusheed simply pulled into his embrace,
Then wrapped tightly in his coat, which was larger than my entire body.
"Flam, how many more years do you think I need to regain the ability to 'empathize'?"
Holding in his arms, Agusheed murmured with tightly furrowed brows.
His tone was quite calm, but I knew this was a sign he was becoming more agitated.
So to prevent this situation from worsening, I wrapped my hands around his shoulders.
Under Agusheed's confused gaze, I gently kissed the corner of his mouth once more.
"I think it won't be too long."
I wasn't lying, or rather, that's what I truly believed.
'I, Grand Mage Flam, will spend my remaining life teaching him what 'love' ans'—
I had never doubted this vow and promise for even a mont.
Although before the 'Goddess Monunt,' he who returned from the future never revealed too much to ,
Ever since two years ago, when I noticed he had begun having brief dreams again,
I had been filled with unprecedented confidence about helping Agusheed regain his emotions.
"You're always like this, full of confidence in and in yourself... Flam..."
After hearing my words, Agusheed's brow unexpectedly didn't relax.
He simply placed his palm on my flat stomach and smiled bitterly at in his arms:
"But, Flam, I might disappoint your expectations."
"Perhaps until the very end, even when your passion and expectations fade, I still won't be able to do this."
Disappoint... my expectations...
Agusheed's words made slowly widen my eyes.
Quite rarely, I looked at his rigid face with almost incredulous surprise.
This was different from before, different from every previous ti.
Agusheed... he...
He wasn't troubled because he couldn't empathize with his past self or others.
What troubled him, what stirred his emotions...
Was .
He was simply troubled because he might not be able to respond to my expectations...
"Agusheed, why would you say that?"
Despite my inner joy and surprise, I still asked one more question.
"Why... why are you afraid my expectations might be disappointed?"
Although I tried my best to remain calm and composed,
My words still carried a slight tremor.
Afraid this was just Agusheed's unclear expression or a slip of the tongue.
—
"Because..."
"Flam, I want to understand you better."
Mm...
Hehe...
He said... he wants to understand better...
For a mont, I felt like Vol Basin's winter had lted away.
"Because..."
"Flam, I want to understand you better."
I held Flam in my arms and said what I had wanted to say for days.
...
I couldn't read the complex expression on her face at this mont.
I didn't understand whether she was crying or laughing.
I didn't know why she was happy,
Nor why she was crying.
After all—
I only knew my wife, I only knew Flam superficially.
Because of this,
I wanted to understand her feelings and respond to her expectations,
To make myself understand her better...
But—
From my experience over the past few hundred years, I might not be able to do such a thing.
Although I wanted to understand her, I couldn't respond to her.
Though I was a demon who had long lost human emotions,
My reason told —
No matter how you looked at it, this was completely unfair to Flam.
Giving constantly but possibly receiving no return...
Who would be that foolish?
I couldn't judge Flam's emotions at this mont.
But she was crying, warm tears slowly flowing onto the back of my hand.
So after much thought, I told her—
"Flam... I might never be able to respond to your feelings, your expectations."
"This so-called 'wanting to understand you better' is just my personal selfishness..."
"For you, this is completely an unfair exchange."
"In fact—all of this might be aningless."
"So—you don't need to wait for ."
"Staying here with —"
I thought my words would give Flam so comfort.
But she only cried more intensely.
She kept her hands on my face, her tear-filled eyes looking down slightly.
"You really are an idiot... Agusheed..."
I heard her say in an extrely low voice.
"Response, reward..."
"These things were never the reason I stayed by your side..."
I didn't understand what Flam ant.
At least in my view, having no reward naturally ant having no aning.
If it wasn't for response and reward—
Then why would Flam do sothing that was aningless to her?
Flam in my arms saw through my thoughts. She wiped away the tear tracks from her eyes,
Pressing her forehead against mine.
"Agusheed, although you don't understand at all right now..."
"I still want to tell you."
Flam's lips slowly parted through her tear-blurred eyes.
She said to —
"What makes stay isn't my expectations, nor my passion..."
"Agusheed, it's simply because..."
"I love you."
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