episode_0102

A sudden bomb dropped.

Elize held onto my arm, refusing to let go.

I could feel her warm body temperature through my fingertips.

Even though it was a highly misleading statement, there wasn’t a trace of wavering in the girl’s expression.

Instead, she merely blinked as if asking what the problem was.

“Excuse… me?”

As I was briefly flustered, our clasped hands intertwined.

The distance between us narrowed.

Rose maintained that position and asked, “What’s wrong? Is there a problem?”

A calm question.

At that, I, who had lost my words, had to seriously contemplate.

“……”

Where should I even begin to tackle this?

She hadn’t said anything untrue.

Whenever she asked for the reason behind my help, I had always replied that it was for her happiness.

In a simple sense, it was the truth, without any embellishment.

However, the problem was…

“Wh-wh-what do you mean by that…?!”

“Yes…?”

…in the way she spoke, which invited misunderstanding.

The Villainess and the Protagonist.

The two standing in front were also looking at us with startled expressions.

Soon, their reactions came.

“Make you happy… Did the Young Master truly say such a thing?”

“Your, Your Highness’s hand is on his stomach…”

At that point, I couldn’t help but pinch the bridge of my nose.

It was a mischievous prank filled with malice.

At first, I thought she had made a mistake, but the corners of Elize’s eyes, curved in a smile, made me realize.

Was she trying to get revenge for all the times I had teased her?

‘That’s right.’

A rose covered in thorns.

Though she had become docile recently, I had overlooked the fact that she was inherently outspoken.

It was due to the lingering scars from her long illness.

Her intention to create a misunderstanding in front of those close to her and get one over on me was clear.

I offered a polite protest with an embarrassed smile.

“Your Highness… This seems like a rather poor prank. If you sow such misunderstandings, won’t these two, who know nothing, merely become pitiable scapegoats?”

“I only spoke the truth, though?”

“Of course, but…”

“Or are you going to say you’ve already forgotten…?”

“……”

Rose stared at me with downcast eyes.

I lost my words.

I almost got swept up in that atmosphere.

Had she perhaps taught herself acting during her illness, because her skill in drawing sad eyes was truly exquisite.

I looked down at her with an expression of disbelief.

“Your expression is quite something.”

Elize chuckled softly.

Her face was covered in a deep melancholy, yet, like a lie, a single petal bloomed.

It was a beautiful scene, stirred by a gentle breeze.

“……”

I gazed blankly at Rose.

My intention to scold her vanished.

Just a few days ago, she wasn’t even joking, but suffering in sadness and preparing for death.

Elize certainly had a changed face.

‘This is.’

Isn’t this a good sign?

It must mean she has gained some emotional composure.

A pleased smile slowly spread across my lips.

I let out a faint laugh and gently stroked the red hair in front of me.

Rose seemed flustered by my unexpected reaction.

“Pfft… I suppose it doesn’t matter.”

“What?”

“Why are you asking?”

“You should be more agitated.”

“Why should I fear the truth? There was not an ounce of deceit in your words about wishing for my happiness, so I merely realized there was nothing to point out.”

“……”

“Your joy will soon be my blessing.”

“……Again with that.”

Her sharp thorns gradually softened, and she soon returned to her docile self.

A pouty annoyance lingered on her lips.

A warm flush sat on her pale cheeks.

Her voice, a small mumble.

“Annoying…”

Oh, please.

It would take another ten years for you to cause enough trouble to fluster me.

“Still, please be careful in front of others. This directly affects Your Highness’s reputation.”

I wished she would understand that her status was the third highest in the empire.

It meant that even the same prank carried different weight.

I had no idea what she would do if a really bad misunderstanding started circulating because of this.

I added, with a hint of worry.

‘And.’

This kind of prank was my specialty.

I hoped she wouldn’t snatch away one of the few joys in my life.

“Huhu.”

Meanwhile.

The two who had been watching from the side were still lost in confusion.

Their delicate questions trembled, one after another.

“Y-you… Is everything Your Highness said true?”

