Akane looked at me with a mixture of gratitude and stubborn resolve. Her voice was quiet but unyielding. "Jack... don’t try to push this. I will never tell you her location until you’re honest with me."

"First, tell me the truth — what is the real side effect of your ability? How much is it really costing you? I saw how you collapsed. I saw the blood. I’m not letting you sacrifice yourself again without knowing the full price."

Tachibana stepped closer, her voice a mix of frustration, worry, and reluctant softness. "Yeah... You keep saying it’s nothing, but we’re not blind. Your face is still pale. Your hands are cold. If helping Hitomi-neesan is going to hurt you badly... then I won’t let you go either."

"I already feel guilty enough that you nearly died saving me. I don’t want another sister’s recovery to come at the cost of your health!"

She bit her lip again, looking away as her tsundere nature flared up. "You idiot... Why do you keep trying to act like some selfless hero? Do you enjoy making us worry? If you really want to help Hitomi-neesan... then at least be honest first! Tell us how bad it really is. Don’t make me regret owing you my life..."

Akane squeezed my hand gently, her eyes pleading yet firm. "We’re not ungrateful, Jack. But I can’t send you to help Hitomi while you’re hiding the truth from us. So please... no more lies. What does your healing ability actually take from you every time you use it?"

Tachibana crossed her arms, trying to look stern, but the concern in her eyes betrayed her completely. Through Telepathy, I caught her swirling thoughts:

[He’s really willing to help Hitomi-neesan, too...? Even though he just exhausted himself on me? Why is he like this? If he keeps pushing himself... I’ll feel even more indebted. And that marriage promise... damn it, my heart is getting noisy again.]

The morning light was growing brighter outside the window, casting a soft glow over the tense scene. Both women stared at me intently, refusing to back down until I gave them the honesty they demanded. The weight of their worry, guilt, and budding trust filled the entire room.

Akane saw my silent stance and the way I avoided giving a direct answer. She let out a tired sigh and turned to Tachibana. "Tachibana, he won’t tell us right now. Let me send him back first. We will talk about this later when he’s rested."

For a moment, I really didn’t know what to say. The atmosphere had grown heavy.

Akane looked at me with complicated eyes, then spoke softly to her disciple. "You go out first. And don’t let anyone notice you. Otherwise, it would be very difficult to explain how you suddenly got completely healed. I will talk to him alone."

Tachibana took one last long look at me, her eyes filled with reluctance and worry. She finally nodded obediently to her master. Without another word, she moved swiftly and sneakily like a shadow, slipping out of the room and disappearing into the early morning darkness.

Once the door closed and we were truly alone, Akane turned back to me. Her voice became much gentler, almost pleading. "Now she is gone... Can you tell me the truth? If it’s not too inconvenient for you... Please, Jack. I need to know what you sacrificed to save Tachibana."

I looked hesitant, staring at the floor for a few seconds before finally meeting her gaze. "I can tell you... But promise me you will never tell Tachibana or anyone else about it. Not even Yuko. Swear it."

Akane looked nervous, her fingers tightening on the edge of her cloak. She clearly understood how serious this was, but after a brief internal struggle, she nodded slowly. "I promise. I won’t breathe a word to anyone."

I took a deep breath and spoke with a hesitant voice. "Well... it’s not as serious as you think..."

Akane leaned closer, her eyes locked onto mine. "Just tell me. Don’t hide it anymore."

I paused for a long moment, then finally whispered, "It’s... It’s just lifespan."

Akane’s eyes widened in horror. "What...? Life... Lifespan...?"

Her voice cracked sharply. She stared at me in complete disbelief as the meaning sank in. Tears instantly welled up in her eyes, spilling over and dripping down onto her mask. Her hands began trembling uncontrollably.

"You... How can you...?" Her voice broke completely. "You used your own lifespan to heal her?! Jack, are you out of your mind?! Do you understand what that means? You’re shortening your own life for us?!"

Tears flowed freely down her face now. She looked utterly devastated, her usual calm and composed demeanor shattering in front of me.

"All those wounds... the bullets, the internal bleeding... You paid with years of your life?! Why would you do something so reckless? I thought it was just exhaustion or some temporary weakness, but lifespan?! How could you hide something this huge?!"

I gently took Akane’s trembling hand in mine, trying to calm her. "Don’t worry... It’s not too much. It only takes a few minutes of lifespan to heal normal injuries."

Akane shook her head fiercely, more tears falling. "A few minutes?! And what about serious injuries like Tachibana’s?! Tell me the truth, Jack. How much lifespan did you use to heal her tonight? Don’t you dare lie to me!"

Seeing me stay quiet, she began probing desperately, her voice growing more emotional and tearful with every guess. "Hours...? Days...?"

When I remained silent, her eyes widened further in shock. "Then... a month...?"

I darted my eyes away, unable to meet her gaze — the reaction instantly gave me away.

Akane gasped loudly, her face turning pale with horror. "A month?! You lost an entire month of your life... just to save Tachibana?!"

She covered her mouth with both hands as fresh waves of tears poured down. Her shoulders shook violently. "No... no, this can’t be true. You’re still so young... and you threw away a whole month for my disciple? For someone who treated you so badly and called you horrible names? Jack... you fool... You absolute fool!"

Akane suddenly leaned forward and grabbed both of my hands tightly, her grip surprisingly strong despite her trembling. "Why?! Why would you go that far?! I already owe you enough for saving her, but now... now I feel like I’ve stolen part of your future! How am I supposed to live with this?! Every day from now on, I’ll remember that you’re living a shorter life because of me!"

Her voice cracked into a sob. "If I had known... if I had even suspected it cost you a lifespan, I would have never let you heal her like that. Never! I would have searched for other ways, even if it took longer. But you... You just silently gave up a month of your life without saying anything..."

She looked at me with red, tear-filled eyes full of guilt, gratitude, and deep shock.