You and My Secret. (4)

“Cow, don’t you understand what the girl said?! The girl… !”

I wish you wouldn’t laugh like that.

“I think I understand correctly. That is, you are saying that you want to save the princess.”

I wish you hadn’t taken it all in so much detail.

“Oh no! The commoners don’t understand! The girl said it! The girl said Rudy… She approached the commoners to take advantage of them!!”

I hope you understand everything and don’t look at me with such kind eyes as usual.

“Not bad. If I can be managed by someone as cute and pretty as the princess, I’ll say that I’m worth it. Isn’t this also a kind of spec?”

“Are you an idiot!! This isn’t just a fishing ground! You were trying to scam me out of a marriage! The girl was using you…!! She was going to do such a horrible thing that I wouldn’t be able to explain even if I got sued!!””

I hope you listen to everything I say seriously, and don’t say that everything is okay.

If you accept me any more than that, I really don’t think I’ll be able to hold back my tears and my heart that feels like it’s going to burst.

“And think about it. Those humans you just defeated! They are all either children of lower or upper-class nobles or members of the Imperial Knights. If you can’t kill them, they might come for revenge on you someday. When it comes to Andrew, they will definitely harm you… !!”

So, you should just push me away by swearing at me and saying that I was used, that I trusted you and was betrayed, and that some idiot woman who was nothing special tried to scam you.

Otherwise I…

“Oh, then I have to hear more. Since I was already involved in the ‘fault’ of the princess, I would like to file a claim as a victim. Princess, in order to protect myself and ‘the surroundings’, please tell me about your abilities. “

“Ugh… !!”

I swallow my breath that feels like it’s going to explode, purse my lips, and look at him with a resentful expression.

-Please, stop.

My heart is already so bent that I cannot possibly return to you if I hear any more kind words from you.

One way or another, even after everything is over, I will definitely not be able to return to you because of my guilt.

“No… Hey. Go and study on your own… ! And, if you despair, then don’t despair! It’s not something that can be helped by the common people… !!”

-So, I want you to let go of my hand.

I wish you would let go of this hand that gently holds me, as if telling me not to break gently, not to fall far away.

You shouldn’t get involved in my affairs any longer, so that I can at least try to return to you someday.

-Slurp.

“… Even if you say that, do you think I would get off the Ferris wheel while leaving the princess with tears in her eyes? If that was the case, I shouldn’t have chosen this place in the first place. I’m not thick-skinned enough to ignore a woman crying in a space where there are only two of us. Above all, this is the highest point right now. If I fall, I’ll die. “

-Lastly, I wanted to see the beautiful sunset with you.

My maid and my brother said that the rule for ending an amusement park date is to have a romantic ride on the Ferris wheel, and I also wanted to show you the scenery in the distance, immersed in a red sunset that resembled the color of my eyes.

-That’s because I wanted you to remember me.

“… Please tell me, I really enjoyed my time at the academy with the princess. And I don’t want that routine to be taken away from me. “

“Ugh…!!”

Finally, I feel the tears I had been holding back begin to flow down my cheeks.

I thought about everything, hoping to somehow keep you far away and keep you from falling in love so much that you wouldn’t end up in danger like you did today.

But I couldn’t let go of his kind black eyes, his voice, and his warm grip.

-I already understood that I wasn’t using him, but was expecting something from him.

“Bar, bot… If you can’t do anything… “

“Let’s just wait and see. As I said before, those guys who made the princess cry. I will make sure they all receive divine punishment.”

“Just now… You made me cry… !”

“Oh, am I supposed to be punished by heaven? Then, it can’t be helped that it’s not even the princess’s fault.”

It was a final appeal, but ultimately it yielded no results.

I wanted to leave a mark on myself and bid farewell while looking at the scenery dyed red by the sunset with him, but the Ferris wheel had already touched the ground without even knowing my feelings.

“Shall we ride one more time?”

“… Seriously, you idiot… “

In the end, my vermilion was completely dyed in the black that was so kind to me.

*

Eventually, I tried to take out the gold from my pocket to commit the atrocity of monopolizing the Ferris wheel once more with the princess who had burst into tears due to my attack, but for some reason, instead of the person who had given us a ride earlier, the man I had seen earlier, the captain of the crown prince’s guard, was waiting below.

“Just ride it one more time.”

“?”