“I didn’t know…”

“I can’t believe it. Last time, you touched a personal maid, and this time, even the hidden star of the empire…”

“The ring you gave me back then… I-I treasured it.”

Emilia sent a look of scorn.

Regia was inexplicably on the verge of tears.

It seemed I had to clear up the misunderstanding before it deepened.

“Oh dear… First, I’d like to say it’s a misunderstanding.”

I calmly explained the relevant details.

It was a concise summary.

As my explanation continued, the girls regained their composure, and I succeeded in clearing the unjust accusations.

The Villainess and the Protagonist finally seemed to understand the situation.

“You became her primary physician… So that’s why you were protecting Your Highness’s side.”

“I-I-I’m so sorry! I didn’t know that and got such strange misunderstandings…!”

“It’s alright, Miss Regia. It was a situation anyone hearing it would misunderstand. Rather, you should be seen as a victim caught in a mischievous prank.”

“……Are you saying that for my benefit?”

“Of course not.”

The atmosphere naturally relaxed.

Only then did I feel relieved.

Regarding the treatment, I couldn’t mention the specific illness, so I vaguely described it as an incurable disease of unknown origin.

Of course, the news that I was solely in charge of such a disease was enough to raise suspicions.

By what fate.

And with what ability.

Did I become the princess’s primary physician, no less?

Such questions might have been asked, but…

“Right… It’s not surprising coming from you.”

Emilia, who already knew my power, seemed to roughly accept it.

“Young Master… You are amazing…!”

Regia was nodding her head unconditionally.

Perhaps it was because they saw me as something great.

Even the questionable parts seemed to be passed over with the mindset of ‘It must be possible because he’s the Young Master!’

Thanks to that, I could subtly avoid tedious explanations.

The girls stood side by side.

I smiled faintly at them.

“Those were the circumstances. It seems we’ll be spending time together from now on, so it would be wonderful if you could all get along.”

A humble request conveyed.

The girls responded, each in their own way.

“Do you think I’m a child? I already know that much without you telling me.”

“If… if it’s okay for me to be here, I’ll tr-try my best.”

“……I’m uncomfortable with strangers.”

The Vain One.

The Pilot.

Rose.

Though there were complaints, there was no refusal.

Thus, the children stored away the first scene of getting acquainted with each other in their memories.

***

Approximately 30 minutes later.

Rose and I were finally able to enter the dormitory.

The girl’s dormitory was located close to mine. It seemed they had considered my situation, requiring frequent visits for treatment.

I suspected Selena might have had a hand in this as well.

“……Tired.”

Elize was particularly exhausted.

Since she had difficulty moving her body, I had to transfer her from the wheelchair to the bed.

Her slender body lay on the soft blanket.

Perhaps feeling a bit bothered, the girl unnecessarily added a remark.

“Sorry.”

“Not at all. You must have had a tough day today.”

She had been out all day.

It must have been unfamiliar to her.

Having lived caged for the past ten years, every surrounding sight must have come as a new stimulus.

Even though she was in a wheelchair, it must have been an exhausting day.

“What about Tanya and unnie…?”

“They will arrive a little later. Since the three of you will be using the same building from now on, they said they would move their belongings from their original dormitories.”

“I see… From now on, I…”

Elize mumbled as if she still couldn’t believe it.

Her pupils shone differently than usual.

It was as if she were dreaming.

I quietly smiled at her appearance.

To avoid disturbing her thoughts, I stifled my presence and quietly stepped away.

I planned to return now.

“I’ll be going.”

She must be tired.

Lingering beside her would only be a hindrance to her rest.

And so.

Just as I was about to leave her side.

“……Are you leaving?”

Suddenly, a hand grabbed my sleeve.

The fabric wrinkled slightly.

In response, I turned around to see a pair of green eyes looking up at me.

The inner turmoil reflected in them was wavering.

“Your Highness?”

Was there something she wanted to tell me?

I tilted my head.

What followed was an unexpected sentence.

Rose savored the fading resonance, then asked a question with a lost articulation.

