Ch.185185. While He Slept (1)

“Huu.”

Even though I just went on a trip, the fatigue is no joke. After bringing down an entire country, sitting on the sofa in my room, the exhaustion I’d forgotten about quickly comes rushing back.

I’ve finally returned to Norsweden after completing everything. Sitting calmly, I was unexpectedly feeling nostalgic.

My body feels limp.

Just sitting still isn’t enough to relieve the fatigue.

“Hmm-hmm-hmm, I’ll brew some tea for you!”

Findenai prepares tea while humming cheerfully, excited about something.

“Don’t brew it.”

I refuse because I don’t want to become even more tired by drinking Findenai’s tea. She opens her eyes drowsily.

“You said my skills improved.”

That is what I said when we parted, while drinking the tea she had drugged.

“I never said it tasted good, Ai.”

Thud.

Findenai’s body suddenly freezes.

With a clatter, she puts down the teapot and slowly turns her head toward me.

Rarely, Findenai’s face was flushed with red embarrassment.

“D-don’t call me that.”

“Why not? Didn’t you say Findenai was dead and to call you Ai?”

Thinking about how she barged into my quarters that dawn still makes my teeth grind.

“Axe. Where’s my axe? I need to crack this master’s skull.”

“Go help Deia. She looked busy.”

Since we’ve returned to the estate after a long time, the lady of the house, Deia, must have quite a lot to do.

“F-fine, but never call me that again. If you don’t want your head split open.”

“Go.”

“Damn it, I’ll be a beast if I ever drink again.”

Findenai mutters as she leaves the room. Watching her, I slowly get up from the sofa.

Though the sun is high in the sky, I eventually succumb to fatigue and lie down on the bed.

The bed wraps around me softly, and I feel like it carries the scent of another Deus, not myself.

“Huu.”

How long has it been since I took a nap?

Come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve taken a nap since entering this continent.

With that thought, I slowly close my eyes.

I certainly intended to wake up after a short nap, but when I open my eyes, the room has already grown dim.

I try to force my tired body to rise, but there’s a gentle weight pressing down from above.

A touch on my head.

[Are you awake?]

Stella’s voice reaches my ears, gentle as a lullaby. I realize that she’s somehow supporting my head on her thigh.

Despite having no physical form, she can create such sensation and warmth through mana. She would have been a great talent as a mage even if she hadn’t lived as a Saintess.

“……”

More importantly, what should I say?

If Findenai had done this, I would have immediately told her to get lost.

If it were the Dark Spiritmaster… I would have told her to get lost as well.

If it were Aria or Elenoa, I would have immediately issued demerits along with harsh words and made them write reflection papers.

But with Stella?

I couldn’t think of anything particular to say. Thanks to her warmth, I seemed to have slept comfortably as my fatigue had disappeared, but I wasn’t sure if I should take this positively.

“What time is it?”

Perhaps that’s why.

I change the subject as I slowly get up.

Likewise, Stella also rises and answers with a playful smile.

[It’s just 8 PM now.]

“I see.”

So I slept for almost 8 hours.

I only meant to close my eyes for an hour or two, but I ended up sleeping much longer than intended.

[They’re preparing a festival outside. Others came to call for you earlier, but they left when they saw you were sleeping.]

“A festival?”

[Because the land’s master has returned.]

A festival to celebrate the return of the Verdi siblings? Though it seemed a bit early, judging by the commotion coming through the window, they seem to be having quite a good time.

“Hmm?”

I notice that I fell asleep with my clothes on, probably because I was too tired.

As I take off my outer garments to change, I notice an unusual scent.

Sweet yet fragrant.

Not a single scent, but a feeling of multiple scents layered together.

After hesitating for a moment, I finally asked Stella.

“Did something happen while I was asleep?”

[No.]

A very firm assertion.

But precisely because of that, it was strangely unsettling.

“Tell me.”

[It’s a secret.]

Stella covers her mouth with both hands. I had no intention of backing down and stared at her intently.

Then horns sprouted from Stella’s forehead, and she removed her hands and exclaimed.

[Why are you being so nosy!]

“……”

[Just let it go and move on!]

“Huu.”

Acknowledging Stella’s wisdom in handling a great demon this way, I turned away.

* * *

Going back in time a bit.

About 30 minutes after Deus fell asleep.

[Huh?]

[Oh, he’s sleeping?]

Stella and the Dark Spiritmaster, who had just returned from touring Norsweden, look down at Deus taking a nap.

The Dark Spiritmaster, who had been boasting about showing Stella around Norsweden, feels disappointed for a moment but then quietly lies down next to Deus.

[…Senior, what are you doing?]

A movement too familiar.

The Dark Spiritmaster jumps up in surprise.

[N-nothing! It’s just become a habit. Haha!]

Seeing her awkwardly scratching the back of her head, it seems she often behaved this way when Deus was asleep.

[But this is the first time I’ve seen him take a nap?]

[……]

[He must have been very tired, right?]

[……]

[I’m sorry, but could you please stop staring at me like that?!]

