episode_0005

Sunlight streaming down on my eyelids.

Luke woke up and opened his eyes.

Instead of the familiar dormitory, you see a view of a luxurious room.

Only then do I realize.

Yesterday, Luke got a job as Elin’s tutor.

I came out of the shower, repeating to myself that it still didn’t feel real.

I brought the meal straight from the kitchen and knocked on Elin’s door.

There was no answer.

Are you still sleeping?

I opened the door quietly and went in.

New liquid- New liquid-

Regular breathing sounds are heard.

The owner of the voice was, of course, Ellin.

I sat on the chair for a moment and looked at Elin who was sleeping soundly.

It was almost as if her small body was buried under the blanket.

She was holding a doll in her arms.

I’m talking about an old rabbit doll that was so worn out that one of its ears fell off.

Some time passed, but there was no sign of Elin waking up.

There’s no way my normal sleeping time would be like this.

I looked at the empty teacup on the desk.

It seems that the camellia tea I gave him one more time before he left yesterday was very effective.

It’s good that my insomnia has improved, but it’s time to get up.

“Your Majesty.”

He called Elin softly.

I tried to shake her body to wake her up, but I quickly gave up.

It was because I couldn’t forget Elin, who had started the game when she put a hand on my shoulder.

“Morning, Your Majesty.”

In the end, all you can do is repeat the same thing like a cuckoo alarm.

I think I did it about five times.

“Um… .”

Elin twisted her body and slowly opened her eyes.

“Good night, my lady?”

“Huh… ?”

Is it because I slept soundly for the first time in a long time?

Ellen, unable to shake off her sleepiness, stared blankly at Luke.

“Are you starting to wake up? It’s time for breakfast.”

“… … Morning?”

Only then did Elin see the cart in Luke’s hands.

“Ah.”

And I flinched in place like a startled rabbit.

The stupid hair that had been pressed down also popped up.

“Breakfast is soup. It is specially prepared as a nutritious meal, so please eat a lot.”

“… I can’t eat much in the morning.”

“You didn’t eat much last night either.”

“I can’t eat a little more in the morning… ”

“It’s okay. I don’t plan on forcing myself to increase my intake in the morning.”

He showed me the pot he brought.

It really wasn’t as crowded as yesterday.

Elin checked the pot and let out a sigh of relief.

… were there that many?

Then don’t force yourself and just talk.

Luke’s thoughts were already forgotten, as Elin had said several times last night that she was full.

“No one came?”

Elin, who was looking at the old clock hanging on the wall, suddenly asked that.

“Is there anyone coming in the morning?”

“… … No.”

Ellen shook her head a beat later.

It looks like it’s there for everyone to see.

Who is it? The Duke wouldn’t have come to Elin’s room in the morning.

With that thought in mind, I held a spoon in his hand.

“Can you eat with a spoon?”

“… … ”

Ellen’s expression turned suddenly bewildered.

Then he lowered his head as if he remembered what happened yesterday.

The slightly reddened tips of her ears spoke of her emotions.

“… Huroop.”

Instead of answering, Ellen took a bite of the soup as if to show me.

Is it really that shameful to not be able to handle a knife properly?

“You are great.”

I had my doubts, but I applauded anyway.

From now on, I plan to praise even the smallest things.

It was a special measure taken against Elin, whose self-esteem had hit rock bottom and was sinking underground.

I was going to say that I was glad that there was food I could eat alone.

“… Ugh.”

Ellen stuck her tongue out.

It’s not like you suddenly wanted to do Merong.

Why are you suddenly doing that?

no way.

“Did you burn your tongue?”

Ellen nodded, sticking her tongue out.

“The soup you just had must be really hot. Are you okay?”

“No. It’s hot.”

It was a voice without highs or lows.

To anyone looking at it, it looks like nothing happened.

The swollen tongue showed the truth.

I quickly handed him some cool water.

Elin, who had been gulping, stuck out her small tongue again and said, “Bae-.”

“Sigh… .”

I couldn’t hold back my sighs.

“Princess. Can you promise me one thing?”

“… Huh?”

“If you are in pain, don’t endure it, tell me right away.”

“… Okay.”

Ellen nodded, as if she thought it wouldn’t be that difficult.

This is an answer that I somehow find hard to believe.

He extended his little finger and hooked it with Elin’s.

“If you break your promise, you have to give me the finger.”

“… !”

The stupid hair stood out.

A ripple appeared in the eyes that had lost their light.

It’s okay to get hit when you do something wrong.

Are you afraid of breaking a promise and having your finger cut off?

No, of course he seems afraid of corporal punishment too.

“Okay.”

Ellen nodded with a very serious expression.

He still had his tongue sticking out.

* * * * *

After Dane’s tongue settled down a little.

While Luke was cleaning up, Ellen went into the bathroom alone, saying she was going to wash up.

Isn’t there a maid to help me with my bath?

Well, it’s strange that they hire a maid while not even providing proper meals.

While I was asking myself the question, Elin quickly washed up and came out.

Her slightly dry hair was wrapped in a towel.

Ellen roughly dried her hair with a towel.

Bam.

I threw the towel in the bathroom and approached Luke.

“… Class. Starting today?”

“I was going to do that… … Your Majesty. Did that end just now?”

“Huh?”

“Drying my hair. Surely that won’t be the end.”

“It’s the end.”

Ellin blinks with the same expression as usual.

He tilts his head as if to ask what the problem is.

He’s not even the old man from the neighborhood bathhouse. What is that?

He approached Elin and knelt on one knee.

“Can I finish drying your hair for you?”

“… Why?”

“Because it didn’t dry properly.”

“If you keep doing this, it will dry itself out.”

“That must be it.”

So this is why my hair was damaged.

“But it’s not good for your hair or scalp. If you don’t mind, I’ll use magic to dry it.”

