Black Killer Whale Baby [EN]: Chapter 244

Chapter 244

Levy smoothly acted as if he hadn’t noticed anything and continued, “The head of the Snake Family has requested a meeting. What are your instructions?”

Ekion’s large hand reached for me, but he quickly withdrew it.

“…Sorry for grabbing you. Please, continue.”

His skin felt warm to the touch, as if his fever hadn’t completely broken, and his expression seemed distant.

“…What’s it regarding?”

I patted Ekion’s hand and turned my attention to Levy.

“He didn’t specify, but it seems to be connected to the events in the jungle.”

I had suspected as much. I gently laid Ekion back down and stood up.

“Let’s go.”

As I carefully closed the door and walked away, I felt a sharp gaze fixed on the back of my head.

“Levy.”

Without turning around, I said quietly, “If you have something to say, just say it.”

“…”

“You’re not one to hold back, are you? Especially not our strategist.”

For a moment, only our footsteps echoed in the hallway. Then, I heard a very faint sigh.

“Do you love him?”

The hallway was deserted.

The head of the Snake Family had cleared the entire building to give us space and privacy.

Therefore, the quiet hallway amplified every sound.

“…”

Levy, having spoken, fell silent. His expression and tone were composed.

But knowing him as well as I did, I could tell. Behind his calm facade, a fierce storm was brewing.

He tried to conceal it, but I saw through his mask.

“Have you finally discovered love?”

“That’s an odd thing to say.”

“…”

“Even if the scope is different, isn’t the respect and loyalty you have for me, and the affection I have for you and the others, a form of love?”

“…”

“What about the love I feel for my father and brothers in this life?”

“Lord, I’m not interested in playing semantic games [games that focus on the meaning of words].”

“I see. You don’t seem to be in the mood.”

Our steps continued at a measured pace.

“Do I love him? Well, I’m drawn to him.”

“Is that the truth?”

“What are you trying to say?”

Levy looked straight ahead and said, “If I had revealed that I had my memories from the beginning, would things be different?”

I didn’t answer. I couldn’t.

“Not just me, but Anelli, Camula, Hauser, Rolly, Kehara… and all the other subordinates I can’t name, if they all remembered their past lives.”

He maintained a steady tone, calmly concluding, “Would your decision change then?”

I paused for a moment at the mention of those familiar names, but I kept walking.

However, Hauser’s words flashed through my mind: “If you miss them… If I can return that time to you, would you accept it?”

Levy’s sudden outburst must be connected to Hauser’s words.

“It sounds like you have a way.”

“I don’t know.”

“Don’t be absurd. Is there anything you don’t know?”

“Yes, like your heart. I spent my life not understanding it, and I regret that.”

“…”

“I don’t know for sure, but Hauser seems to know. A way to awaken the memories of our past lives.”

I flinched. For the first time, I stopped walking.

“When I first understood what regression was [returning to a previous state or time], I thought it was a chance to correct all my mistakes and regrets.”

Levy had said that his first encounter with me was always a source of regret. This time, he wanted to meet me in a more casual way and experience an ordinary life.

“In fact, all the subordinates must have felt the same way. Wanting to see you living a normal life.”

Levy slowly raised his hand to my face.

“Isn’t that right? In the last life, you shed too much blood to protect us. Your blood to protect us, who were weaker than you.”

No, that’s not true. I tried to speak, but no sound came out.

“I appeared too unscathed in front of you. That was my mistake.”

“…”

“To you, who felt sorry and pitiful for me, not knowing how weak I truly was.”

Finally, I stopped walking. When I turned my head, I saw Levy with a broken expression for the first time.

You, who never broke down like this, even when confessing your feelings to me.

“Did you feel sorry for the Dragon Duke? Did you pity his pathetic state?”

I couldn’t deny it. Whether it was a sense of superiority or simple pity.

Because the beginning of my feelings for Ekion was rooted in sympathy.

“I regret not appearing more miserable in front of you.”

“Levy.”

“Why do you decide things as you please? You move forward, but Hauser and I are still stuck in the past.”

“…”

“We, who died peacefully believing you would live!”

