Goodbye Saintess. novel Chapter 7

The look in Rhea's eyes told me she wasn't going to kill herself today. That, at least, was a relief.

Still, she wouldn't just admit it. "Well, what if I am determined to die, huh? Maybe I'll jump off the balcony after you leave!"

"Cool. Jumping off buildings isn't in my job description anymore, so knock yourself out. Just a heads-up, though: this floor isn't high enough. You'll probably survive, but with a broken spine and no control from the waist down. What are you gonna do if that happens?

"So here's a better plan. Grab a bag from the shop downstairs, wrap it around your head, climb to the roof, and then jump. Full satisfaction, guaranteed," I snarked.

"Why you—" She shook with fury. "Why the hell should I get a bag over my head?"

"Out of respect for the cleaning crew! No need to make their job harder. They'll have to spend a lot of effort scrubbing the pavement clean of your brain, right?"

Rhea shut her eyes in fear while snarling, "Fuck you, bozo!"

That was not the look of someone who meant what she said. I was sure I had saved her life. "Alright, enough talk. Give me my badge and ID back. I need to get going. You can, I don't know, start picking out a nice bag for your head."

I extended my hand toward her matter-of-factly, but Rhea shook her head. "Sorry, but I'm not giving them back to you. How dare you tell me how to die?! And you saw me naked! You have to pay for that!"

"Come on, miss. I don't have time for this. Get on with your plan already. I have a fire to put out today!" I replied, snatched my stuff back, and left before she could react.

I had no problem saving her life, but it did not mean I was fond of people like her. I was especially repulsed by high-maintenance, self-centered rich girls like her.

"Stand where you are, bozo!" she yelled. "Grimwald! Did you hear me? You're not getting away with this!"

I ignored her and walked off with my suitcase.

Unbeknownst to me, Rhea opened her palm to reveal a torn scrap of paper—a photo of me she'd ripped from my documents.

"You don't actually look half-bad," she muttered to herself with a smirk. "Sebastian Grimwald, Astergrad Fire Brigade Beta Team… You're not getting away from me."

…

I had no idea I'd become someone's target. All I wanted was to report for duty.

Albert spotted my suitcase and gaped. "Grimwald? Why are you bringing luggage?"

Of course he was surprised. When the odds of surviving a mission were so uncertain, no one bothered packing extra clothes. We lived and often died in the same uniform.

"It's just for my family," I said, lying. "Didn't want to leave this stuff behind in case I don't make it. Might make things harder for them, you know?"

"Grimwald… That's a little grim, don't you think? You're not necessarily going to die, alright?" Albert let out a sigh. "Anyway, our superior got in touch. All our gear's already been moved to the mountain base. It's our turn to report."

Ever since I said goodbye to Hera, I'd been ready for whatever came next. My face barely changed. "Yes, sir. I'm ready."

If he could have, the captain would've taken Sebastian off the roster. Last he heard, the man hadn't even had a child with his wife yet.

"Hey, good news," Albert added. "It rained a few hours ago. Thank God. Helped a lot with the fire. It's mostly under control now. Our team's just heading out to provide backup. So honestly… you don't have to come. We've got this."

Part of me felt relieved. A wildfire under control meant fewer deaths and less destruction. That was always a win.

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