It was a particularly desolate darkness.

“Can’t you… stay with me?”

A quiet question.

Perhaps she was uneasy?

Indeed.

She had been caged for a long time, and suddenly her environment had changed, so it was understandable that she would be scared.

I realized I had lacked consideration.

She wanted someone to stay by her side.

If I disappeared like this, she would truly be left alone in this world.

She disliked that loneliness.

“Of course.”

I didn’t leave.

Instead, I sat down on the edge of the bed.

“I’ll stay for a while.”

“Really…?”

“Until Your Highness falls asleep… No, even if you fall asleep, I will continue to stay by your side. So please close your eyes with peace of mind.”

“……Okay.”

“This is a good opportunity to do the treatment we couldn’t do today.”

I gently placed my hand on her stomach.

Her skin felt warm.

The girl instinctively let out a gasp, but then gradually subsided, returning to a comfortable breathing pattern.

I gently caressed her warm body.

“Huhu.”

My touch was not rough or greedy as usual.

It was only benevolent.

As if singing a lullaby.

“You’re… really weird.”

“Am I?”

“Normally you’re like trash, and a pervert… so why are you so gentle at times like this?”

“That’s part of my charm, isn’t it?”

“If you couldn’t talk, you wouldn’t be so annoying.”

“Am I annoying?”

“Yes.”

“Seriously?”

“……No.”

The girl eventually averted her gaze.

I smiled in response.

I drew circles on her abdomen with my fingertips.

It was a compliment for her correct answer.

This stimulation seemed to be ticklish, as a slight, pained breath escaped her lips.

“Uh…!”

Her eyes glared.

I placed a finger on her pouty lips.

As if to silence her.

“Shhh.”

A soft sensation touched my finger.

It was a truly explicit moisture.

I slid my fingertip along the melancholic curve of her lips, feeling the warmth breathing beyond that soft flesh.

It was as if lips were pressing against lips.

A delicate crimson opening.

Through that opening.

I gently inserted my thumb, which had been hovering nearby.

A stiff tongue came out to meet it, and at the same time, warm, moist saliva dampened my finger.

Her mouth, containing sticky moisture, slowly accepted the foreign object.

“Chup…”

The girl looked up at me with dazed eyes.

I smiled in response.

I slowly pulled back my finger, which had been precariously close to the line.

As the thread of warmth that had touched her tongue disappeared, the girl blinked several times as if coming to her senses.

Of course, I didn’t wait for her consciousness to fully return.

“It’s time to sleep.”

I covered the girl’s eyes with my other hand.

Her eyelids naturally closed.

The girl accepted my touch without resistance and slowly began to release the tension in her body.

The warmth on her cheeks also subsided.

“It was a difficult day.”

“……”

Her breathing softened.

And so.

I waited.

Until her unstable breathing became regular, and finally, until she fell into complete slumber.

I continued to convey my warmth to the girl late into the night.

“Sleep well.”

With a gentle whisper.

***

The next day.

It had only been two days since I returned to the academy, but I couldn’t wait and headed out of the academy once again.

It was because there was someone I had to pick up myself.

After several hours of travel in a rattling carriage, I arrived at ‘The City That Doesn’t Weep’.

‘Rukia.’

It was the city where Astro’s headquarters was located.

It had been quite a while since I returned to this place.

I found the hidden location and went down the stairs.

And as I opened the tightly closed door and stepped into the headquarters.

A figure suddenly attacked me as if waiting.

I embraced the charging form and, with the recoil, fell backward.

We landed softly.

“Oh dear.”

Even then, two hands tightly embraced my waist.

As I lay on the floor, as if being pounced upon, I saw a girl on top of me burying her face in my neck.

Her characteristic appearance immediately revealed who she was.

A gently swaying orange tail.

Ears perked up on top of her head.

I calmly called her name.

“Miss Irene.”

It was a fox.

The girl buried her nose in me, taking a few breaths, then whispered into my ear.

“……I’ve been waiting.”

It was a single phrase, carrying the weight of a long wait.