Wha… what?

Wha… what?

I looked at the sleeping Rumi and recalled the words I had heard earlier.

[I… I don’t like you. Don’t come…!]

Given the situation,

I knew that what Rumi said wasn’t sincere, but rather a lie she had uttered to escape the situation.

‘Yet the reason I’m recalling those words is because I can no longer tell if this relationship is truly right.’

Thinking about it, it was an obvious story.

‘I’ was originally an existence that didn’t belong in this world, a floating existence.

An existence that shouldn’t have existed in the first place, changing the story as it pleased, like a slippery loach.

‘As a result, things that shouldn’t have happened are happening.’

Here’s the translation of the given text:

They were becoming close to those they shouldn’t, and the story was flowing in a completely different direction from the ‘original novel’.

The problem here was that I wasn’t sure what would happen ‘after defeating the Demon King or Demon God’.

‘Even after defeating the Demon King or Demon God, which is the ending of the novel, I’m not sure if my consciousness will continue to remain.’

I couldn’t tell if it was right to accept the feelings of Sien, Rumi, and Delia simply for momentary joy and happiness.

‘It feels like… that kind of situation.’

It feels like women confessing their love to someone with a terminal illness.

I let out a hollow laugh at such a comparison, then spoke to Espin who was nearby.

“Take a rest. I’ll keep an eye on Rumi.”

I said this to be considerate, as Espin had actually gone through more hardship than I had.

However, Espin shook his head and said he would ‘continue’ to stay here.

I was inwardly sighing while telling Espin to do as he pleased, when.

“… Ah.”

Rumi, who had been knocked unconscious, slowly opened her eyes.

“……”

Rumi opened her eyes and stared blankly at the ceiling, then looked around with a bewildered expression.

It seems she’s unable to grasp what’s happening right now.

I looked at Rumi and slowly opened my mouth.

“Are you hurt anywhere?”

It’s not really something I should ask after hitting her myself, but I asked in case she needed a potion if she was in pain.

Rumi shook her head, indicating she was fine.

Thinking that was at least fortunate, I watched her for a moment before speaking to Espin, who was standing nearby looking blank.

“Espin. I need to talk to Rumi, so please leave.”

“I was about to do that anyway.”

Espin nodded slightly while reading the atmosphere.

He then carefully stepped out of the room and closed the door.

“……”

With Espin gone, the silence felt even more profound.

I tried hard to suppress a sigh as I slowly opened my mouth.

“… Don’t run away.”

The moment Rumi heard my words, her lips began to quiver as if she wanted to say something.

Seeing Rumi’s reaction,

I continued speaking a bit faster, intending to cut off whatever she was about to say.

“Even if you run away, nothing will change. It will only get worse. So instead of running away, face it and fight.”

At those words, Rumi gripped the blanket tightly.

She spoke to me in a voice that was gradually becoming smaller.

“… I don’t want to.”

At that response, I felt a fleeting urge to smack her.

But I tried to calm myself and continued speaking slowly.

“Then do as you please. After all, you’ll have to take responsibility for your own actions.”

At those words, Rumi nodded as if to say that was obvious, her nose reddening.

It seemed she thought that distancing herself from me was a good decision.

After pondering for a moment, I took out the promissory note from my pocket and spoke.

“Then, let’s start by repaying the money I gave you.”

It seems she thinks it’s unkind to suddenly talk about money.

Rumi looks at me while sniffling, then quickly nods her head and says.

“O-Of course I intend to pay it back. It’s just… I don’t have anything right now, so if you could wait a little…”

“Why should I do that?”

“There’s no reason why you should, but I really don’t have anything at all.”

It seems she’s flustered because of the unexpected topic that came up.

I waved the promissory note in front of the flustered Rumi and explained the reason for bringing up this topic.

“Then work.”

“… Pardon?”

“I heard before that the Lercier Family is short on maids. So work there and pay back the money.”

No matter what I say, if Rumi makes up her mind, she could leave without much difficulty.

