Back to Square One (2)
"He said it... that he'd make me happy."
A sudden bombshell.
Elize held onto my arm and wouldn't let go.
I could feel the warmth of her body through my fingertips.
Even though it was a sentence with plenty of room for misunderstanding, the girl's expression didn't show even a hint of wavering.
Instead, she just blinked as if to ask what the problem was.
"Yes...?"
As I hesitated for a moment, our clasped hands intertwined.
Our distance closed.
The rose kept that posture and asked.
"What's wrong? Is there a problem?"
A nonchalant question.
At that, I lost my words and had to seriously consider.
"......"
Where should I even start to tackle this?
It wasn't like she said something that wasn't there.
Whenever she asked the reason for my help, I always answered that it was for her happiness.
In a simple sense, it was the truth without a single addition.
But the problem was.
"Wh, wh, what do you mean...?!"
"Yes...?"
It was in the tone that caused misunderstanding.
The villainess and the protagonist.
The two people standing in front were also looking at us with surprised expressions.
Soon, reactions came back.
"Make you happy... did, did you really say that?"
"Your, your hand is on Her Highness's stomach......"
I could only rub my forehead at that point.
It was a prank full of malice.
At first, I thought she made a mistake, but I could tell from the smiling corners of Elize's eyes.
Was she trying to repay me for teasing her all this time?
'I see.'
A rose covered in thorns.
Although she had become docile recently, I had overlooked the fact that she had a naturally protruding personality.
It was because of the scars left from her long battle with illness.
Her intention to give me a taste of my own medicine by causing misunderstandings in front of those close to her was clear.
With a troubled smile, I politely protested.
"Your Highness... I don't think that's a very good joke. If you plant such misunderstandings, the two who know nothing will only become poor victims."
"I was just telling the truth?"
"Of course, but."
"Or are you going to say you already forgot...?"
"......"
The rose stared at me with sunken eyes.
I lost my words.
I almost got swept away by that atmosphere.
Whether she had learned acting during her illness, her skill in creating a sad look was quite impressive.
I looked down at her with an expression of disbelief.
"That expression is quite something."
Elize smiled faintly.
Her face was covered in melancholy, but like a lie, a single petal bloomed.
It was a beautiful scene with a gentle breeze.
"......"
I stared blankly at the rose.
My desire to scold her disappeared.
Just a few days ago, she was preparing for death, suffering from sadness, let alone playing pranks.
Elize definitely had a changed face.
'This is.'
It must be a good sign.
It meant that she had more room in her heart.
A sense of satisfaction gradually spread across my lips.
I let out a faint laugh and gently stroked the red hair in front of me.
The rose seemed flustered by the unexpected reaction.
"Pfft... I suppose it doesn't matter."
"What is it?"
"What's wrong?"
"You should be more flustered."
"Why should I fear the truth? I just realized that there's nothing to point out since there wasn't a single lie in my words that I wished for your happiness."
"......"
"Your joy is my blessing, after all."
"......There you go again."
The sharp thorns gradually softened and soon returned to their docile form.
A pout remained on her lips.
A warm heat settled on her pale cheeks.
A small, muttering voice.
"Annoying..."
Give it up.
You still have a long way to go, at least 10 years, to become a troublemaker enough to fluster me.
"Still, please be careful in front of others. This is also directly related to Your Highness's reputation."
I hoped she would realize that her status was the third in the Empire.
It meant that even the same joke had a different weight.
What if a really bad misunderstanding spread because of this?
I added with a bit of a worried heart.
'And.'
This kind of prank is my specialty.
I hoped she wouldn't take away one of the few joys in my life.
"Fufu."
Meanwhile.
The two people who had been watching from the side were still wandering in confusion.
Their fragile questions were all shaking.
"Is, is... what Her Highness said all true?"
"I didn't know..."
"I can't believe it. Last time it was the exclusive maid, and now it's the hidden star of the Empire..."
"The ring you gave me then... I, I was cherishing it."
Emilia sending a look of contempt.
Regia, for some reason, on the verge of tears.
It seemed that the misunderstanding needed to be cleared up before it deepened.
"Well... I'd like to say it's a misunderstanding for now."
I calmly explained the relevant details.
It was a brief summary.
As the explanation continued, the children regained their reason, and I was able to successfully escape the unfounded accusations.
The villainess and the protagonist seemed to finally understand the situation.
"You became her personal physician... so that's why you were by Her Highness's side."
"I, I, I'm sorry! I made such a strange misunderstanding without knowing...!"
"It's alright, Lady Regia. It was a situation that anyone who heard it would misunderstand. Rather, you should be seen as a victim caught in a mischievous prank."
"......Are you saying that for me to hear?"
"Of course not."
The atmosphere naturally relaxed.
Only then did I feel relieved.
As for the treatment, since I couldn't mention the name of the disease, I vaguely explained it as an incurable disease with an unknown cause.
Of course, the news that I had become responsible for such a disease was likely to raise suspicion.
What kind of connection.
And with what ability.
Did I manage to become the personal physician of the princess?
Such questions were bound to come up, but.
"Well... with you, it's not surprising."
Emilia, who already knew my abilities, seemed to roughly accept it.
"The young master is amazing...!"
Regia just nodded along.
Maybe it was because she saw me as someone great.
Even the questionable parts seemed to be passed over with the thought, 'It's the young master, so it must be possible!'
Thanks to that, I was able to gloss over the troublesome explanation.
The children standing side by side.
I smiled at them.
"That was the situation. Since we'll be spending time together from now on, it would be great if we could get along."
A modest request.
The girls responded in their own words.
"Do you think I'm a child? I know that much without you having to tell me."
"If... if it's okay for me to be here, I, I'll do my best."
