I’ve Been Exiled, But I’m Alive and Well - Chapter 120 (Patreon)

“I’m an unneeded human. That’s why I’m not allowed to appear in public.”

Jerald looked like he was about to disappear. I was angry with him because I was sad that he had given up on himself like that.
I don't know what kind of life he's been living.
I don't know how much pain he's been through.
But there must be people who need him.

“Are you stupid?”
“Pardon?”
“There are no unneeded people in this world. Isn’t there at least one person who needs you?”

I had grown up with a family and a fiancé who took good care of me.
I was brought up in a warm and happy environment, not knowing the filth of the world, so these words came out.
Jerald's eyes widened, and then he looked away uncomfortably. He must have been thinking of someone.

“From the looks of it, there is someone.”
“Yeah, there is.”

The relief at the affirmation was short-lived. As Jerald continued with the words, "But...".
I had a bad feeling about the disturbing continuation.

“That person doesn’t need me in the true meaning.”

Jerald looked sad. I muttered a meaningful "Hmm" because I realized that he hadn't given up on being needed by someone.
If he hasn't given up, then I can still help. The sense of justice hidden within me came out. I asked him a confirming question while covering my mouth, wondering what he was thinking.

“Do you want to be needed by someone, Prince Jerald?”

If he wants me to need him.
Even if it seems hypocritical, I want to respond to his wish.
But Jerald shook his head, “... I don’t know.”
He must have been in a very bad environment to answer with "I don't know.”
If I let him live like this, he would give up on ever really being needed by people. I couldn't let that happen.
What I can do now is...
When I thought about it, I could only think of one thing. I clapped my hands together, and smiled at his surprised expression as he turned to me.

“Prince Jerald, won’t you become my friend?”

I can't take Jerald out of his home, and I don't have the power to change his environment.
I will be his friend, and I will need him.
It may seem like a comforting thought, but it was the best I could do right now.

“Friend?”
“Yes, a friend.”

Jerald looked puzzled.
It was as if he didn't know what a friend was.
I was worried that I might have made the wrong choice, but he replied sadly, "“I cannot leave my room for reasons…”

“I might never see you again.”
“That doesn’t matter. As long as I consider you a friend, and you consider me a friend, our friendship will last for eternity.”

The important thing is to think of each other.

“Prince Jerald, please be my friend.”

I stood in front of him and held out my hand, and Jerald looked at his own hand with a puzzled expression.
The way he hesitated to touch me made my heart ache.

“Gabrielle, is it… is it alright for me to be your friend?”
“If that is something you want, then yes.”

I'm not going to force him to do anything.
My desire to save Jerald was just for my own self-satisfaction.
Just like when I saved Giselle in the past, it was selfishness that made me unable to leave someone who was going through a difficult time alone.
Slowly, he squeezed my hand as if he was touching a fragile object.
I could feel his hardship faintly through his cold and bony hand. It is said that a person's way of life appears in their hands, and I thought it was true.

“Prince Jerald, you have become someone I need in my life now. So please don’t call yourself unneeded anymore.”
“Yeah…”

Jerald burst into tears, as if every grievance he had stored up until now was flowing out. I handed him a handkerchief with our family’s crest to wipe his tears off.
He shook his head, saying he didn’t want to take it.

“This is the token of our friendship. Please take it.”
“Is that okay?”
“This is something I embroidered myself, please take it by all means.”

It is an old custom in the Ansanse Kingdom to give a handkerchief as a token of friendship.
if it has your embroidery on it, it’s said to bring an eternal bond.
I wanted him to know that I would never forget him
I smiled at Jerald, who took the handkerchief slowly, but did not use it, just stared at it.

“Please wipe your tears with it.”
“No way. This is something precious to me, so I won’t use it.”

Jerald replies as if he was trying to act spoiled.
If that's what he wants to do, I have no right to stop him.

“Thank you, Gabrielle.”
“… Prince Jerald, we are already friends. Please call me Elle.”

That's what everyone close to me calls me.
Jerald was puzzled by my light-hearted words. Perhaps he hesitated to call me that because he didn't know what being friends really meant.

“Friends are supposed to call each other by their nicknames.”

Jerald took a series of deep breaths, even though it was nothing to be nervous about. Finally, he gave a small, "Alright.”

“E, Elle.”

He stuttered, and my cheek relaxed because of his cuteness(?).
When I let out a giggle, Jerald scowled and says, "Elle, don't laugh.”
It was so easy to call my nickname this time, wasn’t it?

“I’m sorry. So, do you have a nickname, Prince Jerald?”

I asked, and he shook his head.
I wonder if it's okay for me to give him a nickname. If he doesn't like it, I'll just call him something normal.

“Let me call you Jed then. Is that good?”
“You can call me whatever you want, Elle.”
“Jed.”

We call each other by our nicknames.
It was something I had always done as a matter of course. It was not something that should have been appreciated, but Jerald's happy smile made my heart ache.
He was a friend I had made. I wanted to talk to him a little longer. But it seems that this will never happen.

“Elle? Where are you?”

I hear my beloved's voice from afar.

“Prince Cyril.”

I look behind Jerald and saw His Highness Cyril looking for me.
Perhaps the waiter had told him I was here, and he had come for me.
His kindness filled me with love.

“I’m sorry Jed. It seems that I have to leave now.”

There was no way I could leave His Highness Cyril unattended.
I bowed my head and heard a sad voice say, "Y, yeah…”

“You are now a needed person, don’t forget that. Let’s meet again.”

He said we may never see each other again, but I didn’t think so.
If we don't forget about each other, we will meet again someday.
I reminded him not to forget and ran to His Highness Cyril.

“I have been looking for you, Elle.”
“Pardon me.”
“What were you doing here?”
“I was… making precious memories.”

I smiled at His Highness Cyril, who tilted his head in confusion, and told him, "I will tell you about it later.”
Smiling at his puzzled but smiling nod, we walked away.

“Let’s meet again, Elle.”

I heard a small voice behind me and replied in my mind, "See you sometime.”
This is how Jerald and I met.

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