Limitless Evolution Through Conquering Primal Beauties-Chapter 18 - Now the Score is Even

Leonard was confused. His mouth opened, but no sound came out. Where was he supposed to go? Back to the forest? To the ape camp to be humiliated again? To another tribe that might reject him as well?

Before he could answer, Borami spoke calmly, "If you don’t have a destination, how about staying with me? I have two rooms."

Leonard was stunned. He looked at Borami seriously, trying to read the meaning behind her words. This woman was offering him a place to live? How could someone be this kind?

He took a deep breath. Something bothered him.

"Rami," he said seriously, "I’ve been thinking about this since last night. Why are you so kind to me? We’re just strangers. You shouldn’t treat a stranger like this."

He looked straight into her eyes. "Or... do you just feel sorry for me?"

Borami fell silent. Her honey-brown eyes looked at Leonard with an unreadable expression.

Leonard knew this was good for him. He should accept the offer happily without questioning it. But for some reason, he couldn’t stop himself from asking. Something inside him needed to know. Needed to understand why this woman was being so kind to him.

"Rami," he continued, his voice firm but not raised, "are you like this with everyone? You need to know your boundaries with other people. If you keep being like this, you’ll just get taken advantage of."

Borami remained silent, blinking slowly.

Leonard went on, "How can you let a strange man like me stay in your house? What if I turn out to be a bad person and try to hurt you?"

He sighed in frustration. "Do you realize how attractive you are? Any normal man would... would go crazy trying to be near you. And you’re just casually offering a place to stay to a man you barely know?"

[ Borami’s Affection: 26% ]

[ Borami’s Lust: 23% ]

[ Borami’s Trust: 21% ]

Leonard saw the change and frowned. He hadn’t expected the increase.

Borami looked at him with a flat expression, then said, "Aren’t you weak? I can defeat you easily."

Leonard’s face darkened into a sour expression. "You know that’s not what I meant. What I mean is—"

"So," Borami cut him off, suddenly smiling.

It was a dazzling smile, one that made the corners of her eyes crease and her beautiful face glow.

"You’re worried about me?"

Leonard was captivated.

For a moment, he forgot to breathe. That smile... God. It was like the sunrise after a long night. His heart beat a little faster than usual. Damn it.

He looked away, trying to compose himself. "That’s... that’s not the point. Also, what about your family? Or your husband? They wouldn’t accept someone like me."

Borami’s smile faded.

Slowly, like the sun disappearing behind clouds, the cheerfulness on her face vanished, replaced by a bitter expression. She lowered her head, staring at her hands. A brief conflict flickered across her face, between wanting to speak and wanting to stay silent.

Leonard waited.

Finally, Borami said softly, almost in a whisper, "I... don’t have a family anymore."

Leonard raised an eyebrow. The atmosphere grew heavy.

Borami took a long breath, then looked at Leonard with eyes that suddenly seemed tired.

"Do you want to hear my story?" she asked.

Leonard nodded slowly. "Yes, if you’re willing to tell it."

Borami adjusted herself more comfortably on the bed. Leonard sat down as well, this time in front of her instead of beside her.

"I used to live in another village," Borami began, her voice flat, like she was reading an obituary. "With my parents and my two younger siblings. I was still young then, maybe fifteen. One day, Hungermen attacked our village. They came in large numbers, like a black flood swallowing everything."

Her eyes grew distant, as if she were seeing it again.

"I survived because I hid in a small cave. But my parents, my siblings... they didn’t. When I came out after everything had gone quiet, all that remained were corpses and a destroyed village."

Leonard listened in silence.

"After that, I wandered alone. I nearly died several times. Eventually, I arrived at this village, a few years after Beatrice had just killed the dragon and founded the settlement. I asked for permission to stay, and she allowed it."

Borami gave a faint smile—bitter, not like before.

"Here, I met the first man who married me. He was kind, gentle, loved me very much. I thought I finally had a family again. But not long after we married, he joined a hunting party... and never returned." Her voice trembled slightly. "I was sad, of course. But then I found out I was pregnant. And I was happy—no, I was very happy. I thought at least I still had a part of him."

She paused, gripping the hem of her leather skirt.

