I was Reincarnated as an Incompetent Leader with Zero Popularity who met his downfall early on. Instead of banishing the hidden cheat Protagonist, I decided to embrace him, and somehow, I ended up being treated like a Hero instead. - Chapter 48

While Chrono went to inform Thomas that I had woken up, I took the opportunity to wipe myself down and change into fresh clothes.

To my surprise, Mian assisted me.

Even more unexpectedly, she quickly prepared a bath for me.

After muttering a short incantation, she dipped her pale arm into the tub, and within seconds, the water reached the perfect temperature.

“Just so you know, not everyone who can use fire magic can do this!”

She insisted, as if daring me to misunderstand.

I smirked and replied, “Yeah, yeah, I get it. You’re special.”

That seemed to satisfy her, and for a moment, I found her almost childishly adorable.

I declined her offer to assist me in the bath and washed myself.

An alarming amount of grime sloughed off my skin.

Once the greasy feeling on my scalp was gone, I finally eased myself into the tub.

Even though the water level had lowered considerably, the warmth was incredibly soothing.

Wrapped in the comforting heat, I let out a deep sigh.

And that was when it hit me.

Not the fear of the giant slime.

No, this was the terror of having come so close to death.

Now that the danger had passed, the realization finally sank its claws into me.

A violent shiver ran through my body.

My spine felt like it had turned to ice, and even the bathwater seemed cold.

I scrambled out of the tub.

I threw on my clothes, but my hair and skin were still damp.

As I walked down the hallway, I ran straight into Mian, who was carrying an armful of towels.

“You really are an idiot.”

Instead of scolding me for soaking the floor, she simply unrolled a towel and wrapped it around me.

Through the fabric, I could feel the warmth of her body and the faint, sweet scent of her skin.

It was a simple thing, but it eased my trembling slightly.

“Honestly, you’re more of a dumb puppy than a mad dog. Only now, after everything is over, do you finally realize how scared you were.”

She sighed, almost amused.

“But… it’s been a while since I’ve seen you this shaken. I suppose it can’t be helped.”

Her voice was gentle, like she was comforting a frightened child—or a frightened dog.

Had she done this for me before, back when I didn’t have my past-life memories?

Most likely.

And though I couldn’t shake the guilt of relying on her like this, I let the fear fade away in exchange.

■□■□

By the time Chrono and the others returned, I had regained my composure.

After making myself presentable, I sat in the parlor to greet my guests.

Thomas and his son, Marco.

Strangely, Thomas looked even worse than Marco, the child who had been trapped inside the giant slime.

The moment he saw me, he bowed so deeply I could hear the strain in his body.

“I truly can’t thank you enough! If you hadn’t been there, Marco and I both would have been dead!”

I tilted my head slightly.

Marco had been in immediate danger, but why was Thomas including himself in that statement?

Then it dawned on me—if his son had died, the grief would have destroyed him, too.

That realization left me with a strange, indescribable feeling.

But more than anything, it reaffirmed that fighting to defeat the giant slime had been worth it.

If I had survived the stabbing in my past life, would I have felt this same sense of fulfillment?

No.

Because this world was my reality now.

I turned to Marco.

“Kid, how are you feeling?”

“Ah… um… thanks to you, I’m doing fine.”

He bowed deeply, a reflection of his upbringing.

At his age, I could barely form polite sentences, much less speak with such formality.

Maybe my mother had been right—I really was a slow learner as a child.

But if Marco had been raised so well, why had he been playing so recklessly in the dangerous depths of the forest?

Something didn’t quite add up.

Still, after thinking about it for a moment, a plausible reason came to mind.

I gestured for the two of them to sit in the guest lounge.

Since Thomas was a large man, the single-seat chair would have been too small for him.

So, I took that seat instead.

“Let me give you your reward first. This is the Mermaid’s Tear you wanted.”

Thomas extended his large hand toward me, surprisingly careful in his movements as he placed a small gemstone in my palm.

With this, I’d be able to stay submerged underwater for an extended period.

I accepted it gratefully and was about to tuck it into my pocket when I felt a gaze on me.

Marco.

Right—this had originally been his protective charm.

He wasn’t glaring, exactly. His eyes held more sadness than resentment as he watched the Mermaid’s Tear leave his possession.

A mischievous impulse welled up inside me, and I turned to him with a smirk.

“What’s wrong? Are you upset that I took it from you?”

I held up the gemstone for him to see, letting it catch the light.

Behind me, Mian muttered, “That’s just cruel.” in an exasperated tone.

Marco’s large eyes shimmered with unshed tears.

But he didn’t let them fall.

“It’s… my fault, so… it’s only right. I have to… say thank you properly.”

“Marco…”

Thomas looked at his son with concern and gently ruffled his hair.

He had probably drilled those words into him before coming here.

And Marco must have agreed.

It was only my teasing that had shaken his resolve.

“…How about this? As long as you lend me the Mermaid’s Tear whenever I need it, I’ll accept payment in gold instead.”

Both father and son looked at me in surprise.

They didn’t resemble each other much in appearance, but at that moment, their expressions were identical.

So this was what it meant to be family.

“Are you serious, Alva? That would be a huge help, but…”

“Yeah, I’m serious. But it depends on your son.”

I shifted my gaze to Marco.

“Marco, why were you in the depths of the forest in the first place?”

That wasn’t a place a child should be wandering alone.

At my question, the young boy bit his lip, hesitating.