Ch.202Chapter 202: Planning the Future with Determination

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I safely(?) escaped from the Sword Tomb while holding Shizu’s hand.

The distance we walked hand in hand was far too short for a conversation to clear up Shizu’s misunderstanding after she was startled by the strange scent coming from my body.

“…Hehe.”

From the moment her hand touched mine, such worries seemed to have vanished from Shizu’s mind.

Her steps, as she held my hand, powerfully guided my two legs exhausted from the fierce battle.

As we continued walking, my guilt for causing her needless worry quickly dissolved.

Finally, beyond the entrance, I was able to face those who had waited for me as if they never doubted I would pass the trial.

“Just as I expected.”

Starting with my father’s congratulations, which conveyed warmth despite his solemn demeanor.

“May your late-blooming talent blossom even more brilliantly.”

Then my sister, whose voice was more composed than Father’s, but whose expression was beaming as she congratulated me.

“Hey, congratulations on passing that difficult trial.”

Excel, who for this moment set aside his characteristic frivolity and sincerely congratulated me.

And finally…

“Instead of touring the Duke’s territory, I ended up spending more time waiting with others for a Ranos family member taking that precious Sword Tomb trial. What a shame. Congratulations nonetheless.”

Ending with congratulations from Princess Lukius, whose presence here I couldn’t have even imagined.

Not to mention before my regression.

I could truly feel that I had passed the Sword Tomb trial—something I couldn’t even attempt during this time in the countless timelines I lived through inside the Sword Tomb.

…It would have been fine if feeling it was all that happened.

But as the tension suddenly released and my mind relaxed completely, my head drooped without me realizing it.

“Cal…? Oh, did he fall asleep…?”

With Shizu’s puzzled voice—who immediately noticed the change in me because she was holding my hand—as the last thing I heard.

After fighting battle after battle, I somehow managed to keep my body unscathed, but I finally succumbed to the fatigue that had unknowingly accumulated, pulling my consciousness below the surface of sleep.

I tried to gather my thoughts as I barely regained consciousness, but…

“Ah, he’s awake.”

As I heard Shizu’s delighted voice, my slowly opening eyes saw not the sunset sky but the ceiling of my room.

When I turned my gaze toward the window, the stars and moon had completely taken the place of the sun in the darkened sky.

“…How much time has passed since I fainted?”

Before greeting Shizu, I first asked how much time had elapsed.

“Hmm… about three hours.”

Shizu, still smiling, told me in a gentle voice what had happened after I lost consciousness.

I had roughly guessed from the moment I lost consciousness.

Of course, they couldn’t just leave me collapsed there.

Naturally, someone had to either carry me on their shoulders or several people needed to support me.

It was Excel who carried me on his back to my room.

I was surprised to hear that Father had initially intended to carry me to my room, but…

Fortunately, that didn’t happen because all the servants present at the entrance when I came out stopped Father with desperate looks and expressions, asking him to maintain his dignity as the head of the family.

Excel took Father’s place, I was told.

At first, he tried to refuse with a playful response about not having a hobby of carrying men, but…

As soon as my sister asked if he couldn’t carry her brother who was exhausted from the trial, he immediately carried me to my room as if he had never objected.

Hmm, even just hearing about it, I could imagine what expression Excel must have had when he received my sister’s request.

Without a doubt, he must have accepted her request with an even more determined expression than when he congratulated me on my success with that serious look.

Well, isn’t it obvious?

It’s funny for me to say this, but…

Men are creatures who forget how to refuse when asked by a woman they like, regardless of what the request might be.

In any other situation, this would be enough material to tease him for days.

But just this once, since it was a mishap that occurred while helping me, I should quietly let it pass without saying anything.

“Hehe, you should have seen how dynamically Excel’s expression changed when your sister asked him.”

With this, Shizu finished explaining what had happened after I fell asleep, and…

As I silently listened to her words, my drowsy mind gradually awakened from sleep.

‘The ending was sloppy.’

…Apart from waking up, I also reflected on my inability to control my disgraceful fainting at the very end after successfully passing such a difficult trial.

“Your father laughed heartily when he saw you faint, saying it was exactly the same as when he took the trial.”

Shizu, reading my subtly stiffened expression of disappointment and self-reflection, comforted me with her still gentle voice.

I could feel my heart, which had been sinking and growing heavy, gradually lifting.

After all, there could be no words more comforting to me than hearing that my father, who among those present would have had the most similar experience to mine, had gone through the same thing.

