NABC Chapter 388: Chapter 388 - Apology and confession
Chapter 388: Chapter 388 - Apology and confession
Chapter 388: - Apology and confession
It was around 8 PM, and since Laura mentioned she had something important to discuss, Leon decided to excuse himself from dinner with Hazel and Lily. They had already been there for about an hour, so it seemed like a good time to wrap things up anyway.
The meeting spot was the same park where Leon had last met Laura, on the long bench beneath the dim glow of street lamps. It was winter now, though the snow was still thin on the ground. Despite the cold, Laura had chosen this place for their meeting.
As Leon approached, he saw Laura stand up from the bench, bundled in a thick coat and scarf.
"Hi," she greeted him softly.
"Hi, Laura... this is pretty sudden," Leon replied.
"Uh... yeah," she murmured, handing him a cup. "I brought you some coffee. It's warm."
Leon took the cup with a grateful smile, and they both sat down on the bench. The park lights glowed softly around them, casting a serene ambiance despite the bite of the approaching winter.
"So... Laura... you said there was something important, right?" Leon asked, turning to her.
Laura nodded slowly, offering a hesitant smile. "Uhm... I want to..." she trailed off, her uncertainty evident.
"Yes?" Leon encouraged, sensing her hesitation.
Laura's lips trembled as if struggling to find the right words. Finally, she spoke quickly, almost as if forcing herself to get it out. "Leon... I want to apologize."
"Apologize?" Leon asked, confused. "Why?"
"Leon... I'm so sorry, truly. I didn't mean to hide this from you. I was just confused and unsure how to tell you... Please, don't think badly of me, I didn't intend to deceive you," Laura said, her words coming out in a rush.
"Laura?" Leon looked at her, baffled. "What are you talking about? Can you start with what exactly you're trying to tell me? I mean..."
Was she still talking about the past?
"Leon... I need to confess something."
"Yes?"
Laura took a deep breath, clearly steeling herself for what she was about to say.
"I'm actually Charmelyn," she finally admitted.
"Huh? What?"
"But, Leon, I'm not sure Marlene will be willing to settle things. I mean... I infiltrated the expedition. She probably hates that," Laura admitted, sounding unsure.
Leon sighed. "You're aware you did something wrong, but you still went ahead with it,
right?"
Laura was silent.
"And..." Leon paused, thinking for a moment. "Are you really a Divine Champion?"
Laura nodded immediately. "Yes, I'm a Divine Champion-Envy Champion. I took this blessing from the original user," she explained without hesitation.
"Wow..." Leon was genuinely impressed, intrigued by how she obtained such a status.
But for some reason, he felt it wouldn't be appropriate to ask for the full details. She might
not want to share that secret.
"And you haven't told anyone else about this?" Leon asked.
Laura shook her head. "I was planning to tell Elincia and the others, but I wasn't ready. I felt
guilty."
"Guilty?"
"Yes... I feel ashamed for receiving this blessing," she admitted softly.
"And why is that?"
"Uhm..." Laura hesitated. "Because I got this blessing in a way that wasn't right... in a bad way. That's why I'm ashamed to tell the others... I'm afraid they'll see me as unethical or
dishonorable."
Leon furrowed his brow. Unethical? He wondered just how bad it was for her to feel that way about how she got the blessing.
"Well... to be honest, I'm curious about how you got this blessing, Laura. But if you don't feel comfortable sharing, you're not obligated to tell me," Leon said gently.
Laura nodded and smiled softly. "I'll tell you," she replied, her voice steady. "Yes... I'll try to
explain it to you."