Chapter 73: The Cost of It
Seraphine finished eating and stood up, grabbing her bag. She waved lightly, forcing a smile.
"Goodbye, Mom."
Her mother looked up from the table.
"Goodbye, sweetie."
Seraphine stepped outside. The morning air was cool, streets quiet except for distant footsteps and birds perched on broken wires. As she walked toward school, she kicked small rocks along the road, each one clattering forward like her thoughts—unsettled, restless.
Halfway there, she encountered her friend.
"Heyyy!" Seraphine called out.
Her friend smiled.
"Heyyy. Everyone's talking, you know. They're saying you should become a hunter. Yesterday the teacher told you to think about it, right?"
Seraphine's expression darkened.
"I don't want it."
Her friend blinked.
"What? I didn't hear you."
Seraphine stopped walking. Her voice rose, trembling but firm.
"I don't want to become a hunter. I don't want to fight. I don't want to save anyone."
She clenched her fists.
"I just want to save myself… and the people dear to me. I just want a normal life as a make-up artist. Why won't anyone listen to me?"
Her friend sighed, a faint, tired smile on her face.
"Yeah… that's the problem with the world nowadays. You can't even try going against it without hurting someone."
Seraphine's voice cracked.
"Yeah!"
Her friend tried to sound hopeful.
"Don't worry. Everything will work out on its own."
Seraphine shook her head slowly.
"It won't…"
She looked down at the ground.
"My dad works day and night. He barely comes home, and when he does, it's with an average salary."
Her voice softened.
"I want to help them… after everything they did to raise me, to love me."
She swallowed hard.
"Even if it costs me my own life."
Then, barely above a whisper:
"Though… I want a normal life filled with laughter. That's not possible, is it?"
Her friend fell silent.
After a long pause, she finally spoke.
"I… don't know what to say anymore."