episode_0124

It was a truly unexpected blow. I never thought you would say something like that there.

That’s also the case with Hermel, who said he was horrified and trembled every time he received a greeting or salute from the knights.

“The world looks so beautiful… … . Hehehe.”

“Muuuh… … . Don’t keep teasing me… … .”

“But the more I think about it, the more I think about how cute it is.”

As I spoke with a grin, Hermel pouted and said.

“I wish people would say I’m pretty instead of saying I’m cute… … .”

The sight of him muttering was so cute that it made my heart tingle.

I know it’s really childish and childish, but I wanted to keep seeing that cute face, so I thought I’d like to tease Hermel a little more.

little bit more? But what if you get angry? Wouldn’t it be okay? I was divided into two, playing tug-of-war in my head.

The emotion that I thought I would never feel now that I had worn it out, but that I had felt at some point, split my emotions in two and went up and down again like a seesaw.

“Hermel.”

“… … Why?”

“The world looks so beautiful.”

Just a little more… When I smiled playfully and let out the thought, Hermel, who had been looking at me with blinking eyes, puffed out his cheeks and turned his head away.

“I said this after much thought and consideration… … . It’s too much.”

“Hermel?”

“Heung.”

Did I tease him too much? Hermel didn’t respond to anything I said. And he avoided my eyes.

Umm… … . I guess I was too harsh… … . When I first saw Hermel’s sulking appearance, something became more complicated than I thought… … . No, I was a little embarrassed.

no. Not just a little, I was more embarrassed than I thought. Should I say that I was getting impatient, but looking at that pouting face slowly filled me with anxious thoughts.

“Hey, he――”

“Food has arrived.”

Just as I was about to open my mouth to apologize, the chef brought out the food at the perfect timing, as if the world was really cursing me.

After putting down the food in front of Hermel and me, he immediately nodded and walked away, but once he missed the timing, he couldn’t say anything.

Hermel still looked sulky and started moving around holding the utensils with a sullen expression on his face.

Clatter, rattle.

An extremely stuffy space filled with the sounds of dishes hitting dishes, the sounds of nearby students talking, and uncomfortable silence.

If I stayed still and did nothing, Hermel would be uncomfortable and I wouldn’t be able to eat, so I tried to control my emotions, grabbed a fork and knife, and started cutting the steak.

“… … .”

I was quietly cutting the steak, but before I could bring the meat to my mouth, I quietly put down the knife and looked out the window.

I was in big trouble. It’s really a big deal. There has never been anything like this in the episodes I’ve been through so far. How on earth are we supposed to solve this problem?

As I looked out the window with trembling eyes, I swallowed a sigh welling up to the tip of my chin and pressed down on the meat with my fork.

I was pressing down on the meat and clearing my mind. Deciding to just convey my true feelings, I took a deep breath and called Hermel.

“Hermel.”

“… … .”

Hermel was chewing meat with his eyes closed without any response.

I put down the fork I was holding and reached out to wipe the blood from the corner of Hermel’s mouth.

Hermel was startled, trembled, and opened his eyes wide, and I smiled a little at that.

“As expected, Hermel’s eyes are pretty.”

“That’s what you say. I think I will forgive you… … Ah?”

Seeing Hermel’s ears turning bright red even after saying that, I quietly reached out my hand and lightly held her hand like Hermel had done.

Hermel’s hands were rough and hard, with calluses here and there from having practiced holding a sword for a long time. It was smaller than my hand and warmer.

Hermel’s hand is my favorite.

The hand of the person I love.

“I’m sorry. Hermel. I liked you so much that I wanted to play pranks. I guess I went a little too far.”

“Ugh… … !”

With those words, Hermel’s body trembled and his face, with his eyes wide open, slowly began to turn red.

Hermel, who was looking here and there without being able to find a place to place his eyes, soon moved his hands and clasped them without saying a word.

“Ugh… … . I’m sorry too… … . I didn’t say anything and just sulked… … .”

As soon as those short words ended, an awkward silence began to flow between Hermel and me.

I didn’t know what to say in this situation, so I looked at Hermel without saying anything.

Hermel glanced at me with an expression that seemed to indicate that he had let off steam too easily.

What broke the awkward silence was Hermel and I’s laughter.

“Fuhu… … .”

“Hehe… … .”

