'Shouldn't we try to gain everything that this life has to offer?
Not having to fear the reaper.'
His mind replayed Renita's words and he recalled all his memories from the previous timeline. He also remembered the cold and callous place he was sent to briefly after he had died. What would it be like to not be scared of that place?
The butcher was agitated and irritated by Renita's reply. It was something that was shaking his whole being from within. Her words evoked those feelings and memories of his past life that he had been trying to bury deep in his soul.
Eren remembered how Sienna treated him in his past timeline. He recalled the pool of emotions he had swirling inside his head that washed away all his hopes for having real relationships.
Renita could see in Eren's eyes that he was struggling. She thought it was because of her or something she said that hurt him. So she lifted her hand from Eren's chest and took his hand in hers before trying to calm his mind:
"Eren, I don't know why, but it feels like you were hurt because of something I said. I… I'm sorry for that. Please know that it wasn't my intention. I didn't want to be pushy, trust me.
The reason I told you this was because I feel like you are always way ahead of all of us. I wasn't sure if I'd ever be able to say those words to you in the future. So I said this today when I found the right moment.
The shadow of death looms over every ranker's life no matter how cautious we want to be. And as I said, I don't have to have any regrets when my time comes."
The storm of emotions running amok in Eren's head finally quieted down when Renita talked some sense into him. He had subconsciously connected Renita's words with his previous memories. She meant to erase those memories from his mind and replace them with new ones that could take their place.
"I... Renita… I.."
"Eren Idril, there you are. Long time no see, man. Can we? Oh?"
Eren was about to say something to Renita that even he wasn't sure of. But fortunately or unfortunately, he was interrupted by a foreign yet not-so-foreign voice. He and Renita both looked in the direction of that voice to see Jason's team coming their way.
Jason was the one who had spoken those words. He stopped his sentence midway after seeing that this wasn't the right time for him to intrude on the guy's personal space. This was when he was having a moment with what seemed to be his girlfriend.
But it was already too late. Jason could see it on Renita's face that he had already ruined the moment. He might as well go ahead and talk business with Eren now that the guy was here. Otherwise, Eren had become kinda like a slippery eel every time Jason tried to get close to him.
Eren saw Jason heading his way. The latter was the last guy he wanted to see these days. But frankly, he had run out of excuses to ignore and get away from him. Especially now, when Eren wasn't in his finest mental state.
'Damn it. This guy, he is the flag bearer of bad news.'
Eren cursed himself for allowing himself to become vulnerable in his heart. The reason Eren didn't want to meet Jason or form a close connection with him was simple.
Dom Walker was the original owner of Reen in Eren's past timeline. He made his demon beast taming official and was subsequently invited to the kingdom's capital. His journey to stardom and becoming one of Edinburgh's most celebrated heroes was famous throughout the entire kingdom.
When Dom's name was widely known, another detail spread throughout the kingdom. Arthur Renar, the Duke of Edinburgh, had a bastard son named Jason. This bastard son had supported Dom under his banner and was later named as Arthur's successor.
Jason's past was revealed slowly to the masses. And his struggle from the bottom of the hierarchy to his entry into the kingdom's elite club had been an inspiration for many, especially all the royal and non-royal bastards who aspired to have their names etched in the annals of history like him.
Eren was also in the know regarding Jason's story. He had later found out that it was the same guy he had seen in the academy. At that time Eren was struggling to make ends meet. So he had even tried to use his association with the guy a few times to get out of some situation. But alas, nobody would believe him when he told them the duke-to-be was his batchmate from LA.
It was only in this life that Eren had found it odd for Jason to start his academic journey from the city of Osan. And only after he tamed Reen did he start to see why the royal bastard was doing at a backwater place.
Eren guessed that Jason had something to do with the experiments conducted on in the Osan woods. Even if he wasn't directly related, he must have known something about it. Jason taking Dom under his banner was a clear indication of the same.
So meeting a guy like Jason and having a conversation with him wasn't something Eren could take lightly. He had tried every possible way to ignore and get away from him. But alas, he couldn't ignore him forever.
"Eren, is this the wrong time?"
Jason asked while looking at his hand which was held by Renita at the time. The ranger became conscious after she followed Jason's gaze and released her grip.
'You stupid, stupid woman. Hold my hand damn it. Hold it now when I need it the most.'
Eren wanted to say that it was indeed a terrible time for Jason to interrupt. But Renita's sudden action finally sealed the deal.
Eren sighed, internally and out in the open as well.. It was time to talk with the royal bastard.