"......I'm uncomfortable with people I don't know."
The vain one.
The pilot.
The rose.
There were complaints, but no rejections.
And so, the children imprinted the first scene of them getting to know each other in their minds.
***
About 30 minutes later.
The rose and I were finally able to set foot in the dormitory.
The girl's dormitory was located close to mine. It seemed that they had considered my situation, as I needed to visit frequently for treatment.
This was probably also thanks to Selena's intervention.
"......Tired."
Elize was particularly exhausted.
Since she had difficulty moving her body, I had to carry her from the wheelchair to the bed.
I laid her fragile body on the soft duvet.
Perhaps because she was a little concerned, the girl added a word.
"Sorry."
"Not at all. Today must have been tiring for you."
We had been outside all day.
It must have been unfamiliar to her.
Having spent the past 10 years confined to a cage, every scene around her would have been a new stimulus.
Even though she was in a wheelchair, it must have been an exhausting day.
"What about Tanya and my sister...?"
"They will be here soon. They said they would move their belongings from their original dormitory since the three of you will be using the same building from now on."
"I see... I will from now on."
Elize murmured as if she still couldn't believe it.
Her pupils shone differently than usual.
It was as if she was dreaming.
I quietly smiled at her appearance.
So as not to disturb her thoughts, I quietly took a step back, trying to make no sound.
I was thinking of returning.
She must be tired.
Lingering around would only disturb her rest.
So.
Just as I was about to leave.
"......Are you going?"
Suddenly, a hand grabbed my sleeve.
The clothes slightly wrinkled.
As if in response, I turned around to see the green eyes looking up at me.
The inner self reflected beyond them was shaking.
"Your Highness?"
Perhaps she had something to say.
I tilted my head.
What followed was an unexpected sentence.
The rose chewed on a withering echo, then asked with a pronunciation that had lost itself.
It was a particularly desolate darkness.
"Can you... stay with me?"
A quiet question.
Perhaps she was anxious.
Well.
She had been trapped in a cage for a long time, so it was understandable that she would be afraid of the sudden change in environment.
I realized that I had been lacking in consideration.
She wanted someone to stay by her side.
If I disappeared like this, she would truly be left alone in this world.
She didn't like that loneliness.
"Of course."
I didn't leave.
Instead, I sat on the edge of the bed.
"I will stay for a while."
"Really...?"
"Until Your Highness falls asleep... no, even after you fall asleep, I will continue to stay by your side. So please close your eyes without worry."
"......Okay."
"We can also do the treatment that we couldn't do today."
Swoosh-.
I lightly placed my hand on her stomach.
The warmth of her skin.
The girl reflexively let out a moan, but soon her breathing became calm and comfortable.
I gently stroked that warmth.
"Fufu."
The touch wasn't intense or greedy like usual.
It was just benevolent.
Like singing a lullaby.
"You're... really strange."
"Am I?"
"You're usually like trash, and a pervert... why are you only kind at times like this?"
"That's part of my charm."
"If you couldn't talk, at least you wouldn't be so hateful."
"Am I hateful?"
"Yes."
"Sincerely?"
"......No."
The girl eventually avoided my gaze.
I smiled as if in response.
I drew a circle on her abdomen with my fingertips.
It was a way of praising the correct answer.
This stimulus must have been ticklish, as a brief, pained breath escaped between her lips.
"Ugh..."
A glaring look.
I placed my finger on those pouting lips.
As if to silence her.
"Shh."
A soft sensation touched my finger.
It was a very blatant moisture.
I slid my fingertip along the melancholic curve of her lips, feeling the breathing heat beyond that soft flesh.
It was as if lips were overlapping.
The sentence parted with a light redness.
Between them.
I gently inserted my thumb that had been hovering around.
A stiff tongue came out to meet it, and at the same time, moist, hot saliva wet my finger.
The mouth, holding the sticky moisture, slowly accepted the foreign object.
"Chuu..."
The girl stared up at me with a dazed look.
I smiled in response.
I slowly pulled out my finger that had been riding the line.
As the thread of heat that had touched her tongue disappeared, the girl blinked several times as if regaining her senses.
Of course, I didn't wait for her consciousness to fully return.
"It's time to sleep."
I covered the girl's eyes with my other hand.
Her eyelids naturally closed.
The girl accepted my touch without resistance and slowly began to release the tension in her body.
The heat on her cheeks also subsided.
"It was a difficult day."
"......"
Her breath became faint.
And so.
I was waiting.
Until her unstable breathing repeated regularly, and finally, she spoke of complete dreams.
I was transferring my warmth to the girl until late at night.
"Good night."
With a gentle whisper.
***
The next day.
It had only been two days since I returned to the academy, but I couldn't stand it and headed out of the academy once again.
It was because there was someone I had to pick up myself.
After riding a rattling carriage for several hours, I arrived at the 'City that Never Cries.'
'Leukiye.'
It was the city where Astro's headquarters was located.
It was a space I hadn't been back to in quite a while.
I found the hidden place and went down the stairs.
As I opened the firmly closed door and stepped into the headquarters.
Whoosh-!
As if it had been waiting, a figure attacked.
I embraced the rushing form and fell backward, taking the momentum.
We fell softly.
"Oh dear."
Even in that situation, two hands tightly held onto my waist.
As I lay on the floor as if I had been tackled, I could see the girl on top of me burying her face in my neck.
It was a distinctive appearance that I could recognize at once.
A swaying reddish-brown tail.
Ears perked up on top of her head.
I calmly called out the name.
"Lady Irene."
It was a fox.
The girl buried her nose in my side and took a few breaths, then whispered in my ear.
"......I've been waiting."
It was a word that contained a long wait.
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