~Chapter 22~

 Role Reversal

Watching Carlos from another world, I had already realized one thing—he was, without a doubt, the most selfish male protagonist imaginable.

After all, it was written right at the start of the novel.

On the fifth day after the diplomatic delegation’s visit had ended, he didn’t want to let go of his beloved Elchevita. And so, he had repeatedly rewound time, reliving the moments they had spent together.

The so-called “insignificant love” he had once claimed?

After hearing Carlos’ secret directly from him, everything finally made sense.

He was not selfish. Not in the slightest.

If anything, I wanted to insist he was the opposite. Who in the world expends all their energy protecting others, even at the cost of themselves?

It was absurd. Completely, utterly impossible…

“This… makes no sense.”

I muttered this and instinctively stepped back.

Nothing about the situation before me could be rationalized.

A crumbling building, collapsing amid explosions. Team members hurriedly erecting protective barriers and rescuing those trapped.

And then, at the very end, Carlos had rushed in, wrapping me in his arms so tightly I could barely breathe, forming a protective field around us.

If I had to pick the one reaction that wasn’t normal in the entire scene, it would be him. Only him.

His face, unnaturally pale, remained fixed on me.

I tried to pull away from the intensity pouring from him, but it was useless. My arms, my back, my shoulders were already entangled with his.

“…Miss Lutiens.”

His lips, dry and cracked, barely moved. His voice was thick with swallowed tears.

“I… I thought you might get hurt.”

“….”

“I saw the pillars falling, but the distance was too far. I worried—what if I couldn’t reach you in time? What if it was too late? I…”

My eyes, stiffly locked on him, blinked awkwardly.

In that moment, my mind went blank. I could do nothing but stand there, stunned. Perhaps that was why…

The subject of action between us had naturally shifted to him.

He rested his face gently on my shoulder.

Soon, the sharp, metallic scent of blood reached my nose.

“Team Leader… you’re bleeding…”

“I’m fine.”

“What do you mean…”

I tried again to push him away, but my body refused to respond. The more I tensed my hands, the deeper the hug pressed into me.

Then he muttered softly, almost without strength.

“Now that I’ve confirmed you’re okay…”

“….”

“I feel better too.”

…What?

I bit my lip, struggling to find a response. Everything I had just heard sounded absurdly out of place—the most nonsensical answer I had ever received in my life.

“No… you’re the one who doesn’t look okay at all.”

I turned my gaze from my momentarily reddened eyes to inspect Carlos.

As I forced more space between us, the body that had been pressing against mine finally pulled away.

And with it, I could finally take in what I had missed.

His hair was plastered with cold sweat.

His eyes were hazy, as if he might lose consciousness at any second.

His lips, cracked and parched, spoke volumes of his exhaustion.

My mouth fell open without thinking.

It was worse than I imagined. I flinched at the sight.

Shouldn’t a healer be called? This wasn’t just serious—it was beyond serious.

“Unbelievable… How much of your power did you even use?”

Just to save me, his symptoms of dehydration were extreme.

This wasn’t a small matter.

For every ability user, there came a ‘penalty’ for using immense power.

A penalty.

The higher the rank of the ability, the more severe the toll on the body’s reserves. No matter how strong the user, the aftermath could not be avoided.

Healers might be spared some, but for offensive ability users, this was common.

I exhaled softly and placed a hand on Carlos’ shoulder.

“Be honest with me.”

“….”

“Besides me, who else did you save?”

His head, now free from my embrace, bobbed slightly.

But still, our eyes met.

He opened his mouth with great effort. His voice rough and strained, heavy with anguish that seemed to be wrung from his very core.

And what he said next was even more astounding.

“Miss Lutiens… and you…”

“Me?”

“Our team, the people here, the buildings… all of them.”

“…What?”

“I… put the protective field over the entire territory.”

My jaw dropped.

I thought I had misheard. Following that absurd revelation, my mind went completely blank.

Wide-eyed, I realized—Carlos had saved everyone. Every single person here, myself included, regardless of age or gender… and even the buildings, as meaningless as they might seem.

What… what a madman.

Even for someone of S-rank caliber, to put a protective barrier over the entire territory? I had never heard of such a thing.

Quietly, I withdrew my hands from him and pressed my palm to my forehead.

“I can guarantee that no one in the world is as ridiculously selfless as you, Team Leader.”

“…I did it to save you.”

“See? You’re already out of your mind. How can you take care of the team like this while acting like a fool?”

I clicked my tongue.

As I released the grip on his shoulder, Carlos naturally leaned back into my arms again.

The heat radiating from him was intense.

Every point of contact felt like being scalded; it burned against my skin.

If that was how it felt to me, imagine how it felt for someone who had just poured out such immense power.

“You really are an idiot.”

“….”

Fool, dummy, pathetic, frustratingly stubborn… all the words I wanted to shout but swallowed, muttered silently in my mind.

All I could do was stand there, embracing him as he seemed ready to collapse, turning my head slightly outward.

Within a dazzlingly white sphere of light.

The circular space was completely sealed off from the outside.

Slowly, I lifted my hands and ran them down his back, now fully unconscious.

Softly, I whispered:

“…Still, thank you for saving me.”

Thank you for worrying I might get hurt, thank you for enduring pain to protect me.

“Take care of yourself too, okay?”

A bitter smile curved my lips.

Even when foolish, certain truths never changed.

I forced myself to remember them clearly.

He had been hurt saving me.

And yet, why must he bear this pain? Why must he suffer for me?

‘Why…?’

I knew the answer, but even so, I couldn’t easily accept it.

I had long realized the perfect future that awaited him had already been predetermined.

I steadied my burning neck and trembling heart.

Yes, even if I wanted to reply to Elchevita’s letter, I hadn’t been able to until now.

Whether I could live up to Carlos’ expectations was something only time would tell.

“…Don’t remember this.”

With a faint smile, I rose onto my toes and hugged Carlos’ neck.

Then, slowly, my lips pressed lightly to his forehead before pulling away.

A brief, tender kiss.

“Consider it a reward for being good today.”

I shrugged off the tension and hugged him again warmly.

No sooner had the contact ended than a golden aura flooded the space around us.

The warm, coalescing light enveloped us, proudly displaying the second secret I had given him—a gift I offered for him alone.