Ch.239Chapter 239: Continuing Daily Life

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In the midst of my unconsciousness, I heard everything that had happened through Shizu.

As I listened to her story, my eyes gradually opened and my foggy mind completely cleared. I could feel my battle-worn body returning to normal.

Because of that, I thought it would be a waste to spend more time in bed, so I tried to get up and resume my unfinished mission of escorting the delegation, but…

“Um, Shizu?”

“What is it?”

“I was trying to get up just now.”

“Yes, I know.”

“Then why are you holding both my shoulders and trying to make me lie down?”

“Patients need rest.”

“But I’m not si—”

“Half your face was swollen. And you still look pale.”

“I think that’s just because I’m hungry…”

“Hehe, then I’ll ask someone to bring food here, so just lie down and rest.”

Thanks to Shizu desperately preventing me from leaving the bed, it seemed impossible to get up.

As she blocked me with both arms and gave me a pleading look when I still tried to stand, I felt a warmth in the corner of my heart.

…However, if I just kept lying in bed, I was afraid my body—conditioned through daily training without missing a single day—would stiffen up.

“No, it’s fine. Moving around will help me recover naturally.”

I tried to escape the bed with these words, but…

“You need to rest.”

“…”

“You need to rest, Cal.”

Overwhelmed by Shizu’s commanding presence as her voice dropped slightly lower than usual…

“I’ll lie down quietly.”

My mouth could only express surrender.

I could have forced myself up if I wanted to.

But I thought that if I did, some form of sadness would cloud Shizu’s face after she had tried so hard to keep me in bed, so I quietly accepted her request.

Ever since I saw you crying when I collapsed in bed right after returning to the past…

I vowed never to let traces of sadness like tears appear on your face again.

If I ignored your request just because I was afraid of my body stiffening up and caused tear stains on your face, what would be the point of living through all this time again?

Well, my body has been conditioned through three years of training, even skimping on sleep.

I’ve been running so hard all this time that I forgot to rest, so maybe taking a break like this occasionally isn’t so bad?

After finishing my self-review that decided to give my tired body a vacation, I quietly laid my upper body back on the bed, unable to rise against Shizu’s hands.

Needless to say, Shizu’s hands, which were meant to make me rest, gently guided my body toward the bed.

Beyond just resting, the warm touch of Shizu’s hands on both my shoulders was already more than enough benefit from taking a break.

Did she feel this wasn’t enough?

“Hehe, now I’ll give a reward to Cal Ranos for obediently lying down in bed as I said.”

When those words about a reward came from Shizu’s mouth with her usual bright smile…

I was about to wonder what she was going to give me.

But Shizu seemed to have no intention of giving me time for such curiosity.

As soon as she mentioned the reward, she released her hands from my shoulders…

*Swish swish*

And immediately began stroking the top of my head with her right hand.

Hmm, when she said reward, I wondered what it would be, but it’s just head patting like before.

It feels so good I could die without regrets… Ah, but if I die, I should first lock Desire back in the Obsidian Palace.

[…Before, you would only malfunction when kissing, but now you’re malfunctioning from having your head stroked. I’m worried about you.]

Paphnir’s incredulous voice echoed in my head after reading my thoughts.

‘If your mind doesn’t go blank or malfunction when touched anywhere by someone you love, that’s not love. That’s being a wooden block.’

[Fine, you win. You win.]

Paphnir surrendered to my firm declaration and fell silent in my mind again.

So I spent time leisurely, offering my head without hesitation to Shizu, who had become accustomed to my head pats and now wanted to return the favor.

In all the three years since my return to the past, I don’t think I’ve ever spent a day as leisurely as today.

Even now, I can still hear a voice in the back of my mind asking if it’s really okay to be this relaxed.

But even mechanical devices need regular maintenance to function properly.

With the conviction that a person, infinitely more delicate than any machine, cannot continue their grand journey toward their goal without this kind of rest, I pushed that nagging voice to a distant corner of my mind.

As I reflected on the preciousness of time spent with the important person I want to protect…

I raised my motivation to become stronger even higher.

People to protect, daily life to preserve, a world to save.

…There’s quite a lot I need to protect.

Before my return to the past, I wouldn’t have dared to shoulder such burdens, and even if I had, I would have collapsed under their weight.

But now, they no longer weighed me down or made things difficult.

“You know what? Cal’s hair is really soft. Surprisingly soft even for a woman like me.”

If I can be with this precious person who strokes the top of my head saying she’ll give me a reward, yet looks like she’s the one receiving it…

Then these burdens won’t be shackles but wings for me.

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Even after our conversation that began when I opened my eyes, we continued to spend time together.

Shizu prepared some light food for me in case I was hungry, and we ate together.

After finishing our meal, we chatted with each other, taking turns stroking each other’s heads, switching roles between the one stroking and the one being stroked.

We did it a few times right after I woke up, and the response was so good that we naturally continued, losing track of time.

Since both Shizu and I make our living by wielding swords…

We always have calluses on our palms, so…

The rough feeling when our hands touch each other’s heads might feel strange.

That goes without saying for me, and…

“I wish I could stroke Cal’s head like this every day.”

From Shizu’s constant expression of such small sentiments while stroking my head, I could tell that even that roughness was a source of joy for her.

Well, I felt the same joy watching Shizu close her eyes and make a peaceful expression as soon as my hand touched her.

How many people throughout the long history of this world have experienced the pleasure of spending time stroking each other’s heads without getting bored?

[You two are truly made for each other.]

‘I think so too.’

[Don’t comment on my private musings.]

‘You comment on my fleeting thoughts all the time, so why can’t I do the same?’

[I shall never again vocalize my opinions on your trivial thoughts.]

As I was spending this busy time enjoying a happy moment I wished would last forever while also performing a short comedy with Paphnir…

*Creeak-!!*

A sound announced the arrival of a visitor to the place where only Shizu and I were.

Who could it be? Who would so inconsiderately enter when I was trying to maintain this wonderful moment?

Feeling regret, I turned my head toward the entrance.

“You two have such a good relationship, just like when I first saw you.”

Princess Lucius, her eyes sparkling as she observed Shizu and me, along with her shadow, Wibel.

“Your Highness, entering their room at this hour might not be appropriate… Oh, you’re awake.”

And I could see Excel, focused on his escort duty, entering as well.

Our cozy space for two was instantly transformed into a crowded place.

By the way, what was Excel talking about when he said it might not be appropriate to enter? We were just getting along well.

If it weren’t for the Princess, I would have scolded him right away.

But I couldn’t because I had to pay attention to the Princess’s reaction as she entered commenting on how well we got along.

Speaking of which, Princess, your sparkling eyes since you entered are uncomfortable enough, but…

The way you keep looking at Wibel, who always follows you like a shadow, and then back at us repeatedly—what does that even mean?

It almost looks like a silent protest asking Wibel to pat your head like Shizu and I do to each other.

Surely not… right?

No, someone of the Princess’s stature wouldn’t possibly…

“Your Highness, in front of others, it’s a bit…”

“So you’ll do it when no one’s watching?”

“…”

“Hurry up and say you’ll pat my head. Pleeeease.”

…Why is this actually happening?

As I suppressed my surprise at seeing the Princess even stretching out the end of her sentence to appear cute, I shifted my gaze from her to Wibel standing beside her.

“…”

The silent masked man raised one hand and wordlessly scratched his chin, which was visible despite the mask, showing his awkwardness.

His expression was clearly hidden by the mask, but…

“…”

The faster he scratched his chin, the easier it became to imagine the expression he must be wearing.

I had planned to stay quiet, but thanks to our visitors, it seemed I would have to spend a somewhat busy day.