“…”

“I regret it. If I had known you would die too, I wouldn’t have gone first. I knew what it meant for us to die first for you, but even so…!”

Tears streamed down from under his glasses.

“I wished for you to live, I wished for it. Why did we meet again in the next life?”

“…”

I took a deep breath.

“It was my mistake to think that if we met normally, if I waited in silence, you would recognize me. But, even now, if there’s a way for us to reunite as we were originally… Shouldn’t you choose us?”

It was like a child’s stubborn plea. But I couldn’t argue with rationality and logic in the face of such raw emotion.

“…When I was helplessly attacked by the Crown Prince in the jungle and trapped…”

Levy closed his mouth as a completely different topic emerged.

Resentment flashed in the dark eyes behind his glasses, but it was fleeting.

You were always the one who listened and focused on me like this.

“The Dragon Duke, Ekion, knew that he had regained his memories. And the reason why he lost them.”

“Did that influence your decision?”

“Listen to the end. You know I’ve been single all my life, no, a lifelong bachelor who hasn’t even dated, right? Of course, I haven’t had my first kiss either.”

“…? What are you talking about all of a sudden…?”

“Somehow, I almost had my first kiss there.”

Levy shut his mouth tightly. Unconcealable shock and agitation flickered across his usually composed face.

“But I didn’t.”

“…”

“It was an attempt.”

I recalled the moment when I was about to have my first kiss.

When our faces drew close.

“Stop.”

I blocked his lips once again.

“I thought of you. Hauser’s heart, your heart. I haven’t even given you a proper answer yet.”

“…”

“Because I didn’t think it was right.”

“So, you’re going to properly reject him and then enjoy yourself?”

“Do you always have to phrase things so… charmingly?”

Levy flinched and closed his mouth for a moment. I smiled bitterly as I looked at him.

“Okay, I’ll admit it.”

I was thrown into confusion when Hauser appeared and Levy confessed to remembering his past life.

It wasn’t uncommon to feel like I had returned to the 3rd timeline.

I tried to forget, but I couldn’t. I missed you all, who died for me in the 3rd timeline.

It was etched in my heart.

Because it remained as regret.

“The me in the previous life…”

The me in the 3rd timeline.

“I might have loved you.”

Even if he enjoyed mischievous pranks, he knew his limits.

The words I only spoke in front of Levy probably reflected a truth that even I didn’t fully grasp.

It was also the conclusion I reached while reflecting on my long life in the cracks of time.

“I’m sorry. For always teasing you with playful words.”

“…”

“For never telling you that I was serious, not even once.”

How could I not have loved you? You were the strategist who knew me better than I knew myself.

During the war, when someone died or was injured, I couldn’t even shed tears and would lock myself in my tent.

And you would quietly finish my work for me and stand guard in front of my tent all night.

“Levy.”

“…”

“I wanted to end this tiresome life.”

I wanted to go back to Korea.

If I became the head of the family again here, and met you again, the end would be your death.

I was tired and tormented by that repetition.

“So I chose Pierre Aquasidel, who abandoned me in every life, as a means. Yes, as I said, it was only a means.”

When I closed my eyes, this life flashed before me.

Lyla, Luga Ruba, Misa, the Herring sisters…

People I had never known closely and experiences that had never happened before.

I beat up the third child, achieved excellent results in the educational institution, and received recognition from the head of the family at the meeting.

And…

“I didn’t know I would love my father so much that I would break my own will.”

“…”

“Or that I would forgive him.”

I hesitated. What if I brought those people from the 3rd timeline back in front of me again?

If I could make their lives happy this time, so they wouldn’t regret dying because of me in the 3rd timeline.

Good. So happy.

But that’s just an ideal.

“The me who will face you is no longer the same person as in the past life.”

I met Luga Ruba and learned the joy of playing with young friends.

I felt the thrill of recognition through Lyla. I experienced maternal love again through Misa and the Herring maids.

I couldn’t be the me of the 3rd timeline, who was full of poison.

“I’m sorry.”

A heavier apology than ever flowed out.

“For making you die. I was an incompetent head of the family.”

It was time to admit it.

“I’m sorry.”

For abandoning the tempted heart, and for our time having passed.

“For not being able to love you.”