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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: The Tearful Giant
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His build was so massive that there was no way I’d lose sight of him.
Even as he trudged along listlessly, he was diligently scanning the stalls.
The serious way he was picking out items made it look like he was searching for an apology gift.
‘He was choosing something last time too. Could he still not have apologized?’
The man’s dejected footsteps were like those of a dog that had lost its owner.
Despite his bear-like size, that is.
His back looked pitiful, but I had my own grievances too.
I couldn’t just let him go.
I stealthily closed the distance between us.
“Hey…….”
It was as I called out to him and reached for his arm.
The man suddenly spun around and grabbed my hand.
“Eek!”
The incredible grip strength brought tears to my eyes.
Spotting me, the man startled and let go.
“Oh! I’m sorry. You approached from behind so suddenly, I got startled…….”
The flustered man apologized profusely, but I checked my wrist first.
It had turned bright red in that instant.
No wonder he was built like that.
His strength was no joke.
“D-Does it hurt a lot?”
Of course it does. How could it not?
“Ow ow ow, ow ow ow!”
I grabbed my slender wrist and deliberately made a big fuss.
Seeing the extortionist Espin in action after so long, the man panicked even more.
“Let’s go find a doctor—no, a priest.”
That wasn’t what I wanted.
I’d hoped he’d just feel guilty, not go this far.
“N-No, it’s not that bad.”
“No way. It might be a serious injury. If a priest feels too much, we should at least see a doctor.”
I tried to back off before things escalated, but unexpectedly, he was firm.
“Come on. Let’s go.”
With the vibe that he’d carry me off by force, I ended up following him to a nearby clinic in a daze.
“There’s no issue with the bone or muscle. But you’ll have some bruising. I’ll fix it in place with a bandage for today, just in case. Cold compress if it hurts.”
After a simple check-up, my wrist was secured with a bandage.
‘Mom and Dad are gonna freak if they see this.’
Oh no!
Come to think of it, Billy was gone.
He must’ve looked away, and I’d slipped off.
I was in for a scolding for wandering alone again.
And now I’d gotten hurt on top of it.
I was done for.
Worrying about the lecture from my parents already drained my energy.
As we left the clinic, the man apologized again.
“I’m truly sorry.”
He looked genuinely remorseful, at a loss for what to do.
“I’m sorry. I’m really sorry.”
When I didn’t respond, he kept bowing like a bobblehead doll.
It was market day, so the streets were crowded.
With this huge guy repeatedly apologizing to me, all eyes turned our way.
People who’d been glancing started stopping in their tracks. This wouldn’t do.
“Let’s move somewhere else first.”
He obediently followed behind me.
We headed to a bench on the outskirts of the central square.
“Are you sorry to me?”
“Yes, I’m truly sorry. You reached for my waist, so I thought you were a pickpocket and reacted on reflex…….”
“I was just trying to touch your arm!”
First a con artist, now a pickpocket misunderstanding.
“Either way, it’s my fault for not controlling my strength. I’m truly sorry.”
The man apologized once more.
‘But I can’t just forgive him that easily.’
“Juice would be nice.”
He seemed to catch the implication in my out-of-left-field remark.
“Would that do?”
He asked without a hint of displeasure.
In his earnestness—that anything-goes seriousness—I caught a familiar scent from him.
The scent of a pushover.
“For starters.”
“Understood. Any particular drink you’d like?”
“Wildberry juice. They’re selling fresh-squeezed over there.”
I deliberately picked a pricier one.
“Yes, I’ll get it right away. Please wait a moment.”
He went off to buy the drink without a word.
Just as expected, total pushover vibes.
He hurried back quickly, wildberry juice in hand.
“Here’s your wildberry juice.”
“Thanks. But you only got one?”
I asked since he’d brought just a single cup.
“I’m fine. Is there anything else you need?”
He acted like he’d fetch whatever I ordered.
His eyes were resolute yet sparkling.
The kind of sparkle that said if I threw a ball right now yelling “Fetch!”, he’d go get it.
Even I, as shameless as I am, started feeling worried.
“I called you over because I had something to say.”
“Yes, go ahead.”
He clasped his hands politely and assumed a listening posture.
With me sitting comfortably and him standing before me like that, it felt like I was the one doling out punishment.
“Sit down.”
I nodded toward the spot beside me, but he shook his head.
“No, this is fine for me.”
A posture ready for any scolding.
Upright and proper.
I hesitated over whether to say what I’d planned.
“Do you not remember me by any chance?”
“……Do we know each other?”
For a moment, he looked troubled.
I shook my uninjured wrist.
The golden wish bracelet dangled and swayed.
His eyes widened.
“You’re the one with the bracelet from that time…….”
He recognized the bracelet I’d been attached to.
‘This feels weird.’
I’d been burning for revenge, but the guy didn’t even remember me.
It made my pettiness stand out even more.
‘Still, I have to say it.’
“You know you never apologized to me back then, right?”
“Pardon?”
He reacted with innocent confusion.
