episode_0096

Ropel Teufel, he is the first friend who first acknowledged me.

In the dangerous dungeon, he protected me without sparing his own body.

That is why I also gritted my teeth to save his injured life, even if it meant overexerting myself.

To that extent, the man named Ropel is a precious, precious existence to me.

Ropel, unconscious and drenched in sweat, his muscles glistening and reflecting light, panting roughly.

And a woman with a vulgar body, climbing onto his body, dripping dirty saliva, and sticking out her tongue.

At the sight unfolding before her eyes, rough words were about to burst out of her mouth without her realizing.

“Wa..wait.. It..it’s a..a misunderstanding..! Th..this is just.. just wiping the.. the sweat..!”

Looking closely, it was someone I already knew.

Elizium Gremalina, a genius of alchemy and the woman who meets Ropel every lunchtime.

She usually sent unpleasant smiles and glances towards him, but I never imagined she would do something like this.

“Do you grope a patient’s bare skin with bare hands when wiping their sweat?”

“W..well.. the.. the towel somehow fell from my hand..”

“Then why are you sticking out that tongue?”

Towards his body, with such lewd eyes?”

“Th..that is.. well…”

Elizium, unable to answer the question, was fidgeting, sweating cold, and trembling.

“There’s nothing more to talk about, I’ll call security.”

Saying there was a sex offender who dared to harass a patient in the sacred medical center…!”

“Wai..! N..no! No..not that…!”

“..Then leave.”

“..Ye..yes..?”

“You were openly trying to commit a sex crime right in front of me just now, what more needs to be said?”

Get out of this room! Right now!”

“Ye..yes sir..!”

When I shouted like that, she was startled and left the hospital room.

Her face was completely red, and the sight of her rushing out was quite a spectacle.

By the way, I never imagined I would see such a scene as soon as I found Ropel.

To dare to perform such a vulgar act on an unconscious person..!

Letting out a sigh and turning my gaze from the door Elizium had just left, I saw Ropel lying collapsed, unaware of what was happening.

What that woman was trying to do, his patient gown top was taken off, his chest and abs exposed rawly.

Perhaps due to a fever from body aches, he was sweating profusely and breathing heavily.

I knew Ropel’s current condition to some extent through records before arriving, so I knew this was due to treatment aftereffects and not a serious problem.

But seeing him struggling from the outside, I couldn’t help but worry.

And… what should I say… his appearance right now is…

“…Gulp”

…felt very attractive… and delicious.

A stream of a single drop of water flowing down his cheek flowed down his neck to his collarbone, and then down his firm, muscular body.

Because of this, his wet body reflected light and was glistening enticingly.

Normally, I could only see his strong appearance, enduring and standing up no matter what.

But to see him so weakened… something is wriggling inside me and I feel a shiver…

….!?

“Ah.. no no! Wh..what am I thinking…!”

It was as if I was possessed by something, I harbored dark intentions.

To look at him, who is nothing short of a life savior, and think such vulgar thoughts..!

If this is the case, how am I different from that lewd woman Elizium I just kicked out of this room?

“Whew.. Let’s calm down.. Calm down…”

As expected, I also just returned from the dungeon, so I guess I was tired and ended up thinking strange things.

I need to shake off these idle thoughts and wipe Ropel’s body as he lies there and adjust his clothes.

After soaking a wet towel in clean water, I wipe his sweat-drenched body corner by corner.

As expected, since he hasn’t neglected his training, his body was firm and had a good feel to it.

‘Gulp’

…But is he perhaps wearing some perfume separately?

He must not have even properly washed yet, but his scent feels so captivating.

To the point where I want to get my nose close without realizing it.

‘Haah.. haah.. ‘

“…A little bit… might be okay…”

No no, I hope you don’t misunderstand.

I know it’s strange for me, who was just now driving that woman Elizium away, to say something like this.

But in a way, wasn’t it because of me that he was able to stay alive?

If I hadn’t taken the measure to remove the monster’s saliva blocking the healing effect from his blood vessels, even by overexerting myself,

even if he had returned to the academy and received some treatment, he would not have been safe.

“Th..that is.. to this extent… can’t it be considered… a kind of reward…?”

Moving, drawn by his body odor and warmth, my lips were somehow heading towards his neck.

I slowly approached his neck as if kissing a beloved lover…

“So..sorry! I..it’s nothing else, I..I left something behind.. Eh?”

Elizium Gremalina kicked the door open and entered the room, and her eyes met mine.