As soon as the door opened, I tried to hand him money, but instead, as if he knew what was going on outside, he told me to get back on. I was pushed back into the Ferris wheel before I could even finish making my move. I glanced outside at the crying princess, and blinked when I saw the crown prince waving while drinking coffee alone not far away.

‘What the heck? Are you a stalker?’

I tried to spread my magic power inside the Ferris wheel, thinking that maybe there was a wiretapping device installed, but there was nothing like that.

In other words, the crown prince knew what kind of determination his sister had for getting on this Ferris wheel, and he knew how things would turn out.

‘It’s a little scary.’

If I get along well with the princess and that guy becomes my brother-in-law, what kind of life will I be living?

I wonder if the person I am now is someone who only makes people drink kimchi stew without even thinking about giving them rice cakes, but in any case, the prediction of a world where that person becomes my brother-in-law doesn’t seem very interesting.

Because I had this thought that if the princess cheated and said, “I can’t live like this! I want to go to my parents’ house!”, wouldn’t I really be executed?

‘Well, that would only be possible if the princess really had that level of affection for me.’

If that future comes, I must be a good husband to prevent that from happening.

The situation where they were fantasizing about deciding the name of the second child by holding hands, a unique fantasy of Mosul, was cut off when the princess started sniffling and making a sniffling sound.

“Hmph…! What the heck. That chubby face. Is it that funny to see a girl cry?”

“No way, I was just daydreaming.”

“Byun-tat. Hmph!”

“No, that’s unfair. Do you know what I was thinking?”

Actually, there’s nothing to feel bad about, but I can’t say it in front of her because it’s embarrassing to think about the future we’ll have if things work out.

Rather, I see that my way of thinking is increasingly leaning in that direction, so this…

‘Is self-hypnosis expiring?’

I was wondering when the last time I walked again was, and now I realize that I don’t remember walking again after my arm recovered.

It seems like the self-hypnosis is slowly wearing off.

‘…I have to walk again tonight.’

After forcibly stopping my useless fantasies and organizing my thoughts, I look at the princess who is still snoring and start to focus again.

Now, I’d like you to tell me.

“… If you listen to the girl’s story here, you won’t be able to run away. I’ll make you take responsibility no matter what.”

“That’s what I was hoping for.”

[Hear from Princess Coti Royal Labyrinth’s own lips the powers of the Labyrinth. (0/1)]

[Participate in the Imperial Ranking Match and achieve 1st place. (0/1) <[Payment] cannot be used while this quest is in progress.>]

[… … … Survive the battle with (0/1) <98% chance of your own death>]

[The death probability of Yuria Fortward when participating in a battle with … … … is updated.]

[The probability of death when Piana Stone participates in a battle with … … … is updated.]

[If you check the target … … …, the contents will be updated.]

I have no intention of running away, and I have no interest in a life that prioritizes the story told in the quest.

I’ve already given all the help I could to the main characters, heroines, and supporting actors, and the hardships they will have to endure in the future are still as great as a mountain, even if it’s not the princess story.

So. I want to write my ‘story’ for you who came to me.

As I looked at the princess with that determination, she started to clutch at the hem of her clothes like a child who had an accident and started to speak weakly as if she couldn’t find an excuse.

“The third emperor of the empire… The Empress’s powers were given by the gods… She was called ‘Overlord.’”

“And the princess also received the same ability?”

“… The girl never wanted it, but.”

I wait quietly as I watch her frowning, as if she really doesn’t want to talk, as if she wishes she didn’t have that ability.

It’s okay. I’m sure you’ll tell me.

“… The ability of the Overlord is to be able to take away the ‘trait’ of an opponent who meets certain conditions.”

She spoke with a heavy tone, as if she had finally made up her mind, and continued her explanation quietly.

“One is that the person must trust me. Second, the person whose trait is being stolen must hate their trait. I don’t know the exact conditions, but once those two are met, the previous empress was able to steal most traits. It was written in the imperial library… the forbidden book storage that only the emperor, Papa, could enter.”

-Tiring.

[Hear from your own lips the power of Princess Coti Royal Labyrinth. (1/1) Complete!]

The quest window blocked my path, blaring loudly as if it had been waiting for her pained voice to end, but I immediately pushed it away to show that I wasn’t interested.

Because, the princess in front of me… the silver girl in front of me who had become so small, hadn’t finished talking yet.

