There's No Point...?

When I woke up, I noticed that I was in a tent. Looking around, there were several beds set up, with soldiers tied up in bandages lying around. One person, wearing something like a white coat, was going around each bed and holding her hand over them, letting a faint light fall and fixing up their battered bodies.

"...!"

I raised my body but quickly felt pain. I turned to my left leg and saw it wrapped in bandages, drenched in red.

"What did I..."

I feel like I forgot something. Something significant. However, no matter how I tried, I couldn't recall. As I was cradling my head, the female doctor noticed me and ran to my side, a faint smile on her face as if to reassure me that everything was alright.

"So you've come to?" She asked in a gentle tone, her voice faintly familiar. "Sorry, but I can't fix your leg yet. The others are in a more severe state than you are, and I'm prioritizing them."

"..."

I stared at her face, wondering where I had seen her before. She had brown hair and eyes, with luscious pink lips. Combined with a sharp but gentle gaze. Right... She looks like...!

"Garuda!"

Finally, the memory flooded into my muddled mind. The scenes from before still haunt me. There's no way she's dead! I leaned forward and grabbed the doctor's shoulders, shaking her violently.

"Tell me! Garuda! Is she safe?!" I asked with desperation filling my head. "There's no way she'd die! Please tell me that was just a bad dream!!!"

The doctor's smile never faded, despite being treated roughly by me. As if waiting for perfect timing, she finally spoke after I entered a short pause. "The woman you brought with you—my daughter—didn't make it. Sorry."

"Daugh...ter?" Her words shook me like a bomb exploding.

Garuda was her daughter? I guess that explains why I felt her face and voice familiar. But why is she saying sorry when I was the cause of her daughter's death? A thousand questions floated in my mind, causing me to come to a standstill.

"It's not your fault," Garuda's mother whispered in a gentle tone as she slowly pushed me back, letting me lie on the bed. "It was her choice to come with you, despite me saying that it's dangerous. She knew the risk, and despite that, she followed you. It was her choice. So it's definitely not your fault..."

Under the layer of kindness wrapping her words, there's a hint of bitter sadness. Looking closely, her eyes were still swollen but were covered with makeup in an attempt to hide them. I... could only imagine how she felt.

"Anyway, rest for now," she added as she pulled the bedsheet over my body. "My healing ability can fix your leg, but it will take time. I should get back to work soon."

"Ability…" The word made me recall something else. My ability is the Curse of Infinite Rebirth!

I started to look around, searching for anything I could use, and found a fork on the table beside me atop an empty plate. "Right! I can just reset everything!"

I picked up the fork and, without hesitation, stabbed it toward my neck.

"NO!"

However, before it managed to pierce my skin, a hand appeared in the way and got pierced instead. "Ugh!" The woman groaned in pain but still quickly waved her arm, taking the fork out of my hand.

"Selen..." I looked at the one who interrupted me, feeling a slight irritation and anger. "Why... Why did you stop me?! If I just reset this hell, then I can bring Garuda back to life!"

Selen took a deep breath before pulling out the fork that was piercing through her palm. This time, not even a groan escaped her lips. After she threw the fork away, she turned to me with an angry gaze and raised her bloody hand.

*SLAP!*

My vision went white for an instant.

Slowly, pain assaulted my senses as I brought my hand to touch my stinging cheeks. Selen's eyes were still filled with anger, but tears were now slowly streaming down from them.

"She died fighting with you, and you're just going to take your own life?! Aren't you a man?!" she roared, reprimanding my actions.

I lowered my head, trying to think about what was wrong with what I did. However, I still think there's nothing wrong with my choice. Resetting the world should bring her back, and shouldn't that be for the best?

Still, I could feel a small prick in my chest. Like a small shard of conscience, trying to bring me back to my senses.

"Right... I..." I stuttered, unable to find the right words to apologize.

Selen, seeing me feel remorse, quickly pulled my head up, letting me face her straight in the eyes. "Garuda knew that she would die if she followed you, and despite that, she came with you to raise your chances of survival! Don't you understand how much she sacrificed for you?!"

I... didn't even ask for her help in the first place. I know dying is painful, but with my ability, it's nothing worth fussing over. In the first place, before that fateful night, weren't we just strangers...?

I don't know.

I really don't know why she...

*Plop*

"Huh...?"

Suddenly, warm tears started to fall on my cheeks. It was as if a dam broke as the teardrops streamed down like an endless river.

"Don't blame yourself for losing her!" Selen cried loudly. "Instead, aim to be stronger, so that one day you can protect her!"

As tears began to fall, Selen pulled my head into her embrace. After that, I finally broke down. The emotional turmoil slowly melted, leaving only the pain of losing her and the anger toward the monsters who took her from me.

After that, I lost consciousness.

When I woke up, I was still inside the tent. Around me, there were fewer soldiers compared to before. To add to that, there's no longer any pain coming from my leg. When I checked it, it was already healed.

"... Garuda's mother probably healed it while I was asleep."

Once again, Garuda's face flitted across my memories. Am I in love with her? She's not even my first woman, and I'm no longer able to think of anyone else but her, like a curse.

I stood up, walked through the dark tent, and parted the drape blocking the entrance. As soon as I stepped out, the dark night sky welcomed me, with the countless, unchanging stars in the sky faintly lighting the world.

Garuda's dead. But I know I can still see her after I die. Although I find not much reason to stay, the desire to take revenge on that chameleon burned brightly within my chest.

"Wait for me, you bastard," I whispered to the wind, cursing. "You dare touch something precious to me; I'll definitely rip you apart!"