The Fourth Life She Guarded Me Chapter 05
She talked tough.
But the moment the needle touched her chest, she fainted.
Her body was as fragile as paper.
I had no choice but to stop and begin nourishing her again.
For three full days, my life force almost never stopped flowing into her.
She really did have the appetite she’d claimed.
This much life force would have been enough to satisfy Drake for a week.
But after consuming so much, she only just regained consciousness, her face still pale.
“You… you’ve been feeding me your life force this whole time?”
“Yes.”
“We…” She seemed to feel for the connection inside her own body and was visibly stunned. “We haven’t formed a contract yet?”
“That’s right.”
She stared at me.
“Aren’t you afraid it will all be for nothing?”
“What else was I supposed to do? Watch you die?”
“…”
She pressed her lips together.
I told her, “How about we sign a simple pact first. Once you’re older and healthier, we can form the heartbond.”
“With a simple pact, I can leave whenever I want. Aren’t you scared?”
“If you really want to go, I can’t stop you anyway.”
She glared at me.
“How can you be so soft?”
“A contract should be mutual. Forcing it would be pointless.”
“Didn’t I already say I was willing to sign a heartbond?”
“You fainted before we even drew blood. I don’t dare try again right now.”
That really annoyed her.
“Can’t you think of a way? Idiot.”
“The only way I can think of is to wait until your body gets stronger.”
“So you’re giving up on raising me.”
“…I didn’t say that.”
“You’d still raise me without a heartbond?”
“Why wouldn’t I?”
She narrowed her eyes, clearly unconvinced.
“Then you still don’t understand just how much I can eat.”
“You only woke up after three days of consuming my life force. How could I not understand?”
“That’s nothing. I’m still in my child form. I haven’t even fully grown.”
“What guardian matures in a matter of days? Others are raised slowly, over ten or more years.”
“Don’t compare me to ordinary creatures.”
“…”
I tilted my head and looked at her.
“You talk big. So what are you, exactly?”
“Not telling you.”
“Why not?”
“Because if I tell you before we sign the heartbond, you might run.”
“And you won’t be worried after we sign it?”
“That’s different.”
“How is it different?”
She shot me a sidelong glance.
“It just is.”
“You’re good at keeping secrets.”
“You’re raising a guardian, not a saint.”
“…”
I scratched my head.
She had a point.