Chapter 4: Anyone can change when they have something precious

Since treating that patient and sending him back to the village, she’s been calling for me more often.

Even during work hours, she’d summon me to check on my condition.

And now, I’ve even started seeing her in my dreams sometimes.

It wasn’t that I disliked it.

Quite the opposite, it was delightful.

A picnic with her under a mystical starry sky and flower fields in my dreams.

Or sometimes, meeting her in nightmares, fleeing together.

Huddling in a damp cave to escape the cold.

The more this happened, the longer our time together seemed to grow.

And at the same time, I was drawing closer to her without realizing it.

Whether it was because I wanted it that way…

Or because she was changing, I’m not sure.

What’s clear is that her negative emotions were growing.

Mostly due to the increasing interference and clinginess from other soldiers, patients, and elves.

Each time it happened, she poured out her frustrations to me at night.

And the more she did, the more I noticed malicious rumors about her circulating.

Along with the growing jealousy directed at me.

The more she struggled, the deeper her feelings and reliance on me became.

And I, too, naturally drifted away from others, clinging more and more to her.

“I’ve said it over and over, rejected them firmly time and again.”

“If they’d just listen when I speak politely, why do they keep coming at me like this—”

“I understand, Thea.”

“It’s okay.”

“I trust you.”

“Trusting me is one thing, but do you know how infuriating this is?”

“If other women kept clinging to you despite knowing I’m here, would you feel good about it?”

“To begin with, I only have eyes for you.”

“Would I even notice what others do?”

Thinking of her beauty, I doubt I’d have the mind to consider anyone else.

Especially when I think of her wanting me by her side, always calling for me before I can even go to her.

But today, I didn’t come to spend time with her.

“…The time I spend with you is the most comforting.”

But I couldn’t easily bring up the topic.

For her, who was holding me, letting out soft breaths and slowly closing her eyes, I couldn’t bring myself to speak.

She needed rest, and for that, she needed me.

If she didn’t rest like this, her condition would surely worsen.

Gently stroking her sleeping head, I relaxed my eyes and sank into thought.

Seeing her radiant beauty gradually wear down, this place was clearly not good for her.

I could feel her skin, touched by my fingertips, growing rougher bit by bit.

Of course, it was still unbelievably soft despite that.

She had to tend to countless wounds, and when needed, we went to the battlefield to cleanse corruption.

Sometimes, when word came that demons had crossed the border and abducted people, we had to care for even more patients.

The more this happened, the more her fatigue piled up, and the more often she called for me.

And as I rushed to care for her, finishing all my work before resting, I was getting exhausted too.

Balancing love and work in this place was too much.

Something had to be let go, and the answer was already clear.

“…Should I give up being a priest?”

My time with her had already become more important than my duties.

I could no longer focus on my work as a priest.

I was starting to resent spending time helping those in need.

Maintaining my priesthood with this mindset would be disrespectful.

“Mm, huh? What did you say?”

Oh no, did I say that out loud?

It’s become a common occurrence when I’m with her.

I keep letting slip words I meant to keep inside.

Foolishly.

“No, no, just talking to myself.”

“Sleep more.”

Despite my efforts to soothe her back to sleep, she seemed to have clearly heard me.

“Quitting the priesthood, what’s that about?”

I gently held her disheveled head as she tried to face me, stroking her back and whispering in her ear.

“You look exhausted right now.”

“How about we talk about it over the weekend?”

“No… actually, I’ve been thinking about quitting my work too…”

But instead, she blew a soft breath in my ear, letting out a faint chuckle.

“I haven’t been able to focus on work properly.”

“I’ve been so focused on spending time with you that I even got scolded recently.”

“So I thought, instead of this, why not quit and enjoy life a bit more?”

Tap, her finger brushed my cheek.

“With no one else but you.”

“Huh? What?”

In a moment, I was no longer the one holding her—she was holding me.

She pressed her nose to mine, showing me her golden eyes without restraint.

Her eyes, almost burning, flickering, froze me in place.

It felt like warm honey milk touching my lips, spreading through me.

“…Want to write our resignation letters together?”

Unable to say a word, just blankly processing what she’d done in my mind…

Another sensation began to fill my mouth.

My hands firmly held, my body completely pressed against hers…

Once again, I was called a fool by her.

Surely, I’m not a “fool.”

As a priest who treated and cared for countless people, I was skilled enough to be sent to this front line.

Yet in front of her, I forget everything, becoming a child swayed by her tender touch.

“Breathe slowly.”

“If you hyperventilate, others will notice.”

As she teased me with a playful smile, our lips met again.

As our clasped hands tightened…

I could only squeeze my eyes shut.

But whether I closed or opened my eyes…

She just kept gazing at me, burrowing deeper into me.

In the end, our resignations from the priesthood were rejected.

Her attempt to quit the medical staff was also denied.

And the hospital director was clutching his head in front of us.

“With no telling how many more patients will come…”

“Losing two capable people so suddenly is a huge issue for us.”

“You both should know this, so why put me through such a trial?”

His hollow eyes made him look utterly pitiful.

Watching him stamp documents and toss them into a basket while talking, piled high with papers and records…

Guilt began to creep up on me, but—

“Of course, I’m sorry, but something more important has come up for me.”

Unlike me, she spoke firmly without a hint of hesitation, placing her resignation letter on the desk again.

“I’m quitting.”

“You know I can’t just accept this so easily, Thea.”

“This isn’t even something I can decide alone.”

“You’re one of the forest kin dispatched under the agreement between elves and humans, aren’t you?”

“If you quit like this, the elves will—”

“That’s something I’ve already decided to handle.”

This was news to me.

But she seemed determined to keep me in the dark, cutting off the director with an extremely uncomfortable expression.

“Thea—”

“Don’t say anything.”

Before I could ask her anything, she sharply raised a finger to silence me.

“…I honestly don’t know if abandoning the duties given by Him, swayed by emotions, is right—”

“That’s for me to decide, not you.”

“And if you keep talking like that, I see no reason to get along with anyone here.”

I could feel that I’d changed, that the faith in my heart was wavering.

At first, in meeting her, I was passionate about helping others.

I found joy in helping and caring for others, earning her approval.

But at some point, she began wanting me more than caring for others.

And I, too, found joy in being with her directly, caring for her, more than for others.

So now, hearing her words, I felt not shock… but joy.

I was amazed that she prioritized me over the duties given to us.

But at the same time, I began to worry.

If this isn’t the right thing—and prioritizing her over others probably isn’t good—

Is continuing down this path truly right?

“For a long-lived being like you to be with a short-lived—”

“You’d better stop before I say something harsh.”

“So far, He’s filled me with patience, but it feels like that patience has its limits.”

“I can’t even count how many times I’ve heard those words.”

But it was clear she’d already made her choice.

It might be worth asking her for more details later.