“And… the girl was the same. If the opponent hated their trait, trusted the girl, and made contact with the girl, they could ‘see’ that trait and take it away. And, the trait the girl took away… was black magic.”

As she spoke, looking at her hand connected to mine, her eyes began to tremble as if she was anxious, so I held her small hand a little more firmly.

Because of that ability, it was full of the meaning that I wouldn’t stay away from you and wouldn’t run away from you.

“… Isn’t it scary?”

“Would you like to steal it?”

“… You don’t trust that girl.”

“If that’s really what it looks like, I feel a little hurt.”

I understand why the princess is anxious and why she cannot completely trust me.

But if she were the girl I know, I believe she would know that the smile I’m making and my feelings of wanting her to feel safe are not fake.

When I thought like that and looked at her with the utmost sincerity.

“… If you look at me like that, even a girl would be embarrassed… “

-Thump thump.

Rather, I was plotted in reverse.

When I see her blushing and lowering her head as if she is truly embarrassed, I feel genuinely anxious about the situation I have been in, as if my palms are sweating.

Hey, can you please not do surprise attacks like that?

“Mom, don’t you believe me?”

“… I believe it. I believe… that Rudis doesn’t hate her traits and that she trusts the girl. “

The sight of the princess raising her head again like an animal and looking at me with her crimson eyes shaking while speaking like that really had the power to arouse my desire for protection.

Honestly, if I hadn’t had any self-hypnosis left, I would have already fallen for Hollad and started attacking with confessions.

“So, what are those idiots and their gang aiming at with that ability?”

“… They probably plan to make the girl steal Rudis’s black magic traits and threaten her into joining them if she wants them back. And in the process, they probably thought they could use the watermelon chest next to Rudis… Yuria and the commoners’ teacher, the black magician Fiana Stone… “

“I’m sorry,” she concluded, lowering her head again and shaking her hands slightly as if she had said everything she wanted to say.

He must be afraid that since he told me that I got involved in a lot of trouble because of him, I might try to distance myself from him or try to get out of this situation to protect the people around me.

But, unfortunately, that won’t happen.

“I see. That means, those guys are my enemies too. I don’t know what they’re doing to me, a sinner, but I will never forgive those guys who try to mess with my teacher and my benefactor, Yuria.”

“… Really, I’m sorry.”

When I saw her reaction, as if she was blaming me for getting involved in this situation, even though I hadn’t finished telling her story, I quietly got up and moved to her side.

We often sit together like this when we eat lunch, but sitting like this on the Ferris wheel with just the two of us… I really feel like I’m a couple.

And if such a beautiful, cute, and caring woman is my girlfriend, then I’m sure my life will be enjoyable from now on.

“Your Highness, look outside.”

“?”

Now, outside the Ferris wheel, which had begun to circle the top, the view was not of a red sunset, but of a dark blue sky, covering the sky with a dark curtain.

I absentmindedly fantasize about the sight of my black hair covering her crimson eyes.

“The bright sky with the sun rising is pretty, but I like the dark blue sky with a cool breeze better. Of course, I don’t like it when the next day is Monday.”

“That’s the same for girls. Sunday night sky is sinful.”

“Pfft! Right? And before that Sunday’s dark blue sky comes, the color is a crimson sky like the princess’s eyes.”

“Oh… Then the color crimson is also a sin?”

-Hug.

He adds strength to the hand that holds her tiny hand.

I think it’s great that she, who had been making all sorts of excuses to push me away until just now, is trying to find similar reasons for me and herself over something as trivial as this.

“As I said earlier this afternoon, I’ve done so many things that if I die I’ll go to hell.”

“The girl is destined for hell because she doesn’t live a good life.”

“Then I don’t need to find a reason anymore.”

“?”

“For myself, for my teacher and my benefactor, Yuria… and finally, for the tomboy princess who will fall into hell with me. Don’t you think I need a better reason to fight those guys?”

“!”

I originally wanted to give a different reason, but I changed my mind because I liked the common ground she found for me more.

The princess’s eyes widened as she heard my words, and I thought to myself that it was really fortunate that I got to know this person and that I came to the empire.

“Until I graduate from the academy, let’s have lunch together.”

“… Babot.”

I wasn’t sure if I was still receiving human favor from her or if she was interested in me as a romantic interest.

I decided to keep this feeling a secret for now.