"But I miscarried."

The air felt heavy.

"A few years later, I married again," Borami continued, her voice softer. "He used to be my patient. He said he fell in love with me while I was treating his wounds. At first, I hesitated—but he was persistent, sincere. Eventually, I agreed. We married."

She let out a small laugh, one without any humor.

"Less than a month after our wedding, he joined a hunting trip too. And he died as well."

Leonard felt his chest tighten.

"After that," Borami continued, "people in the village started calling me a cursed woman. They said I bring misfortune. That anyone close to me will die or suffer bad luck."

She looked at Leonard, her eyes glistening. "Just look. My family died. My first husband died. My baby died. My second husband died. And now this is what I am."

Borami took a shaky breath. "Now I’m old. I can’t have children anymore. No man wants to take an old, cursed, barren woman. And they’re right, aren’t they? Everyone close to me dies. That’s why I stay here, far from others. So no one else gets hurt because of me."

The tears she had been holding back finally fell, wetting her pale cheeks.

Leonard felt like his chest was breaking apart.

He didn’t know what to say. All this time, he had been busy lamenting his own fate. But the woman in front of him... she had lost everything, over and over again. And she could still smile and take care of a stranger like him.

Leonard stepped closer and said firmly, "That’s ridiculous."

Borami’s eyes widened. Her tears paused for a second, replaced by shock—then anger.

"What?" Her voice trembled between anger and hurt. "You think my life is ridiculous?"

[ Borami’s Affection: 13% ]

[ Borami’s Lust: 14% ]

[ Borami’s Trust: 11% ]

Leonard saw the drop. But he didn’t care.

"That’s not what I mean," he said quickly. "I mean curses don’t exist. You’re not cursed at all. It’s all just coincidence, terrible coincidences that happened again and again."

Borami’s eyes widened. Her heart pounded.

[ Borami’s Affection: 36% ]

[ Borami’s Lust: 26% ]

[ Borami’s Trust: 31% ]

She wiped her tears roughly with the back of her hand.

"Stop saying things like that," she said, her voice shaking. "You’re just trying to make me feel better, aren’t you?"

Leonard grabbed her wrist. His grip was gentle but firm, forcing her to look at him.

"Listen, Rami." His blue eyes locked onto her honey-brown ones. "None of that was your fault. None of those tragedies were your fault. You didn’t do anything wrong. You’re just... you’re just a kind woman who went through terrible things beyond your control."

He took a breath.

"And I was serious when I said you’re beautiful. You’re the hottest woman I’ve ever met. And more importantly, you’re the kindest person I’ve ever known."

His voice hardened slightly.

"So don’t say you’re cursed. Don’t say you deserve to be avoided. You didn’t deserve any of that misfortune."

[ Borami’s Affection: 52% ]

[ Borami’s Lust: 28% ]

[ Borami’s Trust: 49% ]

[ Status: Crush ]

Borami lost control.

Her tears flowed freely, impossible to hold back. For years she had carried all of this alone. She accepted being called a cursed woman without protest. She distanced herself so no one else would get hurt. She believed she truly brought misfortune.

But this man... this stranger she had only met yesterday, naked and confused and weak and ridiculous... was telling her it wasn’t her fault.

That she deserved happiness.

That she deserved to be loved.

Words she had longed to hear for years. Words no one had ever said to her.

Borami hugged Leonard tightly, fiercely, as if afraid he would disappear if she let go. Her arms wrapped around his back, pulling him against her large, warm chest.

Leonard felt something in his back. A sharp stabbing pain, followed by the sound of something cracking inside his body. A bone broke. Maybe a rib.

He almost screamed but held it in. He clamped his mouth shut, suppressing the groan of pain that nearly burst out. His breathing became ragged, his eyes watering from the intense agony.

But he stayed silent.

Because he could feel Borami’s body trembling violently in his arms.

Leonard ignored the pain in his back. He lifted his free hand and gently stroked her back. Then his hand moved up, softly caressing her hair.

Borami hugged him even tighter. Leonard felt his chest grow wet from her tears. He felt her trembling. He felt the pain she had carried all this time.

And in that embrace, Leonard thought: ’Now the score is even.’