Nikke, something’s seriously wrong with this evacuation point! Chapter 6 6: Why Can’t I?

The mixer turned out to be just as boring as he had expected.

After all, these energetic young students had entered the military academy at this ti with one goal in mind, to risk their lives for humanity. Starting families was the last thing on their minds.

But since this was a governnt-mandated event, both the n and won felt sowhat unnatural about it.

Of course, there were people responsible for livening up the atmosphere. Based on Charon's understanding of Andrew, if the guy didn't already have a fiancée, he'd probably be the center of attention at this event.

As things went on, the host, clearly experienced in matchmaking, started organizing various pairing activities, successfully heating up the atmosphere.

No matter how disciplined they tried to be, they were still young. Hormones did their job.

And since the school itself was pushing them into it, people gradually loosened up, turning the whole thing into sothing like a matchmaking event. The venue beca lively as the young n started making their moves.

As a commander candidate, Charon held a sowhat elevated status.

He sat alone in a corner, quietly enjoying the carefully prepared food.

There wasn't really anything else for him to do anyway.

Well, sitting here as an outsider for a few hours in exchange for a year's worth of drinks?

Not a bad deal.

It would've been perfect–

If not for that gaze fixed on him.

Charon had already prepared himself to be noticed.

But most students only glanced at him briefly before losing interest. After all, no matter how special his status was, he was still just a student.

Only that one gaze…

Stayed locked onto him from beginning to end.

There was no admiration in it.

Nor simple curiosity.

It was heavy.

Sticky.

Closer to scrutiny.

Charon had long since noticed her.

She was a student not a freshman.

Academically, he might have to call her senior, but she clearly looked younger than him.

She wore glasses, her presence wrapped in a gloomy aura.

Her face carried traces of exhaustion, barely concealed by makeup, which, ironically, made her stand out even more in the crowd.

Even so, it couldn't hide her natural beauty.

If she were cheerful and smiling, she would undoubtedly be the center of attention at this entire event.

But instead–

People avoided her like she was bad luck.

Who was she?

Charon had no idea.

In this Disguise Mode, he had intentionally minimized contact with strangers.

He barely even rembered the nas or faces of his instructors.

Aside from Andrew, who he had to interact with to maintain his cover–

He had almost no acquaintances.

After all, he didn't even know when he might find the extraction point and leave this world entirely.

He was certain of one thing–

He had never done anything to provoke a girl like this.

The way she looked at him, it was almost as if he had wronged her sohow.

What a joke.

If he had ever ford that kind of connection with a woman–

He would take responsibility for it.

Without question.

After the event ended, as students who had ford "connections" chatted noisily and left in groups–

Charon slowly walked to the fountain outside the venue.

He loosened his tie and let out a quiet breath.

The sharp sound of high heels approached.

He didn't turn around.

Until the footsteps stopped about three ters behind him.

"Um… excuse … are you Mr. Charon?"

Her voice was dry and hoarse–

Like soone who hadn't spoken in a very long ti.

"Yes," Charon replied calmly, his gaze still on the fountain.

"This is our first eting, I believe. What can I do for you, miss?"

"I… my na is Rose… I'm one of the survivors of that air crash."

Charon turned around, his gaze settling on her with quiet focus.

"So you're the student Liliweiss saved?"

I see…

Only then did it click, the partner institution for this mixer… wasn't it exactly where Liliweiss used to teach as an instructor?

Rose's face was pale as paper. She clutched her small handbag tightly, her knuckles turning white.

The mont Charon ntioned Liliweiss, her entire body began to tremble like a leaf.

"Yes… I'm the one she saved with her life. But… I'm also the reason she ended up like that…"

"How do you know she's still alive?"

"After the crash, we were sent to the sa hospital. But compared to her, my injuries weren't that serious… I was discharged pretty quickly."

She spoke rapidly, as if trying to get to the point before she lost the courage.

She lifted her head, behind her glasses, her eyes were bloodshot.

"I… I just want to ask you one question."

"Go ahead," Charon replied, eting her gaze seriously.

"I begged her for an entire month," Rose said quietly.

"I knelt by her bed. I wrote letters, sent emails, contacted every connection I could find. I… I did everything I could."

"But every ti… she would just gently tell to leave. No matter what, she refused to accept that program…"

"I even thought… if I killed myself in front of her, maybe she'd choose to live just to stop from doing sothing so stupid…"

Her voice trembled.

"But… I couldn't. This life was saved by her. I don't have the right to throw it away like that."

"And I was afraid… that even if I did die, she still wouldn't sign."

She took a deep breath and stared straight into Charon's eyes.

"But you… in less than half an hour, she signed it."

"The doctors called it a miracle. They said she must have figured things out."

"But I know… there's no way she ca to that conclusion on her own."

"I've seen her eyes."

"Soone with eyes like that… can't be brought back by re words."

"So… I don't understand."

"Don't understand what?" Charon asked.

"Why you?"

Her voice trembled, but she forced herself to stay composed.

"Why couldn't it be ? Why did my tears, my apology, my regret… an nothing to her?"

"What exactly did you say to her?"

Her emotions were clearly spiraling, but she held them down with sheer will.

Otherwise, she would have already broken apart.

"Maybe… your efforts finally reached her?" Charon crossed his arms, his expression calm and sincere.

"I just used ordinary thods, telling her not to give up on life."

Rose simply stared at him.

Clearly, she didn't believe a single word.

"…Yeah, even I don't buy that," Charon sighed.

He was just a pretender… and yet here he was, comforting soone.

Still–

Helping soone wasn't a bad thing.

Rose's hands trembled slightly, her fingers tightening until they turned pale.

She waited.

"Your apology isn't as cheap as you think," Charon said slowly.

"In fact, it's too valuable."

"So valuable… that to her, it beca a heavy burden."

"As long as she looked at you, she had to be a saint."

"You're the life she saved with her own hands. So in front of you, she could never show weakness, never show that desperate, selfish desire to live at any cost."

"She couldn't be angry."

"She couldn't complain."

"The lower you placed yourself… the less she could be her true self."

"Because only a 'noble sacrifice'… could ever be worthy of your tears."