You are so kind, perceiving my inner thoughts from just the slightest twist in my expression without me saying a word, and immediately offering words of comfort.

I… want to protect this kindness forever.

I wish that your heart, which became strict and cold instead of kind due to my wayward behavior before my regression, would always remain as warm as it is now.

With that wish, I silently gave Shizu a profound gaze.

“Um… what? Is there something on my face?”

Shizu, unable to properly read the meaning in my gaze, visibly flustered and began touching her face with both hands.

Though it was a simple action…

“I… I checked the mirror before coming in and fi-fixed my face… why…?”

The gentle voice from earlier changed to one of embarrassment as my bewildered fiancée displayed a beauty that would overwhelm anything else described as beautiful, and…

“Eeeep…”

Combined with cuteness.

So I released the heat in my chest, caused by encountering too much cuteness and beauty at once, with…

“Haa…”

A sigh-like laugh, and carefully extended my right hand to Shizu’s crown…

*Stroke stroke*

And gently patted her with all the tenderness I could muster.

The effect was remarkable.

“…Ah.”

Shizu, who had been so flustered that she didn’t even notice my hand touching her crown, showed surprise at first, but only briefly.

I’m not sure if this comparison is apt, but…

“…”

Shizu’s expression, now silent, was changing as softly as snow that had accumulated all winter without freezing, melting under the spring sunshine.

Her eyes, slightly widened in surprise, were now closed, reduced to tools for heightening her senses to savor my touch.

Similarly, her head and entire body, which had momentarily frozen in surprise, were gradually turning toward me to better receive my stroking.

It was enough to make me think I could write a guidebook stating that when comforting a flustered fiancée, all you need to do is hug her or stroke her head.

With just my touch, Shizu quickly found stability after her moment of confusion.

This alone would have been enough, but adding a clinching statement would make it even more certain.

What would I say?

Isn’t it obvious?

“Thank you for coming to see me even though it’s late.”

Just a simple expression of gratitude toward Shizu for taking care of me after I fainted, despite the late hour.

Although I couldn’t see the clock well since I couldn’t take my eyes off you…

Based on your statement that three hours had passed since I fainted, and…

With countless stars and the moon shining in the sky that hadn’t completely darkened, indicating the current time…

Though not as much as me, the one who underwent the trial…

You anxiously waited for me at the entrance, and…

Not only that, you took care of me when I collapsed, so I naturally had to convey my feelings with words of gratitude.

So I expressed my gratitude to Shizu with my heart.

Although I felt a bit sorry that words were the only way I could express myself in the current situation…

“…”

With each stroke, Shizu’s crown, silent with her eyes closed, felt a warmth that transcended mere comfort, and…

Though she didn’t reject my touch, she suddenly bowed her head deeply, trying to avoid my gaze, and I saw her face flushed with a redness that matched my hair color, beyond mere blushing.

Seeing Shizu so delighted by such a simple expression of gratitude made me happy as well.

The night was gradually deepening.

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After regaining consciousness and chatting with Shizu for what seemed like no time at all…

*Breathe in, breathe out*

I gazed intently at Shizu, who had fallen asleep with steady breathing on my lap.

Perhaps because the tension from waiting anxiously for me all day at the Sword Tomb’s entrance had suddenly released when I woke up…

Shizu’s mouth, showing even more brightness than usual, had been constantly moving as she continued our conversation, but…

Despite her elevated emotional state, it was quite late now, and…

As I mentioned earlier, except for me who underwent the trial, the mental and physical exhaustion from anxiously waiting at the entrance had taken its toll…

“I’m glad… you’re safe… hehe.”

With these words as her last, Shizu stopped mid-conversation like an automaton whose power supply had been cut off, and fell asleep with her head bowed on my lap.

Needless to say, I had anticipated this as I noticed the fatigue clearly etched on her face while we were talking, so I prevented her face from hitting the floor.

By the way, although I’ve been seeing it unintentionally quite often lately…

Looking at Shizu sleeping so defensively, without a care in the world…

“Beautiful…”

I couldn’t help but let out a voice filled with affection for the sleeping wingless angel, losing all restraint.

While inwardly making a pledge to always protect Shizu’s jewel-like smile.

Just as I finished my pledge, with a sudden flash of light appearing in an empty space in my room…

[Ugh… I never want to experience that again.]

It was around that time that the dragon sword containing Fafnir’s spirit form, which had let out such a sorrowful scream when leaving the entrance, reappeared.