Banishment is Fine: As a Genius Saint, I Can Shine Anywhere. - Chapter 5

“…I’m sorry. I caused trouble for you.”

Lionel scoffed.

“You, apologizing? That’s unsettling. Shouldn’t you be saying something more like, ‘Thanks to me, the damage was minimal. You should be grateful’? Honestly, given the outcome, you have every right to act high and mighty.”

He studied her, clearly a little thrown off by her uncharacteristic meekness.

Normally, his sarcasm would have annoyed her.

But right now—

She just couldn’t bring herself to react that way.

“…I couldn’t save everyone in the city.”

The confession slipped from her lips before she could stop it.

Lionel, who had moved away moments ago, immediately sat back down beside her.

He took her hand, gripping it tightly.

“Stop trying to shoulder all the blame yourself. If we’re talking responsibility, every knight there shares it. And if you want a direct cause—then it’s my fault. I was the one who slit that monster’s throat. That’s why the bl00d of the monster accidentally splattered at the old man.”

“But—”

“You were already at your limit. Do you have any idea how insane it was to block that giant’s attack with a single barrier? Only a genius could pull that off. Honestly, the fact that only one person was lost is already a miracle.

You’ve never been in a situation where there were casualties before, have you? I get it. It’s a shock for you.

But we’ve seen this—too many times to count.”

There was a tension in Lionel’s grip.

As if he, too, was recalling those he had failed to save.

“…But even if we’ve experienced it countless times, you never really get used to it.

It eats away at you, every single time.”

Meteora stayed silent.

“So… if you want to cry, don’t hold it in.”

She gasped softly.

Lionel was looking at her—his usual teasing was gone.

His eyes were steady and serious.

“If you don’t let it out, it festers. The pain just keeps growing. We know that firsthand.

You always call yourself a genius—but genius or not, you’re still human. You feel pain just like the rest of us.”

“…Lionel.”

“So don’t hold back. If it’s painful, say it. If you want to cry, then cry.

And if anyone dares mock you for it, I’ll personally knock them flat.”

“…Knocking people out isn’t exactly—”

She tried to laugh.

But instead—

A sob tore from her throat.

“Ah—”

She hadn’t meant to and hadn’t expected it.

Tears spilled down her cheeks before she could stop them.

Her breath hitched.

Instinctively, she raised a hand to hide her face—

But Lionel pulled her into a firm embrace.

“You don’t have to hide it.”

“…!”

“Just cry.”

Normally, she would’ve called him arrogant.

But right now—

His words sank deep.

“Ugh… ah…!”

She broke.

The twisted face of the monstrous woman.

The old man, dying from poison.

The ones she couldn’t save.

Guilt, fear, regret—

It crushed her.

But Lionel held her.

Steady and warm.

Unshaken.

As if telling her, “This pain is real, but you’re not alone.”

For now, she let herself lean into his warm embrace and let her tears fall freely.