They Hated Me in My First Life, But Now I Have the Love System
Chapter 325: She Felt Ashamed

Chapter 325: She Felt Ashamed

It sounded so easy. So tempting.

But before he could say anything, Ekene spoke up, his face serious.

“If we go back to those places… we’ll get caught.”

He clenched his fists.

“There’s a reason Ruth said we had to go through the forest. If we take the obvious roads, they’ll be waiting for us. Waiting with open arms.”

Karen’s face twisted in frustration.

She took a deep breath and shouted,

“Ruth said it in her letter! She told us to go through the forest, but also said if it’s too dangerous, we shouldn’t force it!”

Her voice trembled with emotion as she pointed around at the endless trees.

“Well, it is dangerous! We’ve been walking in circles for two weeks! We’re starving! We should listen to Ruth! We should leave before something worse happens!”

She turned to Abuchi and the others, her eyes wide, desperate for them to understand.

The forest around them was silent, almost as if it was holding its breath, waiting for their decision.

Ekene frowned at Karen, about to scold her for bringing up the thought of quitting.

But before he could say a word, Abuchi spoke, and what he said stunned everyone into silence.

“She’s right,” Abuchi said quietly, his voice filled with guilt.

“Ruth did say we shouldn’t do it if it was too dangerous. And… it is dangerous.”

He clenched his fists tightly before continuing, “I’m sorry. I had no right to drag all of you into this. I put you in danger, and that was wrong.”

Everyone stared at him, speechless.

“We’re already close to the border of the forest,” he said, forcing a small, sad smile.

“You guys should go back. I’ll continue this journey on my own.”

Seeing that the others were about to protest, he quickly raised his hand, stopping them.

“Don’t argue. You’ve seen how bad this place is. You don’t have to be brave for me. You don’t have to risk your lives to make me happy. Please.”

His voice cracked slightly at the end, full of pain and sincerity. “I’ll be much more reassured knowing you’re all safe.”

He then turned to Nnenna, already making plans for her.

“Nnenna,” he said gently, “once you get back to the edge of Lumna, find someone with a phone. Call Lionara castle landline. Tell them to come and pick you up.”

His words hung heavily in the air, heavier than anything they had felt so far.

He then turned to his friends “You guys should go back too, please. I don’t want any…”

He had barely finished speaking to his friends when he turned toward Nnenna, ready to say more.

But she beat him to it.

“Are you talking to me too?” she asked, her brows furrowing in confusion.

Abuchi turned fully to face her.

“Yes, I’m talking to you too,” he answered firmly, a little surprised she even had to ask.

Wasn’t it obvious?

But Nnenna only stared at him harder, her expression tightening.

“You can’t be talking to me as well,” she said, her voice sharp. “I already told you. I want to go through with this journey. So why would you be telling me to go back?”

Abuchi stiffened, his heart pounding painfully in his chest.

Nnenna wasn’t joking.

She meant every word.

“I don’t want to go back,” she added stubbornly.

That’s it!

At that moment, something inside Abuchi snapped.

“Nnenna!” he roared, his voice thundering through the trees.

He stomped toward her, furious, eyes blazing.

“You want to die, is that it?! You want your blood on my hands?!”

His voice cracked with raw emotion.

“You want me to never sleep again, never smile again, haunted by the memory of you lying dead because of me?!”

His fists shook at his sides.

“Don’t do it for yourself!” he shouted, breathing hard. “Do it for me! Spare me that guilt please! Spare me a lifetime of nightmares!”

Nnenna stood frozen, staring at him, her face pale but unyielding.

“You’re going back,” he said harshly, his voice like stone.

“There’s no discussion. No argument.”

The group around them stayed deadly silent.

Even the wind seemed to pause, waiting.

The moment hung in the air, heavy, painful…

And then

Nnenna took a step forward.

“I’m not going back!” Nnenna snapped, her eyes blazing with stubborn fire. She decided to fight fire with fire.

“If you force me, just know this, you’ll find me in Purlít eventually. I’ll survive on my own if I have to!”

She was frustrated, beyond frustrated.

Why couldn’t he see she wasn’t just being reckless?

He was trying to save her life, she knew that, but she couldn’t let him shoulder everything alone. And she was fed up with him always wanting to.

Abuchi clenched his fists tightly. Her stubbornness was driving him insane. Yet, deep inside, he couldn’t help but feel a small, terrible pride at her courage.

The others exchanged uneasy glances, but none spoke up.

They understood.

Somehow, without words, they had all made the same decision.

Only Karen stood there, uncertain.

A voice inside her screamed to pull back, to accept Abuchi’s offer to return to safety.

It wouldn’t change anything… right? He would still like her… they would still be friends…

Karen bit her lip hard, her heart pounding painfully in her chest.

She looked around at the others, saw their unmoving faces, their stubborn resolve.

And suddenly… she felt ashamed.

Wasn’t she the one who claimed to love Abuchi?

Wasn’t she the one who wanted to be by his side no matter what?

Then how could she even think of abandoning him now?

Her fists trembled at her sides.

Karen took a deep breath, made her decision

“I’m not going back too,” Karen said stubbornly, her voice steady despite the tightness in her chest.

“We’re in this together,” she added, locking eyes with Abuchi, desperate to see even the smallest flicker of approval on his face, anything to show he believed in her decision or admired it.