episode_0012

“Ugh? Uuugh!”

Chris flailed about as if she had no idea what was happening to her.

“Huu… Ugh… Hhk…”

Perhaps because her mouth had been abruptly covered, tears welled up in Chris’s eyes.

Yeah, this is undeniably criminal behavior.

“Ugh.”

Moving roughly made her whole body ache.

“Be quiet.”

Still, this was far better than having to endure a half-hearted apology or a forced coming-out speech.

“Sorry. Just stay quiet for a bit.”

This incident, so to speak, was purely accidental. I should get out of here before Chris gets really upset.

No matter how apologetic she might be, there’s no way she’d like someone who could pull something like this so casually.

“Huu… Huu…”

Hearing Chris’s breathing gradually steady, I slowly pulled my hand away.

“You okay?”

“Yeah. I was just a little startled…”

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to do that so suddenly. I don’t know why, but I just felt like I shouldn’t let you finish what you were saying. The method was rough… Sorry.”

“You don’t need to apologize that much.”

Chris turned to face me.

“Didn’t I say it before? From now on, you can do whatever makes you comfortable. If you think something shouldn’t be done, then don’t do it. That’s definitely the right answer.”

Sweet. After forcibly covering her mouth and pinning her down, she’s reacting this normally?

No, not just normally—it almost seems positive… Only then did I notice the slight upward curve of Chris’s lips.

Why are you smiling?

Don’t smile like that. It’s making me uneasy.

“B-but, Oppa.”

“Y-yeah?”

“This is embarrassing… Could you step back a little? I-I don’t dislike it, but even so, doing this so suddenly is…”

“Ah, sorry!”

I quickly pulled my arms back from where they’d been wrapped around Chris. But the moment I did, she actually looked slightly disappointed. What do you want from me?

If you’re going to be like that, then I have my own thoughts too.

“Sorry, Chris. I was out of line. At your age, you probably already have a wonderful fiancé or lover, right? Must’ve felt gross being hugged by someone like me.”

“Eh…? No!”

“You don’t have to say that. I know full well I’m a pathetic piece of trash.”

I feigned innocence, deliberately stoking Chris’s guilt.

“Someone like me will never—”

“I said no!”

Thud!

“Ow!”

Beep-beep-beep—!

Chris tried to get up but slammed her head hard against the desk, and at the same time, a loud alarm-like noise echoed through the room.

“What’s that?”

“Oww… It’s the security magic… Just wait. The deactivation spell should be…”

Chris clutched her head, lying on the floor while scanning under the desk. Is she okay?

“Is your forehead alright?”

Beep-beep-beep—

“It’s nothing.”

“Stay still. Sometimes, I should act like an oppa too.”

I lightly pressed my fingers against Chris’s forehead. It’s been a while since I’ve used healing magic—hope it works.

“Huu…”

Taking a deep breath, I steadied my body and slowly gathered mana into my fingertips.

“Oppa. Since when could you use magic at this level…?”

“When you’re desperate to do something crazy, your skills improve. And it’s not like I didn’t try to catch up to you.”

Especially in the last loop. Not that it stopped me from getting wrecked every time we sparred.

“Ugh…”

Turns out directly transferring mana is still tough for me.

Chris being strong means my future is secure, but at this rate, I’ll collapse from exhaustion first.

If healing a tiny bump takes this much effort…

“Oppa.”

“Yeah?”

As if sensing my fatigue, Chris made a suggestion.

“Instead of just your fingers, use both hands to cover it. It’ll be easier that way.”

“Both hands?”

“Like this.”

Chris took my hands and pressed them against her face.

Her cheeks are soft.

“Now. Try channeling mana again.”

“Oh?”

It definitely worked better.

“How is it?”

“Amazing.”

“I figured it out while practicing magic myself. The closer the mana transfer is to the recipient’s head, the more effective it is.”

Technically, this was something Chris discovered in the future while traveling with Cecelia, but I pretended not to know. Even if it’s from the future, she’s the one who figured it out.

“It’s more of a trick than a real technique, but it should still help a lot of healers. And…”

Chris’s face turned slightly red. Seeing that, I couldn’t bring myself to ask why she didn’t just heal herself if she knew so well.

