"I was just worried about you, okay!?" Noelle exclaimed.

Good grief, this woman's incorrigible.

Also, I feel like we have been through this before.

"Yes, and I respect that, but there are some boundaries that have to be maintained. Some lines exist between people, and they shall never be crossed unless absolutely necessary."

"…" She bit her lips.

"I understand that what you did was out of your worry for me, but you also showed me your blatant mistrust in me."

"That's!" Her eyes widened. "I didn't mean that."

"Actions speak louder than words, Noelle. Tell me, how am I supposed to trust you when you don't?"

Gaslighting her might make me look like an asshole, but it was her who started this.

She should not have just barged into my room.

I can tolerate someone giving me a horrific death, I can tolerate someone plaguing my life with boredom, but I will not stand by when my right to privacy is so blatantly violated.

And that goes for you too, fucker.

Do not let my calm demeanour fool you; I will come for you, and I will make you regret your choices.

⟦⟦Hehehehehe, I shall be looking forward to that, Mr. Origin.⟧⟧

[Believe me when I say this, you don't want to.]

⟦⟦Well, if we're playing 'Threaten', then I too would like you to understand some things, Origin.⟧⟧ His tone suddenly took a cold turn.

[Oh yeah?]

⟦⟦If you think that you can just find and kill me, you're mistaken beyond belief. I know everything there is to know about you. I have seen every decision you've made in your trillions and trillions of years of life. I've witnessed every mistake you've committed, every person you've loved, every despair you've fallen into. I know you better than you do. So, if you are coming for me, be prepared to lose the very basis of your world.⟧⟧

Knows me better than I do? Pfft!

[Heh, sounds exciting.]

⟦⟦Only the best for the you.⟧⟧ He smiled. ⟦⟦Anyway, threats aside, Imma go and do my work, so fuck off.⟧⟧

[You too, faggot.]

While I was having this exchange of threats, Noelle was silently looking at the ground, perhaps contemplating an answer to my question.

"Nothing to say? Well, as expected." I shrugged. "Now, if you'll excuse me. I'm rather exhausted-"

"How can you say that?"

"Hmmm?"

"How can you say that to me, Samur?" Noelle glared at me.

My oh my, perhaps I don't need to start the corrupted hero plan, after all.

"I just stated the facts."

Neia and Arteria had huddled up together, waiting for the conclusion of our conversation with bated breaths.

A smart move on their part, if I do say so myself.

"And what about you, huh?" She barked.

"What about me?"

"Do you trust us?"

Is that a joke? Absolutely not.

"Slightly."

"Oh yeah? Even though aside from your name, you basically haven't told us anything?"

Ah, I see where she's going with this.

Tsk, tsk, tsk. These arguments might seem to make sense to her in the heart of her passion, but she's only going to regret saying these things when she'll calm down.

That's why you think before you speak, Noelle.

"Well, what do you want me to do?" I scoffed for an added effect. "Reveal absolutely everything about myself to everyone I meet? That won't be the most tactical decision on my part now, would it?"

"But you're a part of our family!"

"Well, I was a part of a family before coming here. And if I remember correctly, that didn't go too well for me." I chuckled.

A nice comeback. How will Noelle handle this?

"But we're different!"

Haah, it's the boring, classic reply. Even this debate is turning into more trouble than it's worth.

"So you say, but have you proved that to me?"

"Wha?!"

"Like I said before, actions speak louder than words. So tell me, Noelle, have you proved that you're better than my former family?"

"…" She clenched her fists till her knuckles turned white and bit her lips till they bled.

Bruh, I feel bad for absolutely dominating her in this debate. I was here to clean my room and sleep, not to bully foetuses.

"Look, the things I haven't revealed to you are hidden from you for a reason. It's for the good of all of us."

"How can you be so sure about that?" She pouted as she glared.

"Alright then, I'll tell you about my family."

"…Really?"

"Of course. However, in return, you have to look me in the eye and promise me that no matter what I tell you, you will, under no circumstances, go out and try to hunt down my family. Can you do that?"

I really hope she cannot because, you know, I have already wiped out most of the memories of my family except its name and the identities of some of its key figures.

If she really did accept my condition, I would have to make up stories about how they had tortured me et cetera, which would be a bruh moment for me.

"That's…" Her eyes drooped once again.

Phew.

"I thought so." I sighed. "The moment you do something, they'll know that I'm alive. And they will do everything in their power to eliminate me; they will start a bloody war if that's what it takes. Are you sure you are ready to lose the other members of the guild for me?"

"…"

"I am not, that's for sure. And that's exactly why I have hidden the details of my past life from you, and that is why I will continue to do so. I'm truly sorry, but you're gonna have to live with that."

Hmm, a nice argument.

"You…!" With bloodshot eyes, she once again gnashed her teeth and brought up her clenched fists, as if she didn't know what to do with them.

The next moment, she covered her face with both her hands and looked up at the ceiling.

After a long sigh, she finally spoke up, "I understand. I'm sorry for my actions." She slightly bowed her head.

However, the fire of defiance was still burning within her eyes.

"Apology accepted."

"I'm sure you're exhausted after all the things you've dealt with today." Her tone was crass.

Someone sure is irritated from losing an argument.

"Very."

"Alright." She turned to the huddled-up puppies I mean women. "Let's go."

They wordlessly nodded in return.

And so, they silently left my room.