World's Best Protagonist [BL]

I never felt any emotion watching my father beat someone right in front of me when I was young, but now, watching Noir screaming from torture was gratifying.

Terrius and Allen held each of Noir’s arms and shoulders, while Lexie was the batter. I’d say he was lucky she was a woman, but then I remembered how I almost died just from getting a punch from her, so I didn’t speak and just watched from the corner while recording everything.

Suddenly, the door opened, and we all halted. Our gazes fell on the two figures by the door simultaneously.

"What the hell is going on here?" Claude’s low voice echoed in the room.

I cleared my throat as I quietly made my way to the center, pulling Lexie away from the battered Noir.

Etienne would usually say something about now, but even upon seeing the bloody nose of his best friend Noir, he simply looked away and said nothing. He closely stood behind Claude, avoiding our contact.

Is he perhaps embarrassed by exploding like that earlier? Now, he probably thinks we see him differently. But either way, nothing changed. Cussing or not, Etienne’s still the most innocent in this group.

Allen casually let go of Noir’s arm and clapped his hands as if he were dusting them. He even adjusted his collar, unbothered by the fact that he was caught beating up someone, well, technically not him, but he was still an accomplice.

"We were just teaching him a lesson, captain."

I showed my agreement to Allen’s answer by nodding. I could feel the captain’s gaze on me, so I looked up and met his eyes.

"Noir deserved it. Etienne—"

"He already told me," Claude said, cutting me off. What made him irritated again? He was fine when we left the house, but now he had this face that no artist can sketch.

Claude walked to Noir, who was standing up on his own. I expected a punch, but surprisingly, the captain was calm and just tapped Noir’s shoulders.

Then, he commanded, "Surrender that stone. I don’t want our team to be involved in illegal dealings. Do it while it’s only us who know about it."

Noir pressed his thin lips against each other. His philtrum still had traces of his blood, and his eyes were reddened—must be from refraining himself from fighting back because he admitted he was guilty.

Perhaps getting beaten like that would somehow lighten the guilt he was feeling, so he endured and said nothing. 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

All of us thought that way. That was why Lexie wasn’t using her full force, because honestly, I only canceled Noir’s power, and released the other three. They could have used it freely, but they did not.

Before Noir answered, he took a deep breath and slowly shook his head. "I can’t. I need it."

"Why? Where are you going to use it?" Etienne asked. His eyes were a bit moist, and his lips quivered slightly.

I saw pity in his eyes from Noir’s messy state, but the anger outweighed it. If I didn’t know better, I’d think Noir was gathering Etienne’s power to sell, since it can cure anything.

Noir balled his hands into fists. Then, he quietly murmured, "My mother is sick. Once I’m back, I’m going to heal her. That’s why."

I inhaled a very deep breath as I watched everything unfold. Seeing Noir looked guilt-stricken yet unregretful, crestfallen yet determined, put pressure on my shoulders. He was like a child who only wanted to return home to his mother’s embrace.

He’s a bit annoying, but now I think that maybe that was just a facade.

I have to get him back no matter what. Even if that means we might never see him again.

Etienne gasped. His chin quivered. Don’t tell me, he’s going to cry? Oh, man, I’m not good at dramas, but go ahead, a man shouldn’t stop himself from crying because it seems unmanly.

And it’s Etienne, he’s pretty even if he cries.

"You...you should have told me. You should have explained it to me and asked my permission instead!"

I slowly moved to Terrius’s side, who wore the same awkward expression as me.

Noir shouted back, "Do you expect me to think that you’d agree on it when we barely even met?! The moment I learned about your ability, all I thought about was how to get it even if I have no way of going back home!"

He took a sharp breath and, after a few seconds, he continued, the volume of his voice lowered, "That was the reason why I insisted on getting in the same team as you. The sole reason I approached you and befriended you—"

"Don’t say it."

Etienne and Noir turned to me. I looked at Noir like an older brother scolding his younger bro.

"Stop saying hurtful things first, and tell him what you really wanted to say."

Hiding behind words, concealing your fear, your cowardice, by choosing to hurt people instead of opening yourself to them, doesn’t always result in good things. Both ends get wounded, and it’s a scar that time can’t heal.

Noir’s eyes shook. He lowered his head and brought his palms to his face. Then, with a slight tremble in his shoulders, he remorsefully murmured, "I—I’m sorry, Eti."

That was all it took—a sincere apology—for Etienne to step forward and carefully wrap his arms around Noir.

With a slightly shaky voice, Etienne replied, "That’s all I wanted to hear from you, Noir."

Terrius shifted beside me. He looked relieved. When he noticed me looking, he turned and smiled at me, looking proud. I raised my brow, but he just ruffled my head. Sometimes, I really think this guy is an old man.

However, that warm and dramatic reconciliation was interrupted by the captain’s stern voice.

"You still need to surrender it."

Etienne moved away from Noir. He turned to Claude and said, "But it’s fine if I give him permission to use it, right?"

Oh, man, that’s not how it works.

Etienne’s hopeful gaze did not shatter Claude’s strictness. "It doesn’t work that way, Etienne. What’s illegal is the use of those magic stones. You can help Noir, but by not using illegal means."

Everyone went silent. I could tell all of them were thinking of ways to help Noir.

Claude sighed. "The only way to find your world is by entering as many vortices as we can. But if our reputation plummets more than it is now, the 1st Chamber won’t consider us giving free passes to all missions that easily."

Ah. I get it now.

"I know you’ll say there won’t be a problem if no one tells on you, but we can’t guarantee that. I trust the team, but the place where you got that, I don’t. So, if you surrender it, the sooner I can get rid of it."