Then again, Chris has had it rough too. The guilt over me, the daily workload, and the impending Demon King invasion—her mind must be a mess.

Well. Since I’ve already decided to suck it up, I might as well provide this little service.

“Huu…”

BANG!

Just as I steeled myself to resume the mana transfer, the door burst open, and heavily armed guards stormed in.

“Are you alright, my lady?!”

“What happened?!”

“The alarm went off—Aah!”

“You bastard!”

Watching the guard’s foot fly toward me, I had a thought.

Ah.

The position must’ve looked suspicious.

Thwack—!

The guard’s sturdy metal boot slammed into my chest.

“Gahk?!”

They say if the pain is too much, you can’t even scream. Proving that true, I let out a short gasp before being sent flying across the room, crashing into a bookshelf.

“Oppa!”

“Are you alright, Lady Chris?!”

“Apologies for the delay! We nearly allowed an unforgivable injury to befall the young lady!”

“I thought he’d improved lately, but in the end, a madman can’t be fixed, can he?”

Through blurry vision, I glared at the noisy guards.

These bastards—prioritizing Chris’s safety like this is exactly what you’d expect from the ducal guards.

No wonder they turned into a frenzied knight order during the demon invasion instead of staying on guard.

“Captain. Isn’t that a bit harsh?”

“If you knew what this bastard was trying to do to our order, you wouldn’t say that.”

“Ugh, can’t you let go?!”

“Protect Lady Chris! There’s a chance she’s under some kind of mental magic!”

“Dammit, since when…?”

This is too much. Do they think I’m some evil dark mage from an old fairy tale? Mind control is too impractical to even use.

“Bind!”

“Bind!!”

At the captain’s—no, the head guard’s—command, countless mana ropes coiled around me.

“We’re taking him away. No matter if he’s the young master, we won’t let this slide.”

“Everyone, stop! There’s been a misunderstanding—Oppa wasn’t trying to do anything bad to me—”

One of the guards chuckled darkly.

“Don’t worry, my lady. This time, even that lunatic won’t get off easy. He thought he could mess with us lowly guards and get away with it, but touching you? That changes everything.”

“Right. Now even the Duke will finally wake up.”

“Save the chatter for later. Ready—one, two!”

“Three!!!”

The guards yanked the ropes in unison, and of course, I faceplanted onto the floor.

“Gah!”

“What are you doing?!”

Perfect timing.

Sorry, Chris, but if that weird atmosphere had continued, something unimaginable might’ve happened.

The spot where I got hit still throbs, but this way, I can end today’s conversation while getting treated. I’ve already heard everything I needed—about the ducal succession, Chris’s current life.

Once Chris clears my name, the misunderstanding will be resolved in a few days.

But our dear little sister doesn’t seem willing to let this slide.

“Steven. Robert. Release him. Now.”

“What are you saying? We must protect Lady Chris—”

“Oppa has been in my room for hours. Nothing happened until now. And just now, he was covering my face to heal me!”

Steven smiled gently, speaking as if soothing a child.

“Men can become saints if it means lowering a woman’s guard, my lady.”

“Exactly! It’s all just dirty tactics!”

“Realizing he’ll never be Duke, he’s clinging to Lady Chris to save himself!”

“Pathetic jealousy won’t earn him sympathy now!”

As the guards buzzed loudly, Steven silenced them.

But one particularly bold guard ended up crossing the line.

“None of us want a cowardly lunatic like him, when we all wish for Lady Chris to become Duke—Ghk?!”

The guard couldn’t finish.

“Say that again.”

Chris stood before him, radiating murderous intent.

“U-uhh…”

“What’s wrong? I told you to say it.”

“I… I…”

The poor guard finally collapsed under the pressure of Chris’s mana. She stepped on his head before turning her glare to the others.

“You have no idea. No idea what you’ve done wrong, or what regrets you’ll live with. But you know what? Sadly, I do. So before you end up like me, I’ll crush your spirits here. Don’t worry. I won’t kill—”

“STOP!!!!!!!!”

Mustering all my strength, I shouted as loud as I could.

As intended, Chris froze, wide-eyed.

“Oppa?”

“It’s fine, just… heal me first.”

I’ve been dying of pain since earlier.