BL I don't want to reincarnate!

Chapter 7

I didn't stop running until we reached Arora's bedroom. Once in there I locked the door, sticking my ear against it.

"Dad?"

I jumped and quickly turned around with a smile:

"I have to go. Have a good night, Arora. See you tomorrow."

I didn't wait for her to answer and opened the door. I looked around for a second. Seeing no on, I ran as quickly as possible to my room. I didn't know what was wrong. All I knew was that my heart was beating way too fast. I ran past my bedroom and didn't stop running. I felt like I was being pursued and just continued speeding up.

A few knights did ask me if something was wrong seeing me bolt past them. I didn't stop and continued running. My fight or flight kicked in. Late but it kicked in. What was wrong with me? Who cared about Arora? Who cared about protecting her? I wanted to live! That man was the devil. I had to get away. I had to leave. I had to run. Further away. The furthest possible.

I didn't know how long I would have run if I didn't crash into a wall. I immediately fell back and could hear a scary sound. I didn't feel anything at the moment and was ready to get back on my feet.

"I didn't know that you liked running that much."

I froze. Nevermind getting up. I liked the floor. The floor was nice. It felt like it was moving but it was nice.

"Where are you headed so fast?"

Ephraim looked way bigger from down there and I felt my limbs give up work. He didn't change his clothes at all and seeing the blood didn't help calm me down at all. I felt like all I could see was red and my stomach started making weird movements.

"Are you going to continue ignoring me?"

My breathing accelerated even more and I arched my back.

"It seems I have been too reliant with you for you to look down on me."

I opened my mouth, my hand on my stomach.

"I hate being ignored."

Ephraim said something more but I couldn't hear him because of the food coming up. That burning sensation went on for what felt like hours and I thought I would suffocate. I did finally feel a bit better after but seeing that it got on Ephraim's shoes immediately scared me again. I tried to apologize but got cut off by some more coming up.

When I woke up next, I was lying in my bed, wearing clean clothes. As soon as I opened my eyes I felt a striking pain in my ankle and I looked down. However, what I saw first moving my head was none other than Ephraim.

"Ah!"

Hearing me scream made him rub his ear:

"Are you always this jumpy after waking up?

-Only when a creepy killer is staring at me in my sleep.

-Creepy? I didn't think that you would be so ungrateful to the person who carried you back to your room right after you destroyed their clothes."

The memory of my state struck me so suddenly that I crumbled back on the mattress:

"Oh... That's so awkward... I'm so sorry. I don't puke all the time. It almost never happens. But if I am being honest, your clothes were already messed up with all that blood."

Just thinking about it made my stomach hurt.

"So you expect me to completely ignore your actions?"

I glanced at him. Now that he was wearing clean clothes, he did look a bit less scary. Just a bit:

"Maybe? Pretty please?"

Seeing Ephraim frown made me roll my eyes:

"You can't hurt me anyway."

He chuckled:

"Is that a challenge?"

I sat up suddenly:

"No!"

It was so sudden that I felt the pain in my ankle again:

"Ouch! Why does it hurt so much?

-You sprained your ankle while falling.

-And there you were saying that you would never hurt me."

He raised his eyebrows:

"So you running into me is my fault?"

I hesitated.

"No... Sorry about that too by the way. But you could have caught me at least.

-Well, well. Isn't my dear wife full of demands?

-Husband. Not wife. I identify as a man. And I'm not your husband either."

He smirked. He definitely smiled way more than in the story. But he did only appear when he was doing evil things in the story. Guess those moments didn't require a lot of smiling.

"So you are not my Sliske anymore?"

I flinched. Would I survive longer if I did pretend to be his wife? If I told him again that I wasn't Sliske, he could tell everyone that I was crazy and kill me. I couldn't give him that.

"No, no. I am. I just want a divorce so i don't want to be your husband anymore.

-But didn't you want a divorce when you were pretending not to be my wife?"

I frowned.

"I still am not. And it must have been my subconscious speaking.

-Still pretending, I see.

-I am n-."

I didn't have time to finish my sentence when we heard someone knock on my door. It was Eulisses:

"Duke Consort, I heard that you woke up. I am sorry to bother you but your daughter really wants to see you. She is very worried."

Ephraim stood up with a smirk:

"Getting everyone slowly on your side I see. I will leave you two some space. I wouldn't want my dear wife fainting in front of the child again.

-Husband.

-I thought that you weren't my husband.

I am not."

He went on as if nothing had happened.

"But don't you worry, we will see each other shortly. I don't think you should run around for now. You wouldn't get very far with that sprained ankle anyway but I did put a few more guards than usual. You should rest for a few days. I wouldn't want my dear wife to run around somewhere he's not supposed to."

I felt my limbs shake. Was I stuck here? He didn't say it clearly but it was kind of clear. Seeing my state made Ephraim chuckle:

"It seems my dear wife has a problem with fainting. I wouldn't want you to faint again."

He walked up to the door and opened it. Seeing Ephraim, both Eulisses and Arora jumped. However they quickly woke up and both of them bowed. Was I supposed to bow? I had no idea about the etiquette in this world. I knew that I should know it if I didn't want to annoy Ephraim but who had time to learn that? I by far preferred fainting again and again.

Ephraim ignored Arora and didn't even look at Eulisses when talking:

"Take good care of my wife. I wouldn't want him damaging his fragile body.

-Excuse you?"

He didn't hear me, already far away.