And Elizium’s eyes, which were looking at me, clearly lost their vitality and turned cold.

. . .

I, Mei□, and Elizium Gremalina, and Ropel Teufel, who was still collapsed, the three of us were in the hospital room.

A stifling silence and awkwardness settled in the hospital room and did not disappear.

“..You found the item you left behind, so can’t you leave now?”

First, I cautiously opened my mouth.

“Th..that’s right.. but.. I don’t think I can.. leave you and Ropel.. al..alone.”

Elizium, while stammering, answered without losing her expressionless face, sending a contemptuous look.

I also had nothing more to say about this, so I closed my mouth and avoided her gaze.

“..What is your.. re..relationship with Ropel…?”

She and I had already met each other a few times.

This was because I had followed Ropel to a certain place during lunchtime.

It’s embarrassing, but I couldn’t just watch the two of them spending cozy time alone, so I had intervened between them several times.

However, she does not remember me due to the magic placed on me.

From her perspective, she only remembers that an unwelcome guest intervened while she was having lunch with him, but she cannot recall the existence named Mei□ru.

In the first place, it’s strange how Ropel properly recognizes my existence and doesn’t forget it.

“During the dungeon clear test this time, I got separated from my teammates due to a strange phenomenon.

That’s when I met Ropel, this man, and received help.”

Let’s make an excuse like this for now.

For her, who cannot remember my existence, this much explanation should be sufficient.

There’s no specific lie mixed in, and it’s the truth, and she will likely understand from her point of view why I came to find him.

“I..I see… that was it…”

She also seemed to accept it without particularly doubting.

“…Yes. Not only did he treat me when I was injured, but he also tried to protect me.

He also suffered a serious injury because of that….”

“Ah..! Th..that’s why he had that.. injury when he returned…!

When I.. I first saw it, I was really sur.. surprised…

It was a severe.. injury that required using all of my he.. healing potions…”

“..! Then were you the one who first treated Ropel when he returned injured..!?”

“Ah..! Ye..yes.. Well.. that’s right…”

Hearing that, I suddenly felt embarrassed.

It was because she was the one who finished the work I couldn’t, but I had gotten angry at her just by seeing one scene when I first entered the hospital room.

Perhaps there was a misunderstanding in that incident too…

…

Hmm….

Thinking about it, it doesn’t seem like there was a misunderstanding after all.

“I’m sorry! Actually, Ropel’s severe injury.. was all my fault..

I acted arbitrarily and fell into danger, and then trying to save me again..”

“Ah..no! You don’t.. don’t need to.. apologize to me..!

An..and… I think I.. I understand to some extent…

Ropel doesn’t.. doesn’t hesitate to.. help others in the first place…”

“..That’s right. Even in a situation where it was difficult to even save his own life, he stood up again for me…”

“Th..that’s right… Yes.. Ropel is th.. that kind of person…

He.. he knows he’ll be in danger.. but he al.. always prioritizes others.

It was like that when he.. he first met me…”

“…I see, that’s true.”

Perhaps it was because he was the only common interest they could talk about, but as they talked about Ropel, the awkward atmosphere was somewhat relieved.

Even at this moment of talking, I had a conversation for quite a long time, knowing that I would be forgotten in the other person’s memory later.

“It’s about time… I think I need to leave first now.

I’m sorry I can’t stay by Ropel’s side any longer.”

“It’s… it’s okay..!”

Unfortunately, I needed to return to the appearance of the Imperial Princess Tiara Altarian, not continue as Mei□ru.

Especially in the current situation, since only news of the Imperial Princess being alive is being heard, strange rumors might circulate if I don’t show my safe appearance myself.

Additionally, there is also a need to resolve Lord Axel Saian’s misunderstanding about the dungeon clear.

Just as I was about to open the door and leave, I paused.

“…Don’t try to do anything strange again just because you’re alone with Ropel without me.”

“Hiccup..! I..I won’t..!

…Even though you were trying to do it too”

Although I heard her muttering in a small voice, I had neither the time nor the confidence to refute, so I left the room as I was.

. . .

I was walking towards the room where I first woke up, thinking that Duke Axel Saian would be waiting there.

Then I discovered the Duke walking alone towards a secluded room.

I was still in Mei□’s appearance, so the Duke did not seem to notice me.

It was the moment I was about to approach the Duke, who had entered the room alone and was looking into a hand mirror, to speak to him.

“I apologize, it seems the plan has failed.

Both dealing with the dungeon and the girl who acted as a scarecrow…”

…Huh? What.. what is this sound?