Rather, I thought it would be better to touch Rumi’s conscience and hold her hostage with it, so I spoke in this way.

Rumi looked at me with a blank expression.

Seeing Rumi’s expression, I thought.

If I give Rumi time, she’ll only have unnecessary thoughts and try to refuse my offer.

So I quickly took the initiative to prevent her from having such thoughts.

“Then consider it settled. I’ll inform the butler, so start working from tomorrow.”

“W-Wait a moment…! I didn’t say I’d do it.”

“Then give me the money right now. Well, I doubt anyone would lend such a large sum to a mere Academy student like you anyway.”

“……”

Passing through recklessly was an unavoidable choice.

If I let Rumi out in the current situation, it was obvious what would happen to her.

I couldn’t pretend not to know and just send her away.

‘So for now, I’ll keep her confined at home.’

When the situation calms down somewhat or when we get closer to the ending.

I decided to release Rumi and stepped out of the room.

*

“Wow… asking her to pay back money? Isn’t that too harsh for someone who’s sick?”

As soon as I left the room, I saw Espin giggling with her arms crossed.

I knew she was lingering outside.

I didn’t expect her to tease me so openly, so I clicked my tongue, and Espin, still smiling, said.

“… Well, you did well. Even I can see that if you had tried to keep her here with just words, Rumi would have definitely run away.”

Perhaps because Espin had experienced the power of the Heaven God Cult, she defended my actions with a hearty laugh.

Then, slowly walking down the corridor, she said.

“By the way, I won’t leave even if you tell me to go until the situation calms down, okay? Even if I might be fine, I want to protect our parents.”

“I wasn’t planning on that anyway.”

“Then that’s good.”

As I watched Espin pretending to be nonchalant, humming a tune in front of me, I smiled slightly.

Then I calmly turned my gaze to look out the window.

‘… I really don’t know what to do.’

What choice would be the right one to make.

What kind of relationship would be good.

… Or perhaps it would be better to face the end.

While I was looking outside, thinking it was difficult to decide on any one thing.

One method flashed through my mind.

‘If all these problems are happening because Rumi likes me.’

Maybe if I make Rumi dislike me, wouldn’t everything be resolved?

… The moment I had that thought, it felt like my complicated mind was instantly cleared.

If that happens, the problems I’m facing now would truly disappear completely.

‘To make her dislike me…’

As I was thinking about this while slowly walking down the hallway.

Someone starts rubbing their cheek against my calf and meowing.

“… Luna?”

I told her to stay in the lab, but did she come all the way here?

Wondering why she came here, I pick Luna up, and she tells me with sparkling eyes.

[Pet me!]

A somewhat unexpected request.

As I inwardly sigh at this request and start petting her head.

Luna purrs and tells me.

[Is there a problem? Should I solve it for you!?]

I shake my head and say there isn’t, and Luna tilts her head and continues speaking.

[I think there is…! This is definitely a lie to me!]

I was a bit annoyed by those words and thought about shutting her mouth.

Since the conversation method itself seemed to be ringing in my head, I couldn’t find another way and was clicking my tongue.

Luna licks her paw and speaks to me.

[Is it a female problem?]

“… What?”

[I’m asking because you seemed to have a headache because of females last time…!]

Females… the intonation is a bit strange.

I avoid answering Luna’s words deliberately.

Luna, thinking it was indeed a woman problem, spoke in an excited voice.

[The boss cat I met in this mansion last time told me. If there’s a problem related to females, first you should mate with all the females! Then if you take responsibility, all problems will be solved!]

Ma… what?

Feeling my mind freeze at Luna’s words, I had no choice but to stop in my tracks.

I never dreamed I would hear such words in my life.

I was squeezing my eyes shut, thinking that Luna definitely has the form of a cat and thus has a cat’s values rather than human values, when.

Luna, looking at me like that, rubbed her head against my chest and said with a bright smile.

[I solved the problem for you. Now hurry up and pat my head!]