"I..."
I hesitate to give an answer, but Esther's expectant look tells me I should say something soon. I can't run from this choice—either I say I accept her even after what she said, or I refuse and we fight again.
"Haa..." I take a deep breath and sigh, thinking nonstop about what to say. It's not like fate adores me, so I won't be saved from having to give this answer. So I briefly consider what I feel.
I love Esther. But do I love her enough to sacrifice pieces of my body to her? It's not a high cost—my body can be reconstructed endlessly, so giving parts of myself isn't permanent, and although it hurts, the pain reduction will help.
But... it's still giving pieces of myself for her to eat. That's... terrifying. How will I know if she'll really respect my limits? How will I know if she won't grow more and more demanding about how much of me she wants?
