Chapter 215:Reflection.
Inside the tent, Ravenna was alone; outside, he suddenly had nowhere to go.
A bitter smile appeared on his face.
"...Well. I finally did it... ha... I feel like shit."
His chest felt strangely light despite the anxiety twisting inside him. The secret he had carried since the day they met was finally out.
Whether that would become the beginning of something better, or the end of everything they had built together, he no longer knew.
After taking one last glance toward their tent, Silver slowly walked toward the campfire where the first night patrol was gathering.
Captain Harry looked up the moment he saw him approaching.
"...You’re awake early."
Silver laughed weakly.
"I don’t think I’ll be sleeping tonight."
The older man studied him for a moment before glancing toward Silver’s tent.
"...Everything alright?"
Silver scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
"We’re... talking through something."
Several contractors immediately exchanged knowing smiles. One broad-shouldered man carrying a rifle burst into laughter.
"Hah! So the lovebirds finally had their first fight!"
Another patrolman elbowed Silver’s shoulder.
"It happens."
Captain Harry chuckled.
"I’ve been married twenty-three years. If my wife never yelled at me, I’d think she’d stopped caring."
Laughter spread around the group. Silver couldn’t help smiling despite himself.
"I don’t think yelling would’ve been that bad."
"Oh?"
One younger contractor leaned forward with obvious curiosity.
"What’d you do?"
Silver immediately shook his head.
"I’m definitely not answering that."
The patrolmen laughed even harder.
"Then you definitely messed up; no innocent man refuses to explain."
Captain Harry waved everyone down.
"Enough."
He looked toward Silver.
"You joining patrol?"
Silver nodded.
"If you don’t mind."
"We never turn down another sword."
One of the guards handed Silver a spare lantern.
"We walk the perimeter every thirty minutes; check the alarm lines, look for fresh tracks, and try not to step on any scorpions."
Silver accepted it gratefully.
"I’ll do my best."
The patrol began moving around the outer edge of the camp. Moonlight illuminated the surrounding rocks just enough to distinguish shadows from solid ground.
Beyond the camp, the Yellow Zone stretched endlessly into darkness. Occasionally, distant beast cries echoed across the plains. None sounded close enough to worry the experienced guards.
One older contractor walked beside Silver.
"So..."
Silver sighed.
"I knew this was coming."
The man grinned.
"How long have you two been together?"
"We’re... not."
Several people looked at him.
"...Not?"
Silver laughed awkwardly.
"I confessed tonight."
Silence, then every patrolman looked at one another before bursting into laughter.
Captain Harry nearly choked.
"You confessed?"
Silver rubbed his forehead.
"Yes."
"And now you’re sleeping outside?"
"...Yes."
Another contractor wiped tears from his eyes.
"Young man... You’ve got courage, or terrible timing."
Silver smiled helplessly.
"Maybe both."
The older contractor beside him nodded knowingly.
"My wife made me sleep outside once."
"What happened?"
"I forgot our anniversary."
The entire patrol laughed again. Silver couldn’t help joining them; for a few precious minutes, the heaviness in his chest eased.
Captain Harry eventually spoke more seriously.
"Whatever happened... Give her time."
Silver nodded.
"I intend to."
"If she’s worth confessing to... She’s worth waiting for."
Silver quietly looked toward the distant outline of his tent.
"...She is."
The patrol continued.
They found fresh hoofprints belonging to ordinary herbivores. Several insect nests were hidden beneath loose stones. One alarm line had been disturbed by a curious fox-like beast before it fled.
The camp remained peaceful. As the hours slowly passed, conversation became lighter. The guards shared stories from previous expeditions, some hilarious, others tragic.
Silver listened more than he spoke. Every now and then, his eyes drifted back toward the tent.
The light inside remained on.
.
.
.
Inside the tent, Ravenna sat exactly where Silver had left her. She hadn’t moved.
The lantern cast long shadows across the canvas walls. Everything felt strangely quiet, almost unreal.
She slowly looked toward the entrance. Silver had really left, just as he promised. He hadn’t tried to force another conversation, begged or defended himself.
He had simply... respected her request. The realization made her chest tighten painfully.
She lowered her head.
"...Idiot."
A tear landed on her hands, then another. Soon she found herself crying, quiet tears rolling down her cheeks one after another while she hugged her knees against her chest.
She wasn’t even completely sure why she was crying anymore.
Was she angry?
Yes, very.
Was she hurt?
Even more so.
The man she trusted most in the world had hidden something enormous from her. Something that touched every moment of their relationship.
That hurt; it hurt far more than she wanted to admit.
"...You should have told me." She whispered into the empty tent. "So much earlier..."
Another tear slid down her cheek. Part of her felt betrayed. It was not because Silver possessed the System; he couldn’t control that.
What hurt was that he had carried the burden alone for so long without trusting her enough to share it.
She closed her eyes.
For one terrifying moment while he had been speaking, she had genuinely considered leaving and walking away. Ending everything before she became hurt even more.
The thought alone made her breathing catch, because another truth had immediately followed it. She didn’t want to leave, not even a little.
When Silver had finally said...
"I wanted to ask you to be my girlfriend."
Her heart had reacted before her mind. She had almost answered. The word "yes" had reached the back of her throat before she forced herself to stop.
She buried her face against her knees.
"...Why..."
Why did she love such an idiot?
She laughed weakly through her tears. The answer came almost immediately, because he wasn’t an idiot, not where it mattered.
She began remembering. Their first awkward meeting, their first meal together, the flowers he always seemed to find for her, training sessions, long drives, cooking, shopping.
The way he always unconsciously walked slightly ahead whenever danger appeared.
How he never once complained when she wanted to train longer. How he quietly listened whenever she spoke about her mother. None of those moments had felt fake.
She had lived them, had seen his expressions, his embarrassment, his awkwardness, and his quiet kindness.
Could a System create those?
She didn’t think so.
Another thought surfaced. She had come to be with Silver in the beginning for practical reasons. She had known almost nothing about him, but she had known enough.
He had money, enough that she would never have to worry about starving again. He had treated her politely from the first day.
He hadn’t looked at her with pity, greed, or contempt. She had thought...
"If I have to spend my life with someone...I can trust this man."
Looking back now... Wasn’t that selfish too? Humans were selfish; everyone was. She had sought security.
Silver had gained help from a mysterious System. Neither of them had entered the relationship completely selflessly, yet somewhere along the journey, those practical reasons had quietly disappeared, replaced by something genuine.
She loved him, not because he protected her, cooked, or was strong. Simply because he was Silver.
Fresh tears rolled down her face. She wiped them away angrily.
"...I’m still angry."
Very angry.
He deserved to hear that, but if she answered him tonight, would it truly be her answer?
Or would it be her fear speaking?
Fear of betrayal, fear of abandonment, and fear born from old wounds.
She took a long, shaky breath.
"No."
She refused.
Silver deserved an honest answer, and so did she. Not one clouded by shock or driven by old scars. She needed time, time to separate the hurt of his secret... From the truth of everything they had built together.
Outside, she faintly heard the patrolmen laughing about something.
She smiled despite herself.
"...They’re teasing him."
She could almost imagine Silver’s embarrassed expression. The image made her laugh softly through her remaining tears, then she looked toward the closed entrance of the tent.
"...Wait for me."
Just... Long enough for her heart and mind to become one again; only then would she give him the answer he deserved.