It would be a lie to say that Riku's body wasn't thrumming with a raw, primal urge. The nearness of Couronne, the intimacy they had shared, had undeniably stirred a desire within him. Yet, a deeper part of him, the core of his being, valued the bond he shared with Couronne far more than any fleeting physical pleasure. If forced to choose, the decision would be instantaneous, unwavering. Their connection transcended mere physicality.
Furthermore, the System's sudden mission provided a convenient, albeit manipulative, reason for him to step back. It was an external justification that shielded him from having to fully articulate the complex emotions swirling within him.
"Couronne, can we… can we do this later?" he asked, his voice a little rough.
A shadow of disappointment flickered across Couronne's face. "But… why?" she asked softly, her earlier boldness replaced by a vulnerable uncertainty.
She knew Riku. Once his mind was set, it was an uphill battle to sway him. Yet, in this moment, her own desires warred with her understanding of his unwavering nature. She was teetering on the edge, her senses still reeling from their earlier embrace.
"I have to complete some urgent tasks," Riku explained, his tone firm but laced with a hint of apology. "It's very important, Couronne. The safety of our village… it depends on this. Please, forgive me."
A sigh escaped Couronne's lips, the fight draining out of her. "I understood," she said quietly, her gaze softening.
The well-being of their community was a shared priority, a truth that superseded personal desires. In the face of potential danger to the village, all other concerns paled in comparison.
Riku began to dress, the familiar weight of his clothes a small comfort. Seeing his actions, Couronne, too, started to gather her garments, a quiet understanding passing between them.
Thank God I was saved, Riku thought, a wave of relief washing over him. Maybe… maybe if the System hadn't intervened with that mission, I wouldn't have had the strength to pull back. The internal conflict had been fierce, and the System's manipulative timing had inadvertently provided him with an escape route.
After wearing clothes, both of them went to the place where the rest of the people were. Everyone was still packing their stuffs. Riku felt like telling everyone about the inventory and taking all the goods to the old village with the help of the inventory but he couldn't think whether it would be right to do so or not, so he decided to think about it later. Riku knows that the weapon of dwarves and dragonias is going to be tested near his old village in a month, but still he told all the villagers to go to the old village, because Riku feels that this time there is no need for them to change their village.
This time Riku is confident that he'll be able to stop them, this time he'll have many new abilities along with Shuvi and now he can't afford to run away in the dark.
If one lost a house, another could be built logically, it held. The telescope they'd gone to such pains to restore will be lost, but what could be done? It could be argued that it had all been for that day. They'll rescue their most important documents, maps, instruments, and so on—But. But—so what? Material goods weren't the only things that held value. The countless labors and sacrifices that had been piled up to maintain that village, the feelings of the people who had lived there, the wishes and prayers with which the place had been entrusted… The whole of it will disappear in an instant, destroyed by what most likely will be a stray shot. No malice, no meaning. It would be wrong not to cry. It would be unsound not to be heartbroken. It was true that their lives would be saved—but what would they do with them? Repeat the cycle? Sacrifice more, swallow bitter tears, bite their lips in pathological frustration—only to once more have everything blown away like garbage?
Survival was paramount, yes. But Riku refused to accept a future defined by endless cycles of sacrifice and loss, of stifled frustration and the bitter taste of repeated destruction.
None of that is going to happen again, he vowed silently, his resolve hardening into an unyielding shield. I won't let it.
He turned to Couronne, his expression firm. "Couronne, I am going out. Take care of the villagers."
Worry etched itself onto her features. "With whom?" she asked, her voice laced with concern.
"Alone," Riku replied, his gaze unwavering. He had to face this head-on, and he had to do it on his own terms.