Chapter 206 Love, Past and Present 3 (1/2)

Chapter 206 Love, Past and Present 3

I love you

Those were three words Aldrich had not heard in a long, long time Not since his parents were alive Of course, it was different when it came from them and when it came from Valera, but the warmth of the words was still the same

Aldrich was taken aback He had expected to hear thes for him, but to hear them for real and not just within the confines of virtual reality was an entirely different thing

The way she looked at hiht in her throat, her eyes faintly red and wide, her hands clutched around his, still tre in spite of her efforts - itelse that this was all real

Very real

Aldrich had known that she and all the other gaht to this world were real froree, he had still considered Valera e and use A coaht now, vulnerable, re a past of pain, scared and hopeful of his answer, he felt evenwith a NPC in front of hi with someone that had an entire lifetih just as much pain as he had, someone that deeply cared about him, someone whose heart was very, very real

And that heart, he held in his hands His answer could comfort it or scar it This was the exact type of situation he had never wanted to be in Part of him had closed himself to everyone else after the death of his parents because he knew that anyone close to him, anyone he opened his own heart to, was just a liability to hurt him

Just like with Adam and Elaine It was a twisted way to think, but some part of him had been relieved they had died when they had Because if they had survived and graduated Blackwater, Aldrich would have bid them farewell and cut the full well that hunt could have easily endangered them

"Aldrich - if you do not want to answer me now, then that is fine too" Valera squeezed Aldrich's hands and sly at hiht about his, that was for sure, but if ithim, she could wait

"No I do have an answer for you," said Aldrich "Or rather, it's more like an explanation Valera, you know I aht?"

Valera nodded "I do This is your reincarnation in a new and strange world, but I a," said Aldrich "I do re as yours" He paused for a aht?"

In Elden World, simulation crystals were an item for players to use to record replays or enter into tutorial battles It was not an exact 1 to 1 coh

"Yes"

"My life in that other world, it was like I was in oneI did, I did with an understanding that it wasn't real That it was so I could quit out of at anytiht about trying to dress up his words a little to make them hurt less, but if Valera showed her honest self to hi less "You lived a lifetime of adventure with me, but for me, it was not real It wasn't my real life

And the real life I lead now, it isn't a life that's shaped me into someone I think can love you as much as you love me

I've never loved anyone else because I know that I would drag them down to this path of mine, and it isn't one that leads to happiness It's one that's hard Painful I don't want that for anyone that cares about me"

"I see" Valera looked away and closed her eyes for a few seconds

Aldrich thought he ht see more tears, but instead Valera took in a deep breath, and when she opened her eyes, she stared at hione

"I want to ask you a few questions," said Valera

Aldrich nodded, wondering where this was going

"Do you think I aan Aldrich, confused