48 Ch. 48: See You

Memory Loss Ring... this really is a curse. I grinned unconsciously, mocking myself.

It already seemed evil, if it was held by me, it would be even more evil.

This is a Villain item.

However, what use is this item?

I opened the Quest menu. My eyes were glued to the Special Quest. I was frozen, not saying anything.

Then, I sighed. It seemed like everything was connected.

I grinned again. This was really like the Dark series I watched before moving to Teyvat. Everything is connected...

At this moment, my hand holding the injured part, I grimaced, biting my lip and enduring the pain. Fuck, this is starting to hurt!

My heartbeat weakened, along with the blood seeping from the wounds all over my body. Every inhale felt like a stabbing pain in my burning lungs. My whole body hurt!

Am I going to die here?

Now that I'm getting tired of muttering this word "die", when will I really die?

God, do you like me, or is it the other way round?

No, it is the system that curses me like this!

"It" desperately wants me to move on and makes me suffer!

F*ck the system!

At this moment, there was no sound other than the eerie silence surrounding the place, only occasionally broken by the guttural moans that escaped my dry, split lips.

My sweat mixed with blood, forming a thick stream that dried on my skin. I could feel his pulse weakening as each second passed.

I coughed, and the salty taste of blood filled my mouth. The sound of my cough echoed in the silent room, like the gloomy hum of a never-ending nightmare.

I sighed. F*CK...

***

(POV: Third Person)

Charles hobbled his way, leaving a trail of blood along the hallway he travelled. His body was covered in cuts and bruises.

Sweat soaked his forehead, mixing with dust and dried bloodstains. His breathing was labored, as if his lungs refused to be filled with air.

From a distance, a pair of fiery purple eyes looked at him with worry. Keqing, she had been anxious all this time because Charles never showed up from morning until tonight.

She had travelled around, asking people about Charles.

However, no one said they had seen him!

The news left her in shock.

Finally, with Charles back, she could breathe a sigh of relief.

However, the relief was only momentary, replaced by a sense of horror that froze her bones.

Charles was riddled with wounds!

With hurried steps, Keqing approached Charles. Her lips trembled, trying to hold back the sob that almost escaped her throat.

Her eyes travelled up and down Charles body, witnessing the gaping wounds and the blood still oozing from them.

"Char... les?!" Keqing's hand trembled as she reached out to touch Charles bruised cheek.

Fear loomed over her pale face, as if she could not believe what she was seeing.

Keqing desperately wanted to touch and hug his body. She didn't want to let him go again.

However, she was unable to, afraid of causing the wound to open up.

Nevertheless, she couldn't help but carefully carry his body that was about to collapse.

"I'll take you to the doctor!"

Charles turned to Keqing. He fell silent. Then forced his mouth open. "No, just leave it alone. I want to stay here with you."

"But!" Keqing paused for a moment. "But your body!"

"I'm fine." Charles curled his lips.

Keqing was speechless for a moment. At least, instead of standing up, she was trying to get him to a safe place to treat his injuries.

An eerie silence enveloped them. Night had enveloped the earth in a peaceful silence, only occasionally broken by Charles' moans of pain or Keqing's stifled sobs.

Under the tree, she laid Charles on her lap.

Charles lay weakly, his head resting on Keqing's lap who looked up at him with a worried look in her eyes.

Keqing's fingers moved gently, combing Charles' matted and dusty mane. Every strand of his hair was caressed carefully, as if afraid of adding more hurt to Charles who was already suffering so badly.

Occasionally, Keqing let out a long breath, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to fall.

Charles still lay helpless, but his tired face seemed a little calmer. His breathing, which had been ragged, was now regular, though he still coughed occasionally at the pain from his wounds.

In between his consciousness, he felt her gentle touch.

Slowly, Charles' eyelids became heavier and heavier. Then, he fell into a deep sleep.

***

(POV: Charles)

My eyelids felt heavy, still reluctant to leave dreamland.

The fresh morning air greeted my sense of smell, carrying the scent of dew that drifted with the breeze.

I blinked my eyes a few times, trying to get used to the bias of light sneaking in through the leaves.

At this moment, I was transfixed by the figure in front of me.

A pair of beautiful eyes gazed at me with unfathomable tenderness.

I didn't expect that what my eyes first caught was the owner, a girl with a pair of beautiful eyes. Keqing!

Keqing sat by my side, looking at me with unfathomable tenderness. Her hand that was still combing through the strands of my hair with gentle movements.

I was transfixed, as if time had stopped spinning. My eyes were locked on her beautiful face that was like a jewel in the middle of the desert.

The sunlight hit her face. "How did you sleep, Princess?" asked Keqing, flashing a sweet smile.

I grinned. "You're not the princess?"

"It was you, who slept!"

I chuckled. I didn't expect that after all those times of dying and crisis, I'd still be given the chance to joke around today. What a stroke of luck!

"Looking at your body. I'm a little surprised. You recovered so quickly."

"Maybe, maybe I have the superhero gene," I joked.

"Superhero?"

Is there no such thing as a superhero here? I wanted to mention Batman, Superman, etc.

However, since she didn't know, I resisted the urge to joke.

I tilted my head, trying to think of a metaphor. Then nodded. "Archon. That's about it."

Hearing that, Keqing fell silent for an instant, she scanned my face, without saying a word.

After that, she came close to my ear and whispered. "Don't say that carelessly, okay?

"It's dangerous if it's heard by the fanatics... ummm, just don't. I don't want you..." Keqing averted her eyes from me, her cheeks flushed red. "Get hurt again."

I understood that she was worried about me, I had disappeared all day after all. And it was my fault... also it happened suddenly and even I didn't know what caused it.

Slowly, I moved my hand, intending to touch her flushed cheek.

"Sorry. I'll tell you next time." This implied that I wanted to tell her what happened to me.

If she caught a different meaning, then that was fine, even better.

I forced a smile. "I hope you wait. I didn't want to talk about it now."

***

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