“You were sniffling, and it made my companion misunderstand things about me.”
“Ah, yes. I remember.”
“I’m the one who had the unpleasant experience, but you only apologized to my group.”
“M-Me?”
His pupils shook violently.
“Yeah, you. I want an apology.”
That was exactly why I’d chased him down.
Sure, when I first spotted him, I’d thought of some petty revenge.
But the more I interacted, the nicer he seemed, so I settled for just an apology.
“Y-You’re right, that was me. I’m truly sorry. I was so flustered back then that I must’ve forgotten to apologize properly. I’m sorry.”
Snapping to his senses, he apologized right away.
“I hurt you today too. I’m sorry.”
Again.
“Adding it to last time, I’ve been nothing but trouble. I’m sorry.”
And again.
“Enough already.”
He looked ready to burrow into the ground, so I had to stop him.
“No, it’s my fault. I could beg forgiveness a hundred times and it wouldn’t be enough. I’m truly sorry.”
His attitude was resolute.
His sincerity was exhausting.
“You apologized sincerely. Unless it was forced?”
He froze.
Then, as if to prove it wasn’t forced, he stammered on.
“N-No, it was sincere. But I…….”
He was starting to ramble again.
“Then we’re good. I accept your apology.”
When I cut him off saying it was fine, he flinched and stared at me.
After gazing for a bit, he slowly asked.
“……Are you really okay with it?”
“You apologized sincerely, so I accept. There’s no reason not to forgive someone who means it.”
If his attitude had seemed fake, I wouldn’t have done this.
In my eyes, he was straightforward and kind to a foolish degree.
I didn’t want to show my lingering grudge even to someone like him.
I do have a conscience, after all.
So I accepted the apology readily.
“Th-Thank you.”
Tears suddenly welled up in the man’s eyes.
Then, as emotions surged, they started streaming down.
He’d done this last time too—why again!
“Why are you crying? I forgave you.”
Flustered, I rummaged through my pouch.
Luckily, my inner pocket had the handkerchief Nanny had packed.
“Here. Wipe your tears quick.”
He didn’t even take the handkerchief, just kept crying.
He bit his lower lip, holding back sobs in a heartbreaking way.
Maybe because of his pretty blond hair.
It reminded me of Luciano for some reason.
He’d bite his lower lip like that too when something knotted up inside him.
Of course, Luciano never cried tears like this in front of me.
The only times Luciano teared up around me were when chopping garlic or onions.
In the end, I had to reach out and wipe his tears myself.
“I-It’s okay, I’m okay. Thank you for the handkerchief.”
Only when it touched his cheek did he snap out of it, taking the handkerchief as he spoke.
But what good was that now?
“Please, stop crying.”
The tears kept coming.
Whatever was so heartbreaking, he sobbed uncontrollably.
Good thing we were in a quiet outskirts area.
Otherwise, it’d look like I made him cry.
I’d get weird looks again.
‘More importantly, why does everyone burst into tears around me lately?’
Even Billy couldn’t complain about that.
* * *
“Are you calm now?”
“Sniff, yes. Sorry.”
“You don’t need to apologize to me. Here, drink this.”
I handed back the wildberry juice I hadn’t even sipped.
“I’m fine. I bought it for you, miss.”
He tried to refuse, but I forced it into his hand.
“You cried so much you might dehydrate. Drink.”
“Thank you. I’ll enjoy it.”
Urged repeatedly, he drank the wildberry juice.
Despite refusing, he seemed thirsty and downed it in one go.
Noticing my gaze, his ears turned red.
“Please wait a moment. I’ll get another right away.”
With that, he dashed off again.
Seriously.
Such a scatterbrained personality for such a solemn build.
“Here.”
After a short wait, he returned with fresh juice and handed it over.
His composed expression still had red-rimmed eyes.
Hmm, getting more involved would just be tiring.
“I’ll enjoy it. Well, I got my apology, so I’ll be going.”
I took the new wildberry juice and stood.
“You’re just……leaving?”
What else? If I don’t leave.
He asked a weird question.
“Yeah, since I got the apology.”
I gave a casual nod and turned to hurry back to Billy.
“Are you truly not mad anymore?”
His gaze was pleading.
The face of someone desperately craving forgiveness.
And I realized it wasn’t directed at me.
I pondered briefly.
“Yeah. Of course.”
Too much hassle, so I just said yes.
He wasn’t someone close enough for me to seriously counsel.
But was that what he’d wanted to hear so badly?
His face crumpled into a teary mess again.
He looked like he was struggling to swallow surging emotions.
I feared a second wave of sobbing.
Thankfully, he held back the tears.
Though he wore a bizarre expression.
“Even for a huge mistake……if you apologize sincerely, will the other person really forgive you?”
“I told you, yes.”
Hearing my answer, his expression crumbled.
Seeing him melt into relief, as if he’d been forgiven himself, I went on my way.
If only I hadn’t answered so simply then.
I Thought I Was the Protagonist
