Chapter 121
Yasamin was well aware that he had a charming side. He also knew that he was good-looking.
It was a bit annoying whenever he used it to his advantage, but Siren silently reached out and patted his head.
This was better than him crying and throwing a tantrum for affection.
“Yasamin. Let’s go find a place to build the lake.”
“A lake?”
“For the people.”
There was no longer any reason for them to remain here, so Siren slowly withdrew with Yasamin.
The roads of the South, nothing but bare earth, were desolate.
Only the sound of those who had received bread eating echoed here and there. Even the chirping of insects could not be heard.
Not exactly an ideal environment for a date.
Still, Yasamin seemed to simply enjoy being together.
“How are you going to make the lake?”
“There’s a place where groundwater flows, isn’t there? We’ll dig into that land so the water pools naturally. Then I’ll make it rain to fill the empty spaces.”
“Ah, so the water will circulate along the underground veins?”
“That’s right.”
The mud-walled houses were all unsightly. Compared to Wilkeron, the South was endlessly poor—something she took in without missing a single detail.
“How far along is the containment of the infected?”
“We’ve built a barrier not far from here. There’s a suitable spot for the lake nearby as well. Do you want to check out the barrier first?”
This was certainly a first for a date.
It was quite unusual, but Siren nodded.
Last time, she had only been afraid when she saw the infected.
This time, she wanted to see them properly.
“Loyalty!”
“What’s the situation?”
“No issues to report!”
The wall was quite high—high enough that the infected wouldn’t be able to climb it.
A watchtower stood atop it, and as soon as the warriors standing guard spotted Yasamin, they immediately saluted.
“A large number of infected were detected near the North Gate, but nothing out of the ordinary.”
“I see. Let’s head to the North Gate. We can walk there along the top.”
The horizon stretched endlessly, teeming with infected.
Though there were none close to the gate, they clung to the distance like soot, and as she walked, Siren observed them.
“They’re slower than I expected.”
“There’s no stimulus. Throw a fresh slab of meat in there, and you’ll regret saying that.”
“……”
Realizing her slip of the tongue, she shut her mouth.
Right. The slower the infected, the better.
“The entire South was like this, wasn’t it?”
“To be precise, only the land where the ruling class lived was safe. Just their homes and the areas nearby. The rest was overrun by the infected.”
“Incredible. You drove them all out and made this place completely safe.”
At Siren’s praise, Yasamin shrugged.
He tried to act indifferent, but she could see the smug grin tugging at his lips.
She could almost see the illusion of three tails wagging furiously behind him.
“Impressive. Truly remarkable.”
Throwing in a couple more words of praise made Yasamin puff up with pride.
‘At times like this, he really does seem younger.’
Leaving him to ramble on about how difficult it had been to clear out the infected, Siren focused on finding a suitable spot to dig the lake.
“Sei. So… are you even listening?”
“Hm? Oh, yeah.”
“Liar. You weren’t listening at all.”
Yasamin’s voice, following behind her, grew quieter.
When she abruptly stopped and turned around, she saw him standing five steps behind.
At some point, he had stopped following.
“…If we keep living like this.”
“…….”
“One day, I might become your first and only.”
It wasn’t exactly a question. It was a wish.
Or perhaps, a darkly obsessive belief that it had to be that way.
“If I come to love you, you will be my first.”
“If there were no one else left in this world, would I finally be your only?”
“If you ever do something like that, I will never forgive you. I would abandon even this body, dissolve into the stars, and become a part of a constellation where you could never find me—so remember that.”
This is what happens when both people have strong wills.
The tone was gentle, but the words were firm. Neither willing to back down, yet neither wanting to wound the other. In the end, their conversation would always circle in vague, unresolved loops.
Feeling the once-warm atmosphere grow cold, Siren sighed inwardly.
Love hadn’t even truly begun yet… and already, this.
“Yasamin. We need to learn how to love first.”
“I already think that I love you.”
“Not just forcing your feelings on someone. Love is about caring for each other. Thinking of the other person’s position more than your own. That’s what love is.”
“That, I already…”
Yasamin, mid-sentence, bit his lip.
Noticing the faint redness around his eyes, her chest ached.
‘Right… from your perspective, you must feel like you’re holding back a lot. But from my perspective, it’s the same. I’ve been making plenty of concessions too.’
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