The laughter that burst out of nowhere had a different meaning than before, and I couldn’t hold back the laughter. Hermel and I looked at each other and started laughing.

“Gahahaha!”

“Kuhuhuhuh.”

Hermel and I smiled happily and started eating again.

Unlike before, when no words were exchanged, we talked about various things.

“Hermel, who told you that earlier?”

“What you said earlier, ah. that? Umm… … . That’s actually… … .”

Hermel, who was scratching his cheek, blushed and avoided my gaze.

It was a completely different atmosphere from before, when I turned my head away in anger, so I didn’t feel uncomfortable at all.

“Chae, I saw it in a book. A book called The 101st Meeting between a Hero and a Demon King… … .”

“Hmm… … . I see.”

“Well, what is it? I also read at least a book.”

“Ahaha, isn’t that a romance novel rather than a book?”

Hermel blinked blankly for a moment and then tilted his head.

“I see… … ?”

“Phew, what do you think? What was it about?”

“It was about a hero and a demon king fighting for 100 times and becoming attached, and at their 101st meeting, the hero confessed to the demon king.”

“It’s surprisingly ordinary content.”

“For your information, the hero is a woman.”

“Unexpected.”

“Ah, the devil is also a woman.”

“… … .”

Hermel and I were chatting lightly like that, and before we knew it, we saw that each other’s plates were empty and quietly put down our forks.

I wasn’t in a particularly special mood, and I didn’t do anything to get excited. As soon as Hermel and I made eye contact, we stood up as if we had made a promise.

But I’m not really going there to mingle. I just wanted to take a walk outside.

After finishing our meal, we came out and started walking slowly along the trail.

Now, as the end of spring approaches, half of the flowers blooming on the trail have fallen.

“Charles.”

“Huh?”

“Spring is coming to an end soon, does Charles have any plans for the future?”

“Plan… … .”

Why are you suddenly asking me that?

I couldn’t open my mouth as the questions kept coming at me, as if asking me if I was forgetting something or the most important thing.

If you start talking about the future now, you end up thinking about how things will progress in the future.

“Well. now… … . There is nothing in particular.”

That’s why I didn’t want to talk about it, at least not now.

“Unexpected. What will Charles do next? I thought he planned everything.”

“I’m human too. It’s necessary to take a break without a plan, at least for a little while.”

When I spoke with a bitter smile, Hermel nodded slowly.

“That’s right. If you live your life worrying about it every day, you will get a headache.”

After saying that, Hermel looked up at the sky and said.

“It may sound like I’m bragging, but I am. I want to become a knight. The commander of the royal knights.”

I blinked at those words and tilted my head.

“Didn’t you say before that you would succeed to the throne?”

“Ah, that… … .”

Hermel scratched his cheek and smiled awkwardly.

“I thought about it a little bit, and I don’t think I have what it takes to become king.”

“Why?”

“That’s right, because I’m crazy. I can’t do things like what a king would do.”

Hermel smiled awkwardly and scratched his cheek.

When I saw that, I honestly… … . I felt relieved. I felt truly sorry for Hermel, but I was truly relieved to hear that he would not become king.

Because Hermel will never become the queen of a ruined country.

“Where is that? You can do it.”

“Charles knows best that it is not as easy as it sounds. And the position of king doesn’t suit me~ And more than anything, if I become king, I will have less time to spend with Charles. So I――”

However, one part of me was a little angry.

“Hermel.”

“Why are you calling me?”

It was frustrating to see him giving up on a guess and to see his sullen face saying he couldn’t do it.

” Regardless of whether it works or not. What do you want to do Hermel?”

“Huh?”

“Hermel is asking what you want to do.”

So, even though it was arbitrary, I decided to support Hermel.

Hermel, who had blinked at my words, smiled a little awkwardly and answered.

“It’s me… … . Of course I want to do it. Who would refuse the throne of king? … .”

“Then don’t give up.”

I touched Hermel’s forehead with a tap and smiled while patting Hermel’s head as he looked at me blankly.

“Don’t say things like I can’t do this or I can’t do that. Do what you want.”

okay. I know that what I do is arbitrary and selfish, and that it will lead to a bad ending. still–

“It’s better to try and regret it than to not do it and regret it.”

Because I didn’t want to see Hermel give up like me.