I definitely asked for permission in advance.

Because I don’t know how Ellen will react if I touch her head again.

“Hmm.”

Ellen, who was twirling her hair, sat on the bed.

“Is this okay?”

It was meant as permission.

“Yes, I’ll get back to you right away.”

I immediately mixed heat magic and wind magic.

It was the magic of this world that took on the role of a hairdryer.

Less dry lavender hair.

If you touch the tip lightly, you can feel its stiffness.

“I’m asking just in case. You didn’t wash your hair with soap, did you?”

“… Why?”

Ellen turned her head to look at Luke’s face.

It seems to be correct since you are not denying it.

“Your body… You must have washed it with soap without even asking.”

“… … ”

“Silence will be taken as affirmation.”

cook.

I poked Ellen’s cheek.

“… ?”

“This is a punishment.”

“… Did I do something wrong?”

“Yes, it is also wrong to not take care of your precious body.”

Ellen licked her lips and made a “hmm” sound.

I wish you would think about it seriously.

“I will provide you with bathing supplies. I will tell you how to use them, so please use them.”

No matter what, I can’t help you bathe yourself.

I can only hope that you listen to the explanation and follow it well.

While combing her hair and telling her how to bathe in the future.

I noticed later that Ellen was shivering.

“Your Majesty?”

“… … Ah.”

I thought this was okay.

I was trying hard to suppress my fear.

So much so that even Luke blinked.

“You promised to tell me without holding back.”

I hastily took my hand away.

Then Ellen slowly turned her head upward and looked at Luke.

“That was only when I was sick.”

“Mental pain is also included, of course.”

“… … ?”

“In simple terms, you need to tell me immediately when you are scared or afraid.”

“I didn’t know.”

Elin, with her hair down, began to tremble slightly again.

“So now you’re taking my finger?”

“Yes?”

Elin was looking at her hands intently, as if wondering which finger was the least sore.

I just wanted you to tell me right away when you’re sick.

“Okay, take it.”

Ellen held out her left little finger.

This is so scary that I can’t even make an analogy.

Road pushed Elin’s fingers away.

“This is your first time, so I’ll let it slide. But next time, be careful. You have to tell me the status right away.”

“… Yeah.”

“Is there anything else that hurts?”

“There is.”

Maybe because it was just the last chance?

Ellen answered immediately.

“Where are you?”

You have another sore spot?

I examined every nook and cranny of Elin’s body.

“Here.”

It’s dark under the lamp.

Surprisingly, the answer was right there in plain sight.

What Elin was pointing at was her own foot.

The feet were still covered in wounds.

Come to think of it, I’ve never given him any separate treatment.

“I will apply the medicine right away.”

“Oh, but… .”

As I was about to hurriedly bring the ointment and apply it, Elin slowly pulled her foot away.

“Do I really need to get treatment?”

“Of course. If we leave it like this, it will be a disaster.”

“… That’s better.”

Ellen continued, wiggling her little toes.

“At least you don’t have to get hit when you have a wound… .”

My hand suddenly stopped.

So are you saying that you didn’t get treatment on purpose?

You don’t want to get hit anymore?

A hollow laugh escaped me without me realizing it.

“Princess. From now on, no one will be able to hit you even if you don’t get hurt.”

“… How can you be sure?”

“I am now in charge of the princess’s education. And I plan to punish her just like before.”

Ellen stroked her cheek as if she was thinking of a bee.

“So, is it okay if I apply some medicine on you?”

“… … Yeah.”

The answer came late.

“Thank you.”

After much thought, I decided to trust Luke.

Of course, I had no intention of betraying Elin’s precious trust.

“It hurts.”

“Please bear with me for a moment.”

“Yeah, you’re good at holding back.”

Elin, who blurted out her heartbreaking words as if nothing had happened, looked at Luke quietly.

“Are you really a teacher?”

It was a random question.

The lack of pitch in the voice made it harder to discern intentions.

“Can you explain it to me in simple terms?”

“This isn’t a tutor’s job.”

Ellen pointed to Luke’s hand holding the ointment.

“Isn’t it enough for a teacher to just teach?”

“How could that be?”

I shook my head and finished applying the ointment to my feet.

“I am the princess’s person before being a tutor. It is natural for me to assist you.”

“But none of the people who have stuck with me until now have ever done that.”

“Was there a user?”

“For a moment when I was young.”

“The princess is still young.”

“… When I was younger than I am now. When I was about 4.”

Isn’t that too young?

“Hasn’t there been anything since then?”

“There must have been. Maybe.”

Why is it called maybe?

“It changed so often… At some point, it seemed like no one came.”

“Is that so?”

I guess no one has stuck with him since the Duke was so disappointed in Elin.

“I will not leave your side, Princess.”

“… Why?”

“Because I promised. To support the princess.”

The contract period is until Elin becomes an adult.

At least I had no intention of leaving the Bertain Dukedom before then.

“So that’s why you’re being so nice to me?”

“I’m just doing what I have to do.”

“… I see.”

Ellen nodded slowly and said.

“I hope not.”

“Yes?”

It was a meaningful statement.

“The people who were by my side disappeared quickly. Especially the people who were kind to me.”

It was still difficult to find any emotion in his voice.

however.

“So. You don’t have to be nice to me.”

I could clearly feel that he was worried about Luke.

This is a story that didn’t even appear in the game.

From the beginning, Elin was a child who was ignored even by her servants.

“What happened in the past… .”

So I tried to ask what happened.

Knock knock knock!

Someone suddenly knocked on the door.

So loudly that Luke flinched.

―Hey! Trash! I know what’s inside, so come out quickly!

Then a frivolous and arrogant voice was heard.

Ellen sighed as if she was used to it.

“… You came today as expected.”