Unable to withstand Stella’s blank stare, the Dark Spiritmaster turns away abruptly.

[I don’t know! I’m leaving! I heard they’re preparing a campfire for the festival, so I’m going to check that out!]

[I won’t tell him about this, Senior.]

[…I’d appreciate that.]

With that, the Dark Spiritmaster passes through the window and leaves. Stella smiles, thinking she’s quite an innocent woman, especially after seeing how intently she had watched the campfire preparations earlier while touring the village.

[Ahem.]

Stella awkwardly clears her throat and glances around. Even though she knows no one can see her, she still acts cautiously.

At that moment, her control is seized as horns sprout from her forehead.

[Ah, this is frustrating.]

Sharing emotions with Stella, she knows what Stella is conflicted about.

She goes to Deus’s bedside and infuses her knees with mana to give them weight.

[Isn’t this what you want to do?]

After providing the lap pillow, Vellica hands back control, as if saying what’s the big deal.

[……]

Stella returns.

Looking down, she sees Deus sleeping peacefully on her lap.

Stella silently tries to cool her burning face, but her posture remains unchanged.

Creak.

“Hey, can we talk for a…”

The door opens and Stella’s head turns quickly. Deia Verdi, his sister, enters with an awkward gait.

“Oh, he’s sleeping.”

She makes a subtle expression upon seeing the sleeping Deus.

Until then, Stella had been feeling self-conscious about her actions, even knowing she couldn’t be seen.

“Hmm.”

Deia slowly approaches Deus.

She examines his face from different angles and gently pokes his cheek with her finger.

[W-what if he wakes up…]

“He must have been tired.”

Deia, poking Deus’s cheek without realizing Stella is there, suddenly feels a sense of déjà vu.

“Brother…”

The person here now is Shinwoo Kim.

Not the original Deus Verdi, but Shinwoo Kim’s body.

Deus sacrificed himself and closed his eyes—she saw it with her own eyes.

Since then, Deia had been feeling a strange sensation.

Deus Verdi was a piece of trash she didn’t even want to look at, but at the very end, he changed.

Seeing that, Deia had to admit that even though he was a terrible person, he was still her “brother.”

But the important thing is.

“Shinwoo Kim.”

With Deus’s death filling the role of her brother and then leaving, she realized her feelings toward Shinwoo Kim inside were confused.

It’s not the same emotion she feels toward Darius and Deus.

A little different.

A little special.

“……”

Squish.

She pushes his cheek with her finger, somewhat irritably. Finding it a bit fun, she feels like she could get addicted to this feeling.

“It’s softer than I thought.”

Deia had been endlessly fiddling with his cheek, but her time was soon cut short.

“Deia, are you here?”

Darius bursts through the door. Startled, Deia’s shoulders hunch as she withdraws her hand.

Then she glares at Darius and whispers.

“He’s sleeping, so be quiet.”

“Ah, sorry. Findenai is looking for you outside.”

“I didn’t give her a task that would be finished this quickly… But why are you delivering the message?”

“Ahem.”

“Sigh, act like a proper lord.”

Grumbling, Deia takes Darius and leaves the room. Before closing the door, she glances at the sleeping Deus with a look of regret that Stella doesn’t miss.

[His sister seems to have many concerns too.]

She’s finally come to recognize Shinwoo Kim and Deus as separate people.

A little while later.

About two hours had passed.

While Stella was still staring down at Deus in the same position.

A knock sounded from outside the door.

With no answer, the door opened carefully. Through the gap appeared Erika Bright, a neat woman with blonde hair.

“Deus?”

Erika, who had slipped inside, looks around and discovers Deus lying on the bed, taking in a sharp breath.

“He’s sleeping.”

Stella stares blankly at Erika, who whispers softly.

From her perspective, Erika Bright, Deus’s fiancée, was quite an intriguing figure.

Erika approaches Deus’s side and carefully brushes his slightly disheveled hair.

“……”

Stella noticed that Erika’s clouded eyes contained many thoughts.

The eyes of a young lamb she had seen many times in life—wandering, searching for her own path.

Erika looking at Deus seemed like she might collapse at any moment, making Stella unconsciously want to reach out to her.

But contrary to that.

Erika’s hand, after tidying Deus’s messy hair, moves smoothly.

Gulp.

The sound of swallowing echoes quietly.

The white hand touches Deus’s forehead, passes between his eyes, down his nose.

And lands gently on his soft lips.

[…!]

Her middle and index fingers carefully touch Deus’s lips, lingering there as if imprinting her fingerprints.

Then she slowly withdraws them.

“Ah.”

Thud.

Erika overlaps the fingers with her own lips. Recalling a previous kiss, she closes her eyes briefly as hot breath escapes from her mouth.

“Haah.”

Her flushed face.

That series of actions contained a sensuality and allure not seen in any of the other companions.

The moment she slowly opened her eyes, Erika, now coming to her senses, covered her burning face and carefully left the room without making a sound.

Thud.

The door closed.

Stella, who had witnessed everything, muttered blankly.

[That was… quite something.]